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.

toodle pip

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.

toodle pip

does the noise in my head bother you? - steven tyler

As expected, 'Does The Noise In My Head Bother You' was full of rehab, drugs, scatological musings and the history of Aerosmith (with some sex thrown in). There was a lot more whining about the other members of Aerosmith than l expected, and some repetition (the drugs talking), but overall, l enjoyed it, even though l am not a massive fan of the band. I did tape then many moons ago, but l haven't got a clue where the tape is stashed now. Probably in the garage with loads of other crap. One of the best shows l'd seen, even if they were off their faces at the time. Rock and roll maaaaaaaan - it's the lifestyle you expect from your rock stars, as long as they remain cool, but it's a fine line of knowing when to stop, as Steven Tyler himself found out many times.

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anne frank - the diary of a young girl

Read while l was taking my extra long bath yesterday, this was pretty much what l expected, after all, although Anne Frank was bright, she was still a young girl trapped in hiding, had been persecuted as a Jew, and l knew what was going on in the war and the ending of the diary before l started.
It was interesting because of the ending hanging over it and some of the period details (in both senses), but there was too much moaning about her mother and the others in the hiding place, and waaaaaay too much pining for Peter and the attic.  If she was going to get caught by the Nazis anyway, they could have done it earlier, and l'd have been spared a lot of the teenage lust and devotion in the second half of the book. I could also have got out of the bath earlier, instead of boiling and cooking all my insides, and everyone would have been a winner.
That's obviously a joke, so don't bother with emailing me and telling me it is in bad taste, because l won't be bothered. Anyway - l blame God.

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mother night - kurt vonnegut, jr

The metafictional story of American Howard W Campbell, Jr, who is being held for trial after the Second World War for aiding the Nazis through plays and propaganda broadcasts while he stayed on in Germany during the war. Campbell was actually working as a double agent, and his broadcasts delivered secret messages to the Allies, but he cannot get the proof he needs to defend himself. He tells of his war story experiences, (intertwined with real life characters), his relocation to the USA after the war, and his love life and capture.
In the end, a letter comes, but what is it, and will he use it?
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr is one of my favourite authors, and in Mother Night he raises issues about what is good, the effects of supposedly good deeds, belief systems, and responsibility for ones own actions. Make your own mind up about the moral of the story.
A Classic.

toodle pip

and thinking about preening, self loving footballers...ronaldo!!

If there is one footballer in the world who truly loves himself with 100% conviction, it has to be the preening, petulant, self loving show off that goes by the name of Ronaldo. He is always compared to Messi, which must drive him up the wall, as most pundits would consider Messi the better player, and would rather have him in their team. At least Ronaldo can console himself with a large mirror and loving gazes at himself (as he no doubt oils himself up), as he can at least beat Messi on the looks and body department.
A bit like me in the bottom photo after my 8 hour bath yesterday (a new record!).

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