now let us praise famous men

hello there


earlier this week, as recently as friday in fact, i found myself considering options for breakfast. it is indeed true that normally i would dine upon croissants for my first meal of the day. this is but of course borne from my love of all things French, look you see, looking at how many hits i appear to be attracting from that fine, fine nation; one that has contributed a great deal to the world but the specifics of which escape me for the moment.

anyway, i was bereft or if you like without or if you prefer sans croissants on this particular morning. it is not always possible to obtain them, especially when strictly speaking you are not in France. as when is or is not in France has been extensively covered in an earlier post, let us move on.

so moving on to what i had available rather than linger on that which i did not, it occurred to me that i did as point of fact have a most splendid item from my travels of the year before this. one which i had not yet made any, less sufficient, use of, and one which was appropriate for serving at breakfast.

yes. as you can quite clearly see in the above, presented in the splendour and magnificence of Commodore 64 mode, i elected that particular morning to be the one which i cracked open the jar of Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve which i had personally procured from Fortnum & Mason during my travels to the capital during the year before this.

one must be careful with what they do and do not admit to in this particular era, with some preferring to remain silent on absolutely everything just to be safe, no matter how silly or peculiar that may make them. i shall not do this, though. it is appropriate for me to admit, if not confess, that yes, quite a significant amount of time has passed between me obtaining this fine jam and the actual use. several months, as point of fact, if not rather closer to nine or ten in specific. no particular reason for the delay, i just had not gotten to it and no, i had not forgotten it was there.

such a special jam required, but of course, special treatment. whilst the jam itself was to be spread over the finest toasted bread, or if you like toast, available, it was essential to have the correct tea to drink so as to perfectly complement it, with this tea being served in the most appropriate chalice or vessel.

ideally yes, i would have had some Fortnum & Mason tea to go with the jam. alas, i had none. my own reserves were long ago depleted, with the means of disposal being either i having consumed tea crafted from the tea bags, or the tea bags were despatched to locations both across the Atlantic and across the English Channel. Yorkshire Tea it was to be then, what with it being the very finest tea in the world as it is from Yorkshire.

as for a suitable chalice, well, The Who are rock aristocracy or if you like nobility or if you prefer royalty. also, the image of Mr Pete Townshend very much doing his thing with a guitar has been coloured with a union jack / flag style scheme, so it seemed appropriate to use. it is highly probable, is it not, that members of The Who had at some stage also had tea and toast, with strawberry jam placed on the latter. considering the enormous sums of money they have earned and their elevated class status, it is also quite probable that they, too, have eaten jam prepared and supplied by Fortnum & Mason.

please note, however, from a point of legal requirements, i am most decidedly not stating as fact that any member of The Who has eaten Fortnum & Mason jam. all that i seek to do is raise the possibility that they may have, and indeed may have done so without knowing that this was the case.

for some peculiar reason one or two of you may believe that Commodore 64 mode is not the best nor the most visually articulate way to present the details of an item which is being observed. should you be within this demographic i can only trust that the above image of the front of this Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve from Fortnum & Mason is pleasing.

i would be certain that i discussed this last year and the label makes it somewhat obvious, but yes, for you text based digesting of information enthusiasts, this is indeed a special extra jam preserve which Fortnum & Mason commissioned in honour of the 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. no, alas, i am unaware of whether or not a jar of this was indeed presented to her as a gift. you would, however, suspect that yes, indeed it was.

who knows? perhaps Her Majesty, along with whichever members of her family she allowed to join her, had this very same jam for breakfast on the same day i did. as she is quite busy and i had an unusually late start to my day on friday, however, i would have every reason to suspect that if she did so, it would have been at a time a good deal earlier on that day than i did.

to please the food puritans or enthusiasts who might well be reading this when normally they would be nowhere near my blog, the above is a look at the untouched extra jam preserve. it was taken mere moments after i took the lid off. this was a lid that, i shall have you know, took quite some effort to remove. i trust that Her Majesty had considerably better fortune in opening her jar than i did, although granted it is more likely that she had a footman or similar servant to do this for her.

could i not summon such servitude from someone? not really. whilst our children, as would be routine and expected, ignored my fanciful celebrations of opening some jam, my (considerably) better half simply suggested running it under some hot water. this i am led to believe is an action which can indeed loosen the lid on a jar, but i feared it would cause harm to the most splendid label. so i persevered until i got the lid off, and off it came in what i consider to be a most dignified way.

what exactly, or if you prefer precisely, is in this Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve? as the image of the virgin jam, and indeed the name of it, suggest, strawberries. beyond that in my view it would be better to simply trust Fortnum & Mason to put in it whatever they so felt as being suitable. for those somewhat more curious, and in meeting with certain legal requirements, Fortnum & Mason have however placed the ingredients on the label on the reverse or if you like back of the jar.

a point of interest for me in the above is that Fortnum & Mason have not so much suggested as they have strictly stipulated that i must consume all of this jam within a 4 week, or if you so prefer 28 day period. far be it from me to quarrel with this, then. one can take it as a given that i shall be eating a considerable amount of Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve over the course of this time period then. that, of course, is if you consider 340g to be a considerable amount.

would it be appropriate for those who do not support the monarchy, as in those who consider themselves to be republicans despite the fact that they are British subjects, to obtain, own or consume this jam? i would believe that the answer to this is no. such people would be best advised to go to a supermarket or other such retailer with a reputation for being a place where such republicans congregate, so that they may purchase jam which has not been infused with a sense of the importance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. in speaking from a purely personal perspective, i would not wish to have anything to do with such a jam, as it would not have been made with the same sense of care or importance.

normally i would consider it a crass act, republican in nature and intent, to picture and share an image of a meal which i was to eat. that sort of thing is best reserved for channels such as that "twitter", where people air republican views and show off their food. in this instance, however, i have made an exception. i felt it appropriate to show off the correct way to enjoy this Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve.

my apologies, though, for the fact that it all seems to inadvertently look like one of the opening shots, albeit in colour, of the controversial promotional video for the pop single Every Breath You Take by  the curiously name popular music trio called The Police.

quite. the correct way to cut toast when it has Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve on it is in this diagonal, or if you prefer triangular, way. although this form of cutting toast is, on a day to day basis, most commonly associated with the way in which hotels, guest houses and other forms of accommodation businesses which serve food, an interesting fact is that it is also the Royal way of presenting and serving toast. to have your toast in this way is to show your class and distinction in an effortless, subtle and yet effective way.

what punishment could you expect for serving toast which has Royal Sovereign  Strawberry Extra Jam Preserve on it in a way not as pictured above? the law has become quite relaxed in this respect over the years. i would trust that the culprit would be apprehended and cautioned under questioning, but with such strained resources i dare say the constabulary no longer even send out a detective to investigate such a matter.

for many people there is a sense that we live in a world where people should be free to cut and serve toast how they wish, and that there should not be any criminal charges or other such persecution in relation to this. i am relatively happy to abide by this. it is, on reflection, justice enough that those who do not serve their toast in a correct way are explicitly showing off their lower status within the overall class system. calling a police officer to attend the matter would be a significant waste of resources for all parties involved, so please do not do this, no matter how passionate you are about toast, the monarchy or indeed being a republican.

oh, how does the jam taste? most splendid, as you would expect. sorry if you believed that this would be a review of it. i took it as quite the given that as it was made by Fortnum & Mason and done so in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II it would be one of the finest foods ever created. probably not, however, suitable for those who do not like strawberries, jam or the monarchy.

anyway, little in the way of good or benefit could come from any further comments i could make, so i shall now take my leave of you and conclude this post in the usual way.




be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in preparation for star wars day

hello there


it does seem peculiar to be discussing preparations for one event whilst we are in the midst of another. at the time of this being published, look you see, the world has come together as one to celebrate Easter. and here i am discussing that next major event on the calendar, Star Wars day.

the majority of you will, i would suspect, be aware of what and more appropriately when this Star Wars day is, and a significant percentage within that majority of knowing shall have come to be tired, weary and drained of enthusiasm for hearing any further definitions. for all others, however, 4th May is Star Wars day, for when you say it in an American way you can speak it as thus - "May the 4th be with you". this of course sounds a bit like "may the force be with you", a popular line spoken in the films by Vulcans, Cylons and other such space people.

whilst it is acutely rare for any incumbent owner of the Star Wars brand to exploit this in terms of merchandising or other forms of monetary gain from time to time an exception is made. every now and then the custodians of Star Wars meet demand from fans and agree to sell them things that they might like to buy associated with the films. Star Wars day is such a moment.

as you may well expect, strict control is kept over what items are, and indeed are not, permitted to be branded with things related to Star Wars. there is absolutely no way that the rights holders would just slam the name on absolutely anything at all in the hope of making some money. it is in keeping with this, then, that one item in particular which features the branding is waffles. no, not potato waffles, the other type.

for many, many wonderful people in this world it is the case that their sort of unofficial, unspoken and up until now unwritten philosophy in life is "think Star Wars, think waffles". rarely has a link between two things been so obvious or as indelible as that which ties waffles to Star Wars.

we shall return to the waffles of Star Wars day shortly, but for now let's have a look at one of the people in this world who takes Star Wars day celebrations very seriously. i, of course, give you Richard. and yes, Richard enthusiasts, that Richard. 

certain images speak for themselves. for fellow followers of all things related to Star Wars the above is such an instance. for those who are not so, however, some form of explanation is required.

this is quite straightforward. Richard is cultivating a moustache and hairstyle almost quite like exactly like the same sported by the single most important character in all of the Star Wars films, Lando Cardassian, or whatever. most of the Star Wars films which have not featured Lando, or his most smart assistant Lobot, have been considered critical and commercial failures, in particular the last two.

styling a look of Lando for Star Wars day is of course not the only action Richard is taking in honour of this most prestigious event. no, far from it. there are a number of plans which are rolling, some of which you can see. in particular if you are looking at this on a device or within a browser that allows for video playback.

absolutely yes, the above is as you can see (if you can play video, etc) nothing less than a Disco Shed. this has been constructed by the offspring or if you like children of Richard to celebrate one of the key, if not defining, events in the Star Wars universe.

i am not sure which. perhaps it was that one where the elfs and wolves battled the trees for the ring, or maybe that one bit where the Australian with really good hair twatted something with that massive hammer. but, anyway, you are probably all big massive fans of the films, and so no doubt know which part it is off.

as indeed is the case with this, for you regular readers of this blog. no i haven't forgotten that i am supposed to be talking about Star Wars day, i have just been distracted some.

we are now in April, or at the least we were at the time when i wrote this. time, then, to show you an update on my Star Wars "concept art" calendar for this month. 

despite a claim that it shall cover a fair whack of the Star Wars films, this calendar has thus far resoundingly stuck to certain elements of the first film to be released; a film which as point of fact the fourth in terms of the entire story it purports to tell. unless i am mistaken, the top image is of when the fake orphan and the elderly religious fanatic first broker a deal with the international criminal in order to secure his services as a people smuggler. the one at the bottom probably shows the aforementioned fake orphan getting ready for some fabulous space battle, or similar.

back to focus on Star Wars day celebrations, then, and indeed back to Richard getting ready. he has installed an absolutely massive television on which he may watch all the events from around the world, or failing that watch all of the films again, should he remember to do so.

quite a spectacle, that is. in all honesty that TV screen is probably quite close to the size of the cinema screen we first saw our first Star Wars film on. i cannot recall where it was, for i was young. probably Redcar, or some similar fashionable place. i know we saw Empire Strikes Back in Leicester Square (the London one), and Return Of The Jedi at the Odeon in Middlesbrough. the rest we kind of saw on our own at different times.

no, that is not one of the Star Wars films playing to test the screen. it would be inappropriate to screen Star Wars prior to Star Wars day, unless it was a boss one what had Lando in it. instead, then, Richard is holding a test screening of a film he considers to be even better than what Star Wars is, despite the apparent lack of Lando or a Lando like character in it.

those that can in fact play video on this blog and have played the above need me to say no more. indeed, it is also true that many know Richard, and thus know what film it is playing above. for those that don't, well for you i am happy to confirm that it is the celebrated motion picture Convoy, starring Kris Kristofferson (or how you spell it) and him what was the assistant to Stringfellow Hawke out of Airwolf in Airwolf.

to the end, then, is to be back to the beginning for the end. now let us look at the Star Wars waffles prepared seemingly exclusively for Star Wars Day.

yes, quite, indeed. the "best before" date for these waffles happens to be 4 May, presumably of this year (2017). and that is what, to my mind, makes it be that these waffles must have been produced with Star Wars day in mind.

right, that's that then. have a most excellent and many a splendid day or night with whatever you do after reading this.



be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

feel okish today but have

heya


there can be few things in this world as gratifying or, look you see, splendid as learning that someone has made it home safe and sound, or if you like ok. those of you familiar with me in the non-casual browser sense, or have read this blog in detail, are only too aware of the travails i have had to go through to do this. but that is not the story here.

no, the story here today is this most splendid of text messages i received via my text messaging device, or if you will phone. i think in many respects it speaks for itself, except for the parts which i have edited out.

yes, quite. i am sure we can all agree, unless you are particularly cold of heart, that the above is a wonderful tale, celebrating a most triumphant evening in getting things sorted and then returning home.

the interesting thing about this is i have absolutely no idea who it is from, or what it was all about. i mean, yes, i do know the name and telephone number of the person who sent it, for i edited them out, but other than that your guess would be as good as mine. their number was not saved in my phone, and one would presume that if they are addressing the intended recipient as "babe" then it's quite likely that they know me not.

well, as this accidentally told story seems to be overall happy and successful in its conclusion, i trust that it has made you feel good that there is indeed good in the world. more good than bad, they say, and probably correctly. even if there are times when it feels not so much.


be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

identification clues

saluton


there are times, if not occasions, in this modern world where one might not be entirely sure of where they are. the more border control tightens at the gates of certain countries the easier it appears to be, look you see, to slip from one sovereign state into another. sorry, just a pause there for me to reflect that i spelt sovereign correctly at the first crack, a victory to be sure.

 let's assume for the minute that you have found yourself in an unfamiliar, possibly strange place. you are somewhat distressed and confused by this. for some reason you have decided that this, my blog, is your absolute best point of call to try and work out exactly where you are.

should, in admittedly peculiar circumstances, the above be true for you, below the nice picture are some questions to ask of yourself. feel free to answer internally or vocally, that's up to you.

right, here's the things to ask yourself

* are the people around me speaking something that sounds French, but only a proper language?

* do all the place signs simply point in the direction of Brussels rather than the name of where they are?

* am i surrounded by bureaucrats and people in shiny suits with badges that have MEP on them?

* are the only things  can see amount to EU legislative buildings and warehouses full of butter, milk and wine?

*  when i ask for help do people say sorry, they are going to an urgent meeting to discuss and plan the next set of meetings they will have relating to setting up meetings?

and finally

* does it feel like i am in France, but only if France was a proper country?

should most if not all of the above apply to the position you presently find yourself in, then congratulations, i am delighted to tell you that you are, as point of fact, in Belgium.


 

that there image above is indeed some fancy packaging which some chocolate off of Belgium which was kindly sent to me came in. as you can see, i would think, it's quite discerning, fancy and of a nature which suggests if there was any expense in making it to be spared, it was most decidedly not.

my above guide to where you are might have been a little unkind. no, not to France, to Belgium. the place does have a little bit of a reputation as being nothing more than the administrative centre of the European Union, but there is slightly more to the place than that. Jean Claude Van Damme, for instance, or however you spell JCVD. and Belgian chocolate, made in Belgium.

i would speculate that all you need to know of JCVD is something that you already know. except, perhaps, to say that my favourite films of his are Hard Target and Kickboxer. and pretty much any film which concentrates more on him doing his thing where he absolutely knacks everyone, less flexing his acting skill and prowess. should we be able to accept this, let's look at the Belgian chocolate in more detail. starting with this look at the even more fancy packaging inside the fancy envelope in came in.

yes, that struck me too. this Belgian chocolate, whilst called Babelutte on the outer packaging, has Dolfin written on it on this inner, provisionally final wrapping. perhaps this is some sort of brand name, or relates to the manufacturer.

the word "dolfin" also sounds like a reasonable stab at how one would spell "dolphin" phonetically. perhaps this chocolate, then,  is one of them tuna-friendly, pure dolphin products. my basic understanding of where chocolate comes from would suggest that cocoa plants are involved, along with sugar, and virtually nothing directly from the sea or any such body of water. i cannot claim any area of expertise in how Belgians do things, though, so who knows.

now, then, Scotland. as all of us in the (as is) UK who follow the news know, a vital question to ask about absolutely any matter in this day and age is what does Scotland think of it, and it must be ensured that Scotland's voice must be heard, even if louder than all others for the sake of equality.

out of respect for that, then, this possibly dolphin imbued chocolate was walked for five hundred miles for certification, and was then walked five hundred more, just to be returned back to where it came once more.

thus far, then, we have looked at two layers of wrapping for this Belgian chocolate. or, at least, you only presume we have. if you have been following this and have not simply scrolled down to this point, you have had no evidence at all presented to you to say that what's inside actually is chocolate, except my word and the fact that the packaging suggests that it is indeed chocolate. and the certification, most probably.

behold, then, or if you like observe, for here is the chocolate housed within the fancy wrapping what has dolfin written on it, with that wrapping itself housed in a most splendid and luxuriant envelope.

well, yes, ok, this is just some of the chocolate that was in it. the business end, if you like, should you take business end to mean the last parts. i had pretty much eaten it all before i thought "hang on, my dear readers here will want to have a look at this". but look at how splendid this looks.

and yes, oh yes, it tastes most splendid. if Brussels, or if you like Belgium, was less EU bureaucracy and  more making splendid chocolates to dispense around the planet then the world would really, truly be a much finer and better place. the elaborate and fancy packaging on this chocolate was appreciated, but ultimately it simply served as a superfluous and unnecessary barrier to getting at the chocolate as soon as possible.

perhaps the packaging was required to ensure an image of sophistication and class was projected, and in fairness it probably helped ensure that it arrived in good condition and certainly in a far from melted form. but, still.

how is it that i came into ownership of this chocolate? it was most kindly presented to me by a friend. they went, as shown above and in ways which for security cannot be revealed, to quite a good deal of trouble to make sure i got it. whilst i appreciate it greatly, i am not sure they shall in turn have taken just how fast i ate it as a sign of such, so i shall remain silent on that topic.

and on that note, this would be that, or that would be this, for the time being, then.bar saying that should my helpful questions to ask yourself have helped, do enjoy your time in Belgium.



esti bonega al la alia !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Этот товарищ - герой революции

Привет


Не волнуйтесь, или если вам нравится, не бойтесь, look you see, as no i am not going to do this whole post in the language of Russia. or Russian. in ode to the subject matter of most of this post it just seemed appropriate, if not in fact respectful, to throw a little in.

i have, then, been awarded medals and associated gestures of prosperity by the Soviet Union, or if you like USSR. well, made by them, and awarded by Spiros. well, sent by Spiros. recently his talents and skills as the greatest legal mind of his generation drew him to the area once known as the Soviet Union, with his call to service being decidedly un-communist in nature. he very kindly procured the following for me.

quite a haul, i think you will agree, and all with the added bonus of a note written by Spiros himself. or, quite possibly, one of his many assistants that he travels around the world with.

in electing not to use Commodore 64 mode, since to do so would humiliate our friends in Russia as they never had computers what was as powerful as that in the 80s, i think the above is fairly if not reasonably clear. should clarification be required, the main currency in the Soviet Union (and could be in Russia today for all i know) was the ruble, with their variation of cents and pennies being called kopeks, i think. i hope so, and i hope that they have them now, as kopeks sounds smart.

also, as you can probably see, there's some star badge which i consider to be a military award and thus shall wear with pride, as well as some boss Soviet star buttons or cufflinks, which i will attach to a suitable item of clothing. the flag badge is, if i am not mistaken, the temporary one devised when we stood aside and foolishly allowed the Soviet Union to collapse, and what was left of it was briefly referenced as the "CIS", or Commonwealth of Independent States. just without our Queen as head.

where was it what Spiros got these mighty fine items for me from? here, i believe.

that, ladies and gentlemen, as you hardly need me tell you if you are an avid follower of the adventures of Spiros, is exactly what you suspect. this is a bathroom facility in a former Soviet area; one designated for use by men or if you like members of the gentry.

was it at all the case that Spiros, in between giving the benefit of his legal skills, made time to meet a gentleman (or two) here in order to make a short term but mutually beneficial friendship, and then this was where the gentleman gave Spiros these items which he has given to me? possibly. i mean, he didn't say as such. there was mention of an "exchange", and indeed how surprised he was to see the items so clean.

if we wisely set aside any possible controversy in the way that Spiros obtained these we can then look at the controversy surrounding how Spiros got them to me. apparently, to be sure, Royal Mail does not share the enthusiasm for awarding items off of the Soviet Union what Spiros has.

in a decidedly capitalist and imperialistic move Royal Mail mercilessly charged me coins of money to get them to deliver this. what a shame that the people at Royal Mail could not respect Spiros' touching gesture of celebration of the Soviet Union in using a 2nd class stamp to send this to me. no, in their officialdom they declared that the size of the medal and badges made it too thick to count as regular second class mail, and that Spiros should have sent it as a parcel or large letter.

this ignores that it would have involved Spiros spending more money on me than he wished to in order for me to get all this bounty. he is very angry about this, and has called Royal Mail a bunch of cowards. actually he used some other words to describe them but i do try and keep the language clean here.

obviously i was concerned about the fact that Spiros was in some distress over the matter, so i took the items he posted me to the scales of justice.

ahem. as can be seen reasonably clearly here the coins, buttons and medals of the Soviet Union have a collected weight of 16g, including the plastic bag and special note. 1st or 2nd class mail is supposed to allow for up to 100g,

that said, 1st or 2nd class is also supposed to only allow for up to 5mm in thickness of an envelope. them fancy buttons or cufflinks stand a proud 10mm, or if you like 1cm, erect. in terms of their rules, then, the people at Royal Mail were probably right to reject it, although Spiros would not want to hear that. now had he shoved two 2nd class stamps on, all would have been well.

now, to move away from the bourgeois subject of money and the financial value of things, Europe. no, not the continent, the ultra pop beat combo out of Sweden. them what did The Final Countdown, and have a decidedly Swedish sounding bloke called Joey on the front. or at least they did, i cannot spot him on this poster.

one of the major concerns of liberals about the collapse of the Soviet Union was, at the time, that the nations which formed it would be bereft of culture. the Soviets gave us everything from ballet to dancing bears wearing smart helmets, after all. i would like to think this poster proves that the fears were incorrect, for now the people of former Eastern Bloc nations can now get down to the sounds of Europe.

and now if we can go back to money, here you go, if for some reason you have yet to clasp your eyes or other such viewing means on them, here's the shiny new £1 coin what has been introduced in glorious style across the UK over the last week or so.

where did i get them? Primark. there's been a scramble to obtain them ever since they were officially launched, but few places seemed to have them. going on my experiences thus far it would seem that the Royal Mint and the Bank of England have elected to make Primark the sole distribution point for them. so, if you are looking for some, off to Primark you go, armed with cash and with a mind to make purchases only of thinks that would give you between £1 and £4 in change.

do i have any plans for my Soviet bounty, medals and buttons? not too many beyond that which i have mentioned here. the badge things might look most smart on my somewhere around 30 year old black denim jacket what has the Frankie Goes To Hollywood patch on the back. as for the coins, well, perhaps one day common sense shall prevail, the Soviet Union will be restored and thus i shall have some spending money should i accept an ambassadorial role there.

one thing i don't get, though, is how come the Soviet Union had money? wasn't it all supposed to be this one big massive pure Communist utopia in which the State provided everything? if that were so, what need would a comrade have for money?

what's that above? some sort of shrine, effigy or such that Spiros sent me a picture of. he believed it was important that i saw it, so on the off chance that he is correct i thought it best to add it here.

and so that would be that for another article here. many thanks again to Spiros for the generosity in awarding me these medals and things, and many thanks indeed to Royal Mail for their valiant efforts in trying to prevent me from being awarded them.


Быть отличным друг от друга !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the traditional Easter mix

Greetings


Should you happen to be reading this around the time I have published it and you live in a nation what has Christianity or variant thereof as its basis for a calendar then it's quite likely you are making preparations for the days demarcated as marking Easter. Indeed yes I am doing this, look you see, and as usual I am sharing some of my preparations with you.

These preparations are not, to be sure, of an overtly religious nature. Should you have been contemplating departing under the potential for that to have been the case then please stick around, for it's some Easter themed vibes - modern (ish) vibes too - that will be at the heart of this post.

For how long have I been making a traditional Easter mix, which is a collection of songs which in theme celebrate Easter? As long ago as this year I started. When I made my usual Christmas mix on some styled red vinyl blank CDs I mentioned to my sister that one could also get green and what I thought was yellow. She said that I should get some yellow ones and make an Easter mix. So, here we are.

Yes, dear reader, yes. I will accept and acknowledge that they are rather more faded gold, or if you like bronze, than yellow. Still, without being expert in such things, it is closer to yellow than the black, red or green blank CDs would be, so they will do.

After getting the blank discs it was left to me to find some 80 minutes of popular music which, in one way or another, related to Easter. This was not easy. I managed, though, after trawling through my extensive or if you like exhaustive collection.

Should for some reason you wish to make your own Easter mix, based on the one I compiled and sent to selected parties, here are the tracks I selected, along with some notes as to why they are on. I would think some are obvious, some perhaps less so.

If the "streaming" service of your choice has some or all of these songs available as a licenced thing for you to play then so much the better. Should that not be the case, then I dare say you can find all of these on that "You Tube" thing, or perhaps you might wish to consider just purchasing the CDs of the songs you like the look or sound of the most.


Francis Monkman - Main Title

As in the main title from the motion picture The Long Good Friday, information which I trust instantly clarified why it is on an Easter mix tape that is a CD. Classic song for a classic film. I believe the kids call it “earworming” when you hear a piece of music that you seem to hum or have on repeat in your mind for the remainder of that particular day. Behold, for this does that.

Cat Stevens - Morning Has Broken

For those of us dwelling north of the equator, or if you like equatorial line, Easter is indelibly linked to Spring. Kind of. This is the song you want to be hearing as those Spring days break free from Winter. Beautiful song, beautifully sung.

U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Bono and his band are undeniably the go-to group to vent populist hatred towards these days. Want to feel like you fit in with the faceless, mundane millions? Learn to type, take to Twitter, write about how Bono is a wanker and should pay more tax [despite the fact that you are not 100% sure why, or how much he pays] and maybe some people will click “like” or whatever and then everything’s better in your world.

Meanwhile, this is included here as rarely has an artist bared their soul and spiritual dilemma in the form of a pop song quite like this. Listen to the lyrics, man.

Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill

The first of not three but two appearances by Ped Gabes on this mix, this one being perhaps or arguably the least obvious, considering the other.

Ostensibly this song is Gabriel’s metaphorical comment on leaving the prog rock group Genesis, but obviously one listen and you can see, no hear, no feel, it goes way, way deeper than that. It just feels right on this mix.

David Bowie - Word On A Wing

In a world where every album he did after 1993 was called “the best and most important one since Scary Monsters”, there’s a present day assumption that Bowie’s religious imagery on Blackstar was something new and all down to the fact that he was facing death. This idea is somewhat compounded by the fact that one of his last “public” actions was to “follow God” on that there Twitter thing. The truth is exploring spirituality and his own wrestles with faith and religion had been pretty much a part of Bowie’s art from the start.

A quite rare instance of Bowie speaking frankly, humbly and quite prostrate, this song. This ode to seeking understanding and the embrace of faith stems, to his own admission, from the darkest days of his cocaine fuelled paranoid mid-70s. Leaving that understanding aside, this one really does have beautiful lyrics.

Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin

Fairly obvious inclusion from the title, I would imagine. Lyrically the Pet Shop Boys have always been on the deeper side of deep, a “bit too clever” for some critics, one suspect. The theme explored here is that no matter what you think or do, someone somewhere will consider it a sin of sorts. Quite ahead of its time in that respect then, as in this day and age one can hardly say or think a thing without someone declaring it to be some form of –ist or –ism, be it passive or aggressive.

Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus

Considering there’s a similar themed song later on I very nearly went with Blasphemous Rumours off of the Basildon Boys, but it just didn’t feel quite right.

At face value it’s commentary on that fancy, la-de-dah television Evangelism that was rather big business over in America in the 80s and 90s, and quite possibly is today. It’s a song you can take a lot of meanings from, though, and there’s something positively haunting about the way Dave Gahan sings “reach out and touch faith”.

The Beatles - Ballad Of John And Yoko

Yes, mostly in for the “the way things are going they’re going to crucify me” line. More so the reason behind it, though. This song came in the wake of the infamous “Beatles are more popular than Jesus” comment and controversy. It wasn’t the first time popular culture found itself in a debate about Christianity in particular or religion in general, but it was the first time, perhaps, that pop music was. A “game changer”, if you will.

Simple Minds - Belfast Child

Not sure I can get the words right to quantify the inclusion of this one, really. Just a beautiful song that felt right. Lyrically, to me, it always felt like a longing, a sense of loss, giving way to hope of return, restoration, yes resurrection maybe.

John Prine - Jesus The Missing Years

Thrown in as my Dad will be a recipient of the Easter Mix tape (that is a CD) and he really likes John Prine.

Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door

I did briefly consider putting the infamous Warren Zevon recording of this song on, but why not just go with the Dylan original.

A strictly incidental, segue like whimsical song for the soundtrack of Pat Garrett & Billy The Kidd that for some reason has been picked up on by the likes of Zevon and, perhaps more famously, Guns N Roses.

Is it really an Easter song? No, I suppose not, it just felt like it slotted in here.

Genesis - Jesus He Knows Me

The second song ostensibly to do with the phenomenon of TV Evangelists in America, but unlike the Depeche Mode one not a tune open all that much in the way of different interpretations.

Again, probably not overtly an Easter song as such, but then again a good mix has something thrown in for all, and I have every reason to suspect this is a popular song amongst the atheist set.

Original Cast – Superstar

As in Jesus Christ Superstar, with the version used on the mix being from the original “rock opera” rather than the subsequent stage production or film versions.

I would not have thought I’d need to spell out exactly why this song was included on an Easter mix, yeah?

Prince - The Cross

The song that made absolutely certain just about all aspects of life were covered by the genius in his most genius work, 1987’s Sign O The Times.

Many musicians have been blasted for “hypocrisy” for proclaiming a deep faith and living the rock and roll lifestyle. None more than Prince, perhaps. What people don’t get, I think, is that having faith, having belief, does not mean a strict adherence to the rules, regulations and expectations of organized religion.

Strange. In 1987 Prince had a massive audience around the world. That he elected to stray from the safe and convey his faith to them, us as I was one of the many, says much of the depth and strength, indeed the courage of his convictions.

Tin Machine - Bus Stop

Less than two minutes of the boys in the band having fun.

The Stone Roses - I Am The Resurrection

I’ve written so much about this band and this song in particular that I fear there is so very little else to say. If you can be pestered to search through this blog, then read of the euphoria I felt at Heaton Park when they did this; a euphoria that thousands felt with me and one that gives me goosebumps to think back on to this day.

Peter Gabriel - It Is Accomplished

From the album Passion, the soundtrack for the brilliant – and to this day controversial – Martin Scorsese film The Last Temptation Of Christ.

This track, as the name suggests perhaps, comes from the conclusion of the film.. If you have not seen the movie, firstly you are missing out, but mostly it concentrates on just how the Devil may have tempted Jesus to step down from the Cross and not die for the sin of man.

I remember seeing the film at the Dovecot in Stockton, thanks to a very dear and very much missed film taking me along. Also, I was some 2 – 3 years below the required minimum age one should have been to see the movie. I must have looked older, and I do remember someone off of the radio interviewing me after it. Probably one of my first ever radio appearances, if not the first. Quite a few, in answer to your question about how many I have made.

Monty Python - Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

Well what else was I going to finish this mix off with? Again from a soundtrack but from a film quite different to the penultimate track here.

In terms of the English way of doing things, surely there is none more personification of the English sense of humour than to have a group of people being crucified singing this song.

Should for some reason you be unaware of much of any of the above, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian is the film you should be looking for. Perhaps to watch this Easter.

And there you have it, then. Do I have any particular favourites in the above? Well, for those what no me an obvious one or two, but mostly I really like, if not flat love, all of the ones gathered together here today. Mostly I would say regret at ones I could not find space for or simply didn't exist. Of the many Gospel recordings of The King, Elvis Presley, for example, I could not find one which He did that seemed apt for an Easter mix. Egg Man by Beastie Boys came close, but it would have just upset Dad. Further, it was with sadness that I could find nothing suitable by Art Garfunkel, Warren Zevon or Harry Nilsson to put on, although certain religious reasons would probably factor for at least one of them.

Well, that's that. Should you celebrate the days of it may your Easter be peaceful. If not, then may your days over the time be just as equally peaceful.




be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

messages through the conduit of money

heya


over the years i've come to be privy to all sorts of information and details. well, we all have, look you see, but in this instance i mean that for reasons which have never been within my grasp i've defaulted to being some form of confidant for many. whether this is a flattering level of trust and value in me or that it is simply shared by those who would share information "confidentially" with all they met i know not. as i would have no idea as to where to start finding out which it is, let's just move on. or, indeed, not.

here, let's have a look at some money. people quite like money; always have and always will.

yes, quite. that is indeed a formidable wad of £10 notes, or if you like tenners, presented in Commodore 64 mode. sorry for the rather brash and vulgar, if not quite crass, display of personal wealth. i guess i must have been feeling quite flush and full of myself when i took the image.

money has many uses, most of which are practical but some of which are interesting. in a cash form, such as this, it is virtually untraceable. this is quite handy when one has dealings with proprietors or service people who, for whatever private reason, do not wish either taxation authorities or the constabulary to know what exactly they are charging people money for. one must, of course, respect this wish for privacy.

of the quite interesting things one can do with money the relaying of a message is, once again, at the fore of a post here. over the years i have brought you thoughts and images of when someone has passed along a message via the conduit of money, and this post is no different. but first, this.

no, alas, there is nothing wrong with your display screen or vision. that is indeed the Union Jack, or if you like Union Flag, but only not in the traditional red, white and blue that you would associate with it.  as for why it is fluffy, that's because it is a bath mat. a bath mat that i recently washed in a way that saw scant regard or attention to any washing instructions, hence the red running into the white and making it the red, blue and pink version of the flag you see.

what's the difference between a Union Jack and a Union Flag? pedantic types are the best to answer this, but if memory serves correct one only calls it the Jack variation as and when it is on display, or if you like being flown, on a boat or ship. what's the difference between a boat and a ship? pretty easy, really - sometimes you find a boat on a ship, but you'd never find a ship on a boat. well, not in a practical sense. i mean, you might find a ship on a boat, but only temporarily, as and when the ship had done whatever the aquatic equivalent is of running over a boat.

so yes, a message on money. of the rather bourgeois and copious pile of money i showed you earlier, one note had a message written on it. this is yet again, then, someone somehow knowing that i would come into the temporary custodianship of the note and thus felt they should share some words with me.

and here, at last if you have read all of this wondering what the point is, is the message.

quite a peculiar one, this, and nowhere near as straightforward as the post codes or vehicle registration numbers people usually pass on. or maybe it is, really. to my eyes that seems to be saying "66 english". it is no stretch of the imagination, then, to consider that this is referencing the most splendid World Cup victory recorded by the English in 1966.

also, it could be referring to something else entirely i suppose. whilst 66 would be a most peculiar number to write on what many would consider the very personification of decimal currency, it might be that once this note formed an integral part of a substantially bigger wad of cash than what i had, and this was as point of fact note number 66 is the pile.

what's the legal status of sending messages to people via the conduit of banknotes? not as relaxed as you might think. it is a criminal offence, as stipulated in one of the most celebrated works of legislation ever, that magnificent Currency and Banknotes Act 1928. although offenders are rarely arrested and subsequently prosecuted, theoretically you can be. should you be found to be guilty then a custodial sentence is unlikely, but you could face a fine of several hundred pounds.

there are undoubtedly similar laws surrounding the Union Jack / Flag, but it is not like i went ahead and changed the colours on purpose. just south of £6 that bath mat cost me, so it's not like i wished for it to be damaged.

anyway, in Commodore 64 mode the now pink bits look a lot closer to the original white it should be.

the world - in particular the "social media" one of that thing called "the internet" where people with absolutely nothing better to do but whine congregate - is full of crashing bores that claim the Union Jack / Flag is "the ultimate symbol of racism" and should be banned, unless it's being worn or bandied about by nice people, such as Paul McCartney or Her Majesty The Queen. such types may well get their wish if that rather anxious lady gets her wish and Scotland departs the Union represented in this flag to embark on an odyssey of independence. we left behind would have to get rid of the blue, i suppose.

i have the suspicion that, in a rare set of circumstances, this particular post has conveyed some information, knowledge maybe, that's practical, interesting and worth knowing. most unusual indeed, and i hope that those parts have not distracted from the fact that i was quite clearly excited to get handed a banknote what someone had written a message on.

yes, i probably am that pathetic to think that the message was for me, so that i can pretend that some random stranger out there thinks i am of enough value to pass on a message to in this way. one must do what they can, and believe in whatever they like, to get through this life.



be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how will the war with Spain affect my haircare product availability?

hello there


there's a reasonably famous saying, look you see, which says - as a saying would - that the only lesson we, the human race, ever learn from history is that we don't learn from history. an alternate to this is the saying "those who fail to learn from history are damned to repeat it". perhaps the proof of the truth of this is when i mentioned the saying to someone once, and their temper flared up, for they thought i was saying that all people, them specifically, were then stupid. go figure.

you, we and indeed i would like to think we live in more enlightened and learned times. surely we now live in a world where nations - in particular the theoretically civilised and decidedly First World ones of Western Europe, would neither threaten nor risk war for the sake of a land grab. and yet here we are, sowing those very seeds with the Spanish "suggesting" that they might take some, if not all, custodial ownership of the future fate of Gibraltar.

whilst there has not been a great deal of sabre waving about this, so there's no need to panic. this, however, is exactly how major armed conflicts have commenced in the past. too late it was to say "hang on" when motions and movements seemed not to be too threatening to the status quo. warning signs are an awful lot easier to dismiss or ignore than they are to respond to.

one would hope diplomacy would win this day. alas, no. diplomacy without common sense tends not to be diplomatic, thus destined if not quite doomed to fail. from our side we of course throw Boris Johnson at international relations. the problem with this not so much any number of elements you may have come to mind when you consider Boris Johnson, but that in effect he is the intellectual and political superior to the overwhelming majority of his counterparts in Europe and across the world. you would be entitled to feel as though you need time to let that sink in.

i would like to think that the EU, in its infinite wisdom relating to self-preservation, would block the Spanish from making any doomed to failure attempts to grab Gibraltar long before the nation disgraced itself on the battlefield against superior forces. this would be, from the EU, less about respecting the wishes of the people of Gibraltar to remain British and more so as not to suggest to certain Bavarian members that European land grabs are now something accepted. with our working knowledge of how the EU does things, however, we must be prepared for this form of check and balance being absent.

quite a few people would be concerned that war with Spain - no matter how brief - would once again see a threat to the supply of courgettes and variations of lettuce to our shelves again. the big concern for me, however, is whether or not my access to quality haircare products would be affected. i have done some provisional investigation, then.

shampoo was my first point of call, then. regular readers here will know that, despite some experimentation with brands that are offered cheap, for the most part i stick to the "Garnier Blends" ones, as they are more likely to have lemon in them. lemon is, of course, an ingredient to shampoo introduced by Jason Donovan in the 80s, and i have sworn by it since as a consequence.

although the Blends brand has always promoted itself as being "blended for Britain" it has never once declared that it was actually blended in Britain. cause for worry, then. but, no, for as you can see it is in fact made in Italy. that, to me, says we are good here. should the Spanish wish to embarrass themselves by pitting their military might against us, i cannot see the flow of shampoo from Italy to here being interrupted.

was i really worried that my shampoo might be Spanish? not really, but it is always far safer to check these things. just because the Spanish, historically, have never really been associated with quality hair (except for him, that singer, Julio something. and Seve the golfer) does not mean that they couldn't make products suitable for haircare. you can, after all, lead the horse to water, etc.

two potential grey areas in the above, then. whilst i don't believe a few hours of war to get Spain to understand they are punching well out of their weight will not do all that much damage to international supplies of haircare products, it is all the same quite worrying that neither of the above give any indication of where the products are made.

admittedly Lynx is less a haircare product and more of a pheromone thing which facilitates attraction for verminous, feral teenagers in heat, but i still like using it. i don't care if no one over the age of 16 is actually supposed to use the stuff, i simply have a preference for it rather than more grown up ones. and weirdly no, i do not tend to attract feral teenagers in heat, so maybe i am using it wrong. and will continue to use it wrong, just in case.

Schwarzkopf sounds a little German or perhaps Hebrew, and i think is the name of that smart American military leader during the first Gulf War. well, first Gulf War of recent history. what it doesn't sound is Spanish, which could be a very good thing in terms of getting it during the war ahead. not that i use this product much at all, if ever, as it is "hair glue". why do i have it? the tin is Australian Gold in colour.

in terms of securing my supply of haircare products during Britain's war with Spain over Gibraltar this tin of hairspray is a right f*****g mess, to be sure. i mean, just look at that - UK website, French street address, declaration of being German made.

we can, i trust, take for a given that the authorities will ensure that UK made products flow freely in the UK during the conflict with the Spanish. also, the French involvement and subsequent levels of success in aggressive land grab related conflicts across continental Europe is well documented and needs no further discussion. this just leaves us with our friends in Germany, then.

my understanding is that Germany knows little and cares less about Gibraltar, an area of Europe which they refer to as Berg der Masturbierenden Affen in passing. Germany on the whole quite likes us here in Britain, despite one or two minor disagreements in the past. i suspect that they find some of the peculiar quirks and ways of the Spanish just as entertaining as we do, and as a consequence will happily sit this one out but not hesitate to make sure we - i - get the right quality of hairspray shipped in during the battles.

finally, and thankfully, my penchant for supermarket own brand hair gel was investigated. boss, both of them are - each jar comes at a cost which is south of 50p, so i wish you could eat the stuff. both brands, despite different colours, are as you can sort of see made in the UK. my supply of hair gel is thus pretty decidedly safe during our time of war with the Spanish, no matter how many hours it takes us to conquer.

and yes, that is indeed a reflection of me in at least one jar, so as to give an air of authenticity to the fact that i, personally, carried out this research myself for you.

with regards to why Spain would want to risk political and military humiliation in making a grab for Gibraltar, this is quite easy to understand. in their coverage of the disagreement the BBC have show people attempting to smuggle thousands of packets of cigarettes from Gibraltar into Spain by shoving them in all possible parts of a car you can. should i have control of a country then i, too, would totally seek to invade and colonise a country where you could get cheap fags, if for some reason that was easier than wielding my political power to simply reduce the cost of them in the nation what i ruled.

so there we go. whilst i have every confidence that a combination of the diplomatic skill and prowess of Boris Johnson, a State visit by a low key member of the Royal Family and the harsh realities of inevitable failure being apparent to Spain will win the day, it seems that in a worst case i will still have no problem having access to my preferred haircare products.



be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the conditional book reviews

Hello Reader


Whilst I freely admit to having any number of considerations when selecting a book to read it’s not really the case that any of them are complex or demanding to fulfil. Indeed price is most decidedly a determination when taking a chance on something, but I will pay whatever rate is put in front of me for my favourite authors, look you see.

The main expectation I have is that the novel should be self-contained. This is to say that it should make clear whether or not it is part of a series, and I should not need to have any specifically researched knowledge or information at hand in order to understand or appreciate it. Not too demanding, I think.

With that in mind, then, here I am, apparently reviewing one book which is number 14 in a series, and one book which perhaps benefits from some level of prior knowledge.

A quick, spoiler free overview for those of you in something of a rush? Sure. A Time Of Torment by John Connolly is the 14th novel proper (there’s been a couple of short stories here and there) to feature detective Charlie Parker as the protagonist. It’s one of the best ones of the series. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll at times feels like a homage to the early works of Bret Easton Ellis, but ultimately is quite a thought provoking, troubling novel.

Right, as ever a fabulous, colourful *** SPOILER WARNING *** is ahead of you for the rest of this post, so you’ve been most decidedly warned. Also, all links are for ease of reference, and are no endorsement or affiliation of mine. Although I am considering switching on ads here, Magic tells me I could earn some formidable coin by doing so.

Provenance of my copy of A Time Of Torment by John Connolly? It was a most kind and very welcome birthday gift off of my family, the 3 who form the 75% of my immediate family who you all like and prefer to me, which is understandable.

Plot? You remember the spoiler warning, yeah? Well here that relates to the previous 13 novels featuring the main character. Charlie Parker is about as recovered from the near fatal attack as he ever will be, and is using his time on earth to seek out those who have committed great evils and somehow escaped. Not that he delivers a form of justice himself as such, but he does present the guilty with the option of surrendering to the authorities or face horrors far worse than they have inflicted.

Parker still does detective work, as and when it appeals. He is intrigued when someone who was once hailed as a hero but was convicted for rather disturbing crimes approaches him. He claims to be innocent of what he was charged with, but no longer cares – he just cares that two other people, absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing, have been harmed as a consequence and he wants them to be helped or at the least their fate found. Parker agrees, and sets off to find out what happens.

This is a really, really, really good novel. It would work in its own right, but alas it is not and I suspect one would have to have a working knowledge of the previous books to follow many aspects of the narrative. In a refreshing change the whole thing is in flat third person, rather than the alternating first / third person Connolly has done with the last few. The character Parker is also allowed to do some clear, crystal cut detective work, something that was the initial appeal of the series and something that has perhaps become a bit clouded in the last few.

Quite harrowing and dark at places, ultimately as I suggested at this is a brilliant read. The only real problem I have is the title of it. For some reason John Connolly has gotten very excited about alliteration of late, what with this, A Wolf In Winter and the upcoming A Game Of Ghosts. This novel should have been called, for reasons all too clear as and when you read, The Dead King. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if someone picked this up to film as a standalone thing and named the movie adaptation that.

There is, I believe, a film version on the way of Luckiest Girl Alive. Good, I say. As easy as this is to say, I handled correctly it could well be a very powerful and important film. But that’s for another day, here we are with the book.

Provenance of my copy? Tesco, by the look of it, on the cheap or part of a 2 for ₤7 deal. Other than the striking cover, what drew me to select it was that it had been quite heavily promoted, and suggested for people who loved The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins. As that was one of the finest novels I read, off I went and got it.

Plot? Difficult to say without giving much away, as much of my conversation or comments about it will be tricky. Here goes. Our narrator is 28 year old Ani. She’s a successful writer at a top magazine, and is soon to be married to a rather wealthy, well to do suitor. At the same time, she has agreed to be part of a documentary about what happened to and around her in her youth. These are harrowing, torturous and shocking things in themselves, but there is worse in the aftermath. Do be warned, for this is stuff tough for those who are usually difficult to unsettle.

Again, I am keen to avoid spoilers or giving too much away. I can’t really discuss much of the plot or events, then. I would say, however, that if you are aware of interviews Jessica Knoll has given then you are prepared for some of what you will face in the book.

My initial reaction, to the first few chapters, was that this was all some sort of homage to Bret Easton Ellis, in particular the more college based Less Than Zero and Rules of Attraction. The characters certainly seemed to inhabit the same sense of living. Rather than rip-off I suspected that this tone was deliberate, echoing a comment on aspects of American society from some 30 years ago to show that it prevails today. My take would be that this is right.

Again, skirting around anything that would distract your own reading, for me the most interesting dynamic I can speak of is the narrative style. It’s first person, and we well and truly do have an unreliable narrator. However, and yes perhaps as was the case with The Girl On The Train, it’s the reasons around why the narrator is unreliable that makes it so effective. Broadly, it’s not deliberately unreliable. That sounds confusing, but you know what I mean, kind of.

The subject matter of Luckiest Girl Alive is dark, harrowing but also topical – as much in America as it is around the world. In this day and age of blink and you miss it, sensationalised “clickbait” poorly done news, I would suggest that this novel is highly insightful and gives one much to think about and dwell upon.

You see, look, this is tricky to conclude. These are two brilliant novels that I would not hesitate to recommend or otherwise endorse. It’s just that one kind of needs you to have read 13 books before it (which I have, over the last 17 or so years), and the other is likely to trouble and upset people, having the confront things that perhaps normally they would turn the page on. But, hey, you’re grown up enough to use the internet, so you can make your own mind up. If my comments have somehow helped in deciding, well then so much the better.

Fate has taken me to Tesco a number of times in the last few weeks. As they would appear to have a special promotion where they sell selected titles for ₤2 a go each week I have a formidable stockpile of books to get through This is quite handy, as the cigarette counter at Morrisons seems to have given up on selling them.

Thanks, as ever and very much, for reading.



be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on the road with Spiros

hello there


it would, look you see, be my intention to post or if you like publish this one on 1st April. this is in keeping with my fascination of making sure i post something on the first day of each month. i am aware that this particular first is associated with pranks and jokes; indeed i have engaged in such merriment from time to time. to that end, i would say that it's just a happy accident.

my dear friend Spiros has, once again, been called upon to perform his specialist services around the world. the most splendid part of this is that it would normally mean i get some smart fags off of him off of places where they are cheaper. this is most appreciated indeed. also appreciated, however, are the many images he sends along to me. not all of them, and this may be quite the surprise to his many admirers, feature either spew, tramps, taxi drivers that he has had fisticuffs with or a combination thereof.

let me prove, or if you are adamant in your convictions disprove, this with the most recent of images he has sent on to me. i assume he is ok with me sharing them, he did not say not to so i will take that as tacit agreement to do so.

indeed yes, the above are some Communist era Russia, or if you like Soviet Union, badges. and indeed no, not a great deal of the life and profession of Spiros screams "Communism" as such, but aside from that he really does enjoy bonding with fellow men of a similar mind.

provenance of these badges? somewhere towards the eastern parts of Eastern Europe, at a guess. i mean, i don't know, in truth. he does mention in passing where in the world he is, but it's difficult to keep track. to be honest i am rather more interested in reading of his exploits in performing as the greatest legal mind of his generation than i am in worrying about exactly where he is doing it all.

that said, i am almost certain that this next one is in London, or some other such place where they have one of them smart Hard Rock Cafe places for patrons to meet and admire rock memorabilia. 

yes, just behind what appears to be a family photo of Michael Jackson you are seeing that most rarest of things - a bit of Kiss merchandising. much of the celebration of the band Kiss rounds if not focuses on the "gently gently" approach they took to marketing themselves. some have accused the band of sticking their name on absolutely everything they can think of so as to extract every single coin of money they can off of their fans, but that's just nitpicking.

this bit of merchandising would appear to be a statue one can make of Peter Criss, or possibly Eric Carr, or any one of the 28 or so drummers what Kiss has had. i am almost certain that it is Peter Criss, but maybe it's Eric. who knows? if you are a Kiss fan i am sure you do.

now then, right. before we get to the next image i would like to stress that Spiros, as the greatest legal mind of his generation, uses the power of conversation, knowledge, discourse and evidence in achieving results for those who pay a handsome fee for his services. you should not interpret the below as in any way reflecting on his consummate professional approach, most of the time.

 

oh yes, that is a real one, only one of them what has been "decommissioned"  or whatever it is you call it when they fiddle with it so that it doesn't do what it was designed to do any more. remove the firing pin, probably. here's hoping no one works out how to put it back in.

Spiros is indeed giving consideration to getting one of these. the main barrier preventing it is that he's not sure it's a viable tax write off, and for some reason there's a lot of fuss about what you can and cannot move across borders these days. he had such a headache shipping his hefty arsenal before that i am not sure he wants to arrange for it all again.

are there any instances in which Spiros would consider firearms to be the most suitable, if not straightforward, way to resolve a legal matter? possibly, and unrelated to that here is an image of someone driving around with his name on the back of their vehicle.

the above was spotted, and kindly sent on, by my brother. nice one Rich, cheers. yes, that sticker does indeed say Spiros, but no it is not the one, true Spiros driving around like that. Spiros doesn't go around advertising himself and his services. if you want to employ his services you must contact him like what people did when they wanted to hire The A Team off of The A Team. or, if you like, drop me a message and i would forward on your request for an invitation.

back to travels that Spiros actually took then, and a gander a quite an interesting, if not exotic but very possibly broad minded stall he stumbled upon at a market.

i have every assurance from Spiros that yes, the proprietor of the above market stall was indeed selling items from both Third Reich Germany and Communist Russia, or if you like the USSR. commerce is the goal, it would seem, and the gent in charge appears to have no concern or qualm about selling any items that any person would want. presumably, anyway, history buffs who like trinkets would have an interest in either or both sides of this story.

it might well be the case that i could be the recipient of one of the items you see on the stall. no, nit the Nazi alarm clock, thank you very much. after sending me this picture Spiros was going off to have a look at the watches. he reckons that if he saw one which might have been worn by a KGB officer, or some similar member of the Communist party, he would hesitate to get it for me. nice one, man. and nice one even if you don't; for it is the thought that counts.

let's wrap this up, then, with a return to a gander at more items on display within the Hard Rock Cafe in London, or whichever one it is what Spiros went to.

yes, that is yet another framed image of Michael Jackson, and indeed that is a sign indicating the direction in which rock stars, or most probably the chauffeurs of rock stars, may park the Rolls Royce cars of the rock stars going about their day to day business.

it is highly likely, however, that the point of focus of this picture intended by Spiros is the statue, or if you are of such a mind effigy, of The King, Elvis Presley which stands proudly on the top of that cabinet.

and there we go, not a particularly great deal i can add to this beyond the most sincere and the most many thanks to Spiros for these pictures off of his adventures. and, but of course, to Richard too for sending on the image of the tribute to Spiros.



be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!