Jack's view of things.

Return from New York

2006-03-03T17:51:00.000Z

Had a great trip it was a great place. Got to see most of Manhattan and some of the east village as well as Soho, Noho and Little Italy. Grand Central is really good, just like in that old photo, although it's very white because they cleaned it a few years back, apart from one brick so you can still see what it was like when covered in soot from the steam trains. The subway is amazing. You get on the platform and a train comes and quickly it takes you to where you need to go. So different from London where you pay a lot more and have to wait half an hour for a train.
Macy's is huge, it's called the worlds largest store and I think it is. Unlike the Barnes and Noble which calls itself the worlds largest bookshop and would be run close by Foyles in London (which also calls itself the worlds largest bookshop)
I had the some Cheesecake in Lindy's which was huge but very tasty, and I had a Pizza in Johns Pizzeria which is where The Ramones had the photo taken for the cover of one of there albums and has been frequented by Debbie Harry, Harry Conick Jr, Frank Sinatra, Woody Allen and Willy Nelson.
Also had a few pints of real Irish Guinness in the White Hart which is the pub where Dylan Thomas used to hang out, and later young Robbie Zimmerman who then decided on the name Bob Dylan.
I didn't go to the top of the Empire State, although I did go to the top of the Rockefeller Tower which isn't that much shorter and from which you can see both the Empire State and the Chrysler Building.

I should have some photos next week if the film comes out, although it might not. I still use a classic film Leica camera although I might have to get a digital one someday.

But it was a good trip, and as with the last time I visited the USA I was struck with how open and friendly everyone is.

Last post befour holiday

2006-02-19T20:11:00.000Z

I'm away off to New York for a week on Tuesday, which I am really looking forward too as I haven't had a propper holiday for a while. Should be good fun, and I need a break. Will be back with a full report.

Feeling light headed

2006-02-15T11:36:00.000Z

I'm sure most of you who have glaced at the photo on the site will have noticed that I tend to go for long hair. In fact for most of the last 15 years it has been very long, at least past my sholders. But not any more!
I've not gone for a very short style but something a lot shorter, which looks better and even seems to make me less strange looking. More than one person has said I look like Johnny Depp, and someone else said that I looked like Luca di Montezemolo. Who is Luca di Montezemolo I hear you cry, well he is the presedent of Ferrari, Fiat and Confindustria. He was at the opening of the Olympics the other day.
Anyway judge for yourselves, here is a bad photo...

Long time no post

2006-01-30T16:31:00.000Z

A mixture of illness and work has meant I haven't posted, which is a shame. Although I will be back on the ball from on.
Tune in to resonance104.4fm tomorrow at 3pm for Sporting Legends, this week I'm doing the history of the Rugby Union and the Five Nations competition. You can listen in here: Listen to RFM

R.I.P Tony Banks

2006-01-09T13:50:00.000Z

Yet another of these mini obits. This time it is for someone who I actually had the privilege to meet. About ten years ago he opened an art exhibit of AIDS posters which was housed at my university. He shook everyone's hand and chatted to everyone, plus he had a great sense of humour. It was a really nice evening.
Tony Banks stood down as MP for West Ham at the 2004 General Election, he was elevated to the house of lords where he took the title Lord Stratford. Although he said he didn't expect any one to use the title.

Tony Banks, Lord Stratford

1943-2006

Chuck comes out

2006-01-05T20:12:00.000Z

So Charles Kennedy has admitted being a lush. Like we all hadn't guessed. The question now is so what. It is perhaps a novelty still to see politicians being honest. Still admitting your a lush is one thing, he never admitted that his tax policy would have sent thousands of people bankrupt. Still so what if Chuck is a lush, at least he is a better opposition leader than the new golden boy of the right David Cameron. It's a bit of a shame for the fleet street editors that these two haven't got each others vices. Dave the Drunk sounds better than Chuck the Lush and Cocaine Charlie is almost as good as Cocaine Kate. It's true as well, I read it in the 'News of the World' so there.

Not the start to the year I wanted

2006-01-02T19:45:00.000Z

I've been as sick as a dog for nearly a week now, and it dosen't seem to be getting any better. Hopfully I can post more soon.

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T13:57:00.000Z

AULD LANG SYNE

Words adapated from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Hope you all have a good one.

Graham Cooke, and Alistair Greene

2005-12-29T19:56:00.000Z

Yesterday while walking though Blackwells in London, I noticed what I thought was a new book on the broadcaster Alistair Cooke. Only it wasn't, it was in fact a biography of Graham Greene. The reason for this mix up was the photo on the cover. I had never realized before how much alike the two men looked. Not only in old age, as in this photo but throughout there lives. Although I cannot find any real connection between them. In many ways there lives were quite opposite.
Cooke who started out as a film critic before becoming one of the top political analyst's in the US did talk extensively about Greene's script for 'The Third Man', in his 'Letter from America' on the occasion of Orson Wells death.
Sadly like Wells, Cooke was not allowed to rest in peace after death.

So it is back to work now.

2005-12-28T17:29:00.000Z

Now for the first time ever I am writing a Blog from work.
Still this is just because I am a little bored, plus the fact that it will expose my bad spelling as I doubt that I have a convenient way to spell check on here.

So well then here is the day so far. I got up and watched some TV ate and come into work a little early. This was so that I could try and pick up a couple of bargains in the sales, although that didn't happen, as there really are not that many sales, or things that I would want to buy. I almost brought a model of a 1974 AAR Eagle Indy car, which was Â£19.99 reduced from Â£99.99. Then realizeded that I didn't really need it and that I was only going to buy ibecausese it was cheap. I might still go back. AlthougI i don't thathataI i will. MaybI i will look and see if they are for the same price in some of the other shops. Probably not.
After that I came in and messed about on the internet, and then I went to Subway. Which is good as I have a discount card for a free drink with a 6" Sub. Not only that I am only two stamps away from filling my Sub Club Card. Which will be good, as I will then get a free Sub.
I set up microphonene, and that is iuntilll I have to introduce a show abouhurricanene Katrona which is presented by Vinnie Lombardo who I think is differentnt person from Vince Lombardo thlegendaryry drummer with Slayer.
Time to look for a new job!

So that is over with then

2005-12-27T16:18:00.000Z

Well that is Christmas over with for another year. Until about June when you have to start thinking about it again. A little tip if you are thinking of investing in high st. stores of the stock market. Go to any Mall in about September, just when the 'Back to School' stuff is over with, and see which stores have an Autumn season and which go straight for Christmas. The former are doing well, and would be a good investment. The latter recently M&S, House of Frazer and Alders are doing badly and you will lose your money.
Anyhow, Christmas is over with, now we just have to prepare for the horror that is New Years Eve. Which this year I'm just going to ignore. Probably just settle down and watch the whole of my Bob Dylan DVD's which I got on Sunday. I'm giving serious thought to going on Travelocity and booking myself a holiday for next Christmas and New Year, so I miss the whole damb thing.

Tis the night befour Xmas

2005-12-24T14:33:00.000Z

And all through the house, nothing is stirring not even a dead mouse.
The copses are all hung, and the flies they are bussing,
And right by the fire a big man trap is set.
For later tonight with Ho Ho Aw!
I hope to catch me a Santa Clause and steel all the toys.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

A machine with everything for a good night

2005-12-19T17:22:00.000Z

Yesterday morning on my way to work I needed to use the loo at Fenchurch Street. If you ever venture into the gents there and wash your hands you will notice that the condom vending machine is right next to one of the basins.
This machine doesn't just sell you a packet of three, it also sells something else. Neurophen. Yep you can buy head ache pills from the same machine as you buy your johnny's.
Imagine the scene, guy thinks his luck is in drops a two pound coin for a packet of three, gets home to hear the words "Not tonight, I've got a head ache". This is now banished as our young would be stud (well once your over 18 you generally have the balls to buy condoms in a store) has the perfect answer to this problem.*

*This blog is written in humour. You should always respect women and understand that No means No.

Present update

2005-12-17T13:25:00.000Z

Okay well the present buying for myself has been resolved. I went for a nice bottle of ten year old single malt from The Balvenie. Look forward to it already.

Presents for yourself?

2005-12-13T18:54:00.000Z

I wonder if anyone else dose this. I always buy myself a present for Xmas and for my birthday. Not always something expensive, usually something completely useless. The sort of thing I would look at normally and think that's cool, but do I have the cash to waste?
Normally I decide that I don't. But at this time of year it is different. I haven't actually decided what to get yet. I did have a small discussion about it at work which came up with some suggestions. One was a Ipod Shuffle. I seriously considered this, but then rejected it. For a start it is still a little too pricey, and for a second thing will I use it? I might for a while, and it would sometimes be nice to have some tunes while on the night bus. On the whole I decided that it would be like the Diskman, and not used. I prefer to read while on the train/bus for a start.
Someone else suggested I might like to hire an escort, not a car, this was dismissed with a middle finger.
Another hire suggestion which was considered was a car, this time a Ferrari at Silverstone. I've already had some experience with racing and track days (at Brands Hatch) but it was tempting to take the wheel of an Enzo on the track. This was until I read the small print. You have to pay £500 towards insurance on top of the £100 advertised fee for the day. Rejected.
This next one came from me myself, a London Irish Rugby shirt. Sounds a bit lame compared to a Ferrari day, but the point is to buy something pointless. But at £50 the shirt is just too overpriced for me normally. In the end I rejected this one as well, in all probability it will be reduced in the January sale at either the club store or Rugby Scene and will defiantly be reduced at the end of the season.
Finally we come to what the choice is between. It'll be either a 'Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas' paperweight or a 1/43 scale model of a 1982 Le Mans Ferrari BB521LM.
The paperweight is just a neat thing to have, the Ferrari has some sentimental value as when I was a child I had a matchbox version of this car, and it was what got me interested in Ferrari in the first place. The Ixo detailed model would bring back a lot of memories. Still I'll probably find some Peanuts collectibles in a store tomorrow and add more choices.

Xmas music

2005-12-09T20:39:00.000Z

What is it about us all that for 11 months of the year we turn our noses up at crappy music. But then it comes to December and suddenly we're all out there buying some twat from 'I'm a celebraty...''s Xmas single. Most of the year novelty records only sell to 10 year olds but at this time of the year everyone has to have one. It was thought that the race to be the Xmas #1 was killed by Michael Jackson with the horrendous 'Earth Song' a few years back. Sadly it has once more reared it's ugly head.
Of course there is the music in the malls and the stores as well. Betty pointed out earlier that there are still some places that play of all things Gary Glitter. Although i still say that the official start of Xmas for me is when I head the dulcet tones of Noddy Holder bellowing out "IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" although Roy Wood comes a close second with 'Well I wish it could be Christmas everyday'. Of course that song predicted computer logic by a good ten years. A bunch of economist's at Oxford programmed up a super computer to 'fix' the economy in the 1980's. All the possible variables were programed in, and they hoped that what they would get would be the answer to a bullet proof economic system. After a week of cogitating the computer came out with it's answer. "Hold Christmas once a week".
Anyway as for my favourite Christmas song, I'm always tempted to say The Pogues 'Fairytail of New York' which is great, and god Kirsty McCall banned from Top of the pops for singing the word Arse even though she was told not too. These day's arse is the word used to describe Andi Peters balls up of a national institution.
But there is one song that just pips Shane, Jem and the boy's off the top for me. Perhaps it is all to do with being a child of the `80's. I have to go for The Waitresses 'Christmas Wrapping'. The perfect early 80's Xmas party song.

Not much

2005-12-01T16:08:00.000Z

Haven't posted this week as I have been busy. I should be back in the swing next week, I was thinking of doing a post about the first human face transplant. Although if I had it would have merely turned into a cheap shot at Michael Jackson. Talking of alleged kiddie fiddlers I did hear the plans for the Christmas decorations in Ho Chi Minh city this was basic. They are just going to hang Glitter from the tree.

Anyway enough madness, I'm off to buy even more stuff from West Coast Choppers massive end of year sale. Maybe I'll even start on that CFL!

Richard Burns R.I.P

2005-11-26T14:03:00.000Z

Richard Burns
1971 - 2005

World Rally Champion 2001

George Best R.I.P

2005-11-25T13:24:00.000Z

George Best
1946 - 2005

"George makes a greater appeal to the sences than Finney or Matthews did. His movements are quicker, lighter, more balletic. George offers grander surprises to the mind and the eye. He has ice in his veins, warmth in his heart, and timing and balance in his feet."
Danny Blanchflower

Cold Call

2005-11-22T14:31:00.000Z

No I don't mean the weather, although that is Brass Monkey's. I mean calls to my cell phone from 02920368700. This number is used by a bunch of fraudsters. When they called me I told them to 'bugger off' which they haven't as they keep on calling. I keep hitting ignore. Other more foolish people have been stung for up to £10 000 when being told they are only paying £10 for a new cell phone. Be warned.

One way to stop cold calls to both your home and cell phone is to sign up to the Telephone Preference service. This is FREE (BT charge you £5 a month for the same service mainly to pay for Clarkson in the advert) simple and most of all effective. The home phone has been on it for a while and there are now no cold calls.

TV Tunes

2005-11-15T19:09:00.000Z

This is a little post which came from me downloading a lot of TV themes today. One thing that I've found is that some tunes were used more than once. It's quite a well known fact that the music for the first ever 'Columbo' to be made with Peter Falk, actually the stage play 'Enough Rope' retitled 'Prescription Murder' reused some of the music from the Audery Hepburn film 'Wait Until Dark' a bizarre jazz piece with added synth which predicts Trip Hop by 30 years. Everyone of course knows that 'Chicken Man' was used at one time for both 'Grange Hill' and 'Give us a Clue'. But it seems that the BBC carried on using the same basic tracks for different shows. The first series of 'The Tripods' used the same basic tracks and melody as 'Casualty' with just some sci-fi blipping making it sound different. 'The Six Million Dollar Man' was obviously a bit skint after all that surgery so loaned his themes melody out to 'Heart to Heart' of course in the former you don't really the music as there is a plane crash and stuff, and in the latter you only get some stanza after your chap say's 'It was Moiider'. Transatlantically the theme from 'Superstars' which when heard brings back memory's of Brian Jacks dipping actually started life as the theme to ABC Monday Night Football in the USA. Stranger still when America remade 'Steptoe...' as 'Sanford and Son' they used the same music as Mike Yates. Of course if you have the original rough cut version of the first episode of 'The Prisoner' you'll realize that the music McGoohan had changed turned up again for 'Dr Who' Spin-off 'Survivors'. At different times both Jerry Lewis and Benny Hill used 'Yakkaty Sax', while the ginger winger Chris Evens tried to recycle 'Bring me Sunshine' of course used by Morecambe and Wise. This was dropped from his show after Lulu told him off for pinching the tune. As strange at it seems Fleetwood Mac's the cage wasn't just used for Grand Prix racing, it was also used for the Indy 500. This might have been at the suggestion of Jackie Stewart who commentated alongside Murray Walker a few times in the early years and was a regular commentator at Indy for over a decade.
Anyway we all snigger at William Shatners efforts at music, but he was not alone. Oh no, John Pertwee had a go at the speaking lyrics in a Shakespearean way over a tune in this bizarre reworking of the 'Dr Who' theme 'I am the doctor'. Enjoy.

Jack's book corner

2005-11-14T15:27:00.000Z

Okay, so Wyndham has a cosy leather seat in a book corner. But here in the dark side it's a tasteful little number from Ikea. But what ever your seating preference. Gather round and listen to this review.
Today's book is 'The Heart of the Game' by Jimmy Greaves. It's a book about football, and about how the game has changed over the years. It also offers Grevsies opinion of what can be done to get back to the 'heart of the game'.
For starters what is the Heart of the game. Well the term comes from something which former Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower said back in the early `60's. He was talking about the power that Football has, and how nothing can really compare with the drama and satisfaction of the sport. How that is truly the heart of the game. Perhaps now is a time to stop and look at one of the differences pointed out by Jimmy about players then and now. Blanchflower was beyond eloquent, he was intelligent, talented and could talk intelligently with out a PR person by his side. Indeed after George Best's first game for Northern Ireland (of which Blanchflower was captain) a journalist asked Danny for his opinion of the young talent. The answer went over the journalists head.
But back to the book. The style of the book is very entertaining. It presents it's arguments in a concise manner and interweaves them with story's of both the good old day's and some from more recent times. One that catches the eye is the reaction of Peter Shilton and David Seaman after trying the new lighter balls for the first time. Both were wondering where Noel Edmunds was with a 'Gotcha' as the balls were seen to be a joke. Of course these balls are now what are used in the Premiership and beyond. Another story involved Liverpool hard man Tommy Smith handing Greaves a piece of paper before a game at Anfeild. The paper was the menu for the Royal Infirmary!
As the book goes on you can see how dramatically game has changed and how a few certain incidents led to these changes. For instance how England's defeat to Hungary in 1953 led to the change in the game that took England to the World Cup in 1966. But how that 1966 success changed football forever, making the game more tactical and less exciting. More recently the formation of the Premiere league and the involvement of the large money brought in by TV especially Sky. Not to mention one Mr Erickson.
The whole thing is presented as a well thought out and cohesive argument, and is defiantly a book that anyone who loves the game should have a read of. There are some areas which will be controversial. John Motson comes in for some stick, and Jimmy is right in his criticism. Although I suspect that he'll not be getting a Christmas card from Mottie this year.
Overall I heartily recommend this book.

How spirtual are you?

2005-11-08T14:30:00.000Z

Take the test after peeking at my result.

You fit in with:
Spiritualism
Your ideals are mostly spiritual, but in an individualistic way. While spirituality is very important in your life, organized religion itself may not be for you. It is best for you to seek these things on your own terms.
40% spiritual.
100% reason-oriented.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Is that your showbiz age, darlin?

2005-11-08T13:49:00.000Z

Yet again the Ivy is making headlines. This time it's not just Kate Moss unscrewing the mirrors to they cam be used horizontally. It all has to do with a bowl of 'spagbol' the queen of mean, and a crime writer.
Apparently Anne Robinson decided to use her newspaper column to 'expose' the fact that Lynda La Plante was dropping her age. As all actresses do, apparently (La Plante acts under the name Lynda Marchal, although her last TV acting credit was 1983, she is best remembered by people my age as Tamara Novak in 'Rentaghost'). Well this isn't the case Lynda is honest about her age, Annie got it wrong. Lynda started acting as a child, and was only 14 when she first appered in 'Z-Cars'. Of course normally this sort of thing wouldn't be newsworthy, and would probably be water off a ducks back to La Plante. Only the timing was wrong. At the time of the article La Plante was in the process of adopting a son, and the adoption agency stopped the proceedings to check if Lynda had lied or not on her forms, which added a year to the process as well as a lot of stress.
Anyway, last week Lynda ran into Annie at the Ivy and confronted her. Apparently resisting the urge to tip her 'Spagbol' (her word, not mine) over the queen of mean as it would be un ladylike. Strangely this story has appeared as an exclusive in the 'Daily Mail', a paper which caused a similar incident itself a few years back. You see in the Mail's TV they do pop biographies of people in different shows and films on that day. One of which was on Bonnie Langford, for a rerun of a 'Dr Who' story. As was the custom the paper gave her age as it was when the programme was made. Which did make it look like Langford had severely dropped some years. Which was picked up by some other papers and radio people. Who then had to apologize. Apparently that week it was easy to work out what the Mail meant by the ages, as the bio on the next page of the then septuagenarian Katharine Hepburn gave her age as 25.
As for me, when I tell people my real age they think I've added a few years....

When it comes to size men and women are opposite

2005-11-07T19:05:00.000Z

Okay so that is an enigmatic title. But my point is this. If you ever talk a woman, one who is of a normal attractive build, they will tell you that stores mainly stock clothes for stick insects. Then moan about how the more normal size 12-14's are not really catered for. This it seems work's the opposite way for us guy's. Or at least it dose for me. Today I attempted to buy some jeans. I could not find any that fit. This is not because I have a large girth, rather the opposite. I'm thin, but tall. They only make jeans with a 35" inside leg for people who have a similar waist. Most jeans seem to be made for little round people who must look not unlike Boss Hogg. The really annoying thing is that Levi's do make the jeans that would fit me. They only sell them in the USA, Canada or Japan. To get them here I'd have to pay double.
Hopefully Uniqlo will have some in stock, although they have let me down the past two times I've looked in Regent St. This time I'll look in Oxford St.

Second hand Escort, only $680.000

2005-11-03T14:53:00.000Z

Might seem a high price for a 1975 Ford Escort. But this one was owned by Pope John Paul II. In fact it is clamed it was the only car he ever owned. Although that isn't quite true. He owned the last ever Ferrari Enzo built. For all of 30 seconds before donating it to charity. This car though was driven around Rome by the pope, and only given to charity in 1986.
Actually the price raised for the car was well below estimates. Which is surprising. As when the Ford Fiesta which had been owned by Lady Diana Spencer went up for auction it raised over £1m. Other celebrity cars which have been sold over the years include John Lennon's Rolles and Steve McQueen's von Dutch custom Packard.
One classic celebrity car myth that always dose the rounds is that Peter Sellers mini is buried in St James Park. Although this myth is quite hard to get a handle on. For a start most people say that someone stole Sellers "Psychedelic' Mini. Then had to get rid of it. Well while many celebrity's were given Mini's in the `60's and Jimi Hendrix, Ringo Starr and other had them painted in psychedelic colours. Peter Sellers had his covered in basket weave. Something which actually annoyed publicity people at Mini. Who had given the cars to celebrates to show how modern and functional they were. Sellers made his look like something from the victorian era. The other thing that isn't fixed in peoples mind is where the car is supposedly buried. Okay most everyone say's it's St James Park. But which one. The main story told is that the car was stolen and then buried in the London park while a new water pipe was being laid. Fair enough. But other people maintain the car was stolen and then driven to Newcastle where it was buried again under a new water pipe, just out side Newcastle United's football ground called St James Park.
It's a but like the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. Is Hoffa under the 10 yard bump at Giants stadium. Well the mythbusters on Discovery channel couldn't find him. Of course another theory about Hoffa is that he was placed in an upright on the cross town flyover in Boston. This one could be disproved very soon. With the completion of the 'Big Dig' a system of tunnels under Boston which ease traffic the old flyover system is due to come down, and make way for parkland. Maybe Hoffa's remains will turn up then. If of course he was ever there. I always thought he was serving chips in a chip shop owned by Elvis and with Lord Lucan as the batter man.

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T19:10:00.000Z

Now it's all hallows eve, the moon is full...

Miers steps down

2005-10-28T14:14:00.000+01:00

Harriet Miers has decided not to stand for the supreme court. After some on the GOP (the Republican or Grand Old Party) thought she was under qualified. Indeed she described President George W Bush as being the "most intelligent and eloquent human being I've ever met" which perhaps points to her having not met that many human beings.
The person who voiced the concerns of the party to the President in private was another man who has a claim on being the most eloquent in Americans politics. The Govenator himself Arnold Schwarzenegger. Which in it's self could be a tactic for him to get his brother in law the nomination. It would perhaps be one that would appeal to the public. Not only is the an in question an experienced legislator he has ties to the American Royal family. His name. Mark Kennedy Shriver.

End of the road

2005-10-28T13:41:00.000+01:00

Yet another nail in the coffin of London life as we know it, as one more route gives up the Routemaster bus. Again to be replaced with the Mercedes Bendy Busses. We all get sentimental about the Routemaster, and with good reason. It's a great bus and was built with the tight streets of London in mind. It works, people can hop on and hop off and most of the time you can get a seat. It also has a comfy ride. I've only ridden on the new single level busses once. Needless to say it was standing room only, as they have less seats than the Routemaster, the ride was bone shaking and you had to fight to get off the thing. The other problem is that the have a large turning circle. As they were built originally for the streets of Berlin. Now there is a large difference between the centre of Berlin and that of London. In London the street lay out hasn't much changed since the days of horses and carts. While Berlin has basically been rebuilt since reunification, their streets are wide and flowing and the busses have no trouble getting through. It is also worth pointing out that they run a longer version in Berlin which has more seats. In London the bendy bus has to mount the pavement to take what seem to me quite open corners, outside Holborn they even took some of the railing away to give the busses more chance of hitting pedestrians.
Of course the Routemaster couldn't last forever. It's original projected life span just ten years and we've had it for fifty. But a more logical replacement is the new Volvo built double decker. The type of bus that we have out here in Essex, which has more seats than the bendy bus and the Routemaster, has a comfy ride, and can cope with tight twisty roads and the A12 with ease. It also has one other advantage over the bendy bus. It can run on LPG which means it doesn't use as much diesel. All in all another bad day for London, as we get the second best option because it's cheep.

Sainsburys try to make a problem work

2005-10-27T18:10:00.000+01:00

We all know what it is like when you go into a Sainsbury's. They never have anything you want in stock. At work it has got so bad that I now don't even look in Sainsbury's but take the walk up the road to Tesco. Which always has what I want. But it seems that Sainsbury's have come up with a bright idea to get around this problem. Make a series of ad's where Celebrity Tory Jamie Oliver fries up all the crap they do have in stock. Apples and Sausages, Rhubarb and Pork, Chicken marinated in own brand cola and now perhaps the most telling one which gives the game away. A hot salad using that ham with the face in it. You know the stuff, it's supposed to be for kids but they never eat it, and so every supermarket has piles and piles of it. Usually the only time they ever sell any is 3 am on a Sunday morning when some strung out clubbers decide to set it free.
Of course he shouldn't be making adverts anyway. Like Paul Daniels and Lord Lloyd Webber he did state that he would leave the country if Labour won this time. Unfortunately like the others he hasn't gone, and probably never will. Mores the pity.

Jackson back to court

2005-10-20T16:21:00.000+01:00

Michael Jackson is due back in the same Santa Barbara court room where he stood trial on charges of child molestation. This time as a member of the jury. The computer which randomly selects jurors in the town has picked one M Jackson of Neverland Ranch. Although it is unlikely that Jackson will do his service, his lawyers are asking for a deferment as at present he is living out side of the USA. Currently in the Kingdom of Bahrain. But it would be fun to see him once more in the courthouse.
It isn't the first time that such an anomaly has turned up. Back in 1994 when jury selection for the trial of O.J Simpson got underway the authority's realized that there would be a large number of jurors rejected by the two legal teams, and so got a list of ever eligible person in the state. A list which included O.J Simpson.
Of course anyone can be called for Jury duty. The only people barred from it are the Royal Family, Members of the house of lords and the insane. Which dose mean that were Lord Archer stripped of his peerage he would be eligible for jury duty, even though he has served time.

Busses...

2005-10-18T16:21:00.000+01:00

Twice a year I get to travel on the bus. This is when either mine or my mothers car has to go in for a service and MOT. Yesterday that meant a two part journey to Gallows corner in Essex to take my mothers car into Romford Toyota. The drive there in the morning was kind of strange as for the whole time I was immersed in an unearthly fog. Which was even more spooky when I went out of the back exit of the dealership and couldn't see the Tesco which was there only fog bound. In the end I found it and went in. I brought a lotto ticket, only because that was the best way of splitting a £20 note and getting enough change for the bus. Then it was off to catch the 174 to Romford Market. This journey was in itself uneventful, after that I had to get an 87 to Barking Garage which was packed.
Then at 3:45 the call came the car was ready. So off to get the 87 once more. Again it was packed. Compounded by someone with an oversized pram, and a big mouth. Who got into a slanging match with some old bloke who couldn't walk too well. Great fun. Fortunately the 174 wasn't quite as crowded and I got back there okay. Considering the high price that is soon to be extracted for journeys like this (when my car goes in to a Ford dealership in Upminster in January the round trip on Public transport will cost £18 more than double what it did this year) there should be more busses, not less. Just as there should be more tubes not less. Although according to Tfl running one train ever 10-15mins is the same level of service as when it was ever 4-6 mins. Work that one out I can't.

Moi!

2005-10-13T13:18:00.000+01:00

Okay then, having been tagged by a Triffid which I'd assumed would be fatal here are 20 random facts about me.

1) My day dosen't start till I have read that day's Peanuts strip.

2) I use a Merkur safty razor, a Kent shaving brush and Trumpers Limes soap and aftershave.

3) The last CD I brought was 'No Direction Home OST' by Bob Dylan.

4) I was recently mentiond in an article in the Independant about Madeleine Peyroux as another musician who had vanished, although I knew where I was all along.

5) When asked to describe myself in three words I usually say "Tall, Dark and Gruesome"

6) Yesterday I met Fizz Carr and Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall in Selfridges and got a signed copy of there book for my mother.

7) I have book's signed by Diamanda Galás and Douglas Coupland.

8) One of my favorite TV shows is Mythbusters.

9) My favorite Mythbuster is Scottie Chapman.

10) The last book I read was 'The call of the weird' by Louie Theroux

11) The last DVD I brought was 'Breakfast Club'.

12) I sometimes encounter Steve James, son of Sid, in ther street which is spooky as he looks just like his father.

13) The funniest thing I ever saw was a hanging sketch in an Alexi Sayle show.

14) I have Andy Warhol 'Liz' cufflinks.

15) I wish they would make more epesodes of 'Dead Like Me'.

16) I support Tottenham Hotspur.

17) I make shows for and engeneer at Resonance 104.4fm.

18) I support Ferrari F1.

19) I went to the same school as Billy Bragg, although many years later. Also Barking Abbey alumni are Alisha's Attic and members of Stereolab.

20) I don't work for MI6.

Well that is me. I here by tag The Dicksonian Institute.

OJ the anniversary

2005-10-06T12:55:00.000+01:00

Back in 1995 it was said to be what Alan Partridge referred to as a 'Kennedy Moment'. In that you would remember exactly where you were when you heard. I know where I was when I heard. I was in the student union bar of the then London Guildhall University. This was before the Internet and still the main source of information was BBC radio. It was via that medium that I heard O.J. Simpson had been found not guilty on two counts of murder.
Looking back on the trial of the century, this week a decade old, it is hard to remember just how big the trial of O.J was. But it hit the headlines for well over a year, from the time of the famous get away in the white bronco, where Simpson was driven at speed while holding a gun to his head saying that he didn't deserve to live, through to the infamous "If it doesn't fit you must acquit" statement of Johnny Carson. Ever second of the trial was captured and broadcast by TV networks. Newscasters would find something to say, even if it was just to point out that Judge Ito had re filled his water glass. This trial was far more of a public spectacle than has ever been seen since. The judge in the Michael Jackson case wisely kept the press at arms length. An option which had been available in the Simpson case, only for it not to be taken. Ten years on people are still in two minds about O.J. This is partly because of the way he was found not guilty. Most of the evidence seemed to point to O.J. That was until it was found that at least one item of evidence, a bloody sock, had been fabricated by a Police officer with raciest views. At the hub of the case all along was the fact that a black man was being tried for the murder of a white woman. A woman he had married, and claimed to love. Even though she had divorced him die to his abusive behaviour. On October 3rd 1995 the jury gave the verdict of not guilty.
The faceless stars of the O.J show were the jury. Years before 'Big Brother' hit our screens we had those twelve people. Sequestered in a hotel, not able to make contact with the outside world. Banned from watching TV or reading the news papers. They were allowed to watch films, from a list approved by both sets of lawyers, and nothing made after 1960. Some classic TV shows were allowed as well, although certainly not 'Ironside' or 'Police Squad'. In fact the members of the jury led a life far more restricted to that of O.J.
And what of the juice himself. What has happened to Orenthal James Simpson?
Well for a start the family of the victims brought a civil case against him. In which he was found to be liable for the murders. This doesn't mean that he was judged to have committed the crime. Just that he was responsible for it. A legal quirk. Since then he has rather dropped off the radar. He did attempt to resurrect his acting career. Although with limited success. A few appearances as himself in daytime soaps. More recently he has attempted to get his own TV project off the ground. He brought the rights to a classic British TV show from the eighties, 'Beadles About'. He is with limited success attempting to sell this idea starring himself.
I'm sure a lot of people didn't remember where they were when they heard the O.J verdict. Most people had probably forgotten about O.J. More likely in ten years or more people will remember where they were on August 30th 1997 and September 11th 2001 than will remember October 3rd 1995.

Ronnie Barker R.I.P

2005-10-04T20:12:00.000+01:00

One half of the greatest TV double act of all times has passed. Not only was Ronnie Barker a great comic actor, he was also a great writer. He had retired from performing in 1987, although still made some appearances. Most recently with Ronnie Corbett remembering some of the greatest sketches from 'The Two Ronnies'.

Ronnie Barker
1929-2005
...and it's goodnight from him.

The joy's of D.I.Y

2005-10-03T17:47:00.000+01:00

No not the type of DIY you usually get on the net. This is the real mens stuff. I mean the real hard one. I mean well decorating and that sort of stuff. I have loads to do now that I have a little time. Starting with the Bathroom. Which will not be fun. Hopefully it'll not take as long as all that. The main thing is getting the wall paper off and then skimming the walls so that they are ready for a coat of paint. Hopefully I can get the preparation done by tomorrow. As I don't want to be going too long with out access to a decent shower (I guess I can always use the ones at the gym, but they just aren't as good. You don't feel you can spend a good quarter of an hour scrubbing).
Anyway once all the hard graft is over I get to do some carpentry which I actually enjoy. Then I have to start again on the toilet. Then the hallway!
One good thing today was going to Curry's to buy a Vax vacuum which was in the sale, and getting a small one with it. It's almost as good as the upright and will do nicely for the car and so on. Not bad at all.
Anyway expect a few more blogs from now on as I've more time on my hands, and when not using them for DIY (Decorating, not as Billy Idol put it dancing with myself) I'll write up some more blog's.
p.s. Sorry for the sub 'Carry on...' humour!

Horrorscope

2005-09-25T15:57:00.000+01:00

I never read the horoscope. I sometimes catch a glimpse of it, but I never really actively look at it. Basically because I have proof that it is all a load of twaddle. You see every time I do catch a glimpse of it, and something good is promised it fails to materialize.
Take for example Friday. I was reading the newspaper, and the Horoscope was on the same page as a story about Bob Dylan which I was interested in. So I glanced across. I didn't read the whole thing mind, just the first few lines.

"Cancer: You should stop looking on the negative side of things. Events this weekend will show that you negative view will be proved wrong."

Right Oh! I thought something good will finally happen this weekend. Things will start going my way instead of against me as always.
Has it happened, has it buggery. This weekend has been a wash out. I might as well have gone to bed Friday evening and not bothered to get up again till Monday morning. As usual things have been a struggle.
From now on if I see the horoscope I'll just rip it out of the paper and burn it.

Whitfield Scott

2005-09-19T19:13:00.000+01:00

No not the singer from Ugly Kid Joe, Life of Agony and Medication. That was Whitfield Crane. But the team who made us all chortle right through the eighty's. Terry and June. It's hard to realize now but at the height of there popularity over one quarter of the British population tuned in to see Terry and June. Laughing at there antics and trying to work out in which way Terry would be humiliated by June. However inadvertently.
The reason for the sudden recollection is that the chaotic pair have turned up on UKDrama. You know it isn't as bad as I remember. In fact some of the episodes are actually quite good. Although somewhat dated. It also holds a special place in my heart as my first experience of the Theatre was being taken to Saddlers Wells to see the Xmas play. 'The Wind in the Willows' which featured Terry Scott as Mr Toad. A role in which he was perfect in. I was actually amazed that he was a real person. I didn't think TV people were.
One thing about Terry and June that I don't like, well I like but have come to dislike, is the theme. It's a great little tune. But it has a habit of sticking in your head. All day, every day.
If you have UKDrama check out Terry and June, and remember one of the better things from the 1980's.

The girl with no eyes

2005-09-13T16:07:00.000+01:00

A short short story.

"Tell me about these dreams?"

"It's dark outside. I'm sitting on a bed. I'm not sleeping, the bed is unmade. It's just a mattress on a frame. I'm sitting looking at a computer. I have a chat programme open, and a web cam. I'm talking about decorating. I'm pissed off sitting on an old bed to use the computer. I'm going to get rid of the bed, and repaint the room. What about the posters? I'm asked. I'll keep them. I look round. There are two posters on the wall. One is of a woman in a tight top and shorts, but it isn't a woman. It's a painting, no not a painting. She isn't real. I look at her, I recognize her. It's Lara Croft. There is another poster. A woman dressed in leather she has short blond hair. Her head is in the wrong place. She is holding it. I look at her eyes. She has none. I look back at the screen. It's flashing. Do you wish to receive web cam? I click on okay. At first the image of the web cam is fuzzy I can't make it out. Then it clears. It is the woman. The woman with know eyes. The speakers crackle and spit then I hear a voice. It's a terrible voice like something out of a horror movie.

"you are mine forever."

It's then I wake up."

"Doctor?"

"You are mine forever"

Zadie Smith

2005-09-11T16:16:00.000+01:00

I've never liked Zadie Smith much. Her books are crap. The story's paper thin and the writing style, the so called perfect prose, always reads to me as being Word Perfect Prose. It always seems to have gone through one too many of Mr Gates editing tools. Then if anyone dares to criticize her work she plays the race card. The fact is she had a lot more comfortable ride through life than many white male writers. She should just stand up and take the criticism on the chin.
But finally she has come out with something I like. No not her new novel 'On Beauty', which is just a rehash of the other two. But in an interview in New York she said the unthinkable. She called England, and London especially Vulgar. The main statement that is causing upset in the line "It's the way people look at each other on the train; just general stupidity, madness, vulgarity, stupid TV shows, aspirational arseholes, money everywhere." Yes Zadie that is London down to a tea.
The thing is it never used to be this way. Or did it. I can remember the tube being more friendly, not that long ago. Of course since then Ken has taken charge and slashed the service to save money (under guise of cutting emissions) so now the District line at least is always packed full. Yes there are too many reality TV shows, and more and more people trying to act like they are on 'Big Brother'. The place is full of arseholes trying to convince you that they are important, when in fact they are not. But money everywhere. Well to a point. There is money, it's just not where people who need it can get it. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer.
Another quote: "When I talk about England now I just think of the England that I loved and it's gone. It's just a disgusting place. It's terrifying. Maybe I'm just getting old." Again I agree with her. What happened to the England where people held open doors, where people were polite and where you could walk down the street with out having to mentally prepare yourself for facing off with a Chav. In the last two or three years society has gone to the dogs. It's actually partly the fault of Zadie's generation. She's a couple of years younger than me, which is the start of the last baby boom. You see when I was at school we had smallish classes, and we were taught respect and discipline. By the time I left school the class sizes had risen, and the school was overflowing. These younger kids had no respect, and were not taught it. There were just too many of them, at the same time the then Conservative Government under John Major cut school funding. Essentially we now have a generation of 20 something's who don't have a clue about how to live in society. They never had to.
The thing is the stereotype is that we Brits are all politeness while the Americans are brash. It's not the case anymore, as anyone who has been the US will tell you. Americans are extremely polite, far more so than the British have been in my life time. The average American is honest, friendly and pleasant. The average Briton is angry, boorish and unpleasant.
Hopefully Zadie's words will start a backlash against Chav culture, and we might see things reversed. As they were in LA during the 1990's. Although there the catalyst was the riots.

More bondness

2005-09-06T10:40:00.000+01:00

With all the Brew haha about who will and who won't be the next James Bond. I thought I would look at another aspect of the Bond phenomenon. The career ending theme song.
Back in the early day's bond themes were usually sung by Shirley Bassey and were written and produced in house by Cubby Brockley's composer of choice. To sing the theme for a Bond was neither a good thing or a bad thing. Although Tom Jones claimed it harmed his sales. But especially in the post Roger Moore era recording a Bond theme has been a career stopper. With the Brosnan era artist's fearing even worse than others.
a-ha recorded the theme for 'The Living Daylights' and quickly imploded, although they since had a moderately successful comeback with Jason Donavan on the Yates Wine Lodge circuit. The follow up's 'Licence to Kill' and 'Goldeneye' were both performed by older singers, Gladis Knight and Tina Turner respectively who both retired not long after. Then came 'Tomorrow Never Dies' performed by Sheryl Crow. Her last hit sing, her two follow up albums failed to get very fay and she retired after a 'Greatest Hit's', now best known for being the girlfriend of Lance Armstrong. Garbage were riding high after 1998's album '2.0' only to record perhaps the best ever Bond theme with a stunning non Bond video. The band then released a hash of an album, split got back together and have really lost there way.
There was a trend beginning and Destiny's Child didn't want anything to do with it. When Bond came knocking they said no. Instead Madonna was persuaded to record the theme for 'Die Another Day'. Surely the Queen of Pop would not fall foul of the curse. But she did, her follow up single was her first since 1980 not to trouble the top 40, her tour was down on numbers and is she another one about to retire?

So who will record the theme for the new Bond yawnfest 'Casino Royal' Eminem has been mentioned, as has Beyonce Knowles. Maybe they should go back to the classics, and bring Burley Chassie, I'm sorry Shirley Bassey back.
As to why we need another Bond film, let alone a remake of a perfectly good adaptation I don't know.

Set your VCR's and RDVD's

2005-09-01T10:40:00.000+01:00

Tonight at 19:30hrs on Paramount Comedy in the UK there is a historic piece of TV. The Pilot episode of 'Seinfeld'. The best US comedy of the `90's. There are a few differences in this show. The main one being that Kramer is called Kessler and there is no Elaine. In fact this rare gem of an episode was not shown for so long that Julia Louis-Dreyfus who played Elaine didn't know it existed until the DVD reissues in 2001.
Originally this show was to have been a 90 min documentary fill about how comics get there jokes, filling in for 'Saturday Night Live'. It developed into t a half hour sit com style piece, then into a series 'The Seinfeld Chronicles' later just 'Seinfeld'. Jerry didn't want to do a series, we're all glad that he did.
So settle in this evening and watch some TV history.

Last of the summer rock?

2005-09-01T08:32:00.000+01:00

Music stars in TV shows sometimes work, but most of the time they don't. There was a whole parade of washed up rockers in 'Friends'. Not that I ever watched 'Friends' but you don't often get the same cross over in the UK. The most notable appearance of a pop star on the small screen was when Morrissey appeared in 'Brookside' way back in the late 1980's.
Not long after this there was a sketch on 'French and Saunders' that featured Raw Sex (F&S's House band) in a court case over how music is written. About a dozen prominent musician made cameos including Motörhead front man Lemmy. Not the first time Lemmy had been in a comedy show. Motörhead played in the 'Young Ones' bathroom, across the channel he once heckled Jerry Seinfeld. But now it seems that Lemmy want's to once more appear on British TV in a sit com. According to today's 'Independent' his favourite TV show is 'Last of the Summer Wine'. He can't get enough of the show, and would like to appear as an old friend of Clegg's. The thing is that Lemmy is a few years too late. Back when the show first started he would have fit right in, then as the three old gents pootled about they all three chain smoked. That all stopped around the time Michael Bates' character Cyril Blamire was replaced by Brian Wilde's Foggy Dewherst in 1975. At the same time the show moved pre watershed and lost some of it's edge to become the fuzzy Sunday night fare we have had to put up with ever since. UK Gold showed the early episodes a few years back, but probably never will again. WHich is a shame as they are much better than the later ones, and of course far superior to the late `80's era when Seymour Utterthwaite played by Michael Aldridge replaced Foggy.
Quite what the villagers who have already been kicking up a fuss this year about the filming would make of Lemmy could be interesting. Perhaps the BBC could use him to scare the residents of Holm Firth into submission, and make them put up with the hassle of filming.

DVD's and a man called Heff

2005-08-30T16:18:00.000+01:00

We all love DVD's these day's. They are cheap full of great extras and they have excellent quality. It wasn't always like that. In the mid `90's when the DVD was launched it was a flop. Just one more new format that failed to take off. People who wanted high quality already had Lazerdisk players and wouldn't dream of another format. The average Joe was happy enough with VHS, which was cheap and you could record on it. The Hollywood studios were not that keen either with DVD. Only using the format to release a limited number of films. After all no one was buying DVD players which were three times the price of a VCR.
Then Sony came up with a way to get more DVD players into homes. The licensed the format to software manufactures and soon the DVD ROM took over from the CD ROM. Now most new home computers had a drive that could play DVD's. Still the disks were not flaying off the shelves and Hollywood was still backing the VCR. After all who wants to sit in a home office and watch a movie on a small monitor, when you can stretch out in your den and watch the same movie from a VCR on a large TV.
This was a problem, but one of America's largest film producers realized that there audience might like to be locked away in a home office while watching there output.
Playboy Inc.
Playboy were the first major studio to make all of it's releases available in DVD, and they flew off the shelves. Soon Hollywood started taking notice, and large sums of money started crossing the pacific to help bring the cost of DVD players down.

Just under a decade on and WH Smith has announced that it will no longer stock films on VHS. Most other retailers stopped before last Christmas, soon the VHS will be a thing of the past. Even in professional uses VHS is being surpassed. It's all down to old Heff realizing that a movie player in a home office is the perfect place for his films.

A week almost

2005-08-27T15:31:00.000+01:00

Wow a whole week almost since I posted anything. I think that the main reason is that I have been just far too busy. And now today I have to sit and watch the test match.

Normal service such as it is will resume next week.

Bob Moog RIP

2005-08-22T17:31:00.000+01:00

More sad news, Bob Moog the father of the synthesizer died peacefully at his home in Ashville N.C. last night. He was 71. Ironically he died from the same form of Brain Tumour as Mo Mowlam. Moog Synthesizers were the first to really harness the sounds of oscillators into a usable interface that anyone could use. Although even then some of the early models were very complex. The company hit some troubles in the 1980's and the name was sold which led to a very long legal fight. The Moog brand was back in the news with the launch of some great new products last year, with Bob himself touring to promote these. On that tour he spoke to Resonance FM's Magz Hall. Hopefully this interview will get a reprise in the coming day's.

Bob Moog
1934-2005

Mo Mowlam RIP

2005-08-19T10:48:00.000+01:00

The former government minister Mo Mowlem has died, from a brain tumour. She had originally been diagnosed with the tumour in the late 1990's but had been in remission. She was for many years the nations favourite politician. As she married a fearsome political brain with charm, charisma and good humour. Unlike a lot of government ministers she was someone whom you felt you would like if you ever met them.

Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam
1949-2005

I guess I just don't like golf!

2005-08-16T15:53:00.000+01:00

I don't know why this is. Golf seems to bore me. I'm very happy to watch it, and read about it when it is on the TV all the time. I even stayed up late to watch Tiger Woods win the Masters this year. But three weeks ago when I decided to do an episode of my show 'Sporting Legends' about Jack Nicklaus I had a hell of a time. The show took a week of research, and then almost two days to write the script. Even then the second day was long and I wasn't finished until well after 9pm. I thought at first it was the difficulty of profiling just one person, until then the previous shows had been about battles between two sportsmen. (Lauda/Hunt and Louis/Schmelling) neither of those shows seemed such a task to write. But the Nicklaus show was hard.
The thing is I thought I would like writing about golf for the same reasons that I like Cricket and Baseball. It's full of statistics and little story's that get passed down through the years. I just found it hard. Today I wrote a script about Babe Ruth, and it was easy for me to organize my research and get everything down in a reasonable way. Plus there are a lot more words. For the Nicklus show I was able to play in lots of clips of him playing, and winning. With the Bambino I couldn't do that until I got to the later part of his career. Simply because there are not that many audio recordings of sports events from before about 1925.
I guess deep down I just don't like golf that much. Which is a shame, perhaps someone would be kind enough to invite me for a round at a nice course. Then I might really understand the game. I have my own clubs!

To hear 'Sporting Legends' on Babe Ruth tune into Resonance 104.4 FM at 15:30 tomorrow. Or if you are out side London listen on your computer here.

Starfucker!

2005-08-09T12:24:00.000+01:00

A man from Texas is aiming to visit every Starbucks in the world. A man calling himself Winter is out to get the record. He started the quest in 1997, and he is still going. Already he has visited quite a few in the UK, although he will have to make a return trip as he hasn't got the two new ones in Fenchurch St, or the new one in Bluewater. He did visit the old two in Bluewater but since then they have moved into a larger one.
The thing is, that I feel I have to ask, WHY? Not that it isn't an idea to have a goal while travelling the world. Just why Starbucks. I've only even been on two branch's. Both of them in Notting Hill. For those who don't know there are five Starbucks in a very small part of Notting Hill, I only ended up in two because I was meeting someone in one and inadvertently got the wrong one. I did have a cup of coffee, my normal coffee order. Black no sugar. It was terrible. Later someone brought me a coffee from a Starbucks when the kettle in work broke. It again was terrible. You would have thought he could have found somewhere to visit each one of that could do basic black coffee well. I'm sure that a Cocha Mocha Dopea Twata is fine, but I don't really like coffee with milk.
Anyway some bloke called Bill Tangeman is making a film about Winter. Which is due out in time for the 2007 Oscars. Perhaps if Winter reads this and thinks about a return visit to London he should pop two doors up from the Soho Sq. branch that he needs to bag, and instead visit Eat. Eat. is a wonderful little coffee shop which can do black coffee and has wonderful handmade organic food.
Although my personal favourite is the Café in Ray's Jazz at Foyles. Which again dose great coffee and you can literally look down your nose at the people opposite in Starbucks in Borders. While tucking into food and bread made fresh that day on the premises. If you have never been to the Café in Foyles you should treat yourself. The music from Ray's Jazz is of course always cool.

I've arrived

2005-08-04T15:48:00.000+01:00

Finally I'm now a proper broadcaster. Today someone sent me an unsolicited press release.

How my mind works at times.

2005-08-04T15:34:00.000+01:00

I was quickly looking in WH Smith today. Just seeing if they had anything in there DVD sale that I would like, I make it a rule never to spend over £10uk on a DVD unless it is something really worth it. Anyway I hadn't been in that store for a while and it had been reorganized. Where the classic cinema section had been was now fitness DVD's. you know the type Geri Halliwell standing on her head and Linda Barker's decorate to lose weight. I wasn't really paying too much attention until I noticed one DVD in the section had on it in big letter NAZI'S.
The first thought that ran through my mind was, "I cannot believe that some idiot has made a Nazi fitness DVD." I imagined that it was along the lines of the US Marine fitness course only with people in long leather coats and monocles.
Of course there is no such thing. Someone had placed a copy of the BBC documentary 'Nazi's a lesson from history' in the wrong section.
This isn't the first time that I have made a similar error. A while ago in the book department of Selfridges I noticed a section sign that read Humour, Toilet, Male, Female.
I thought it was a bit strange to sub divide the toilet humour section into genders. Until I realized that the sign meant to inform people that not only should you go that way for the humour section but beyond it you will find both the Gents and the Ladies toilets.
Anyway to finish off this here is a link to a confusing sign in Austria.

Queen Elizabeth the first and the birth of tabloid newspapers.

2005-07-30T14:40:00.000+01:00

The other day I saw an interview with Sandra Bullock about her recent marriage to Jesse James. It mentioned how he might call herself Sandra James in future. The only trouble with this interview was that it wasn't given by her. It was made up of things that she had supposedly told to "A source close to Sandra Bullock". While it is true that she has now married Jesse James, the owner and head fabricator of West Coast Choppers * (who is descended from the old west outlaw), she hasn't given any interviews about it. Neither has Jesse. When asked about the relationship on '60 mins' a while ago all Jesse would say was "I don't want to talk about her, that's personal."
Of course tabloids have always been the same. Ever since the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First. For a start there was the rumour that she was in fact a man. Having fallen ill and died at a country house as a child she was replaced with a boy from the village. Then there was the time she became engaged to a French noble to cement the peace between England and France. One London newspaper ran with the headline 'Hop Off Frog'. The engagement lasted less than a day. As her lady's in waiting talked her out of it with lurid story's of the pain of childbirth.
The headline writer of course went on to a somewhat chequered future. His descendants fell on hard times and by the reign of Queen Victoria one had taken to petty theft. He was sent to Australia. Still all was not lost as one of the descendants of this convict went back into the newspaper game. He now owns most all the newspapers in the UK, and most of the broadcast media as well. His name Rupert Murdock.**

←→

*In the UK you can buy West Coast Choppers apparel from WCC-UK
**Okay I was having fun with the bit about Murdock. But the 'Hop Off Frog' headline did happen.

Bookshops after dark

2005-07-28T13:32:00.000+01:00

There are some things that are better done after dark. Like going on a first date, watching fireworks and so on.. For me there is nothing better than shopping after dark. Especially when going to a bookshop. I don't know why but everything seems just a little bit better when the sun goes down. The big Waterstones in Piccadilly is always great after dark. But alas it closes at 9pm, as dose Foyles. In the summer this just will not do. By far the best with a closing time of 11pm is Borders in Charring Cross road. As it has some nice big windows for you to look out of as the city flash's by. It almost makes it look nice out there.
There are some other sorts of shopping that work well after dark. A trip to Harrods for Christmas gifts should always end after the sun has set. Plus Lakeside and Bluewater look wonderful after dark. Well they couldn't look much worse could they?
There is only one thing that is even better than late night book shopping and that has to be a late night viewing at an art gallery. particularly the Tate Modern. Which again due to it's big window's and view, this time of the river, is the perfect backdrop to an evening.

Some intresting lines

2005-07-24T17:32:00.000+01:00

It's always good to hear the phrases that sportscasters use. Some of them are really good. Stand out one today was at the MotoGP in Donnington. It was a wet race, more like a power boat race than a motorcycle race. One of the BBC men described the weather as being "Wetter than an otters pocket."

James Doohan RIP

2005-07-21T15:24:00.000+01:00

James Doohan best known for the role of Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott of the original 'Star Trek' crew died yesterday ages 85.
He started out on radio in his native Canada where his talent for accents and voices sometimes meant that he was the only cast member in radio plays. He saw action during World War 2 and was at the D Day Landings, where he lost the middle finger of his right hand. This event was used in the film 'Saving Private Ryan'.'Scotty' was introduced in the second Pilot episode of 'Star Trek' and became very popular with fans. Originally the character was to have been minor but by the shows third and final series he was ever present, and third in command of the ship. Originally the character didn't have a first name, so Doohan gave him his own middle name. Montgomery, he also gave the character his hobby of reading technical manuals.
His last appearance as 'Scotty' was in the 1994 film 'Star Trek:Generations' although this was appearance was contemporary with the original series, 'Scotty' appeared in the 'Next Generation' series which was set 75 years after the first, due to some complex technobabble with the transporter.
For the first ST feature Doohan invented the Klingon Language, basing it on Welsh and Yiddish. This language has gone on to be spoken by more Americans than French, and more British people speak Kingon than speak German.

James Mongomery Doohan
1920-2005

Hmmm

2005-07-21T15:23:00.000+01:00

Was going to write about the cricket. But it seems there are more explosions. It's like stepping back to 1989.

Harry Potter (yawn)

2005-07-15T17:30:00.000+01:00

So the time is nigh for another 'Harry Potter' book. Now just one in a gaggle of kids books released each year. Personally I can't see what all the fuss is about. Rowling is far from being a great writer. At least one of the Potter books featured a total crib from Peaks 'Gormenghast'. Even ultra Potter fan Stephen Fry commented that he didn't have to do too much work for the first Potter film, as it was basically the same as his role in the BBC's version of 'Gormenghast'.
Then there is the tired array of other celebrates who love to read the books. Adults shouldn't read Harry Potter books. They are for children, they are written for children and as such are written in a simplistic style where everything is the neat and you don't have to put too much effort in. Since adults started reading the Potter book's there has been a decline in the quality of books for adults. With more and more writers who write books with adult themes but in the style of a children's book being celebrated. Zadie Smith is the biggest culprit here. When I read a book I like to be drawn in to the story. I like to have to use my imagination to try and see through the eyes of the characters. I don't need everything in a perfectly linear story where everything is explained and you don't need to to think.
I think perhaps that is why I can make perfect sense of David Lynch films, like 'Mulholland Dr', wile most people don't get it. To me that film is very simple. It's Pottermania I don't get.

The shameless art of self promotion.

2005-07-12T16:31:00.000+01:00

If any of you out there have ever wonderd what the heck I sound like then you can find out. As tomorrow at 15:30hrs (BST) I have a new radio series starting on Resonance 104.4fm. 'Sporting Legends' will cover all sorts of sports topics, but the series starts off with the 1976 F1 season.
If you live in London you can listen in by tuning your radio to 104.4fm, or in the rest of the world by following this link to the Resonance Audio Page.

Going into London

2005-07-08T20:08:00.000+01:00

Today I went into work, as an engineer at Resonance104.4fm. This meant travelling on the underground. It wasn't so bad really, strangely my journey's took less time than they normally would. Although on the way back there had been a delay at West Ham.
There was a sense of apprehension in the air although not all that bad. Just like it was back when the IRA were active in the capital. Although I did find myself touching my St Christopher each time the tube entered a tunnel.
Later I went into St Patrick's, Soho Sq., and lit a candle, it was after leaving there that I noticed a stand for the Evening Standard. This had on it a different type of poster than they normally carry. It is something that is very familiar to us now. From September 11th, Madrid, and the Tsunami. This was a poster showing the faces of those people still missing. People who are loved and cared for and who haven't been able to contact there families. It is early days, some of those people could be in a hospital basically fine but not able to get to a phone. Others will have been the passengers on the No 30 bus who will now only be identified by DNA testing. Worse still others will have been taken at Kings Cross, and are still laying where they fell. The wreckage making it too dangerous for the emergency services to get to them.
With hope there will be stories in the papers which are carrying this gallery of the missing over the next few days of how there photo in there paper has helped reunite people. But for now the faces of the disappeared look out on us. In there faces we see our selves, and it brings the tragedy all the more into focus

Never give in.

2005-07-08T11:11:00.000+01:00

"We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
Winston Churchill 1940

"They are trying to use the slaughter of innocent people to cow us, to frighten us out of doing the things that we want to do, of trying to stop us going about our business as normal as we are entitled to do. They should not and they must not succeed."
Tony Blair 2005

Never forget.

A Bad Day

2005-07-07T14:05:00.000+01:00

Yesterday the city was in a happy mood. London had won the right to host an Olympic Games. Although not all the people were happy, especially those of us who will see our arts funding cut. There was a sense that the city was going places.
This morning all that changed, and we were returned to the dark day's on the 1980's. Although this time the attack was committed by persons with a different cause. Four co-ordinated explosions targeting public transport happened just after 09:00 hours this morning. As yes there has not been a confirmed casualty list. There has been confirmation that people have lost there lives, and that some of the victims are now in intensive care units.
The timing of the attack, witch coincides with the start of the G8 conference in Scotland, is not random. The police in London have been stretched with 500 extra officers being sent to deal with violence at the G8 just last night. We have to face the prospect that terrorist agent provocateurs were in Edinburgh and Gleneagles these last few days making sure that the focus was on the trouble there.
I'm sure that after the weekend the city will be running as normal once more. Although with a heavy heart. We are used to such events here, the prolonged campaign in the `80's and `90's built in a resilience to such outrages. The people who commit these acts do so in the hope of disrupting the lives of as many people as possible, and sending us into a siege mentality. The best form of resistance now is to pick up and carry on as normal. An attitude which frustrated Hitler no end, and will frustrate those behind this attack.

Brake time!

2005-06-30T17:08:00.000+01:00

Yesterday while driving to the gym, I found that I had a very very long brake pedal. I managed eventually to stop the car, but needed to get it too the dealership. I was told that the AA would pick it up Although as the dealer is too far away they wouldn't do that. They would take me to another Ford dealer, which isn't as good. So basically I had to drive the car there with no brakes. Which isn't as big a deal as you might think. For a start I did have some brakes. Although not as much as I would like. I had topped up the brake fluid before leaving. Although I suspect that by the time I got there it had all leaked out again. Anyway, I did get there. Which is no bad thing. Hopefully the car will be fixed sooner rather than later. Although I am not sure quite how bad it is. I thought that I merely had a bleed nipple failure on the right rear. Although it could as well be a complete failure of the rim. Of course all this messing about driving with little or no brakes could have been avoided. The warning light which tells you that you have the hand brake on had been staying on all the time. I thought "Oh it's just a problem with the switch". It wasn't it was on to tell me that I was low on brake fluid. So if I'd looked then and realized what was happening...

Richard Whiteley R.I.P

2005-06-27T14:52:00.000+01:00

The sad news of the passing of 'Countdown' presenter Richard Whiteley. Whiteley had been the presenter of the Ch4 quiz show since the station first went on the air. Indeed his was the first face to been seen in 1982 when Ch4 launched. Initially the show was set to run for a mere 5 weeks. In the end it has had an unbroken run of 23 years.
Although he is best known as the bumbling quiz host of everyone's tea time, Richard Whiteley was an accomplished journalist. For many years he presented the Yorkshire television news round up show 'Calendar'. It was while filming for this show in 1984 that he became the first reporter on the scene of the IRA attack at Brighton. He was in the lobby of the hotel when the bomb exploded and was able to get under a table. Although shaken he was unhurt and broadcast not only to Yorkshire, but to the whole nation. It was also during a more light hearted episode of 'Calendar' that the infamous incident with the Ferret occurred. He was talking with a breeder who had brought on a few of the animals. One of them bit into his finger and just wouldn't let it go.
But it is for 'Countdown' that Richard Whiteley will be forever remembered. The daily word and math game which with it's simple to understand rules became a part of everyday life.
As well as his Television appearances, Richard Whiteley had a run at the Edinburgh festival in 1998. He presented a live chat show, with the twist that he didn't know who the guests were going to be, and had to work it out. In some cases he probably never know who they were by the end of the show. There was a TV pilot version of this show, which featured the percussionist from M People, a guy named Shovel (as when he worked as a builder that was his job), and Jane McDonald.
As well as his career in broadcasting Whiteley was also the Mayor of Wetwang. Wetwang being a town in East Yorkshire. Although he himself lived in Wensleydale. When asked where Wensleydale was he would reply, "It's between Tuseledale and Thursledale." Like Johnny Cash in the USA Richard Whiteley was the most recognized face on British TV. Although he himself wasn't too aware of this. When being interviewe for the 'Independent' newspaper he apparently phoned the interviewer, Deborah Ross, to tell her what he was wearing. So she would recognize him when she arrived at the restaurant. Ross replied "I think I know what you look like Richard."

John Richard Whiteley 1943-2005

Paxman Calling

2005-06-23T16:26:00.000+01:00

We all know that Jeremy Paxman has an over inflated view of himself. But I wonder if it is stipulated in his contract that his name should be bigger than everyone else's on the Radio Four website? It isn't uncommon for some people to demand such treatment. For the 1994 film 'Star Trek:Generations' Patrick Stewart and William Shatners agents both insisted that there man got the top billing. Strangely that one was solved by both Shatner and Stewart saying they personally didn't care.
But perhaps the worst case of sour grapes over a billing goes to Jerry Lee Lewis. Back in the late `50's Jerry Lee found himself second on the bill to Chuck Berry. This infuriated the pianist, and he demanded a rethink from the organizer. It didn't happen and Jerry Lee went on first. At the end of his set someone in the audience handed him a can of gasoline and he preceded to pour it over the piano then set light to it. He walked off the stage which was rapidly becoming an inferno and on passing Berry said. "Follow that ni**er".

Clean up with Silvio

2005-06-21T11:32:00.000+01:00

If you have ever seen the film 'Fight Club' or just read the novel, you will know that you can make soap out of fat rendered from human beings. In the film the main protagonists break into a lipo suction clinic, and steal a few bags of fat. Then make it into soap. To quote Tyler Durden "It's perfect, they pay us to buy there own fat asses back". Chuck Palahniuk who wrote 'Fight Club' was not just making things up when he write that method of soap production. Back in the early part of the 20thC a notorious prison in NY state would make soap from inmates who were killed.
Now artist Gianni Motti has taken this one step further. He claims to have made a bar of soap with fat removed from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi was reported to have had lipo suction last year and this is where the fat was gleaned. But now for £10 000 you can now wash yourself with a piece of perhaps the dirtiest politician around today.
Of course this is not new, although putting bits of leaders in museums usually happens after they are dead. In the USA you can see Washington's false teeth, part of one of Lincon's ribs. A Lock of JFK's hair (cut post mortam by Jackie and kept by her till her death), a lump of Ragen's flesh (this is not verified as it could have come from his body guard who was also injured during the assassination attempt) and finally George Bush Sr. keeps his old hip bone on his desk.

A tale of two races

2005-06-19T21:36:00.000+01:00

Over this weekend at two of the classic motoracing venues there should have been two classic races. One would be contested over 24 hours at le Circuit de la Sarthe Le Mans. The other was over 73 laps of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Circuit.
At 16:00 French time yesterday 50 cars rolled round at the end of the parade lap to take the rolling start of the famous endurance race. Of those 50 cars 27 finished. These cars were split into four classes. Two for LMP cars, racing prototypes, and two for GT cars. Which are the racing versions of road cars. Overall the race was won for the seventh time by Tom Kristensen. Again driving an Audi. He is now the driver with the most wins at Le Mans out right. In the GTs there was a ding doing battle between the Corvettes and the Aston Martins. Which was sadly ended by failures with the Astons.
It was a great edition of Le Mans, one of the classics.

Then at 13:00 Indianapolis time on Sunday the twenty F1 cars set off for there parade lap. But as they came around the final bend all the cars running Michelin tyres. 14 of them peeled into the pits and retired. Leaving just six cars. Four of which are not competitive but which run on Bridgestone Tyres. Basically you had a two horse race between the two Ferrari's of Michael Schumacher and Rubins Barrachello. With Schumacher coming out the winner. Even he admitted it was a hollow victory. The reason for this. Well there are two reasons. The first was a mistake by Michelin. They supplied a tyre which could not cope with the track surface on the banked section of the Indianapolis track. The tyres failing at one of the fastest points of the laps could cause horrific accidents. Indeed the mistake was discoverd when Ralf Schumacher (brother of Michael) crashed his Toyota in free practice. Given that in last years race Ralf broke his back in a similar accident it wasn't pleasant for him.
But the real reason for the farce at Indianapolis was that the political power mongers in F1 couldn't agree on a solution. Basically the cartel of Michelin runners want's one thing while the other teams just want to get on with racing. Sadly today the race was ruined.

Elizabeth Montgomery

2005-06-16T23:08:00.000+01:00

If you mention the name Salem Mass. to anyone the first thing that they will mention would be the Salem Witch trials. Where about 20 people were killed in cruel ways for alleged witchcraft. The most horrific was pressing where the 'witches' were slowly crushed by mill stones. This took a long time as the stones were on rope and each day the rope would be slackened. Not unlike Edgar Allen Poes 'The pit and the pendulum'.
More recently the town has had a love hate relationship with witches. Some people see the witch logo on the police cars as a bit of fun, and the various witch tours as being good for business. Others see the witch as un christian. And so on and so forth. In the mid 1990's the town voted on weather the police could keep there witch logo.

Today there is a new statue in the town. This celebrates not only another witch. But something that is a part of the culture for many Americans. The statue isn't of one of the women killed in the trials. It is of an actress. Elizabeth Montgomery. Best known for the part in the 1960's TV sit com 'Bewitched'. The show never really caught on in the UK, in America it has a cult status. I even once worked on a musical which had a song all about Elizabeth Montgomery. Of course there is the new remake about to be made starring Nicole Kidman. Which is part of the trouble for this new statue.

You see there have been protests. Firstly real witches have protested at the way they are portrayed. They don't ride broomsticks. The Christian lobby don't like the ungodly imagery of a witch. Then die hard fans of Elizabeth Montgomery were protesting at the travesty of casting Kidman in the film. Believe you me 'Bewitched' fans take the show very seriously. Never make the mistake of saying "Is that the show JR was in?" Larry Hagman was in 'I dream of Genie' which is basically the same thing as 'Bewitched' just on a different channel.

There are to be more of these statues. A character from 'The Honeymooners' was placed in Brooklyn, and soon The Fonz will be in Milwaukee. Unrelated is the statue of Del Trotter that is planned for Peckham. Personally I think that they should erect a statue to Sir Humphrey Appleby in Whitehall.

Jacko is innocent

2005-06-13T22:44:00.000+01:00

Michael Jackson has been fount not guilty on all counts. The singer was told to make his way to the court house at about 1pm PT, and just after 2pm PT (10pm BST) we heard the verdict. The BBC broadcasting live from out side the court house were there to hear as a judge flicked a switch and loudspeakers broadcast the verdicts to the outside world. There were ten counts, two of which were divided into two parts. Each had to be read out one at a time. By the time we got to number seven the foreman of the jury sounded as though she was bored with reading the same thing out over and over again. The BBC picked out one woman in the crowed with ten doves in a create. As each not guilty was read out she released a dove into the air.
I guess that there will be some mixed reaction to the whole event. But unlike the OJ Simpson case this one seemed a little more blurry. I don't that that there can be any thought as to the jury having been influenced by the defence. Or that Michael is now anything more than a rather odd chap, who perhaps needs some serious psychiatric attention.
The future for Jackson still looks bleak. He is in debt and may well be forced to sell Neverland. Debbie Rowe is suing for custody of there two children. The imaginatively named Prince Michael 1 and Prince Michael 2. It's not as bad as Boxer turned Preacher turned Griller George Forman who has seven children called George.
It dose look likely that before the end of the year Michael will be back on stage. The family have a venue in Las Vegas, and he and his brothers might reform once more.
Other people involved in the case might not be so lucky. Martin Bashier might yet face charges, as might the mother of the accuser.
And then there are the fans who have been camping outside the court house for all these weeks. The trial is over, and they get to go back to there own lives. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear in a few weeks that some of them are undergoing counselling. Almost certainly the members of the jury will be appearing in newspapers and on TV show's. As for who'll get the first long form interview with Jackson himself. It probably won't be Jay Leno. Oprah would be the front runner, although Sir David Frost is a name that has been mentioned. An outside bet would be Louie Therioux. Although who knows.

Here is the 'Wednesday Word' article from Feb 4th 2003 Link

The Vinyl Killer

2005-06-13T15:17:00.000+01:00

A discussion about the `80's on the Resonance FM forum brought back memories of the vinyl killer. Basically a small model of a VW Camper that went round and round your record playing the songs for you. All the time buggering up the grooves. I wasn't sure if this thing actually had existed. Or if they had been an April fool joke on 'Saturday Super Store' using a scaletrix VW. As it happens you can still get the Vinyl Killer. It come in the original plastic:

And new silver!

Of course this also brought back fond memories of 'Saturday Super Store'. I remember watching the crows who were annoying, and the first instance of pop stars being interviewed by fans on the phone. This sometimes back fired, as when the National Front phoned in to shout abuse at Five Star, or when no less that 15 kids phoned up to ask weather Boy George was actually a girl. Then of course a bloke called Simon Roberts called Matt Bianco a bunch of wankers.
The other thing about Saturday Super Store which made it superior to it's replacement 'Going Live' was that it didn't talk down to people. It was much more a programme that as kids you could feel a part of. Where as 'Tizwas' on ITV was for morons 'Super Store' was the thinking kids Saturday morning show.
It was also responsible for not one but two celebrity couples. First Maggie Phillbin and Keith Chegwin. Then in 1983 Mike Smith and Sarah Green met for the first time when Smith filled in for Mike Reade.

The Army Game

2005-06-10T14:18:00.000+01:00

The U.S. Military has open up the files of some of it's more well known enlisted me. Including the actors Steve McQueen and Clark Gable along with 'The King' Elvis Presley. Of the three Elvis career in the Army seems to have been the most eventful and the most written about. Perhaps because he was at the height of his fame when he was drafted.
At first the Army thought of Elvis as being a bit of a liability, although when they saw the way he applied himself to his duty's they realized he could be good publicity for the hundreds of young men whom were drifted, telling them to follow his example and not rebel.

McQueen on the other hand was a bit of a rebel while in the Marines. At one point he was confined for 30 days and fined $90 (probably a months wages) for going AWOL. It isn't recorded weather or not he had a mit and a ball while in confinement that time. It also seems that during his Marine service he developed his love of Cars and Motorbikes. He worked in the engine pool (just like Bilko's men). Fixing Tanks, Jeeps and Bikes. Plus it seems racing them when the officers were not looking. McQueen was awarded a commendation when he saved five Marines from a training accident, he also used his educational benefits to attend the Actors' Studio in New York, the same school where Marlon Brando, Peter Falk and Kevin Spacy trained.

Gable was enlisted to be a flyer, and he took along a Hollywood camera man to Andrew McIntyre to document his Army life. Others who's records have been opened include the Boxer Joe Lewis, Jack Kerouac and JFK. The last is quite significant, as with the current incumbent Kennedy's opponent in the 1960 election, Richard Milhous Nixon, tried to rubbish JFK's war record, while the Kennedy camp attempted to do the same to him.
Maybe soon we'll follow suit and release Prince Edward's Marine file. Should be one interesting post it note!

Anne Bancroft

2005-06-08T11:39:00.000+01:00

The actress best known for her role opposite Dustin Hoffman in 'Mrs Robinson' has passed away. Although she will be best remembered for that film, she also won an Oscar for her role in 'The Miracle Worker'.
She was married to Mel Brooks.

What the #$*! Do We (K)now?

2005-06-08T11:35:00.000+01:00

Or 'What the Bleep do we Know' to give it it's more common title.
I got to see this film yesterday, and it's defiantly something worth seeing. It's mix of documentary and story didn't always work as well as it might. Plus some of the views with in the film are a little hack kneed. Most notably Ramtha a 1000 year old spirit leader who communicated through a American woman who seems to share a surgeon with Jackie Stallone.
But there are some genuine scientists in there. Explaining different theories of Quantum Mechanics, sub atomic theory and multiple universes.
Most of the Scientists will be familiar to anyone who watches the BBC's Horizon on a regular basis. Including Dr Fred Alen Wolf Ph.D. This is the guy who last year expressed his theory universes in super computers. Not as wacky as it might sound. The other great thing about Fred Alen Wolf is that he looks like a scientist should look.
The film it's self is a mix of fact, which is presented by snippets from interviews with over a dozen scientists, who tie in with a fictional story. The story part of the film is about a deaf photographer Amanda (Played by Marlee Matlin the youngest ever winner of the best actress oscar for her role in 'Children of a Lesser god.') who isn't really getting over her divorce. She has to face up to her demons at discovers the theories of controlling her life through Quantum Theories. The story is quite good and it helps explain in some ways how the theories which are being talked about can be used in everyday life. Not all the facts presented in the film should be taken as gospel. One gem is the oft repeated 'fact' that the native Caribbean islanders couldn't see Columbus' ships because they couldn't conceive them. This isn't true. They could see the ships they didn't believe that they were there until the shaman told them to.
What the bleep, is a good film, it is a good beginning into quantum theories, and different thoughts on physics and philosophy. But it is just a beginning.

To burn or not to burn?

2005-06-06T12:09:00.000+01:00

Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, has today announced that he has for the first time ever disobeyed an order from Pope John Paul II. In his last testament the Polish Pontiff asked the Archbishop to burn his manuscripts. But the man who was said to have an almost father and son relationship with the late Pope has not carried out this order. He has decided that the manuscripts are too valuable to humanity to merely be burned. Although some people seem to think that the reason for Dziwisz keeping the papers is more sinister. That he would, like Stearpike, Stalin or Nixon fake a document for his own gain. I guess that not even other Archbishops can trust an Archbishop.

This story brings to my mind another similar act. Max Brod who was Franz Kafkas editor, was requested by Kafka to burn all his writings after his death. Like Dziwisz Brod thought the writings to important. He didn't burn them. Since then the original manuscripts that were written by Kafka have been referred to for new, more true versions of Kafkas work. Brod was not unknown to add things to the writings. The first of the novels which was supposed to have been burnt was of course 'The Castle' although the version that Brod published and the version that is written in Kafkas own hand is markedly different. Perhaps the truest version of 'The Castle' is the German Literary Edition. Which presents each page twice. On the left you have a image of the page from Kafkas note book and on the right the page printed. The English translation of this edition is with out the reproduction of Kafkas notes.
There were many more notebooks and manuscripts which were left by Kafka with Brod. But alas most of them were burned. Although this was in accordance with Kafkas wishes, the agent who carried out the burning was not one which he would have chosen. Max Brod was like Kafka a Jew living in Berlin. Eventually his apartment was raided by the NAZI's and most of his books and possessions were burned, while he was sent to the Ghetto. Some of the Kafka manuscripts were kept out side of Germany and survived. The majority did not.

It may be many years before the public will get to know what is contained in the documents that Dziwisz is protecting. Perhaps in his last years Karol Wojtyla again took up his pen to write for the stage?

Good ol` Charlie Brown a mystic?

2005-06-03T23:59:00.000+01:00

Not many people know this, but Charlie Brown once predicted the future. The thing is he did it with out fuss and in his normal quiet way. He also never got to know that he had accurately predicted the future and have smug look on his face. Sadly for Chuck his successful stab at prediction was lost for many years.
Charles M Schulz 'Peanuts' comic strip took a couple of years to fully evolve. Because of this many of the strips from the early years were not republished. They didn't really fit in with the later strips. 'Peanuts' books usually have strips from the Golden Age. Which is about 1955 on. Pre 1955 strips rarely get a reprint. Although recently Fantagraphics Books started to publish the complete Peanuts, Link. It is in the second volume of this that Chuck has a go at drawing a comic strip of his own. It's on page 250. We don't see Chucks strip, he shows it to Schroeder. But it can't be that good as he has to explain it. "It's really sort of an adventure series, see" he explains "It's all about this fellow who rides clear across the United States on a power mower" he continues. Schroeder is unimpressed leaving Brown to bemoan "I thought the public was interested in Science Fiction?"

The thing is that in 1994 Alvin Straight travelled 300 miles across the United States riding a 1966 John Deere mower to visit his sick brother. Perhaps it isn't so much Science Fiction any more (Ride on mowers were not common till the `60's) but David Lynch made a film of the adventure, The Straight Story in 1999.
In a later strip Woodstock gets a Zamboni, although he doesn't attempt what Jimmy the Iceman Macnill did. In 2001, Jimmy drove his Zamboni machine from the East Coast of Canada (St. John’s) across to the West Coast (Victoria, B.C.). At about nine miles per hour, the journey took approximately four months.

What is left?

2005-06-03T01:30:00.000+01:00

What mysteries remain?

This is an interesting article, although it misses some out. One of them begin what happened to the original World Cup. When Brazil won for the third time in 1970 they were given the cup for keeps. Only it was stolen, and never seen again. The theory is that it was melted down into gold coins. Although given the price paid for an out of date FA cup recently, the black market would be rife for the World Cup intact.

Of course the biggest mystery is what happened to the 7th earl of Lucan? He vanished after his children's nanny was found beaten to death in 1974. Although no one really knows if he committed the crime (mistaking her for his wife) or weather he just thought he would be suspected. The most probably theory is that Lucan paid someone to kill his wife. Only that someone got the wrong woman. He then went to hide out.
There are unconfirmed reports that he went to stay with a friend in Kent before being flown out of the country. Is he living in the jungle?
Probably not.
He probably jumped in the Themes, then his body was sweped out to sea.
Although this guy thinks differently.
Lucan Website

Then there is Ritchie Edwoods of the Manic Street Preachers who vanished. Although again it is more probable that he jumped into a river. This time the seven. He has been spotted more than a few times. In fact a major British tabloid accosted a man in Goa who many thought was Ritche. It wasn't, it was actually a guy from Sunderland called Kevin who I used to go to University with. Kevin later turned up in a crowed scene alongside Leonardo Di Caprio in the film 'The Beach'. Although according to his entry on Friends Reunited he now works in the British Legion bar it Gateshead.

Then of course there is the racehorse Shergar, although in some ways that one has been solved. When the IRA admitted taking the horse, and shooting it. Although when people dug where the remains were supposed to have been buried, there was nothing there at all. Still rumours persist that with in the IRA someone did a switch and Shergar ended up being sold to an Arab breeder.

Deep Throat Reveled.

2005-06-01T19:30:00.000+01:00

Yahoo news link

Well it wasn't George HW Bush, Gerald Ford, Henry Kissinger, Tyler Durden or, as one person wrote a book about, Richard Nixons other personality. Deep Throat was the then second in command of the FBI W. Mark Felt.
The thing is he was the obvious candidate, it's just that people didn't want it to be the American equivalent of Sir Humphrey. They wanted it to be Kissinger, Bush or Ford. One of the people who gained politically out the resignation (Bush gained the most, sadly for us now) not someone doing the right thing out of a sense of justice.
But I think that it shows that somewhere there are people who do the right thing.