The Valley of Gwangi

One year on - an A-Z of 21st Century banking terms From eannsinc in The Deep North (44 days old)

Avarice Bonuses Credit card cheques Debt Earnings FTSE Global market Hedge Funds Investor Jury Knock-down price Lehman Bros Mortgage arrears No blame culture Overdraft Profits Quantita… more

A Train Makes a Lonely Sound From eannsinc in The Deep North (54 days old)

Hey there world. Been a long time. A long lonely time. Ain't blogged since last year, and now it's getting dark again at night and the narrow road to the deep north is getting colder. But it's bee… more

Mind Games From jamescs in lost in space (128 days old)

The Asian media is still completely saturated with coverage of Michael Jackson, more than a week after his somewhat unexpected demise from a cardiac arrest. The pundits, former friends and employees, … more

I Travel From jamescs in lost in space (132 days old)

It’s been quite a week in the world, one way or another. Colleagues of mine have lost close friends, former colleagues have lost family members in tragic circumstances, others have been caught up in p… more

It's A Mystery From jamescs in lost in space (138 days old)

Toyah had it exactly right, didn’t she? ‘It’s a mystery, it’s a mystery…’ Yes, ‘it’ sure is. So, what it exactly is ‘it’? Well it’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s a mystery… About a month ago I changed jo… more

Black Eyed Dog From jamescs in lost in space (143 days old)

‘Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay 
 To mould me man, Did I solicit thee 
 From darkness to promote me?’ John Milton, Paradise Lost I awoke with a start, sweat-soaked, choking … more

whatevershebringswesing From jamescs in lost in space (161 days old)

‘And so’ expounded Alice ‘lets just cut to the chase and fill in some of what’s been happening in the last couple of months, albeit in a surreal manner (as indeed and as usual, much has been surreal a… more

Keep on Running From jamescs in lost in space (245 days old)

Do you recall Worzel Gummidge? He was a scarecrow, a walking, talking, living, breathing scarecrow, portrayed with admirable joie-de-vivre on Sunday afternoon children’s TV during the late 70s and ear… more

S'cool Days From jamescs in lost in space (255 days old)

‘Today I learned about the sea and ‘bout someone in history well, ain’t that cool they taught me how to square a cube and put a fly into a tube well, ain’t that cool…’ the above lines are lifted… more

Aloha from Hell From jamescs in lost in space (274 days old)

Roll on Rock on Raw Bones Well I still got all the rhythm in these Rockin' Bones I wanna leave a happy memory when I go, I wanna leave something to let the whole world know, That the rock 'n… more

Going to a Go-Go From jamescs in lost in space (275 days old)

Have you ever hankered after tinkling the ivories but were stymied by a complete lack of length in your fat little digits? Ever been the disappointed one turned away in the queue for hand cream models… more

Distant Showers Sweep Across Norfolk Schools From jamescs in lost in space (290 days old)

For the lucky ones such as I, memories of the past are akin to imaginary creatures, amorphous yet solid, there but yet not quite there, subject to being shaped by the will to make things fit with the … more

A Song From Under the Floorboards From jamescs in lost in space (291 days old)

Nostalgia… Not what it used to be, eh? Not entirely true in my case. As age advances upon me, steadily eroding what little remains of my once proud and noble frame, my inner eye turns both autum… more

The English Cold* From jamescs in lost in space (305 days old)

Hello again. I have returned.(sound of muffled boos offstage) Temperatures of -11 across southern England, bloody carnage in Gaza, winter vomiting virus, the credit crunch, the demise of Woolies, M… more

Stop The Cavalry From jamescs in lost in space (324 days old)

Actually the above should probably read '(stop) stop the cavalry'. For some (to me) unfathomable reason, the lovely A loathes that song. Personally, I find it a jolly little ditty, and also found Mr J… more

Last Big Lie From eannsinc in The Deep North (349 days old)

I've decided that blogging in the deep north must be a winter pastime, for when the nights are long and even us hardy souls begin to miss the light nights of summer. So after a weekend of surprisi… more

Never Say Never Again From jamescs in lost in space (349 days old)

Oh hi... just passing through. Many thanks to all for their very kind comments in person and in cyberspace on this blog. You might like to check out this blog coming soon from a friend of mine - it's … more

What a Long Strange Trip it's Been... From jamescs in lost in space (402 days old)

‘and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make’ The Beatles ‘The End’ This is going to be The Last Post from me for the foreseeable future and I really want to talk a bit abou… more

See No Evil From jamescs in lost in space (413 days old)

‘Television, come go to my head. ‘ I’ve had a bit of a week health wise, first few days enveloped by a sort of flu that attacked both head and throat with equal ferocity (‘it’s the wind…’ my Cambodia… more

I think it's going to rain today From jamescs in lost in space (422 days old)

'human kindness, it's only blindness...and I think it's going to rain today...' Randy Newman Tuesday. It has rained for most of the day. Eric Olthwaite would have been in his element in Phnom … more

Home Again From jamescs in lost in space (430 days old)

‘One is a lonely number…' not, as you may be thinking, another half-baked philosophical statement from yours truly, but actually the title of the first track on the latest Edwyn Collins album ‘Home A… more

Feelin' Groovy From jamescs in lost in space (437 days old)

Has it really been three months since I last inflicted my meandering musings on an unsuspecting world? ‘Not long enough!’ comes a cry from the back. Excuse me whilst I summarily eject that malevolent … more

less than zero From jamescs in lost in space (438 days old)

...don't just watch the skies... watch this space... normal service will be resumed as soon as possible ... in the meantime, dear readers, ...take care J… more

Rene and Georgette Magritte, with their dog, after the war. From jamescs in lost in space (521 days old)

Surrealism. Hmmm, nice. A bit like Jazz. Delicious hot, disgusting cold. Paul Simon has a beautiful and elegantly understated song on the subject, ‘Rene and Georgette Magritte with their d… more

Perfect Day From jamescs in lost in space (534 days old)

‘Life’ as those Small Faces so succinctly put it on their classic Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake album, ‘is just a bowl of All-Bran - you wake up every morning and it’s there.’ The life of the lucky expat … more

The Soul of my Suit From jamescs in lost in space (544 days old)

There seems to be a bit of a fashion note creeping into these missives of late, and indeed this particular bunch of virtual scribblings will be no exception, as we proceed through the sickly events of… more

Messin' with the Kid From jamescs in lost in space (551 days old)

… so I’m sitting next to this young monk, and he’s nodding, smiling and somewhat enthusiastically pointing at my trousers. We’re perched on the edge of a reservoir in the first gallery of Angkor Wat a… more

I Travel From jamescs in lost in space (556 days old)

This coming weekend one old ruin is going to drag himself along to see another bunch of old ruins, albeit much more awe-inspiring and significant than him. Yes, to celebrate his 52 years on planet ear… more

19th Nervous Breakdown From jamescs in lost in space (577 days old)

My goodness, The Rolling Stones are getting on a bit, aren’t they? Mr. Jagger is fast approaching his 65th birthday and lithe and lissome in performance he may well still be but he now looks, well, fr… more

The consul at sunset From jamescs in lost in space (592 days old)

Graythorpe stepped down from the covered shelter of the gangplank and into the midday furnace, blinking the sweat from his eyes as he struggled to set down his bulky leather portmanteau whilst rummagi… more