Tuesday 22 May 2012

Interviews and The Future

I recently took part in an interview with blogger Kris King over at Rant in A Minor.

His blog is one of the more intellectually and emotionally challenging ones out there and I do recommend that everyone checks out his story.

His support over the life of the libel case has been brilliant and I cannot thank him enough. I was therefore extremely happy when this interview came about.

He pulls no punches with his questions and the answers are searingly honest. I hope you enjoy reading about my experience as much as I enjoyed telling it to Kris.

You can find the interview transcript here: http://rant.distant-angel.co.uk/2012/05/you-label-me-i-libel-you/#comment-1296

I also took part in an Skype interview with the Skepticule "three Pauls" who all run the Milton Keynes Skeptics in the Pub. You can find this interview here: http://www.skepticule.co.uk/2012/05/skepextra-025-20120422.html

Not long after the final hearing I spoke with James O'Malley who runs the Pod Delusion. His commitment to rationality is admirable and he is a really nice guy too.

You can check out the interview here: http://poddelusion.co.uk/blog/2012/04/05/episode-130-6th-april-2012/

Appeal and The Future

I'm currently waiting to see what happens with McGrath's appeal which, from my understanding, should have been filed by now. I have not received notice of it although I could well have missed it... I mean, I have better things to read these days than the half baked ramblings of a libel bully.

I'm still careful about what I write about the case but if this is not the true impact of what is called "the chilling effect" I don't know what is? How can it be right that I have to monitor every single thing I write 3 or 4 times before posting? I have a short enough attention span as it is! I'll get bored if I have to start redrafting things time and time again. Whatever happened to the art of conversation anyway? If I say something to offend someone I want to find out why they are offended first. People should grow up a little and take things on the chin.

As for the future, well I'm back into some hard strength training in preparation for either the Midlands Strongest Man 2013 or 2014. I reckon I'll have a good shot at entering the competition judging by the weights I'm currently lifting but it's a long hard road and not everyone makes it.

In between that and normal family duties I'm trying to get things back on track career wise. My wife is stable in her job and it's a good time to put my degree to good use. I will continue to write for The New Journalist and on my other two blogs: The Faith Fruitcake and The Sticking Point and then see what comes up. I have an interview with a British Olympic weightlifting hopeful ready to publish soon and news of a libel tourism case which is sure to be quite explosive.

Thanks for all of the support from everyone during the case (and after). It's been good to get to know so many new people and share some amazing experiences.