living by the countryside (part 583)

This is the view a mere 5 minutes or less from my bedroom, and by car, not jet pack or aeroplane.
I like being able to get to the A1 within 5 to 10 minutes, and therefore head out to Leeds, Newcastle, York or Middlesbrough within the hour (which l can), but the countryside and it's lack of other people is still handy to have nearby.

toodle pip

a new elliot erwitt book

Elliot Erwitt, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century,  has a new book out (Snaps), and l will use that as an excuse to stick up some examples of his work, which is always worth checking out, even if he did become a bit focused (see what l did there?) on dogs later on.
It sounds by the above as though he is dead, but he is still alive and kicking.
There's an interesting article about Elliot in the Guardian (by Sean O'Hagan) here, which also contains a link to buy the book from them.
If l only had more time, money, and spare space, the coffee table would be bulging (rather like my wasteline).

toodle pip

the solar system to scale

A superb representation of the solar system's planets and sun - to scale.
It all makes us look so insignificant, and that's just in our tiny little part of space.
From here.

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good news for ralph the rabbit

It's good news for Ralph the Rabbit, as he has regained his crown of being the heaviest rabbit in the UK, after weighing in at nearly 4 stone (3 stone 8lb). He eats nearly £50 worth of food a week, and is cared for by the Sussex Horse Rescue Trust.
He makes our similar looking, tubby, idiotic prat of a rabbit appear anorexic.
The full story was in the Tory supporting 'The Daily Express' and can be found here.

Plus any excuse for a bit of John Cooper Clarke!



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victoria coren's touching up (fnaaar!)

Once again, call me cynical, but in the top picture, Victoria Coren is either really holding in her stomach, while pushing her boobs forward (not a bad look for anyone, but preferably on a woman), or she has been touched up a lot (not in that sense).
I know where l would place my money (stop it!)

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paul o'grady - at my mothers knee

I picked up this book cheap and second hand (like me), as l had enjoyed Paul O'Grady's follow up book 'The Devil Rides Out - The Second Coming', last year, but must admit, much as l like his media persona, and what little l know of him, the book was disappointing for me.
I'm sure a lot of it must have been interesting (and hard work) for him to write, dealing as it does with a lot of his family background, but l just wasn't that enthralled by his relatives and family tree.
I did enjoy it more towards the end, when he starts coming out, going to the gay bars, and moving to that there London for work (and his subsequent police record).
The last part of the book however, was really moving.  An honest and thoughtful account of his mother and fathers heart attacks, and his reaction to them.  A really moving piece of writing, and with a surprise at the end, which would have been enough by itself to make me want to read the second volume (if l hadn't already done so).
I will however, be looking out for the third one 'The Savage Years', and hope that his own heart doesn't give up in the near future, as he has had some past trouble with that.

toodle pip

the daily mail blames childrens deaths on the welfare state (suprise!)

Once again, The Daily Mail has managed to get in there quick, and use the unfortunate deaths of six children as an excuse to blame the 'Welfare UK' culture of scrounging, workshy spongers, who exploit the system.
I would never argue that some people on benefits abuse the system, and it appears that the family involved in the story may well have done.
However, the 'abusers' are in a small minority, and no matter how much they may abuse the system, it does not turn them into the 'product' of it and into heartless killers.
Blaming the system for these deaths is ridiculous   Others have killed in the past, and have had decent jobs and paid their taxes (Harold Shipman for one), but this is all part of their drip down news and political agenda of stigmatising the poor, whether they are unemployed, ill, live in too large houses, or have too many children.
The killers were bad people, but compare the front page of The Independent, which rightly condemns the father, while highlighting the real tragedy of the children's deaths.
Much as l think Polly Toynbee talks a load  of rubbish sometimes, there was a splendid piece by her a few days ago, highlighting some of this governments agendas, and it's not pretty. Check here if you are interested.
The current government couldn't care less about the poor and disadvantaged, as has been shown by their welfare cuts, bedroom tax, offensive and inflammatory language ('strivers not skivers' etc), and their tax cuts and help to the rich, both individuals and mega rich companies (and that's without their cuts to legal aid).
They have always looked after their own, but this is heading towards the dark days before benefits, the NHS, and decent schooling for all.
Why would they do that?
Call me cynical, but maybe a cheap to employ workforce with hardly any rights?
Bring back means testing, workhouses, flogging and hanging - it's what they want.
Otherwise vote Labour (and l'm meaning old school Labour).

toodle pip

django unchained (2013) - quentin tarantino

Myself and the FPO went to Teesside Park to see Django Unchained last month, as we wanted to view it on a large screen with surround sound, thinking that it would look and sound so much better than on an (albeit large) TV, and we could immerse ourselves in the story more.
We were glad we had made the effort, as it was just the type of movie we were hoping for from Quentin Tarantino, overblown, violent, and funny, but with a serious tale to tell relating to the slaves and their treatment.
Some critics have argued about the constant references to 'niggers', but if this film was to portray an in any way realistic view of the old wild west, with all the old prejudices intact and in your face, the language used had to reflect that era, otherwise it could come across as old westerns did, with plenty of shooting, fighting and killing, but with no blood or swear words (and rapid recovery from fights!).  There's a place for those type of films as well, and l am also a big fan of them, but it's sometimes a good thing to bear witness to a representation of how brutal and unflinching those times were.
The screenplay and casting was excellent and believable, with some standout performances from Samuel L Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprico, but for me, Christoph Waltz stole the movie.  Softly spoken, and full of mischief and unexpected surprises, he has rightly been awarded the plaudits for doing so.
With plenty of dialogue and shootings (from Tarantino!!?), and with a romantic quest thrown into the mix, it's a film l will be revisiting again in the years to come. The original 'Django' (Franco Nero) even makes an appearance  and was well spotted by the FPO.
The soundtrack album is also worth checking out, despite the fact it does not contain Richie Havens' version of 'High Flyin' Bird' (which is in the movie).  Sacrilege!



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oxo drinking

I sometimes drink Oxo cubes in hot water, and love them. I am also from Liverpool, so this question on Yahoo made me laugh, as the 'He's from Liverpool' bit seemed to imply he was mad and explained everything (and it probably does).

toodle pip

jessie j at scotton social club

We've had a flier through the door (thankfully they used the letter box) to inform us that Jessie J is going to be appearing at Scotton Social Club, Catterick, this weekend, for only 5 of your English pounds (for non members - of which l am one - or not - damn! I'm confused!).
Looks like l'll have to dig out the old dancing shoes and get on down there for a funky night of mayhem with the FPO.
I don't know who Donna is, maybe she is promoting it, and good luck to her.

Hold on a minute....................................................................................Damn Again!!
The dust shall remain on the dancing shoes after all.

toodle pip

some cows - today

Some cows we saw while out and about today.  The joy of living by the countryside (although l've still got cow spittle on my hands after letting them lick me).

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more of danny's artwork

More of Danny's artwork.
He doesn't want to sell his originals  but I'd be selling limited edition signed prints of them if l was him.  There must be some money in it somewhere, and it must be better than real work.
If only l was artistic....(instead of autistic)

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out in the boro (again!) - and mink

As it was Good Friday and it was a holiday for most, l went through to Middlesbrough for a lads night out with Robbo, Danny and Matt.  We drank copious amounts of ale,  talked a load of crap, and chilled out, all happy to have a break from work.  We hit some of our usual pubs around the Linthorpe road area, but ended up going to the Mink bar, by which time, everyone was pretty drunk (except me of course).  It was the first time l had been in there, and it was my kind of bar. Dark, plenty of people, live music, and a handy tattoo parlour if the hankering for an immediate tattoo strikes you (and it has me in the past). By then,we were also on the double Jack Daniels, Matty disappeared completely, Danny was told by the bouncers he was going to be thrown out and was refused any more alcohol, and he also disappeared as soon as he went outside. This left me and Robbo as the last men standing (bloody amateurs).  Afterwards, us two got a taxi back to Robbo and Kerry's, which we then had to stop so Robbo could get out of it to throw up, so only one of the hardy crew remained in one piece after the rock and roll madness - me.  l was rather amazingly, up pretty early (7am!) to get some coffee down before heading home, as l have work today and Sunday.  I had also been entrusted with the front door key by Kerry, as she didn't want Robbo losing the key and waking up her, Gill, Cairan or Chloe on our return, which was a success, but l ended up coming back to Catterick with it, as l left it in the back pocket of my jeans afterwards (oops). The girls are going out tonight (sounds like a Take That song), but I'm not sure if the FPO is going through or not, as we have a lot on this weekend.  Mink will certainly be visited again in the future, but l think there may be less Jack Daniels consumed next time.  Oh - Chloe has also taken a bit of a shine to me.  I'm a natural when it comes to youngsters.

Me and Robbo in the taxi home - like a pissed up old married couple (in this case, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton)

toodle pip

cutting my head open

One of the more stupid things l have done recently, was cutting my head open, by standing up in the kitchen and catching it on an open cupboard door (with a sharp metal corner). This resulted in the above hole in my skull, which l quickly cleaned up (see towel above) and held together while a work colleague sprayed some glue on it to hold it in place.  The scab has now gone, but l have another scar to add to my collection.
And yes.....it hurt like hell.

toodle pip

sorting out the garage door

This is what our garage was like a few years ago.  Now it is worse. Much worse.
More untidy, full of more junk, probably full of cobwebs, and it needs the door fixing.
I'm looking forward to going back into it to check out the long forgotten goodies once we get the door fixed, but l am also dreading the spiders that will be waiting to pounce on me (and the builders trying to rip me off to fix the door).
My hatred of them (and fear), knows no bounds.
By the way, I'm still on about the spiders - l 'm not scared of builders (only on Tuesdays).

toodle pip

the folk blues festival posters from 1965

Two great posters from 1965 for The American Folk Blues Festival.
I haven't got them, but l'd certainly like them.

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proper snow

Snow snow bloody snow.
I'm sick of everyone going on about it.
I have lived in Germany, where it was a lot worse, and they just got on with their lives and coped with it (with stereotypical efficiency)
If you want to check out proper snow (and with folk still getting the job done - not just in Germany), just peruse the photograph above, and thank yourself lucky.

toodle pip

brian aldiss - the saliva tree

Memory is a funny old thing.
I remember reading Brian Aldiss' 'The Saliva Tree' (and other short stories) when l was a youngster (many, many moons ago), and have just re-read it on kindle.  The story was excellent. It kept me interested, kept the old pages turning, and kept me desperate to find how the plot developed.  But then again, that is also my problem.  The thing is, when l was re-reading it, l couldn't remember anything at all from when l originally read it.
Nothing.
Nadda.
Squat.
The old memory banks were completely closed for business, yet l do remember the cover and title vividly.
It's not even a fantasised scenario, whereby l was just imagining l read it while younger, as l was really into science fiction books when l was a kid (which bright 14 year old virgin wouldn't be?).  I loved the works of   Brian Aldiss, Michael Moorcock and Isaac Asimov at the time, and my original book may still be in a box in the garage (amongst many others).  The trouble is, l can't remember anything about the stories nowadays (or where my book has got to).  I was talking to the FPO this evening, and realised all l can remember about 'Stig of the Dump' was that he was found by a boy on the dump.
I can remember old 'Raven on the Wing' and stories from 'The Valiant', but that is not good enough, especially for someone as big headed as me.
The positive way to look upon this, is l can re-read the books, and enjoy them all once more, afresh and alive.
The negative outlook is, l have lost many of my marbles, and things will only get worse.
My view is, there's so much information that l am interested in and have access to nowadays, it would be freakish to remember everything, so for whatever memory has been lost or erased, something else has taken its place.
That's my view, and l'm sticking to it.
By the way, if you are into people being sucked dry (and Lordy knows, l am), The Saliva Tree is the book for you.

toodle pip

the sheepshead fish

This little bugger is called the Sheepshead Fish, and can be found off the coast of America, from Cape Cod down to Brazil. I know you don't eat the heads of fish (well l don't anyway) but it puts you off eating them completely when they have human type teeth. More about it and using fish for drugs, can be found at Scientific American.

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