I have recently got involved with BLOGPRESTON, a blog quite simply all about things that are happening in Preston! I had my first piece posted on the site today and it feels good to see my name in a byline again.
It has been a while since I had a review published anywhere so I feel quite proud of myself today. The review was all about a comedy night in Preston called Stand and Deliver. Tonight I will be reviewing a Preston restaurant called The Olive Press and it should be on BLOGPRESTON in the next few days.
If you would like to contact me, please email me at FDent1@uclan.ac.uk.
Saturday 25 September 2010
Tuesday 21 September 2010
My Audience
A few weeks ago I was worried that no one was reading my blog and to be completely honest it knocked my confidence a little bit. It was then that my dad pointed out the stats section of my blog and told me to check out the amount of people that view my page.
I am now addicted to the stats section and can tell you that people read my blog all over the world. 25 people from the UK have read my blog, 3 from America, 1 from Canada, 1 from South Korea and 1 from Sweden. Knowing that people from all over the world are reading my blog has really boosted my confidence again (I thought it was just my family reading my posts to stop me nagging at them!)
Thank you to all of you who have been reading my posts. If you like what you read, follow me, leave a comment or email me at FDent1@uclan.ac.uk.
I am now addicted to the stats section and can tell you that people read my blog all over the world. 25 people from the UK have read my blog, 3 from America, 1 from Canada, 1 from South Korea and 1 from Sweden. Knowing that people from all over the world are reading my blog has really boosted my confidence again (I thought it was just my family reading my posts to stop me nagging at them!)
Thank you to all of you who have been reading my posts. If you like what you read, follow me, leave a comment or email me at FDent1@uclan.ac.uk.
Sunday 19 September 2010
The Worlds Biggest Half Marathon
Today marks the 30th Great North Run. Thousands of runners will be pounding the streets between Newcastle and South Shields for thousands of reasons.
Unfortunately I can not travel back home to watch the race from my usual spot so I will be watching the TV coverage which is a little strange for me.
For those of you who have never read Denty's Running Blog, Denty (my dad) ran in the first Great North Run on the 29th June 1981. He also happened to beat Geordie hero King Kev Keegan. Because I normally watch the race from the finish line, I have never seen the video footage of this but this morning, four minutes into the coverage my dads first ever running achievement appeared on the telly.
Today my dad will be surrounded by celebrities as he acts as a minder for Nell McAndrew. For the past few years my dad has helped celebs like Nell, Olympic Rower James Cracknell and Coronation Street actor Ben Price.
Photograph by alexlomas
Unfortunately I can not travel back home to watch the race from my usual spot so I will be watching the TV coverage which is a little strange for me.
For those of you who have never read Denty's Running Blog, Denty (my dad) ran in the first Great North Run on the 29th June 1981. He also happened to beat Geordie hero King Kev Keegan. Because I normally watch the race from the finish line, I have never seen the video footage of this but this morning, four minutes into the coverage my dads first ever running achievement appeared on the telly.
Today my dad will be surrounded by celebrities as he acts as a minder for Nell McAndrew. For the past few years my dad has helped celebs like Nell, Olympic Rower James Cracknell and Coronation Street actor Ben Price.
Photograph by alexlomasIn the last 19 years I have been to hundreds of races watching my dad run but the Great North Run has to be the one with the best atmosphere. The race raises money for so many charities and so many people achieve things that they never thought they would be able to.
Good Luck to all of those that are running today.
Good Luck to all of those that are running today.
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Fire in Preston
A fire has destroyed a popular Preston Takeaway.
According to the Lancashire Fire and Rescue website, the fire was casued by a fault in a deep-fat fryer which resulted in a gas leak causing a severe blaze at Mick's Curry Pot on Friargate.
The 999 call was logged just before 4pm yesterday afternoon. Four fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire that severly damaged both the ground and first floor of the building as well as light smoke damage to two adjacent properties.
A video shot once the fire had been extinguished shows the damage to the popular Preston takeaway.
According to the Lancashire Fire and Rescue website, the fire was casued by a fault in a deep-fat fryer which resulted in a gas leak causing a severe blaze at Mick's Curry Pot on Friargate.
The 999 call was logged just before 4pm yesterday afternoon. Four fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire that severly damaged both the ground and first floor of the building as well as light smoke damage to two adjacent properties.
A video shot once the fire had been extinguished shows the damage to the popular Preston takeaway.
Sunday 12 September 2010
Book Review: James Patterson Sundays at Tiffany's
Having read several James Patterson novels including The 6th Target, I, Alex Cross and Run For Your Life, I was eager to read more.
While looking for something else on amazon I happened across Sundays at Tiffanys and thought it looked good.
Even though it was not a classic James Patterson novel (no detective, murders or psychopaths) I liked it.
The story follows Jane and her imaginary friend Michael together through childhood and then separately through their lives until they meet again for a traditional happy ending.
Often when you read many novels by the same author you find they get stuck in a rut and that their stories start to sound the same however there was no danger of this with Sundays at Tiffanys.
The story is an easy read but don't let that put you off. It's an uplifting story about love, hope and imagination. A must read.
Friday 10 September 2010
Mini Dent's Mini Running Post
I will start this post by saying that I hope it is the first of many.
When I first told my dad (who is a pretty good runner) that I wanted a running schedule he laughed at my answer of wanting to run for longer than three minutes without needing a sit down and maybe an ambulance.
So today I took the first steps to my new fitness regime and went for a jog around my local park in Preston. I must admit that I quite enjoyed it. It was hard work at first but once I found my stride I was pleasantly surprised by how long I managed to keep my steady pace.
At risk of proving my dad right, I quite enjoyed my 15min run/walk although I did, in true Denty fashion aim for a short cut, misjudged it and ended up quite away from my planned route. Still, I made it back in one piece, I have now recovered and am looking forward to my next jog in the park!
Never thought I would ever enjoy running!
When I first told my dad (who is a pretty good runner) that I wanted a running schedule he laughed at my answer of wanting to run for longer than three minutes without needing a sit down and maybe an ambulance.
So today I took the first steps to my new fitness regime and went for a jog around my local park in Preston. I must admit that I quite enjoyed it. It was hard work at first but once I found my stride I was pleasantly surprised by how long I managed to keep my steady pace.
At risk of proving my dad right, I quite enjoyed my 15min run/walk although I did, in true Denty fashion aim for a short cut, misjudged it and ended up quite away from my planned route. Still, I made it back in one piece, I have now recovered and am looking forward to my next jog in the park!
Never thought I would ever enjoy running!
Monday 6 September 2010
Behave or Be Gone!
Yet again reports of an unfaithful footballer ha hit the headlines. Wayne Rooney has been reported to have paid for the services of a prostitute.
Footballers need to understand that they are public figures, little kids all over the country look up to them and are inspired by their work on the pitch. They should therefore be prepared to set a good example and understand that what happens on the pitch matters just as much as what they do off it.
When John Terry's affair with Wayne Bridge's girlfriend came out John Terry was demoted from captain of England yet was still allowed to fly out and represent his country in South Africa.
These unfaithful sportsmen have not been punished, they still get paid millions and they are still idolised by many. This needs to stop. If footballers can't behave they should loose their sponsorships, they should be prevented from representing their country as well as their teams.
If footballers can't behave they should be gone, no matter how good they are at their sport.
Footballers need to understand that they are public figures, little kids all over the country look up to them and are inspired by their work on the pitch. They should therefore be prepared to set a good example and understand that what happens on the pitch matters just as much as what they do off it.
When John Terry's affair with Wayne Bridge's girlfriend came out John Terry was demoted from captain of England yet was still allowed to fly out and represent his country in South Africa.
These unfaithful sportsmen have not been punished, they still get paid millions and they are still idolised by many. This needs to stop. If footballers can't behave they should loose their sponsorships, they should be prevented from representing their country as well as their teams.
If footballers can't behave they should be gone, no matter how good they are at their sport.
WARNING - Hackers now claim to be technical help
My laptop is currently away for repair so when a man claiming to be a computer technician phoned my house phone my mam assumed that it was regarding my laptop which had been collected for repair earlier that day.
The "technician" told my mam that her laptop had serious errors and that they were being reported to his computer. He said that if my mam clicked on to Internet Explorer he would show us the errors.
Frustrated that the "technician" wouldn't give a straight answer to any of my mams questions she passed the phone to me. I felt that the phone call was a little strange and as soon as he told me to click onto Internet Explorer I pulled out the internet wire.
Despite the fact that I didn't go on to the website that I was instructed to, the "technician" still managed to disable all of the Norton security software installed on the laptop.
We phoned the TechGuys at PC World who told us that we needed to uninstall then reinstall the Norton software. However this wouldn't work and we ended up having to pay £30 to restore the laptop back to it's factory settings as it possibly had a virus on.
If you get a phone call like this, hang up as soon as possible and check your anti virus software is still working properly.
The "technician" told my mam that her laptop had serious errors and that they were being reported to his computer. He said that if my mam clicked on to Internet Explorer he would show us the errors.
Frustrated that the "technician" wouldn't give a straight answer to any of my mams questions she passed the phone to me. I felt that the phone call was a little strange and as soon as he told me to click onto Internet Explorer I pulled out the internet wire.
Despite the fact that I didn't go on to the website that I was instructed to, the "technician" still managed to disable all of the Norton security software installed on the laptop.
We phoned the TechGuys at PC World who told us that we needed to uninstall then reinstall the Norton software. However this wouldn't work and we ended up having to pay £30 to restore the laptop back to it's factory settings as it possibly had a virus on.
If you get a phone call like this, hang up as soon as possible and check your anti virus software is still working properly.
Saturday 4 September 2010
The Organisation Skills of a Peanut
Going on holiday is a stressful enough time as it is. You have to buy holiday clothes, all the medicines, pack it all, make sure the cats and dogs will be fed and the plants watered, make sure you have your tickets and passports and finally get to the airport on time. As stressful as it is, millions of people all over the world manage to do it.
When on my transfer back to Corfu airport last week we had to make a stop to collect a family of five. On the way past the accommodation, the bus driver beeped the bus horn to alert the family that he was there then drove on to turn the bus around. We sat and waited for the family for twenty long minutes with the flight time ticking closer and closer.
Eventually after the three children rounded up their unorganised parents, the bus driver drove on to the airport where, when standing outside the airport awaiting check in, a car pulled up and the father of the unorganised family ran after it. Out stepped the holiday rep who handed him a suitcase.
Now when travelling, I have forgotten things like a top I really wanted to bring or shampoo or once a camer memory chip but never a suitcase!
My dad was right when he said the family had the organisational skills of a peanut!
When on my transfer back to Corfu airport last week we had to make a stop to collect a family of five. On the way past the accommodation, the bus driver beeped the bus horn to alert the family that he was there then drove on to turn the bus around. We sat and waited for the family for twenty long minutes with the flight time ticking closer and closer.
Eventually after the three children rounded up their unorganised parents, the bus driver drove on to the airport where, when standing outside the airport awaiting check in, a car pulled up and the father of the unorganised family ran after it. Out stepped the holiday rep who handed him a suitcase.
Now when travelling, I have forgotten things like a top I really wanted to bring or shampoo or once a camer memory chip but never a suitcase!
My dad was right when he said the family had the organisational skills of a peanut!
Thursday 2 September 2010
A Trip to Albania
Until just last week I knew nothing at all about Albania, yet after spending just one day in one of the poorest countries in Europe I have learnt so much about its varied past and hopes for the future.
Getting to Albania
Albania has only one airport which is situated in Tirana in the north of the country, 277km away from the town of Saranda in the south, making the south coast almost inaccessible to tourists who prefer short transfers between airport and resort rather than a 4 hour drive after a flight.
While there are plans to build another airport, an easier way of getting to the south coast of Albania is to fly to Corfu and get a boat across the Ionian Sea.
Culture shockDocking in the port of Albania, the first thing you see is the tall buildings, the Vodafone billboard and the sunbathers on the beach. That however is where the comparison to every other tourist city ends.
Compared to what I am used to in travelling, Albania is relatively underdeveloped. Saranda is very much a work in progress as the hotels which line the sea front in various stages of construction outnumber the current number of tourists.
Our guide through Albania apologised for the state of the roads as we travelled to Butrint as they were very bumpy and still under construction. Another shock came when we saw the number of buildings that had been half pulled down then abandoned. We were told that this was because many people started to build illegally without planning permission so the government ordered their demise.
Albania’s history: Butrint
The town of Butrint is a major archaeological centre in Albania and is protected under UNESCO as a world heritage site. It is a mixture of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian architectures. I enjoy visiting sites like this but Butrint seemed different from all the others I have been to. Where Greek archaeological sites have their wonderful mosaics on display, the Albanian mosaics were rather disappointingly covered in plastic sheeting and a layer of gravel to prevent damage, rendering them hidden away from view.
The theatre, built in Greek style is now partially underwater. Since an earthquake in the 3rd century, salt water had been rising through the site. Archaeologists say that in 1000 years the whole site may be underwater. The theatre is still used today for performances. To make the setting more romantic, floating candles are placed on the water for that unique touch.
Due to a lack of money, much of the site is not fully discovered. However this shouldn’t stop anyone from visiting as there is still a lot to see. The Roman baths, the Venetian castle, the Great Basilica and public baths are among some of the ruins you can walk around.
The Future
When the communist rule ended in Albania in 1990, life was terrible, people were very poor and many left to live in countries across Europe where they found jobs in order to send money back to their families still in Albania.
Today, although there is still very little money in the country, Albania is building its way towards the future. Excursions like the one I went on are a great source of tourism. The beach beside the port was filled with people relaxing, families splashing around in the sea, like any other tourist spot. But Albania is different, it lacks in the necessary infrastructure and the mass population of tourists.
I would be very interested to go back to visit Saranda in ten years time and see how it has changed. My visit to Albania was completely out of the norm. It was very interesting to see a country before the boom of tourism. It’s something that is hard to find in Europe these days.
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