The new Beatles single is out. Its called ‘Now and then’ and its a fab… song, featuring all the usual suspects, but not necessarily in the correct order. Because this song, although an ‘original’ John Lennon track, was deemed, in 1977, when he writ it, too shit for the Beatles. But then he died, just – Read More-
I’m interested in words. They way they sound, their meanings, because all words can mean slightly different, or even vastly different things. And I love a new word. Just because. And if its an Arabic word, so what? I can borrow it. Most of the Arab world uses the word ‘naqba’ to describe the day – Read More-
It has become customary, in a very short time, for football managers to ‘blame VAR’ for all their woes. Every game lost is down to that cumbersome and miserable system which combines flawed technology with incompetent analysts. And never has this VAR-scapegoating been so apparent as in yesterday’s splendid match between Newcastle and Arsenal. Newcastle – Read More-
We’re top of the league. Don’t know if you know that. But we are. We have about 4 hours left, I reckon, before Man City (probably) or Liverpool (possibly) overtake us, or 6 hours before Arsenal play at Newcastle. Then we play Chelsea on Monday night. Ooooohhhh. I’ll try to put this, intellectually, into a – Read More-
We have 3 ovens. There, I’ve said it. Now you know. Because I eat a lot. Because we cook a lot. Because we cook big. Because ovens were on sale that day. Or, because now and again we get ‘the (extended) family’ over for dinner and there’s not enough room in one oven. Or two. – Read More-
‘Long covid’ has now been redefined as ‘the banging on about the pandemic long after it all fucking finished to any significant degree and we’re all bored with it’. Well, that’s my definition. Or it was. Until the inquiry started this week. And this is the most fun you can have. I’d pay 75 quid – Read More-
I’m not here to discuss whether there should be ‘a ceasefire’ in Gaza or not. And there’s a good reason for not discussing it. That’s because, probably, the government of Israel, heads of state and military chiefs don’t read my blog. They should do, they’d learn a lot. But I’m not sufficiently arrogant or stupid – Read More-
I shouldn’t be a snob. I’m an East’enda, ain’ I? We give up the right to snobbishness with the first glottal stop. But many years ago, when I moved to the gentrified suburbs around ‘ampstid, I found all the Hs I’d spent my formative years dropping. They were in a little heap on the HHHeath – Read More-
So what, would you ‘estimate’ is a ‘proportionate response’ to the brutal (and if you want details, its all online, but you’ll need a strong stomach or a bucket) murders of 1400 people? Should Israel have simply gone ‘an eye for an eye’ and murdered 1400 Gazans? Randomly and with horrendous brutality? That would have – Read More-
I feel this burning need to talk about football. There’s so many other issues pressing down on me, but in times of stress, we all need some relief, some hope and, even, some joy. Because we came third in the rugby World Cup; winning it became a touch difficult after losing the semi-final last weekend, – Read More-