paul and rab outside the wine bar

A long weekend is ahead, as l have just picked up my brother Paul, and he is staying at our place for a few days.  Here is the start of the madness, Paul outside the Wine bar in Catterick with old Rabbie, who is still hanging on to life with a mad Scottish determination.  More reports later.  It will get messy.

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rasta elvis

A rasta version of Elvis Presley.  Brilliant?, insane? (or both).  I'm not really sure, but l'd certainly like to see it.

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jane eyre (1943) - robert stevenson

Jane Eyre is one of the many books l have never got around to reading, and I knew little about it, as l have never seen any of the other film or TV adaptions.  Therefore, when this 1943 effort with Orson Welles popped up, l got stuck in.  The film was a bit too 'romancy' (if there's such a word) for my liking (what a surprise), but that was kind of what l was expecting.  The orphaned Jane is sent to a school that is more like a prison, leaves it to be a governess, and (of course she does) falls in love with her employer, Mr Rochester. There is however, a secret he has not revealed to her.  The lighting on Wells (Mr Rochester) reminded me of old Dracula movies, but he did give a heroically over the top performance.  Joan Fontaine as the older Jane l could take or leave, but l was impressed by the younger version and the cameo by an also young Elizabeth Taylor as Helen, who befriends Jane at the school.  I'm glad l have now seen a telling of the story, and am now more aware of what it entails, but the book will probably remain untroubled by me in the future.

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stranded humpback whale in sydney

Another sight l would liked to have seen (but without the eggs).  A humpback whale has been washed up in a swimming pool by the ocean outside Sydney, Australia.  The whale was apparently already dead, and was washed up during heavy storms.  It's certainly not a pleasant sight and l would rather the whale was alive and swimming freely, but if it is dead and there for viewing, it would be amazing to see it up close, as it's not exactly everyday that you get the opportunity.
If you do have interest in Whales, l would recommend 'Whale Nation' by Heathcote Williams.  An excellent poem/book about the hunting of the whales, the things they were used for, and their intelligence.  Once l get round to it, l'll dig it out of our garage and re-read it again (if l haven't died of old age first). 

toodle pip.

boris gets stuck abseiling

OK, l'll admit this isn't Boris Johnson's' fault, but it is still funny.  While promoting the London Olympics, he went abseiling in Victoria park and got stuck near the end.  Much as l dislike the Tory toff, he did handle it well.  Shame l wasn't there with some eggs.

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1950's drawings on acid

In the 1950's, when the USA government were testing the effects of acid (LSD 25), an artist was given a box of pencils, crayons etc, dosed with some acid, and then asked to draw at intervals during the acid trip  the person who administered the dose.  The artworks below are the results of the experiment.

20 minutes after the dose - no effects yet

 85 minutes later, and 20 minutes after a second dose had been administered (50ug (micrograms) + 50ug)

'I can see you clearly, so clearly. This... you... it's all ... I'm having a little trouble controlling this pencil. It seems to want to keep going.'

2 hours 30 minutes

'Outlines seem normal, but very vivid - everything is changing colour. My hand must follow the bold sweep of the lines. I feel as if my consciousness is situated in the part of my body that's now active - my hand, my elbow... my tongue'.

2 hours 32 minutes

'I'm trying another drawing. The outlines of the model are normal, but now those of my drawing are not. The outline of my hand is going weird too. It's not a very good drawing is it? I give up - I'll try again...'

2 hours 35 minutes

'I'll do a drawing in one flourish... without stopping... one line, no break!' Upon completing the drawing the patient starts laughing, then becomes startled by something on the floor.

2 hours 45 minutes

Patient tries to climb into activity box, and is generally agitated - responds slowly to the suggestion he might like to draw some more. He has become largely none verbal. 'I am... everything is... changed... they're calling... your face... interwoven... who is...' Patient mumbles inaudibly to a tune (sounds like 'Thanks for the memory). He changes medium to Tempera.

4 hours 25 minutes

Patient retreated to the bunk, spending approximately 2 hours lying, waving his hands in the air. His return to the activity box is sudden and deliberate, changing media to pen and water colour. 'This will be the best drawing, Like the first one, only better. If I'm not careful I'll lose control of my movements, but I won't, because I know. I know' - (this saying is then repeated many times). 

 Patient makes the last half-a-dozen strokes of the drawing while running back and forth across the room.

5 hours 45 minutes

Patient continues to move about the room, intersecting the space in complex variations. It's an hour and a half before he settles down to draw again - he appears over the effects of the drug. 'I can feel my knees again, I think it's starting to wear off. This is a pretty good drawing - this pencil is mighty hard to hold' - (he is holding a crayon).

8 hours later

Patient sits on bunk bed. He reports the intoxication has worn off except for the occational distorting of our faces. We ask for a final drawing which he performs with little enthusiasm. 'I have nothing to say about this last drawing, it is bad and uninteresting, I want to go home now.'

Ah, this certainly takes me back to the old days.  Primal Scream, The KLF, The Beach Boys, The Boo Radleys, Love, Spiritualized and many more have a lot to be proud of.
With thanxs to cowboybooks.

toodle pip

3D foetus in a box from japan

Those crazy Japanese have only done it again!  another great idea that l actually think will catch on amongst the people who can afford it.  After a MRI scan, the details are sent to a 3D printing facility, which then makes a resin 3D print out of your foetus.  This can then be enclosed and presented in a box.  The place that is planning on doing this is here, and as they say (in the Google Japanese to English translation)

"The best memories can be expressed in three dimensions the position of the baby at that time, posture, and appearance".

Cost is about 100,000 yen (about £900).  A bargain.
Time for the FPO to get her tubes untangled.

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cat on a bike

There is no way on Gods green Earth that Jacko, our stupid, half blind, snaggly furred, deaf and stinking of piss cat would be able to do this.  I reckon Mowgli (our now dead cat in a box) might have done, as he was up for most things (Not in THAT way).

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thai slimming advert

What a genius advert.  If only it worked like that, l'd have boobs like Jordan.


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the pillars of creation

An old photograph, but well worth another viewing.  'The Pillars of Creation', part of the Eagle Nebula, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995. This is light and dust approx 7,000 light years away from Earth, creating new stars. These are huge things brothers and sisters, the left hand part being 4 light years long.   Amazing.  Look upon them and weep you mere mortals.

Below is another image, taken in 2011 by the Herschel Space Observatory, in far-infrared.  There is a lot more information and photographs  here and here.  Once again, amazing.

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plane spotting at myrtle avenue

I know l am a pretty sad git, and l could in fact spend a short amount of time watching planes land and take off, but l wouldn't be seen dead spending the day at somewhere like Myrtle Avenue, a prime location for the spotters (let's just call them blokes, as they always are) to check out the arrivals and departures from Heathrow.  Toilet facilities (at a garage) are nearby, and l bet they are in constant use, as most of these middle aged sados will have weak bladders.  GET A BLEEDING LIFE  (as if l can talk).

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sunday bloody sunday (1971) - john schlesinger

I mainly watched Sunday Bloody Sunday because it was directed by John Schlesinger, who's other early films l have enjoyed a lot, especially 'Midnight Cowboy' (I'm walking here!).  This though, l thought was pretty crap.  The performances are all good, albeit very 'early 1970's', and there was (yet another) love triangle, only this time with a bisexual sculptor as the fulcrum, but the story and characters didn't captivate me at all.  Basically, l couldn't have cared less if they had all been run over instead of the dog, despite Peter Finch (who in 1976 became the first Australian and posthumous Oscar winner), giving the best performance of all, as the gay doctor.  It was ground breaking at the time as it showed him to be well adjusted and successful, and he was the only character that l had empathy for, but l still didn't care that much if it worked out or not (and his parties were rubbish).  It could have been done a lot better, and l expected a lot more (says the stern Victorian dad).

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the country girl (1954) - george seaton

There is a trio of huge stars in 'The Country Girl'.  Bing Crosby plays Frank Elgin, a drunkard ex singer who blames his wife for controlling him, but who has decided to try out for a new play.  This is being directed by Bernie Dodd (William Holden), a recent bitter divorcee, who wants Elgin for the role, despite objections from the producer.  Grace Kelly plays Georgie, Elgins (supposedly) domineering and manipulating wife, which rubs Dodd up the wrong way.  A lot of the story could be guessed in advance.  Elgin goes off the wagon, Dodd is  angry and harsh with Georgie (but softens), and a love triangle ensues.  Crosby however, is the real star in this, and produces a terrific performance that stands out above the others, despite Grace Kelly receiving an Oscar for her role in 1955, the year a bitter Judy Garland thought she should have won for 'A Star Is Born'.  There are some catchy songs as well, and some lines from this were used in the Mika song 'Grace Kelly', so it was a pleasant morning on the sofa for yours truly.

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mexico 1970 panini book

Amongst the many items of crap that l have, there are old football related pictures, 3D cards, books (and flick books), newspapers and programmes.  I don't however, have any Panini sticker albums, although l did used to collect them when l was a nipper. I saw this one for sale today.  It's from the 1970 World cup in Mexico (the first one l can remember), and is a complete original.  Nice .  Yours for a mere £1,999,99 (or near offer).  Not even l am mad enough to pay that kind of money, even if l was a multi millionaire.  I'd like the original, but reproduction copies (obviously in mint condition) can be yours for the less than costly sum of  £10.  I'm also still pissed off that the programme isn't worth much (less than £10), as l have one of those (somewhere).  Ah well, back to the comics (sad git that l am).

The programme

                                                       

 The reproduction, plus stickers

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paul mccartney (geoffrey hughes) is dead

Remember back in 1969 when there were rumours that Paul McCartney was dead, and had been replaced by a lookalike?  Well now Paul has died, albeit in cartoon form, as Geoffrey Hughes, the actor that voiced him in the Beatles film 'Yellow Submarine', passed away on 27th July from Prostate Cancer.  Hughes is know (in the UK at least) for lots of other roles, but mainly as Eddie Yates in Coronation Street.  He was in numerous series as l was growing up, and was pretty much a constant face on the old goggle box.  He was also educated at Norris Green, a stone throw away from where l was born, so he's OK in my book.  Another loveable rogue of a (nearly) scouser (born in Wallasey) bites the dust.  There's not many of us left (so it's a good job l'm indestructible).

toodle pip  

the queen at the olympic opening ceremony

It was good of the Queen to appear with James Bond as part of the Olympic opening ceremony last night (God bless her etc), but it was terrible the way she responded to the actual event.  Looking pretty bored and disinterested throughout, with an opening speech that was thankfully short but also short on any kind of joy or emotion, the nadir was when the Great Britain team went past, full of the joys of spring, happy and celebratory.  Let's hope they didn't look up at her majesty, as she was busy examining her nails and looking pissed off that she was being kept up.  The commentator afterwards sprouting on about how proud she must be was a load of old sycophantic nonsense as well.  He should have had the guts to state what everyone had just witnessed, an old lady who was bored and just fulfilling her duties.  Don't give me any crap about her being 86 either.  Her (stupidly well paid) job is to attend functions and represent the country.  If she is not up to it, she should step down.  Saying that, as l always say, just get rid of the sponging bastards.  They couldn't look down their high falutin noses at the people with any more contempt if they tried.
By the way, the ceremony itself was great (and highlighted left wing causes).  Even Boris Johnson today said he enjoyed it, and if he isn't a blue blooded Tory toff, then l'll kiss our piss stained old cat full on the lips.

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spider-man #328 artwork by todd mcfarlane (1990)

I still haven't finished collecting all of the original Spider-man comics yet, and to get high grade versions of some of the old ones is a pretty expensive business.  I don't bother collecting the artwork (I'm too poor), but if l did, this would have been a nice piece for the collection.  It's by Todd McFarlane and is number 328 from 1990.  Todd revolutionised the format, did some great artwork (including hiding spiders in the art), and introduced Venom into the equation.  The only trouble is, this piece was sold (probably to Jonathan Ross) on Thursday for $657,250.  That's why l don't collect the artwork (but l do have the comic, below).

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the hole in mars

It has just been discovered that there is an unexplained hole in Mars.  Why there is a circular crater surrounding it is a mystery, and the hole looks to be about 35 meters across.  Maybe it's a large chimney and there are loads of little Martians living underneath the surface.  More information is here.

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