My Blog Posts

This one’s for Outraged of Poynings. We’ve been trying to teach JFGP some tricks. So far he’s pretty good at counting from one to ten and saying “Daddy’s the king” but this one is his piece de resistance. Although I’d say that it needs a little more work until it rivals the quality of his cousin Maddie’s work.

The abuse continues. According to Neil Gaiman some people in Las Vegas, one of whom is a famous magician have called their new born daugther “Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette” Poor kid.

“The general movement in all of this is away from the individual’s ownership of his identity, towards a centralization of identity-validation. Away from a world in which individual persons say who they are, towards a world in which the state says to the individual: we know who you are.”

My stellar run in the Wakehurst Tennis Club mens doubles competition has come to an end. After a glorious first round victory Dave W and I were bundled out this morning 6-1, 6-1. To describe my performance as woeful would be talking my game up. Of course as soon as we finished I was scampering around the court and hitting winners from everywhere. C’est la vie. Yesterday was my first Saturday off for a month so we took a stroll into Manly for a quick walk around the aquarium. When we got into the town centre we realised that something was up. It was the Manly Food and Wine Festival.

In earth shattering news, another blog has been created. Today is the official launch of “Is It Really This Bad?” a discussion of the delights of Australian television. Why should you be interested? Because Ciaran and I are your genial hosts and finger pointing accusers. Go, read and marvel at the indescribable banality that is Australian television. Feel free to pity us if you live somewhere with better broadcast entertainment. Above all leave a comment and let us feel the blog love. I thank you.

Look everyone Jo Davis has started a blog. It’s a shame that the content rivals my other blog in dullness, but a good start none the less. Welcome to the blogosphere Jo and can we have more cat pictures please? Oh, and I would have left a welcome comment but it’s a little tricky without a blogger account. Any chance of letting the rest of us leave messages of thanks and appreciation after your words of wisdom?

Yes folks, Top Gear is back on BBC2 and thanks to the wonders of this here internet those of us outside the mother country get to watch it as well. The title of the post is a quote from the ever quotable Jeremy Clarkson, who was referring to Honda drivers. I’ve been somewhat remiss of late and haven’t been keeping you, dear reader, abreast of developments here Chez Todd. I’ve spent the last four Saturdays working and have (apparently) been negligent of my toddler wrangling duties. I’ve also started an photography course at the local evening college. Which means that in another five weeks time you will be able to call me David Bailey without the irony.

I’m sorry, I couldn’t not point to this cracking review of the latest (and hopefully last) overblown space opera from Mr G. Lucas. It say everything that needs to be said about the film. This is the last time I’ll mention “the Wars” I promise.

With a nod of the head to Simon, here are some answers to some semi-random questions; Total volume of musc files on my computer: 14.37 Gb. Does that make me a lightweight? The last CD I bought was: Ben Folds, Songs For Silverman - and it’s a corker. Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me: Francis Dunnery - What’s He Gonna Say The Style Council - Cafe Bleu

If you are resident in the UK go and put your name to the petition against ID cards. The only excuse is if you can come up with a reason why ID cards are a good idea. If you can put it in the comments and if I can’t debunk it in about, ooh, ten minutes then you don’t have to sign up. To pre-empt you, here is renowned security expert Bruce Schneier on why ID cards are a bad idea, how identification doesn’t necessarily aid security and once more on just what a bad idea national ID cards are.

I’ve long been a believer that it’s parents who screw their children up. I’m no exception and I should really get my apology in now. Sorry JFGP. If it’s any consolation, it was all your mother’s idea. The first and most crucial way that parents can afflict their offspring is by giving them a stupid name. We’ve all been in playgrounds and know how cruel other kids can be. Sometimes it’s even so bad that we dream of a new name (Blodwyn, anyone?) So I think it’s about time I started naming and shaming.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a photo of the day. Not only that, but there hasn’t been one taken by SWMBO. Today I’m addressing both of those deficiences with this shot of the boy wonder taken at Clontarf last weekend. I was standing in the background issuing the usual macho challenge of “Scream if you wan’t to go faster.”

If I’m unresponsive or in any way seem distracted it’s probably because I am repeatedly clicking on this link. I may never get anything useful achieved again.

I spoke too soon. There are now four fish in the aquarium. Which just goes to prove that you don’t mess with SWMBO. On unrelated news I managed to come last in the tennis club monthly round robin competition yesterday. I played like someone with a PhD in Advanced Muppetry. On un-unrelated news, the new Ben Folds album is out and I’ve been listening to my copy for the last few days. It’s very good.

SWMBO was very firm. Very firm indeed. We were getting four fish for the aquarium. No more, and certainly no less. Which is why there are five goldfish swimming around in it now.

I’ve found another explanation of why I appreciate the work of Dan Brown so little. A review of another one of his “books” by spyinthehaus. Warning, there are sweary bits.

Here’s one for the International Man of Tax - the Welsh rugby team only win the grand slam in years that a Pope dies. Apparently their last two victories coincided with the passing away of a John Paul (I in 1978 and II in 2005). That’s what I call a spooky coincidence.

As I’m pottering about on this Sunday evening doing my chores Backyard Blitz is playing in the corner. This week’s charity case is a chap who has eleven children. Apparently they are “doing it for the kids”. Never mind a new garden, I can’t help but think that the best thing they could do for that family is send dad off to the vets for a suitable treatment.

This weekend we’ve started “Project Fish”. I bought SWMBO a fish tank for her birthday in 2001. But it’s been languishing in Mrs Palmer’s back yard whilst we’ve been in the mother country. JFGP and I went and rescued it this morning. The plan was to clean it out, put in some fresh gravel, plants and water and then go back to the aquarium for some little swimmers. What I forgot to factor in was the time required to let a tank “settle”. So we’ve currently got a glass box full of water, sand and a rather lonely looking plant in the corner of the living room. The fishes arrive next week. That’s when I’ll provide a picture.

Those who know me know that my fingers aren’t very green. I think it’s safe to say that I’ve neglected a large number of plants over the years and my gardening skills are limited to hacking at the grass with a mower or a strimmer. In an effort to cultivate my, err, love of botany SWMBO bought me a herb garden for Christmas last year. Sometimes I even remember to water the plants and generally they ’re doing suprisingly well. Apart from the Basil. I’m already on my second plant and this one doesn’t look like it’s long for this world. The leaves are looking somewhat dessicated. If I can get my act together I’ll take a photo and post it up here.