Lock him, and throw away the key!

Bear convicted of honey theft – almost too good to be true.

Contre Services

Apparently in France, you can get free rent – as long as you sleep with your landlord!

Portishead – Third (Review)

Bristol is undergoing something of resurgence at the moment – with Tricky and Martine Topley-Bird all releasing new albums in the near future, and a Massive Attack album long overdue.

So finding themselves unusually early to the party are Portishead – who after a sizable absence will release Third on April 28th, surprisingly only their 3rd studio album and their first release since the 1998 ‘Live at Roseland’ album/DVD.

As you would expect – its a dark, almost menacing affair – laiden with mutant beats and some savage effects, there is no scratching this time – but the other familiar sounds are all in place, particularly Beth Gibbons amazing voice.

It is an amazing return to form – in a world full of crappy comebacks, this glows like a slightly dusty diamond amongst the shit. Welcome back Bristol.

Click more for a track by track review

More »

Are your passwords strong?

If you are like me, you probably have loads of passwords. Check if they are strong enough to withstanding hackery using this useful Microsoft Password Checker.

Fake Ferrari

I’ve heard of fake watches, bags, shoes and even drugs – but a Ferrari? That’s chutzpah!

I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you…

The BBC’s ‘White’ season, has so far been absolutely excellent. At the weekend, I watched ‘Last Orders’ – the story of a working mans club on the outskirts of Bradford suffering the demise of the modern age, and ‘Rivers of Blood’ which was a dissection of Enoch Powells’ infamous speech and its aftermath.

But tonight’s offering was the best so far – ‘White Girl’ told the story of a young girl from a completely dysfunctional and violent  family, who finds refuge in a local mosque and with her quietly Islamic neighbours. I’m sure that many will decry it as a piece of anti-white propaganda, but I found it a touching story of how anything can be a comfort in times of real trouble.

The climactic scene of the play was beautiful – when Leahs’ mother finally understands why her daughter has become so engulfed in the peace of Islam and what she must do to reunite the more functional parts of her family. Well acted,  nicely written and directed.

‘White Girl’ can still be seen on iplayer (for 7 days from this post) 

Finished…

Today I finished my first Open University module – three assignments down the line, I’ve made it through my first academic course for about 20 years.

Its been a good journey, I’ve learned how to write again using the appropriate academic style. I think it will help me quite a lot in a number of areas. 

So – now Y159 is done, I’m working out when to start my next course, but for a day or two, I’ll enjoy the feeling of completing something.

Fairly impressive!

I like the fact this guy puts himself on the line – David Walliams swims to Africa

To Do – Next Action

All we need to do now is figure out how to get it back to earth. It rains OIL on Titan

What a match…

I know exactly how Cesc Fabregas feels here, as he wheeled away from the penalty box to celebrate after scoring from 25 yards, I wheeled around the front room arms aloft.

That’s why I’m a football fan – AC Milan 0 – Arsenal 2 (in the San Siro!)