Hmm, all a bit quiet round here...

I really have been negligent, haven't I? Two posts in June and nothing, NOTHING, in July. Shocking, frankly.

There is really no excuse. It's not like it's been an amazing summer or anything. In fact, it's been the wettest in decades. That should be put in some context however. What that really means is that it's been like an awesome summer in UK terms. Largely sunny, some cloud cover and some rainy days. Not many, but some. Still, really not bad at all.

All manner of things happening in north America. In Canada we've had the most amazing and horrific murder story. A guy getting randomly beheaded by a crazy on a Greyhound bus. Beheaded!! And then the guy started eating the corpse. What the f*ck?? I have no idea why this hasn't made international news.

The American election is interesting. It seems that Europe is pretty convinced that Obama is a slam dunk. America, who actually votes, is not so sure. There's something about 200,000 Europeans loving him that really doesn't work with middle America. That and the hubris that seems to seep out of his every pore. In America, like Europe, no-one likes a guy who can't laugh at himself. Just look at the Boris - Ken election. Despite McCain's laughable campaign, Obama's hogging of the coverage and the nation's repulsion with the Republicans, Obama is just five points ahead. Now all the talk is about why this is. It seems pretty obvious - America hates being told what to believe. They're a stubborn nation and the fact that the New York Times and Washington Post think it's inevitable means nothing in Ohio.

My friend Melissa is back at the moment from Oz. Bless her. I love that girl and am delighted and relieved that her boyfriend is a Northerner from Newcastle. Well done Mark! Oh, and my lovely friends Marty and Sarah (pictured) got married at the best wedding EVER. Drinking at the service - it is the future. Love you two! x

 

A great man

I just watched an interview with Sidney Poitier on Larry King. What an amazing man. It's rare to see someone of such intelligence, humility and righteous, yet controlled, anger. He lived through extraordinary times in America, from segregation to Obama, and produced an astonishing body of work. So many brave and important movies. It was a wonderful interview - Larry King is obviously a fan - but it covered everything from acting to family to the civil rights movement. I'm not sure if it's on the internet somewhere, but if it is, search it out. 

I went on the radio again today to flog a cymbal signed by The Cult. Now goth seems to go down well here in North America. Not sure why and they don't do the whole goth look so much - or at least they don't do it the same. Like a lot of fashion it's done in a far less camp way than the UK. Is camp the right word for UK goths? Maybe not but you know what I mean. Goth over here isn't as comfortable with its feminine side. Anyway, we'll see how it goes. I don't actually understand memorabilia - does it really make people feel closer to their heroes? And are rock stars (David Bowie aside, naturally) really heroes?

The weather has been horrid all week, hopefully it's going to get back to being at least spring next week. Typical Canada - they fool you thinking it's all over and then hit you with London in November.

Weirdness in the Us election - Rev Wright decided to go all 'I'm a star' on national TV. The guy is an asshole. Thankfully Obama finally denounced him and cut him off. Hilary continues to get more and more shrill. It's down to North Carolina and Indiana next week - if she loses both, surely to God this thing will be over...

Oh Dear..

Well, there goes the basketball season. The Raptors limped out of the post season, being nailed 1-4 by the Magic in Orlando. They just weren't ready for the play-offs and blew the first two games by going up to 20 points down in the 1st quarter of each. Then they won the first ACC game but fell apart in the 4th in the second game. And tonight, they collapsed in the second half. A sad way to go out.

And talking of which...

This really should do it for Obama. And you can't really say that this is all about this stupid, arrogant, egotistical preacher man. Clearly Rev. Wright has fallen in love with his own image as the 'righteous firebrand', but Obama has not dealt with it. He just won't disown this idiot. This presents two questions - does he, deep down, kind of agree with this nonsense, or is he just lacking the ruthlessness to lay into Wright. And, if it's the second then he's applying for the wrong job, frankly. Because if you can't dump a twit like this, what the hell are you going to do when the sh*t really hits the fan? And if it's the first answer, then, hey, that's not we what all signed up to when we first got excited by this guy.

So, I guess the issue now is Hillary or McCain. And how depressing is that as a choice. I guess you gotta go for Clinton, if only because of McCain's total blind spot on the economy (a bit of a major blind spot right now). But, jeez, the Clintons back - really, is that what anyone wants?

Oh, and after two weeks of glorious, 20+ sunshine, the winter coats are out again this week. Good times...

Goldfrapp and the Smurfs

I decided that this new Goldfrapp hippy folk thing sounded like it could be better than many people were saying. So off I trotted (well skidded - snowing again...sigh) to the record store to buy it in quaint old CD format. And it's a very, very lovely thing. So lovely I got to the end and listened to it again. Yes, it's not the amazing quirky pop we all love her for but, hey, she's Goldfrapp. It's still pop, still has choruses, still has beats - it's just quieter. That's all. Is that so bad? Go buy it or 'borrow' it. I like it a lot.

So back to the election (sorry, I'll be brief). Hillary, bless her, put out a terrible attack ad on Obama. Weirdly, can't find the original on YouTube but did find this spoof of it:  

Doesn't it show out of touch campaigning that when you search for 'Hillary phone ad', you get this? On the day the original ad first airs? It's all a bit sad. Obama has made a much better counterattack ad but Hillary is really dragging the whole thing into the gutter. She's still winning in Ohio though...

Let me leave you with this - when charity gets it very, very wrong:

Apparently, you're not supposed to laugh. Oh.

Clinton weirdness

Two posts in a day, keen or what?

Clinton just came out to speak in Texas. She looked a bit mad and a bit like she might break down. She also came out to U2's 'Street With No Name' - isn't that an odd choice of song? I want to run, I want to hide? I'm sorry, what was that? Our love turns to rust, blown by the wind, trampled in dust? Erm...ok...  She also came out with the most uncomfortable 8 year old latino kid dressed in the most cliched Mexican outfit. He looked like he just stepped out of a school play of Blazing Saddles. Please, please don't make this the candidate.

And now she's getting all weird and emotional while reading her thank-you list off a cue card. Oh, and she's in El Paso - my god, she's going to make a burrito in a minute. She sounds desperate and slightly mental and the face-lift looks like it's slipping. Then again, she's in Texas, a crazy, crazy state. The place where they have billboards with the classic sell: 'Buy yourself a big juicy pig'. To eat, obviously. 

Come on America, come on. This 'I am a human being, really, I am' rubbish can't work, can it?

Meanwhile, Obama looks like he'll overtake her in delegates. But not super delegates. Everything is 'super' in America. The super delegates (or the democratic establishment as they are otherwise known) could decide this race.

You need to look this speech up on YouTube - it's kinda disturbing... CNN just got bored or freaked out by it and cut her off for a commercial break. 'Burning down love' indeed...

 

Winter blues

So, Toronto is conspiring to keep me here. We're in the middle of the third bad snow storm in two weeks. It's the most snow for twenty years, or something. My plane had better not be cancelled tomorrow. However, if it does take off, what better time to get out of here. This winter sucks.

Going to LA for my birthday is going to be a bit sad without my perfect friend, Melissa. If ever there was a trip we should be taking together, this is it. If anyone knows how to party like a rock star, Melissa is that girl. I miss her a lot but she's in Oz and, quite frankly, is having a much better time than we are right now!

But still, I really can't wait to get out of here. It's 75 and sunny in LA - coming back on Saturday is going to be 'interesting' (i.e. miserable). The best we can say is that at least we'll appreciate the summer...

Three more Democrat primaries tonight and Obama is killing Hilary in Virginia, as he has been in all the primaries since 'Super' Tuesday. Come on, America, make the right choice. Make us proud. Please. Do. Not. Screw. This. Up. Huckabee might embarrass McCain in Virginia (he's winning right now). That would be funny until you realise that behind the folksy charm is the mind of a mad man. He doesn't believe in evolution and he could become the leader of the 'free' world. Nice.