Just back from Polska. Decided that I would read a book on my travels that combined my love of travel, Eastern Europe and sport. Usually, when you put Eastern Europe and sport together, you may well think of blonde leggy tennis lovelies (or is that just me?).

To broaden my horizons I took upon myself to read Angus Bell as he undertook a psychic induced cricket tour of Eastern Europe – Slogging the Slavs – From the Baltic to the Balkans. Basically a tale of travels, linked to the theme (read obsession) of playing cricket in the most random places. Very funny, insightful, eye openingly interesting account of some places I still plan to visit.

I really enjoyed this book. Bell writes with great enthusiasm and keen observation. He meets some great characters and records them memorably. He has poured fuel on my Eastern European travel hunger…

Everybody’s new favourite, Arcade Fire have just taken over the BBC… well Radio 2 anyway. Video, interviews, tracks… it’s all there – and expert opinion on why you should like them! Well, there you go.

Exciting stuff though, as they are playing at the SECC in October. Happy Days. How many people can you fit on stage? Will there be an instrument-swapping-athon in a Decemberists stylee?

Although this is late on in the week, I thought I should comment, the delay has given me maybe a different perspective. Glasgow residents gadget vicar and the mullet hunter have commented…
and one theme that many Scots (or just most people outside London) may share is that it wouldn’t happen here. In many ways, especially this, London seems an age away, and everyone loves the Tartan Army, so we’re not a target…

But when it strikes on your doorstep you do sit up and take notice. Perhaps more worrying than this “it couldn’t happen to me” is the almost comic response by folk. By Sunday morning I had received 3 text jokes about the incident and already the email circulars are doing the rounds. Where does this stuff originate? Is it a government ploy to diffuse any retribution or public outcry?

Next there is the now William Wallace esque hero John Smeaton. The official (!?) website is proud to have the real footage, before it was censored. This features such classic quotes as:

• When asked by ITN: “What message do you have for the bombers?” – he replied “This is Glasgow we’ll just set about you.”

• John done an interview on cnn and they asked how he restrained the guy and he said, “me and other folk were just tryin 2 get the boot in and some other guy banjoed him!”

Having a free weekend is something of a rare commodity for me (hark at him!), so I’d offered to help Big Gareth with his exterior woodwork. It’s the middle of June, so perfect for painting outdoors…

Yes. Not that suitable for painting. We did however get out on the Sunday and accomplished all that we planned – and then some – including regular splats in the face when recoating our brushes. Gareth has a more complete review of what we did about painting and our trip.

I managed to find a couple of little books for one of the topics we cover at work. They’d been reduced from a massive £1 to a bargain 99p. The 99p sticker was on the front, and the wee wifey in the Fisheries museum looked at the back and charged me the £1 anyway. But she was too sweet to argue with! The museum features some scary soon to be in Doctor Who as an evil created army “lifelike” figures of old fisher folk…

But luckily my footy team know how to celebrate winning lots of games!

First we did a spot of this:

Then this:
Then this:Finally more of the first thing! What a fantastic day out, on the hottest day of the year(?). Pure dead brilliant. The River Rocket is capable of over 60mph and when you have two, they have a tendency to play in each others wake (not the funeral sort) and making great doughnuts! It’s the best way to avoid the traffic, leaving the science centre and heading west is normally a pretty slow process… but not on the Clyde! From the water, you see a very different view of Glasgow, which actually starts off smart!

Quadmania seems to be the place to quad, properly, rather than just round a few cones in a field. Forests, hills, ditches, river beds, it’s all there to be quaded over! Follow the rushes around by some relaxing shooting! Nothing better to make you feel like a toff!

All brought together for/by an amazing day!

Good bye and thank you. The last of the “old guard” if you can count 33 as old! So many players have left since the Mark Hughes Glory Days! It has been a time of trial and torment for fans. I think the majority of the hardcore fan base are resigned to the fact that we won’t be very good for a while, but we’ll get to go on good away trips anyway!

Looking back, it took ten years to be good, from the nearly USA 1994 campaign to the so close 2004 campaign… Will it take another ten? Although, slated from the off, Tosh always said that 2010 was his target – sacrificing this campaign to blood in a number of new players… well a new squad… and I guess he has… The team that drew with the Czech Republic on Saturday had numerous players who had just started shaving…

is the future bright? Welsh left back goes for £10 million (and no, not you Phil!) … certainly hope so!

Probably one of the most astonishing stories of UEFA 2008 so far! Sounded like quite a game even before this incident. Sweden, away in Denmark, took an early 3-0 lead; Denmark clawed it back to 3-3; then had a man sent off in the last minute for punching someone; the ref awarded a penalty and was then assaulted; match abandoned; UEFA could give Sweden a default 3-0 win!

If I was Danish? Gutted! Especially the team, after getting back to 3-3. Can a whole nation suffer due to one “fans” stupidity? What about that fan now, will he be ostracised by the entire nation?

This also will have a big influence on Norn Iron… and their group standing… I wonder how they will fare under new management? Will they go the way of Wales, post-Sparkey?

it does exactly as it says in the url…

http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/

quite funny, here’s a sneak preview of the number one “kitler” (clever that)

How’s this for a cracking headline:

Uncle Fester Joins the Adams Family

Taken from here. New manager at the Mighty County.

Linking to… footy lookalikes…

‘Uncle Fester’ and Dick Campbell

which then leads us to some of the finest…

After being “relieved” of his Newcastle position, Le Chiffre could gain employment as a Bank Clerk/Bond villain…

With my P6 I’ve become a bit stumped with regards my following of our 5-14 Level C planner.  I’ve covered most things, only controlling and modelling has straggled behind.  Not a big fan of the Roamer… mainly because the batteries never hold charge and always fall out… any ideas out there on how to cover these strands?

• control an external device by giving instructions in single steps, e.g. floor turtle/robot arm
• use more complex simulation/adventure games requiring a higher level of decision making.