Layer Cake

I’m just in from seeing a preview of this new British gangster film. It’s directed by the producer of Lock, Stock… but is a far cry from that particular classic in style, but not in quality. The funky special effects and voiceovers are pretty much done away with after the scene-setting, leaving the story itself and some clever camera work to entertain you for the 90 minutes or so that it runs for.

I won’t spoil the story, just recommend you go see it if you like a clever plot and some damn fine acting. Probably some of the best performances I’ve seen in a while. Not big, brash or over the top.

A great example of why we should be supporting British cinema. And a mile better than that crap about the kid who wanted to be a ballet dancer.

For Sale: Papa Roach Ticket

As mentioned on one of the posts below, I’m off to see Papa Roach soon. Well, I have a spare ticket in case there are any takers. Details…

When: Wednesday 29th September 2004, 7:30pm

Where: Manchester Academy (the uni, basically)

How Much: £20.85 (exactly half the booking cost)

If you’re interested, mail me. Note that I live in Bradford, work in Wakefield. If you’re local to me, or on the way, I’ll give you a free lift as well. I might even give you a ride home again afterwards if I’m in the mood. Failing that, meet me there with the cash and the ticket is yours.

Customer Recommendation

OK, here’s a quickie:

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM 101CD.COM

There. Oh, you want reasons? OK.

Don’t expect to receive anything within 2 weeks, if at all. As far as I can ascertain they don’t hold stock of anything. So you place your order, they then place that order with their supplier and you have to wait for them to receive it and then send it to you.

This is assuming said supplier doesn’t run out of stock (as happened to me) after a month of waiting. Also, should this happen I wouldn’t go expecting to be told or anything as that’s not in their business plan. You have to keep checking day after day after day until the order status changes.

On the other hand, you could order something, wait 14 days and then get an email telling you that the item ordered – an album – is actually a single and was mis-advertised and would you like a refund? If I’d ordered from the vastly superior (but £3 dearer) Play.com, I’d have had the sodding album two weeks ago.

As it stands, I’m likely to be going to see Papa Roach next week having not heard a damn track off the new album. Think I’ll tootle off now and try to download it. Hey, I’ve placed an order with Play for it now, so I’m legal.

A reason for buying a 4×4 & idiot "protesters"

Finally, aside from driving off-road (as if), I’ve come up with a reason for driving a 4×4. To ram stupid ******* BMW Z4 drivers off the road, hopefully to the point of extinction. Yup, more road rage. I was going round the roundabout at the bottom of the M606. It has traffic lights on it. My lights turned green, so I started to move. A Z4 appeared at the road I was about to drive past. Appeared. As in, he hadn’t been sat there before. He slowed, looked, then floored it through an obvious red right in front of me. Sadly, as I drive a Golf and have good reactions I didn’t plough into the side of his tin-foil person-carrier and instead came to a stop a foot or so from the driver’s-side door.

Shame.

I think the roads would be safer without ******* like him on them. Had I been driving a nice big Mitsubishi, Landy or similar and was a bit doddery I could have done us all a favour and wiped the **** out. I look forward to my twilight years and dodderiness. And cheaper insurance.

In other news, hunt supporters. What a bunch of complete fuckwits. Let’s leave aside the fact that making fox-hunting into a fun day out for all the family is somewhat barbaric and just concentrate on their ludicrous bahaviour today.

Now, I appreciate jobs will be lost if this government decision goes through. I appreciate that Tony Blair and co are going to force the law through in a way virtually unheard of in the past. I appreciate that the law and regulations it brings up are bloody ludicrous and are going to do sweet FA for animal welfare.

Still, let’s bear in mind that Jaguar are closing a plant shortly and jobs will be lost there too.

Do I see Jaguar workers forcing their way into the House of Commons and threatening MPs? Do I see them turning up for a protest in London armed with fireworks to throw at police who are only trying to do the job they’re underpaid for? Do I see them blocking the M25 in an unannounced protest that caused massive inconvenience for thousands of people who may even have been in support of their cause? Do I ****. Because Jaguar workers are normal people, not inbred cousin-shagging countryfolk with more fingers than brain cells.

If you have a grievance, air it but do it in a way that doesn’t make you look like a terrorist, a thug or a selfish prick. How the **** do you expect to get people to sympathise with your cause when you just come across as a total selfish idiot? Get a grip, get a life and get a new job.

Congratulations. All you’ve done is make people like me think that it’s a good thing you’re going to be unemployed. This should bring you closer to the breadline and therefore less likely to reproduce. Assuming your sister can even get home from London to bear your children, seeing as there’s a right jam on the M25.

Little bits of nothing

I’ve been watching Junior Mastermind (because I can actually answer some of

the questions). Nice to see kids picking *proper* subjects like Sharks,

Dinosaurs, or “The [current kids’ favourite] books”.

Then some precocious little git goes and chooses “The life and times of

Queen Victoria” or “The life and works of Vincent Van Gogh”. They inevitably

blast through the specialist round scoring well into the teens, and come a

complete cropper on the general knowledge questions, unable to even identify

the capital of France.

On a current recurring theme, more on the Folks At Number 9. Well, it turns out that “‘er indoors” is no longer there. She has vanished, to be replaced with a new one who looks the flipping same only with different hair. And two (adoreable) little daughters.

The evenings still hold some entertainment, as a guy – I think it’s her ex – regularly appears and she and he have some interesting, loud verbal exchanges. Frankly, I feel sorry for the kids.

But, there’s an upside. My housemate has put in a bid for the house and – we think – it’s been accepted. I lose a tenant (and the rent that goes with it), but gain a neighbour I already know I really like and will be more than happy to share a street with. Plus, Kim knows that if she gets a moth trapped in her bathroom, she can come over and hammer on my door wildly at 3 in the morning to get me to let it out.

If, for some reason, Kim’s sums don’t work out and she can’t afford it then I’m buying it. Sale to rent. Sounds like a giggle…