schadenfreude

No lillywhite would admit to cheering an Arsenal defeat more than a Spurs victory but a lot must have been like me on Sunday when, with a minute to go the arrogant Woolwich Wanderers bottled it in defence and gifted a goal to Birmingham, I hit the roof and nearly smashed the TV with the stuff that flew out of my pockets. The A***nal end emptied like there was a bomb scare or fire drill and the blue and white half of North London became de facto ‘blue noses’ for the moment. City held to a draw by the mighty Fulham and West Ham doing us a favour against Liverpool helped to make it a very satisfying Match of the Day. No doubt I’ll be laughing on the other side of my face come the end of the season but for now I will have pleasure.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

what the?

Now I rarely stoop to the purile but the residual teenager that still lurks somewhere at the back of my brain made me choke on my coffee last night when I saw a clip from an episode of Star Trek from which this still is taken. The prop guy (girl?) MUST have known surely? Or did 'Bill' Shatner insist on it? Was it one of those in jokes or subversive tricks that people in TV and film like to sneak in? A thousand space-type innuendos occur (mostly involving the solar system's 7th planet) but I'll resist the temptation.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Public Servants II

Last night we had to go to hospital. Thank God everything is OK (or at least on the mend) but the contrast between this (in Yorkshire) experience and the last one (in London) was profound. My wife was disconcerted this time around. Not becuase anything bad happened but because they were so nice. In London we weren't so much greeted as grudgingly ordered to sit on a plastic chair next to a constantly used (and less than sweet smelling) toilet. The woman in charge had a snarl and grimace that would ensure a job as a child catcher or troll should the East London NHS trust decide she's surplus to requirements in the next round of cuts. I would never wish redundancy on anyone but this woman was so rude part of me at least felt unkind thoughts. Couple that with the dank cellar (or 'consulting room' as they called it) and the very ill people looking out of hollow eyes from trolleys in corridors and the signs that say 'wash your hands you bastard' or words to that effect) and =you get a picture of the rough end of modern healthcare in the UK. Basically more grave than cradling.   In Halifax they were shiny, pleasant, re-assuring and informative. The treatment was fast and effective. We couldn;t have asked for more. As we left my wife said :" If that woman had been any friendler I'd have punched her face in."

sore loser

21.44: Gattuso at the final whistle continues his spat with Jordan and head-butts the coach.
He is picking on the wrong man and although Jordon maintains his dignity by not reacting, Spurs players and coaches pour in to push Gattuso away from the scene before it gets even more ugly.

21.46: In fairness Jordon didn't look like he was going to react but it's bad losing at its worst from Gattuso.

Spurs fans won't let this ruin a wonderful moment though, their side have just beaten AC Milan at the San Siro.

Graeme Souness : 'Gattuso is a little dog and well past his best. I wish he had 5 mins with Joe Jordan in a room on his own'

 

 

Champions league we're having a laugh

I can't believe it. Every player, take a bow. Bring on Barca!  Gatusso v jordan? No contest. He's a dog! Graeme Souness says so.

See and download the full gallery on posterous