It’s the buy-a-book-for-charity weekend open thread!
Last week I told you that Mike of Troubled Diva had decided to publish a compilation of funny blog posts for Comic Relief, right? Well, he did. And there it is.
You can order your copy here. It costs £8.96 and all profits go to Comic Relief. The publishers are also donating their profits to Comic Relief. Buy it. Buy it. Buy it NOW.
Anyway, now that that shameless plug is out of the way, on to the open thread happiness. The usual rules apply. No politics, no serious stuff, no backbiting, scrapping, clawing, mouthing, whingeing, carping, sniping, whimpering, insult-exchanging or refusing to buy Shaggy Blog Stories on the very reasonable terms outlined above. Anyone who breaks these rules will be outed as a big miserable grumpy pants who never does anything nice for anyone. You have been warned.
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Fantastic I like Comic Relief wonder if Lenny Henry’s presenting it this year. I suppose I’ll make a donation between laughing my rocks off at some brilliant comedy then they immediately go all serious and show footage of starving children about to die.
And phew thanks for opening this thread really needed it.
Woooohooo the open thread has come to save us! Thank yew Katy!:D
Oh, and I should have mentioned that I am one of the contributors
A thread without the gratuitious accusations of anti-semitism? I thank you!
So what’s everyone got planned for the weekend? My cousin-brother has got a job as a trainee surgeon in Chicago so he’s coming to stay for the weekend, before he flies off in a couple of weeks.
“lenny henry” and “brilliant comedy” are only one sentence apart. now that is funny
Buy a time machine. Then buy my book.
Lenny’s recent stand up stuff is really good. And I don’t care what anyone says, he came up when he was expected to do ‘nigger’ and ‘coon show’ jokes and he got through it and was the first British born ethnic minority comedian / actor to go mainstream, so I won’t have snarky comments made about him! Plus he was in Tiswas!
What date should I set my time machine for to read it Kismet?
i’m trying to recover after an exhausting week in cannes. sounds more glamorous than the reality of a bug infested and squalid b&b. i’m fucked at the mo, verging on delirious.. a bit of quality time with the wife and kids is in order methinks
…and then the Asics half marathon on sunday
re: lenny
paleeeeezzzz. he peaked with tiswas
btw, just read peter kay autobiography. quite touching and unpresumptious, even inoncent, style of writing. i enjoyed it, despite the constant use of paras, but then he IS funny
heh hehe. are there any online-editions /e-books for sale?
such a gorgeous afternoon! what’s everyone planning for this weekend? i hope it stays this fine..*runs to check weather forecast*
It’s going to snow over the weekend Sonia!
You know after all this whisky chat this week I’m going to get a few bottles and session with my cuz and mates.
Anyone seen some movies recently they’d like to reccomend? Doesnt have to be recent movies can be anything from any time. Two DVD’s I’m thinking of buying on reccomendation: ‘The Conversation’ directed by Francis Coppola and ‘Night of the Hunter’ with Robert Mitchum.
*ahem*
Has anyone bought the book yet?
WELL HAVE YOU?
AND IF NOT WHY NOT?
no way jagdeep! snow!
i watched The Queen last night – helen mirren is brilliant
Ummmm….
Yeah I just saw it on the yahoo front page yesterday some parts of Britain are going to be hit with heavy snow sonia!
You are all worthless and weak. Buy the book or wrisk my rath.
Katy is scary
Okay, so perhaps I am sort of breaking one of the rules of the Open Thread by being rude and shouty. But that is only because you are ALL breaking the special Red Nose Day open thread rule which requires you to buy the book.
Shouty! I love that word. My book’s gonna be called Shouty. I’m going to write it today and dedicate it to you Katy, my cyber wife that refuses to let me touch her breasts the tease
sounds like you need an annulment!
Jagdeep – and where is the long suffering Lady J going while you and your cousins destroy a distillery?
What’s wrong with you El Cid? The woman won’t let me touch her boobies. You really think she’d entertain any talk of analments?
Drinking Bailey’s with her sister and my friends wives and girlfriends Chairwoman!
She loves it Chairwoman, it’s the only time I’ll willingly watch a Bollywood movie with her. Watching Bollywood movies when drinking, with friends and relatives, is the only way they make artistic sense to me, very enjoyable too.
‘Has anyone bought the book yet?
WELL HAVE YOU?
AND IF NOT WHY NOT?’
I am sulking because I was consigned to the cutting room floor… and the starving orphans think they’ve got problems! Bah!
tell you what girls *medallion, teeth glisten* I’ll donate a tenner to comic relief tonight, ok?
Clairwil, that’s a fucking travesty. Let’s publish our own book.
Kismet, baby, cerebrally we are much closer than we could ever be physically. Honest.
*crosses arms protectively*
Hope this is more curious than serious
One of my casual pastimes is to find out that things are not so original after all. Kind of makes me feel better for some reason if I discover say great works of art have some kind of precedence.
I once thought Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings to be so original. But then discovered that they are influenced by old Scandinavian mythology.
Then I discovered that Tolkein lived in Birmingham. Apparently the idea of the two towers was influenced by towers in Brum, one was a water tower.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4766929.stm
Also there is a place in Birmngham called Sarehole mill. Tolkein played around it when young and apparently it became the inspiration for a mill in Lord of the Rings
http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/sarehole.bcc
There are other sites in Brum such as Moseley bog which are said also to be inspirational.
However what flattened it for me and I wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or not was the following. I read a Book by Guy Davenport
“The Geography of the Imagination†in which he searches for unusual links between ideas in the world. There is a chapter called Hobbitry which mentions that Tolkein once lived in Kentucky USA and that he was inspired by listening to the tales of someone who lived there who spoke of local characters with names like Bagginses, Boffins, Tooks, Brandybucks, Grubbs.
http://hnn.us/blogs/comments/14170.html
Just shows how sources of ideas can be brought together to create a new combination of something. Tolkein actually believed that Britain lacked a strong mythology compared to other countries. It is said that the LOR was his intention to give Britain it’s own mythology.
I would reccomend the film Harold and Maude to anyone
with a heart
and
Dog Soldiers to anyone who likes daft werewolf movies and as long as they don’t mind seeing a boxing match between a soldier and a werewolf.
Why is “Ugly Betty” considered ugly?
She isn’t. I think she’s really, really cute.
Of course she isn’t ugly. It’s AMERICAN they wouldn’t have a really ugly heroine.
You are all worthless and weak. Buy the book or wrisk my rath.
*giggles*
Wrath is a lot more scary when spelt right.
Chairwoman,
I think she’s really fit.
I even find her braces quite sexy.
jesus, i must be buzzing.. did I really write “unpresumptious” when I meant “unpretentious” in #12. weird
i’m not quite myself today
still, not so buzzing to reckon that betty is fit when she clearly has a “nice personality.”
Leon – I have spoken with Katy who said it was deliberate, it’s a quote from Erica Jong.
Amir – I believe braces can be really tricky
I have spoken with Katy who said it was deliberate, it’s a quote from Erica Jong.
And she was?
And still is an American novelist, most famous book ‘Fear of Flying’. The quote comes from ‘How to Save Your Own Life’.
Just looked Erica Jong up. Seems to have some interesting things to say. I am sure I will read what she has got to say rather than read her novels although I wish I could read novels.
Don’t worry I will order the Shaggy Blog Book from the library!!
jagdeep,
recommended movies, although you have probably already seen them;
Brotherhood of the Wolf – flawed but fun combo of martial arts, werewolf and pre-revolutionary French politics.
Down By Law – Jim Jarmusch directs, Tom Waites provides the soundtrack and his most substantial film role to date.
Queen of Spades – neglected 1949 classic in the Faustian tradition. Available on DVD with Dead of Night, a watchable 1946 horror portmanteau movie.
Romance and Cigarettes – thoroughly daft but with great musical set pieces and starring James Gandolfini,
Steve Buscemi, Kate Winslet, Christopher Walken, and Susan Sarandon.
Brotherhood of the Wolf was ok but a little poncey.
Don
Brotherhood of the Wolf was OK — Monica Belucci is always good to watch. Down by Law — I saw that a few years ago, Roberto Benigni before he became really famous, very qirky and cool. Queen of Spades I will check out on IMDB. Romance and Cigarettes —-> actually ever since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind I’ve thought Kate Winslet is great so I might check it out. I’m looking to buy movies to add to my DVD collection.
Hey Don I just checked the IMDB, Queen of Spades is based on a Pushkin short story.
Alright, back to Comic Relief now.
I was too late to contribute anything. Spent an age looking in my archive for something “funny”. Boy, that was a wasted journey. Probably for the best, if Clairwil didn’t get in then I sure as hell wouldn’t have…..
Weekend? Drink, sleep, footie, drink, sleep, footie….
Sleep.
“I was too late to contribute anything.”
To Shaggy Blog Lines i mean… The thread seems to have moved on a bit…
I am going yoddelling in Afghanistan for this weekend.
‘Clairwil, that’s a fucking travesty. Let’s publish our own book.’
Yes let’s I was thinking of doing something with the lady bloggers to raise funds for Women’s Aid. I shall put you down for a contribution.
Ladybloggers compilation sounds pretty good. Let’s do it.
Blatant plug:
http://www.myspace.com/thestutters
My lil brothers (I say little, he’s only three years younger than me!) band. Coming over from the Dam to play the Dublin Castle in April.;)
Hey, Leon,
I put a comment on your blog (the Bowie post) and it vanished within hours. Is there a problem there, or do you just not like Seu Jorge? Smiley face thing.
Is anyone watching the cricket? Pakistan getting thrashed by IRELAND — and India all out for 191 against Bangladesh
Yeah Jagdeep – savoured the fall of Indian wickets. Watching it with mates here. woohoo Tigers!
Hey Don,
No idea what happened there, unless it flagged it as spam and I accidentally deleted it? Try again and I’ll take a look.:)
HAHAHA, Pakistan may get knocked out by Ireland, this is too funny
India is getting fucked up by Bangladesh!
Ohh… i cant stand the shame.
anyways did i tell ya guys…. i’m switching my allegiance from Abdul Kalam to Her Majesty….
Ahh… the Pakistan match makes me feel a lil’ better. Atleast Bangladesh is a Test team! But seriously wtf is wrong with Sourav Ganguly. The prick took like 140 balls for his laboured 61. Perhaps was helping his Bengali bros from across the border. Bongs are all alike… i tell ya.
Sid — your lads are playing absolutely brilliantly – respect to them! Looking good, but coming up to a crucial time, Iqbal has just been caught. But good luck! I’m supporting England because of MONTY!! and Bopara!
India fans — pray that Pakistan’s humiliation continues against Ireland! 132 all out in 34 overs! The SHAME! Against Ireland! hahahaha!!
That will be the all time most shameful World Cup defeat if they go down!
Uhhh correction Pakistan all out in 45 overs! Come on Ireland!!!
Nope Jagdeep, the game aint won yet. Iqbal is gone… we still have hope.
*considers banning cricket from Open Thread*
can somebody point me to a website where i can get live scores… for some reason Pakistan-Ireland match isnt being broadcast here.
ban cricket from this thread?? fuck that i say.
Ireland just coming out to bat. Come on Ireland. Let’s hope it wasnt just a freaky wicket. If Pakistan lose they are out of the World Cup! How brilliant will that be!
Yeah Iqbal is out Vikrant, but Banglas are favourite even still. Respect to them. More humiliation for the bloated spoilt team of models and spoilt overpaid posturers of India if they go down.
Come on IRELAND!!!!!!!
I’ve been a cricket widower since the WCC tournament began. Mrs Sid’s up all night watching the cricket and I’ve been holding the babies. But this game has been brilliant so far.
Dhoni is a prick. You dont drop catches like that when Bangs are giving you a rimmer. I bet the dude’s house is gonna be stoned by irate Biharis tomorrow.
wooohoooo another wicket.
Right. I’m off to watch the remainder of the game. Back after the match is finished!
*wonders what raz is upto…
wouldn’t be quite as funny as pakistan beating ireland at rugby
Does Pakistan have a Rugby team? India does… they practice not far from where i live in Bombay.
i dunno mate, i was being cheeky
I like the idea of banning cricket from the open threads, its a crap sport.:P
actually, i quite like cricket, both sides are always attacking (or should be)
anyway, does any one know where you can get those astronaut nappies?
struggling to shake off french tummy bug and i’ve got a half-marathon to run tomorrow. i could take inspiration from R paula, but it could go horribly wrong (gulp)
El Cid – There’s always Tenna Lady, haven’t you seen the ads?
they don’t look mansize chairy
i’ll investigate though. do they sell them at the 11-7, spar, or petrol station — it’s sunday after all?
hope there are lots of portaloos around the track. it could be a record slow time.
i bet you’re all glad that i’m sharing this with you
Immodium Instant available at Tescos and Sainsburys. Apparently most distance runners use them.
I bet 7/11 sell them too.
i’m on dymotil plus a kaolin/morphine mixture.
i’ll reassess the situation in morning or on motorway
I am at my girlfreinds at the moment. She is watching the Dancing on Ice on show on tv and Ravels Bolero is being played. Apparently Ravel got the inspiration for the music while listening to a saw mill. He said he could hear the music in the sound it made.
WOOHOOOOO!!!
We’re off to Brick Lane to get pissed!
goodnight!
Arghhhhh —- I’m going to shoot my bookie !!! Cleaning off my old elephant gun at this very moment and then going to get into do some training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ged4lz_Fw2Y&mode=related&search=
Justforfun
HA!!!! Now we just need to wait for Ireland to win. This could be one of the best world cups in a while. If Ireland win, they’re my team for the tournment!!!
Bloody Hell- Well done Sid.
hahahaha
AhaHaHAHAhaa
HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAA @ Pakistan!
What a humiliation! Dumped out of the World Cup by Ireland!
And well played Bangladesh!
what happened? *clueless*
does this mean there will be riots in bradford?
=>”Monica Belucci is always good to watch.”
Amen to that
William,
=>”It is said that the LOR was his intention to give Britain it’s own mythology.”
Yes, that was partly his rationale. Incredible feat of imagination on his part anyway — if you know the wider basis of the films and of course the books they’re based on. Tolkien created an entire prehistoric mythology/”lost history” which the Lord of The Rings are supposed to be just one small segment of — the whole story’s meant to be connected to the Atlantis myth.
When I first saw the films, I found it vaguely disconcerting (for obvious reasons) when one of the kings shouts something about bringing “victory to the men of the West”, until I did some much further background reading and found out that he didn’t actually mean “the West” in our modern-day conventional sense, but in terms of people from the west of what is now Europe. In Tolkien’s story this specifically referred to inhabitants of Atlantis (the heroic kingdoms in the stories are supposed to be descendents of people originally from that island).
There’s lots of stuff about it in Wikipedia if you haven’t read it already. The special extended DVD versions of the movies also expand further on the wider background to the story.
Jai,
Actually LOtR and Hobbit are a continuation of Silmarillion.
Silmarillion and Book of Lost Tales were published after Tolkien’s death. Anyways they arent as fun as LOtR at any rate. You need a photographic memory and enormous patience to complete both the books!
Vikrant,
Yes I know about the Silmarillion — it goes into much more detail about the “creation myth” in his overall epic.
And gave us the band Marillion.
If only JRR had known.
Just watching Sky Sports News and Bob Woolmer, coach of Pakistan has died. He was found unconscious in his hotel room. How sad for his family.
Jai
Thanks for the info on LOR. I did not know the Atlantis link. I will look it up.
I have a copy of the Silmarillion but have not read it. Kind of want to keep it though.
I went to see LOR two with a Korean freind from college. She said that there was a similar type of story from where she came from but with animals.
What’s with all the loyalties with the cricket. Is any of it similar to someone I know. When England are playing football he wants them to win. If India are playing Englan at cricket he wants them to get thrashed. Or is any of it like the Scots supporting Trinidad and Tobago when they played England in the world cup.
Substitute any countries for the above.
Damn the Pakistani Coach Bob Woolmer found dead in his hotel room:
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2036960,00.html
RIP Chacha Bob
Pakistani cricket’s darkest hours….
Very sad – everyone was celebrating Paksitan being beaten by Ireland, and then this happened.
Woolmer was born in Kanpur and his dad played for Uttar Pradesh in Ranji!
Is there anyone here who is a fan of The Apprentice? I love that show it’s starting next week. Here’s the new bunch of hopefuls:
The Apprentice ID Parade
And they’ve got another feisty Pakistani gal in the mould of Saira Khan called Ghazal Aslam
I love this show — starts next Wednesday on BBC1
There’s a couple of Asian guys on it as well — Ifti Chaudhri and Lohit Kalburgi
Dang there’s three Asian guys — Sixteen in firing line
Some dude called Tre Azam. Can’t wait to see the tensions and feuds that break out! They look like a good bunch.
Sorry this is about cricket. I know, I know…
But I thought this article about the collective Indian reaction to Bangladesh’s victory at Port of Spain on Saturday (nicely encapsulated by Vikrant on #59) as well as was wonderfully spot on. Especially in the light of India’s previous refusal to play Bangladesh in test cricket on some pretext or another.
I agree Sid, the condescending attitude to Bangladeshis by Indians is atrocious.
*pats Sid on the head — gives him a lollipop*
I know.
*strokes Jagdeep’s scrotum fondly*
*wonders if Mrs Sid reads the weekend open thread*
Or Lady Jagdeep
=>”Is there anyone here who is a fan of The Apprentice?”
Yeah, me. Although I like the American version more — it’s more glamorous and OTT, and personally I think Donald Trump is much more likeable and charming than grouchy old foul-mouthed Alan Sugar.
I read that this may well be the last series Alan does, and that Duncan Bannatyne is the favourite to take over next time.
I donn’t believe Bermuda is going to get thrashed by Bangladesh and India’s getting chucked out. Shame