Jason's Argo

Jason's Argo is brought into to dock after a long voyage. Some parts are broken and are in need of repair. Once the necessary fixes are complete Jason sets sail once more. This happens over and over again, old parts being replaced by new until his entire ship has at some point been repaired. But, away from the dock and man has collected all of the Argo's broken pieces and rebuilt the ship. So now which ship is really Jason's Argo?

I like this particular puzzle because you can also bring the question into the growth of humans. Over time our bodies change, cells die and new ones grow. So its quite possible at some point in our lives we will become a completely new person. Its an interesting thought. In the case of Jason's ship, you could say the ship he sails is his because he's paid for the repairs and the broken parts should have been discarded, but its not really a satisfying answer.

Brian Clough

There's not a lot that hasn't already been said about Brian Clough, a man that has gone down in history for being one of the greatest football managers of all time but it wasn't until I watched 'The Damned United' that I became interested in Brian.

He had success everywhere he went (besides Leeds and Brighton) winning trophies and doing the almost impossible; winning the European Cup with Nottingham Forest twice in consecutive years, something that to this day rarely ever happens. He oozed charm and charisma, yes he was arrogant but he was a winner, he knew the game inside out and knew how to get what he wanted. He was a breath of fresh air in an era that had seen nothing quite like him before.

I think its unfair to call him a celebrity football manager but he was, he loved being on camera and was never shy to express his opinions on this and that, unafraid to trample on other peoples views, he 'was' the first football celebrity.

But that's just the gloss, he used his status in the media to his advantage, merely a tool at his disposal. What truly brought him success was his phenomenal man management skills, nearly all the players he ever managed have at some point said he was something special in the dressing room and out on the training field. His philosophies regarding football where years ahead of the time. His teams played with style and discipline, also, it should be said Clough's teams were not always made from the best players but he always managed to bring out the best in them.

One of the things that I recognize, looking back, is that he saw Football for what it was, he saw the faults, the greedy fat cats who ran football, he foresaw what football was one day going to become. Everything that is now wrong with football at some point in his life Clough saw it coming and perhaps, unwillingly, helped it on its way . By his own admission he said that he would never really have survived outside of football but I'd like to think he could have, he was clearly something special.

Thinking about Football today, I actually think Brian was one of a kind, even now there is no one quite like him, perhaps Jose Mourinho has a bit of a young Clough about him but I think he lacks the loyalty Brian showed during his career.

It would be wrong of me not to mention that not all of Brian's success was by his own hand, Peter Taylor, his best friend and assistant manager, was a key figure at his side. Some even say Brian was just the face and Taylor was the shrewd operator, perhaps this is true. Clough never really had much success on his own but I think that was more down to his terrible drinking problem. But, regardless the two were certainly a great team.  

One of the biggest disappointments in English football is that Brian never had a shot at managing the England team, he really was the best English manager England never had.

Rod Serling

 

As a fan of the science fiction genre 'The Twilight Zone' TV show has always been something I've been aware of, I've skirted over the principle idea behind the show at times without ever really taking that much of an interest, until recently. 'The Twilight Zone' is now one of my all time favourite shows and that's because of the man behind it. Rod Seling in my view is nothing short of a genius, his ideas portrayed in each episode, theories and philosophies regarding writing in general have captivated me in a way that's changed my own views on storytelling and science fiction.

By his own admission he claimed he's no scientist, his understanding of science and physics are very limited at best but somehow he uses science to portray ideas, ideas that seem so relevant today even though the show was first aired in the 50's. He critics the nature of human beings, asks questions about government, he delves into the darkest and most illuminating aspects of the world. His show is a social commentary on the world around us and he uses science fiction as a platform to help make his point clear. What fascinates me is that I myself enjoy writing science fiction but also know very little about science, I have no desire to learn about science but somehow I'm drawn towards science fiction to help portray my own ideas and stories.

Rod Serling has quickly become a huge inspiration to me, he's so 'anti establishment' he makes me believe with hard work and a good idea you can create quality stories/films without having to follow the rules set by previous writers/film makers/artists. He's made me trust my instinct a little more, he's helped me trust my own techniques and styles. There are no rules when it comes to creativity and/or art so do what you feel is right, get the idea down on paper, make it happen the way you know how. If you have the passion to say something then say it. My only disappointment is that I didn't know of him sooner.  

These are inspiring words for any creator;