I saw the above title in a blog post and it got me wondering: why do some people use asterisks when writing ‘rude’ words?
Is the writer concerned that the reader might be so delicate, so sensitive, that actually seeing the offensive word in full would cause them to faint? Or maybe spontaneously explode?
And are we [...]
I read this today and it got me thinking about how things have changed (advanced?) over the years in the world of photography.
I’ve been a keen photographer for many years - since I was a schoolkid actually - and I’ve owned a number of cameras… each purporting to be the latest and greatest in photographic [...]
Driving home from work this morning, there was a pigeon in the road.
Normally, they fly off as you approach them. This one didn’t, so I slowed a little and veered slightly to the right in order to avoid it.
But I think this particular pigeon had suicidal tendancies: it walked straight under my wheel.
I wasn’t sure [...]
This kid rocks!
Take 4 minutes out of your day to watch this young fella in action.
Guaranteed to make you smile.
Clicky
Up and down the country, England flags are flying at half-mast - or being torn down in disgust - because our brave lads the bunch of useless, overpaid tossers that we call the England football team, have once again rolled over and died before our greatest footballing foe: Germany.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, had [...]
Well, summer now seems to be most definitely upon us.
I’m not a fan of the heat, but it’s certainly nice to be able to walk around in just a T-shirt and shorts… especially as I have such nice legs.
But, at the same time, I miss my big winter coat. Why? Because it has huge pockets, [...]
Stories like this are thankfully rare, but they never fail to sadden and shock me.
Sadly, such atrocities seem to be on the rise. It seems that every couple of weeks, I read about just such a thing… or something in a similar vein.
Stories of children suffering were always upsetting, but they’ve never affected me like [...]
I was recently asked to take part in a long term study (20 years, I think it is) looking at the health effects of mobile phone use. The study is being conducted by Imperial College London and is backed by the Department of Health, so it’s obviously a serious piece of research.
I readily agreed to [...]
I don’t do spooky.
Although I like to keep an open mind on such things, I tend to look at the more logical and reasoned explanations for things like telepathy, ESP and all that paranormal nonsense.
But something that happened yesterday certainly had me wondering.
I’m currently in the midst of tidying out my study, in preparation for [...]
Further to my post a few days back:
A chap at work managed to rejuvinate my battery. I should probably still get a new one, but this one will do, in order for me to get the bike running and up to the MOT station.
I fitted it yesterday and started the bike. All well and good.
Checked [...]
Some years ago, I started writing a children’s story.
I don’t think it was particularly good, but it had all the ingredients to be so and just needed a bit more thinking through. As first drafts often do.
I wrote seven chapters and then… something happened; something in my life changed and, as a result, I stopped [...]
A few of us were looking at Google’s Street View t’other day.
One of the chaps at work, spotted his neighbour gawping at the camera. Even though her face had been blurred out, you could see from her stance that she was staring at it, thinking “What the …?”
So I started looking around friends and relatives’ [...]
So, maybe the economy isn’t in such bad shape after all.
Maybe our beloved, weirdly eyebrowed Chancellor, Alistair Darling, just exagerated a little when he said we were a thousand billion zillion quid in debt.
Because we now know, of course, that he is prone to exagerate somewhat.
In the latest political saga to grip the nation (yeah, [...]
I was pleased to read this yesterday.
I absolutely detest smoking. Always have. I hate it so much, I even dislike No Smoking signs, because they have a picture of a cigarette on them.
And I don’t like the word ‘cigarette’. I always use the shorter, slightly more derogatory sounding name of ‘fag’, because it sounds more [...]
Along with her best friend, my six-year old daughter went along to the local scout hut tonight, to see what being a Girl Guide was all about. By all accounts, she had fun.
But you cannot join the Girl Guides until you are fourteen years of age.
The pre-Guide groups are the Brownies. But you cannot join [...]
Every year it’s the same.
Every year the notification falls on the doormat, I look at it and say “Ahh, plenty of time to do that.”
And then the reminders start coming thick and fast, warning me that I’m liable for a penalty fine if I don’t meet the deadline.
And then I start to worry a bit. [...]
OK, so it’s not the best snowman in the world. I’m not the creative type and that took me bloody ages to build. Especially with the kids hampering helping me.
Last night was officially the coldest night in the UK since 10,000 BC. When I came down this morning, it felt decidedly nippy in the [...]
Holiday photos aren’t being catalogued and edited.
Diaries aren’t being typed up.
Why? Jack’s back, that’s why.
Being long-time addicts of the show, the current Mrs Masher and I are currently working our way through the latest offering from Bauer and co.
Four hours worth at a time!
Kids to bed, lights down, surround sound up… sorted.
Only another sixteen hours [...]
My car broke.
It developed a serious gearbox problem and when I took it to a gearbox specialist, the price quoted was just economically unviable.
And so I’ve bought a new one. Well, a new second-hand one. New cars devalue at such a rate, I’ve never wanted to buy brand new.
Anyway, having scoured the internets, looking at [...]
I have just returned from a family barbecue.
As with all barbecues, there was plenty of beer - which I couldn’t drink because I was driving - and plenty of food. More than we could comfortably eat.
Yesterday, I went to a different family barbecue. There was a fair crowd of people gathered there - to greet [...]
“Paul has invited you to be his friend on Facebook…”
Dear Paul, like you, I am 47 years old, not 14. As such, I don’t ‘do’ Facebook. Further to that, we have been friends for more years than I can remember; we email each other regularly and often talk on the electric telephone. I am aware [...]
It’s attrocious that our troops are fighting in Afghanistan, not just to defeat the Taliban, but also to protect an obviously corrupt government. A government that besides being corrupt, must also live in the Dark Ages.
For how else could they pass a bill such as this?
On a more positive note though, maybe I should instigate [...]
It’s rumoured That’s Life celebrity, Esther Rantzen, may stand against disgraced Luton South MP, Margaret Moran.
Whilst my active interest in politics is slightly less than the one I have in religion, I have no problem with Ms Rantzen having a political interest in the town. In fact I would welcome it. For two reasons:
1. Even [...]
Having been involved with several paramilitary organisations in the past, along with twenty years as an operating Radio Ham, the phonetic alphabet is something that comes easy to me.
More than that: it’s ingrained. India November Golf Romeo Alpha India November Echo Delta. Ingrained. It’s very simple and when people get it wrong, it annoys me [...]
“Oh, will you shut the fuck up, for cris’sakes!”
That’s me. Shouting at the car radio. As I reach for the off button. Yet again.
My radio listening tastes are somewhat narrow, it has to be said. I tend to eschew all national radio stations, for the most part, though Classic FM sometimes gets a good airing [...]
I finally got round to watching I Am Legend last night.
At the beginning of the film there is a short scene where Emma Thompson (in an uncredited role) is playing a British doctor, being interviewed on TV and she states - in her very British accent - that she has found a permanent cure for cancer that is [...]
I was minding my own business, eating my tea and toast this morning in Tesco’s so-called ‘Restaurant’, when I heard “Hello Mark, how you doin’?”
I looked up to see a young fella - younger than me, anyway - standing there, holding a tray of food. “Mind if I join you?” he asked, sitting down at [...]