another dodgy cartoon

Come on!
Whoever designed this must have been having a laugh.

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when l was a runner

It's hard to believe now, but back in the day, as a way of keeping fit for football, l used to do a lot of running.
Some of the evidence for this l have just dug out of an old box in the garage that l thought had 78rpm singles in. I've still got some old medals and t-shirts from those days, but the chances of the t-shirts fitting me now are zero!

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this cartoon looks wrong!

Ah - What a sweet cartoon, featuring a couple of lovely interracial kids and a dog.

Hold on though.............

Disgusting!!

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my indestructible car passes another mot

Excellent result today as my car sailed through it's M.O.T, just needing a bulb and a wiper replacing. Total cost - £54.33 (including tax).
Like me, it's old but indestructible!
Hurrah!!

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waiting around to die - townes van zant

This is still one of the most moving films l've seen about music and the effect it has on people. Featuring the Magnificent Townes Van Zandt and 'Waiting around to die'.
Every time l have watched it, l've had a tear in my eye.
The song starts at about 5m in, but to get the whole emotional aspect of the clip, watch it from the beginning. Look for the reaction of the black guy when Townes starts singing. That's emotion.
This is the sort of music that makes you believe in a higher power - of creativity within the human mind..
Made more relevant and poignant by Townes himself being someone who died from being an alcoholic



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earth from cassini

So, Cassini has perished, but has still left us with (amongst many other things) a mind boggling photograph of Earth from Saturn.

Plus,  l never tire of videos showing how insignificant and irrelevant we are in the universe. That's not morbid, just factual and reassuring. Makes it much easier to try and enjoy life without harming anyone else, and not be worried about an afterlife of any kind.

Just sweet oblivion - but hopefully not for a while.

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upside down mural in lithuania

This is impressive - an upside down mural in lithuania which when reflected in the water, looks fantastic (and very weird).

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dairy milk advert

I know l've got a cynical and dirty mind, but Dairy Milk are taking the piss here.

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riding a bike by balancing on the handlebar

Something l have never seen before - riding a bike by balancing on the handlebar.
Colour me impressed.



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spartak moscow versus nk maribor flare

I've seen plenty of flares at football grounds in the past, and on BT Sport tonight, they thought someone must have been one hell of a thrower to reach the centre circle with one during the Champions League game between Spartak Moscow and NK Maribor. However, it was fired from the crowd - something l've certainly never witnessed before. Newspapers are saying they aimed it at the referee, but it could have just been fired at the pitch. Either way, it was travelling at some speed, and bans or fines must be pretty certain to follow. However, it's UEFA that will get involved, so anything could happen.
The World Cup finals in Russia next year should be interesting.



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lloyd grossman parody on reeves and mortimer

When l was out at the weekend, myself and Robbo were chatting about this old comedy clip, from Reeves and Mortimer, parodying Lloyd Grossman. When it was first shown, we had both cried with laughter, despite the fact that we watched it separately, and only found out the next time we met that we both found it so hilarious. Obviously we have the same sense of surreal humour, and it is not so funny to me know, as l have seen it many times, but when l first saw it, was one of the funniest moments of my life.
I think l need to get out more.



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paying on the door at gigs - newcastle mayfair

Back in the day before it became really fashionable for people to go to concerts and festivals, you used to be able to turn up at most gigs and get in that evening, as evidenced here by a flier for Newcastle Mayfair. Cheaper before 10pm, slightly more afterwards. Also very cheap, which is why l went to so many gigs and festivals over the years.

As for the flier, I went to five of these advertised shows, including AC/DC and Motorhead on consecutive nights, without ever having an advance ticket.

Progress! Pah!!!

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owl butterflies

These are owl butterflies, found in Mexico and South America.

Never mind being scared of spiders, I think l would crap my pants if l saw these lurking in the trees while l was walking home from the pub.

They're big buggers as well.

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the teletubbies have aged a bit

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possibly the saddest photograph ever

Hopefully the person recovered and these were then binned. If not, it's one of the saddest photographs around.

From this tweet

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the broken doll - a documentary

An old documentary on The Broken Doll pub in Newcastle, which was knocked down to expand the road system.
I spent many a happy hour in there over the years, and it's crappy the way the old alternative type pubs in Newcastle end up getting demolished.
My favourite was The Haymarket, but that went years ago.
Pah! - Bloody progress and gentrification.

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two weeks off!

Hurrah!  I've got a couple of weeks off with bugger all to do.

 This will be me and Mr Parrot at the end of them.

                                                          It's actually Charles Bukowski

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football - game of the gods

Two examples of how football is so much better than rugby, and takes a lot more skill. 

Pele doing an overhead / bicycle kick, and George Best demonstrating his speed and balance.

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mark renton gets sentenced

There was me thinking that Trainspotting was a film, when it appears to have been a documentary.

Mark Renton has just been done in Edinburgh for selling drugs. More about the sentencing  and case can be found here

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more noise! - cnn, xc-nn and tin star

I was going to start this with CNN's single version of 'Looking Forward', but couldn't find it on youtube, so the later XC-NN (CNN had to change their name) version will have to do. Don't worry - it's still great.
When they split, the singer, Dave Tomlinson went on to form Tin Star, another sadly overlooked band.
He's still gigging and recording these days, but both of these early bands should have been massive.
Obviously, as a saddo, l have all of their stuff.











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nine inch nails at panorama nyc 2017

I might be knocking on a bit, but l still love a decent racket when it comes to music, and l still love Nine Inch Nails.
I've been listening to this show while waiting for the football to start. Marvellous stuff.
Live at New York's Panorama concert in 2017



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swingers

This just amused me with an unexpected ending

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spoils of a good night

The sign of a good night out.
I came home with these last night, a black wig and a mask, after Kelly and Danny's do at Romanby golf club.
I think Karen must have nabbed the false boobs.

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paide own goal from kick off

This must be a one  off.
Paide, an Estonian team, manage to score an own goal straight from kick off, without the opposition team (Levadia) even touching the ball.



I'll say it again - football's back!!!
Hurrah again!!!

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football's back!

Hurrah!!!!  Football is back! It may not be the same game that l fell in love with years ago, but what a cracking start to the season. 

Thirteen goals in the first two games (Arsenal 4-3  Leicester, and Watford 3-3 Liverpool), and now Huddersfield are top of the league!

It's like a return to the 1920's.

Make the most of it while it lasts.

toodle pip

rainbow at donington 1980

Many, many moons ago, when l was till a young whipper snapper, myself and a friend hitch hiked to the first 'Monsters of Rock'. festival at Castle Donington, to see the then mighty Rainbow (plus guests).
It was very wet and muddy at the festival, we survived to tell the tale, and l think l have still got my t-shirt stashed away somewhere. I've definitely still got the badge.
We used to see Rainbow on a regular basis at the time, the highlight being a trip (also hitch hiking) to Leicester, which was a brilliant gig, but also the most crowded venue l have ever been in. People could easily have died, but obviously we didn't (It helps that l'm indestructible). My friend had give up and struggle to go to the back of the hall for a rest, drink and recovery. Looking back after Hillsborough, it's amazing there weren't more casualties.
Anyway, Donington. A mere 37 long, long years ago this weekend (aprox).

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liverpool trip

Desperate for things to do to entertain ourselves without football, Robbo and myself had a trip to Liverpool last week while the rest of his family were away. There was nothing planned apart from going out and having a fun packed night, and we certainly managed that, ending up in Heaven (a gay nightclub) until about 5am. We also went to The Pacific pub in Bootle before town, arranged and met up with a couple of Robbo's relatives later on in town who were also from Bootle (and who stayed out with us till about midnight), and had a drive out to Bootle beach (Crosby) in the morning after some brekkie.

Then we got sidetracked on the way home because the road to Hawes had just been closed due to an accident, so had to come back the long way. 

A most excellent time was had by all, but not as excellent as the fellow in the bottom news report.

Now that's a wild night!

 View from our bedroom window

 Our hotel - we would recommend it

Where we got a lot of attention from men and women - dingy and superb!

 'Bootle' beach

 Our journey home in black, red route was the anticipated one

Now that's how to have a good time!

toodle pip

the marshall tucker band, primal scream, and howlin' wolf

I was listening to a bit of The Marshall Tucker Band today (as you do), and something started bugging me about their song 'Can't you see'.  I knew it reminded me of another song, and then it dawned on me - it's Primal Scream's 'Loaded'. The laid back groove and guitar solo are pretty damn similar, at least to my dusty old ears, and l should know - l was at the Primal Scream concert in the video.
Check them out.





The Primal Scream track also gives me an excuse to feature this again - Howlin' Wolf - 'If l were a Bird'. Another track that has 'Influence' written all over it.
From his 'Message to the Young' album.



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fergus beeley tries a citizen's arrest

This is Fergus Beeley, an ex BBC producer (Life on Earth etc). The second clip is the best attempted 'Citizens Arrest' l have ever seen.
Methinks a new Basil Fawlty series awaits him.
Fucking aggressive dickhead. If he's like that to a family out in the open, imagine what he'd be like loosing his temper at home.

toodle pip

mmmmm.........cheese

Had to call in at Northallerton a couple of days ago, so I took the opportunity to stock up on some cheese. Pickled onions and cream crackers already purchased and waiting.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

toodle pip

donkey trouble

I know we are talking about a disability here, and the runner is blind, but come on! If this isn't funny, what is?

Copied from Channel 4's 'The Last Leg' 

tooldle pip

michael fallon talks shite

As usual, the Tory's talk shite.
This time it's Michael Fallon looking for any excuse to slag of Jeremy Corbyn, including getting it wrong when he rubbishes Boris Johnson's views, and refusing to accept that Corbyn may agree with some of his own views.
VOTE LABOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



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big game animals get revenge in zimbabwe

It's always pleasing when Karma  strikes in the way you would have wished for.
Theunis Botha recruited and took people on hunting trips for big game. He was apparently hunting elephants in Zimbabwe when some of them panicked, one picked him up, was shot at, and then killed Botha by falling on him.
Sad news indeed for his wife and family, but if more of these instances took place, and more hunters and guides were killed, perhaps there would be less photographs of hunters astride or next to the dead animals they have so 'bravely' killed using their high powered long rang rifles, after the likes of Botha and his dogs have scared the animals and chased them towards the hunters.
Bunch of bastards all of them, and it's about time the animals got some revenge.
He knew the risks, and l have no sympathy for him. Pity more of the hunters weren't taken out at the same time.
More on the story here.

One less hunter

toodle pip

ready for the election run up with frank sinatra and high hopes

My new t-shirt arrived yesterday, so l'm ready for the election run up. Rather sadly, l may have to get as much wear as l can out of it before then, as it may be a bit redundant afterwards.
Still - like that little ant and the rubber tree, l've got high hopes!
More are available here.

toodle pip

alabama 3 at stockton

Forgot to mention that myself and some mates went to see Alabama 3 a couple of weeks ago, and we all thought they were one of the best bands we had seen.
It may have had to do with the fact that  we were right down the front at a small club with the full band experience, plus we had been out all day (it got a bit 'messy'), but it was magnificent.
A video can never recapture the experience, but go and see if them if you get the chance.
Here they are live in Sydney.
Enjoy.



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mr parrot dances to the new york dolls and my flip video is back!

It's been nearly three years since l lost my flip video machine, but yesterday, l found it. I actually lost one of my mobile phones yesterday, so rang the number, to discover it had fallen down the back of the settee. Now when you feel down there, after a certain bit it feels like anything down there would fall onto the floor, but l discovered there is another sheet which traps things, such as my phone, and, after searching around some more, my flip video. Hurrah!

I knew l hadn't thrown it out and it must be somewhere l hadn't thought of (I'd already searched down the back of the settee), but it had been driving me mad / madder.

It's now charged up again, and this was the last thing filmed on it.  Mr Parrot getting exited when l put on The New York Dolls. Sadly, he stops when l start filming him.

He's a parrot with taste.

toodle pip

unknown autographs from test cricket?

As well as the mountains of personal junk that l have accumulated over the years, due to being a sad bastard, l have also bought extra bits and pieces. Today l discovered these in the pages of a magazine. Two tickets for England test matches in 1980 and 1985 (in fact there are two pairs of tickets), plus a cardboard sheet with two pages of autographs. 

Now l know nothing about cricket (and care less about it), and these were not mine, but l am curious as to where the autographs are from, and who they are.

On the other hand, l also can't be bothered searching that much. l've got things to do, fish to fry, and life's too short.

toodle pip

1980's bands prevent crime

This is a surprise, l thought New Order had split up.

Apparently Haircut 100 are being drafted in to take care of the NHS computer hackers.

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johnny hart's bc books imitate life

I'm still sorting out the bleeding garage, and earlier today l found a load of old Charlie Brown / Peanuts and Johnny Hart's BC / The King Is A Fink books. Some l've had to throw out as they were water damaged, but flicking through this BC book, it was as if someone had been spying on me and Mr Parrot.

toodle pip

c'mon kids - register to vote!

Jonathan Pie tries to persuade the young to vote. As usual, he nails it.
More from him here.
Great stuff.



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the gardening is on hold

I was trying to be a good lad and crack on with grass cutting the other day, as l had paid someone to strim it the week before, and didn't want it getting too long again before cutting it properly.
However.....when l went to the shed to get the lawnmower out, there was (unexpectedly) a load of free cds and beer left for me. I worked out it was probably from a mate in Darlington, and when l texted him, that turned out to be the case (Hello Stevie boy!).
A pleasant surprise, the rest of the afternoon was sorted, and the garden had to wait a while longer.
Hurrah!!

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mr parrot's a music critic

This is what happens if you leave records unattended with Mr Parrot wandering around.

I thought he was being a bit quiet and probably up to no good.

How right l was.

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chris cornell has died

I can't really say that l am too surprised that Chris Cornell has died at such an early age earlier today, but it is still such a fucking waste. I'd only just read an old interview with him (in 'Classic Rock' magazine) a couple of days ago when he was talking about trying to stay clean, but it was obvious to anyone that he had a lot of issues (to say the least), and it highlights once again that fame and fortune is not the answer to deep rooted problems (although it can certainly help).
A lot of people would never of heard of him and won't know what the fuss is about, but he was one of the best rock / punk / grunge vocalists since the genres were invented. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the barman in Rachel's Bar (Sticky Fingers) in Middlesbrough was telling myself and buddies that Chris was his favourite artist. He was, to many, an icon.

Here's when l first got to hear him - Temple of the Dog's 'Hunger Strike', featuring another superb vocalist, a certain Mr Eddie Vedder.



Here's an excellent acoustic version of Sinead O'Connor's / Prince's 'Nothing Compares To You'



And lastly, another oldie from Temple of The Dog - 'Say Hello To Heaven'



All of these goodies, and no mention of his work with Soundgarden etc

For those that are interested, thee's a pretty fine acoustic concert available for download here. Don't tell the filth.
Nearly forgot - the password is zinhof and it's from this site.
Enjoy.

toodle pip

a girl walks home alone at night and white lines, plus clubbed to death (lola) and rob dougan

I stayed up last night until the early hours and watched my recording of 'A girl walks home alone at night' an Iranian film from 2014, and was so glad l did, as it was one of the best films l've ever seen.
Bear in mind that l enjoy films which are foreign, slow paced and quirky, subtitled, and unlike other films. Oh, and with a good soundtrack if possible. This film ticked all of the boxes to the degree that l have not deleted it yet, as l will watch it again pretty soon, probably more than once (because that's how sad l am).
One of the best uses of music in a scene was the one below, 'Death' by White Lies, which was not just atmospheric, but really moving, especially if you knew what went on before this scene. I think l may even have got a bit of dust in my eye while watching.



Go check out the film, and put on subtitles to understand the lyrics of the foreign songs to enhance the experience.

On a related note, the atmospheric combination of music and a slow paced scene from above reminded me of another classic by Rob Dougan from the French film, 'Clubbed to Death / Lola (im Technoland)' - 'Furious Angels'. A film l first watched years ago, alone at night and on acid. I absolutely loved it (still do), and l cried like a baby at this scene. Happy days!
Remember kids - don't do drugs.
Compare and contrast.

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