Some of My Work

Morning all, just been updating my Audioboo profile. Don't know what it is? Well, it's social networking site of sorts where you can upload audio files of your work for all to listen too :D

I haven't updated mine in a while so this morning I added a couple of extra clips from works that I've done recently. One's a short showbiz news bulletin that we have to do at work every day! They're really good fun to do actually because you have to be a bit jazzy! Plus it's a nice break from reading the days serious news stories.

The other is an exclusive interview with the former UN Chief of Ops to Sarajevo - Larry Hollingworth - during the Bosnia Serb conflict. Speaking to me from over the phone from his New York hotel, he provided a fascinating insight into the personal relationship that he shared with Ratko Mladic, the former General who's now on trial at the Hague for War Crimes. He was a really nice guy and provided a super interesting interview subject, so I thought I'd share it with you all ...

Anyway, let me know what you think and why not check out my other Audioboos too ... I especially enjoyed the Paint Story. Just copy and paste the link below and you'll be magically transferred to my page!

http://audioboo.fm/LukedeCosta-Journo

Bye for now gang!

L

The Return of a Champion - Serena Confirms for Eastbourne

It's been a tough past year for the 13 time Grand Slam Women's Singles Champion.

After thrashing Vera Zvonareva in the Wimbledon final last year (6-3, 6-2) the former World Number 1 has suffered with injuries and health problems. In a rather curious case she stepped on broken glass in a restaurant (hello lawsuit) that caused a significant injury forcing her to withdraw from the Hopman Cup and Australian Open. As she continued to rehab her injured foot we then learned she'd been rushed to Hospital for emergency treatment for a Hematoma and Pulmonary Embolism on her lung!

Was Serena's career in crisis? Many would have said it was the beginning of the end of a truly incredible career.

Her 11 month absence from the tour allowed old players to forge their comebacks, injured players to regain their form and young players to develop and flourish. The tour was different, more competitive and flooded with fresh faces trying to make their own mark in the WTA.

TODAY, amidst months of speculation she's announced her comeback and will play at Eastbourne ahead of title defense at the Grass Slam the following week.

Let me start planning my trip to Wimbledon, I can't miss this .... Welcome back Serena.

Hello there ..

Good Morning and Happy New Year.
An extended absence once again, I've been sunning myself whilst sipping on Mojito's and strolling through national parks - and then I awake from my slumber! ..

Christmas and New Year's seems like light-years ago now we're into February - the month for lovebirds. Evenings are getting lighter and the sun's shining more often which is a treat.

I hope you're all enjoying the new year so far.

Catch you all later :D

Bye for now.
X

Shame on who? The students

THE PRIME MINSTER HAS CONDEMNED the actions of students that led to chaos on the streets of Central London.

The vote to triple University tuition fees came in with a majority of 21 in the House of Commons at around 5:35pm late yesterday afternoon, but the unrest had started way before then outside Westminster. Protest organisers and the Met Police had agreed to a designated route for demonstrators through the capital, many stuck to the route, many did not and this is when it kicked off!

Benches were set alight, the statue of Winston Churchill vandalised, windows smashed, rocks, wooden missiles, and snooker balls thrown, as-well-as fences uprooted and thrust toward lines of Policeman. And the Police are to be blame? Shame on you. The complaint coming from young demonstrators caught out is that Officers were heavy handed and attacked first. Not from what I saw, and I was watching the live coverage on 3 different news channel, the aerial view from the news-copter exposes students as the aggressors trying to push through Police barriers and relentlessly hurling objects toward reinforced lines and the cavalry.

I can understand their frustration - I was lucky to escape any hike in fees whilst I was at University - but acts of violence will not bring about change. Without question the Governments proposals are controversial and unfair for thousands across the country, but that doesn't give people the right to violent protest, peaceful, loud and vocal protest yes, but never violent. They're lucky no one was seriously injured yesterday.

Malcom X and the Black Panthers struggled to bring about cultural change during the civil rights movement in the US with their aggressive tactics. Martin Luther King on the other hand exercised great patience in his quest to change a nation ....... Who was more successful? Dr King.

Reality television I can stand

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME or have read some of my Tweets or Facebook updates you'll know that I literally cannot stand reality tv.

Ever since the success of Channel 4's Big Brother television producers have bombarded our screens with similar cheap, dumbed down series and new age talent shows creating this mind melting utopia for people to immerse themselves in.

As far as I'm concerned shows like XFactor, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Britain's Got Talent and Masterchef are worthless trash. Yes they can be entertaining, but surely that's as far as it goes? But the public just doesn't seem to see that. If people took more important issues - global warming, human rights, civil war and injustice - as seriously as they do these shows I'm sure we'd get a lot more done in the world.

But, hold the phone .... One show unlike the rest that has changed the landscape of reality TV is the BBC's Apprentice. Intelligent aswell as popular Lord Sugar's search for his newest recruit trumps all other mindless reality TV with one swift swoop. Instead of watching an overley dramatic karaoke show The Apprentice offers a slick programme fronted by a group of highly skilled 'go getters' who use brainpower, creativity and leadership to win.  It offers similar entertainment values such as contestants, drama, documentary filming and a panel of judges ... What more do reality junkies want? Oh yes, that's it .. Celebrities, flashing lights, shiny costumes, adverts to plug their forthcoming tour and an endless amount of endorsed products to give air-time too during breaks. We've been watered down to expect so little from TV these days trash programming has become the norm and the obsession with celebrity paramount.

Since when did it become so easy to get on TV for being stupid? A generation of bright minds lost to cheap telly, an exaggeration, sure ... But if only more reality shows could take a leaf out of Lord Sugar's book and create something that doesn't appeal to the lowest common denominator, we'd all be more inspired and actually learn something of value that doesn't revolve around designer clothes or the latest celebrity sex scandal.

Entertaining no doubt - mind melting ... Without question