w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Today's lyric:
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"I'd like to see a passionate film between the two ugliest people in the world
When I say ugly, I don't mean rough looking, I mean hideous."

The Stranglers: "Ugly"
From the album: "Rattus Norvegicus"

Musing the other day about inescapable disasters, but where you have some warning i.e. not a 'being run over by a bus-type' incident, but Planet Earth being several days away from an aerial assault by huge meteors, or a submarine earthquake in the center of one of the larger oceans producing a tsunami a couple of days later, or an intractable deadline for a nuclear assault.

It would only be the wealthiest who might possibly escape the onslaught?

After all, it would take some incredibly expensive logistics to make sure you were on top of a mountain when the wave washed over, or deep in a provisioned cave as the nuclear blast roiled overhead, or skybound long enough for the dust to settle?

So, the re-procreation of the human specie would be in the hands of, say, Macca, or possibly Lloyd-Webber, or some faceless sheik?

Just imagine the progeny?

If any of their descendents ever made interplanetary flight a way off our dying planet, just what would the inhabitants of their target world make of them?

A viable plot for a B-Movie there, I reckon...

* shudders *

Labels: Verbiage

Today's lyric:
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"I'm wet and I'm cold, but thank God I ain't old
I should have split home at fifteen
Why didn't I ever say what I mean?
There's a story that the grass is so green,
What did I see? Where have I been?"

The Who: "Sea and sand"
From the album: "Quadrophenia"

It's Bruv's 47th today - not that he'll read this, as his Internet connection's still buggered (technical description). Bit like mine, last night, when I feared the worstas the dreaded flashing orange light on the wireless hub was on when I got in.

But this morning, all seemed well?

Though I still cannot comment on anyone's blog who uses Haloscan (therefore including my own) as work's firewall seems to have disabled Javascript support? So I can read, but not touch. Sorry.

Bruv's favourite track on Quadrophenia is "Sea and sand" - so it's up there, just for him.

Happy Birthday, matey.

Labels: Broadband

Today's lyric:
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"We can watch our troubles rise like smoke into the air
And drift up to the ceiling
Down in the Blue Chair
You can feel just like a boy or a man and next minute you can find yourself kneeling
Down in the Blue Chair
They're boasting of loving the daylights right out of her in the small hours
Down in the Blue Chair."

Elvis Costello: "Blue Chair"
From the album: "Blood and chocolate"

I know, I know, I watched "The 100 best (-looking people) and was inevitably disappointed with the winner (never have been a star-struck fan of La Jolie).

Given the choice, I'd rather have the gorgeous, hand-crafted Hammer (only 55 big ones - a snip).



Want one, Mum!

Labels: Observation

Today's lyric:
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"It's so easy I don't believe a word
Love junkies gone over to the edge
Been thinking if I could see you now
I'd make you say this exists or not at all
Would it be too much to ask if there's some one over there?
Who gets every joke and always in the same place
Only thing I can't face."

Longpigs: "Jesus Christ"
From the album: "Longpigs"

"Frustrage": The tipping point between being mildly exasperated about not being able to change or do something e.g. yank someone's child out of the shopping trolley, after its parents have declined to act on your information that it's actually very unhygienic to stand in it wearing street shoes (and no, I don't want you to remove the shoes, thankyou - I'd rather not have my fruit and veg in the closest of proximities to where its bare feet once stood) and (and here you may wish to pause for mental breath) the sheer, violence-inducing, 'red mist', fist-clenching fury caused by your inability to be involved in Bliar's replacement, thereby rendering this country in the (probable) despotic rule of an unelected caledonian tw@t who, given the massive amounts of money (and with his consent) spent over there, should be in living fear of a visit from the incredibly rapidly and recently-stabilised Iraqi security forces to remove said dictator from these shores and posted back over the wall to rejoin his countrymen in their lovely new parliament building.

(I do believe the above is a legal sentence?)

Enjoy your weekends, y'all.

Labels: Rants, Verbiage

Today's lyric:
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"But I lost myself, I cannot speak.
To live by myself I am far too weak.
I have lost myself and I cannot sleep,
To live by myself I am far too weak."

Longpigs: "Lost myself"
From the album: "The sun is often out"

NOD'll be pleased I'm 'enjoying' my current read.

The telling line at the end of the preface goes:
"I wish I could have done it more quickly. I wish could have presented it to Stuart before he stepped in front of the 11.15 London to King's Lynn train."

Passing through London Bridge Walk this morning, I had one of those visions of someone (Ok, usually The Wife) vacuuming the lounge and someone (yes, again, usually The Husband) automatically raising his feet as the hoover nears the proximity of his trouser zone.

A streetcleaner was diligently - but very carefully, so as not to disturb him/her - brooming around the clothtarped body of a roughsleeper. (Bearing in mind the City's army of commuters was marching relentlessly past the scene anyway.)

I then had a vision of the body rising and asking "Where's my stash of newspapers to keep warm with, and my collection of polystyrene cups for begging with? And the half-eaten roll I'd been saving for breakfast?"

It was a Phil Collins' "Another day in paradise" moment (and as I loathe Mr.C., as a person and muso, I'm not providing a link), but in the light of what I'm learning via the biography of Mr Shorter, even more apposite than would normally be the case.

You should read the book.

Labels: Observation

Today's lyric:
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"As soon as I wake up every day,
I look at the papers to see what they say.
I know most what I read will be a lot of lies,
But then you learn really fast to read between the lines,
'Cos I know (he knows) what I read ain't true
I know (he knows) and I'm telling you
I know (he knows) if they say it's red, it's blue
Don't believe what you read,
Do you believe what you read?
No, I don't believe what I read."

The Boomtown Rats: "Don't believe everything that you read"
From the album: "Tonic for the troops"

Nothing to do with going out on a (publicly-lauded) high, at all?

Nor, "Your Maj, in exchange for a minor title (OverGalactic Lord of Bliardom?) I can *cough* arrange for an easy out for Harry and save face all round?" (Oh yes, I'm feckin' good at that).

Cynical? moi?

Labels: Wryness

Today's lyric:
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"Mondo bondage
I've been tied up so long, there's no escape
I've been strangled, all choked up inside
Swallowed all my pride
Roped and hogtied, been tied up in knots
That's all I got
Gimme glove shoes - this ain't no way for havin' fun."

The Tubes: "Mondo Bondage"
From the album: "What do you want from live?"

All will be revealed..

Labels: Health

Today's lyric:
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"And while I'm dreaming there's a passing motor car
That broadcasts a popular song
And a girl appears to be saying
Do you think that I'm going to go far?"

Elvis Costello: "London's Brilliant Parade"
From the album: "Brutal youth"

I never feel the cold.

So when I do, I know there's a problem. And on Saturday and Sunday, my core temperature felt like sub-zero. I just couldn't get warm.

Then last night, the polarity reversed and my temperature rocketed like the Reliant Robin on last night's Top Gear program.

I woke up feeling drained and exhausted this morning, and decided a day in would be the way to go. So a SS&S and already I'm more human again.

Hopefully, normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

Labels: Health

Today's lyric:
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"You're dead but the world keeps spinning
Take a spin through the world you left
It's getting dark a little too early
Are you missing the dearly bereft?

Taking flight and you could be here tomorrow
Taking flight, well, you could get here tonight."

Eels: "Last stop: This town"
From the album: "Electro Shock Blues"

I'm mildly bemused by the appearance of the lovely Cameron Diaz as the spokes(wo)man for Live Earth (the latest faddy campaign to warn the world about warming).

Only because she's currently appearing on UK commercial television in an advert for broadband, where she teases about you being able to download her images 24/7 and - here her talking head deliberately stops for several seconds - you can pause the picture, the longer to gaze upon her beauty*.

Thus using your tv/monitor for more time than is strictly necessary.

And so using more energy than you normally would.

Contributing to ..... Global Warming!

Have a great weekend, y'all.

*presumably sales of Kleenex will increase?

Labels: Wryness

Today's lyric:
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"Don't need a whore, I don't need no booze
Don't need a virgin priest.
But I need someone I can cry to, I need someone to protect.
Making love and breaking hearts, it is a game for youth.
But I'm not waiting on a lady, I'm just waiting on a friend."

The Rolling Stones: "Waiting on a friend"
From the album: "Jump back"

Watching The Brits last night, initially I thought that a loss of sound was a technical problem, but Mrs.D. reckoned someone had sworn and it had been 'bleeped' by fuzzing the broadcast?

I never have understood this censorship thing. If a live audience (including, by its very nature, young pop-loving people) were able to listen to what was said, why is it possible to fade out what we're quite prepared to hear, knowing (because it was announced as being 'live' and therefore possibly contentious), that there might be the odd swear-word?

It really pi55e5 me off.

Labels: Censorship

Today's lyric:
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"You gotta drag yourself to work
Drug yourself to sleep
You're dead from the neck up
By the middle of the week."

The Clash: "All the young punks (New boots and contracts)"
From the album: "Give 'em enough rope"

I get 26 days for annual holidays. So, taking out Bank holidays and weekends, that means I work about 231 days each year.

Which means at least 462 commutes (excluding the odd, onward diversion to S6).

And at 45 minutes (average) per commute, I therefore spend a minimum of 20790 minutes in railway carriages.

Which equates to 14.44 days.

That doesn't seem right?

That doesn't seem long enough, compared to how long it feels like.

Labels: Ramblings

Today's lyric:
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"I don't want to be the sweeper of the eggshells that you walk upon
I don't want to be your other half I believe that 1 and 1 make 2
I don't want to be your food or the light from the fridge on your face at midnight
Hey what are you hungry for?"

Alanis Morissette: "Not the doctor"
From the album: "Jagged little pill"

Strange how some cats are oblivious to two-dimensional images, such as the tv or mirrors?

Mythos (the blue tortie of previous posts' fame) and Amstel's counterpart is fascinated by movement on the tv, even when sat on top of the box, looking down the plane of the screen. And has discovered her reflected image in mirrors, patting and pawing at herself.

Whereas the others just don't give a to55...

Labels: cats, kittens

Today's lyric:
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"You say she's a virgin? Well I'm gonna be the first in.
Her fella's gonna kill me? Oh fuckin' will he.
I'm seeing double, don't miss me if you can.
There's gonna be trouble when she chooses her man."

The Who: "Doctor Jimmy"
From the album: "Quadrophenia"

"Excuse me, but who left that like that?"

"What? It's Sunday bloody morning - who the hell are you?"

"Gas, mate. Someone reported a leak."

"That was us. They were digging an effin' great hole outside last night. That's it there. That big pile of pavement adorning our lawn."

"Nah, this morning. Someone reported it this morning. There's enough vapour in that hole to blow you to KC if someone drops a fag in there."

"Er, thanks. Can I go back to bed now? I'd as soon die there than stood on my doorstep."

Today's lyric:
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"Done like a matador I pray for the weekend
And hope the little girls still throw roses
Else I'll change my bait, and move upstate
Before the season closes."

Steely Dan: "Throw back the little ones"
From the album: "Katy lied"

Where did that week go?

Enjoy your weekends, y'all.

Today's lyric:
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"I hate the army an' I hate the RAF
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat
I hate the civil service rules
And I won't open letter bombs for you."

The Clash: "Career opportunities"
From the album: "The Clash"

I fully expected to find the capitol crippled and deserted today.

But it seems that the only reduction in foot traffic is down to fewer postal department people feeling inclined to turn up?

Mind you, the office is a tad Marie Celeste'ish, because the crew here travel in from far-flung fields.

Must remember to have a word with whoever it is that flings 'em...

Labels: Commute

Today's lyric:
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"Come sleep on the beach
Keep within my reach
I just want to die with you near
I'm feeling so high with you here.
I'm wet and I'm cold
But thank God I ain't old
Why didn't I ever say what I mean?
I should have split home at fifteen.
There's a story that the grass is so green,
What did I see?
Where have I been?"

The Who: "Sea and sand"
From the album: "Quadrophenia"

Last night I was offered an all expenses paid, live-aboard fortnight in Fiji, with a scuba-diver instructor's course thrown in. And with Ol' Sparky guaranteed a berth too.

Then the alarm clock went off.

I know that dreamtales are the last bolthole of bereft bloggers, but the sense of disappointment has lasted all morning...

Today's lyric:
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"I won't give control to anyone
Walk around , kiss the ground - like I own the place
But in the passage of time the river banks get washed away."

The Finn Brothers: "A lifetime between us"
From the album: "Everyone is here"

you'll always be a day behind.

Not sure who said that, but it rings true with me?

Today's lyric:
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"I could've sworn her hair was made of rayon
She wore a Milton Bradley crayon
But she was something I could lay on."

Zappa/Befheart: "Carolina hard-core ecstasy"
From the album: "Bongo Fury"

With the recent cessation of the twelve-year hosepipe ban*, Cooper had a nice shower at the weekend, with a bikini-line wax and a thorough internal examination with a hoovy.

So is fit to face the threatened Second Coming of winter, with arctic winds, avalanches, plagues of locusts and diseased turkeys** all falling from the Suffolkian skies and bouncing deflectively off the buffed, shiny black roof.

Incidentally, do you know where the word Suffolk came from? Folk from the South. Yep.

So, whence Norfolk? And who called who first?

"Er, you one of them there Northerners?"
"Depends where you're callin' from, pal"

It's like the Grinstead debate. There is only East and West, with miles between 'em, not a town split by civil war or postcode lotteries.

And while the surgical gloves were still to hand, the aquarium got a full-on douche, so the fishies can now see us, and vice versa. The water quality must be good, though, because there are five six-year old loaches in there and the average lifespan is reckoned to be only 3 - 4 years?

Ol' Sparky's been Haloscanned. Plz to pay a visit and leave a comment, just to prove it works?

* that may be an exaggeration
** that may be an hallucination

Today's lyric:
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"Lump was limp and lonely and needed a shove
Lump slipped on a kiss and tumbled into love
She spent her twenties between the sheets
Life limped along at subsonic speeds."

The Presidents of the USA: "Lump"
From the album: "The Presidents of the USA"

What the capitol needs is a big, red, floodlight-illuminated building at the end of London Bridge, to welcome you into the maw of the City, instead of the greystone edifices that swallow up hordes of commuters for hours on end.

Just something to brighten the gloom?

Sorry to end the week on a downer.

Enjoy your weekends, y'all.

Labels: Commute

Today's lyric:
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"The cracks between the paving stones, look like rivers of flowing veins.
Strange people who know me peep from behind every window pane.
The girl I used to love lives in this yellow house.
Yesterday she passed me by - she doesn't want to know me now."

The Who: "The real me"
From the album: "Quadrophenia"

Being a card-carrying atheist means that I'm very interested in religion.

No, seriously. Having no faith whatsoever means you can examine a set of beliefs, hold the tenets up to the light and without any prejudice or passion, check it over and see how it's supposed to fly.

According to fundamentalist christians, the Bible is "the literal word of God" (Their upper case 'G', not mine)

So, God created Adam, and using a spare rib, created Eve. And they had a son called Cain, then another, called Abel.

And Cain killed Abel and was cast out into the wilderness. Where he took a wife.

Whoa! Where did she spring from? Another spare rib, anyone?

Ah, say the FC's - obviously Adam and Eve had other children. Soooo, Cain married his sister, then? Great premise for a world-conquering religion...

To my knowledge, I've never met a Gideon. So next time I'm staying at a hotel, I'm going to hide the free Bible, ring down to Reception and report the omission, then hijack the person who comes up to supply another one and extort the truth from them about why they do this?

Just because I'm interested.

Labels: Religion