Friday, 2 January 2009

Celebrity big brother?

Sometimes I hate journalists. There wasn't a single person who went into Big Brother tonight who hadn't been predicted to enter in the pages of the Star, or Mirror, or Financial Times. I despise BB. Then I watch it and feel neurons and synapses which should be engaged elsewhere giving up the ghost.
But enough of the banter: Here's the lowdown -

Latoya Jackson: Sharing Michael's name and gristly little nose, this music megastar (what the fuck has she ever sung?) has got as much chance of winning as her brother has of frowning. And not fancying kids.

Mingya Buena (?): Super ugly total chav with skin markings like the back of my notepad during Gedney Parish Council. Leaving her child to waltz in is bad enough. She has an entire block of zinc instead of a head, and a voice that only a mother could love, particularly a council estate 13-year-old mutant inner city mother.

Verne Troyer: As a man of stunted proportions, I'm a fan. Giving him a suitcase the size of Norway didn't help. though.

Tommy Sheridan: Looks pretty slick. People booing him was quite funny, since they didn't a) know who he was and b) understand his politics. Booing him because he's a Scot is reason enough I guess. My pick to go first.

Lucy Pinder: Wonderful. Won't win but I don't care.

Ben Adams: Looks cute but...why A1 anyway? Why not A1073 or Wygate Road?

Some woman from Shameless: One of the most ghastly scousers since Robbie Fowler, this asteroid-like creature slimed its way in in a dress which looked like sweepings from the Woolworths stockroom. Apparently she has obsessive compulsive disorder , particularly where Toblerones and cheap chicken nuggets are concerned. And as butch as hell: If Michelle is in Liberty X, she's Liberty XY, if you know what I mean.

Coolio: As he walked through the shadow of the valley of death (otherwise known as Davina McCall's long term career) I noticed he had a pale, emotionless, bright white mask attached to his face, which was clearly a homage to Latoya's brother. A contender to win, but probably won't give a shit.

Michelle Heaton: Looked pretty damn foxy to be honest, and took the piss out of herself, so bonus marks.

Terry Christian: Dark horse to win it. Will be infuriating, controversial, and will say what he thinks.

Ulrika Jonsssson: Super Swedish Slapper who was the only one who could climb the steps in one stride, such is her groinal over-usage. I would say that no man will be left standing by the end, and even if they are, she'll no doubt be on her knees facing them at the time.

My first impressions are never right on BB or CBB. But it's still fun.

Thursday, 1 January 2009

New Year, old me

Firstly happy 2009!

Probably one of the best New Year's Eves I've had in some time. Had a good curry which was punctuated by one of the staff constantly coming over to adjust a dial or something or other which was located not a million miles away from my rump. Apparently they were having electrical problems and he was looking at fuses - a likely story when there's some prime ass like mine to be viewed. In case you're interested, lamb Dopiaza, Sag paneer (cheese and spinach, which is a lot nicer than it sounds) and copious amounts of Kingfisher lager.

And then on to the midnight celebrations with me girlie Emma and friend and colleague Adam in the Hole in the Wall. A few goths and teenage arseholes around, but overall a really-good natured night. Some sambuccas guaranteed that this morning was a total write-off but this afternoon was spent productively perusing Lara's pixels on tomb raider, eating Pringles and generally wasting my life.

A bad start then to one of my new year's resolutions - to lose weight. Another is to update this blog more regularly, because I know now that some people do actually read it. Thanks for comments and stuff - if you have a chance to post anything on it feel free. The more abusive and funny the better.

Speak soon.

Sunday, 7 December 2008

Smug git

Out of total smugness I am going to post a message I sent to a Facebook friend on Friday night:

Hi matey,Well here it is. I expect Khan to win, probably in ugly fashion. Having never seen Pascal I don't know what to expect of him, but he'd better be supercharged if he doesn't want to get wiped out. Macarinelli's fight seems to be in limbo, but for the record I'd have picked him to win whoever he was facing.

And onto the main event. Similarly to Haye Macarinelli earlier in the year, every time I think about it I see something different. But one thing I am certain of: It's not going to be anywhere near as easy as everyone thinks. Not only does Pacquiao have a fantastic chin, but he will undoubtedly be fitter than De La Hoya, who almost always fades down the stretch. And does Oscar really hit that hard? Knocking out wildman Mayorga isn't enough for me. The left hook is a potent weapon - but then Manny has Freddie Roach as his trainer, the best in the world.

My prediction is Pacquaio on points. I think - unlike every other prediction I have seen - he will employ a style designed to frustrate Oscar, darting in, landing hard hooks and using his hand speed. A brawling type fight will see him knocked out within ten minutes. The pressure is on Oscar, and he is no Marquez. Every pressure fight he has been in in the past few years has seen him fall away and I have a vision of him pursuing a tiring Pacquiao round the ring but ultimately falling short.However, I do like some of the odds you found. In the Ring last month they picked out odds of around 1/2 on Oscar and 7/2 on Pacquaio - meaning 300 on Oscar and 100 on Pac will, bring you a return no matter who wins. However the odds on Pac have shortened considerably. Looking at the odds you posted it might be worth a few pounds here and there on a late round stoppage for de la hoya and Manny on points.Whatever, tomorrow night is just awesome. And imagine the winner vs Ricky next year....


OK Pac actually knocked De La Hoya out, but who's counting, apart from the ref. I love being right. Shame it never happens with my football predictions...

Monday, 1 December 2008

Noel, oh Hell

Christmas is here. Enjoying it so far but there's still time for me to become a grumpy old curmudgeon, muttering swearwords at children playing hoops on the streets from beneath my top hat and cursing the world and its festive happiness.

Already sick of a couple of adverts though. That "Here come the girls" Boots abomination for example. The lustre, for me, was somewhat tarnished when I saw said song being ravaged by the Sugababes on some ITV shambles called "A night in with slappers" or something. They were dancing in a random, twisted fashion, as if shots of sporadic electrical voltage were being passed through their loins. Both the vocals and movements left me unsatisfied, which is rare when the Sugababes are concerned.

So that advert, where hordes of rampant menopausal, desperate or even worse intelligent women throw on a load of slap prowl for any flesh with a Y chromosome inside it really isn't my cup of vodka.

Equally that "If there's anything that you want" advert. I don't even know who it's an advert for. possibly Tesco or Argos. Maybe Woolies. Or Rumbelows. Don't know, don't care. I've heard it far too many times to enjoy now.

I saw the Coca Cola advert for the first time yesterday with the convoy of trucks going up the mountains. A great ad, although that amount of coke would only feed my brother for a day or two. I wonder where they go for the rest of the year. And do the drivers have any other songs on their radio other than "Holidays are coming"? And wouldn't it be funny if they opened the doors and someone had replaced the whole stock, bottle for bottle, with Panda Cola. "I knew we shouldn't have stopped off in Wisbech" would be the cry.

Started thinking about presents as well. Already given a few people my patented algebra advent calendar, where you have to work out the equation to figure out which flap to open - an incorrect answer leads to a poison dart or plague of locusts flying out. This morning I got a few angry phonecalls from devastated farmers and the police. You win some, you lose some.

The tree's up and the neighbours aren't happy. Still, if they had a 500ft tall Christmas tree/stinging nettle hybrid, surely they'd want to show it off too? I'll admit the giant barbary apes living inside are noisy, but they'll settle down soon. Either that or they'll freeze to death and crash through the roofs of the houses below, settling the problem.

Take it easy

John

Monday, 24 November 2008

Bits

After my hiatus from blogging I'm back. If there is anyone who reads this (and I've never received a comment on anything I've written yet, so I have no idea) I apologise for not putting more on.

A few things that have taken place in my life since:

*Emma and I have become immersed in the world of Couch surfer.It's well worth a look. We signed up after reading about it in a magazine in Warsaw. For those unfamiliar you basically put your name forward onto a website, with your address, and people ask if they can stay with you. In return you can request to stay at all the other addresses. It's a way of encouraging a "community" feeling across the world and travelling at its finest.

We were trepidatious - and within two days of signing up we had our first request. Who would it be? A Zambian warlord wanting a room for him, his 17 mistresses, a hog's head and a voodoo shrine? A neo-nazi BNP super-facist? Even worse, a vegetarian? Thankfully it was none of these. We had the pleasure of hosting Ash for two nights, a poet and comedian who was in the area delivering workshops to pupils at three nearby schools. He was charming and funny and we enjoyed having him.

I know the idea of having a total stranger staying at your house might be scary but check couchsurfer out - it might be a real adventure.

*Won money on Joe Calzaghe (went for him to win on points) and David Haye (knockout). Wasn't sure about Hatton. Obviously he looked great; not just technically better but just plain fitter. Also good to see Jim Bagg, who is a columnist for the Ring Magazine, get his words stuffed up his arse. "The Bagg" wrote about how much he revelled in British fighters getting reduced to a horizontal state (referring to Amir Khan) as if it representing boxing returning to its natural state. Brits 3, Yanks 0 Bagg.

I hope my betting run continues with Pacquiao vs De La Hoya. I'm going for Manny. De La Hoya's stamina has never been good, and providing Pacman survives the first four or five rounds - which I think he can - his fitness can prove to be the deciding factor down the stretch.

*Went on a wild goose chase around Long Sutton over the weekend. You can see on our website (spaldingtoday.co.uk) the Cannom story. I tried to find out more about her and no-one knew her. No-one. And then I thought "Would I know anything about my neighbours? Their names and jobs? No idea."

It didn't really surprise me because of the lack of community spirit in the world, and the advent of the internet and Playstations and technology, meaning people never go out of their doors anymore. They just survive, immersed in their own boredom. Sad really.

Anyway, more to come later in the week. Watching I'm a celebrity. Dreadful.

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

Obama Drama

Anyone who's been hiding under a barock and wants to know what the election result was last night... this controversial story from the Onion might give it way

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/black_man_given_nations

Last night was momentous. To be aware of an acutal historical event as it happens is that most precious rarity. I can think of a few others in my lifetime - 9/11, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Susan and Karl Kennedy reconciling - but none as exciting as this.

Obama's key word was change, and it's needed in politics desperately. Didn't he remind you of a fresh-faced Tony Blair in '97 last night? Let's hope the same cynicism and spin that blighted his premiership doesn't barrack Barack.

The early signs seem promising. Obviously he will need help from other nations with the economy, but America can take the lead in its military matters. Obama wants to engage more with Iran, bringing troops out and placing other in Afghanistan. He has already been warned by Karzai (Afghanistan's president) over an American attack which killed a host of people at a wedding party. It's not going to be easy...

*Joined something called couchsurfer the other day, a communal website encouraging like-minded travellers to host each other when asked. Sounds like a fantastic idea and we've had our first response. Will keep you informed!