Talking the language of the people

More bumf from the Liberal Democrats has come through the door and gone... IN THE BIN! Well, recycling anyway...

However I think the LD's are chasing a lost cause. We've had a leaflet through from Plaid Cymru and I think we're both going to vote for them on the strength of one phrase. No, seriously. When describing the impact community sweepers could have on Grangetown, they say:

"Community sweepers - a kind of Wombles for the 21st Century would help clear our streets."

You've got to vote for a party that namechecks the Wombles haven't you! Haven't you?

Incidentally being a bilingual leaflet, this is the equivalent Welsh sentence. See if you can spot the Welsh word for 'Wombles':

"Byddai Swyddogion Sbwriel Cymunedol - rhyw fath o Wombles i'r unfed gannif ar hugain yn helpu cadw'n strydoedd yn lan."

That's right! It's 'Wombles'!

Nizlopi at the Welsh Club

Just got back from seeing Nizlopi at the Welsh Club in Cardiff - a hole of a venue if ever there was one. The evening was cut short because they had a club night afters. Ironically as we left, we met one of the DJ's coming in - none other than Viv's brother Doug aka Chico Fresco. So we blame him.

This was the fourth time we'd seen Nizlopi and was possibly the least impressive of the gigs we've been to. The mix didn't seem right on the sound for a good proportion of the evening, they didn't play the JCB song (although they did play Clear as their second song - yay), and they paid too much attention to a very drunk lairy girl who kept interrupting the show. However, letting her sing Stand By Me to everyone seemed to mollify her a bit, and gave us all a laugh at the same time. But a laugh in a nice way.

When we saw Scouting for Girls last weekend I was impressed by the support on show, and this was obviously a good week for support slots. The guy warming up for Nizlopi was Joe Driscoll, a New Yorker who does live cut ups, meaning he does his own beatbox, then his own guitar, then his own backing vocals and then puts them all on a loop and sings over them. And he does it all in front of you. His songs were cracking too and I will definitely keep an eye out for a chance to see him again.

I liked him so much I even bought his CD!

How desperate are you?

The local elections are coming up on 1 May* and some of the parties are starting to campaign, particularly the Liberal Democrats. To date we have had several things through the door, a real live candidate knock on the door, and someone phone up "on behalf of the Liberal Democrats" to ask me how we voted last time and how we intend to vote next time.

Today we had a piece of post, and then after I picked Cath up from work, we got home to find another one of the 'Focus' newsletters shoved through our door. So that's two bits of junk mail on one day. (And, as Cath, pointed out, on recycling day too, handily!)

I haven't actually counted how many communiques we've received from the LD's, but it feels like they are incredibly desperate for us to vote for them. Cathy reckons we've had our own tree's-worth of paper from them.

What's interesting is that the LD's run Cardiff council. They're very keen to tell us about how much lower our council tax rises have been than they would have been under Labour (er, they've still gone up, though), and generally how pants Labour are. But I'm left feeling their desperation gives the game away. They obviously don't expect to win which is why they're courting our votes so ardently.

There is such a thing as over-communication.

*also, former Bromfield Streetians (you know who you are) might be interested to know our polling station has changed from the bowling club to the Sally Army on the end of Corporation Rd.

Futurama feature length movie

As a massive fan of Futurama, I'm glad it's back with Bender's Big Score, and IMHO as good as ever. After the first few minutes having a go at the "Box Network" who "cancelled" their delivery contract (hem, hem) we get into the story proper. Bender downloads porn which is linked to an obedience virus which puts him under the thrall of evil nudist aliens who want to steal everything, including planet Earth. And it all spirals downhill from there...

The gags are sharp and follow each other rapidly throughout the film. It also manages to avoid the plot-dragging weakness of the Simpsons Movie (the last feature-length production from the Groening stable). One criticism of the Simpsons on the big screen was that it felt like an extended version of a TV episode, but one of the weaker episodes. This was intended to be an extended episode, and came out as one of the better ones.

My only crit would be that they try and squeeze every bit-part character into the film, many of whom will only be recognisable to ardent viewers of the TV show. Why the Robot Devil would be leading his diabolical string quartet at a wedding is never explained. And, although it's nice to see Don Bot, Joey Mousepad and Clamps fighting on the good side for once, it seems odd that they'd be fighting at all, and not cutting some kind of deal with the naughty naturists.

And as a tease to all those Matt Groening fans, see if you can spot Bongo the Rabbit taking a break from Life in Hell to cross-promote himself. And if you're a fan of delicious irony, Mark Hamill, AKA Luke Skywalker, guests as the voice of the Chanukah Zombie (don't ask), flying a TIE Fighter with a Star of David on the side. Al Gore - who shows a Futurama clip to his audience in An Inconvenient Truth - also appears a couple of times (including as a cab driver in a hybrid electric car). And then there's Hypnotoad... ALL GLORY TO HYPNOTOAD!

This is the first of four planned full-length features coming straight to DVD over the next year. I can't wait for the next one!

I'm surrounded by very talented people, part 2

My buddy Justin produced this animation using his brother as a dummy...

I'm surrounded by very talented people, part 1

Matt drew this the other day. I think it's hilarious.



If you like it, you can buy it on stuff at life is mootiful! There's also some free stuff like computer wallpaper, and a sheet to doodle your own moodle!

Scouting for Girls - live in Bristol

Yesterday was the last day of Christmas - it's official. Cathy cashed in her Christmas presents of tickets to see SfG and took me with her as her date (hurrah!).

The band themselves were simply awesome, despite this being the first gig for a while as the singer had just recovered from laryngitis. He got the audience to sing the high notes, which we obliged willingly. Quite simply, it was one of the best live gigs I've been to in a long while.

They also had two very good warm up bands. Go Audio, who's videos are on Virgin Music on Demand, if you have that, and Clocks. I plan to check out their albums sometime soon. (There's free tracks to listen to on the Clocks page.)

After a late one in Bristol last night, I was cream crackered today. I woke up and had a choice - a shower and a shave or twenty extra minutes in bed. I figured I don't care that much about my workmates, so I was bogging today.

Shameful Birthday secret

It's my birthday today and this is a conversation I had this evening with Cathy.

Cathy: "Well, I suppose it is your birthday..."
Me: "Yay!"

And what was Cathy letting me do because it was my birthday? Well, we have Virgin Music on demand and she was letting me watch the video for All That She Wants by Ace of Base.

The shame.

More genius from Basic Instructions

This is so me and Cathy, it's scary.

How to Wake Someone Up

Well, it had to end sometime

My streak of Shrewsbury Town wins came to a shuddering halt yesterday as they contrived to lose a dire game 1-0, to Bury. My record at the New Stadium is still Seen 5, Won 4, Lost 1. But I had hoped to make it a season unbeaten. I guess the only way to do that is to not go!

The Town have a new manager but seem to be as rickety as ever at the back. Bury had at least four very good chances to score caused by simple balls over the top which somehow eluded the new "experienced" centre back, Graeme Lee. In League Two jargon, "experienced" obviously means "slow".

Town missed a couple of sitters too - the guiltiest party has to be Ben Davies who somehow failed to get a shot on target which really should have been buried. I was sat right behind him on the shooting angle and I still can't work out how he missed. But even if those chances had been converted, Town could still have lost 6-3.

As bad as it was to see my first defeat at the New Stadium, my cousin Mike, who'd come over from Birmingham just to see the game, saw his unbeaten run of Town games come to an end with the first Town defeat he'd ever seen live. His run stretched back to 1984. That's 28 years without seeing Shrewsbury lose. Until yesterday.