tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64065772011-04-22T00:28:41.142+01:00Your guilty conscience may move you to vote Democratic, but deep down you long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule you like a kingMartynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comBlogger1911100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1102164020187683582004-12-04T13:00:00.000Z2004-12-04T12:40:20.186Z

Was reading the Communist Party newspaper reporting on the Socialist Workers Party conference. Don't they all realise how pointless they are? I was chatting to the people on a Socialist Students Party stand the other day (both around 50 years old, incidentally) and trying to find out the difference between them and the SWP. Apparently, the SSP are "better". :Rolls eyes: According to the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1102091764841346222004-12-03T16:25:00.000Z2004-12-03T16:36:04.840Z

Adrian Gregson said he has received letters from nearby residents complaining that the bottom of Tunnel Hill, by the railway underpass has become so bad, that rats have been attracted to the area "The council shouldn't need telling. People have complained to me about it and it just seems nobody is doing anything about it. The council talks about its clean green policy, but I don't see it being

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1102091134227287602004-12-03T16:15:00.000Z2004-12-03T16:25:34.226Z

I've been neglecting this blog recently, which is perhaps inevitable. The more interesting and exciting things I have to do, the less time remains for poor old blog. Conversely, when I have free time all I have to write is entries along the lines of "today I had a sandwich. It had cheese in it" One of my less exciting vices is liking to keep up on news from the Faithful City via the online

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1100992463882787802004-11-20T22:47:00.000Z2004-11-20T23:16:05.576Z

... because today, when I was actually in a good mood, a glossy Tory leaflet dropped through the door. Apparently, says the Guardian, they've learned how to campaign. I'm quaking in my boots. So, let's see how they're doing it, these Sheffield Hallam Tory pioneers. Well, firstly they're delivering a glossy leaflet that was centrally produced in London. Good to see that behind all the talk of

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1100624664777553642004-11-16T16:47:00.000Z2004-11-16T17:04:24.776Z

That seems to be the gist of this article anyway. Thought: if young people haven't been persuaded to use condoms, will we have much joy persuading them to have a needle stabbed in their arse? So are we going to make them compulsory? God forbid. And - I think this is the biggie - what protection is the injection against STIs? (or STDs, as I'm sure they used to be known) The injection is an

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1100087869514780912004-11-10T12:53:00.000Z2004-11-10T11:57:49.513Z

My girlfriend just told me she had a dream about a Riso last night. She was imagining we had a house together and apparently there was a special room just for the Riso. Perhaps she's going to get me one for Christmas...

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098468071895530082004-10-22T17:58:00.000Z2004-10-22T18:01:11.896Z

This is certainly an interesting development. Not quite as absurd as the black-green coalition they talked about in Germany though. Via Labour Watch

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098467928612392012004-10-22T17:56:00.000Z2004-10-22T17:58:48.613Z

Apparently have some form of eye infection and a build up of white blood cells and I think there was a word ending in "-ation" in there somewhere as well. Urgh.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098448932676101282004-10-22T12:41:00.000Z2004-10-22T12:42:12.676Z

Any married man should forget his mistakes. There's no point two people remembering the same thing.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098282617404425632004-10-20T14:16:00.000Z2004-10-20T14:47:44.050Z

As I was saying below, I've not been doing much recently, especially as far as going out and alcohol are concerned. Now, not doing anything is surprisingly cheap. On top of that, most of the money I have spent has been on things I should actually be able to claim expenses back for. Me and t'other half now think we may be able to snaffle enough money aside over the next few months to fund a

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098277693359861022004-10-20T12:56:00.000Z2004-10-20T14:36:26.446Z

I went to the theatre last night, cos I'm all cultured, like. I'd been intending to go at some point this year, purely because the Crucible is one of the most renowned venues in the country and I'd only been there once. And that was to watch the snooker. The German department organsied a trip for last night (not at all because educational trips of 10 get a discount and they wanted cheap

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1098109076651708252004-10-18T14:15:00.000Z2004-10-18T14:25:32.986Z

Stupid newspaper in offends-entire-nation shock. I mean, seriously, how would you react?

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1097866226486667832004-10-15T18:47:00.000Z2004-10-15T18:50:26.486Z

Britons come third in the vibrator league (almost half of us own one) but have sex a mere 119 times a year, way behind the French, who manage it 137 times (probably because they spend only 19 minutes in foreplay).Thank you Guardian for bringing us the crucial issues of the day.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1097625169279420972004-10-13T00:47:00.000Z2004-10-12T23:52:49.280Z

Even if I was using a Mac, the pun would be debatable. As it is, I'm on Windows and it's inexcusable. But what sort of Windows are you on, I hear no-one ask? I've just upgraded my computer from the dark-ages of Windows ME to the bright, white future of Windows XP! Hurrah! And with that done, my computer was able to easily join the house computer family and connect to t'interweb via the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1097011560222194022004-10-05T21:16:00.000Z2004-10-05T21:26:00.226Z

There was a time when I could understand Tory policy. Not agree with it, but understand it. Now, Tory policy seems to be being written under the influence of a few too many narcotics. First was their tuition fees policy. Labour have decided that students should pay, once they reach a certain level of income. Lib Dems believe education should be free, funded by a new tax on the wealthiest one

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1097010983139133402004-10-05T21:11:00.000Z2004-10-05T21:16:23.140Z

I can't believe I forgot to mention this: I was watching Newsnight last night when I got in, and they showed Oliver Letwin's speech. Now, I'm a simple Worcester lad, but what I think he was saying amounted to this: "Politicians have, in the past, broken their promises. Because of this, some people don't trust politicians. Therefore, the Tories will not make any specific promises, but just

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1097010042437202812004-10-05T20:29:00.000Z2004-10-05T21:00:42.436Z

Still no interweb in Chateau Sheffield. Which is to say, there is lots of interweb in Chateau Sheffield, just not in my particular room of the house. I'm up in Cat's room at the minute, but I really can't cope with not having my own access. I'd also quite like curtains that do what curtains are supposed to do, ie. keep out light. In their wisdom, someone has equipped my room with shower

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1096496277844429712004-09-29T22:15:00.000Z2004-09-29T22:17:57.843Z

I'm back in Hartlepool in time for polling day tomorrow. It seems to have really hotted up here. There's an amazing atmosphere. I saw the Labour guy on Newsnight last night and he was crap. There's a hard day ahead, but this time tomorrow it'll be all over bar the shouting (although as Jade Farrington isn't here, perhaps less shouting than was allegedly in Hodge Hill). It begins...

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1096322879960665662004-09-27T21:57:00.000Z2004-09-27T22:07:59.960Z

Although very, very tired. I'm in Sheffield now. My internet access isn't yet working. Conference was good, although it's blown a catastrophic hole in my finances. I've been in my new house a couple of days now. It's actually quite nice, and with a bit of work (or, at least, proper maintenance) it would be very nice. Anyway, that's all I have time for. I'm sure the internet will be here

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095815765551639072004-09-22T01:06:00.000Z2004-09-22T01:16:05.550Z

Conference seems to have flown by. Spent my first decent amout of time in the debates today ad it was a good day to do so. We now have excellent Education policy as per usual, and Keetch spoke on two motions in a row: Iraq and Ghurkhas. The idea of a retired Ghurkha being deported appalls me. Some Ghurkhas came to the debate and one spoke passionately on it. When our motion was passed (

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095552782875620002004-09-19T00:03:00.000Z2004-09-19T00:13:02.876Z

Well, I'm here. Our hotel is a full 2 miles from the Conference centre, although you can do the whole walk down the seafront. Not much has happened today, seeing as conference hasn't officially started yet. I made a £1 profit out of LDYS Race Night. Sold a few raffle tickes. Drank expensive Boddington's. Etc etc. Anyway, I'll post again later, with somehing more interesting. Tom Paul wants

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095471097184001732004-09-18T01:22:00.000Z2004-09-18T01:31:37.186Z

My beloved camera is broken. We just went to use it the other day and the shutter wouldn't open. It's absolutely fabby and by far the only valuable thing I own. And then it broke. I've really been taking care of it too. Fortunately it's still under warranty (being practically brand-cocking-new). So I took it into Jessops. 3-4 weeks. What's up with that? And as they can't tell me a

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095470322938945452004-09-17T21:43:00.000Z2004-09-18T01:18:42.936Z

It's Conference time again. Thankfully Bournemouth is in a slighlty more amenable location than Brighton - ie. not near London and the loathsome M25. It also has a proper beach made of sand, which I fully intend to spend some time lying on. Much like Hartlepool... I got an e-mail from a sympathetic lecturer at Sheffield today, warning me it would be "unwise" to bunk off to go and help at the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095454937625540092004-09-17T20:45:00.000Z2004-09-17T21:43:09.623Z

Apparently this site is in the top five referrers to Gidleywatch, which is interesting. I have to confess I meant to ask Paul Keetch to hold an "I love Gidleywatch" banner when I went to his youth meeting a week last monday, but I completely forgot. I also meant to ask Evan Harris when I was in Hartlepool. My memory really is bad. Keetch was on top form the other day, and my girlfriend

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095005964175742392004-09-12T16:10:00.000Z2004-09-12T16:19:24.176Z

I'm 22 today. I've spent the day doing some tidying. Woah, slow down! Last night we went for a curry at my favourite restaurant and then on the beers... just like last year, the year before that, and the year before that. I also dragged Hazel down to the football for her first ever live football match. I'm not sure she was overly impressed. Haven't been posting much recently because I've

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1095000005708561532004-09-12T14:36:00.000Z2004-09-12T14:40:05.710Z

Spotted: the City's MP with his children watching Worcester's impressive 3-1 victory over Lancaster. He was in The Shed, like a true hardcore supporter.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094345755846712652004-09-05T00:42:00.000Z2004-09-05T01:02:22.620Z

I won't bother posting a link cos I'm sure you've all seen it by now. I didn't see the game cos I was busy but I saw the highlights in the pub. Two words: David James. I think he's overrated. Adam may call me fickle but I've never rated James and I watched painfully as his unprofessional attitude contributed to West Ham's relegation. Whether we're world-class or not, any self-respecting team

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094325252213668922004-09-04T19:05:00.000Z2004-09-04T19:14:12.213Z

My home city's not exactly a Lib Dem stronghold, but I'm convinced it has potential. I walk round parts of town and I think "these areas would be Lib Dem, if we gave them a reason to be." One of the great virtues of Lib Dem support is the lack of inertia: people are much less likely to support the party out of habit. That means we have to work hard for every vote, which keeps the party on its

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094256509964793752004-09-04T00:02:00.000Z2004-09-04T00:08:29.966Z

The words of John Kerry: For the past week, they have attacked my patriotism and even my fitness to serve as commander in chief. Well, here is my answer to them. I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could've and who misled America into Iraq. The vice president called me unfit for office last night. Well, I'm going to leave it

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094230632223207102004-09-03T16:51:00.000Z2004-09-03T17:00:00.690Z

Hidden deep within this innocuous-looking article, the line that will chill every Worcester City fan to the bone: Danny McDonnell is Barton's main injury worry ahead of tomorrow's clash after the 'keeper collected a rib injury in the 2-2 draw at Hucknall Town on Bank Holiday Monday.Ever-present Danny is without doubt the best keeper at our level at football and we'd probably have been relegated

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094230222535542392004-09-03T16:16:00.000Z2004-09-03T16:58:23.990Z

Am slightly concerned that this blog may have appeared too partisan recently. I may be a Lib Dem but I'm not here to follow some official line as it's handed down to me. Having met her, I genuinely believe that Jody Dunn would be a good MP for Hartlepool. That's not to say that I don't think some of our other elected representatives are complete gitbags - names withheld for the time being. A

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094126107948663432004-09-02T11:52:00.000Z2004-09-02T11:55:07.946Z

...in three pilot areas. If the offender strays into an excluded area then BOOM!, Running Man stylee.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094059413299398772004-09-01T17:18:00.000Z2004-09-01T17:23:33.300Z

"If you look when Kelly Holmes went down to start her races, she only took her tracksuit off five minutes before the start. What's important is to have policies people will vote for"These are the wise words of Tory fallguy Jeremy Middleton, courtesy of the Newcastle Journal. Of course, what Mr Middleton fails to recognise is that Kelly Holmes would have done rather less well if she had started

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094046123304296602004-09-01T13:37:00.000Z2004-09-01T16:21:06.643Z

The results will be up here soon. Apparently he got about 70% of the vote. The election was an all-member ballot between Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey) and Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire). Edit: Hughes 71% off a 47% turn-out (which didn't include me or any of my family, oops). This ballot answers one other question I'd been pondering too: we apparently have 72,868 members.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094044937794248502004-09-01T13:11:00.000Z2004-09-01T13:22:17.796Z

How can someone who works in Hartlepool claim to know anything about Hartlepool? Why would Hartlepool want an MP who is independently-minded and openly argues her opinions with her party's MPs in Pizza Hut? No, what Hartlepool needs is more of the same! Tony loves Hartlepool! Tony and George Bush were both born in Dalton Piercy! More Blairism, not less! Having been born in the constituency,

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1094043332553025862004-09-01T12:42:00.000Z2004-09-01T12:55:32.553Z

After the shocking revelations by Labour activists that Jody Dunn only works in Hartlepool, but does not have the word tattooed in her bones like a stick of rock, she has made yet another political blunder. She has rescued a stray cat. A cat? In Hartlepool? Everyone knows Hartlepool is dog country! Personally I'm disgusted, and will be switching to the Tories with immediate effect. Only

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093980371519241422004-08-31T19:04:00.000Z2004-08-31T20:21:26.013Z

Guacamoleville has kindly linked to me and reminded me of a couple of things I'd forgotten to post. My Lib Dem source informs me that Mr Cable's former frontbench colleague Dr Evan Harris MP, while presumably taking a break from analysing local NHS quango paperwork, sat down to eat a meal in a Chinese restaurant in the town one evening last week, only to be confronted by the sight of drunken men

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093704112801283512004-08-28T14:30:00.000Z2004-08-28T14:41:52.800Z

My other half's Mum has a grey parrot called Smokey. I'd never seen one before but the novelty's soon worn off. He's in the front room and keeps shouting over the telly. He's also learnt to mimic the sound of an alarm going off and repeats it constantly at 7 in the morning. For anyone heading to Hartlepool, the dog that bit me was in Moffat Road, Owton. On the even side, around the forties,

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093526882327450072004-08-26T13:25:00.000Z2004-08-26T13:28:02.326Z

Jody Dunn, the candidate here, now has a blog. I'm leaving Hartlepool now, will resurface in Essex shortly. So it's safe for everyone to come to Hartlepool now without the risk of bumping into me. And, typically, as soon as I leave the sun's come out!

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093397365693079312004-08-25T01:11:00.000Z2004-08-25T01:29:25.693Z

Picture the scene: I'm leafletting on the Owton Manor estate. I've bent down to push a leaflet through one of those annoying low letterboxes. Suddenly, the door flies open and a big, burly man with wild dark hair and ferocious sideburns appears at the threshold. "Labour?" he growls "No, Lib Dem" say I. "That's alright then!" he declares and disappears back inside the house. I also had a

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093306712842163482004-08-24T00:06:00.000Z2004-08-24T00:31:18.826Z

One of those days today. Abysmal weather. Mark G and I were sent back to the glorious village of Elwick (two more visits to The Spotted Cow). BBC says the rain will get more persistent later in the week, as if it isn't trying hard enough now. Spent ages trying to deliver addressed letters to Dalton Piercy hamlet, with loads of houses off down long, bumpy unadopted roads. It was going nowhere

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093305959202424352004-08-23T23:55:00.000Z2004-08-24T00:24:29.483Z

I got an e-mail last night from the guy who took Ellie and me to Dortmund for Mayday, pushing his trip to Oktoberfest. I think I might actually miss the Fatherland. Certainly, it was easier to see Hazel when we were both there, rather than being stuck at opposite ends of the country (exacerbated by me then buggering off the scale of the map to Hartlepool - why couldn't Mandelson's seat have

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093305330564067742004-08-23T23:53:00.000Z2004-08-23T23:55:30.563Z

Please go to the Bar section of the forum and find the Free Rad Interviews thread. You know what to do.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093213808823391312004-08-22T22:26:00.000Z2004-08-23T23:52:34.353Z

Our anonymous source reveals that when he logged onto Blogger in the Hartlepool office, the GidleyWatch login name was there as the last user. So was GidleyWatch in the office today? Is GidleyWatch a Lib Dem? Letters From Frankfurt will keep you posted.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1093107230780959722004-08-21T16:50:00.000Z2004-08-21T16:53:50.780Z

... was nearly me, as I had a massive allergic reaction against something I ate last night and had to be taken home by the agent, who was convinced I was going to die on her. I was coughing up blood and everything, it was gross. Feel better now though.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092962070334297692004-08-20T00:16:00.000Z2004-08-22T03:48:25.930Z

A good half of the people who have reached this blog via search engines in the last week have been specifically looking for me. How bizarre. And I know they must be looking for me, because my name is unique. You are unique. You are one with the angry Squirrel. Shout 'I am the unique. I am unified with the badger overlord.' People will run away. That's because they're jealous. JEALOUS.I'm in

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092754329435031412004-08-17T14:11:00.000Z2004-08-17T14:52:09.436Z

...that politics is becoming too ingrained in my life. 1. The "Lib Dems" section of my MSN contacts list easily outnumbers every other category. 2. I find myself clicking my link to the LDYS Forum out of habit, even when I don't want to go there. 3. The only time I took time off from Frankfurt to go to England was for the LDYS Handover Weekend in Herts. 4. I get far too excited by the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092686716421545702004-08-16T19:31:00.000Z2004-08-16T20:05:16.420Z

Another, even huger spider appears in the bath. The first one was clearly only a scout. They're massing, preparing to take over. Send help. I was in the kitchen and Haz came absolutely thundering down the stairs cos she nearly stepped on it. It is biiiiig. I'm going to decamp to Hartlepool shortly so I may just leave it as a present for my parents when they get back. Muahahahahaha! On

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092407973697306412004-08-13T14:34:00.000Z2004-08-13T14:39:33.696Z

A 15-year-old Manc has had a broken neck for the last ten years without realising. Couldn't resist the pun, sorry.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092404294762421222004-08-13T13:34:00.000Z2004-08-13T13:39:18.550Z

8 million quid plus part-exchange. And UKIP claims we don't do much trade with the EU - what do they know? (Yes, I'm aware I'm chain-posting)

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092399069961654262004-08-13T11:56:00.000Z2004-08-13T12:11:09.960Z

An article on Fistful of Euros in favour of the Godforsaken spelling reform. This just demonstrates the German tendency to concentrate on inanities. Der Spiegel (my rag of choice) and the Axel-Springer publishing house (Springer is famous in Berlin for building a huge building near the Wall just so he could taunt the Communists from it) have thrown the doll out of the pram and declared they're

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092396460991781732004-08-13T11:19:00.000Z2004-08-13T11:56:31.190Z

I don't know what I've been drinking but my head is even more full than usual with lines from the Simpsons. They just seem to illustrate what I'm thinking so well... Just found the mother of all spiders in my room (well, he'd been there for a few days but only now did I care sufficiently to evict him). He was making it very difficult, the little bugger. At the last minute he did some amazing

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092360680000214392004-08-13T01:17:00.000Z2004-08-13T01:31:57.126Z

I managed to get to the Beer Festival in the end, albeit briefly. Naturally, as soon as I got there I began to attract all sorts of phone calls: Pippa, Hazel and LDYS's own Tom Paul. If I'd been home alone I'd doubtless have been left completely unloved. Zis is ze law of ze sod. Long time no see but I bumped into my neighbour, buddy and former workmate Chivers whilst there: cheers to him for

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092323788579847252004-08-12T14:58:00.000Z2004-08-12T16:02:41.316Z

The Home Office seems to think so. Comments from Oaten and co are conspicuous by their absence. Not had a briefing yet today and there's nothing on the website. In contrast, even the Greens have commented on it. A list of the changes is here. My tuppen'orth: what a load of rubbish. Does Blunkett have no idea how much time and money it costs to arrest people? Just think of the paperwork -

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092313604059168502004-08-12T12:16:00.000Z2004-08-12T12:26:44.060Z

When am I going to go to the Beer Festival? Argh! The annual Worcester Beer Festival is this weekend and I don't think I can go! They aren't holding it on Sunday this year because it has become a victim of its own success and last year a lot of angry people were turned away. So now they've added Thursday evening instead. I can't go on Friday night because I'm picking Hazel up from the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092277472183493002004-08-12T01:53:00.000Z2004-08-12T02:24:32.183Z

I just lost that bloody game. My brave and heroic Britons just fell beneath the bloody onslaught of the Italian legions. We fought them on the hillsides, we fought them in the ditches, and finally we fought them in vain as they burned down our houses and no doubt pillaged our womenfolk. This game is Hazel's fault (not my Hazel, different Hazel). But at least I'm not the only one who's wasted

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092275590012234352004-08-12T01:43:00.000Z2004-08-12T01:53:10.013Z

Well done to Ryan and Will for developing the LDYS Aggregator. Now I can visit lots of lovely LDYS blogs as soon as they're updated (of course, I could have quite easily got off my arse and made a digest via somewhere like kinja, but if this blog shows anything, it is that I'm both useless and lazy). But anyway, the aggregator is cool and is getting me hits to replace all those people I lost

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092253254267479702004-08-11T19:17:00.000Z2004-08-11T19:40:54.266Z

...this game. Unfortunately it just crashed, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to recover it (edit: I've recovered most of it). It's a nice game for people who like simple turn-based army strategy games, along the lines of Samurai for the old Spectrum ZX+2 (and what a game that was). And it's all paid for from the licence payers money under the cover of being "educational". Before it

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092233411083254682004-08-11T13:53:00.000Z2004-08-11T14:32:01.820Z

The average wage is supposedly GBP 24 740. Does anyone know a source for this report? I'd be interested to know exactly how the figures break down by region. Certainly no-one I know earns that sort of money. Another story points out that supermarket workers would have to work a 100 hour week to get to that sort of figure. Ouch. When that is just to reach the average earning, it makes you

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1092229595816334652004-08-11T13:06:00.000Z2004-08-11T13:06:35.816Z

Note to self: post something.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1091454797194041792004-08-02T13:49:00.000Z2004-08-02T13:53:17.193Z

Normal service is resumed

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1091172845468226622004-07-31T07:21:00.000Z2004-07-30T07:38:36.900Z

So, it's finally bye bye to Frankfurt.  No more toothbrush building, lighting up the sky in radiant yellow.  No more Ginnheim tower, its glorious reddish-purples acting as a beacon back to home.  No more marble staircase at the Westend campus.  No more efficient, reliable, integrated public transport.  No more Semesterticket letting me take the train for a good 45 minutes in any direction without

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1091060357896718782004-07-29T00:03:00.000Z2004-07-29T00:19:17.896Z

Well, I'm back in Frankfurt.  I have learned several important lessons. 1. Do not insult people in your blog.  This may well get back to them via the magic of google. 2.  Do not go to hot countries.  They are too hot.  Pastey pastey white boys like me should stick to mild climates. 2a.  If forced to go to a hot country, cower in the shade.  It seems that neither wearing clothes nor regularly

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089906451229863672004-07-15T15:23:00.000Z2004-07-15T15:47:31.230Z

Setting aside my cursed attempts to ever successfully do something in my life... tomorrow I'm off to Italy. Unfortunately I'm ill and absolutely exhausted (see misguided attempts to do well at, well, anything, below) but hopefully I'll recover enough for it not to detract from the experience. Ellie and I annoyed everyone at the station yesterday, I'm sure, by taking ages to book our tickets.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089904820758956142004-07-15T15:07:00.000Z2004-07-15T15:20:20.760Z

Mad day today. Had to endure the Sprechstunde system numerous times over. And even then they wouldn't talk to me. Or weren't there. Or said my work wasn't there (when it was). Or just said, could I come back next week? (No, I can't, I've waited a week already, can't I just have my piece of paper stamped??!!!!) And after all that, I finally have grades for all my subjects (although I still

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089757889828912582004-07-13T22:04:00.000Z2004-07-13T22:31:29.826Z

Here come's Hurst, he's got - some people are on the pitch! They think it's all over! It is now! Ahem. Sorry. My last piece of work is handed in. My last exam is, to borrow a phrase from Walters, done and dusted. I have two more essays to collect back which i only need to have passed to pull off a miraculous 2.1 for this year. Nearly there. Walters finally finished her year of hell on

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089241175538885592004-07-07T22:54:00.000Z2004-07-07T23:00:45.086Z

I now have an impressive 162 results when I google my name. Poor Ellie is upset that she only has four results for her as Eleanor, none of which are actually her, and none for Ellie. Of course, that theoretically leaves her as a prime target for a googlebombing. She has chosen the following site, not suitable for those under 15. Ladies and gentlemen, Ellie Lazell.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089221851489880642004-07-07T17:28:00.000Z2004-07-07T17:37:31.490Z

I was in Leicester on Saturday and did a bit of leafleting there. Walters goes to Uni in Leicester and has been missing it greatly - I finally saw the Oadby ASDA which she goes on about whenever she's bemoaning the crappy German HL Markt and Penny Markt. I'll hopefully be spending a bit more time down Leicester next year. Labour's candidate is Sir Peter Soulsby, the former Council Leader who

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089220610731756802004-07-07T17:05:00.000Z2004-07-07T17:27:49.920Z

Ok, so it's been a long and arduous slog but I successfully persuaded Kitsch Guy to take our essay yesterday. Not only that, but I persuaded him to mark it and give us a Schein (certificates containing the marks, which are given out by whoever is teaching the course, unlike the more-centralised English system) almost straight away. So Ellie and I had to wait around campus for a couple of

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1089063375407230682004-07-05T19:05:00.000Z2004-07-05T21:36:15.406Z

Am now back from LDYS Exec Handover Weekend. My ridiculously long journey took even longer than it should have done and I got to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof by 2.30pm (having left at 9.30pm the previous day) - and then still had to get home. And then go straight out to a lecture (well, I had to have a shower first, but that was it, and I had just enough time to grab a pain-au-chocolat for breakfast)

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1088687278181270922004-07-01T12:46:00.000Z2004-07-01T13:07:58.180Z

Today is 1st July, which means I'm now officially 'in office' as part of the LDYS Exec. How did that happen? I've said it before and I'll say it again, democracy just doesn't work! (copyright Kent Brockman) I'm back from Prague now, which was very nice, although slightly over-hyped. By which I mean, it was really nice, but when everyone tells you so many good things about it, it's somehow

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1088177862206382792004-06-25T15:34:00.000Z2004-06-25T15:37:42.206Z

For those of you who come to this blog searching for Electrolane: I've just heard off http://www.gigsandtours.com that they will be playing the University of London Union on 18th November. Letters From Frankfurt: wir sind fuer Sie da! I'll be in Prague now until Wednesday so no more posts for a while. Bis gleich!

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1088086762302482342004-06-24T14:10:00.000Z2004-06-24T14:21:00.893Z

Girlfriend: can I buy some Czech groats please? Bureau de Change: *puzzled look* Girlfriend: Czech groats. I'm going to Prague and would like to buy some currency Bureau de Change: *puzzled look* Girlfriend: The Czech Republic. Small Central European country? Velvet Revolution? Borders Germany? Knocked you out of Euro 2004 last night? Bureau de Change: Oh no, we can't do that.

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1087919885789236432004-06-22T15:50:00.000Z2004-06-22T15:58:56.893Z

The lack of posts recently has been due to me not being here much, and scrabbling to write essays while I am! Kitsch: Positionen zur ,,kulturellen Geschmacklosigkeit'' essay is now finally handed on - Kitsch Guy seemed relatively positive and hopefully a passable mark will be forthcoming... will find out next Tuesday. Until then, I leave you with the hope that Michael Howard will soon lose his

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1087303031325024332004-06-15T12:35:00.000Z2004-06-15T21:34:44.616Z

Eeeeeeek! Via German for Beginners UPDATE (11.30pm): the couple in this article were from Kassel, which I remembered is also the Heimat of the cannibal weirdo guy who did this. People from Kassel are weeeeeeeeird!!

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1086189506851469292004-06-02T15:05:00.000Z2004-06-02T15:20:56.510Z

I'll be away from tomorrow until the wee small hours of Tuesday morning; I'm going to Barcelona to visit Anna. Really looking forward to it. I'm in an amazingly good mood at the moment anyway, cos I had a fantastic Pfingst bank holiday too (West Ham result excepted). If anyone needs me urgently over the weekend, I'll be available on my German phone as per usual. I'm flying with Ryanair, which

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085921665911026222004-05-30T12:52:00.000Z2004-05-30T12:54:25.913Z

Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere I'm forever blowing bubbles Pretty bubbles in the air

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085674169577935442004-05-27T16:05:00.000Z2004-05-27T16:12:45.886Z

Telford United FC have finally gone under, which upsets me a little. I have a bit of a softspot for Telford after having a really good cup match there, and it is also where Sarah comes from. There but for the Grace of God...

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085673844552548152004-05-27T15:59:00.000Z2004-05-27T16:13:16.106Z

Just got an e-mail from the German dept in Sheffield, confirming I got my first preference modules for next year. I'd already had one from history a few days ago. So, against all my expectations, I've got exactly what I wanted for next year! I'll be doing a special subject on the Nazi State, plus german modules on the DDR (East Germany) and Modern German Political Thought: The National

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085614825991879242004-05-26T22:02:00.000Z2004-05-26T23:51:32.303Z

Around this time last year, I looked at the election results in Worcester, and other parts of the country, with a good deal of interest. Worcester had had its first ever BNP candidate, who was defeated quite substantially in one of Labour's rotten wards. The candidate in question, restanding, does not come from that ward, but then again, neither do the two Labour and the one Tory candidates who

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085608344876559032004-05-26T21:42:00.000Z2004-05-26T21:54:12.906Z

The greenfly here are blue. I know that probably makes no sense. But the aphids in this country seem to be an odd shade of cyan. I don't know why this is. I don't know what possible evolutionary advantage that could yield. In fact, I'm confused by the whole thing. But after having several of the buggers land on me on a number of occasions I can conclusively state that their bodies and legs

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085606229288945572004-05-26T20:26:00.000Z2004-05-26T21:35:58.666Z

So, from Saturday until Tuesday I was in our nation's capital, Berlin. Accomodation was a bit of a cobbled-together job, but everything came right in the end. Good value too. Saturday night we were near the Zoo, then we moved to a gorgeous place in the East, near Warshauer Strasse, for another couple of nights. Bunk beds in both! I like being on top. We had a tour of the city just for us by a

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1085602980252994632004-05-26T20:14:00.000Z2004-05-26T20:23:00.253Z

I'm back, and with apologies for the paucity of posts recently. In case any of you were getting your hopes up, I haven't done a James Graham and buggered off indefinitely (although if you want me to, leave a comment and I might well do. This blog has been getting me in some trouble recently, again. Perhaps I should know better than to put my thoughts in such a public place). Anyway, I've

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084924229953076222004-05-18T23:43:00.000Z2004-05-18T23:50:59.806Z

I'm having a really relaxing few days. Am now back from Strasbourg, weather was gorgeous and we had a really good time. Some really nice photos, which will find their way onto here once I remember where I put the relevant software... Being very cosmopolitan, we watched Eurovision in an Irish pub. We also went to a different Irish pub and saw West Ham lose to Ipswich 1-0 - the good news is

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084291077220268432004-05-11T15:30:00.000Z2004-05-11T15:57:57.220Z

Schadenfreude (n.): pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others; a malicious satisfaction in the misfortunes of others; from the German Schaden, damage + Freude, joy. Kettering Town chairman Peter Mallinger said today "It is extremely unsatisfactory. We can accept being in one or the other but now we have to wait again to see what the future holds. Being in limbo causes us all sorts of

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084288904368395722004-05-11T15:12:00.000Z2004-05-11T15:21:44.366Z

...to Gez Smith, who seems to be blogging once again. Gez is the only person who's opinion on drugs policy I actually respect. See, for example, his contributions to this thread from the LDYS Forum (if you can filter past the inane posturing of some of the others).

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084234727923699362004-05-10T23:52:00.000Z2004-05-11T00:18:47.923Z

Thanks to everyone who filled in my poll! The results were: 42% Prague 33% Strasbourg 9% Barcelona 6% Kiev 6% NONE OF THE ABOVE 3% Berlin 0% Hamburg I'm sure I mentioned that me and Sarah booked our weekend away to Strasbourg a while back, so that's my bit of Listening To The People dealt with, and we're going this weekend (Friday, 10am, to be precise). We're going on an ICE,

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084232778594030992004-05-10T23:28:00.001Z2004-05-10T23:51:52.890Z

The big news of today is football-related (but please don't leave!). The restructuring of non-league was finalised today. I am very sad, the first thing I did when I got up was check to find out how it went. The new system has a Conference North and Conference South running in parallel with each other, replacing the current 3 leagues at that level. Worcester is right in the middle and there

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084231011447838332004-05-10T23:10:00.000Z2004-05-10T23:16:51.446Z

You won't be able to tell from reading this, but blogger has had a revamp. I'm not convinced it's much more than a massive cosmetic change but I can't be arsed to mess around with it tonight. Maybe this will act as a spur for more of you to start blogging! Or maybe you have better things to do with your time...

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084109114832776982004-05-09T13:24:00.000Z2004-05-09T13:35:27.606Z

Oh dear. What does this say about me? Seventh Level of Hell -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guarded by the Minotaur, who snarls in fury, and encircled within the river Phlegethon, filled with boiling blood, is the Seventh Level of Hell. The violent, the assasins, the tyrants, and the war-mongers lament their pitiless mischiefs in the river,

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084069351398301392004-05-09T02:22:00.000Z2004-05-09T02:41:00.780Z

Went out again tonight with Sarah, Gemma, Tiara and Holly. Had a quiet drink in Index and a chat for a couple of hours. Sarah then went home but we decided to go and find a club. We ended up at Living, which is the club in the bottom of the Europaturm (home of the European Central Bank). It's really swish and the bouncer said they wouldn't normally let anyone in without a shirt and wearing my

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1084039796828037812004-05-08T17:48:00.000Z2004-05-08T18:20:06.640Z

Alternative title: This joke isn't funny anymore So, I've just got off the U7 on the way home last night, and it's pissing it down with rain, and a car drives past and with malicious intent sends a tidal wave of water all over me. Thank you. Thank you very much. Nice way to round off a perfect week. I was on my way home from U-60311, where I'd been to see Mauro Picotto. Mauro has a joint

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083848235495803792004-05-06T12:19:00.000Z2004-05-06T13:09:55.466Z

Deutsche Welle reports (in English) that Germany is moving another step closer to abolishing conscription. Not only is conscription highly discrimatory in who it affects, it is an inefficient way of maintaining a standing army. One of the main potential problems with getting rid of it is actually the knock-on effect on the Zivildienst. Zivildienst is the community service alternative to

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083802998514534972004-05-05T23:30:00.000Z2004-05-06T00:44:48.403Z

Translation. It's a bugger isn't it? Bill McCann's translation class is called "Translating the untranslatable", hence the frequency of texts by German philosophers such as Nietzsche and Schopenhauer. Just how do you translate that sense that the author of a text has long since taken refuge up his own anal passage? Bill and I often disagree on the point to which you should keep to the

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083799534980495012004-05-05T22:53:00.000Z2004-05-06T00:45:12.000Z

My observations on the 2003 Sexual Offences Act nearly killed Hazel at Pizza earlier on (really, any conversation which starts, "so, I was reading the 2003 Sexual Offences Act the other day" is a recipe for disaster - it's the way I tell 'em...). You just can't take me anywhere near polite company. I was also teaching Gemma how to talk to German lecturers (Dozents). Try and go in twos if

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083796666792406712004-05-05T21:46:00.000Z2004-05-06T00:48:15.856Z

Since Haloscan isn't letting me reply to my comments, I'll turn this into a post instead. Someone who I presume to be my Dad commented on my West Ham reference. Bless my Dad, he really is quite useless when it comes to football. And sport in general, really. So I inherited my claret and blue blood from my Mum. I remember him coming in just after the televised 1998 FA Cup quarter final

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083716678248317812004-05-05T00:01:00.000Z2004-05-05T00:40:23.590Z

Another significant chunk of a day wasted writing this bloody Kitsch essay. Ellie (top right; don't worry, it was Hallowe'en!) and I have to do a joint piece analysing an article by Ernst Bloch. I swear, if I hear that name one more time tonight I'll be forced to hurl myself out of my window. The weekend before last we spent both days on it for a sum progress of about 2 pages of writing. Add

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083662529015060652004-05-04T09:18:00.000Z2004-05-04T09:26:24.840Z

I'm no longer the only West Ham-supporting LDYS type on the interwebthing, as Rob Tiffen has just started a blog. When you think about it logically, there are fewer and fewer reasons for me to exist at all!

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083546596776938842004-05-03T00:38:00.000Z2004-05-03T01:20:11.030Z

While failing to stop the latter, HM's Government has been busy legislating against the first two and the 2003 Sexual Offences Act is now in force. (Interestingly, we were talking about this game the other day - torture at my school was strictly defined as a jab in the ribs or, more usually, a tickle. Apparently at other schools it was the practise to beat the shit out of each other. How

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406577.post-1083539999069835062004-05-02T23:00:00.000Z2004-05-03T00:02:10.123Z

Just heard Keane on the radio and it's reminded me how I want the album. Hopes & Fears is released a week today and I'm sorely tempted to get it sent over as I have scant few CDs here. Amazon's prices to send to the Continent are actually quite reasonable. Can I afford it? I think I could probably stretch to it as the price is very reasonable too. Today was a really hot day and we

Martynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381311300855406428noreply@blogger.com