McVicar, the Journalist

I've recently finished reading Dead on Time and if nothing else it demonstrates that John McVicar is a truly brilliant and skilled author. Finally, his (and Benjamin Pell's - alias Benjie the Binman) theory on how and why Barry George killed Jill Dando all makes sense.

Barry George's obsession with the awful 1970s/80s pop group Queen - a bunch of poncey students with poncey, pseudo-art songs like Bohemian Rhapsody - and the colour yellow show that he must have murdered Dando. How awful was that repetitive, dreary cacaphony which went on for bloody 10 minutes? They should've shot the repulsive Freddie Mercury before they became so popular.

Not to mention Barry George's string of phoney alibis, excellently described and explained by McVicar.

However, the thing which caught my attention while reading the book were the things that interest McVicar which also interest me. Basically:

• Exercise. McVicar says his only religion is that of exercise. I couldn't agree more. I always exercise (regular 5 mile walks, etc.)
• Cycling. McVicar expounds on his Klein road bike. Not a mountain bike, note, but a proper racing bike. He cycles everywhere, just like me. He even - get this! - does precisely the same as me in measuring his times on each journey, always working on a shorter route. Less time. However, he doesn't seem to have a cycle computer, which is a disappointment. He would love one.
• Shorthand. McVicar decided during the trial at the Old Bailey (to gain professional kudos as well as practicable reporting skills) to learn shorthand, something I've been meaning to do for years (and started about 9 years ago, for 1 month until I'd learnt about a third). He also prefers Pitman 2000, which is the champagne of shorthands, unlike mickey mouse, brown ale systems like Teeline, etc. He allocates two whole pages to shorthand.
• Touch-typing. As a serious journalist, McVicar learnt touch-typing, gaining high speeds. I did the same and have always recognised the usefulness of proper, high-speed touch-typing.
• Literature. McVicar has a great skill at proper, serious writing, peppering his work with excellent little Latin phraseologies, etc., such as sine qua non. He is adept at imagery, often using brilliant little pieces of metaphor like: "He was the Ninja Jerry who could tease Oxborough Tom with the truth and never get clawed by it." That is superb (Oxborough being the name of the Met police investigation). His writing is a delight to read.

His healthy cynicism is refreshing in today's image and politically obsessed world. For example, "most PhDs are a joke". He couldn't be more right. I long ago came to the conclusion that ALL degree courses - no matter at which institution, good or bad - are a total joke. Media Studies? Politics? English? All rubbish. ANYONE can get such a qualification, literally by just turning up (and handing in anything for coursework).

I like the way he hates the hysteria that surrounds other idiots like Princess Diana and Jill Dando. A few excellent, choice words on the revolting Mary Archer, too (the one who plays 'Miss Innocent' all the time).

Perhaps McVicar is the Roger Daltrey of journalists - a sort of The Who of journalists, from London (unlike those whingeing - "why don't we like success in England" - idiots, Michael Caine and Ray Winstone).

Anyway, that's enough of McVicar.