RIP Polly

You kept me entertained in the late 70s, and you were a formative punk rocker. I doff my cap to:

Marianne Joan Elliott-Said aka Poly Styrene (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011)

A legend with a quieter side...

Poly Styrene - Shades
Grow into these trousers... >>

Just for Duncan @ MadHatters

Slurping my morning coffee and blearily reading The Mad Hatters my day perked up wonderfully when I found Duncan had posted "The Mad Hatter's Song" by The Incredible String Band.

It got me thinking, are there any other songs with 'Mad Hatter' in the title? I could only come up with this.

Edgar Broughton Band Mad Hatter


There must be more, any other suggestions? Grow into these trousers... >>

Crack, crunch!

The Gypsy has just told me that, during heavy winds yesterday, a tree has fallen onto the pub where our band is based. See here.

PCSO Orham Yigit outside the George Pub, Cleckheaton after a tree fell into it
Photo credit: The Spenborough Guardian.

Looking at the photo that window is in the main concert room, next to the stage and on my side too! Thank goodness it was in the morning and not when there was a 'do' going on. No one was hurt but it makes you think. We used to rehearse in that room and leave the gear set up unless there was another function coming up. Recently the owners have let use use a back room, which is much more cozy for practice than an empty hall, and all our gear was in there. I guess I'll see the damage when I go down tomorrow afternoon.

Note: The band's website is taking shape (thanks 'Techno'), just waiting for a bunch of new photos (thanks Neil) and hopefully a couple of tracks for download. Soon... Grow into these trousers... >>

Late Night Music

I just tripped across this tune by the late great Jerry Garcia. We are just learning this in the band. Thin Lizzy made it famous, but we do a punked up full on rock version (Metallica, poop).

But here is a proper version :

Jerry Garcia-Whiskey in the Jar
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Sorry if this spoils your day

But it needs to be widely understood that slaughtering animals for human consumption is a nasty business. However it need not be a prolonged, inhumane, barbaric ritual.

The video description begins:

"This video starts by showing the Western humane "Bolt Gun" method of instant slaughter. The remainder of the video then shows the Islamic Halal method of slaughter. Halal is the Sharia Law prescribed method of ritual killing involving the cutting of animals throats and letting them bleed to death".

Meet your Meat, the Barbarity of Halal Slaughter


In my time at work I visited many abattoirs to collect things like spleens, brains, adrenal glands and blood for research and teaching. I have watched as cows, sheep and pigs were killed by bolt gun in front of me. Never did I witness scenes like these.

If your religious conviction demands that animals for food have to die slowly in great pain while obviously concious then

BECOME A VEGETARIAN YOU FUCKING HEARTLESS CUNT.

Grow into these trousers... >>

Stardust/NExT re-images comet Tempel 1

A couple of days ago the space probe Stardust/NExT zoomed past comet Tempel 1 and the images are being made available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/stardust/

5 years or so ago the probe Deep Impact smashed a massive (370 kg) chunk of copper into the comet to try to stir up sub surface material. Stardust/NExT has re-imaged that impact site, though it's difficult to see in the above image. Tempel 1 is 7.6 x 4.9 kilometres across so it's a pinprick somewhere between the two craters at the centre of this image.

Hopefully, as the images are processed and enhanced, it will become more visible.

UPDATE: Phil Plait has identified the site, see here. Grow into these trousers... >>

Early evening music - John Martyn

I just tripped across this track by the late, great master. The oil rigs are a puzzle to me, the music is class...

Grace & Danger - John Martyn
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Sometimes I despair at religious 'logic'

BBC news reports on the troubles in Egypt quoting Issam al-Aryan, spokesperson and reputedly "A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood":

"We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties, press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary,"

Which sounds fine except for the 'Islamic principles' bit which which denies such rights if you happen to be female, or gay, or follow another religion, or you are an apostate, or a non-believer, or an alcohol imbiber, or a cartoonist, or a pork eater, or a dog owner or...

BANG! <head explodes>

Grow into these trousers... >>

A bit of nice music

And an unusual find...

I was picking up a takeaway pizza the other night and got talking to the good people behind the counter. As is often with me the topic turned to music when this this poor guy was pulled out of the back room and, to his embarrassment I'm sure, encouraged to sing.

I thought immediately that he had a good voice. So here is a plug for Payam Edraki, long may his songs be played.

Folk Music "Setareh" پیام ادراکی
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Richard Dawkins on faith schools

I post this without comment as most people will know my views anyway.

A Channel 4 documentary I haven't seen before. Note: Vimeo's embed code seems a bit wonkey so follow the link instead.
Faith School Menace?

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Via Unreasonable Faith. Grow into these trousers... >>