the workers hands - george rosen

 A tanner

A walnut sheller 

A wood carver 

A jeweller 

 A glass polisher

 A metal worker

A worker in a glass factory

These are from 'The Workers Hands' by George Rosen, MD in Ciba Symposia (July 1942), and they show the damage long term repetitive work causes (especially for the poor people who have to do this type of manual work).
My own hands are as soft as butter through repetitive avoidance of physical, strenuous, or even just plain hard work, and there's no tell tell signs from the repeated and frequent onanism over the years.
Result!!


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how to draw george osbourne

As a follow on from the earlier post about Chloe Smith.
By October Jones - here.

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victorian children police photographs from newcastle

All of these poor little buggers were sentenced around Newcastle in the mid to late 1800's. Mostly, they would have been poor, cold, underfed and desperate (apart from the two middle class boys doing the burglaries). Victorian criminals - in the great scheme of things, this was not that long ago, and may be someone's grandparents.
Much as l despise the Daily Mail, this was pretty interesting and there's more information about the kids on their site (just don't buy the paper).

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chloe smith on paxman - action starts at 6.30 aprox

Paxman is unleashed upon another MP (in this case Chloe Smith from the Treasury) who won't answer the questions put to her, probably because she did not want him to know the truth (that she was ill informed and not kept 'in the loop').
I should feel a bit sorry for her as she has obviously been put forward to take the flak instead of the odious creature that is George Gideon Osbourne, another one of the privately educated posh boys that are fucking up the country for us poor bastards, but sod her. She's a Tory and knew what she was getting into. If she doesn't like it, resign and do something else, or at least answer the questions properly, reveal how politics works behind the front it puts on, and kick up a stink to show you are against it.
Time for a revolution brothers and sisters.

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little man what now? - hans fallada

Little Man What Now? is very similar in message to 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists' by Robert Tressell, as it deals with the injustice and poverty heaped upon the normal working man, trying to scrape through and make a living for himself and his family. In this case, it deals with a German couple in the 1930's, and more of a 'white colar' worker at that. Apart from that, the stories are nearly identical, with hardship heaped upon the workers, no rights,a  reluctance to join unions, and struggling to get by on a daily basis. An excellent book, as all of Hans Fallada's have been that l have read. Not as intricate or factual as 'Every Man Dies Alone / Alone In Berlin', but l enjoyed this one more because of the message. If in doubt, read all of the above.

the death of the colburn lodge

Look on and weep brothers and sisters, as it looks like The Colburn Lodge is not going to be re-opening anytime in the future. There is no concrete news on this, but it has been empty and boarded up for a while now, and the word on the street is that it will be knocked down and houses/flats built upon the land.
This used to be an iconic pub in Colburn and Catterick Garrison, passed by as you headed towards Camp Centre from the A1, and a stop off (or beginning) point before hitting the Scorpion / Staxx / Walkerville nightclub (also sadly demolished). I used to do a rock disco in there. My dad and his mates used to drink there. 60 Squadron used to be over the road and at one time it was always heaving. Numerous fights, drinks spilt, laughs a plenty and Rabbi being knocked out like Jesus on the floor (and people just stepping over him). Those were the days my friends...... It was so crazy, that Robbo got banned for being cowardly and not fighting, punters wore toilet seats around their heads, and old Joe used to draw his gun on you in the toilets.
What is the world coming to when our cultural fabric and memories are allowed to wither and die away in this fashion. I haven't even mentioned The Human Frog from Rising Damp.
All to be taken away, and certainly never repeated.

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otto shade artwork

 

I'm all for a bit of Surrealist and Abstract artwork (Salvador Dali used to be a big favourite), and Otto Shade, a Chilean artist now living and working in London, hits the right buttons for me. More of his work is here.
Damn! I wish l could paint.

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the spikes gang (1974) - richard fleischer

An old (ish) western l hadn't seen before, The Spikes Gang features Lee Marvin as Harry Spikes, an outlaw who is found by three impressionable and innocent boys. After fixing him up and helping him on his way, they decide to hit the road, where they meet Spikes again. This time he feeds and clothes them, and they become his bank-robbing gang (after an earlier unsuccessful bank robbery by the boys). At first the boys worship Spikes, but mistrust and greed start to take over (as it normally does). It doesn't end too well (for anybody), but Marvin is his usual excellent self throughout, which is the reason l taped the film in the first place, so at least l was happy.

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different era movie posters

A selection of spoof  movie posters that feature stars from different eras, done in the proper old school style.
Clever stuff indeed. They are by Igor Ovsyannykov, who can be found here if you want to get in touch.


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brough hall, catterick

When l was a young lad (OK, in my 20's), myself and other members of the 'Colburn Popular Front' used to go to Brough Hall at Catterick for a wander round, as it had been derelict for years, was all boarded up and falling apart, and it was pretty spooky down there in the middle of the night. Years later and what's happened? It's been tarted up and gentrified, is now divided up into separate accommodations and is private property. Christ on a bike, even William Hague lives there (probably so he can still be 'part of the community' around Catterick/Richmond, where he is an MP). Look on my brothers and viddy this well. If he ever starts harping on about living by a large council estate, this is what he means. He is not roughing it, l can assure you, even though the closest l have come to living there was when myself and a friend got employed to clean the windows as it was being restored, l can vouch that it is very posh inside.
I also get chased away from that area years ago, and it was the most frightening night of my life, but that's for another time.


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people you'd like to meet on a night out no 852 - bob dylan, johnny cash, brigitte bardot and jane birkin

 Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - oh yes indeed - l wouldn't leave them alone, l'd pester them all night and l'd wear them down and bore them to tears

Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin - see above, but hopefully without the tears

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sexist lp covers no 43654 - have organ, will swing

They don't make em like this anymore.

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cool travel photographs

It's the time of the year to be entering  Photographer of the year competitions, and here are some photographic examples that will have to be matched or bettered.  It looks like l am going to have to up my game to win a prize this year. Here's one of mine.

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