how to bend a free kick

Now this is how you bend a free kick!



From here

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presents for mr parrot

It's recently been Mr Parrot's birthday (he's now 36), and it turns out that l am now officially his butler. 

It's bad enough that l have to purchase him food, feed and water him, and clean his cages, but l am now also getting letters and presents for him which are addressed to me to pass on.

What a spoilt little bastard, he's living the life of luxury. 

Then again, at least he keeps me amused.

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more car boot records

More records from car boot sales.
I'm going to need a bigger house in the future.

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spot the odd chair

I accompanied someone to Northallerton's Friarage Hospital the other day, and had to wait for a while before seeing the consultant.
The waiting room was awash with matching blue chairs, except for this stand alone beauty, which l assume must have been donated by some kindly soul. The picture doesn't do justice to how much it stood out amongst the other chairs, but in a way, aren't we all red chairs trying to fit in with, influence, or make our mark on the rest of a conservative society, pointlessly screaming into the onrushing and all encompassing storm? In a similar vein, the red chair could represent Labour against the blue of the Conservatives, and the waiting room the limbo of the undecided and uncertain policies of our modern times, waiting to experience the Brexit aftermath, and the outcome of the possible unraveling of the currently flailing Labour party, but that just shows what mad thoughts can enter your head when there is bugger all to do but wait and think.
I think l maybe took too much acid when l was younger, and l have issues.
Time for a lie down..

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impulse buying in tesco

This is what happens when you follow your impulses. I only went into Tesco to buy some butter, and ended up spending £65.
I'm just the sort of customer they will love. Living on the edge!

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the crazy circle illusion

Another illusion that does my head in.
Don't believe your own brain!

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alan vega has died

Damn! Another death.

Alan Vega is probably unknown to most people, but Vega and Martin Rev were responsible for some groundbreaking music when they were in 'Suicide', and their debut album is one of my all time favourites.
A man with serious bottle, and l don't mean the numerous ones that were thrown at him during their gigs.
At least there's still the music.





And last, but not least, the unsettling 'Frankie Teardrop.' Tension, a build up to a murder, and the most unhinged screams of desperation in a song. Not for the faint hearted.



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captain america's birthplace gets changed

This is a sketch of the Captain America statue that is about to be placed in Brooklyn, New York's Prospect Park, with the inscription 'I'm just a kid from Brooklyn'.
The trouble is, he was actually (according to the comics and his co-creator, Jack Kirby) born in Manhattan's Lower East Side, the son of Irish immigrants. Supposedly this is so films fans can identify with it, rather than the comic fans, which to me, is the wrong way round.
This is one of the reasons why, although some of the superhero films are pretty good, it drives me up the wall when they change the stories, so best not to get me started on the Spider-Man movies (again). I'm not even sure whether l should risk the 'Captain America - Civil War' film, as l really enjoyed the comic version, and don't want to taint my memory of that.
Time for a lie down before l get too worked up.

toodle pip.

cutting the bleeding grass again!

I've paid someone twice to do the garden this year, and the bleeding grass has managed to grow back again after both cuts, as every time l've been off work, the weather has been crap, or l've been out and about.
Yesterday however, l slaved away for hours trying to hack through thorns and bushes, plus cut the grass again and dig out roots, to find some semblance of a garden underneath. The grass bins are heaving, and will be emptied tomorrow, and l will hopefully finish it off afterwards, in preparation for the scorching sunshine that's about to appear (in my wildest dreams).
I may have to look at getting a false lawn down next year, and do away with all this crap.

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my kind of tv

This looks like it's going to be my kind of programme. The warning stating that it contains scenes of drug use, violence, and of a sexual nature.
Bring it on!

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the dodgy looking tomato sauce packet

After making some sausage sandwiches yesterday to watch the football with (the crunches and keep fit regime can always wait), l discovered that l'd run out of tomamto sauce. However, after a search of the cupboards, l discovered these satches of tomato sauce, bought while on holiday somewhere or other.
All well and good, but the trouble is, l know they are at least a few years old, don't know where they are from, and don't know how long the sauce will be edible for.
Did l google it to find out, or just slap it on the bread and take the risk?
What would Keith Richards do?
Reader, l think you know the answer, but l'm still alive and OK (maybe a matter of opinion) today.
Hopefully this won't be updated from hospital later on, and l still refuse to check how long the sauce lasts for.
Keith would be proud.


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tim cordell grim reaper cartoon

Exactly.
Enjoy life as much as possible, and sod the grim reaper.

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danny baker takes defeat to iceland in his stride (with steve mcclaren and chris waddle)

Danny Baker has taken the defeat to Iceland well. Pretty much how any right thinking person should be thinking at the moment.
What a fucking shambles.
Sadly for the country, looking at the bookies odds for the next England manager, things don't look like they are going to improve in any way, shape or form, even if we are already crap.

Here's Chris Waddle's view



And as usual, Steve McClaren talks nonsense - and has a quick go at backtracking at the end.





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kirsty major's independent article on the voting

A pretty good article in The Independent newspaper by Kirsty Major about the leave vote, and what she thinks it means.
I particularly agree with the following statement, although l think they are already attacking the working class and disadvantaged in our society.

Don’t mistake Johnson and Gove’s political rhetoric for the idea that they care about the people in Hartlepool, Blackpool and North East Lincolnshire. They came for the EU migrants, and once they are out of the way, they’ll come for working class

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shit creek reaction to the vote

I don't know who the artist is that came up with this, but if l find out, credit will be added, as it pretty much sums up my views on the Brexit victory.

##  After some searching this morning, l've discovered that the original cartoon is by Tim Cordell, but the message at the bottom has been changed. The Tim's original can be bought here.

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christine and the queens - tilted live at glastonbury

Favourite song so far from this years Glastonbury Festival.
Christine and the Queens - Tilted, and that girl (Heloise Letissier) sure can move. The BBC showed another performance of this that l thought was even better, but l can't find, so this will have to suffice for now. 




BREAKING NEWS!!
I've now found the version l prefer (below). It shows off her dancing skills more.



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the bullshitting nigel farage is backtracking already

And the backtracking from all the propaganda and bullshit has started already.
Here's Nigel Farage on 'Good Morning Britain' this morning, saying promising money to the NHS in the Brexit campaign was 'A mistake'.
No wonder l am such a cynical pessimist when it comes to politics and the views of the populace.
Ah well, Boris Johnson will no doubt soon be Prime Minister. I'm sure that won't end in tears for the underprivileged in our (now little englander) society.
Bastards!

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my secret stash at work has been found

This note was pinned to my secret stash at work the other day by Kelly, one of my fellow workers. It actually looks a lot worse than you would imagine, as my secret stash is some guinea pig food l had hidden away for Toffee, the pet at work, as everyone else try to just feed it vegetables.
As you can probably guess, l have the food stashed away, and feed it at night.
Now it looks like l'll have to find another hiding place for it. The hunt is on.

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the new york dolls - the best and worst band of 1973

According to readers of Creem magazine in 1973, The New York Dolls are both the worst and the best band of the year.

Now that's what l call opposite opinions.

Personally, l love them. Attitude, danger, sex, drugs and rock and roll, with some great songs and clothes.

What's not to like?

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james blunt lottery advert

Anyone who knows me will be more than aware that l am in no way or form a James Blunt admirer. However, l do think that in the new National Lottery advert he sends himself up pretty well, and shows he doesn't take himself to seriously.
I'd almost start liking the guy if it wasn't for the songs.



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rick parfitt has another heart attack

Damn!
Myself and others were going to go to the 'Rock on Windermere' gig this weekend to see the once mighty Status Quo, but it has been announced that Rick Parfitt has had another heart attack after a recent gig in Turkey.
Ironically, the reason we were going this weekend was that we hadn't seen Quo for years, and as they (and us) were not getting any younger, we did think that this might be the last chance to see them before they retired, or mother nature, armed with the icy hand of death, took it's toll on them (or us).
The gig is still going ahead, with Rhino's son filling in for Rick, and it sounds like Rick is making a good recovery, so it's not all doom and gloom, but my reason for going, like the proverbial dead parrot itself, has ceased to be.
Ah well - back to the football and pub, and l wish Rick a speedy recovery, and a long life.



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serge van de put art and the jungle book original artwork

                                         
                                              This looks like Mr Parrot first thing in the morning


Serge Van De Put is a Belgium artists who works with recycled materials such as old rubber tyres.
All well and right on, but forget about the recycled part, his artworks are superb, my favourite being  The Gorillas series, which kind of remind me (in some kind of twisted subconscious way) of Baloo the bear from The Jungle Book.

Talking of The Jungle Book.....here's some of the original artwork from that modern day masterpiece.

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protect and survive booklet

As promised in the last post - here's the governments 'Protect and Survive' booklet from 1980, on how to survive a Nuclear war, something which, at the time, would not have been too unexpected.

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