Saturday, April 28, 2007

We Hunger *

"They tell me that if they lose weight their husbands will leave them because everyone knows that in Mauritania men prefer a fat woman."

A BBC correspondent explains why nomadic Mauritanian parents - usually mothers - force feed their daughters. The correspondent states that one of the main reasons for this tradition being under threat is the proliferation of reality TV programmes from Lebanon which are now so popular among the country's female youth.

*Siouxsie and the Banshees

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Friday, April 27, 2007

My Evil Is Strong *

Now, The Big Blowdown doesn't like making fun when violence and murder is involved, but... is there a correlation between the different stages of a trial and hairstyles. I offer you the following:

Day after commiting murder:

Awaiting trial:
Trial begins
I think that his lawyers have had a word.

*Tricky

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Thursday, April 26, 2007

Something and Nothing *

Things that I really should have been blogging about recently:

  • Can't believe I haven't yet mentioned the wonderful - but far too few - days that the boy and I spent with Mr & Mrs TNR a few weeks back. The food was truly amazing - even the rolls and slice!
  • Crapping my pants when the boy found out about this blog - I love ya wee man, even if your Scottish accent sounds like something from over the Irish Sea!
  • A whole week of bliss with JJ in which we done lots and lots and lots - in fact, read all about it here and here and here and here! For those who read her account, I did not have a strop and nor did I have two strops - I like to think of it as me having had two strange competitive moments while drinking lots and doing a quiz!
  • Spending an amazingly brilliant couple of days with Marc and D, during which D attended the best game of football she has ever been to!
  • The evening I just spent with JJ which was, as always, so lovely, funny, romantic, deep and meaningful and filled with lovely food and drink from here.
  • Celtic winning the league - easily the worst title winners of all time of anywhere in the world ever! But isn't Naka truly gifted?
  • Walking home after midnight last night from New Cross to Brockley and finding lots of smoke in the air and lots of fire engines racing everywhere and nearly being knocked down by a speeding police care screeching down Telegraph Hill and then getting to work this morning and finding out about this. And then reading a quote from a local resident who said that he heard a loud bang, looked out the window, saw a warehouse engulfed in flames, went outside to video it on his mobile and then phoned for the emergency services - a sign of the times indeed!
  • The fact that I hate public transport in London during rush hour in the mornings.
  • The fact that I love it when I can get from north-west London to my house in south-east London outside of rush hour on public transport in less than 30 minutes door to door like I did after waving JJ off tonight.
  • Seeing that Kevin Tihista video over at C&S - must download everything this guy has ever made!
  • Breaking my personal rule of never giving money to jakies - err, I mean street drinkers - as I admired the guy's honesty when asking when he said that he really wanted the money "cos it's fuckin' roastin' and ahm gasping fer a Diamond White!"

I've probably missed some things off here, but that will do for now!

*Wedding Present - fucking annoying how they used to do those strictly 40 minutes' sets, dontcha think?

P.S. Forgot to mention moving house next week - that's pretty major!

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Friday, April 13, 2007

Vicar In A Tutu *

This nut job, who I think I mentioned many moons ago, sometimes drinks in my local. He was last heard of accepting free pints of Guinness down the Amersham Arms on St Patrick's Day and, in return, would do some Irish dancing in the middle of the A2. I don't know if he has a mental illness and I'm not one for making fun of the mentally ill or about peoples' lifestyles, but this fruitcake really ought to be locked up cos he's a menace to society.

*The Smiths

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Too Drunk To Fuck *

This reminds me of those old Tennent's lager cans. Fucking sexist crap then and fucking sexist crap now. But, is it any better or worse than all those mindless lad mags that are around? Discuss!

*Dead Kennedys

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Oh My Golly *

This is the form which the Indian government has asked all civil servants to fill in as part of their annual medical. Check out the information that women employees have to give at the top of page 58. Funny? Nah, fucking outrageous more like!

UPDATE: The storm which erupted over this has forced the Indian government to withdraw that particular request for information.

*Pixies

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Love und Romance*

Can't remember if JJ has mentioned our trip to see her beloved Northampton take on Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road last weekend. But, anyway, very enjoyable it was. Well, steak the night before was enjoyable, as was the copious quantities of wine we had. And the walk along the river on the morning of the match was nice - hey, just remembered now, she mentioned the walk along the river at Greenwich the day before but never mentioned this one, harrumph! - as we took in Limehouse and surrounding areas before having lunch at the Grapes, sitting next to another group of Cobblers fans. So off to the match we go in plenty of time for having a pint in Leyton before kick off - or so we thought. One pub in the fucking area and that looked a right dive and it was packed. And - with apologies to anyone who lives in the area - that high street looks a right fucking dump, with nothing going for it whatsoever (I will so never live in east London)! So we get into the ground early with me thinking that I'll at least get a pint in a plastic cup in there - stupid idiot that I am. Anyway, I wouldn't say it was the best match I had ever been to (cos it wasn't) but the right result was had. And I'll never forget the sight of the middle-aged Orient fan in their stand making that wanker sign and then making that sign to invite people to come over for a fight - what a saddo and embarrassing beyond belief! Still, I enjoyed every minute of it and love every minute when I am with JJ - yes, soppy git that I am!

Back to now, JJ is appearing on my doorstep on Sunday and will be here for five whole fantastic days. We have one problem, though ... what are we going to do? Before I go on, YP, this is not an invitation for any smutty remarks, okay?? We are off to see Camera Obscura on Wednesday night, but apart from that, our week is free. I think we should go to the V&A as neither of us has been before. I think even a short visit to the Tate Modern, as those slides are spectacular. A drive in the country would be nice - and, as the weather is nice, maybe get as far as Camber Sands. So what else? Suggestions for our cultural enlightenment are now open!

*The Slits

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Play Dirty *

Played five-a-side football last night. My team got beat 19-5 - yes, 19-5!! Not bad going when you consider the game last for around 50 minutes. But, it should really have been 19-14, but my shooting was abysmal - again. The opposition complained that I was kicking their ankles, but I swear I only did it to three of them and not to all five. Anyway, why am I the one with the big bruise on my elbow and aching legs, eh?

*Poison

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We Want The World *

I don't know what has spurred me to write the following (probably the visit to this blog from the Labour (ex?) councillor in Lewisham ) who I must link to, but, whatever, here goes. And, warning, it's probably dead boring.

When I moved to London (New Cross to be precise) in 1988, I was a revolutionary. That I was a member of the Labour Party at the time didn't make me think this was a contradiction in terms. You see, I came from a Labour Party tradition in my home town of people who wanted to change the world for the better, people who strived for a redistribution of wealth, for a democratic society and for a peaceful one. Anyway, I waste little time after moving in finding out about local Labour Party meetings. Memory doesn't serve me well here, but I think they were simply ward party meetings, so that would have been Telegraph Hill (conservation area, don't you know!). I go along to a few and think they are rather different affairs from those I attended in my home town and by far more middle-class than I was used to. I would always get a welcoming smile from the local MP, who lived in the ward, but, apart from that, no-one said hello, never mind asked if I was going down the pub after the meeting. Now, where I was from, any new face was practially ordered to join us for a pint, if nothing else, this was to ensure that the faction I was involved with would get an extra vote at the next meeting. The only person to say hello was, I quickly found out, in the Militant Tendency, not my favourite people, it has to be said. But, at least he said hello and asked if I was new to the area and all that pish. He's now a Socialist Party (the ones who stole the name from the party which was already called that) councillor in Lewisham after leaving the Labout Party many years ago (or did he get expelled, I can't remember). I mention him cos after about a year or so, I decided that the Labour Party in Telegraph Hill, Lewisham or anywhere else was not the party for me. I joined the Communist Party of Great Britain. A few months later, said Militant Tendency geezer turns up at my door to ask me if I'll support him for some position or other. I took pleasure in saying "no, I've joined the CP" even though he was the only person at those meetings to speak to me.

So, what's the point of this post? Probably only to say that everyone who was in the Telegraph Hill ward of the Labour Party from 1988-1990 was an unfriendly middle-class tosser, except for the Trot, who was maybe friendly, but was still a tosser (had to be, he was in the Millies). Of course, I didn't meet any unfriendly middle-class tossers in the CPGP. Except for the middle-class tosser who was the Deptford CPGB branch delegate to the last congress who voted to wind the party up and give all the money to Nina Temple, Mark Perryman, Martin Jacques et al!!!!

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Sunday, April 01, 2007

Lazy Sunday Afternoon *

I may have forgot to mention that I'm off work until the 10th April. Oh well, I've mentioned it now. Spent the first afternoon and evening of my holipops with JJ and what a stupendous time we had. Didn't make it to Northampton Labour Club this time but Martin has reminded me of this place's reputation for putting on a decent gig at the weekends. Some months ago, it hosted Columbus and Crusoe, with more on them at a later date.

This afternoon, I'm off down the pub to catch Hibs take on the junior huns. I'm hoping it's the league cup final Hibs that turn up rather than the Hibs who can get mugged by the likes of Motherwell, Dundee United or Dunfermline (I've not checked to see if any of these teams have actually beaten Hibs this season but the Easter Road outfit have given aways stupid points all season to teams they shouldn't have).

Tomorrow I'm off to home town for a few days with the boy, staying with TNR and the wife, so that should be fun. We could have stayed with the boy's cousins but he has declared TNR and his missus to be "really cool" so that's that sorted!

On another front, I see that my boring post on the Lewisham Lib Dems has attracted interest from other Lewisham bloggers, so my hidden identity is being unravelled as we speak. Me being the most handsome man in Lewisham (if I say that place enough, I'll get more hits, I reckon) and the richest man in Lewisham (there it is again) already has heads turned whenever I leave my house, but this interest in the most uninteresting blogger in Lewisham (yes, more hits) will, I suspect, result in hordes of people camping outside my flat.

Err, time to get my coat (for a trip into Lewisham)!

* Small Faces (I think)

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