tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129424602024-03-07T21:23:48.897+00:00The Paranoid ModLife a bit further from the sea than before but still quite close to it reallyThe Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-46219808856050501062011-06-12T20:25:00.001+00:002011-06-20T07:54:31.849+00:00Quote of the week<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />"We plough on like steadfast shires, stopping only to lament the lost wayward years when a bottle of wine felt like an aperitif" - Jemima.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-35790833703966609422011-06-05T22:48:00.014+00:002011-06-12T20:27:30.549+00:00How the Future Dates<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I stumbled across the <a href="http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi">ISFDB</a> tonight - where has it been all my life? Clicking around I was struck by how bad much of the cover art was, and thought I'd test this by looking at all the covers of Neuromancer - arguably the most influential SF novel of the last 30 years.<br /><br />And boy, are they bad. With the exception of the classic Gollancz sleeve, and a couple of elegant later efforts, the future seems to be about bad haircuts and half-arsed video games. Spot on, you might say. So without further ado...<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPoSiI_QDrLM3fEBNBB2nAWuhghVJVVAg07qvlowKo2kWzF7yZHxquVtDJvY72og8dMBOvc-SbsTJuHDcMrR_BAKMoEhgH9y3LbBb5-MzI-8dWm-DSqdxLbiL0J4uumTfNrPJkqQ/s1600/a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPoSiI_QDrLM3fEBNBB2nAWuhghVJVVAg07qvlowKo2kWzF7yZHxquVtDJvY72og8dMBOvc-SbsTJuHDcMrR_BAKMoEhgH9y3LbBb5-MzI-8dWm-DSqdxLbiL0J4uumTfNrPJkqQ/s400/a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874467422604834" border="0" /></a>I don't remember starry-eyed mutant cat statues, but it's been a couple of years. Nice futuristic font, Gollancz.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkhURIVbyhLslZUvwEVsNGocSXYmLvOZYvWvfipZohKcNy-owUHBmCjMxNSLwMQ7HtQLj4tJW4YZqZiZLMqSiJ5D_sFC8Ottk0KJKIqss4l9PFCLwjcnZVH1tWvYdzsHT7MGPw/s1600/b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkhURIVbyhLslZUvwEVsNGocSXYmLvOZYvWvfipZohKcNy-owUHBmCjMxNSLwMQ7HtQLj4tJW4YZqZiZLMqSiJ5D_sFC8Ottk0KJKIqss4l9PFCLwjcnZVH1tWvYdzsHT7MGPw/s400/b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874414298270418" border="0" /></a>Something about the abomination on the left reminds me of the dream representations in Wim Wenders' Until the End of the World, cutting edge graphics from a time when MS Paint was all the rage. As for Mr. Punky Widow's Peak (<a href="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ray+reardon&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=728">Ray Reardon</a>, anybody?) and his discothèque bathroom tiles, well, points for effort, I suppose. The Standard miss the point rather, I think.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxVMN0vhvEFPBcWbIpc-8JDypdEIn6AcIYeDScn1QrR-xDTUmkrxlpkCwHoq6gp2QdaGyoEAmmfw1mZxZozz6dekDfmb65q7BQSBAZVviRqRRMGhB6Y6qzYbcL1jbD7jeiXbDIw/s1600/c.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxVMN0vhvEFPBcWbIpc-8JDypdEIn6AcIYeDScn1QrR-xDTUmkrxlpkCwHoq6gp2QdaGyoEAmmfw1mZxZozz6dekDfmb65q7BQSBAZVviRqRRMGhB6Y6qzYbcL1jbD7jeiXbDIw/s400/c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874340143359058" border="0" /></a>Mullets, wifi keyboards and cyberspace as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes">series of tubes</a> leaking steam. On the other hand Molly's glasses are decent, and there's a sleazy street-level approximation of Chiba City.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL9rSzMm19UTbWQjktyldMMDPFYmr1nHV-NfeRaU7rKk9pYoHeL3qGUf42QZx3cWmy0dKIg2Ke8DsUsnF540jouvs_b8w2nFg4M8JIZ7F9T4aeyw35VT-IPVH4wpNv45ipushDA/s1600/d.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL9rSzMm19UTbWQjktyldMMDPFYmr1nHV-NfeRaU7rKk9pYoHeL3qGUf42QZx3cWmy0dKIg2Ke8DsUsnF540jouvs_b8w2nFg4M8JIZ7F9T4aeyw35VT-IPVH4wpNv45ipushDA/s400/d.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874278343031938" border="0" /></a>Someone's been watching Terminator on the left. Not a lot of serifs in the future, evidently. On the right another decent stab at Molly let down by futuristic eggs with pictures of... what?... in them.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsk3GOKtAlx9qAlfNgJ6i_Np8T28AFPQBtAdjbg5Q0EBRKge8XnVXZHLna8OxK3KlxFQI_uIvH4QXOrDJvRXrtKMD-SerORcuEviFmt55nlHrMQDBMRp6F9fbyotzq0NSllMqBw/s1600/e.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDsk3GOKtAlx9qAlfNgJ6i_Np8T28AFPQBtAdjbg5Q0EBRKge8XnVXZHLna8OxK3KlxFQI_uIvH4QXOrDJvRXrtKMD-SerORcuEviFmt55nlHrMQDBMRp6F9fbyotzq0NSllMqBw/s400/e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874193447042418" border="0" /></a>Rehashing the MS Paint classic for the 10th anniversary was a masterstroke, we can all agree. While the simplicity of the one of the right is welcome in comparison, it's just as well that some binary code warns people the novel might just be one of those geeky scifi things.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtdnpqn9UeUqhppjRjmb-fQ4NbrhLcgf1TTZIwL9p4m8Gg5ROHB2LsPrFmOchgbMF0X6WvsfLRHPzdeZZ9UW4HItdyCwfuHe56PaminnpfUKSkLMuroyVWZ50eIe7ksMBJwufqA/s1600/f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtdnpqn9UeUqhppjRjmb-fQ4NbrhLcgf1TTZIwL9p4m8Gg5ROHB2LsPrFmOchgbMF0X6WvsfLRHPzdeZZ9UW4HItdyCwfuHe56PaminnpfUKSkLMuroyVWZ50eIe7ksMBJwufqA/s400/f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614874096685972770" border="0" /></a>Ten years later the colour scheme is better and owes something to Dave McKean's Sandman covers. Oddly the cartoon Molly on the right is a bit Sandman-esque too, but too cartoony for what is anything but a cartoon future.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IYwRFI-iGrkcmPS7E8WRaA2igC5kzIgEHHog-FMapQjvdPP_N1whzEPiFrrgpCvmuo3gMBAty7XehPAceOlkFrNc4bMk__fVuX-c1kCFJlOvoBN8g6BY6wAAx_jI8MfsBw2ocA/s1600/g.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IYwRFI-iGrkcmPS7E8WRaA2igC5kzIgEHHog-FMapQjvdPP_N1whzEPiFrrgpCvmuo3gMBAty7XehPAceOlkFrNc4bMk__fVuX-c1kCFJlOvoBN8g6BY6wAAx_jI8MfsBw2ocA/s400/g.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614873984722498434" border="0" /></a>Case as demon about to launch into an interpretive dance. The future's so bright, etc... Again with the widow's peak, in both of them. I'm going to have to re-read it looking for descriptions of Case's hair. I'm fond of the latter cos it's the one I had when I first read it, but it's more of the same future-as-grid/light/sunglasses that seems to reoccur again and again.<br /></div><br />In conclusion, go with Gollancz. If you can afford it.The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-77220211655553193462010-08-25T14:11:00.007+00:002010-09-27T13:26:29.344+00:00Women, know your placeNo hammers for you...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulsnewfCjpxxRCqQ9TBBihcGwX9htF0XFgs7gFmedIUFdv8160qrS-1H0_XK7DtwjwN_bjDETQYimIT-9sHgCBZ7mte96rtMbpOXamB0Vep88cI6UzXuaE7-fn0oxDtJ7iDrTGw/s1600/1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulsnewfCjpxxRCqQ9TBBihcGwX9htF0XFgs7gFmedIUFdv8160qrS-1H0_XK7DtwjwN_bjDETQYimIT-9sHgCBZ7mte96rtMbpOXamB0Vep88cI6UzXuaE7-fn0oxDtJ7iDrTGw/s400/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509350985729848162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIeRGqPeP2Ne8eaxr_2I8d0mfVko6B-YsIAOAyjHNNuevFx8ylKXw6LxrmEai1Fbk2QfXfl4YS2fXgusT82FgS8pX4Ru15Ie_XPcfehEUkSSVRn02AsVtK6TXKSThXJVT4-P7eA/s1600/2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIeRGqPeP2Ne8eaxr_2I8d0mfVko6B-YsIAOAyjHNNuevFx8ylKXw6LxrmEai1Fbk2QfXfl4YS2fXgusT82FgS8pX4Ru15Ie_XPcfehEUkSSVRn02AsVtK6TXKSThXJVT4-P7eA/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509350984185529106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiJo4sQYmdBZSjRQV0q4pr9jZNJWYY7zsVETwWDC7MUZCO_bbIbsfp6QacjjvCh4fZBbg5BG-niccwMm4e3NAECkKN5QluaRnDqslc6OhAbZ9UmAvB5MKM3TbXCwe0gmipHz1vg/s1600/3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiJo4sQYmdBZSjRQV0q4pr9jZNJWYY7zsVETwWDC7MUZCO_bbIbsfp6QacjjvCh4fZBbg5BG-niccwMm4e3NAECkKN5QluaRnDqslc6OhAbZ9UmAvB5MKM3TbXCwe0gmipHz1vg/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509350979259404978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBNOWfG1lIp4jKAArwDu4ldToC7raRLaUscj3wI-YCtDKuikZB7eYL-ZIRoLwBlvmMDUzp-eIC8ASaoCAk9uLTfu6aA5eEPkNLY-XJwLdiY5mT_KJYbcBDqt6jn715aEDCBR0GA/s1600/4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBNOWfG1lIp4jKAArwDu4ldToC7raRLaUscj3wI-YCtDKuikZB7eYL-ZIRoLwBlvmMDUzp-eIC8ASaoCAk9uLTfu6aA5eEPkNLY-XJwLdiY5mT_KJYbcBDqt6jn715aEDCBR0GA/s400/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509350971383045762" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt4aczeU-8ol0URF_hqgh2L5MgezitD4RgJkgulcVjELgSh-oq8EtpLrF8NQe-ILab2w-njM3hDNxshI1KTig_fGP5JbOeiPF5ywO0kYucx9q89wEh_Q-VtoDUW9ai0txVTqY9A/s1600/5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt4aczeU-8ol0URF_hqgh2L5MgezitD4RgJkgulcVjELgSh-oq8EtpLrF8NQe-ILab2w-njM3hDNxshI1KTig_fGP5JbOeiPF5ywO0kYucx9q89wEh_Q-VtoDUW9ai0txVTqY9A/s400/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509635223317148018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxULlM_JQDkFdlmp5sBtn3slPjqH2TCQMfRLto54PMO5lADSgf3_in6O16-Euyo74b0tCCoqaAoBNg7-l-DmC8dVCnJA6iZsrjovXmeFyelMxlqoarw7tN5zPIXf_P80t3L50Waw/s1600/5.jpg"><br /></a>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-48419187931240980802010-06-22T12:44:00.002+00:002010-08-02T17:09:32.620+00:00A right knees-up<div style="text-align: justify;">Featuring lashings of ginger beer, banging tunes and finding international smugglers while lost in the K-hole...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1NGikUw0dzUsZ7QpV7Rotkt7AAJJ7O9t3D_-HJoHWU8p-TYjqF7f7JBlTywZ5dwQDBIKzN8u0NHcHMUuuLmRCxX-6GVHqQY5lyWW7Rvey_3EVSPRUMRz372B_PmatRBn6_QdOw/s1600/blyton.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1NGikUw0dzUsZ7QpV7Rotkt7AAJJ7O9t3D_-HJoHWU8p-TYjqF7f7JBlTywZ5dwQDBIKzN8u0NHcHMUuuLmRCxX-6GVHqQY5lyWW7Rvey_3EVSPRUMRz372B_PmatRBn6_QdOw/s400/blyton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485578154457734658" border="0" /></a>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-15315790353223705282010-06-13T20:37:00.002+00:002010-06-13T20:41:10.545+00:00King Kenny<div style="text-align: justify;">Why is Kenny Dalglish on the cover of this children's paperback? To make children want it perhaps? Worked for me...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsen2OgPNvIwv-hRu7Mx7LpgP3c57YKnpklmQ8VQ6jdZRHZfpR1eHiSx908V46Hy0tv14CUeffuFIWOdywufEw_mzd9maorTloHHWzo5gOahqAnRB9dOpPLi8gmXW27j96E7wbQ/s1600/kingkenny.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsen2OgPNvIwv-hRu7Mx7LpgP3c57YKnpklmQ8VQ6jdZRHZfpR1eHiSx908V46Hy0tv14CUeffuFIWOdywufEw_mzd9maorTloHHWzo5gOahqAnRB9dOpPLi8gmXW27j96E7wbQ/s400/kingkenny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482360930907995970" border="0" /></a>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-56901965340374095282010-06-08T17:12:00.004+00:002010-06-08T17:28:05.879+00:00Lucas Leiva<div style="text-align: justify;">In happier times Liverpool were on their way to play Athletico Madrid, travelling halfway across Europe by train because of that there volcano. Rafa was still the boss (for us), and some genius had put up a fake Twatter link pretending to be Lucas. It got taken down fairly swiftly, but luckily I'd archived much of it. Fucking genius...<br /><br />Rafael told me that I was like the 'son he never had'. Was made up until I heard he told Dirk the same.<br /><br />Zonal Marking 101 today. Rafa tried to explain it with chess pieces again. I was a pawn, that says alot.<br /><br />Rafa was busy over lunch, so I sorted his food out. He called me a 'thin Brazilian waiter'. What sharp wit. I didn't get it.<br /><br />Just helped back in a Lorry outside TJ Hughes in town. I feel like a bloke. Lucas is a bloke.<br /><br />Is getting sick of training. I don't know what 'red arse' means but Jamie keeps telling me I have to 'take it' from the rest of the squad.<br /><br />A nice scouse man referred to me as a 'useless escaped goat'. Must be a regional compliment. Lucas is a happy man.<br /><br />Jamie and Stevie were straight into the back seat of the coaches and have taken my Apple Tango. I waited with Rafa for the front seats.<br /><br />Dirks saying he 'bagsyd' the seat next to Rafa. Rafa says he is a respector of the bagsy system and so I'm going to have to sit by El Zhar.<br /><br />Jamie intervened, apparently there is no higher authority than a 'bagsy'. Nabil wants to discuss the upcoming Election, Lucas wants some kip<br /><br />I can see Dirk trying to get Rafa to watch episodes of Eurotrash on his iPod. Rafa isn't interested. Bet he doesn't respect bagsy now.<br /><br />Ryan is in front of us, him and El Zhar are rapping together as the "Nabil 'n Babel" connection. God I hate Dirk. I'm Rafa's lost son. I am.<br /><br />This is going to be a long journey. Maybe I'll just sit in the toilet. If I get really desperate though theres a seat next to Kyrgiakos.<br /><br />Screw that, Soto has an industrial sized tub of Houmous. And no bread. Or spoon. Its like a drink to him. He's a monster.<br /><br />@ANFIELDSCOUSE Bodmin motorway services. Popped in for a piss. Nabil bought Skittles Sours. He'll be bouncing off the walls.<br /><br />Christ, hes off his rocker. Nabil is shouting '2012, 2012, they kept me hear till 2012' in fits of hysterical laughter waving a Morocco flag<br /><br />Gone to sit next to Kyrgiakos, Nabil has lost the plot. Don't give that boy sugar. Soto is banging on about being an ancestor of Zeus again.<br /><br />I lent on Sotos chair by accident. Big mistake. Apparently ive 'compromised Olympus'. He's now spouting poetry in Greek with his eyes shut.<br /><br />Jamie just shouted "This isn't fucking musical chairs Lucas". I don't get it. I think he's still angry at me for nutmegging him in training.<br /><br />Pepe : "Thats not volcanic Ash, its the dust off Lucas's durex". I don't get it, but Dirks laughing his head off.<br /><br />Got a Galaxy Ripple & a Solero. Ate the Ripple 1st, stupidly. Soto is now saying that anything I lick he has to then lick - Greek tradition.<br /><br />Its all settled down now. Dan Agger has his heavy metal on, Masch is shadow boxing, Dirks doing sit ups asking Rafa to 'watch me, watch me'<br /><br />Big moment for me this, game of noughts and crosses with Dirk. Rafa has set it up. I see the winner of this gaining the seat next to him.<br /><br />I won. But Rafa didnt offer me the seat. A moral victory to Lucas though, Dirk keeps punching himself in the arm muttering 'sorry boss'.<br /><br />Aquilani and Degen have made a 'den' at the back of the coach out of sleeping bags. Sign on the front of it saying 'No Physios Allowed'<br /><br />Dirks been giving Rafa wine. I can tell when hes drunk because he stares at me disappointingly saying he wishes he'd got a receipt for me.<br /><br />"Where's the receipt Lucas. You must have it. There must have been one. Where's the receipt." These words will haunt my dreams.<br /><br />Aquilani has hurt himself in the den. Typical. He can't move to get out and because of the sign, none of our physios can go in. Real dilemma<br /><br />Its a papercut. He's out of Thursdays match. Looks like I'll be playing again. At least I'm not travelling all this way for nothing.<br /><br />He's singing 'Que Sera' with his arm round my neck. This is just like I imagined it. Dirk is watching on enviously. 1-0 to Leiva.<br /><br />Off to try and get some sleep now. Nabil 'n Babel still rapping in Dutch and French together. Kyrgiakos sleeping standing up, fists clenched about<br /><br />was woken up very early this morning (6am) - by Kyrgiakos blowing his medieval horn.<br /><br />He blew it, thrice, and shouted "and so signals the start of a new day", looked to the floor and bowed.<br /><br />Carra threw his shoe at him & screeched "what fuckin time do you call this you Greek tit" Didnt seem to affect Soto, I think hes in a trance<br /><br />Rafa was really hungover. Good job my mum packed the Calprofen, he called me a 'life saver'. I am Weak. At. The. Knees.<br /><br />Its so hot because Kyrgiakos has turned the heating up to full. When questioned about it he replies with only : "This is a mans world"<br /><br />Soto is doing his daily sermon. He's telling us that the Volcano was Zeus's vengeance for us allowing the obese to live.<br /><br />Hes truly lost it now. Hes in the toilet frantically cutting his own hair, muttering 'survival of the fittest'. NGog trying to stop him.<br /><br />Settled down now. Stevie is watching Steven Gerrard : Centurion on DVD, Aquilanis finger is in plaster, Rafa trying to beat himself at chess<br /><br />Soto asking all passengers if they want their toenails cut by Machete. Says its the 'natural way'. God knows how he got it through customs.<br /><br />Someones clogged the toilet up. Rafa has a guilty look. Must have been his beer poo earlier on. Stevie says he saw Dirk sniffing the seat.<br /><br />Toilets humming. Sammy was about to use the air freshener, Soto stopped him - 'it is a pure and manly smell that must not be tampered with'.<br /><br />Been trying to sleep for hours. Soto talks & smokes a pipe in his sleep. I dread to think what tobacco it is, but it smells like raw meat.<br /><br />He doesnt just talk in his sleep, he has actual conversations. He seems to be arguing that there is no better smell than driving past a farm<br /><br />El Zhar is also still up. Saw him drink a 3 litre bottle of Cherry Coke before so he'll be up till dawn.<br /><br />He's gone insane, too much sugar. He's shouting at Rafa saying 'Why am I even here. Please tell me why' with tears pouring down his face.<br /><br />Rafa was doing his best to ignore it but finally responded. "You shouldn't still be here. You were signed to make an agent happy". Silence.<br /><br />Don't know who brought the football on board, Masch has started repeatedly trying to slide tackle it. Like a bull to a red cloth...<br /><br />What a 24 hour trip. Really bonded the squad. Dirks been filling up his 'Benitez Bible' - a book of everything Rafa has ever said to him.<br /><br />Rafa isnt impressed with such gimmicks. The way to his heart is a high passing completion rate & a warm wholesome meal. Those I can provide<br /><br />Soto isnt happy. He's had to disrupt his annual April 4-day hibernation to come here. He keeps warning us theres electricity in his fingers.<br /><br />5-a-side game this morning. Stevie said he had to be 'captain of both teams'. He chose Jamie first who shouted 'GET IN'. I was last pick.<br /><br />Just spied Kyrgiakos' shopping list : 1. Whole Goat (recently deceased), 2. Flammable Trident 3. Blast Furnace. Freaky. Its written in blood<br /><br />Been watching Soto a lot the last few days, he's been keeping what looks like a diary. He's left it unattended, going to go have a peek.<br /><br />A small book made of black leather, bound with the spine of a Water Buffalo. Each page is hot to the touch & has the consistency of Papyrus.<br /><br />The book is titled simply 'Sotirios'. The 1st half is drawings of constellations and the 2nd is horoscopes. He thinks hes his own star sign.<br /><br />He's just caught me reading it. He's absolutely furious. He keeps punching the wall screaming 'The eyes of the impure will scald my words'.<br /><br />We were all very subdued on the way back. Had to sit next to a furious Masch. His teeth started bleeding, that happens when hes angry.<br /><br />Stevie setting his text ringtone as Andy Gray - "Lovely cushioned header, for..." then shouting "GERRARD!" himself. 23 times and counting.<br /><br />All was quite relaxed. Suddenly all the lights went off. We didn't have a clue what was going on until Kyrgiakos emerged with Bagpipes.<br /><br />Soto played the same note for 35 minutes without drawing breath. Then he sat down, cross legged, and prayed.<br /><br />I need a long sleep. Invited Rafa round for tea at mine as I knew the missus would be out. He said no, already going to Dirks for an Amstel.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-85992273544839109762010-05-18T12:33:00.000+00:002010-05-18T12:34:24.995+00:00A Tale of Loaves, Fishes and Zombies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnbb0CQz2ByHHaJoXM7EOKja3acDjoXRUj13S9bhT8m5NIKP0rLEaAV0w2n7tMox3E8aTIcoS5qcEZa1N1aeRzuJ2jCPYBIOaA6hjk8lmUhdUjuKr1lzaGqPCcFRXFgeSVHJ78g/s1600/kerrist.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnbb0CQz2ByHHaJoXM7EOKja3acDjoXRUj13S9bhT8m5NIKP0rLEaAV0w2n7tMox3E8aTIcoS5qcEZa1N1aeRzuJ2jCPYBIOaA6hjk8lmUhdUjuKr1lzaGqPCcFRXFgeSVHJ78g/s400/kerrist.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472587361365627330" border="0" /></a>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-82064872300341630392010-04-25T20:03:00.007+00:002010-05-28T23:18:15.343+00:00Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia;"><br />"Got more soul than a sock with a hole"<br />"A lot of bitches think he's overly chauvinistic"<br />"He's in it for the quiche, might as well not ask him for some free shit capiche?"<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4iR668Ki3I">Rhinestone Cowboy</a><br /><br />"Like a soup sandwich on a hand dish<br />Some say his language was way too outlandish<br />He did his thing, spoke in a jig slang<br />And translate Einstein's theory of the Big Bang"<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyiB-lkQBFY">Mr. Clean</a><br /><br />"It's how son became a big man from a black boy<br />To name names, a really big fan of Dan Ackroyd"<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex7QpLrhgvw">Vaudeville Villain</a><br /><br />"Oh and I know, You wanna see a wino bring the wine out"<br />"No, I haven't seen Kes Neelix<br />'Oh yeah? Just you stay away from her with those lyrics'<br />Please, ain't nobody fucking after her<br />I'm out of here as soon as I fix the flux capacitor"<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETHb-ISI9o">A Dead Mouse</a><br /><br />"Pick a crime he was out in the nick of time<br />To get paid another day and live to kick a sicker rhyme"<br />"The tests show lactose, ambisol, lecithin<br />Five types of aspirin and other kinds of medicines<br />Next time I'll bring my men who speak Mexican<br />And let the tek's spin<br />Make 'em contact the next of kin"<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqW4tKkRoOE">Lactose and Lecithin</a><br /><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-73195891671374431692010-03-24T10:43:00.003+00:002010-03-24T10:45:29.277+00:00Iconic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a8DhDghA1rQ4BA14I-r45mnpVlurS9Sp4kpkvBQYN7okS77hFNq5Kc7VGaFB1Za3qvwHvATCwbb3nCQNzTPIP235lHB0jbJx18wYg6anU70yoN4JjMITZiTGBoAsVIMi1JuD8g/s1600/IMG_1693.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 399px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a8DhDghA1rQ4BA14I-r45mnpVlurS9Sp4kpkvBQYN7okS77hFNq5Kc7VGaFB1Za3qvwHvATCwbb3nCQNzTPIP235lHB0jbJx18wYg6anU70yoN4JjMITZiTGBoAsVIMi1JuD8g/s400/IMG_1693.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452149287232604418" border="0" /></a><br />Frank Sinatra, Capitol Records, it's post-war America in a nutshell.The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-41829640522057529552010-03-16T18:39:00.003+00:002010-03-16T18:45:51.912+00:00Questions, questions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvho5BjrEDUVH3vN9wIEoBpngrVQN6fflfqRwcptJVTUVz5WkM7uL8Wcrf5lkPdNNZwFhV_th4_CqaydcxQjvOT_2B0pfcOVsxYYsHp7Jp352aUhMRDzfuVm4gfrwoHEDeBkn9g/s1600-h/100_0645.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvho5BjrEDUVH3vN9wIEoBpngrVQN6fflfqRwcptJVTUVz5WkM7uL8Wcrf5lkPdNNZwFhV_th4_CqaydcxQjvOT_2B0pfcOVsxYYsHp7Jp352aUhMRDzfuVm4gfrwoHEDeBkn9g/s400/100_0645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449303443000229410" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Why does this 1970s paperback of Bulgakov's "The White Guard" have Clint Eastwood on the cover?<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-81600311734092294652010-01-06T09:07:00.003+00:002010-01-06T09:12:45.000+00:00Maybe not<div style="text-align: justify;">I was googling Manic Street Preachers lyrics and was confronted by this option on some website...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9vGC16DbvGyerYVT_sG-qI_z5uJvy4gYNsJP0-Qu_4uIuej_ecUk8q6zclgY8aAxG70unX_4AL-HtsGLn85Y5kPwyqi3pTAIEJ8ejEDN_6Q2OxdQo5l1K_YD5MFSXOoV1xu26g/s1600-h/capture1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9vGC16DbvGyerYVT_sG-qI_z5uJvy4gYNsJP0-Qu_4uIuej_ecUk8q6zclgY8aAxG70unX_4AL-HtsGLn85Y5kPwyqi3pTAIEJ8ejEDN_6Q2OxdQo5l1K_YD5MFSXOoV1xu26g/s400/capture1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423551588462414274" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I realise that it probably does that for every song in the database, even "Murder Your Children Using Chainsaws" by Pantera, but it still made me laugh. I almost wish I had a mobile so I could waste 49p on testing it out. Almost.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-90899824543256199982010-01-05T20:14:00.003+00:002010-01-06T00:44:16.578+00:00Never mind the over rate, what about my heart rate?<div style="text-align: justify;">Geoffrey Boycott is pissing me off at the moment. It's not like I was ever a fan, but he's reached new heights of useless twattery during this current South African series. Yesterday he was banging on about the rules of golf and how they apply to women, thus throwing some casual sexism into his already well-stirred mix of narrow-minded arrogance. Every other comment is prefaced with "As I may have said before" or "Well, in my day" before some tedious bit of self-aggrandising bollocks, as today when he said "I didn't make much, well, 60 or so".<br /><br />Why the BBC haven't sent him to the knackers yard by now I don't know. The other commentators, particularly the English ones, seem to be just humouring him, feeding him leading questions so he can happily rant about his career while they get on with the cricket. I rarely shout "cunt" at the top of my voice but an unexpected "corridor of uncertainty" today made me do just that. It's easier to just turn the radio off for 20 minutes.<br /><br />TMS is one of my favourite things in the world - witness Aggers' interview today with MCC President John Barclay, one of the most entertaining bits of radio I've ever heard (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pnsm7/Test_Match_Special_05_01_2010/">here</a> from about 2:26 in) - and to go from that back to Boycott's boorish idiocy was so depressing. I can't seem to find the right amount of swearwords for a big final sentence so you'll have to do it yourself. Make a phrase using some or all or the following words (feel free to add your own):-<br />fucker Boycott wifebeating wanker cunt twat Geoffrey massive is arse a old git.<br /><br />Feel better? Me too.<br /><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-83298167771113508172009-05-06T00:06:00.005+00:002009-05-06T00:11:56.560+00:00Wu Train<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiBJpBgOWcjfkNTuQX7TYJxQcz-Al1sVQtICQChYVG2Yws7lzuXHWL6TCS6Vgs8_l3DiEFuTINOeQ4xt-PGAPW2uD5oz1KzhbMsPcy4kkUbIVBb4yPQs__6fiw1Sfla0RoQi7nQ/s1600-h/3487879674_9cbd8be3a2_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiBJpBgOWcjfkNTuQX7TYJxQcz-Al1sVQtICQChYVG2Yws7lzuXHWL6TCS6Vgs8_l3DiEFuTINOeQ4xt-PGAPW2uD5oz1KzhbMsPcy4kkUbIVBb4yPQs__6fiw1Sfla0RoQi7nQ/s320/3487879674_9cbd8be3a2_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332496537996821954" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/loganmills/sets/72157617640418633/">If the Wu-Tang had signed to Blue Note.</a><br /><br /><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-90757597390858211062009-03-26T21:35:00.001+00:002009-03-26T21:37:58.702+00:00Brings a tear to the eyeAC Milan fans sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" during a minutes silence to commemorate Hillsborough...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ZrVfMRyoE0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ZrVfMRyoE0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-55860359755772360682009-01-06T22:17:00.004+00:002009-01-06T23:08:32.294+00:00Finally some good news<div style="text-align: justify;">From <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7812300.stm">the BBC</a>...<br />"Morris dancing could be 'extinct' within 20 years because young people are too embarrassed to take part, a UK Morris association has warned. The number of people taking part in the English folk dance is falling while the average age of the dancers is going up..."<br /><br />Excellent. Although "embarrassed" is the wrong term, "too busy falling about laughing at grown men making twats of themselves" is perhaps closer to the truth.<br /><br />I hate Morris dancers, always have. What is so good about banging bits of wood together while jingling pointlessly? I don't care if it's tradition, so was bear-baiting. One of the most annoying things in the world is settling into a delicious country pub pint in a quiet corner of Sussex only to be disturbed by a bunch of bearded saddoes fresh from a psychotic's dressing-up box. Many years ago I even witnessed a woman playing air accordion, wearing the kind of badge-filled jumper that marked her out as the kind of person who collects the beermats at beer festivals and loves helping out instead of drinking. I think that was the moment I decided to grow up to rule the world and immediately slaughter all the jingly people without mercy. Unless evolution gets them first, of course. Hopefully the youth of today have lives and I'll be spared all that conquering.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-1969224284089441392008-12-13T19:14:00.003+00:002008-12-13T19:16:08.072+00:00Back with deep thoughts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsA0gk-TpmA-wjxWgOWuFj5WJOWyNp4tKE3NQRysnq566C_JWCGW2cFhQbBbkyt1YA6FRofyuTPg3HCa4r8pGu8sL3wa3B3VIc7E3s1LNFltOqdDi7HCr41KJMcI1-IpVnEhhhg/s1600-h/100_0062.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsA0gk-TpmA-wjxWgOWuFj5WJOWyNp4tKE3NQRysnq566C_JWCGW2cFhQbBbkyt1YA6FRofyuTPg3HCa4r8pGu8sL3wa3B3VIc7E3s1LNFltOqdDi7HCr41KJMcI1-IpVnEhhhg/s400/100_0062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279355277927931682" border="0" /></a>Ha! Look! Dope in a can! hahahaha!The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-60548451457610659902008-10-25T15:40:00.003+00:002010-08-26T08:44:40.464+00:00Make your bloody mind up<div style="text-align: justify;">Or, how being trapped in a bookshop with only tea for company can make you do odd things. Namely listing all the varieties of Longmans' imprints in our database...<br /><br />1796 - Longman<br />1798 - T.N. Longman<br />1800 - Longman and Rees<br />1805 - Longmans, Hurst, Rees, and Orme<br />1806 - Edward Orme & Longman, Rees, Hurst and Orme<br />1806-15 - Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme<br />1812-23 - Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown<br />1824-31 - Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green<br />1837 - Longman, Rees, Orme, and Co.<br />1837 - Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman<br />1837-41 - Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans<br />1842-56 - Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans<br />1860 - Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts<br />1866-69 - Longmans, Green, and Co.<br />1868-77 - Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer<br />1869-1954 - Longmans, Green, and Co.<br />1959 - Longmans<br /><br />No, I didn't have anything better to do.<br /><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-497660316120196812008-10-23T07:47:00.005+00:002008-10-23T07:59:01.133+00:00How's your paranoia Charlie Brown?<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Been trying not to have this self-same thought myself...*<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2970"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0OuvtaFVipswWSJYrOWEqg4q-tjEYMTTGD3QnS4I-k1nOr0UoOR2mLZZz0KUTv9I-hw09ie4lpOpJKhuOJ7HDZOk1RFLmC5wcL7OAIec6EZ4FnWHVKe-yR_v1HWLpRn3dQr49w/s400/2008-10-23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260254284181854226" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">(*The new world order puppets thought that is, not the pumpkin patch one. That would be silly. CFR stands for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_on_Foreign_Relations">Council on Foreign Relations</a>, apparently).<br /></div><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-79264506794938850012008-10-02T00:08:00.003+00:002008-10-02T00:25:03.021+00:00If I had a time machine<div style="text-align: justify;">I'd go back to Christmas 1967 and head for New York. I'm going through piles of old music magazines and have come across a picture of Tim Buckley standing in the snow in front of random gig hoardings. On Boxing Day you could escape the sober family atmosphere and check out the Ornette Coleman Trio with John Coltrane at the Village Theatre (tickets $2-4). Then if New Year's Eve turns out to be a drag (no pun intended) cheer yourself up (or not) with the Velvet Underground & Nico any night in the first two weeks of January over on W. 46th St.<br />Howlin' Wolf is also in town later in the month.<br /><br />Who needs the court of Louis XVI or Restoration foppery? Jazz and droning violas, that'll do me. And maybe hunt Tim down and buy him a beer while listening to the Wolf at the door, too.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-31717597202879410612008-08-15T22:03:00.004+00:002008-08-16T00:26:54.541+00:00Orwell uber alles<div style="text-align: justify;">Maybe in slightly bad taste, that (been muttering the Dead Kennedys to myself today, y'see). Anyway. <a href="http://orwelldiaries.wordpress.com/">The Orwell Project</a>. A bookmark for as long as it takes... So far it's yielded the fascinating tidbit that Orwell's dog was called Marx. Genius.</div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-46324040047096490852008-07-18T17:53:00.003+00:002008-07-18T18:05:06.030+00:00Things I didn't know a week ago<div style="text-align: justify;">Tortoiseshell is actually made from tortoises (don't know what I thought it was made from, but there you go).<br />In England and France lectern Bibles lay upper cover up, in Germany and Holland lower cover up.<br />The Stationers' Company didn't let anyone bind octavos or larger in sheepskin.<br />Remboitage is a good word.<br />The people on the 8.06 from Haywards Heath are actually dead - mentally, physically, culturally and any other way you could measure it (unless looking at blackberries is some kind of sign of life, that is).<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-60619981365003634692008-07-13T19:12:00.004+00:002008-07-20T21:52:22.372+00:00Doesn't get any better<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFAXbTZzmgn6nmI8nszlVTyQyKhwYJtxhMPhyphenhyphenw3orWyfC9bZMcp62ss3mDwd4CR2T69SZaPhspecGkJxCWJRk9KT2MxeDptIRhlK1mrbt2Mxbi03fJNgp1-NzdRcQprGyFqlbmA/s1600-h/chkmate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFAXbTZzmgn6nmI8nszlVTyQyKhwYJtxhMPhyphenhyphenw3orWyfC9bZMcp62ss3mDwd4CR2T69SZaPhspecGkJxCWJRk9KT2MxeDptIRhlK1mrbt2Mxbi03fJNgp1-NzdRcQprGyFqlbmA/s320/chkmate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222578955915413170" border="0" /></a>I doubt I'll ever top this recent 3-move checkmate. Storming, and rather unlikely, too. Thanks to the poor chap who played me, I suppose.<br /><br />(For those who care, the moves are 1. e4 f6 2. d4 g5 3. Qh5#. Nice, eh?).<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-58804831592483243952008-07-08T22:58:00.002+00:002008-07-08T23:01:37.763+00:00Chuck Norris? Who?<div style="text-align: justify;">Much silliness from the <a href="http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=223542.0">Rawk forum</a>...<br /><br />Martin Skrtel is the leading cause of death in Eastern European centre forwards. <br />There is no ctrl button on Martin Skrtel's computer. Martin Skrtel is always in control.<br />Martin Skrtel can touch MC Hammer.<br />Martin Skrtel once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.<br />Every year on his birthday, Martin Skrtel randomly selects one lucky child to be thrown into the sun.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-89704739314579804382008-06-18T21:00:00.004+00:002010-03-30T20:05:11.710+00:00The Executive Colouring Book<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNohDlUovlydccc3R4qSBrmW4s2GqQ0dztRZO_D72GuyWkliVZcvZdpllGGW4MVYL2QkxsBNAAPRggIzLGfN8URwa5Co4nPn7yXxnFSyKgOh4VdW2_DqRZrb-CmhdOtdPzhUZBHg/s1600-h/fexecolor06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNohDlUovlydccc3R4qSBrmW4s2GqQ0dztRZO_D72GuyWkliVZcvZdpllGGW4MVYL2QkxsBNAAPRggIzLGfN8URwa5Co4nPn7yXxnFSyKgOh4VdW2_DqRZrb-CmhdOtdPzhUZBHg/s320/fexecolor06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213329401373288450" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.adtothebone.com/?p=174">Link</a><br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12942460.post-66123388401425386072008-06-11T22:33:00.002+00:002008-06-11T22:43:06.965+00:00Patriotism redux<div style="text-align: justify;">"What has kept England on its feet during the past year? In part, no doubt, some vague idea about a better future, but chiefly the atavastic emotion of patriotism, the ingrained feeling of the English-speaking peoples that they are superior to foreigners. For the last twenty years the main object of English left-wing intellectuals has been to break this feeling down, and if they had succeeded, we might be watching the SS men patrolling the London streets at this moment."<br />- George Orwell, from an essay on H.G. Wells, 1941.<br /><br />He probably has a point. If there were a bunch of nazis bombing me every night I would undoubtedly rouse myself to feel something for this country, but until that happens I can't be doing with it. Holland and Spain play better football anyway.<br /></div>The Paranoid Modhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07836426755185228279noreply@blogger.com0