This is a (silly) cryptic quiz we (EJC music club dudes) put together one evening… it greatly amused us at the time… wonder if it still does!

This amazing public transport plan from China (found via slashdot)

China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/china-to-build-ginormous-buses-that-cars-can-drive-under-video/

Reminds me of the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro.

Looks like West Ham have got a decent reto design for the new season’s away kit. Lovely photo ad with players eating at a “traditional greasy spoon” cafe (spot the sauce bottles) looking back to the days of Bonzo, Lamps, Trev and Devo and the traditional pre-match fry-up (load them carbs!).

Looking forward to the new home kit too:

The new home shirt – which will also feature a welcome return to a more traditional design – is to be revealed later this month.

via Knees up Mother Brown – West Ham United FC Online: News.

STATIONTOSTATION Deluxe Box...mmmmmmm

I mostly buy music as mp3s these days… although I still buy a few CDs (especially where the CD is cheaper/the-same-price as a download). However this would be tempting.. even though I already have most of (nearly all) the music on multiple formats. I remember buying the “Live Nassau Coliseum” on a bootleg cassette at the Portobello Road market… and then some time later finding it as a vinyl bootleg – you can’t replicate that excitement of discovery via a torrent search.
I expect my/our generation (mid forties now) must be the last who will likely still lust after “owning the object”.

We first mentioned this one almost a year ago (08.11.2009 NEWS: STATION TO STATION FOUR DISC SET DUE NEXT YEAR) and it is with much pleasure that we are now able to exclusively announce the release of EMI’s 3-CD Special Edition and 5-CD, DVD and heavyweight vinyl Deluxe Edition of David Bowie’s massively influential 1976 album, Station To Station …along with the much bootlegged fan favourite: Live Nassau Coliseum

From: davidbowie.com/news

Family Group at Dennis' 70th

Uncle Dennis is soon to be 80.. can it really be 10 years ago since we got together to celebrate his 70th?

Here’s some photos from that event 10 years ago plus some other old family ones which were dusted off on that occasion.

Photo set – click HERE

Horsing around

Charlie and I had a great day out with (sister) Wendy and family over in Cumbria yesterday. Charlie had an excellent horse riding lesson with Wendy and progressed to enjoying “rising trot” under her tuition.

Photo Set here

There’s also some Videos here

This is a very encouraging story:

Stoke’s Dave Kitson leads call for non-league youth investment

West Ham’s Jack Collison and Aston Villa’s Curtis Davies have joined the striker in asking for money for grassroots football

From the Guardian

Our nearest pro club Darlington (beware – awful flash encumbered website!) were just relegated from League 2. They have recently announced new Advanced Development Centres in partnership with a non-profit company Elite Advanced Development – website for the Darlington one here.

I made some inquiries about this as they were inviting kids to attend trials – here’s a news item from our footy club website.

To the crucial question  “who is funding the professional football club’s Advanced Development Centres ” the answer is – the kids themselves – or of course rather their parents/families via weekly fees and having to buy the required kit.

I think given the amount of money in professional football – it’s outrageous that a pro-club does not have the resources to run these types of academies. Darlington FC’s financial problems are well known (recently emerging from administration). However many other lower league clubs are following the same route – with players/parents effectively funding the academies.

I sympathise with the plight of the clubs – for them it may well be this method or no academies – but I refuse to join in with it.

Well done to Kitson, Collison & Davies for taking a stand and highlighting the issue.

Enjoyed this…. hadn’t come across Momus before… know nothing about all his other stuff (should I?). This definitely sounds like an early 80s Japan/Sakamoto/YMO kinda thing (includes samples of “Bamboo Music”) -  Fun!

Momus: Bubble Music

via YouTube – Momus: Bubble Music.

Win 3.0

Nice Reg article about the 20th anniversary of the launch of Windows 3.0 and it’s impact on computing and the industry (and notes the importance of Solitaire!).

Us Unix Workstation people sneared at the time of course – and (as linux users) still do

Any Windows anniversary is an excuse to watch this stunning promo-video for an earlier 386/2.1 version. If you’ve never seen this you MUST watch (if you don’t have time for it all – jump to around 7 mins) . What were they thinking!?

I enjoyed the recent BBC2 documentary on Heaven 17 which I caught up with last night.

Heaven 17: The Story of Penthouse and Pavement

They came across as likeable still down to earth guys…. and the insight into their Sheffield roots was nice (the scenes with Gregory’s parents).

I loved Penthouse and Pavement at the time… especially this 12″ single of ‘Play to Win’ – which is in a box in our loft and overdue a dusting off and play…

Heaven 17 – Play to Win 12\” [B.E.F. Disco Mix]