All entries for February 2006

Songs about various forms of the undead: approximation of a playlist §8

The undead etc

Zombie – The Cranberries
There's a ghost in my house – The Fall
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
Walking the ghost back home – the Bible
Attack of the cannibal zombie business men – the Higsons
Smells like teen spirit – Nirvana
Vampire love – Ash

: 26 Feb 2006 11:19 |  Tags: Music Playlist |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

New world fun and games

Title:

The Europeans (Penguin Popular Classics)

Author:

Henry James

ISBN:

0140621954

Rating:

A short and early novel by James. Simple premise – old world brother and sister visit their uncle and cousins in Boston. The clash of cultures is a subtle one and cleverly articulated in a nice, oftern ironic, and understated fashion. 19th C New England is neatly painted but it is the interaction between the European Baroness and her brother, Felix, and their new world relatives that make this so special.

Beautiful and clever.

: 26 Feb 2006 09:54 |  Tags: Book Review |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cutting edge?

Title:

The Cutting Room

Author:

Louise Welsh

ISBN:

1841954748

Rating:

Excellent read this. Bit dark, bit gothic, but all the better for it. Unlikely hero (dodgy auctioneer) for something like a whodunnit and suspect therefore there is unlikely to be a series of these. But overall, quite compelling actually. Particularly evocative of one area of Glasgow and quite convincing portrayals of various underworlds.

A few wincing moments but overall really very good (and think it is a first novel too).

: 21 Feb 2006 21:06 |  Tags: Book Review |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Telephone things: approximation of a playlist §7

Telephone Things

Hanging on the telephone – Blondie
He's on the phone – Saint Etienne
New York telephone conversation – Lou Reed
Phone Me Tonight – Arab Strap
Telephone thing – The Fall
When will you (make my telephone ring) – Deacon Blue
Telephone Man – Meri Wilson

Gawd - had forgotten this last one until just now. Remember:

went to my apartment on a Monday at one
A-singin' do lolly, lolly, shicky bum, shicky bum
Started movin', in it on a Tuesday at two
A-singin' do lolly, lolly, shicky do, shicky do
Wednesday at three I called the phone company, singin'
Hey, baby, put a phone in for me
Thursday at four he came a-knockin' at my door, singin'
Hey, baby, I'm your telephone man
You just show me where you want it and I'll put it where I can
I can put it in the bedroom, I can put it in the hall
I can put it in the bathroom, I can hang it on the wall
You can have it with a buzz, you can have it with a ring
And if you really want it you can have a ding-a-ling
Because, a hey, baby, I'm your telephone man

: 19 Feb 2006 19:49 |  Tags: Music Playlist |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Blokes with beards

Follow-up to "Administrator" appointed New Chief Exec of HEFCE from Prole Art Threat

Looking at the HEFCE mugshots there are also at least three of his new colleagues who could double for him at a pinch:

link

: 15 Feb 2006 11:52 |  Tags: Administration Higher Education |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

"Administrator" appointed New Chief Exec of HEFCE

Writing about web page http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2006/ce/

So, David Eastwood is to replace Howard Newby.

Although he has a very credible academic record, I suspect he does not habitually describe himself as the Minister sees him:

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: 'I welcome Professor Eastwood to his new post. He has a distinguished record both as an academic and as a university administrator.

: 15 Feb 2006 11:18 |  Tags: Administration Higher Education |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Trackbacks (1) |  Report a problem

Doherty v Gramsci

Writing about web page http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/news/story/0,,1707515,00.html

So, a man is found in possession of drugs and goes to prison for nearly two whole weeks

big deal

In the same edition of the Guardian there is a helpful reminder of someone who went to prison for a slightly longer period, 11 years, but clearly doesn't quite have the same impact on the collective consciousness:

link

Still, Gramsci didn't go out with Kate Moss, did he?

: 12 Feb 2006 10:34 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Delta 5: Waited years for this!

Writing about web page http://lostbands.blogspot.com/

Title:

Singles and Sessions 1979-1981

Artist:

Delta 5

ASIN:

B000CNFB2W

Rating:

Not rated

A reminder of distant youth – had their only album which had to sell in a crisis. Always regretted it.

Been looking for something, anything for some time and am absurdly excited therefore now this is about to be released.

: 12 Feb 2006 07:08 |  Tags: Music Review |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I just don't like any of these people

Title:

Notes on a Scandal

Author:

Zoë Heller

ISBN:

0141012250

Rating:

It's a fairly straightforward plot – middle-aged teacher has affair with schoolboy – is observed throughout by her friend, the narrator (an older teacher).

But the characters are not terribly engaging at all – none is much more than two dimensional and it really did not grip at all. I was pretty unconvinced throughout by the author's attempt to get in the mind of an older woman.

Gawd knows how it ended up being Booker shortlisted

: 12 Feb 2006 06:59 |  Tags: Book Review |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

University of Michigan blogs

Writing about web page http://www.michigandaily.com/media/paper851/news/2006/01/31/News/Blogging.Revolution.Reaches.University-1545230.shtml?norewrite&sourcedomain=www.michigandaily.com

It's the archiving angle that intrigued me about this

archivists at the Bentley Library hope to preserve some of the postings in order to document student and academic life for future generations. Students may opt to put their blogs up for consideration through the site. Hollar said the preservation of blogs is a natural progression in archiving.

Could anyone really be bothered?

: 11 Feb 2006 07:33 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem