Sometimes...

Sometimes you get dreams so vivid they seem like reality. Last night was a case in point. I swear I dreamed an entire movie and novel combo; characters, plotlines, the whole nine yards. With a full supporting cast of Zombie like creatures, and various feeders off human life force. A really stonking bad guy, and a cast of all too human heroes and villains. A battle against subtle and not so subtle forces of repression.

The dream almost had the feel of a false memory, but nowhere can I find a record of a similar piece of work in any of my previous reading or viewing. Multiple searches can find nothing even vaguely genre related apart from a couple of early sci-fi disaster type movies from the late 50's.

Where it all began was with Delcatto's question about power generation from the Earth's magnetic field which has had me thinking about various related issues. A decent end result should be done and dusted in ninety days if I buckle down to serious work. A 90,000 word novel, and a cut 'n paste job of dialogue into a screenplay. Everything is so well mapped out I could almost do it in my sleep. Which is ironically where the process got kickstarted.

I'll give it a whirl and see where the thought takes the idea.

Monday Musical interlude

'Waiting for Tomorrow' from Hawkwinds 1987 album 'Choose your Masques' featuring Hu Lloyd-Langton. I used to have the 12 inch vinyl of this one - yes, I'm that sad. The album version is much better but couldn't find one I could embed. Waiting for tomorrow is what Mrs S and I are doing right now. Hope there are no more travel hang ups.

There's also this, which many libertarians may find some synergy with;

"We're sick of politicians harassment and laws, All we do is get screwed up by other people's flaws"

Friday musical moment

Chris Rea, in prophetic mode;

Walk away from the leader
Walk away from the books
Walk away from the TV
Take a long hard look

And an old favourite from my days spent working as a van driver (I had to pay my tuition fees somehow);


I'm cool with it all today.

RIP Mike Edwards

Ex cellist with the Electric Light Orchestra. Playing on this under appreciated track from 'On the third day', one of my favourite instrumentals.


Killed by a rolling hay bale. I don't know whether to laugh or cry that such an excellent musician is no longer with us. Ave Mike. God rest you. Or Buddha. Whatever.

EyeTube

For those people becoming annoyed with increasing Youtube censorship and pulling video content; please welcome Eyetube a video hosting service which promises free speech and probably free anything else, although I'm assuming that they'll draw the line at some things. This site will try and use it as much as practical.

Providing of course Eyetube don't buckle under to the first vexatious litigant to send in a letter threatening all kinds of legal nastiness. One hopes not.

H/T To the Angry Exile.

This could be fun

The movie asks; has the US government really run out of taxpayer dollar? I know the UK has, but no one over that side of the pond seems to have the talent or inclination to make movies like the above. As for the politicians? Some are too busy arguing over a woman who once dumped a cat in a wheelie bin and appearing 'green' to address the real economic issues. Sheesh.

The thought occurs that those espousing 'big government' solutions are too far removed in real life, either mentally or physically, from the actual real privations. We're talking day on day, nose to the grindstone at a job you hate to keep a roof over your head solutions. Forever running to keep up. The stuff Michael Moore never talked about. The stuff ordinary people do every day only to find that some bastard has put another tax on the workaday to fund some pompous holier-than-thou prats pet cause. Making them worse off than they were.

H/T to I Hate the Media for the clip.

I must have a heart of stone

...Because I didn't cry at 'Toy Story 3'. Laughed a fair bit though.

Youngest, Mrs S and I all trooped off to the local multiplex last night to see for ourselves what all the hype was about.

Overall I'd say not the funniest of the franchise, and a bit too mawkish in places for my tastes, but it gave our chuckle muscles a workout. Lots of dark humour too, which made it not so much of a childrens movie. I won't spoil it for you if you haven't been to see either the 2 or 3D versions, but Disney has come a long way from their old 'family' production values.

Verdict; I'd go and see it again. One for the video collection to cheer you up on a cold winters day. Tip; stay and watch the animated end titles. The gags don't stop even if the movie has, and people are already rushing for the car park.

He's no Robin Hood

"It's me, Robin Hood" claims actor on a binge. He's not though. His Archery style looks like it was learned using a kiddies archery set. Not that the politically correct TV travesty he was in could get even a major historical detail like a flaming longbow right. As I've pointed out before, the style of bow the actor uses is a short recurve of a Turkish, Roman or Magyar pattern. Funnily enough not widely known in English medieval folklore or literature. Historically speaking, the Yew longbow superseded the Welsh Elmwood bow some time in the 11th century, at least as far as the English were concerned, and the Welsh pattern wasn't a recurve. A short recurve pattern bow was unknown in England at this time. We know this because no-one has ever found one in literature or sculpture. This does not say much for the period detail or research required to play the part of Robin Hood convincingly. 'Robertus Hoode' was a sodding longbowman widely thought to have annoyed local Yorkshire law enforcement during the 12th Century FFS!

Despite the aforementioned I actually like short recurves, and prefer them for bush or field shooting. There's less chance of the lower limb snagging in the underbrush and throwing your aim off. This modern Maple and Fibreglass model shoots very fast and flat, which amuses a purist Archer like me as I prefer to shoot without sights. There's a knack to field shooting with one of these smaller bows, as the classic slow draw and hold you learn for target shooting (and portrayed in the movies - try drawing and holding even a 40lb competition recurve for more than five seconds at full draw and you'll know what I mean) isn't the best technique for shooting a 45lb+ pull bow in the field. My own technique is to tend to keep the bow at half draw during the latter stage of the stalk, and draw slowly to two thirds for sighting, then final draw and release all in one motion. Looks like you're showing off, but it's actually very effective. Endless practice is the key.

Anyway. Russell Crowe shoots far better. At least he actually took the trouble to learn how to shoot a longbow.

I used to like Doctor Who as well (Until Sylvester McCoy and Bonnie Langford), but like Terry Pratchett, who is still sharp despite early onset Alzheimers, I don't think the current BBC incarnation can honestly be called science fiction.

It's the 70's all over again

The final proof of this blog posts title is that the musical 'Hair' has been resurrected and is playing in the West End of London.

Bloody hell fire.

Whatever next? No. Don't tell me, let me guess. The Conservatives will win a small overall majority. The following year a massive industrial dispute (Probably public sector) will force a Conservative government with a narrow majority to 'go to the country'. Whereupon the great British public will return a Labour Administration which will finish the great work of screwing Britain's economy once and for all. Said Administration will have to visit the IMF for a bailout. Then the country of my birth will circle the plughole three times before disappearing down an economic black hole. The EU, finding that there is no more money to be squeezed out of Britain or Germany will begin to fold for lack of cash.

This time there is no Thatcher to rescue Britain. Say what you like about the mighty Mrs (Now Baroness) T. She made us take the bad medicine and cut out the dead economic wood. This time the state suckled 'entitled' generation will not let that happen. Then they will be the first to the barricades when there's nothing left to fund their idle lifestyles.

Faced with an imbalance of funds flowing into the great European Federal project the EU will militarise or implode and disintegrate. Then silence. Nothing but utter blackness and fading laughter, apart from after dinner Cognac and Coffee, with a selection of tantalising Desserts from the trolley. There may also be cheese and crackers.

Where's my Longbow?

"Rise, and rise again, until Lambs become Lions." Great line. Looking forward to this one. Tickets will be booked shortly.

This looks promising as well;


May looks like being a cracking movie month.

Looking back

Across the Atlantic I see politics going to places where politics has no business at all. I mean, come on. Dennis the Menace gets a PC makeover? It this crazy shit true or is someone 'avin a larf? Well there goes my Beano subscription.

Mind you, it isn't the first time that politics has polluted entertainment. Sylvester McCoy, the actor credited with killing off the role of Doctor Who before the series was revamped and resurrected did 'anti-Thatcher' storylines back in the eighties.

McCoy was wrong for the role anyway, as was Bonnie Langford as his assistant. At the time I found myself praying for Tom Baker, or even Peter Davison to make a comeback. No wonder the show was so shit back then. Once a fan, I found all the political nonsense one massive turn off. So it got turned off. The modern version is a little bit crap as well, despite the performances of Christopher Eccleston who did a fine job of resurrecting the character from oblivion despite some pretty yawnworthy stories. David Tennant? Yerss, well, no; sorry. Just can't be arsed with it any more, even when they brought back the Cybermen and Daleks. Don't even get me started on that utter travesty of a spin-off 'Torchwood'. The girl who played the policewoman was wetter than a lobsters underpants. Totally unconvincing and almost painful to watch.

The 'toning down' of story, plot and character seems to happen a lot in TV, and for me is a reason not to watch a TV programme or movie. Especially when soggy PC propaganda tries to hide what it really is, or is insinuated into a show to make it more 'edgy'. 'Edgy' being the bullshit buzzword used to excuse these unholy abortions. All I know is that much of said content comes across as patronising and trite. The lack of veracity and integrity in a story can makes an otherwise entertaining show pretty much unwatchable.

Not unnaturally I wondered if my opinion was simply the blinkered prejudice of someone who's going (long gone) a bit crusty and cynical. So I reviewed a few of the classic episodes and found them still highly enjoyable, in spite of the wobbly scenery and amusingly designed monsters in rubber suits. Kinky, but note Katy Manning's nude pose with Dalek in the above montage from 1976 (Salivate), oh and Louise Jameson as Leela (Drool). I'm a sad old heterosexual, so bite me. Those shows still have their sharp edges and weren't toned down because it might 'offend' someone. The bad guys were bad and the good guys 'saved the day'. Huzzah! There was no attempt to inject a political subtext. That sort of thing might interest a particular minority, but leaves me (and I suspect a lot of others) cold.

By contrast, the once unbearably saccharine Disney currently puts out some good stuff, especially since they absorbed Pixar. Their stories have something for everyone and only fall flat when puritanism (Commercial or political) of whatever kidney puts in an appearance. My take? A good gag is a good gag and shouldn't be gagged (Sorry, couldn't resist that one).

Hmm. There's a lesson in there somewhere.

A pause for a word from our sponsors

Still suffering slightly with the lurgi. Will be back up and sarking shortly. Until then, Greg Lake 'I believe in Father Christmas' and Mike Oldfield 'in Dulci Jubilo'.




Have a good one. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Something else to look forward to

This is the new trailer for the Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

I've heard tell that Russell can hit a target at 45 metres with a longbow and say 'well done that man'. Not bad, but he ought to try a Clout shoot where the target is 180 yards (Just short of 165metres) away.

Have 'cleft the peg' (Hit within a six inch radius of the target marker) at this distance with a bare competition recurve and my fifty inch classic hunter. Harder with a Longbow and cedar shafts of course, but I've seen longbowmen get good results with traditional 'self-wood' bows.

Clout and field shooting were two of the reasons I always liked the British Longbow Society shoots. All good fun, and none of the "look at my compound" willy waving and unsolicited coaching nonsense you got at more mainstream competition GNAS and FITA rule shoots. I used to enjoy competition shooting, but some of the obsessive-compulsives it attracted tended to put me off.

Nonetheless, my bow will be with me by the end of January, and it'll take me a couple of months at least to get my shooting muscles anywhere near retuned. Archery is a vice that requires constant abuse practice. A year or so of field and target work may see me up to a reasonable standard of shooting once more.

Good stuff

Have just laid hands on a copy of the Altemus' edition of Dantes Inferno illustrated by Gustave Dore (See above). Excellent condition, but can't pin down the year. I know when the original illustrations were done, but there's no indication of the actual print run date. Pre 1900 seems possible as the preface page is pre incorporation of Henry Altemus publishing house.


Have also seen that the toxophilite's favourite piece of folklore, 'Robin Hood' is coming to the big screen May 14 2010. Ridley Scott directs; Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett star. Expect the usual Hollywood treatment of History, but at least in the pre release photo's, Crowe appears to be using a period correct Longbow, with a Flemish Twist bowstring, no less. If it's only half as good as 'Gladiator', I shall be booking my tickets early.

Der Kommisar

One of my 1980's favourites, a little number from After the Fire, originally written by Falco (Austrian Version below) I believe.


Busy travelling to and from Victoria over the past day or so, so haven't had much time to read and get annoyed / amused / arsed to comment about. Which in it's own way is not a bad thing I suppose.

Apocalypse update

24th November 2009 Large Hadron Collider restarts.
6th (5th) December 2009 Gordon Brown 'Fifty days to save the world'.
21st October 2011 (Begins Friday 21st May 2011, bring own sandwiches), Biblical.
21st December 2012 End of everything, Mayan (Ticket only. If wet, indoors).
Summer 2013 - ice free Arctic - Al Gore. (Snowsuit and snow shoes compulsory)
2014 - the whole world 'beyond repair' - World Wildlife Fund.
December 2017 - the whole world and everything all beyond repair - 100 months prediction.
Summer 2019 - ice free Arctic - Pen Hadow.
Late 2029 - loss of Great Barrier Reef - marine scientist Charlie Veron.

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.

Bad taste betting

Rather amused with all these predictions of doom and how the world will 'end' in name your time period. Bearing this in mind I would like to propose the ultimate betting experience; the 'end of the world' sweepstake. Winner takes all.

To enlarge; what is proposed is to compile a list of all those wonderful apocalyptic predictions of doom and disaster, and put them in a definitive time frame so that people can track whatever bets they make. It's all very well whatever public figure making said prediction, but who is keeping track of them all? I think we should be told. The end of the world is an important event which I'm sure none of us would ever want to miss. The social event of the millennium? How could you want to be left out?

Imagine the embarrassment, nay the humiliation, of being caught out the day after. Find your local supermarket out of special offers? Turn up at the checkout only to be told; "World ended yesterday, didn't you know?" See? you'd have missed the opportunity of their promotional 'end of days' final reductions, and how stupid would you feel then, eh?

Enough prevarication; to the list itself. Top of the current list, subject to amendment is the British Prime Minister, Jonah Brown, with 50 days; or is that forty nine now? He's eight time zones away. I do so wish these doomsayers would be a bit more specific. You have to plan for these things. How can you have a decent end of the world party when everyone else has booked all the best caterers?

Any old road up. Here we go with a small sample of more half baked prognostications;

21st October 2011 (Begins Friday 21st May 2011, bring own sandwiches), Biblical.
21st December 2012 End of everything, Mayan (Ticket only. If wet, indoors).
Summer 2013 - ice free Arctic - Al Gore. (Snowsuit and snow shoes compulsory)
2014 - the whole world 'beyond repair' - World Wildlife Fund.
December 2017 - the whole world and everything all beyond repair - 100 months prediction
Summer 2019 - ice free Arctic - Pen Hadow.
Late 2029 - loss of Great Barrier Reef - marine scientist Charlie Veron.

Many thanks to the Angry Exile for highlighting some of the above mentioned dates.

A list of biblical apocalypse (or should that be apocalypses, does it rate a plural?), past and to come, can be found here.

Please leave additional predictions in the comments. Although climate change is the main focus here, giant comets, messiahs and other stuff are allowable under sweepstake rules. The guiding principal is that the prediction has to be apocalyptic. Game on.

It's official

The world isn't going to end 21st December 2012. It's just a (truly) stupid movie. Terrific special effects, but still a stupid movie based on yet another lame doomsaying prediction.

Even NASA are saying so. However, if you're one of the people who think it's true and are going to kill yourself before the due date, console yourself thus; at least you'll be pleasing some people.

Lawks.

A final word on climate change....I hope

Now that the 'science' behind man made climate change has been found to be the Emperors new clothes, I would like to make a request re all the extra 'carbon taxes' that have been loaded onto the price of flights, gasoline and fuel, raising the cost of living for all us poor plebs and thus harming the economy.

To make (ab)use of the lyrics penned by the great Gerry Rafferty

Can I have my money back, money back, money back?
Can I have my money back, please sir?
I don't hear what you're saying, don't care what you're doing
Can I have my money back, money back, money back?
Can I have my money back, please sir?

If I can find a vid of the aforementioned tune on Youtube later, I'll post that too.

An interesting evening....

In which I rediscovered the delights of Belly Dancers and chocolate covered strawberries while schmoozing with local civic leaders and on the way home getting stopped at an RCMP checkpoint. Now it's way past my bedtime.

And as if these things meant anything; the results of another personality test. Heavy sigh. Now if only I could develop a personality.
Your results:
You are Iron Man

Iron Man 75% Spider-Man 65% Hulk 65% Catwoman 65% Batman 60% Green Lantern 60% Robin 50% Superman 45% The Flash 45% Supergirl 38% Wonder Woman 13%

Inventor. Businessman. Genius.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test