First Attempt

Aug 19

I Propose a Moratorium on Using Sigur Ros on Vimeo

It seems to me that just about everyone on Vimeo who makes HD videos of majestic landscapes uses Sigur Ros as the accompanying music. They are a great band, but why not use a little imagination and try something different?

The same applies to British TV makers. Every time a programme show dramatic scenery, on come the Icelandic eccentrics. This is even more inexcusable, as people are actually being paid to choose music for TV shows. “There’s some mountains, whack on the Sigur Ros” seems to be the BBC’s motto at the moment.

Aug 18

Giant dog turd wreaks havoc at Swiss museum

“A giant inflatable dog turd created by the American artist Paul McCarthy was blown from its moorings at a Swiss museum, bringing down a power line and breaking a window before landing in the grounds of a children’s home.

The exhibit, entitled Complex Shit, is the size of a house.”

Aug 17

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The Fall- Edinburgh Man

This is hardly Mark’s finest moment lyrically, but I have found myself playing it a lot since I returned from my stay in Edinburgh. The curmudgeonly old git is rather critical of the Edinburgh Festival in this song, but I don’t believe him at all. I’ll bet he loves the Festival no end.

Despite being an American, Emily Robinson has made this musical tribute to tea.

Aug 16

The Ubiquity of the Ukulele part 2- Florida by Loudon Wainwright III

In Edinburgh on Wednesday, we went to see a performance of Lucky You, the stage version of the novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen. There were a number of video monitors on the stage, which were used throughout the performance. At the start of the performance, all the monitors showed this ukulele-based song by Loudon Wainwright III, which had been specially commisioned for the play. It is a catchy number that successfully captures the atmosphere of Hiaasen’s books.

The Ubiquity of the Ukulele part 1- Five Years Time by Noah and the Whale

Since purchasing a ukulele the other day, I have realised that I was fated to buy the instrument. This is because my cultural life over the last couple of weeks has been dominated by the ukulele. For example, the song “5 Years Time” has been all over Radio 2 recently, and I saw Noah and the Whale perform the song at the Summer Sundae Weekender last week. The lead instrument in the song is a ukulele. I can actually play this song, albeit in a slower manner than the band manage here.

Aug 15

(via my Flickr)

It has been found that more than a fifth of Scotland’s fish and chip shops serve deep fried Mars Bars in batter. I have yet to try one.

Learn to Play the Ukulele in an Hour

Having just returned from a few days in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival, I can report that the most interesting show we saw was Learn to Play the Ukulele in an Hour. In less than one hour, the show gives you a moving study of paternal love, a potted biography of George Formby, an account of release from chronic depression through music, and an introduction to playing the ukulele. I now own a ukulele and I can play six chords!

Aug 11

(via my Flickr)

Most of the weekend has been spent at the Summer Sundae Weekender.

Aug 9

Australian man filmed himself speeding at 150km/h while masturbating at the wheel of his drug-laden car.

Proof that men can multi-task.