Guitar String Bravado
I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years but this week had something of an epiphany. (warning dull short post about guitar strings).
Through My Eyes
My wonky eyes have given me an idea for a new photography project.
The Best Worst Guitar
Epiphone 435i – a 1980s superstrat. HSS, with locking trem. I didn’t know anything about guitars. But I decided I wanted to play electric guitar. Mainly to fit in with some new friends at sixth…
A Voice for Ellie
Today I published my first short story on Amazon Kindle. Well not my first ever short story. It’s just the first that I’ve published on Amazon’s Kindle platform.
Videogame Ghosts
Lack of interactivity is something I’m noticing more and more in games. It’s not that the worlds used to be more interactive – it’s that as the detail in games has increased the level of…
Trouble in Greendale
For many years now Royal Mail Postman Pat Clifton was the man you could always rely on in Greendale. He was the glue that held the community together, the face of officialdom that could be…
Satan’s Navy – not by Patrick O’Brian
It seems the Royal Navy has officially recognised its first Satanist. You can read the full story courtesy of the BBC. At the urging of a friend and because clearly I had nothing better to…
Bagpuss – The Chocolate Biscuit Episode
Remembering a childhood classic now, in the form of my rant about the political ideas behind a certain episode of Bagpus. Well as you remember, Emily, the little girl who seemed to have somehow become…
Behold a Random Selection of Nonsense
A Response to Mumsnet, On Grief
I read a lot of rubbish on the internet. That’s part of my job. I’ve also developed something of a thick skin, I can even…
A Little End of Year Jam
Just a bit of fun.
Muddied and Bloodied at Burton Bradstock
Today is the first day of a new week. Our youngest is back at school following his bout of chicken pox. And that meant I…
Camera Gear Forums & Obsession With Sharpness.
It is mad how much stock people put in sharpness. On camera gear forums it seems to be the aim for many people – they’ll…
Day of the Fondleslab
A few weeks ago my laptop died. The internal fan over the GPU stopped working and within short order the graphics card melted. The first…
Grandpa In My Pocket
Cbeebies is full of very strange programmes. Take Numberjacks for example. This appears to be a remake of spooky 70s show Sapphire & Steele albeit…
The Whole Women Bishops Thing
Imagine for one moment that rather than being a lapsed Roman Catholic married to an Anglican priest I’m actually a member of the Anglican church.…
Channel Four Nonsense
Have you noticed something very wrong with many of Channel Four’s output over the last few years? My beef is in the way many of…
Videogames Are Rubbish & It’s Your Fault
Today marks the start of the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo – otherwise known as E3. This massive trade show in California sees the big platform…
A Voice for Ellie
Today I published my first short story on Amazon Kindle. Well not my first ever short story. It’s just the first that I’ve published on…
Cross Purposes
Once again the subject of wearing crosses in the workplace has reared its head again following the government’s decision that there is no automatic right…
Lent Sacrifice
I’m not a spiritual person – I don’t give up things for lent as a religious observance. However this year I’ve joined my wife in…
Creationists No Longer Welcome
I know it’s a bit late for talking of new year resolutions but earlier in the month I couldn’t actually think of anything I wanted…
The Food of Kings
The Goblin Meat Pudding sounds like something Gollum would buy down at Crazy Saruman’s Convenience & Liquor Store. But behind the silly name lurks a…
Hunter Killer
We watched Hunter Killer on Netflix last night. It is not a good film. It’s like a Tom Clancy novel where they removed astonishing technical…
My Sex Is On Fire
I wrote recently about how I wasn’t well at the moment and some of the rather unpleasant procedures I’ve undergone to get to the bottom1…
Bugera V22 Review
Judging by all the chat online the Bugera V22 has become a very hot talking point. That’s no surprise given what it offers for the…
Blackstar Unveils Revolutionary Marketing BS
British advertising bullshitter and sometime amplification manufacturer Blackstar has unveiled its latest state of the art marketing nonsense. The company describes its latest verbal slight…
Lancaster Reunion 2003
In February 2003 a few of us old Cartmelians (and a Lonsdale lad) made our way to the hallowed ground of Lancaster University. Those present…
The Technology of Perverts?
I went for a walk along the canal a couple of days ago. It was a pleasant trip and I took some pictures I’m rather…
Children & Violent Videogames
Do you ever just read something and hold your head in your hands in despair? I did when I just read some online debates among…
Lancaster Reunion 2001
An account of the epic journey of one James and one Harry. Their quest, to return to Lancaster University in autumn 2001 and see what…
Videogame Ghosts
Lack of interactivity is something I’m noticing more and more in games. It’s not that the worlds used to be more interactive – it’s that…
The Best Worst Guitar
Epiphone 435i – a 1980s superstrat. HSS, with locking trem. I didn’t know anything about guitars. But I decided I wanted to play electric guitar.…
Contrasting Days
My twins were eight years old yesterday. Eight. I can hardly believe it.
Ending the Guitar Tone Obsession
Do we guitarists obsess too much about tone? I’ve realised I certainly do. If I look back to the first 15 or so years of…
Jools Holland’s Formulaic Tosh
There was a time when “Later…” the live music show presented by Jools Holland was essential viewing. On a BBC that knows so little about…
Trouble in Greendale
For many years now Royal Mail Postman Pat Clifton was the man you could always rely on in Greendale. He was the glue that held…