don letts walking towards the police in 1976

This is such a great photograph, and really captures the time and moment.  It's Don Letts walking towards the police lines at the Notting Hill carnival in 1976 (when it all kicked off).  It was used on the cover of 'Black Market Clash' by The Clash, and he later worked with Mick Jones of The Clash in Big Audio Dynamite, as well as doing many other things (DJ, manager, film maker etc). What a cool bastard.
This guy even has it as a wall painting, done by his wife.  I must say - I'm impressed.  A top(per) job.

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at ricky gervais and stephen merchant's real office

At the real life office of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais.  Photos by Muir Vidler.


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cuddle up to your dream date

Call that a dream date?  Is she mad?
Glad to see she's left her make up on to go to bed in, after all, she won't want her dream date buggering off with anyone else.  Let's face it, I bet his standards are high.  Just look at his neatly trimmed moustache and carefully chosen shirt.  Check out at his (probably) blow dried hair.   And what dreamy eyes he has.  Mmmmmmm..............................................Damn!
I think he has worked his magic on me.
Sweet dreams brothers and sisters, as l think me and tash boy have got some nocturnal lovin' to attend to.

toodle pip

recent rain photos

 The road by Tesco's heading towards Richmond from Catterick.  Only just passable on Tuesday

Heading from Catterick Bridge towards Colburn on Wednesday.  This road was closed on Tuesday

 From the TV on Monday.  I think it's Catterick Village green (they just said Catterick green).

 The River Swale at Richmond on Wednesday after it had died down a bit (but was still up)

                                        By the River Swale falls at Richmond on Wednesday

The River Swale falls, again on Wednesday

The River Swale looking towards the main bridge crossing to Catterick on Wednesday  

 The stream at Catterick village on Wednesday. You can see by the bench and table how high it had been.

The Swale inbetween Brompton and Richmond on Wednesday

It sure has been raining a lot in the last few days.  here's some picturs that l took while out and about, which show some of the effects.  Most of the really bad rain and after effects of it had died down by the time of the photos, as it was probably worse on Monday.  Ah well, we will soon have the snow to look forward to, as winter seems a lot closer than summer already.  Bloody weather.

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soulboy (2010) - shimmy marcus

It's 1974, Glam rock and crap music is everywhere, but in pursuit of the girl of his dreams, young Joe McCain (Martin Compston) discovers Soul music, rare records, drugs and dance at the Wigan Casino, and let's face it, which cool kid didn't at the time? Sadly, not me, l was still at school and into Glam and Status Quo / Deep Purple, although l made a valiant attempt to catch up and got into Soul music, records and drugs later on (you've got to put the hours in).  Not the best film in the world by a long chalk, but 'Soulboy' does have it's moments, and certainly brought back plenty of memories of that time, including the undercurrent of violence that was always not that far away.  Time for me to get the talcum powder out and bust a few moves (and that's not a euphemism).  Now where did l hide my drugs.....

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cleopatra (1963) - joseph mankiewicz

A sprawling epic that is waaay too long, was waaay too expensive and  certainly strayed from  historical accuracy (but was generally correct), Cleopatra was also the film that triggered the Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor romance, and nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox along the way. Taylor (as a much too pretty Cleopatra) changes her outfits every three seconds (or so it seems), but stays pretty true to the men in her life, Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison), and later Mark Antony (Burton).  Caesar is betrayed and killed by his own senators ('Beware the Ides of March'), and Antony becomes so smitten with Cleopatra he makes poor judgements, leading to an unhappy ending for all.  Some of the set pieces are spectacular, such as Cleopatra's entry into Rome (despite the Arch of Constantine not being there at the time), and the love story itself can't really be faulted, but (I'll repeat) it is waaay, waaay too long, and it could have done with some serious editing.  Thankfully l didn't have to see this at the pictures / the movies / the flicks / the cinema, as, although it could have been done justice on the large screen, the FPO would have missed half of it going to the toilet, and l'd be complaining of a numb bum  (not for the first time).
However, it's still an extravagant enjoyable waste of your afternoon (if you are sitting comfortably at home).  Also featuring a young Richard O'Sullivan and an excellent Roddy McDowall!

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jaws as a disney movie

Clever stuff - Jaws presented as though it was a Disney movie.  Heartwarming stuff for all the family.

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google underwater 'street' maps

Google 'street maps' have just got a whole lot better, as today, they have launched their underwater maps, which they hope will eventually cover as much of the sea bed as they can, plus highlighting changing eco systems as they go.  This is Wilson Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef at sunset, and can be explored here.  Now l don't have to leave the house if l don't want to, which will be useful when my heart, knees, mind and back go and l start crapping my pants (which let's face it, can't be long).  Technology - it's great!

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the A1 closed due to rain

The A1 flooded at Catterick on Monday

Looking south from Catterick Village bridge on Wednesday

Looking north from Catterick Village bridge on Wednesday

The non existant traffic on the A1 looking north and south from the Bridge at Catterick Village (North Yorkshire).  The road is closed off due to the heavy rain that has stopped the FPO going to work for two days (while l only have to go 4 miles, so l got in OK). Damn!

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1 to 100 in 150 seconds

Kanaal van Filmersblog says:

"In October 2011 I started documenting people in the city of Amsterdam, approaching them in the street and asking them to say their age in front of the camera. My aim was to 'collect' a group of 100 people, from age 0 to 100. At first my collection grew fast but slowed down when it got down to the very young and very old. The young because of sensivity around filming or photographing children and the very old because they don't get out of the house much. I found my very old 'models' in care homes and it was a privilege to document these -often vulnerable- people for this project. I had particular problems finding a 99 year-old. (Apparently 100 year-olds enjoy notoriety, but a 99 year-old is a rare species...) And when I finally did find one, she refused to state her age. She simply denied being 99 years old! But finally, some 4 months after I recorded my first 'age', I was able to capture the 'missing link' and conclude this project".  (from Boing Boing)

Interesting stuff, and it's also interesting hearing all the dutch accents.
Old age - it's a bummer (as the kids used to say).

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area 51 viewers guide

Glenn Campbell (not that one) has made his viewers guide to Area 51 (out in the Nevada desert) available for free online at his blog.  In case you are one of the few people who do not know the story, it's a (meant to be secret) United States Air Force base next to the dried out Groom lake, where an alien spacecraft (UFO) is supposed to have been kept after it allegedly crashed at Roswell.  There is an industry around this 'event' and trips out there from Las Vegas, so this book could be of some use to you if you are planning on heading that way.  Watch out for 'The Man' as it is guarded pretty vigorously, and they are allowed to use 'deadly  force', although you are more likely to be moved or fined.

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george best out on the town

I'll admit that George Best is probably modelling clothes in this shot, but it's not far away from what his nights out would have been like at the time, but with plenty of drink added  to the mix.  Not that l ever need a reason to stick up a picture of Georgie (as l called him).  He certainly looked pretty cool back then, and had it all.

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realistic animal face t shirts

These hyper realistic dog, cat and pig t-shirts are amazingly life like and look kind of spooky.  There are plenty of them for sale on Amazon, such as this one, and l may have to invest in the pig one for Dazzer, my member of the filth in law (it's an ongoing joke).  I've got my eye on a possible rabbit one, which will freak out the FPO, and probably scare the shit out of Tubbs, our real idiot rabbit (not that he has any problem producing shit).

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world's greatest dad (2009) - bobcat goldthwait

Robin Williams plays Lance Clayton, an aspiring but rejected writer (ironically the 'World's Greatest Dad' of the title)  the who teaches at the same school that Kyle, his son goes to.  His son is a mean spirited, selfish, porn obsessed prat who pours scorn on everything, including his downtrodden father.  However, after Kylie accidentally kills himself while practising Autoerotic Asphyxiation (badly), Lance adjusts the scene to make it look as though he had hanged himself, and writes a fake suicide note, in which he (supposedly Kylie) rages against the fakes and phonies.  This is a smash hit with other children at the school when it is posted by a pupil on the internet, and Kylie becomes a saint like figure to them.  Lance then writes a fake journal in his sons name, which is also a smash, whereupon it all starts to get really out of hand.  When a library at the school is to be named in Kylie's honour, Lance eventually faces up to what is happening, and cracks.  It's a black comedy with not a lot of laughs, but worth watching, especially if you don't mind lots of potty mouthed language (which l don't).  If you do - avoid this, as there is plenty of it.

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I, partridge - steve coogan

I, Partridge is written 'in character' as if the TV shows such as 'The Day Today' that featured Alan Partridge were genuine, and has some genuinely funny moments that certainly made me chortle.  It got a bit dull towards the end and could maybe have been a bit shorter, but it was a change to read an 'autobiography' such as this. You don't have to be a great fan of Steve Coogan or the Alan Partridge TV shows to benefit from this, as it stands alone as an amusing journey through the land of TV, radio, and celebrity.  It also sheds some light on the 'reality and façade' of stars such as Dale Winton, which were some of the funniest parts.  Top stuff, but still not as good as Tom Baker's autobiography, which is hilarious and moving (a lethal combination).

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civil disturbances book from 1975

I had better keep this well away from my brother in law, as he is a copper and will no doubt be wanting to practise the butt stroke on me (and not for the first time).  It's the United States Army Civil Disturbances information book from 1975, and is full of useful tips to keep the riff raff (like me) in their place.  More about it and the whole book as a PDF can be found here.

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the breast washer

Science.  It has an answer to just about anything eventually, as demonstrated with this marvellous device for the ladies.  A breast washer.
I take off my hat to the man (and let's face it, it's bound to have been a man) who came up with this.  Pure genius.

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cola, mints and a condom

Add mints to Coca Cola, and tape a condom to the top.  Then supply an amusing foreign commentary.  Result.

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