Every person should watch this before making a comment or presumption about the news of a Mosque being erected on the site of the World Trade Centre. Personally I didn’t have a problem with this anyway, but for those out there who did – here’s where the facts are straightened out for you.

I’ve never heard of Keith Olbermann before but he sounds like a very sensible man with an unbiased opinion, which is good for a change! I like how he is matter of fact, and saddened by the whole state of affairs.

I finish this post with a very poignant quote:

“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

 

-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

• MSNBC, Countdown, Keith Olbermann, Special Comment, Ground Zero Mosque, Islamic Center, Muslims, Islam

I have recently noticed in a lot of new movies that advertising within movies is in abundance and, worryingly, so is subliminal advertising.
I started wondering when this trend began. Was it (as suggested by most production companies) since illegal movie downloads started eating into profits, thus causing them to have to explore new lines of revenue? Or is it perhaps something that has always been there and that piracy is just being made a scapegoat of?
Honestly it didn’t take long to remember ‘Ice Cold in Alex’ from 1958.
Plot summary:

A group of army personnel and nurses attempt a dangerous and arduous trek across the deserts of North Africa during the second world war. The leader of the team dreams of his ice cold beer when he reaches Alexandria.

IMDB

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The UK’s national debt is now £5 Trillion, 5 times worse than originally feared. That equates to £200,000 per household. I think it’s time to close the ports, cut ties with Europe and pull out of other peoples battles. If we can’t support ourselves, we shouldn’t be trying to support others. The greater good rules. Sod the rest. (Obviously we need to maintain trade links and natural resources.)

There has been a hose pipe ban imposed on the NW of England and already I’m tired of people making stupid, idiotic accusations of the water companies.

The best is:

Q: There were massive floods and blizzards throughout the beginning of this year so how can there be a water shortage now?

Simple answer: A reservoir can only hold so much water. If it’s full, then it’s full. Just because water is swirling around your feet doesn’t mean it can be easily saved for when there is a shortage. Maybe the complaining people should start filling their buckets during floods and try cleaning the sewerage and pollution from it themselves before drinking it. Not willing? Thought not.

The next best complaint is: The water companies never seem to rush when there is a water leak but we’re expected to use less when there is a shortage.

Its all about quantities. I don’t think people realise how much water we all use on a daily basis. Compare that with the amount that is lost during a leak, I think it probably makes the leak as significant as a single rain drop in a thunder storm.

In short: QUIT WHINING AND STOP WATERING YOUR SODDING PLANTS OTHERWISE WE’LL BE THE ONES WILTING!

Firstly I want to make it perfectly clear that the British performers are largely not at fault. Josh Dubovie did a good job under the conditions he was forced to perform under. “What conditions”, I hear you ask? Here are five reasons that I think are hurting the British chances of every winning the Eurovision Song Contest ever again.

1. The British selection committee. It is the job of this panel to choose the best song and performer that matches the music style of the time in Europe as a whole. However they keep choosing songs that are standard British ditis and not Euro-hits. Music tastes on the other side of the channel are very different.
2. Prior promotion. The German winner this year (Lena) was all over European radio weeks before the final. Similarly maNga (the Turkish entry) are a well established Rock/Hip-hop/Techno group, known throughout Europe. In contrast, the first time I heard the British entry was on the final night because I missed the selection programme and I don’t listen to BBC Radio 2.
3. Experience. We seem to be opting for ‘newbies’. Performers who don’t have much experience at performing to large audiences. The whole of Europe is a pretty big venue and something a 19 year old doesn’t have the experience to handle. (Lena is an exception as she has been performing her song across Germany to promote her attempt). Otherwise the competition usually comprises of a dual/triple album rock band, a classically trained Violinist who plays for the Pope, and of course a Transvestite Diva with more confidence and charisma than 100 Lady Gaga’s! Suddenly our 19 year old saviour is a shrinking violet.
4. ‘Your Country Needs You’. Honestly I have a lot of respect for Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ legacy as a fantastic composer for theatre but he knows bugger all about Euro-hits. Mix that with the British public only being given a choice of 6 performances… and the fact we are relying on THE BRITISH PUBLIC!!! X Factor this aint!
5. We have no friends. I hate to admit it but the calls for Euro-fixing do seem to be true, especially when it comes to countries not liking Britain. This year was much better for fixing between Balkan States and Scandinavia, but it hasn’t helped our little island much. Perhaps because we haven’t got involved in The European Union as much as we were expected to, and that we are far too deep in the pocket of the US who, really, nobody likes.

So what can we do about it? The only way I can see Britain winning the Eurovision Song Contest is if we adopt the Euro, sack off Obama, and resurrect Michael Jackson to write a song for Take That to perform.

Possible?

Hell, if an Irish winner from X years ago can come back and still come in ahead of us, and a Welsh kid can perform for Cyprus and also beat us then I reckon anything is possible. Bring back Michael Ball singing a duet with Katrina. The Waves can play the music and Bucks Fizz can perform backing lyrics. Sure-fire win right there.

PS I think Graham Norton is a great replacement for Sir Terry. Its taken me a year to decide, but he can stay.

I’ve not done any artwork in a long time! I’m slightly ashamed of myself. However! I feel my lack of creativity has partly to do with Photoshop. Yes Photoshop, I blame you! I was close to completing a piece last week (you know the kind that has taken a WHOLE DAY) when Photoshop decided to crash. I left it for an hour to try and fix itself (I can hope!) but I inevitably had to close it. Of course I only then realised that Photoshop does not have an auto save feature. Cue me weeping into my cupped hands while dropping to my knees.

I’ve not gone back to it since, having totally lost interest. Maybe one day. Meanwhile here is my last save. It looked way cool… until it died.

I honestly believe that the world can do without seeing Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin post coitus.

I’m pretty sure Steve Martin is in there too. Probably in one of Alec’s folds…

Still from ‘It’s Complicated’

Why doesn’t Photoshop have an autosave feature?!

I just spent a good hour and a half working on a piece only for Photoshop to freeze up and lose all my work.

Damn damn damn damn!

(I still love Photoshop, regardless)

More snow…

OK I’ve been wound up already this year with the following:

1. Louise & Jamie Redknapp advertising Thomas Cook – They would never holiday with that company unless they were being paid a LOT of money.

2. Post Office advert – No post Office I’ve ever been to has been staffed with people as friendly as the ones on the ad, or has the office itself looked as nice and new.

3. Facebook – Its always impossible to log in these days due to ‘site maintenance’.

4. YouTube – The best and worse place on the net. Some astoundingly beautiful films by very talented artists… and then there’s the absolute shit. Also what’s with the arseholes who go on there just to neg out anything and everything they see?

5. Perez Hilton – I don’t understand how people like Perez Hilton can end up at the AMA’s after hosting a petty blog? (I see the irony of me saying this during a blogged rant, but I do have a point… Also I only have two ‘members’ so no one will see this anyway.)