Posts from 27th July 2006
27
Jul 06
Poptimism – Lesson Eight
Tracks:
She’s Good For Business – Mstrkrft
Shake Yr Rudebox – Robbie Williams
Don’t Feel Like Dancing – Scissor Sisters
Margarita (Dirty) – Sleepy Brown Ft Pharrell & Big Boi
Let’s Make Love and Listen Death From Above – Cansei de Ser Sexy
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Stormbreaker Broken By Storm
Popped into the Troc to watch kiddie Bond Stormbreaker today. It does exactly what it says on the tin, but quite cheaply with its all-star (but mainly British or cheap Yank) cast. Posho surly teen lead is ultra bland, but I liked him for the sheer fact that he was blonde and thus looks like a slightly younger version of me. Will not do Potter business, not charming enough. Nevertheless, things explode, chases happen and THE STATE OF THE NATION IS ADDRESSED – in as much as the PM is played by Robbie Coltrane in a “haven’t you got rid of Tony Blair yet: I am meant to be Gordon Brown” sort of way.
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52 Pickup
52 Pickup: The reasons DC Comics’ weekly 52 series isn’t as thrill-powered as it cd be deserve a post of their own, but if you ARE reading it you’ll like it more if you’re reading Doug Wolk’s blog too.
Keep Bond (Themes) Rubbish
Ex-Soundgarden Bod To Record Bond Theme
Many of the songs from the early Bond movies have become classics, such as Bassey’s Goldfinger and Sinatra’s You Only Live Twice.
But recent efforts like Tina Turner’s Goldeneye and Sheryl Crow’s Tomorrow Never Dies have proved less enduringly popular.
Windows Live Local
… remember that afternoon when we first found Google Earth? Gasping in glee, our work suffered for the rest of the afternoon as we scrambled to remember old postcodes and called our co-workers round to look at our blurry roof… good days! Now there’s another satellite mapper on the act, Windows Live Local! Your London based author is amazed at the clarity of detail in the zoom up to 20 metres, however…
1/ From identifying trees near old houses, one can note that the pictures are 3+ years old…
2/ As soon as you move away from the Watford gap, you can only zoom in to 50m and the pictures are notably less clear (FY and PR postcodes applicable)
3/ Bad luck if you’re from Fermanagh – 1.5km zoom in is all you can expect! I BLAME THE LONDON MEDIA SET, of which surely I should be part?? I’m blogging and everything!
Whilst being undeniably nifty, the only place where Windows Live Local doesn’t really match up to Google Earth is the fact that you don’t “fly” from one postcode to another, which is undeniably the most rockin’ thing EVER.
Extra Special Bonus Link: Satellite map of the location of THIS SATURDAY’S POPTIMISM!! :) YAY! You can also obtain a sad nostalgia pan from scrolling around trying to find passing Routemasters (RIP).
IHM Title Watch: Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie
“Shakira! Shakira!” Wyclef Jean shouts all over this record, like a half blind old man stumbling around in the dark looking for his missing grand-daughter. Perhaps he got lost in the studios during the recording of Oral Fixation? Funny Shakira should call her album that as I have an oral fixation with Shakira herself. Mainly to punch her in the gob.
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Fancyapint Re-evaluates…
Of course you are allowed to change your mind. And of course good things go rotten. But the sad tale of The Old Nick is one worth considering for all the pub trade. Back in the mists of time (2004) The Old Nick opened: a refurb of a smaller, single fronted pub opened out and sympathetically decorated. Badger beers and Hoffbrau made it an occasional favourite of ours too, it was the final pub in the Holborn Hexagon at Christmas. The team at Fancyapint were so impressed they gave it a pub of the year award in 2004.
But time rolls on, and they went back in April. And things were a bit different. All the beers off, doors wedged open and cold, and frankly unfriendly bar staff. In discussing this yesterday the fact it was a weekend, and pubs round here are either dead or closed at the weekend, was brought up. But on further reflection this is no excuse. As mentioned half the pubs in the area are closed at the weekend. And I would rather be closed that do a bad job, if the custom barely pays the wages of the staff – shut. Surely, bored staff are a big pub no-no. So well done Fancyapint slapping them on the wrists. Even if it isn’t the average Old Nick week night experience (which still seems fine).
Unfortunately planning applications have also been re-evaluated and the Oakdale Arms in the middle of “Seven Sister’s no-mans-land” days are unfortunately numbered. Planning permission has been granted to knock it down and build flats. Not sure when that will happen, but hopefully a few pints of Milton will be sunk before it goes. Though on Beer-In-The-Evening, a message from almost two months ago suggesting there may be a temporary reprieve…