Google Street View

Have you visited this site yet? Really fascinating for nosey people like me!!
There are many streets in Liverpool featured, I particularly liked the one of Penny Lane, where I was brought up. You can see Rimmer's newsagents, which was used as a scene in a Beatles video, and Dovedale Road, the location of the junior school I attended(yes schools were invented in those long,far back days,-and no we didn't use slate and stone!!)
The big disappointment was that Google have not got round to putting my road, in the North of Liverpool, on to street view yet. Maybe soon!

Bronson

Went to town to the new Odeon in Liverpool One last night. The film I chose to see was "Bronson."
I have long been fascinated (not to be confused with an admirer of) the various escapades of this character.
Whilst I enjoyed this ninety minute narrative from Bronson's perspective, it left me with more questions than answers.
The film confirmed to me what I already knew: Bronson is a psychopath.
He was jailed originally in 1974, for an armed robbery on a Post office, which netted him the grand total of £26.18, and a seven year jail sentence.
Because of his continual violence in jail, he has been in prison for 35 years.
What do you do with such a character? He has been in prison for 35 years, yet has killed not one person? (Though not through the want of trying!!)
If he is released, who can be sure he won't be a danger to the public? I think no psychiatrist knows or understands Bronson, only Bronson himself knows himself.
I'm glad the decision at his parole hearing is not mine.
I think, on balance, the prison system has failed this person. He was put in Rampton and Broadmoor, not given the medication that may have helped him, except the "liquid cosh," then thrown back into the prison system probably more violent than before.
Overall, a very depressing film. Should have gone to see "Marley and Me!!!"

super reds!!

What a week for Liverpool!!! Not only have they demolished Real Madrid 4-0, (5-0 on aggregate) they have exceeded all my expectations by winning 4-1 against the Mancs at Old Trafford!! That after giving them a goal start!!
After the first twenty minutes, when United had the edge, there was only one team in it. Liverpool.
The Manc "stars" all had an off day, and Rooney was made to look distinctly ordinary, and he surely should now reasess his ill-judged rhetoric about "hating"Liverpool. Such talk does nothing for improving the already very poor relationships between the two sets of fans.
As was the case on Tuesday, the Liverpool stars were Fernando Torres and Stevie G. (both pictured)
The dark day at Middlesborough the other week seems light years away.

Unwanted praise from the Tories

We, the unionised hourly paid at JLR, have just made some tough and painful decisions. We are now yet another group of people in this country paying the price and footing the bill for the greed, avarice and incompetence of the bankers.
The outcome of our vote in work has resulted in comments from the shadow chancellor George Osbourne. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7929020.stm
Above is a link to his comments.
I for one feel very uncomfortable getting praise off the Tories, indeed I find their praise rather hollow, given I know from personal experience what the Tories are about. They are no friends of ordinary working people, never have been, and probably never will be, as their history is on record as showing as much.
We received similar unwelcome praise from Thatcher in 1978, again something I felt very uncomfortable about at that time. She was mixing the bottle around that time over the winter of discontent, and she was using us, the Ford workers, as a stepping stone towards her landslide victory in 1979. A very lengthy, and very unhappy period of eighteen years followed!!

Out with the old and in with the new.

I've changed my car today. I have swapped my three year old Blue Ford Fusion for a shiny new red Ford Fiesta.
It's not an extravagance, but a substantial cost saving (long story) in my monthly budget.
I will miss my Fusion. I have had two of them. I have driven them for almost six years. They were very practical, I have even turned them into a van on several occasions. I will also miss the imaganitive space and hidey holes in the Fusion.
However, I am not overtly sentimental, I have already fell in love with my new Fiesta, the drive home from the dealers, Burns of Congleton, who I also bought the most recent Fusion from, was a dream.
I look forward to some very fuel efficient, happy motoring.

A lib Dem I actually like!!

Most people who read this blog know that I am a Labour supporter. However, there is a Lib Dem MP in parliament who I am a great admirer of. Vince Cable. His reading of the global financial crisis has been spot on, and I genuinely believe, with the treasury portfolio, he is head and shoulders above Alistair Darling, and the very weak George Osbourne. It is Vince's words I look for when comments are being made about things like the banking crisis. If the next parliament ends up as a coalition, in my view Vince deserves a high ranking treasury job.

Happy Birthday King Kenny!!

Today is one of my Kop all time favourite hero's birthday: Kenny Dalglish. He is 58 today.

One of Liverpool's all time greats, he scored the winner when we won the European Cup for the second time, at Wembley in 1978.

Lately, he has turned his attention to fundraising on Merseyside alongside his wife Marina to try to eliminate breast cancer.

I particularly admire him because even though he enjoys celebrity status, he has not forgotten, or turned his back on his roots, or his common, human touch.

Some prominent footballers of today could well learn from his example.

Dan Brown, where have you gone?

Like countless millions around the world, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Da Vinci Code by the author Dan Brown.
I have also read and enjoyed all his other books, Angels and Demons ( looking forward to the film release this year- can't wait to see how they interpret the ending!!) Deception Point, and Digital Fortress. To the best of my knowledge, he hasn't written any more books.
On his website, around two years ago, I noted that his wife was researching for his next book which again would have Langdon and Sophie as the central characters, and the story would be based around hieroglyphics and Egyptology.
Since then, nothing seems to have developed.
On behalf of myself and the millions eagerly waiting to read the new book, hurry up Dan!!!

murder at the riverside

After the feast the famine!
After a superb victory for Liverpool in Madrid on Wednesday, yesterday they were brought back down to earth , and beaten 2-0 by Middlesborough.
I cannot remember such an inept performance by eleven men in a Liverpool shirt. They were beaten by a team so lacking in confidence, their previous league win was in November.
Even when Boro were 1-0 up, they played like a team expecting to get beat. Even with this factor in their favour, Liverpool could not rise to the challenge.
I'm afraid the league title for Liverpool will have to wait for (yet) another year.
Apart from the Evertonians and the occasional closet Manc on Merseyside, I can think of at least one other person on Merseyside who will be pleased with this result: My favorite politico!!!