Thursday 15 December 2016

Totally Wired


This week I bit the bullet and got some wired headphones for my Samsung Note 4. Some update or app has caused Bluetooth to crash settings, meaning I cannot add or access any new device. One of the solutions was to clear Bluetooth data which means it has in fact become unusable. Others are factory reset, uninstall apps one by one (there's about 300 on the phone half a dozen of which that I use).

A couple of months back someone posted that Apple were screwing their customers because system updates were causing devices to slow down forcing customers to buy new devices. Apple aren't, everybody does this. Often new apps require more resources and more powerful processors , it's generally how these things progress although I would like it if I could get my Bluetooth to work again. But whether it's Android, Apple , Microsoft , you will hit these situations. It's not built in obsolescence , it's progress. Yes lots of the software is bloatware , but in our hand held devices we are heading towards Star Trek territory.

The thing is with wires is they always get tangled up and you spend all your time untangling them, though it has enabled me to start watching TED talks, films and listen to music on the move again which is brilliant.

The only song can be "Totally Wired" by The Fall , although I also found a version by The Last Shadow Puppets as well so you get two versions of this amazing song.

Enjoy my friends and have a great Thursday.


Tuesday 13 December 2016

Thirteen, Thirteen and Zlatan Ibrahimovic


I Am
It's the 13th of December and I've just started Chapter 13 of "I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic" his autobiography. The talk is often cliched, and he comes across as an idiot at times, but he knows this, but you can forgive all this because it is absolutely fascinating. I keep learning lost of fascinating things about football and outside of football. I never knew Ferrari was owned by The Fiat Corporation.

I got the book on the recommendation from Richard Osman on Pointless and it is definitely worth reading. It is quite small print and there are three hundred pages to get through but it's definitely worth trawling through and there is no down he is an entertaining character will the skill.






Anyway "Skinhead Moonstomp" by Symarip was playing on 6Music so that's what I will include. Enjoy my friend and have a great day.

Friday 9 December 2016

There's Only One Thing Worse ........


..... than something not working is something (apparently) working when its shouldn't do. This happened to me this morning. Maybe my reactions were slow, maybe I was tired and if I'd have thought properly this wouldn't have happened.

I switched on my PC and it said there was no internet connection. Hmm I thought, then I thought "Ah My Phone is connected to my router via WiFi, I 'll check that" ... and of course it was working fine. It must be my PC, or the cable, but all my checks seemed to imply that the cabling was fine. I though "I don't want to have to install a new internet thing into the PC" but it was pointing towards the PC being the problem.....

... then I remembered  I had the switch on my phone set use 4G if there was no wifi connection, rebooted the modem and all was fine. I spent half an hour messing with wires and connecting and disconnecting when if I'd have just rebooted the modem all would have been sorted because I thought my phone was running off WiFi when it was really running off 4G. C'est la vie.

Also this is my 1200th post just thought I'd tell you that, there is probably enough stuff on here to actually work out a book from, I'm sure psychiatrists would have a field day ("He's a Very Boring and Uninteresting Person, Lock Him Up").

So as I write this I am listening to my Faces boxed set that my girls bought me, so I'll play a Faces song and what should it be? "That's All You Need" is probably my favourite slide driven rock song of all time, so I think we'll go with that.

Have a brilliant Friday night my friends, best night of the week, Monday is 48 hours away so plenty of time to relax and have fun.

Thursday 8 December 2016

Is That A Christmas I See?



Three years ago I posted a seasonal song of the the day every day in December, obviously there's no point in me doing it this year but you can sample it here. Christmas is two weeks on Sunday and we'll get bombarded with pleas for goodwill to all men and looking after those less fortunate than us from people like Gary Barlow, who , if they paid their taxes, would go some way to alleviating the suffering caused by poverty. Sorry I went of track there. The point I really want to make is we should spread goodwill and help EVERY DAY and not just at Christmas. I once had a boss who was a miserable spiteful git throughout the year (his introductory words to me were "If I was allowed I would sack you on the spot" ... I replied "and nice to meet you too"), then at Christmas he was everybody's friends. That doesn't work for me. You can always be supportive and friendly.

On a separate not , it's been a good week and on holiday I learned how to use an option on Garageband which I had bought a keyboard for. The keyboard can go back now and I will produce something at the weekend hopefully. with my iPad.

Last night going to sleep I used the iPad to play my copy of "Timewind" by Klaus Schulze to drift off to sleep too. Technology is brilliant at times.

Anyway we're in December now and maybe I will include a seasonal song and I have decided to go with two Public Service Broadcasting songs Elfstedentocht Part One and Part Two . Here's the story:

" In April 2013 we were approached by the organisers of the Explore the North festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. 

They asked if we would use some footage of the Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Tour), the world's biggest ice skating race, and write some songs around it. 

So we did. "

Have a brilliant Thursday my friends

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Insert Positivity Here



I haven't written anything for a few days which doesn't bode well for me beating last year's number for posts, but who knows where December will go. Looked out of the window this morning and it's foggy and frosty.

Over the weekend Preston threw away the chance of getting something from the match against Sheffield Wednesday when Jermaine Beckford and Eoin Doyle ended up fighting and getting sent off.

Still we have Arsenal in the FA Cup, with two strikers benched by red cards.

Having said that Lee Trundle's penalty here made me laugh though how he manged to get the power while doing what he did borders on genius.

Anyway I don't care I am going to enjoy myself, I discovered something on Garageband that I am going to be playing with and hope to have something put together soon. I do like messing about with musical things although like a lot of things I have to do stuff on my own, and I still haven't got the hang of decent digital recording, I really need to force myself to get used to it.

So I am going to leave you with "Rings Around The World" by Super Furry Animals, because it's always good to talk to people. Sometimes you need time on your own but you also need the stimulation of contact with others, so have a brilliant Tuesday everybody. Be careful on the footpaths and stay safe and happy.

Friday 2 December 2016

Grey Day



It's the second day of winter and the sky is covered in grey cloud, there is light but it's cold. I'm sitting here writing listening to "I Gotta Go" from the new Rolling Stones album "Blue & Lonesome". I am impressed with it.

Ive just noticed also that Newcastle United have a match tonight despite having played 120 minutes against Hull City on Tuesday night. Surely they could have moved it back to Sunday or Monday, but I suppose TV is King and dictates when things happen. That is the problem that TV money is such a huge part of Football's income that Football has to bow down to it's paymasters.

Anyway I am having another day of relaxation, so the obvious tune to include is "TV Is King" by The Tubes. I could have chosen the a track from the new Rolling Stones album but it's an excuse to include something by The Tubes.

Have a wonderful Friday, the weekend is almost here.

Thursday 1 December 2016

The First Day Of Winter



I heard today that today was the first day of Winter. It doesn't seem two minutes since Autumn came upon us. I still haven't cleared the leaves from my back garden, maybe I will get the chance to do that on my return to home. The weather here is cold and foggy, which means I can take photographs and go for walks.

No doubt we will hear predictions of snowdrifts and arctic colds, but I still take my weather predictions by looking out of the window. The weather is a complex beast capable of changing at a moments notice, so I take predictions with a hefty pinch of salt.

Today will be spent in Litton, relaxing and watching some catch up TV, and listening to music. So what else to play but The Housemartins playing "I Smell Winter".

Have a brilliant day my friends.