11 April 2010

11/04/10

The last execution for witchcraft in Germany was in 1775.  The inaugural concert at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw was in 1888.  Fifty-one tornadoes in six states on Palm Sunday in 1965 left 256 people dead.  Three hundred police and 65 civilians were injured during riots in Brixton in 1981.

Born today:  Peter Riegert (1947), Neville Staple (1955), Stuart Adamson (1958-2001), Jeremy Clarkson (1960) and Anton Glanzelius, the cute little boy from Mitt liv som hund, turns 36 today.  Boy do I feel old.

It is Juan Santamaría Day in Costa Rica.

59 comments:

  1. Fab photo again Montana.

    Happy birthday Jeremy Clarkson whose holiday guide to Rotherham remains one of the funniest things I've ever seen (friendly local to Clarkson dressed as John Travolta: 'Fook off poof').

    My friend Leopold posted this earlier on the DM thread -

    'Leopold1904
    11 Apr 2010, 7:51AM


    Matt Seaton says of Nap

    "I'm truly touched by your concern for the welfare of Ukip and the BNP. I'm sure Messrs Griffin and Farage and their respective colleagues will be grateful for your solidarity and support."

    Mr Seaton, you owe Nap (and others) an apology and I have just asked for your abusive comment on him to be deleted.

    I am part of that small minority on Cif that actually wants to read what Denis MacShane says - but he is bang out of order with this one. This is on several levels a crass piece and unworthy of Mr MacShane, though still not as crass and unworthy as your personal abuse of posters.

    You should be ashamed of yourself.'

    Anyone else see current Private Eye on the departure of Carolyn McCall? The Eye says that her policy of not charging for online content has left the Guardian 'swimming' in debt. That would explain why Matt Seaton is worried, but his rudeness is completely uncalled for.

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  2. Morning all! Well, after ditching a party last night because I felt so bleah, had a quiet evening and an early night, and this is quite strong coffee, so I'm doing my impression of the dog in 'Up!' again - ooh, squirrel! - and feeling very chipper. Hope everyone is well.

    Paul - keep posting.

    BB - re Brit School - I don't think he'd be unhappy there - if he's had problems with bullying before, doubt that would happen, most of the kids would be too busy being self-obsessed and doing their hair to pick on people - he's more likely to develop a healthy sense of contempt for the Cowell-esque popster-pap that seems to be their USP, and thus dig himself out a satisfyingly cynical crediblism. If that's a word. Thing is, as Bitterweed says, if he's actually good, and doesn't want to be in musicals or the next Katie Melua (and one is f-ing enough, frankly), there might not be much point...It's a stage school on a large scale, basically, with all the luvvy pretension that entails. So maybe worth looking at it to give him a laugh... Once GCSEs are out of the way, are there any 6th form colleges that might suit him better? Also, some unis run summer schools introducing kids to particular subjects (particularly science) so if he's into any particular subject, maybe worth considering that, might give him access to it with people who are less likely to be arseholes...All depends what he wants to get into - family friend did sound/music recording somewhere, which would be both a saleable skill and was personally useful, and course largely populated by the like-minded, which makes life a lot easier...

    Boy, now am giving unsolicited advice on things I know nothing about. Am clearly on a roll, must go lay down the law on a suitable thread.

    Squirrel!

    Ahem.

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  3. Edwin - I said a word or two to Matt aswell. That comment to NK was completely uncalled-for.

    Philippa - any advice from anybody is welcome! I don't want to be the showbiz mum pushing him too hard, but on the other hand he is a brilliant guitarist and needs encouragement.

    He is also shit-hot at science too but, as yet, doesn't see himself working in the field.

    Still, at least he has moved on from his ambition of living in a VW camper and busking for a living...

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  4. BB - family friend's parents sighed a bit when he announced his course choice, as they suspected (rightly) he was doing it solely to be able to put his band's music into listenable form (which would have taken more than a decent engineer, trust me), but it turned out to be v hot on the electronics and engineering and physics of it, so he actually ended up learning 'useful' stuff almost inadvertently. heh heh. El Eng probably more 'academic' but lead into the same line of work for some other mates - apart from the one who then did a masters in computer game coding (really - Hull, I think) and now does somethingg I don't understand for Sony that involves coming up with ever more inventive ways for heroes to beat the crap out of baddies in computer games.

    He said he was a bit worried when the 'football game' team came to ask his 'kicky-punchy' team's advice on possibly 'coding in' some of their work. Turns out they were trying to make bicycle kicks etc more impressive, rather than offering a 'mass brawl' option. But that wasn't really explained initially, which I understand lead to some confusion, and a rather badly-received presentation...

    Am waiting on Jess to reply to a pitch at present - a funny - if not taken up, will post on UT2 for some giggles (hopefully).

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  5. BB your boy is good at science and a good guitarist? He can do both surely - Brian May has done not too bad!

    Our 10-year-old loves music but hated performing in public and you can't force it. I do extra work occassionally and the agency pleaded to put her on the books when they saw her so she said yes and can be seen strangling a fluffy rabbit behind Robert Carlyle in a hospital scene in an awful movie.

    A few months ago she played a wee transcription of the Ode to Joy at a Scotland/Bangladesh cultural event at the Gaelic school and went down a storm especially with the Bengali mums, so she is getting used to it.

    You can't be pushy, but have to be encouraging. It's all very hard!

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  6. Philippa

    It is amazing how people can manage to make a lucrative job out of a hobby they love. I have an american acquaintance who was obsessed with arcade games who is now a very successful importer/distributor of said games machines.

    Look forward to reading your piece either on CiF or on UT2.

    Will be popping in and out today - got a bit of work to do and a friend coming over for roast pork this evening so I need to at least make an effort to tidy the house a bit!

    Luckily it's the sort of friend who doesn't give a shit if there is a pile of trainers in the hallway and various other essential teenage clothing items dotted all over the place, as long as we get to have a good evening together...

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  7. It appears that the Editor of CiF had quaffed a few too many glasses of 1988 Chateau Latife last night and gone a bit squiffy at the proles BTL who dared to pull the Guardian's made man McShane up for his usual rhetorical merde.

    I can't be arsed looking, but how many contraventions of the 10 CiF moderating commandments (chiseled into marble by Lithuanian builders for a great price) did the Editor make do you think?

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  8. "...Still, at least he has moved on from his ambition of living in a VW camper and busking for a living..."

    Hopefully he will see the error of his way and return to his ideals..........complete with Red Setter. A good looking dog always attracts an audience.

    The way this world is heading he might be of the last generation to even contemplate the life of the wandering minstrel.

    If the home educating is working, as I'm sure it will be, armed with curiosity and the modern access to the knowledge and information the VW university study room is not to be sniffed at (and the views and noises out of the window can be amazing).

    Enthusiasm and curiosity, the foundation of the greats. Given these the lad can't fail but educate himself in the essentials and the importants.

    Plenty of time to go to a conventional Uni later.

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  9. "...Still, at least he has moved on from his ambition of living in a VW camper and busking for a living..."

    Hopefully he will see the error of his way and return to his ideals..........complete with Red Setter. A good looking dog always attracts an audience.

    The way this world is heading he might be of the last generation to even contemplate the life of the wandering minstrel.

    If the home educating is working, as I'm sure it will be, armed with curiosity and the modern access to the knowledge and information the VW university study room is not to be sniffed at (and the views and noises out of the window can be amazing). The lad can't fail but educate himself.

    Enthusiasm and curiosity, and a spell on the road, are good for sorting the unessentials from the necessaries in life. It all adds to making a solid foundation on which to build a happy and cooperative life.

    Plenty of time to go to a conventional Uni later.

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  10. WTF - posts coming and going.....

    I'll decide which of the above to delete when I return from a walk.

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  11. Some Brilliant music this am!

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  12. "complete with red setter..."

    very important, the dog. my mate who still (I believe) lives on a 'hulk' (ongoing project) on the northern canal network was definitely less troubled when a relationship broke up with the loss of boyfriend (who name I never learned) than the thought that the dog (whose name I did know but have forgotten) might depart also. Was delighted dog decided that river living and busking was more fun than joining a commune...

    4000 words down. head swimming. time to geet up properly.

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  13. Afternoon All!

    Just caught up on the last couple of days' threads - very interesting even if mostly over my head. Will also have to get on to the choons later on. (Note to BW: it is standard practice around here to issue a warning when linking to country. Please fall into line.)

    BB

    Luckily it's the sort of friend who doesn't give a shit if there is a pile of trainers in the hallway and various other essential teenage clothing items dotted all over the place, as long as we get to have a good evening together...

    Is there another sort of friend? I only have that sort through necessity.

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  14. I really fear what's going to happen in the Middle East and probably elsewhere too, if the Israeli government insist on going ahead with this.

    IDF order will enable mass deportation from West Bank

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  15. God, Sheff, I can't bring myself to click on that link.

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  16. Thank you very much eveyone, re what Matt Seaton said to me.

    I was very tempted just to tell him to Fuck Off, but decided no, better to be polite and remain undeleted.

    Many of us objected that he shoehorned domestic electioneering into a thread in commemoration of the dead.
    There is a reason why we cifers often call him Mcshameless.

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  17. Blimey, Sheff

    That infringes just about every international and humanitarian law I can think of.

    What on earth do they think they are doing? Are they seriously trying to provoke an international incident?

    Jeez.

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  18. NKZ

    I really don't know what Matt thought he was doing - he has a particular role and as such he has to be seen to be working within his own rules of posting. Attacking posters directly is something that would get most people zapped straight away.

    The mind boggles.

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  19. Right - I need to get off my bottom and do stuff instead of posting. I have managed to finish my work, which is good (and means that my hearing in the immigration tribunal is likely to last no more than 10 minutes tomorrow, with a bit of luck, thanks to my leet research skills), but I can't put the rest of the housework off any longer. Sigh.

    BBL x

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  20. Anyway, it is too nice a day to be in front of the computer all day. I will check back this evening.

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  21. Sheff

    I have been wondering just what Nettie would do to spark violence and social breakdown in WB. - Israel is terrified of Fayyad's plan to declare UDI next year.

    Gaza blockaded - north & south and to the sea . The possibility is that both WBers and Gazans will rise up - The Gazans have only one way out and that is through the estern fence into south Israel.

    There will have to be intervention before this scheme is implemented - it will have to be stopped.

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  22. I find things in I/P incredibly depressing - have Nettie and his fellow travellers always been mad or have they just gone mad in their old age?

    What the hell will they unleash with this move?

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  23. Just testing:
    ☻ ☺ ☻☺

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  24. There. Housework done. Lesson plans for the week sorted. Pork in the oven. Beer in the glass.

    Sorted....

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  25. Deano

    Got the message

    " Men and women singing in the sunshine "

    Indeed we are
    xx

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  26. leni You got it in one girl! xx.

    Shaz You saw the source very quickly.

    As I have said before we learn something new on here most days..... I've only just come across the map ..... it don't appear to take an amplification by bolding. Still there is a lot of characters to play with.

    Perhaps we could all agree on a universal symbol for tosser!

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  27. ۞ .....might do if only we could enlarge it and it would no cause offence to any of our friends.........

    ....apparently it's the arabic symbol for Rub el Hizb

    Rub el Hizb


    Your right, the sun has got to me - time to take the dogs for a walk.

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  28. You can enlarge it to read, by pressing CTRL and + several times and then CTRL and - to reverse the enlargement.

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  29. OK, you've all probably heard this already, but it tickled me - Michael Caine is voting Tory?

    "I only told you to rip the bloody poor off!"

    A-, and indeed, -hem.

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  30. Deano

    My very first thought was - "This is Deano - dreams of Deano and lady on grassy bank making sweet music together beneath sunny skies "

    Forgive me if wrong.

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  31. Celebs who endorse and vote Tory enter my conciousness and become unpleasant non people thereafter...Cilly Black, Kenny Everett, Kenneth Williams to name but a few others..

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  32. Leni ......truth be known there was a little of that in it....

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  33. ....and that 'wegian cow Lulu endorsed Thatcher...

    Anybody know any others? I'm sure others will come back to me as I'm cooking me dinner.

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  34. ..and that turd from Corrie ...Ken Barlow?

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  35. ..and the tax evading diddler Ken Dodd....

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  36. Up until the 80s. you took it for granted that most if not all comedians such as Eric Morecambe were Tory at least - even wee Arthur Askey, in an unguarded and viperish moment, said he wanted a machine gun to deal with the new wave of comedians - and he wasn't being funny.

    I remember being really annoyed with Everett when he appeared with those big hands at the Tory conference - surely he was one of us not one of them! Billy Connolly defended him strongly but the Big Man sticks by his mates.

    I think it's an old truth that comedians tend to be establishment figures really - humour is a very good weapon for putting down the impudent, and tyrants have always relished wee love slaps from safe comics - the old USSR was stuffed with official 'comedians' who made 'daring' jokes about the rulers. The real (and often very good) jokes were never of course officially aired.

    To be fair to Lulu, she was brought up - like me - in a Glasgow in which the Tories were actually a strong force and even ran the council - but on reflection I think she was a Catholic wasn't she, and the Scots Tories in those days were often rabidly sectarian - I give up on whatever point I was trying to make there!

    The old guard of Scottish comedians were pretty damn right wing, and I think this is part of what makes Frankie Boyle so dangerous - he always seems on the verge of saying something really unsayable from the fringes of right-wing anarchy.

    Maybe worth remembering that no left-wing comic could ever pull off that stunning Bernard Manning coup de theatre on the Falklands veterans in his audience - 'So let's hear it for Juan and Diego!"

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  37. ....and that shit Chef Anthony Worrel ??.... and that third class taff Cambridge engineer Carol Vorderman.....

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  38. Edwin

    "...I remember being really annoyed with Everett when he appeared with those big hands at the Tory conference - surely he was one of us not one of them! ..."

    It was exactly the memory of that image which started my rant - cheers bro.

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  39. Your right - the off stage lives of funny men is oft eerily odd.

    Dinner ready, time to eat.

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  40. The right wing tory voting scumbag Jim Davidison might get close

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  41. Thanks for all yesterday's choons, BW, navro, Jay et al. Especially the Lhasa de Sela - superb.

    (NOT the Willie Nelson, obviously.)

    The Street of Crocodiles bit was fascinating in a sinister way, too.

    -----------

    Can't remember any sleb that I've liked who's come out as a Tory/Republican voter.

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  42. God that took me back - some drama set in Leeds on the telly....the "Hyde Park Cinema" used in the set was just below my attic (garret) flat window....

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  43. Deano: of Leeds are shaped by this graphiti:

    Yesterday I could not even spell "ENGINEER". Today I are one.

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  44. Hmm, the start of my post

    My memories

    has gone down the memory hole

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  45. They even had the Leeds City trams in the proper livery in the drama. (probably filmed here:

    Class trams

    Took me back to being a small boy, and then to puberty.

    It was riding around on the rattling old red trams with ladies struggling to get on and off with heavy shopping bags, and accidently crashing into me, that lead me to understand that ladies had delightfully soft bits.

    I have been a fan of ladies and red things ever since. If you look carefully at the photo (in the museum) you can see the graceful curve of the staircase up to the smoking deck. For an awestruck boy to follow a lady up those stairs whilst the tram swayed around.......bliss pure bliss.

    Ah BBC drama... the stuff of happy memories - well worth the licence fee.

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  46. Well ....if I ever won big on the lottery I could see me living out me time in a 1930's Leeds tram.

    What a superb caravan one would make - an upstairs with curved glass windows. What woman could resist an invitation to take the view from the upper saloon........bliss pure bliss...

    I could even put a kennel for Mungo in the luggage space beneath the stairs...double bliss pure double bliss.

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  47. Cheers Medve!

    Bloody engines are nuts - I even came across a site for collectors of exotic slide rules the other day!

    What power a lad who could use a slide rule yielded when I was a kid.

    Then I recall sensing the world was about to change............ a TI (Texas Instrument) calculator which was programmable and had 64 discrete memories came my way....

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  48. ........and we should never forget that, like father like son, bastard Blair endorsed Thatcher...

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  49. Well midnight and I'm the only one on line - so I get to be the first visitor of the new day and to say.....it's good night from me

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  50. Good night to the other two who have just logged in

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  51. Good night Deano, just back from the pub.

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  52. Hi Montana

    I wanted to say Hi earlier on Cif but i didn,t want
    any awkwardness.

    It,s the graveyard shift here in the UK so only us night workers are around.


    I,m too proud a man to come back to UT because i
    crossed a line with people-100% my fault irrespective
    of what,s going on in my life-so no matter how
    forgiving people are i know the spontaneity is
    gone forever and there,s fuck all i can do about
    that.I,m soon going to only be able to post on Cif
    at weekends.However if we are on the same threads
    ever will say 'hi' and hope you will accept it in the
    spirit it,s given.Plus if any fuckwits on Cif
    ever slag UT off i,ll put them straight-no worries
    about that.You take care.

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  53. Paul

    Outbursts of anger are spontaneous. Apologies and forgiveness are forever.

    Why only the weekend - are your working hours changing ?

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  54. Paul my friend, if you are big enough to recognise when you fell over your tongue that's half the battle won.

    If your then big and wise enough to apologise, and mean it, then the war's over - enjoy the peace. There is no reason why you shouldn't continue to contribute interesting comments here.

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  55. Paul--Good morning, how's it going? Methinks you manned up and said sorry and should post if and when you feel like it. Read many of your posts on CiF and you haven't come across as an angry man. I was surprised the other day, as were others, to read what you said. Struck me as being out of character, but how well can we know another person online? Anyway no hard feelings here. Peace to you.

    Greetings to all, lurkers too.

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  56. Thanks Guys

    Big respect especially to you Boudican.I deleted the
    comments and all i can say is you,re a bigger man
    than me.Don,t want to go into too many details
    but a combination of a massive sleep deficit
    and too much alcohol and caffiene led to me
    blowing a gasket.A story to tell the grandkids
    when i,m in my dotage perhaps !Anyway all the best
    and catch up with you sometime.

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