Archive for November, 2011
That was the Major’s comment in ‘Fawlty Towers.’ Basil’s reply, ‘Didn’t know you did, Major.’ Yes, it’s the public sector workers’ strike today as I’m sure you know – you may well be on it – and broadly speaking I support it, though it has led me to ask myself why I don’t feel as [ READ MORE ]
Went to the Phoenix last night (thanks Steve) to see ‘The Deep Blue Sea’, a film adaptation of Terrence Rattigan’s play. Now in its time it may have been as gripping as ‘Brief Encounter’, but nowadays the story is just banal: passionate woman marries dull, tied-to-mother’s-apron-strings High Court judge; is obviously stifled and falls for [ READ MORE ]
This is an experimental post – I’m starting it with not a single idea in my head and just seeing what comes. Meanwhile here is some light music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJuIT21zZQ I remember Iain Macaskill (on whom may the sun shine eternally) once said, in a dreadful summer round about 1986, ‘I’m trying to think of something [ READ MORE ]
I’ve never been great at sports. I used to quite like rounders because it was fun and nobody took it seriously; I like tennis though I’ve never been able to play at all well (and I didn’t at all like the club next door to us where one would be told off for not wearing [ READ MORE ]
I’ve never really understood the appeal of the National Theatre of Brent – their comedy seems to consist of dropping the ‘g’s at the end of words, talking in a funny voice and being incompetent – all of which would normally make them Upper-class Twits, except that they’re socialists. So it’s an upper-class twist. LOL. [ READ MORE ]
Went down to our local library yesterday and was startled to find that a number of books were on sale – not obscure, old, uninteresting books which no-one would have borrowed since 1898 but – wait for it – two recent Booker nominees, ‘The Stone Diaries’ and Michael Frayn’s thing which I can’t remember the [ READ MORE ]
I have read a few reviews of ‘Sense of an Ending’ and I have concluded that no-one else understands it either – that is to say, that people get it in general but the specifics are unclear, probably deliberately so as this is part of the whole ‘we can’t really know anything’ sub-text that plagues [ READ MORE ]
So: apparently recent research shows that going through a doorway can make you forget things. I’m tempted to say, ‘from the school of the bleeding obvious’ – but that’s not fair, because, as Dawkins and many others have pointed out, what’s ‘obvious’ is not necessarily what’s true. The earth isn’t flat, Orion’s belt doesn’t consist [ READ MORE ]
I was once asked by someone on the phone as I gave my name, ‘And how are you spelling that?’ I found the use of the present continuous amusing; as though I might have a current preference and change the spelling of my name on a daily basis. And this got me to thinking about [ READ MORE ]
Hi folks. Sorry I’m late this morning – I was detained by a flock of wild geese which needed chasing. Did you know that these days you can chase them on the phone? I expect you did: I had a security query about an on-line order so I phoned the bank. They gave me two [ READ MORE ]
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