Keep 'em peeled

********* Red Alert.... red alert.... *********

I have heard about one or two very, very serious incidents around Plumstead. I've heard that there have been attempts to grab children off the street, and [I think], bundle them into a car. I think this has happened around primary schools, but I don't know if it's happened in the morning or afternoon.

I'm pretty sure the children were without their parents, but don't know if they were alone or with other children.

It's very difficult to report this without being alarmist about it. I don't believe the World has become an uglier place, and do believe such incidents happened when I were a child. I remember being told not to take sweets from strangers. I remember this message from my parents and also learning this from watching TV.

People. Don't go around thinking that every car is suspicious, but just be careful. If I get time tomorrow, I'll contact the Safer Neighbourhood Team to see if they are either aware of it, or ready to hop into their panda cars when called.

Malcolm McLaren

I never did like punk, but oddly I really liked Malcolm McLaren, however I liked his Duck Rock and Paris phases, which weren't punk at all [Dr Pangloss' stream of consciousness blogging, hence contradicting oneself in one single sentence - ed.].

MM passed away today and I feel a tiny loss, which is slightly odd as I've never met him. The two albums mentioned above have been in my record collection for decades and still get played. They've stayed with me as I've moved through different musical phases.

Once, I was on a flight from Charles De Gaulle with MM. I wasn't WITH him, but he was a few rows away, and I just wanted to tell him that I absolutely love Duck Rock. I didn't but always wish I did.

Children's Theatre Festival

I've been meaning to blog about the Greenwich Children's Theatre Festival but something called Easter got in the way. Isn't that a pip?

Sounds like a lot of great children's shows and many happening at The Tramshed in Woolwich Village. Yes, that's pretty much on our doorstep. Wahooo...... Don't know if they're all booked out or not, but worth asking. I have taken a poll around the offices of Plumsteadshire HQ and 'Penguin' comes out on top. It's a brilliant little show with excellent songs. None of that plinky plonky tosh played on a Casio VL-Tone that is just condescending to toddlers. This is the real deal.

Penguin. Thursday 8th April. 11am & 2pm. Tramshed

I really wanted to see Tales From Old Japan, but the requirement of going to work sunk that idea.

This Saturday afternoon promises something special. A puppet show called Panfilo Pipintu will be performed in General Gordon Square and beamed direct to the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood where Tom Cruise will......

...... oh, my mistake. It will be shown on the big television screen in General Gordon Square. Take a picnic along, sit on the grass and pretend you're at Glyndebourne.

Kapoor's Orbit

I'm a big fan of modern architecture and rather like the work of the sculptor Anish Kapoor, so when I heard that he'd been awarded the commission to create an enormous Olympic tower, my ears pricked up.

Having seen the renders of the tower, I'm actually not too inspired. The tower doesn't say Anish Kapoor to me. Well, there is the trumpet bell shape which was seen at the Tate Modern, and the deep rich red colour, which is a signature of his. That aside, the Kapoorness is dominated by the looping super-structure which is more akin to the steelwork of a modern roller-coaster. I like this in itself, but I don't see it as an Anish Kapoor piece. Given that this tower is sponsored by a steel magnate, it's more like a giant advert for them, saying 'look what we can do!' yet at the same time, riding on the coat-tails of Kapoor's big name in the field of culture.

What I'd like to know is if we'd be able to see it from Plumstead Common. Shrewsbury Lane definitely.

The Doctor is on his way

There is some sort of three day Doctor Who event coming our way to the big television screen in General Gordon Square in Woolwich Village. Come and see exclusive Doctor footage and the new Doctor trailer in 3D!!!! Get free Doctor stuff and meet scary monsters.......wooooooaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...... but don't mistake old Magwitch in the market for one.

The event will take place from 1st - 3rd April and sounds like a must-see for fans of the Doctor from 5 to 555.

Comedy On The Common

On the subject of live entertainment, it's Comedy On The Common night tonight.

Just in case you don't know the details, click here.

Free music

I thought I'd lug my battery operated portable computer to the Albany Theatre in Deptford. Familia Pangloss are enjoying some Sunday family theatre, but I've got enough work to keep me going 'til pension day so I've settled down in the café.

Have fired up the BOPC and the band are limbering up. It's a Poetry, African vibes fusion. Absolutely mesmeric.

Must get back to work.

Plumstead Live! Deuxième partie

I've had a posting from one lovely listener who is requesting musical talent for this year's Plumstead Live! event (see below). I went along to last year's and thoroughly enjoyed myself, not only that but I also felt really proud to live in The Shire. There are quite alot of people who really care about this little corner of London, and within this community, there are people who drive the way forward and make things happen in Plumsteadshire. We should count ourselves really lucky to have these members of our community, as without them there is no community.

Enough of that. Read on.

Hi everyone,

We are in the early stages of Planning Plumstead Live! which will be held on the 18th July 2010. We are looking for a local professional band to complete the programme. If you have any suggestions please can you email me (at ginaclatworthy@hotmail.com) the name of the band and their website details.

Thanks very much,

Gina

Apple cheese

Lots of people are passionate about cooking; it's something I just can't get into. I understand the journey of creating something incredibly delicious to eat, but I prefer to board the train at the dining table instead.

Whilst having a quick surf, I tripped over the most bizarre fusion of cuisine and (one of my other passions), apples. Well, Apple Inc., well, Steve Jobs, the head of Apple Inc.

Confused? Click here. Be warned, this is bizarre.

Severndroog Castle

Here's some wonderful news to warm our cockles on this fine Spring day.

Severndroog Castle, which is nestled in amongst the trees atop Shooter's Hill, has been awarded a substantial amount of money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help it down the long road of restoration. The money, £595,000 no less, will go towards the formation of a visitor centre, educational centre and this is the bit I am particularly keen on, a tea room. Well, I find history lessons are so much more palatable over a cup of earl grey and cream bun.

Busta Ablair

The word on the street is that Busta Ship has bought the Ablair shop on Plumstead Common Road. I don't know if this means the sports bar is getting an annexe or if Busta is going to open a decent gastro pub to complement his current establishment. Maybe the hardware store will be brought back to life? Hmm, what could that be called? Busta Screws?

Oh yes, how about Hammer Time? I must contact my brand consultancy to come up with some more.

Swing in to action

There seems to be a children's playground refurbishment programme happening in the area. About time too.

New fencing around the Slade swing-park and I noticed that the refurb work on the Winn's Common playground is in full swing [phew just about managed to shoe-horn an lame pun in there - ed]. I see that the new equipment being installed is the utterly excellent Kompan range; I find them very inventive and superbly designed. The swing parks in Welling have had the Kompan equipment for quite some time, not that I'm saying Greenwich needs to pull their socks up, but I just prefer to let my children play on interesting rust-free equipment in an environment free of broken glass and dogs. Maybe I'm just picky?

Not sure if the Slade equipment will receive an upgrade or not but I would jolly well hope so.

Pop-up Alice

Going to work is a dangerous thing.

I've been working at home recently and it makes sense in so many ways, but that's by the by. For the moment, I'm concerned about going to the office and the pitfalls of being within swiping distance of a chip 'n' pin reader.

Being a nice day, I popped out in my lunch hour [I still stand for my rights to have an hour for lunch and not to eat a sandwich in front of the computer screen. In any case, crumbs in the keyboard is not a good thing]. I ended up in Foyles bookshop - already I had been lured by the Pied Piper of the High Street.

I was looking for a book on business start-ups, but being a tiny branch I had no luck. I only managed 12 feet towards the exit and something caught my eye. A book by the Pope of Pop-Up, the Origami Swami, the one and only Robert Sabuda. The book in question was Alice in Wonderland. I flicked through the display copy and was not disappointed, in fact I'm not ashamed to say that I even gasped in public. Such was the surprise and total magic of Mr Sabuda's extreme paper engineering that I was made to feel like a child again.

I had parted with some hard earned cash and clutched the tome of wonderment and made haste back to the office.

Live music tonight

I have just discovered that the rugby pavilion on Plumstead Common is hosting another evening of live music tonight. As I have a hectic work life and a ridiculously hectic home life, I've missed the last couple of events, and that has also hit my plans for visits to the laughtastic Comedy On The Common nights. Oh for a simpler life.

So, pop down to the Rugby Pavilion on The Common for some fantabulosa live music.

Doors open at 7.30pm and entrance is a paltry £5.00 UK Sterling

iPhone radio

The iPhone is a wonderful gadget and not a bad phone either, but one of my big gripes is the lack of a radio, something I really miss from my old Sony Ericsson.

Fortunately, I've discovered an excellent iPhone application called Tunein Radio. Now I can listen to Gardener's Question Time when I'm out and about. Not only that but I can also listen to radio stations from as far away as Hebden Bridge! Actually, this is internet radio so I can listen to stations from all over the World. It's amazing.

I told my co-worker about it and she searched for her favourite station in Sao Paolo.
Bingo.
We were listening within seconds. I then surfed around sampling radio from all over the globe. Zambia. Hong Kong. Hawaii. Osaka. Didn't know what they were saying but to have a taste of feeling like I'm there in real time is great.

A Three Dimensional World

As any gadget addict knows, the next big consumer must-have is 3DTV; I thought the manufacturers were trying to make them thinner, but that's by the by.

Having watched Avatar in 3D, I thought the effect was OK, but didn't create an immersive environment or enhance the story telling; having a background in experiential design I am probably a harsher critic the most.

Should we ever have 3DTV in our house it could be an interesting experience as things (ie keys or 3D glasses), get moved and hidden by forces unexplained by Arthur C Clarke. Either that or Toddler Pangloss is being playful. I'd expect 3D without the spectacles would be like watching TV with a misaligned aerial.

Much more engaging are 3D books. Pop-books.

Baby Pangloss was given some for his birthday and they keep me amused with the ingenuity of the paper engineering. Adding this simple animation to a book is great and even more so when a character jumps right out at you.

A favourite of mine are books by Robert Sabuda. They're for older children and quite delicate so TP & BP will have to wait. Seek his books out and be prepared for magic.

Toddler Groups

This week, I made a return visit to one of the toddler playgroups that I used to visit whilst I was a full time house dad. It was really nice seeing a few familiar faces and odd-yet-obvious to see that their babies are now walking and asserting themselves; the transition from baby to toddler is such a fascinating one and happens all too quickly.

Making the return visit reminded me of when I first took the reigns of being a full time house dad.

• Feeding - I can handle it
• Sleep deprivation - I'll get used to it
• Reading stories - a good excuse to try out silly voices
• Nappy changing - I can do it with my eyes closed (although not recommended)

It was going to playgroups that gave me the heebie jeebies, having to enter into the realm of mothers. Man alive, you might as well ask me to walk through the bra and knicker department of M&S. It's just not cricket.

Luckily for me, I was never treated as an interloper, just as A.N.Other parent. This was the case for all the groups I went to, and I think I went to them all.

This underlines one of my favourite facets of The Shire, in that it is a friendly little place. Recently, I spoke to a friend whose son lives in leafy St Margarets, near Richmond and is doing the house dad thing and going to playgroups, just as I did. He's been going for several months and the mums have absolutely nothing to do with him. We are not just talking clique city, we are talking castles with battlements and boiling hot oil teetering over the parapets. He doesn't have LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles, nor does he stare at people in a Hannibal Lecter way. He's a regular guy who wants to be proactive in his son's upbringing. It's so very sad.

Non slip

Speaking to one of my trusted sources today, I learnt that you can avoid slipping whilst walking on ice; by pulling a sock over your shoe.

Sounds like a cheap and simple solution, but not one I'll try. The 'Fame! I wanna live forever' look isn't really me. Maybe train operators could wrap socks over train wheels to help ensure prompt time keeping.

You can't find me

Being a busy person and having to travel across the village of London (AKA 'going up West'), every day, I've just downloaded and tried out the Directgov Travel News application for the iPhone.

The reviews of this app. are pretty damning but I thought that it's just people poo-pooing it just because it comes from the big machine that affects everything we think and do..... Simon Cowell. No, the other one. I meant the Government.

Great, commuting will be a breeze. I will know every traffic jam in the country or at least in Central London. The great machine I pay so much tax to is helping to streamline a part of my life. Brilliant.

Unfortunately, it seems the terrible reviews are well deserved. The first thing I do is to let the application find my location. Newcastle upon Tyne. Err no. Just a few miles away from Woolwich. Just a tad.

I don't understand how the Government can get it SO wrong. Tried and tested technology to locate me exists. Sat navs, google maps, tags around ankles of ne'er-do-wells.

Sigh

The Royal Borough of Greenwich

I just read this.