Tuesday 19 March 2019

snoopy lives his life the way l do

This is my attitude to life . Despite all the crap that is going on, has already happened, or may happen sometime soon, it's not worth worrying about, so enjoy it!
I used to love reading the Charlie Brown / Peanuts books when l was a kid (obviously l still have my old books), so maybe this is where l got my attitude from.


toodle pip

Saturday 9 March 2019

oswald mosley injured in liverpool - what joy!

I know it happened elsewhere as well as Liverpool, but l'm always pleased when fascist organisations get their comeuppance.
When Oswald Mosley was leader of the Blackshirted British Union of Fascists party in England, he came to Liverpool on 10th December 1937 and tried to address a crowd to gain support for his party. He was prevented from doing so by hundreds of people throwing rocks, at least one of which resulted in him having an unplanned visit to the nearby Walton hospital for treatment (where l was born).
I usually preach non violence, but you've always got to be on the lookout for people like him, so I'm prepared to make the odd exception.
More information about the episode can be found here (and here)
Makes me proud to be a Scouser.




Here he is being taken to the hospital


After treatment in Walton. 
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

toodle pip






the lost bob dylan cds

After erecting (fnaar) some new shelves in the spare room to house a load of CDs and tidy the place up a bit, l realised l was missing a substantial amount by Bob Dylan.  I would normally assume my brother nicked them when staying over, but he's not a fan of his Bobness. It took me ages to locate them amongst all my other crap, but luckily l did, as  I'm pleased to report there's plenty of gems amongst them.
Yes l do realise l have too many and l will never get around to playing them all again before l die, but l like having them as pieces of art as well, and they are there when l do want to play them.
I just need a bigger house, and l don't need reminding l'm a sad git.
The shelves look pretty good as well!





toodle pip

the car and conker connection

I had to drop off my car recently for some minor work at a local garage, and rather than get up early to do so (as l stay up pretty damn late), l drove it down to the garage at about 6am, put the car keys through the garage letter box, and then walked home (and didn't bother going to bed). The conkers had fallen from some trees on the way back, and as l have been told they deter spiders, l picked them up to put on my window ledges to keep the eight legged bastards out.
Let's hope they work.


toodle pip

blair witch comes to richmond woods

I was up to no good around Richmond woods, and came across these rather unusual objects attached to a tree. What for - l've no idea, but some of the locals around these parts have certainly been inbred, so nothing would surprise me. Perhaps it's just a lovely signpost for a dogging site. Purely for research, I'll check it out again at 3am and get back to you.

toodle pip

a panda says - don't do drugs

I've taken quite a few drugs in the past but none have ever affected me in this way. I think l need to sue my dealer as the git was obviously short changing me and selling me below par merchandise. If only l knew where there was an ex lawyer who may be a bit dodgy and do stuff on the side......

toodle pip

Thursday 7 March 2019

the aliens - the happy song

A perfect time to stick this old favourite up again.
The Aliens - 'The Happy Song'



toodle pip

Wednesday 6 March 2019

ole ole ole ole - eric cantona is so 'appy



YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a result for Manchester United!  Plus a pretty accurate prediction from Charles M Schulz and the Peanuts crew. Linus would have loved to be in my shoes after that game.
3-1 away from home against Paris Saint Germain!! Through to the Quarter finals!!!!
A dodgy penalty at the end, but l'll take the win any day. To say l'm outrageously happy at the moment would be an understatement.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for manager and president, and Mauricio Pochettino can bugger off to rescue PSG.
Thank fuckity fuck Jose Mourinho got told to fuck off and take his black cloud of misery with him.

Eric Cantona can have the last word - filmed after the game.



toodle pip

Monday 4 March 2019

britain's oldest man - henry jenkins

Apparently Britain's oldest man, Henry Jenkins lived and died near where l live, and is buried at St Mary's Church, Bolton on Swale. If you believe the stories, he lived to be 169.
I don't. However, it's worth a visit if you're in the area.









toodle pip

Sunday 3 March 2019

book reading is beneficial

toodle pip

expanding heart illusion

I'm a sucker for good illusions, and this one would be great if it could be printed onto a t-shirt correctly. A (supposedly)  expanding heart.

toodle pip

liverpool / bootle docks photograph from 1946 and a bootle map from 1935

An excellent photograph of Liverpool docks / Bootle, taken in 1946 (Before even l was born).
It's changed a bit from then, although gentrification and Liverpool's upscaling still has to reach or impact much of this area. It's still pretty poor, but it was what l called (and still consider to be) home, despite now having another home in Sunny Catterick.


Here's a map of Bootle in 1935 to augment it. My childhood home is there for all to see (If you know where to look)


toodle pip

august friedrich schenke and mackenzie thorpe's sheep

Mackenzie Thorpe has created many paintings of sheep in his distinctive style, is pretty local (Middlesbrough) and has a gallery in Richmond, North Yorkshire, not far from my home. Even my local pub has some paintings of his, and l do like them.
However, although it's obviously completely different, August Friedrich Schenck's 'Anguish' is my favourite sheep painting, a rather harrowing and distressed sheep / ewe bleating and pining for what one assumes is it's dead calf, surrounded by crows.
I wouldn't want it displayed at home, and l understand humans anthropomorphize, especially with animals, but l think it's captured the extreme emotion perfectly.


To lighten the mood after that, here's some by Mr Thorpe






toodle pip

the 1927 jasper tornado on lp covers

It was only recently that it was pointed out to me on another blog or tweet (I can't remember where), that the photograph of the 1927 Jasper Tornado, taken by Lucille Handberg and on one of my favourite albums, Deep Purple's Stormbringer, was the same one on used on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, plus Siouxsie and The Banshees Tinderbox. It's blown my mind, as l'd never noticed before, and l have been looking at the Deep Purple and Miles Davis albums for years.
Sometimes l amaze myself at how stupid l can be.
Below is the famous photograph, captured 8th July 1927 in Jasper, Minnesota, plus drawings of the other two photographs she took before and after. There's also an article from The Milwaukee Sentinel about it, plus the album covers mentioned.
More information about the tornado and the photographs can be found here (and also here).
A large blow up of the news story in The Milwaukee Sentinel can be found here








Here's something from the albums







toodle pip


Saturday 2 March 2019

chinese construction worker dancing

My mate can 'dance', and does so at every opportunity, despite my opposition, but l love the moves this Chinese construction worker has in his locker. There's plenty more of him on you tube (the Chinese fellow - not my mate).



toodle pip

Monday 18 February 2019

the the labour party split and the ragged trousered philanthropists - the money trick

With The Labour Party seemingly in disarray (although The Conservatives are also pretty fragmented) here's a reminder of why they the left wing are so important. From Robert Tressell's The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - The Money Trick.
I'm not saying this is the most important book of all time, but every time l return with family members to Liverpool, we visit his grave (Opposite Walton prison - now just before Rice Lane City Farm) as a mark of respect. The language is antiquated, but the message is unequivocal.














toodle pip