One step short of Barking

This is mostly a traditional "I aten't dead" post, of the sort that you'll recognise if you're the sort of person who still looks at blogs that have been going for over a decade. I've been busy doing two day jobs at once, finishing up my often fun, sometimes frustrating, always interesting, and now finally … Continue reading One step short of Barking

I’ll put the god Set on you

As if touched by some kind of divine inspiration, this song has settled upon me, and I feel obliged to share: I'll put the god Set on you I'll put the god Set on you I'll put the god Set on you I'll put the god Set on you But it's gonna take mummies A … Continue reading I’ll put the god Set on you

Checking in, Kingston weirdness, new improved high speed

Just realised I haven't posted anything here for ages. It turns out that I'm alive and well but haven't been motivated to do any long-form rants about anything lately, which may be a positive reflection on my mental health, I suppose. Relatively recently, I wrote a Citymetric piece about the weirdness of Kingston-upon-Thames, which is … Continue reading Checking in, Kingston weirdness, new improved high speed

Oktober. Not much fest, as yet

How on earth did it get to be October? The temperature's 33C, the birds are singing, and the massive quantities of work that I have to get finished within the next fortnight are absolutely terrifying [*]. Since all the headline news seems to involve either tedious rehashes of politics (in brief: no presidential debate or … Continue reading Oktober. Not much fest, as yet

Meanwhile, England gets ‘Jerusalem’

The reason why I don't mind singing the UK national anthem, is that it's asking a ridiculous and more-or-less imaginary entity to save another. Santa save the Defender of the Faith. Santa save Dr Manhattan. Santa save Optimus Prime. Send them all supermega. Send them all awesometastic. Long to kick lots of arse. Santa save … Continue reading Meanwhile, England gets ‘Jerusalem’

A quiz it is

Trivia only a day later than promised; that's practically on time. Vaguely colonial-themed. Question 1 is for non-Sydneysiders only. Leave your answers in comments; winner gets some kind of actual or virtual prize. 1a) Which sport is played most frequently at the Sydney Football Stadium? 1b) Which sport is played most frequently at the Sydney … Continue reading A quiz it is

Deeply odd UK usage

While we're still on UK-nomenclature, this article (written by an American for a British-based international magazine) has one of the oddest phrasings I've seen in a while: The An-124 will likely be a rare sight in Kinston as Spirit plans to typically deliver its fuselage panels by boat to France, while its wing spars, also … Continue reading Deeply odd UK usage

This, this, all of this all of the time

My bankster buddy Dan has an excellent post on Crooked Timber about how the venal British middle class are basically blaming the disaster they created, caused and voted for, on the small subset of the venal British middle class who are actually bankers - rather than on their own stupid and venal decisions. If you … Continue reading This, this, all of this all of the time

Amy Winehouse Memorial Stupid Quiz

In memory of everyone's favourite alcoholic Jewish female jazz singer-songwriter (bonus points for anyone who has a different favourite alcoholic Jewish female jazz singer-songwriter: please share in comments), a single question today. What was the highest UK chart position achieved by Amy Winehouse's cover version of Valerie?

Minor observations and questions

As a 30ish male, if you walk around the place with a black eye, you will get a combination of contemptuous looks, studied avoidance, and slightly unnerving deference. I'm assuming the latter comes from people who assume that the owner of a black eye has managed to acquire it through being an ultraviolent Begbie figure, … Continue reading Minor observations and questions