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terence chang long exposure photographs

These are long exposure shots taken at airports by Terence Chang in San Francisco. Nice.

toodle pip

the verve - bitter sweet symphony and the stones

After the earlier post regarding the Verve, here's the song they ripped off for Bitter Sweet Symphony (and ended up losing all the royalties to it).

Class songs though.

toodle pip.

the verve and demis roussos

Afer watching the repeats of Top Of The pops 1976 with my FPO saying how much she loved Demis Roussos (because it bought back memories of her of living in Cyprus when she was a kiddy winkle), it reminded me of the similarities of these two songs. I loved The Verve, and Aphrodite's Child were pretty cool, but l really hated the Demis' solo stuff, although it was a lot more successful than his earlier group recordings (people have no taste as far as l am concerned..)

toodle pip

footie, the new sky box and the pub

I was out and about on Friday and made various promises that l was going to to to a local pub (hello The Arc!) to watch the Charity Shield game.

Obviously I could not be bothered when it came to it, and as l was also setting up a new Sky box in the morning, I was unsure if l could be arsed to appear.

As is took me ages setting up the box, I decided to go and meet everyone at half time (God knows why, l hate leaving the house, everyone's a boring bastard, but.................................................................................. l'm a sociable guy (when it suits me).

When l got there, United were 2-0 down, so it looked pretty bleak, and there was a lot of piss taking by the Liverpool fans.

However... thanks to the glory that is United, they came back to win 3-2, with Nani going round the goalie (Hart) like it was 1968 again (but in the last minute of injury time).

Joy Joy Joy to the World.

Football

Praise the lord.

You are back.

toodle lpip

schrodinger's cat

I want this on a t shirt (to mess with everyone's minds)

toodle pip

the bloody rain today

a cock and bull story (2006) - michael winterbottom

I watched A Cock and Bull Story again today, as myself and the FPO were going to go to Richmond Live, but is has been pissing down all day (with some really loud thunder) so we couldn't be bothered. She has been upstairs getting addicted to Second Life, so l watched the Paul Scholes testimonial, and then this film again. I actually really like the film and the way both Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play versions of themselves. It is meant to be the filming of Tristram Shandy, so it shows scenes from the book, as well as behind the scenes and the making of it. Very post modern indeed.

toodle pip

l could have ruled the world (part two)

Another gift l was not bought as a kid, holding back my dreams of World domination.

Damn my parents!

toodle pip

power planter

What a great idea. A nuclear plant blowing up. Very pleasing to the eye.

toodle pip

the life of buffalo bill - william cody

I finally finished this yesterday, as I have been trying to finish it since going away with work a few weeks ago. Buffalo Bill is prone to exaggeration, and some of it is repetitive, but what a life he led. They certainly were hard bastards back then, and his tales of Wild Bill Hickok towards the end were excellent.

toodle pip

jim denevan sand artwork

Jim Denevan is an American chef who creates temporary land art . A lot of work is obviously involved for something that will not last very long. I'm impressed both with the work and his dedication.

toodle pip

17 year old gets killed by bear

The boy from Eton (Horatio Chapple) got eaten (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14415592) (OK Mauled - cheap joke). Because l am an insensitive working class guy, l obviously have a skewed (not stewed - the bear never got the chance to cook him) opinion on the subject. But...If the spoon fed gentleman (l would normally say tosser, but l have never met him) decides to go into the bears habitat, it's at his own risk. Spare the bear and kill the rich, that's what l say, so justice was served until the bear was made to suffer and die. And........anyone called Horatio was evidently a privileged individual who made an informed decision beforehand and was obviously aware of the risks. Apologies to his family and friends who are naturally suffering, but if rich kids decide to go travelling the world looking for kicks, they also have to take responsibility. If they decide to get too close to the 'Real Word', it is at their own risk, let's try and keep the animals alive.

toodle pip

the lost weekend (1945) - billy wilder

Based on the Charles R. Jackson book of the same name, but without any mention of Don Birnam's (played by Ray Milland) homosexual experience when he was younger, or thoughts of murder at the end. This tells the story of an alcoholics weekend and his downward spiral. It bugged me, as l kept trying to remember what else l had seen Ray Milland in, until l finally remembered it was Dial M for Murder. Much better acting from Ray Milland than you usually get in most of these old films (in fact he won an Oscar for it), and not the kind of film l would usually have expected from Billy Wilder, as, although l know he did thrillers at the start of his career, l always associate him with Some Like It Hot, which (of course), is class. Now where did l hide my bottle of whisky?

toodle pip

oldman river viaduct at lethbridge, alberta 1908

This is the erection of the viaduct over the Oldman River at Lethbridge, Alberta, circa 1908.

It's a pretty large erection (fnarr fnarr - ooh my sides - stop it etc).

toodle pip

the itch and the brain

There is a great article in The New Yorker about a woman who had an itch and scratched it so much that she went through to her brain (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/06/30/080630fa_fact_gawande).

There is also information about treatment, phantom limbs and sight. Interesting stuff, especially regarding the eyesight and the brains memory.

toodle pip

bill and ben - the flowerpot men

No wonder l am messed up - The Flower Pot Men was the top entertainment for young Jamie when l was a tiny Scouse nipper. Bill and Ben are my first TV memory, and as far as l am concerned, Peter Hawkins (who voiced them) was a genius, it was great.

I also remember watching Felix the Cat from about the same time, but that does not hold any great memories for me, as even then, l thought it was a bit rubbish. The combination of the two still messed with my tiny developing head, and l have never recovered.

Nurse! The screens! The drugs!

toodle pip

the adventures of robinson crusoe (1954) - louis bunuel

This was better than l remembered, and apart from the colour being a bit washed out (washed out - get it?), was one of the better olden films that l so enjoy watching. Let's face it, everyone already knows the story. Robinson (Dan O'Herlihy) gets stranded on an Island after a shipwreck, survives, gets scared of neighbouring cannibals, rescues Man Friday, then escapes the Island (after 28 years!), leaving other (baddies) sailors on it. He has to cope with his loneliness and it also deals with attitudes towards slaves (Robinson was on his way to get some more slaves for his plantation when he got stranded) and his relationship with God. Luis Buñuel put in a fantasy sequence when Robinson had a fever and was desperate for water, but apart from that, it was pretty much a straight (condensed) retelling of the book. Takes me back to my childhood in Bootle watching stuff like this, sitting in the cinema at the top of our road for the Saturday morning matinee, although l don't know if that is a good thing or not!

toodle pip

the bitter tears of petra von kant (1972) - rainer werner fassbinder

Petra (Margit Carstensen ) is a fashion designer who falls in love/wants to possess Karin (Hanna Schygulla), but she (Karin) decides to go back to her husband. Petra is sadistic in her words and actions, especially to her assistant, Marlene (Irm Hermann), who appears to worship Petra. After many arguments and cruelty (and lazing on a sunny afternoon), Petra is left apologetic and swears to be nicer. This is when Marlene decides to leave as she enjoyed her own masochistic side of the relationship. Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and based on his own play, the above makes it sound like there is a lot of sex. There isn't, and there is mostly lots of talking regarding the women's relationships. Exciting eh?

toodle pip

the invisible man (1933) - james whale

As l remembered from seeing this years ago, the plot could not make up it's mind whether it was a comedy or horror film. James Whale directed, so he certainly has a lot to answer for. It stars Claude Rains as Dr. Jack Griffin, (although you do not see him till the last couple of seconds), who has successfully turned himself invisible, but is also going mad, thanks to the monocane he has used as part of his experiments. He keeps getting interrupted at the inn, (a superb looking place, supposedly situated in Iping, Sussex), while trying to find an antidote, then goes on the rampage, after unsuccessfully trying to recruit his rival in love (for Flora Cranley, daughter of Doctor Cranley) as his partner. The effects are really excellent for the time, a few of them obvious, but some take a bit of working out. The end of the film is rubbish and over too quickly, and Gloria Stuart's over the top histrionics as Flora got on my nerves, but it was still good. Doctor Cranley was played by Henry Travers (from It's A Wonderful Life ), and l would normally say it would have been interesting to see Boris Karloff playing the invisible man, as he was the studios first choice, ( he wanted too much money), but of course, l would not have seen him until the end anyway. The book by H. G. Wells, (The Invisible Man 1897) does not have The Invisible Man going mad, but his exaggerated speeches in the movie about how he could rule the World were a bit of a laugh, but closely followed after the film's release by the real life threats of Adolf Hitler (which were not as funny).

toodle pip

holton rower pour paintings

These are classic pieces where you think "I could have done that" as they look so good, but appear easy to do, once the idea had already formed and the colours have been chosen. By Brooklyn based Holton Rower.Then again, he thought of doing it and has cracked on, hence the results that appear above (plus a video of them being made).

(http://holtonrower.com/?page=gallery&section=painting&category=pour)

toodle pip

the first britain to get an artificial heart

Mathew Green of London, has become the first person in Britain to get a completely artificial heart (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8677288/Father-becomes-first-in-Britain-to-get-artificial-heart.html). This sounds excellent news, but as the technology is all so new, l am not sure l would be happy carrying a shoulder bag with the power supply in and also having to change the batteries every few hours. Much better than his earlier position though, as he could only walk a few yards. I guess l had better stick my name down for one now. Got to think of the future!

toodle pip

wards of tokyo flags

As l was searching for an image of Sunflowers this evening (don't ask), l stumbled upon these flags for the 23 special wards of Tokyo, something l had never heard of before. I think they look pretty cool and may have to get them printed onto some T shirts (when or if l eventually get around to it.). I will claim copyright of that idea right now!

toodle pip

tidying up before the mother in law arrives

This cartoon is way too close to home

As the mother in law is coming for tea tonight, and as l am off work until Thursday afternoon, l have been given strict instructions by the FPO to tidy up our stinking hovel, which I have been doing in shifts, as the weather, although still crap, is very close.

To compensate for this, I currently have two fans on (in the bedrooms, not wearing them - that would look silly). This cleaning method also gives me time to read and listen to stuff while l am sorting through things, plus have a break from the computer every now and then, so l can stretch my legs and get a drink at the same time. A classic cleaning strategy, l am sure you will agree (honed to perfection when l used to do waking nights at work).

So far, l have done the dishes and clothes washing, taken the bin out (and then bought it back after it was emptied), tidied the bathroom and living room, cleaned around the kitchen and even washed the kitchen floor. At my age, no wonder l am exhausted.

The only thing left to do now is hoover (and drink more coffee), but l have until about 4.30/5pm, so it is all going splendidly. Now if l only knew where the hoover is kept.........................Hello...it looks like the sun is finally coming out.....

Damn! My cleaning plan may be foiled!

toodle pip