Well, You Could Always Set It On Fire

Amazon Kindle: useless outside North America! Hurrah for the Internet!

currently playing: The National – Abel

ALSO:

Gilmore Girls: The only TV series where teenagers slow dance to a Billy Bragg song…

UPDATE: Oh, yes, and Black Box Recorder's Child Psychologist making an appearance.

(there's a case to be made, if one had the time and inclination, that GG probably has the most British indie/punk soundtrack of any show since, well, The Young Ones?)

currently playing: Christine Holmes – Doesn't He Know?

I'VE JUST GOT SOMETHING IN MY EYE!

(warning. contains material that will send Doctor Who fans into a misty-eyed haze…)

currently playing: Dexy's Midnight Runners – Let's Get This Straight From The Start

Moments In Waiting

Has anybody actually seen a copy of Paul Morley’s new book? A Thursday release date is just odd, and the 2-3 week waiting time on Amazon is a little worrying (mind you, the same thing happened with the Death’s Head collections from Marvel UK and they turned up eventually; on the other hand, Yesterday’s Tomorrows did not).

And It. Still. Hasn't. Leaked. Neither has X if I hear right. They might just have cracked this whole promo-leaking affair…

EDIT: God bless the Internet.

currently playing: ABC – When Smokey Sings (The Miami Mix)

This Is Sarah Nixey Talking

Not entirely sure about this, but I think every song is improved immeasurably by the inclusion of Ms. Nixey (Frosty Nixey!) delivering a monologue about some ghastly childhood trauma.

Secondly: Where has Nutella been all my life? I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD.

currently playing: KLF – Justified and Ancient (Discotech mix)

Theories

Reasons why Tangled Up hasn’t leaked yet, despite it coming out on Friday in Ireland:

  • Who knew that OiNK really was that important?
  • Pirate groups still annoyed about the lame cover.
  • Rachel Stevens has hijacked the shipment from the distributors and won't let them go until her and Lily Allen are allowed to compete in a fight to the death to decide who will be the next Doctor Who assistant.
  • Xenomania has incrimating photographs on every journalist in the nation. I'm hearing something about Alexis Petridis, a bottle of vimto and a gerbil...

currently playing: Eureka 7 – Storywriter

Listening To Stereolab With Your Striped Scarf And Navy Overcoat

Moments of self-realisation: Waiting for the 1808 train to London at Bicester North, en route to see The National at Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

My mind's not right
My mind's not right
My mind's not right

Abel, come on, give me the keys, man
Everything has all gone down wrong
Abel, come on, give me the keys, man
Everything has all gone down wrong

currently playing: Rubies – The Keys (The Studio Remix)

Contains Some Strong Language

BBC One is showing a shortened version of Helvetica tonight. Worth the license fee all by itself (perhaps). And for those of you wondering just how a documentary about a font could give way to such a warning…you haven’t met Erik Spiekermann yet…

currently playing: Low – Joan Of Arc

<strike>STRIKE!</strike>

Up the WGA! I’m actually quite impressed; there hasn’t been a television strike on the same level in this country since the ITV strike of 1979, and I was all of two months old back then. Again, I was young (nine) during the last WGA strike in 1988, but I have this feeling that UK networks weren’t quite so exposed as they are currently. Though if it causes Sky One to have troubles after spending so much money to poach Prison Break, I will enjoy a hearty laugh.

Hurrah for Jon Stewart, as ever.

(Also, I love the idea of John Oliver as union rabble-rouser. I want Scargill-inspired shorts when you come back!)

And all this for eight cents…

currently playing: Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Taking One For The Team: Coke Plus Edition

Coke Plus

It says that it includes green tea. Which means that the bright spark that came up with Coke Blãk must still be with the company. They've obviously got good blackmail material on the CEO.

Diet Coke Plus (antioxidant) is a mixture of normal Diet Coke, green tea, and 175% of your recommended daily amount of Vitamin C (if you manage to finish an entire bottle). It's healthy! Much better than pesky orange juice!

I know what you're wondering - how does it taste? Hrm. Bizarrely, it seems to taste like carbonated flat cola, if such a thing could exist. That might be the tea taking the edge of the usual flavour, I guess. On the bright side, it didn't make me want to go down to Atlanta with a shotgun like the Coke Blãk experience…

(some time later)

But there's still enough of an unpleasant aftertaste to make finishing a full bottle a chore. But I managed two-thirds! That has to count for something! At least I've had a lot of vitamin C!

currently playing: Plus-Tech Squeeze Box – milk tea