The undead etc
Zombie – The Cranberries
There’s a ghost in my house – The Fall
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
Walking the ghost back home – the Bible
Attack of the cannibal zombie business men – the Higsons
Smells like teen spirit – Nirvana
Vampire love – Ash
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A short and early novel by James. Simple premise – old world brother and sister visit their uncle and cousins in Boston. The clash of cultures is a subtle one and cleverly articulated in a nice, oftern ironic, and understated fashion. 19th C New England is neatly painted but it is the interaction between the European Baroness and her brother, Felix, and their new world relatives that make this so special. Beautiful and clever. |
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Excellent read this. Bit dark, bit gothic, but all the better for it. Unlikely hero (dodgy auctioneer) for something like a whodunnit and suspect therefore there is unlikely to be a series of these. But overall, quite compelling actually. Particularly evocative of one area of Glasgow and quite convincing portrayals of various underworlds. A few wincing moments but overall really very good (and think it is a first novel too). |
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Telephone Things
Hanging on the telephone – Blondie
He’s on the phone – Saint Etienne
New York telephone conversation – Lou Reed
Phone Me Tonight – Arab Strap
Telephone thing – The Fall
When will you (make my telephone ring) – Deacon Blue
Telephone Man – Meri Wilson
Gawd – had forgotten this last one until just now. Remember:
went to my apartment on a Monday at one
A-singin’ do lolly, lolly, shicky bum, shicky bum
Started movin’, in it on a Tuesday at two
A-singin’ do lolly, lolly, shicky do, shicky do
Wednesday at three I called the phone company, singin’
Hey, baby, put a phone in for me
Thursday at four he came a-knockin’ at my door, singin’
Hey, baby, I’m your telephone man
You just show me where you want it and I’ll put it where I can
I can put it in the bedroom, I can put it in the hall
I can put it in the bathroom, I can hang it on the wall
You can have it with a buzz, you can have it with a ring
And if you really want it you can have a ding-a-ling
Because, a hey, baby, I’m your telephone man
Follow-up to “Administrator” appointed New Chief Exec of HEFCE from Prole Art Threat
Looking at the HEFCE mugshots there are also at least three of his new colleagues who could double for him at a pinch:
Writing about web page http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2006/ce/
So, David Eastwood is to replace Howard Newby.
Although he has a very credible academic record, I suspect he does not habitually describe himself as the Minister sees him:
Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: ‘I welcome Professor Eastwood to his new post. He has a distinguished record both as an academic and as a university administrator.
Writing about web page http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/news/story/0,,1707515,00.html
So, a man is found in possession of drugs and goes to prison for nearly two whole weeks
big deal
In the same edition of the Guardian there is a helpful reminder of someone who went to prison for a slightly longer period, 11 years, but clearly doesn’t quite have the same impact on the collective consciousness:
Still, Gramsci didn’t go out with Kate Moss, did he?
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Writing about web page http://lostbands.blogspot.com/
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A reminder of distant youth – had their only album which had to sell in a crisis. Always regretted it. Been looking for something, anything for some time and am absurdly excited therefore now this is about to be released. |
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It’s a fairly straightforward plot – middle-aged teacher has affair with schoolboy – is observed throughout by her friend, the narrator (an older teacher). But the characters are not terribly engaging at all – none is much more than two dimensional and it really did not grip at all. I was pretty unconvinced throughout by the author’s attempt to get in the mind of an older woman. Gawd knows how it ended up being Booker shortlisted |
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Writing about web page http://www.thes.co.uk/current_edition/story.aspx?story_id=2027753
From latest Times Higher:
Undergraduates are entering university less numerate, literate and knowledgeable than ever before, according to the most comprehensive study undertaken of how university admissions staff view the latest intakes of students. Admissions tutors bemoaned new students’ lack of independent thought, “fear of numbers” and expectations to be “told the answers” in a survey of staff from 16 Oxbridge, Russell Group and post-1992 institutions.
It’s a leaked report and it’s possible that THES has taken this out of context (not that they ever do that) but I wonder how widespread this perception is.
Prole Art Threat 