les valseuses (1974) - bertrand blier

Les Valseuses (slang for waltzers/testicles) was released as Going Places in the UK, and stars Gerard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere as a couple of bad boys getting into trouble, stealing cars, and trying to have sex with people. The film pushes the boundaries in a couple of places, and can be shocking in places, but l liked it (because l like that sort of thing). They pick up a hairdresser (Miou-Miou) along the way, then a released female prisoner, then her son, then get into more trouble. It's hard to say whether there is a happy ending (OK, l don't think so), as the film ends with a number of options. They carry on to do more mischief, they crash in the tunnel, or they are in the car that they had previously doctored (but with a different number plate). The audience gets to decide. In French with subtitles.

toodle pip

great artwork on the columbian protesters

It took me a couple of minutes just to work out how they had done this. Brilliant stuff and a great idea.

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george best and 21 others - colin shindler

Although Colin Shindler is a Manchester City supporter (he also wrote Manchester United ruined my life), l will forgive (and pity) him for that, as he was pretty even handed in his analysis of the players in this book. It concerns the teams (United and City) that played in the 1964 Youth Cup semi final, and what happened to their careers and lives afterwards. Everyone knows what happened to George of course, but most of the other tales are pretty much unknown. It does highlight what a cruel game football can be, especially back in those days when the money was poor and you were more or less at the mercy of your club. Recommended.

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songs of america 1969 - simon and garfunkel

This was not that great a documentary of Simon and Garfunkel, but it had some good clips of them rehearsing, and some great live footage from the 1969 tour. This was back when Paul Simon could still write a decent song, and Artie still had the voice of an angel. A show I would definitely liked to have seen years ago, as l wouldn't be that bothered about seeing them now (unless it was cheap and down the end of our street). Just think, the people at these shows were hearing 'Bridge over troubled water' for the first time, as it had just been written. Jammy bastards.

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london boulevard (2010) - william monahan

London Boulevard was pretty much as l expected it to be, although l was (foolishly and naively) hoping for a lot more. It's a gangster film full of cliches, where Mitchell (Colin Farrell), is released from Pentonville after being banged up for three years. He tries to go on the old straight and narrow, but (of course), gets sucked back into having to deal with gangsters, especially the daddy of the firm, Rob Gant (Ray Winstone playing his usual hard man role). On his first day of release, Mitchell gets given a place to live in, scares off some crooks by being cool and hard looking, has a party in his honour, then defends his sisters honour and decks someone. He then gets offered a job protecting Charlotte, a reclusive actress (Keira Knightley). He certainly fitted in a lot before he even had time to get his head down and take stock of his situation, but l guess that's how it must work in gangster land. Anyhows, the characters are all predictable, there's a lot of Laaaandan accents, violence, intimidation and crooked cops. Oh, and guess whether the star he is protecting falls in love with him.

Correctumundo!!!

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jimmy saville gets up close with the nolans

Uncle Jimmy gets close to the 14 year old Nolan on TOTP. He's done a lot of work for charidee but this looks a bit dodgy (about 3.45 m in).

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kajagoogoo return!

Just look at the state of their hair! Very sad indeed.

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endangered rhinos being moved

These black rhinos are being airlifted (after being sedated of course) to a safer area of South Africa, resulting in their safety and some great photos. The middle picture could be used for an album cover.

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a murmuration of starlings

This video just gets better as it goes along. Those crazy starlings look amazing and it must have been great to be so close to them.

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timmy mallet is a painter!

Well well well, l never thought l would see the day when young Timmy Mallet is taken seriously as a painter, but he is currently selling his wares for a decent price. He's come a long way from The Wide Awake Club, but why does he still have to wear such crappy clothes? More work can be found here if you are interested in making a purchase. I would myself, but times are hard, it's nearly Christmas etc..

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feel good autistic basketball story

Ahh - Something nice from the land of basketball.

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great beer advert

This was done for Australian TV for the cricket (which every upstanding Englishman/normal man knows is crap), but it is still a clever and funny advert.

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great timing for a photo opportunity

I would like to think that this picture wasn't staged, but l have a feeling it probably was. Still good though!

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sharks are getting smarter

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a real life banksy

A real life version of the Banksy painting. Damn!, l wish l had thought of doing that.

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predator pumpkin

The finest pumpkin carving of the year.

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I've won an election - about bleeding time

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5 November 2011 Last updated at 13:47

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Jamie Davidson: David Cameron is not my boss

A happy voter and David Cameron.
Jamie Davidson said if David Cameron needed a "slap around the chops", he would do it

Continue reading the main story

Richmondshire leadership

• Davidson is new Richmondshire leader

The new Labour Catterick and Richmondshire leader has distanced himself from London control by insisting David Cameron is not the party boss north of Watford.

Jamie Davidson was elected leader on Friday after beating William Hague, who had been seen as the front runner.

He told a press conference: "While David Cameron is the prime minister, when it comes to myself and my beliefs he's not my boss - we're enemies."

Mr Davidson is the party's first overall leader for Richmondshire, following a shake-up of the voting structure.

The former paint sprayer, magazine publisher and charity worker also highlighted his different approaches to policy.

He said: "I'll be making a vision that is right for me, right for the county, and right for the country and I hope very much this annoys the prime minister.

"If he needs a slap around the chops to make him see sense, then I'm just the man to do it. In the meantime, stay cool, stay free, and do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law"

Mr Davidson said policies would be developed over the coming weeks.

Let's hope it's the same in the morning (if l haven't been killed, or l find out it's all been a crazy dream).

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submarine (2011) - richard ayoade

I really enjoyed the book 'Submarine' by Joe Dunthorne, so l was really keen to see the movie, especially as it was directed by Richard Ayoade (Moss from the IT Crowd). Good old (OK, not so old) Richard didn't let me down, in any way, shape or form. The film was slightly different from the book, but still excellent. A coming of age darkish comedy, it stars Craig Roberts (who l used to love in Young Dracula on a Saturday morning), as Oliver Tate, a young boy who meets (and gets to go out with) Jordana, his first girlfriend (Yasmin Paige), but is also worried about his parents marriage, which is rocked by the return of his mothers old flame (a smarmy new age Paddy Considine). There are serious bits, funny bits, well filmed bits, and the soundtrack features songs by Alex Turner of The Arctic Monkeys. What's not to like?

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hell is for heroes (1962) - don siegel

Starring the always charismatic Steve McQueen, Hell Is For Heroes also has roles for Bob Newhart (in his first film role), who even gets to be funny as a rookie delivering typewriters, who has the gift of the gab, and Bobby Darin. John Reese (McQueen) is a loner who does things his own way (naturally). He was a former Sergeant who had been downgraded to Private. The squad that Reese joins have to hold off a company of Germans on the Siegfried Line until re-enforcements arrive, but Reese also encourages them to attack an enemy pill box, even though they are heavily outnumbered. Reese meets a heroic end (of course) and it shows how innocents can be caught up in a horrific event, but it does not glorify warfare. It also includes quite a bit of (obvious) real footage from the war. I enjoyed it, although it is not one of McQueens best, but on the other hand, it is so much better than The Towering Inferno.

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national geographic pictures

A wounded Libyan by Mauricio Lima

Turkish earthquake rescue by Umit Bektas

Chilean Puyehu-Cordon Caulle volcanic mountain range and lightning by Ricardo Muhr

These are some of the best pictures from October, as chosen by National Geographic magazine. They certainly (and once again) put my crappy efforts to shame.

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dustin spagnola bush / obama grafiti

This is pretty good. It's in New York at the moment, and is by Dustin Spagnola. Obviously similar to Banksy's graffiti, but still a clever idea and well excecuted.

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