Fictional Book #4 The Ash Connection by I am Lu

A while ago, back in the transition from January to February, a fit of desire for distraction made me do something for the first time - explore the rolls of Pokémon fan-fiction on fanfiction.net.

On this internet adventure I discovered this story - The Ash Connection by I am Lu.

It's a well-researched conspiracy thriller involving Team Rocket's recapture of Mewtwo and Giovanni's plot for world domination, through the control of the Earth's climate controls. It only makes a lot of sense if you have (like me) been an avid viewer of the Pokémon TV series (which is still going on today). The writer knows this, and wrote this dedication...

Dedicated to the fans
Who have stuck with the series
From 1997 to 2013
This is for those
Who still believe in Ash

It's a cracking read. 33 chapters and 340,693 words. A story worth reading for any Pokémon fan. The writer has even written a sequel (which is still in writing by the time of this writing) - The Ash Connection II; The Rising. It's involves a bio-terror plot in Unova by Team Plasma (only those who were watching since 2010 will know what those nouns are).

What I really like about this story is its plausibility. The writer has done the research. I can emphasize with that. Really, I can. Don't believe me? If you have read the Act of Cultural Vandalism I made in April 2013 entitled An observation about a boy who like cake! I mentioned that for "research purposes" I read all 14 volumes of the Manga and watched all 150-odd episodes of the first era of the franchise Beyblade. The reason I wrote then was to find out whether the character Max Tate was ever depicted consuming anything sweet (despite his many depictions of been a sugar junkie in the fan fiction). The REAL reason I did this research was for something more ambitious.

Yes, among my many ideas in my projects folder is a piece of fiction involving Beyblade. That is how I can emphasize with I am Lu and that is how I knew with confidence that Max Tate hasn't really got an exaggerated sweet tooth. 

Back to the reason for this post. I have liked this story so much that I decided that it'll be the subject of my next fictional book cover....

I admit I could have done the "photographs" better. I wanted to have this done before April, so I was a bit rushed.

If I am Lu is seeing this, if you like to use this image, go ahead and use it.

Mini Act of Cultural Vandalism - The Rise of James Corden and why bullies will loss in the end

A few days ago I was very surprised to discover that Craig Ferguson had ceased been the host of his American talk show at the end of 2014 and this week had his role been filled in by someone I never thought the Americans actually heard of. For those who have not heard of this, I guess you.... wait! Just read the title of this post. The person who has replaced Craig Ferguson as host of the The Late Late Show on CBS is .......

James Corden

Yes, Smithy from Gavin & Stacey is now the host of a late-night talk-show on CBS. Not bad for someone who was once a very public victim of bullying...

Tango ad 2000 starring James Cordon

Later banned because it encouraged bullying

(Which isn't a surprise for Tango)

Looking at his career (in the form of his Wikipedia page) its incredible how high he has reached in a decade since that public humiliation during the ad breaks for TFI Friday (or any other TV show on commercial TV when this ad was on air). In the ironically-titled Fat Friends James played another victim of bullying who was almost pushed to suicide. After moving school in 2004, he became a star pupil in Alan Bennett's The History Boys. After graduating he did a few bit parts in a few movies, until meeting up again with former Fat Friend Ruth Jones. In 2007 this meeting resulted in the hit sitcom Gavin & Stacey - the show that truly made James a star. After that James has enjoyed amazing success.... well except for his brief folly with Gavin (Mathew Horne) that led to a TV sketch show and a movie (which I have both seen in their entirety and liked, despite what the critics (plus the majority of people) say about them). Even stuff that is dismissed by most have merit. 

But even with his huge success in the UK, I was very genuinely surprised when I found out that James had become a talk-show host in America. I never knew that he won a Tony Award for the Broadway production of the successful One Man, Two Guvnors. I knew he was in a Disney movie recently, but still - Smithy on CBS chatting with Tom Hanks and Mila Kunis? Wow!

I only learnt of this fact thanks to someone posting this clip to my Facebook page.

Tom Hanks and James Corden do every Tome Hanks movie in 7 minutes 

From The Late Late Show With James Corden (2015)

I am more glad that I have started using Facebook now since I started back in October. 

But there is something significant that can be learned from James Corden's story, and its something I have noticed for years. A noticeable number of celebrities have said in interviews that in the past they have been victims of bullying (I can't say that this is really true for James Corden, as I was just playing around with his early performance in a TV ad). And form this fact I can safely conclude that if a child is a victim of bullying that child's chances of future success increases. And this idea has backing. Derren Brown (a former victim himself) talks about this in his live shows. 

Its down to the fact that the bully is usually a kid who has the most natural strength (physically and in attracting "friends") and could go through school without much friction. Such kids never really "try hard" at school. As a result, most bullies have "dull" adulthoods. 

Meanwhile, the victims, because they experience friction at school (due to bullying or factors that usually lead to a child been bullied, or both) do try harder ... and reap the rewards in adulthood (unless the bullying leads to something that'll cut down that person's life before that happens). 

Reading this, I can imagine that some kids will try to get themselves bullied on purpose to try to guarantee future success. 

For those kids (or parents pushing their kids to do so), it won't work. 

Engineered bullying is not the same as natural bullying. 

Don't believe me? Just watch this episode of American Dad!

A Change in Profile Picture

Since I started to upload material online back in 2012 I have used this drawing as my profile picture.

I had made a mock test card graphic, based on the iconic Test Card F used by the BBC. 

You will have seen it on this blog when that Scottish Parliament strip was under construction. I have also used it as the banner on my Facebook page and YouTube Channel 

(I do apologise for not uploading anything to it since 2013. I have been busy with other things, but I do plan to put up some animations on it, so don't despair).

Went it came to making a profile picture, I had this ready-made image, so I used it.

But a few days ago, I visited GOMA with a group. They were holding an exhibition about Alasdair Gray and the main gallery was a large scale public appreciation event where visitors could draw or make things. It had a wall where visitors could hang up self-portraits. I made one. And this is it...

For now on, this will be my profile image.