The Past Is Another Country

And Nick Hornby's An Education looks like a foreign film.

C'est tres chic!

Probably his masterpiece. An evocation of a time before corporate globalism swamped us all.

There is also sufficient evidence in recent years to indicate that the British are learning to make films worth watching.

Hoorah!

Dunned By The Tongs!

I have just been passed in the street by a man of Chinese appearance who walked the lengths of the road WITH HIS ARMS FOLDED!

And I don't mean that he stopped to admire something for a while, maybe an architectural gem, a flower, or a blue plaque, and then forgot to unfold his arms on continuing his walk.

He clearly walked the length of the road with his arms folded, as though he'd been cornered by a bunch of ruffian tailors who had corned him, pinned him down and sadistically sewn each cuff to the opposite elbow.

Maybe this happened in Hong Kong, where the hapless victim, on collecting his 24 hour suit had attempted to bargain down the price by fabricating some form of greivance, like saying the vents weren't deep enough.

Disgruntled, the cruel couturiers had taken umbrage, ganged-up, performed a "stitching", before bundling the punter into a Heathrow-bound container, confident that the distant (and bemused) baggage-handlers would incompetently misdirect him into London's West End where he would be doomed to wander the streets in a state of confusion with a defensive body-language posture.

Yes, now I've thought it through, I'm sure that that answers all the questions.

Yes, that's definately what happened.

Phew!

Overheard

I've just witnessed a wonderful "Dora Bryan" moment in the staff kitchen.

Chap 1 "How's the new job?"

Chap 2 "Yeh, great, thanks!"

Chap 1 " Did they fill your 'ole?"

Chap 2 -Unsure what he had just heard- "Pardon??"

Chap 1 "Did they fill your ROLE?"

Chap 2 -somewhat relieved- "Err, yes."

Hack Space

Fancy mending things with a soldering iron?

Remember when we didn't throw things away?

Like to hear things hum as the warm up for use?

Check out Hack Space

Everything is OK

Again thanks to Greg at Arctic Ghetto

Nostalgia; The Ache From An Old Wound

On manly duties after work last night, I left work in pursuit of jump leads, as our VW seems to have a flat battery.

Rather than surrender my money to the capitalist running dogs of the high street chain, I elected to procure my wares from the small-world tories in the long-standing motor factors just round the corner from my old flat.

Imagine the horror as I passed number 123 and saw the addition of shiny new UPVC where my beautiful old sash windows once were.

My partner and I spent HOURS taking those windows out; stripping, repairing, filling and painting/varnishing them, before rehanging them newly weighted to adjust for the lighter modern glass panes that we had installed. You could lift and close them with one finger, such was the expertise of the work.

It was a huge achievement, and probably the refurbishment we were most proud of.

The sight of the UPVC struck me like a rusty blunt dagger through the heart.

Bugger them!

Overhead, Sadly

As I passed a crotchety old diner at John Lewis' restaurant, I heard her exclaim in shrill upper-class tones:

"When I arrived, he was cleaning it with Bicarbonate of Soda!"


Meanwhile, the vicarage over the road from us has an inebriately large collection of empty beer, wine and spirits bottles left out for the bin-men. It is my understanding that the man is living alone; but who does one contact about these things?

Meanwhile At The Archers School of Art

With news that "Phil Archer" actor Norman Painting has finally read his last script, it reminds me that it is amusing that his name sounds like a V&A corridor.

RSPCA v. RNLI

OK, I can understand how a chap can get lonely living on a remote peninsula, weather-beaten by the worst storms that the ocean can throw at you. It's an isolated job in the coastguard out there on the perilous rocks, and one may decide that a little furry friend maybe just the thing to get you through those long days and nights in the face of those storms.

And I really DO understand why a pet would be welcomed in the outpost; but in all reality who would keep a DOG on one of dangerous rock faces in the British Isles?

OK, Fido gets a bowl of water; but what is his life-expectancy exactly?

Word of the Day

Homoscedasticity

I'd explain, but I have no idea, and as you'll find, the Wiki answer takes you into Open University TV territory*

*There's one for our American friends to work out!

Cornwall

Spent the weekend in Straw Dogs country.