foolhandy

This could go in Realizing… but that’s not really what that bit’s for. This is real though…

I’m tired I can’t explain
All the troubled notions scrambling my brain
I’m tired let me be for now
Was a time when I was interested by you
But it isn’t now

If only I could escape leave a dummy in my place
Slip away thru the walls
Not listen at all

I’m tired I can’t explain
I may as well have been talking to myself by the look on your face
I’m high I don’t feel myself
I think I should feel happy
But I only want to lie down

If only I could escape leave a dummy in my place
Slip away thru the walls
Not listen at all

For I’m tired I might go away
I’m tired I’ve no more to say
I’m tired
I’m tired
So take me
Take me away

I’m Tired - From the album “People Move On” by Bernard Butler

I love the Tokyo Motor Show for many of the same reasons that I love Tokyo. There are ideas and concepts that you wouldn’t see in Europe because there don’t seem to be the self-imposed limits on turning flights of fancy into reality.

You can see the full range of cars on show in Tokyo this year by visiting the Car Design News Show Highlights here, but here are my three favourites.

Mazda Taiki 

The Mazda Taiki is the next step in Mazda’s ‘Nagare’ or ‘Flow’ series and I love it. It’s a sports car, perhaps a future RX-8, and Mazda have designed it with function in mind. As is so often the case in cars designed for function, it has a stunning form too. I’d have one…

Nissan Pivo 2

The Nissan Pivo 2 is a city car with wheels that rotate by 90 degrees to aid parking. It’s a great idea and looks like nothing else. Wish they’d build it.

Suzuki Kizashi

This is far more ‘normal’ looking than the other two, but then this is by far the closest to production. Reduce the size of the wheels a little, increase the depth of the side glass and this will be Suzuki’s Ford Mondeo rival next year. Excellent!

Bolton Wanderers have appointed Gary Megson as their new manager. Here’s the story as reported on the BBC Website.

That’s them down then. I’m reminded of Charlton Athletic last year.

• Successful long term manager leaves on good terms with club.
• Board appoints unconvincing new manager.
• Unconvincing manager unsurprisingly sacked within months.
• Board makes rushed choice of replacement who is even less convincing than the one they sacked.

The only difference is that Bolton appointed in-house first rather than as the rush decision.

So it’s Derby, Bolton and one other for the drop. There are a few teams down there breathing a sigh of relief today I’m sure…

I’m watching Michael Jackson : What Really Happened on Channel 4.

Fascinating stuff, and watching the empty auction scene swiftly followed by him as performing genius singing I Want You Back and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough I can’t help but feel sad for him, even if (and maybe because) he’s brought it on himself…

And now, a quiz. For two points, what does Michael Jackson think he’s saying when he shrieks “Shambo!”

Incidentally, I am a Michael Jackson fan - that’s why I know the answer, and why I specifically chose a non-freaky picture…

Edit :

And here are the lyrics to Billie Jean

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don’t mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do ’cause the lie becomes the truth

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

For forty days and for forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she’s in demand
Her schemes and plans
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Do think twice)

She told my baby we’d danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts
She came and stood right by me
Then the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Not my lover
Not my lover
Not my lover
Not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Completely unrelated to this post, the first test of the House Kitty Cannon Series took place yesterday.

Often spoken about in hushed, reverent tones I finally played it and now I’m one up after avoiding the venus cat-traps with the scores at 9-9. Updates on the next 6 tests in the best-of-seven series will be posted here.

Possibly.

Photos of Alex and Sabrina’s wedding can now be seen on photographer Laura Mott’s website.

Awww…my little brother!

I originally heard about this story on Radio 4’s PM, but after a bit of News Googling I found this version of the story from the Daily Bigot which goes into a bit more detail about the Southampton Catnapper.

There is also a post about the story on the PM Blog. I’ve commented on the feature but in case it doesn’t get approved (as I fear a pro-cat bias in the reporting of this story) I’ve copied my views here :

I am sick to death of selfish cat owners telling me it’s my problem that I object to having to clear up their cat’s excrement before I can mow my lawn, weed my plants or let children play in the garden.

Listening on PM to the cat owner whose cat had been taken I was appalled that she thought that having her animal’s excrement fouling other people’s gardens was fine. And then she pointed out that there were deterrents that could be bought to discourage cats from gardens - is she going to buy them for her neighbours? Why should they pay out their money and spend their time deterring animals which other people choose to have.

I wasn’t surprised by her comments however because 99% of cat owners show the same shocking arrogance. Dog owners can be prosecuted if they leave their dog’s excrement on pavements and other people’s gardens - it’s about time that cat owners were treated in the same way.

The person who relocated these cats has no doubt been driven to this act by the smug superiority of cat owners who believe that non-cat owners are in the wrong for not wanting disease ridden and stinking cat excrement in their gardens.

I will support the cat-napper wholeheartedly until cat owners start taking responsibility for their own animals’ mess. Sadly I expect it to be a long wait.

For the record I’d like to point out that despite the above, and being badly allergic to them, I don’t dislike cats per se. I just don’t see why I should have to clear up their excrement from my garden, and be treated with disdainful arrogance by cat owners when I mention this.

So wedding four of four went really well. The Dormy House Hotel was a great venue, everything went to plan, the bride looked beautiful, the speeches were well received and the evening’s festivities were enjoyed by all… Being Best Man was OK too!

Here’s a video of Alex & Sabrina’s first dance, which they’d been taking lessons for and was superb…

Sadly my distinctly average mobile ‘phone camera isn’t very good in poor light and so justice isn’t done to these flowers but I want to post them here because they, and the thought behind them, mean so much to me…

1. The Quiz, I think, went well. Pleased and satisfied in equal measure.

2a. England 3 - Estonia 0. Unless we muck up against Russia that looks like we’re through. Another summer of excess-hype followed by failure beckons then.

2b. France 9 - England 14. The excitement of being the only one at the quiz who knew the score and being able to announce the score to an excited audience is as near as I can get to excited about this.

3. What’s caused my apathy towards our national teams?

Here are some YouTube highlights. Thanks to those who uploaded them…

Tattva

Govinda (Clip)

Dr Kitt

Die For Love

Govinda (Full)

I’m amazed at how good the quality is of some of these…

I was jigging too much to video anything last night, but when someone YouTubes it I’ll link to it here. Those who, as Shirley Bassey put it, “won’t dance if they don’t know who’s singing” (and they know who they are!) can turn their noses up but Kula Shaker were great fun and played a blinding set. You’d have had to be dead or pig headed not to have enjoyed it - and how pretty was Crispian’s hair?!

Incidentally I recommend visiting www.myspace.com/drjoelmusic, playing “I Can Sing My Song”, and imagining a crowd of people ready for Kula Shaker’s roaring hippy-rock and realising the support act really was just Dr. Joel stood in front of a keyboard doing his stuff. With audience participation as well! What a lovely man… Helen was less impressed but I grinned from ear to ear and joined in enthusiastically. Don’t forget to roar in the tiger song!

My Dad has asked for advice on buying a PC laptop. When I bought this MacBook I didn’t even look at any PCs. The budget is up to a grand. I’ll start looking at specs and stuff over the next week or so.

In the meantime, thoughts?

I’m fed up with them but never have the time/inclination to get on and sort them…

Quiz Countdown = 9 days

Best Man’s Speech Countdown = 16 days

Oh yes…

Third of the month again and all our scores have gone down… I may have to create some kind of graph at the end of the season to see the ups and downs of it all. What I do know is that as I typed in the positions of Chelsea & Tottenham everyone’s scores plummeted…

Here are the scores on the doors, with last month’s positions in brackets :

(1) 1. Murph 749
(7) 2. Rob 701
(2) 3. Gay 695
(3=) 4. Alex 683
(5) 5. Karl 662
(6) 6. Steve 645
(3=) 7. Helen 641
(8) 8. Kimberley 562
(9) 9. Kyle 486
(10) 10. Alfie 460
(11) 11. Colin 400

Well done again to Murph, with Rob & Helen fast becoming our resident yo-yos…

Remember that you can swap two teams at any point during January if you think that might help you. Comment has been made that the limited swapping options aren’t ideal, and I’m not inclined to disagree. I wanted to keep it simple for me and yourselves, but I’ll be asking for feedback at the end of the season.

Until the 3rd of November then…

There are things about this story which incense me.

The innocent minority are monitored to possibly stop the criminal minority doing wrong.

652. Yes, six hundred and fifty two public bodies including your local council, will have access to the information. Information such as when you made a call/sent a text, who to and even exactly where you were.

Where was the public consultation about this? I didn’t know about it until it featured half-way down the Technology page of the BBC website.

They can dress it up as in the public interest as much as they like, but I really don’t want everything I do monitored by authorities I don’t trust.

I know it’s a cliche, but Orwell knew a knew or two…