I'm tired of being a Coldplay apologist. Admitting you like Coldplay can result in you being a social outcast, I almost feel like I should be joining Coldplay Anonymous. Hello my name is Tony and I like Coldplay.
There does seem to be a lot of hatred out there. Insult you often hear are "They are so bland", "All the songs sound the same" and "Chris Martin is just a ******* (add your own expletive)". I have to confess that I don't really understand what the problem is. I can see why some people think the songs are similar although there are very few bands that reinvent their style every album. Each Coldplay album is different so it's not as if they are standing still. People just seem to hate them because they are successful and Chris and Gwyneth can come across as a little pretentious sometimes. However that is no reason to write off their music.
For me good songs make you feel something. Whether that be positive or negative emotions or even a soaring feelings that can be produced, it's the emotion that makes it worthwhile. There is nothing worse than a song that you can't connect with and leaves you feeling cold.
All Coldplay songs fulfil this requirement and that is what is important. They have a lot more talent than some of the acclaimed artists out there who don't actually justify the praise. I'm thinking specifically of Pete Doherty who has yet to demonstrate to me any of the talent he is supposed to have. There are a couple of songs he has done that aren't bad but he seems to be more famous for drugs rather than music. Despite this he is still highly praised and rated for his music. I'm also unsure as to why Lily Allen is so popular critically and commercially. She doesn't even sing, just talks over some music with some butchered rhyming. Is she famous because of her Dad and the fact she provides a good sound bite?
Coldplay concerts are also very good. One of the best gigs I've been to was Coldplay at the Liquid Rooms. It was initially scheduled for just after the first album came out but was postponed due to illness. By the time of the rescheduled gig, the album had taken off and Coldplay were on their way to becoming very successful. It meant that they were probably too big for the venue which actually made for a great concert. All the crowd were completely behind the band and were singing along. We even started singing Everything's Not Lost to encourage them back for the encore. Usually there is just cheering and stamping of feet so this made it pretty special, you could tell the band appreciated it.
Anyway to sum up Coldplay are a great band with great songs and it's about time people realised this instead of jumping on the I Hate Coldplay bandwagon.
Friday, 30 March 2007
Thursday, 29 March 2007
Monkey
Random points:
If you ever wondered what Jack McConnell's part in the grand scheme of things in British politics was then Breakfast TV earlier in the week told us what it was. McConnell is Scotland's first minister and was partly responsible for introducing the smoking bans in pubs. England are going to be doing the same so they had Jack on to talk about how it went in Scotland. However the caption revealed his name to be Jack O'Connell. Not really a good sign when national TV don't even know who he is. To make matters worse there was also an interview with Patricia Hewitt the Health Secretary and she referred to Jack McDonnell. Not just once but twice.
This seems to imply that the Scottish Parliament isn't really that significant for the rest of the country.
How cool is fog? It completely changes the way you view the landscape. On the train down to York yesterday, everything was shrouded in fog. It gives trees, buildings etc a real creepy vibe and I often think it could be any era you are in. It was almost like the train was going back in time. Until you hit a city of course. This theme continued in York where the city walls and York Minster would just suddenly appear out of the fog. Both are very impressive structures but take on an added mysterious edge.
Why do train companies bother with putting your seat number of the ticket when you purchase in advance. From the trains I have been on recently it's just a free for all and the seat number means nothing. On the way back from York I was supposed to be in coach G but the coach letters went E, F, H, I. Thankfully I managed to get a seat despite the train being packed. They should either enforce sitting in the correct seat or not even bother with the illusion of reserving seats. It just creates resentment and unhappy passengers.
I was quite amused to read about the group of disabled male strippers who have christened themselves the Crippendales. What a genius name.
If someone has a Paul Frank t-shirt you would think that they have a bit of cash to spend on clothes and that they like to look fashionable. Apparently not going by the guy I saw yesterday in York. He was dressed like an old hippy tramp with dirty cagoule, colourful weightlifter style trousers, dirty white trainers, long straggly hair and a baseball cap. Topped off with a Paul Frank t-shirt. Maybe he thought he looked cool.....
If you ever wondered what Jack McConnell's part in the grand scheme of things in British politics was then Breakfast TV earlier in the week told us what it was. McConnell is Scotland's first minister and was partly responsible for introducing the smoking bans in pubs. England are going to be doing the same so they had Jack on to talk about how it went in Scotland. However the caption revealed his name to be Jack O'Connell. Not really a good sign when national TV don't even know who he is. To make matters worse there was also an interview with Patricia Hewitt the Health Secretary and she referred to Jack McDonnell. Not just once but twice.
This seems to imply that the Scottish Parliament isn't really that significant for the rest of the country.
How cool is fog? It completely changes the way you view the landscape. On the train down to York yesterday, everything was shrouded in fog. It gives trees, buildings etc a real creepy vibe and I often think it could be any era you are in. It was almost like the train was going back in time. Until you hit a city of course. This theme continued in York where the city walls and York Minster would just suddenly appear out of the fog. Both are very impressive structures but take on an added mysterious edge.
Why do train companies bother with putting your seat number of the ticket when you purchase in advance. From the trains I have been on recently it's just a free for all and the seat number means nothing. On the way back from York I was supposed to be in coach G but the coach letters went E, F, H, I. Thankfully I managed to get a seat despite the train being packed. They should either enforce sitting in the correct seat or not even bother with the illusion of reserving seats. It just creates resentment and unhappy passengers.
I was quite amused to read about the group of disabled male strippers who have christened themselves the Crippendales. What a genius name.
If someone has a Paul Frank t-shirt you would think that they have a bit of cash to spend on clothes and that they like to look fashionable. Apparently not going by the guy I saw yesterday in York. He was dressed like an old hippy tramp with dirty cagoule, colourful weightlifter style trousers, dirty white trainers, long straggly hair and a baseball cap. Topped off with a Paul Frank t-shirt. Maybe he thought he looked cool.....
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Magazine Apathy
I have always enjoyed reading magazines but lately the enjoyment seems to have worn off. I've read Empire, Q and Total Football for years and have always looked forward to getting them at the start of each month. It was great flicking through them when I first bought them and then taking time to read the articles. It kept me up to date with the worlds of movies, music and football.
I think my interest in magazines started with reading comics as a small boy. I remember getting excited every Saturday morning about reading the new Roy of the Rovers and Victor comics. As I got older my tastes changed (along with the rest of Britain as both comics folded) and I started reading monthly magazines. I've actually been reading Empire and Q since I was about 16 I think. Other magazines have been tried and discarded but I have always been loyal to these two and more recently Total Football.
However I'm no longer bothered about reading any of them. I was actually a subscriber for Empire & Q and I have let that run out as I just wasn't enjoying them. They seemed to be changing too much, trying to keep pace with the times. I don't mind change but sometimes it just seemed to be change for changes sake. It could just be that my tastes are changing and I have outgrown these magazines. Perhaps the growth of the internet means that monthly magazines aren't as relevant as they once were. It is a sad time though, almost like the end of a friendship. Empire & Q have been there for me through my late teens and twenties where lots of things have changed but maybe now it's time to move on.
I think my interest in magazines started with reading comics as a small boy. I remember getting excited every Saturday morning about reading the new Roy of the Rovers and Victor comics. As I got older my tastes changed (along with the rest of Britain as both comics folded) and I started reading monthly magazines. I've actually been reading Empire and Q since I was about 16 I think. Other magazines have been tried and discarded but I have always been loyal to these two and more recently Total Football.
However I'm no longer bothered about reading any of them. I was actually a subscriber for Empire & Q and I have let that run out as I just wasn't enjoying them. They seemed to be changing too much, trying to keep pace with the times. I don't mind change but sometimes it just seemed to be change for changes sake. It could just be that my tastes are changing and I have outgrown these magazines. Perhaps the growth of the internet means that monthly magazines aren't as relevant as they once were. It is a sad time though, almost like the end of a friendship. Empire & Q have been there for me through my late teens and twenties where lots of things have changed but maybe now it's time to move on.
Monday, 26 March 2007
Good Luck No More
It looks like the run of good luck I mentioned in previous posts has come to an end. Queen Margaret Uni in Edinburgh turned me down for a place on the Physiotherapy course which was quite disappointing. Their new campus is opening up quite near my flat so that would have been very handy but it obviously wasn't meant to be.
So it looks like I will be moving later in the year, could be the start of Tony's Big Physio Adventure! Hopefully I will know by the end of the month what all the decisions are so I can then decide where I'm going. At the moment I only have an offer from Aberdeen so it could be that is the only option. I'll find out from York after my visit there on Wednesday. That could be a fun day, need to get up at about 4.30am so I can get the 6am train. The actual group interview isn't until the afternoon so by that point I could be half asleep. I think some coffee could be getting drunk that day.
There could be a lot of big decision coming up for me over the next few weeks including whether or not I can keep my Hibs season ticket.......
So it looks like I will be moving later in the year, could be the start of Tony's Big Physio Adventure! Hopefully I will know by the end of the month what all the decisions are so I can then decide where I'm going. At the moment I only have an offer from Aberdeen so it could be that is the only option. I'll find out from York after my visit there on Wednesday. That could be a fun day, need to get up at about 4.30am so I can get the 6am train. The actual group interview isn't until the afternoon so by that point I could be half asleep. I think some coffee could be getting drunk that day.
There could be a lot of big decision coming up for me over the next few weeks including whether or not I can keep my Hibs season ticket.......
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Snoogins
I'm a big fan of the director Kevin Smith. Not only does he make very good, funny movies but he is also funny to watch when he is doing Q&A sessions. I've just finished watching An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder and I thought it was great. There are 2 shows, one from Toronto and one from London. As you can imagine the audience and questions differ but both work well. However for any non Brits watching the London show, please don't think that Scottish people are like the English that are asking questions. Some of them are the stereotypical English yah, I was cringing at some points.
Anyway Kevin is an entertaining raconteur and he has a real potty mouth which can be very amusing. Whether he is talking about his parents having sex, shooting his wife for Playboy or sexual euphemisms, the stories are always very funny and peppered with numerous swear words (or as Kevin would have it, very fucking funny and shit)
The first An Evening With Kevin Smith dvd is more of the same, this time with American audiences. He trashes a few personalities (Prince and Tim Burton don't come out of it well) and tells a hilarious story about the first time he slept with his now wife. You can't actually believe he is telling the story to anyone let alone on a DVD, apparently his wife really wasn't impressed when she heard it. I don't want to spoil the story though so you will have to watch it yourself!
Whilst his films are unlikely to win any awards, I personally think they are all good even the ones that weren't as well received. Jersey Girl did get a bit of a mauling due to the Bennifer factor but I actually enjoyed it.
However my favourite is probably Mallrats. An unusual choice perhaps but it was the first Kevin Smith film I saw and I loved it, I don't think I have watched any other film more times. I watched it twice when I first hired it years ago which is something I never do and the video has been on a few times since I purchased it. Not entirely sure why I like it so much, think it just seemed very different to all the other films that I had seen and it struck a chord. The dialogue in all his films is great (it's good just reading the scripts) and the characters are strangely likeable. Plus Jay & Silent Bob are legends.
I guess this is a complete fan boy posting but I just thought I should share the truth.
Snootchie Bootchies
Anyway Kevin is an entertaining raconteur and he has a real potty mouth which can be very amusing. Whether he is talking about his parents having sex, shooting his wife for Playboy or sexual euphemisms, the stories are always very funny and peppered with numerous swear words (or as Kevin would have it, very fucking funny and shit)
The first An Evening With Kevin Smith dvd is more of the same, this time with American audiences. He trashes a few personalities (Prince and Tim Burton don't come out of it well) and tells a hilarious story about the first time he slept with his now wife. You can't actually believe he is telling the story to anyone let alone on a DVD, apparently his wife really wasn't impressed when she heard it. I don't want to spoil the story though so you will have to watch it yourself!
Whilst his films are unlikely to win any awards, I personally think they are all good even the ones that weren't as well received. Jersey Girl did get a bit of a mauling due to the Bennifer factor but I actually enjoyed it.
However my favourite is probably Mallrats. An unusual choice perhaps but it was the first Kevin Smith film I saw and I loved it, I don't think I have watched any other film more times. I watched it twice when I first hired it years ago which is something I never do and the video has been on a few times since I purchased it. Not entirely sure why I like it so much, think it just seemed very different to all the other films that I had seen and it struck a chord. The dialogue in all his films is great (it's good just reading the scripts) and the characters are strangely likeable. Plus Jay & Silent Bob are legends.
I guess this is a complete fan boy posting but I just thought I should share the truth.
Snootchie Bootchies
Wednesday, 21 March 2007
Sunshine On Leith II
Rather than just taking my admittedly bias view point regarding the cup final win on Sunday, I thought I should let you read comments by 2 Scottish football pundits. Neither of these has any affiliation with Hibs, indeed they are often viewed as having leanings towards the old firm. However both sum up the feelings of the day rather well.
Archie MacPherson:
Such mass emotion, as displayed by the victors, was obviously highly contagious since it was packaged in such a civilised, melodious manner in distinct contrast to some of the triumphalist crudities normally associated with the terracings. Celtic certainly have their stirring ‘Never Walk Alone’ anthem. But that has been borrowed from Broadway via Merseyside who got their hands on it first. Rangers in their attempt to control the image, tried the Motown-Tin Pan Alley hybrid, ‘Simply The Best’ only to have it prostituted with a sectarian sting in the tail. But what Hibs have is the original home-grown product, that in a way reflects in musical terms what the club is itself. It speaks of optimism in an age when a club of their sort could be trodden over by those with greater financial muscle. It has echoes of fidelity which is what a club, under duress too often,has needed to survive. Perhaps David Taylor, off to UEFA, could package the Hampden scenes and make of it a demonstration DVD of how football ought to be celebrated throughout the continent. It is too much to hope that the most bigoted yobs would pay much attention
Chick Young:
The happy Hibees post-match rendition of The Proclaimers' "Sunshine on Leith" reminded us all that grandstand karaoke need not be about social history, religious bigotry, the Pope, or the Queen.
Neither am I a son of Leith - nor come to think of it have I seen the sun shining on its docks very often - or a Hibee, but the sound of the Easter Road support at Hampden in the wake of their CIS Cup triumph had the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up.
There were tears in the eyes of John Collins, and, frankly, I was nearly dewy-eyed myself.
What a spectacle - a wonderful reminder that in spite of everything this game can indeed still be beautiful. Of what it means to communities, to fathers proudly introducing sons and daughters to the sheer and utter power of it all. That football is, indeed, the most glorious of all sports.
For all those Hibs fans reading this, doesn't it make you proud? For any non Hibs fans, maybe it's time to convert.........
Archie MacPherson:
Such mass emotion, as displayed by the victors, was obviously highly contagious since it was packaged in such a civilised, melodious manner in distinct contrast to some of the triumphalist crudities normally associated with the terracings. Celtic certainly have their stirring ‘Never Walk Alone’ anthem. But that has been borrowed from Broadway via Merseyside who got their hands on it first. Rangers in their attempt to control the image, tried the Motown-Tin Pan Alley hybrid, ‘Simply The Best’ only to have it prostituted with a sectarian sting in the tail. But what Hibs have is the original home-grown product, that in a way reflects in musical terms what the club is itself. It speaks of optimism in an age when a club of their sort could be trodden over by those with greater financial muscle. It has echoes of fidelity which is what a club, under duress too often,has needed to survive. Perhaps David Taylor, off to UEFA, could package the Hampden scenes and make of it a demonstration DVD of how football ought to be celebrated throughout the continent. It is too much to hope that the most bigoted yobs would pay much attention
Chick Young:
The happy Hibees post-match rendition of The Proclaimers' "Sunshine on Leith" reminded us all that grandstand karaoke need not be about social history, religious bigotry, the Pope, or the Queen.
Neither am I a son of Leith - nor come to think of it have I seen the sun shining on its docks very often - or a Hibee, but the sound of the Easter Road support at Hampden in the wake of their CIS Cup triumph had the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up.
There were tears in the eyes of John Collins, and, frankly, I was nearly dewy-eyed myself.
What a spectacle - a wonderful reminder that in spite of everything this game can indeed still be beautiful. Of what it means to communities, to fathers proudly introducing sons and daughters to the sheer and utter power of it all. That football is, indeed, the most glorious of all sports.
For all those Hibs fans reading this, doesn't it make you proud? For any non Hibs fans, maybe it's time to convert.........
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
Sunshine On Leith
What a week it has been, I guess good luck really does come in 3's. After getting an A for my Biology exams, I then found out on Friday that I got an Unconditional offer from Robert Gordon University so I now know I will be definitely doing Physiotherapy. I've still to hear from a couple of other uni's but it's nice to know that I have a place in at least one.
It was then the big one on Sunday, Hibs winning the CIS Cup! What a great day, probably my best as a Hibs fan. I saw us win the trophy in 1991 but being only 13 it didn't mean as much to me, had only been to a handful of games. Since then there has been a lot of near misses by Hibs with 3 final defeats so this final victory meant a lot. Needless to say I got rather drunk on Sunday night, just as well I had taken Monday off work.
There were so many great memories from the day, here are a selection of them:
30,000 Hibs fans singing Sunshine On Leith after Hibs were presented with the trophy. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. John Collins said standing on the pitch and listening to the fans sing was his most enjoyable moment in football.
The fact we won the final 5-1!
Starting a chant at Hampden! Johnny Collins Green & White Army!
The Cambuslang Miners Welfare Club had buckfast as an optic.
Toasting the cup success on the bus back home by drinking 18 year old Highland Park whisky. A great whisky for a great occasion.
The bus driver informing us that he would have to stop at the next services as he was "touching cloth" and he was "feared to fart". He then had to stop the bus on a slip road to compose himself as he was in so much pain......
Back in Edinburgh greeting fellow Hibs fans with the Da Da Da part from the Fratelli's Chelsea Dagger and having them join in. It had been played at Hampden and all the fans were bouncing around to it.
Getting called Keith Wright by a number of fans due to me wearing the (lucky) 1991 cup final top. This despite the fact I don't really look like him. I also got abuse for being able to fit into a top that is 16 years old.
Meeting and shaking the hands of 2 of the players, McNeill & Stevenson, while walking along London Road drunk after the pub shut.
Let's hope we don't have to wait 16 years for another cup win. There is still the possibility of a cheeky cup double this season, we have Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup semi final next month. Now that really would be a celebration bearing in mind we haven't won that trophy since 1902. Surely we can't win two trophies in one season..........
It was then the big one on Sunday, Hibs winning the CIS Cup! What a great day, probably my best as a Hibs fan. I saw us win the trophy in 1991 but being only 13 it didn't mean as much to me, had only been to a handful of games. Since then there has been a lot of near misses by Hibs with 3 final defeats so this final victory meant a lot. Needless to say I got rather drunk on Sunday night, just as well I had taken Monday off work.
There were so many great memories from the day, here are a selection of them:
30,000 Hibs fans singing Sunshine On Leith after Hibs were presented with the trophy. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. John Collins said standing on the pitch and listening to the fans sing was his most enjoyable moment in football.
The fact we won the final 5-1!
Starting a chant at Hampden! Johnny Collins Green & White Army!
The Cambuslang Miners Welfare Club had buckfast as an optic.
Toasting the cup success on the bus back home by drinking 18 year old Highland Park whisky. A great whisky for a great occasion.
The bus driver informing us that he would have to stop at the next services as he was "touching cloth" and he was "feared to fart". He then had to stop the bus on a slip road to compose himself as he was in so much pain......
Back in Edinburgh greeting fellow Hibs fans with the Da Da Da part from the Fratelli's Chelsea Dagger and having them join in. It had been played at Hampden and all the fans were bouncing around to it.
Getting called Keith Wright by a number of fans due to me wearing the (lucky) 1991 cup final top. This despite the fact I don't really look like him. I also got abuse for being able to fit into a top that is 16 years old.
Meeting and shaking the hands of 2 of the players, McNeill & Stevenson, while walking along London Road drunk after the pub shut.
Let's hope we don't have to wait 16 years for another cup win. There is still the possibility of a cheeky cup double this season, we have Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup semi final next month. Now that really would be a celebration bearing in mind we haven't won that trophy since 1902. Surely we can't win two trophies in one season..........
Friday, 16 March 2007
Phwoar
Heather Mills-McCartney (is she still McCartney?) gave a TV interview yesterday to announce that she isn't a publicity seeker. Straight away it's quite easy to spot the irony. However she then followed this up with a further 3 interviews on different channels on the same day. This comes not long after police revealed that heather had dialled 999 on 4 separate occasions in a 24 hour period for no apparent reason.
All this certainly sounds like the behaviour of someone shunning publicity.
Somehow the glamour model Jordan has become a successful author. She has recently published another autobiography which includes the following extracts about her first time with Peter Andre
"Peter said to me you look gorgeous tonight. I turned to him and thought Phwoar, Phwoar, Fucking Phwoar"
"I took his trousers down and was delighted - it was dickilicious"
"My golden rule of waiting one month was thrown out the window"
I'm sure you will all agree that this is top class writing, no wonder her books are flying out of the shops.
In other Jordan news, she has recently been voted Celebrity Mum of the Year. Bearing in mind the above extracts and her antics in general, I just find this depressing. Surely there are far better role models out there, seems a lot of todays women grow up wanting to be just like her....
I watched The Prestige on DVD last night and it is very highly recommended, thought it was an excellent film. It about the rivalry between 2 magicians and the lengths they go to outdo each other. It's directed by Christopher Nolan and if you are familiar with his previous films such as Memento you will know that there are twists and turns in the story. In that respect a film about magic is a good medium for Nolan, they are both about misdirection.
Anyway 2 things struck me about the film. Firstly Christian Bale is a first class actor, in every film he does he really inhabits the character so that you stop thinking it's an actor and actually believe the character is real. 3 of his most recent films are The Prestige, Batman Begins and The Machinist and it really could be a different person acting in each one of these. He never seems to play the same type of character and his physical appearance can change greatly. He seems to be very much from the old school method style of acting and it works well for him.
Secondly, is Scarlett Johansson actually a good actress? I used to think she was based mainly on Lost In Translation but now I'm not sure. I watched The Black Dahlia a while ago and didn't think much of her performance. At the time I put my doubts down to it being a weak role and she was being under used in a disappointing film. However I wasn't all that impressed by her in the Prestige either. There is an element of her being under used again as the film really focuses on Bale and Hugh Jackman but all she really seemed to do was to stand around looking pretty and deliver the occasional wooden line. This does seem to be the same in a lot of her films which either makes me think that she makes poor role selections or she doesn't want to stretch herself. Time will tell.
All this certainly sounds like the behaviour of someone shunning publicity.
Somehow the glamour model Jordan has become a successful author. She has recently published another autobiography which includes the following extracts about her first time with Peter Andre
"Peter said to me you look gorgeous tonight. I turned to him and thought Phwoar, Phwoar, Fucking Phwoar"
"I took his trousers down and was delighted - it was dickilicious"
"My golden rule of waiting one month was thrown out the window"
I'm sure you will all agree that this is top class writing, no wonder her books are flying out of the shops.
In other Jordan news, she has recently been voted Celebrity Mum of the Year. Bearing in mind the above extracts and her antics in general, I just find this depressing. Surely there are far better role models out there, seems a lot of todays women grow up wanting to be just like her....
I watched The Prestige on DVD last night and it is very highly recommended, thought it was an excellent film. It about the rivalry between 2 magicians and the lengths they go to outdo each other. It's directed by Christopher Nolan and if you are familiar with his previous films such as Memento you will know that there are twists and turns in the story. In that respect a film about magic is a good medium for Nolan, they are both about misdirection.
Anyway 2 things struck me about the film. Firstly Christian Bale is a first class actor, in every film he does he really inhabits the character so that you stop thinking it's an actor and actually believe the character is real. 3 of his most recent films are The Prestige, Batman Begins and The Machinist and it really could be a different person acting in each one of these. He never seems to play the same type of character and his physical appearance can change greatly. He seems to be very much from the old school method style of acting and it works well for him.
Secondly, is Scarlett Johansson actually a good actress? I used to think she was based mainly on Lost In Translation but now I'm not sure. I watched The Black Dahlia a while ago and didn't think much of her performance. At the time I put my doubts down to it being a weak role and she was being under used in a disappointing film. However I wasn't all that impressed by her in the Prestige either. There is an element of her being under used again as the film really focuses on Bale and Hugh Jackman but all she really seemed to do was to stand around looking pretty and deliver the occasional wooden line. This does seem to be the same in a lot of her films which either makes me think that she makes poor role selections or she doesn't want to stretch herself. Time will tell.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Furry Boot
Observations from my trip to Aberdeen.
I was quite amused by the banners over Union Street proclaiming Aberdeen to be Britain's Happiest City. That wasn't what I saw from all the gloomy looking people trooping underneath. Aberdeen can be quite a cold place which doesn't lend itself well to happiness. There is also something slightly sinister about the banner, almost as if the council wants to force it's residents to be happy. Perhaps the next step is to have special happy police patrols. If you're caught not smiling you get zapped with a cattle prod until you do. If that doesn't work you are bundled off to jail.
I saw another couple of real life clichés. Firstly there was the ned walking down Union Street as if he owned it whilst wearing a matching Burberry cap and jacket. It's good that he can't afford to wash but he can afford to splash the cash on Burberry gear. Secondly there was the guy in the Rangers top who pulled out a 4 pack of Tennants Lager as soon as he sat down on the train. He then proceeded to knock them back in double quick time while reading the Daily Record. Classy. If there was ever an advert not to drink Tennants then this was it. If you haven't tried it, don't. It's just a poor excuse of lager for weedgies. I'm glad that he wasn't sitting at the same table as me, could have been a very long journey.
Does anyone have any idea what sort of practical test is required for physiotherapy students? When told there would be a practical test, I assumed it would be some kind of basic physio technique or someone else mentioned that it could involve bandaging or movement. Imagine my surprise when entering the room to be told that we had to build a tower out of marshmallows, spaghetti, pasta and pipe cleaners. Marks were to be given on height, stability and artistic flair. I had to double check that I was actually in the correct room. I know the theory behind it is to observe how you work in and group and communicate with others but it seemed a little strange.
It was also quite bizarre to be in a group with 5 teenage girls, have to say I felt quite old. If I do get accepted then I guess it's something I will have to get used to.
I was quite amused by the banners over Union Street proclaiming Aberdeen to be Britain's Happiest City. That wasn't what I saw from all the gloomy looking people trooping underneath. Aberdeen can be quite a cold place which doesn't lend itself well to happiness. There is also something slightly sinister about the banner, almost as if the council wants to force it's residents to be happy. Perhaps the next step is to have special happy police patrols. If you're caught not smiling you get zapped with a cattle prod until you do. If that doesn't work you are bundled off to jail.
I saw another couple of real life clichés. Firstly there was the ned walking down Union Street as if he owned it whilst wearing a matching Burberry cap and jacket. It's good that he can't afford to wash but he can afford to splash the cash on Burberry gear. Secondly there was the guy in the Rangers top who pulled out a 4 pack of Tennants Lager as soon as he sat down on the train. He then proceeded to knock them back in double quick time while reading the Daily Record. Classy. If there was ever an advert not to drink Tennants then this was it. If you haven't tried it, don't. It's just a poor excuse of lager for weedgies. I'm glad that he wasn't sitting at the same table as me, could have been a very long journey.
Does anyone have any idea what sort of practical test is required for physiotherapy students? When told there would be a practical test, I assumed it would be some kind of basic physio technique or someone else mentioned that it could involve bandaging or movement. Imagine my surprise when entering the room to be told that we had to build a tower out of marshmallows, spaghetti, pasta and pipe cleaners. Marks were to be given on height, stability and artistic flair. I had to double check that I was actually in the correct room. I know the theory behind it is to observe how you work in and group and communicate with others but it seemed a little strange.
It was also quite bizarre to be in a group with 5 teenage girls, have to say I felt quite old. If I do get accepted then I guess it's something I will have to get used to.
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
The Magic Number
It's often said that good luck comes in 3's. I really hope that it comes true for me this week.
The first piece of good luck came on Monday. I received the results for the first part of my Biology A Level and I got an A which was great
The second piece luck could be to do with my selection visit at the Robert Gordon Uni at Aberdeen. I was up there yesterday to learn about the physio course which seems quite impressive and also went through some selection tests. I should hear back by Monday at the latest so fingers crossed.
The third piece would also be the biggest. Hibs v Kilmarnock in the CIS cup final on Sunday...........
Our last trophy was in 1991 so it's been a long time since I've seen Hibs lift a cup. There has been a lot of heartbreak along the way so surely it's about time Hibs fulfilled some of their potential of the last few years and won some silver wear.
It could be a very good week for me if all of this works out well. Then again it could also turn out to be pretty depressing.
Either way at least I am off work on Monday to deal with the inevitable hangover whether that be from celebrating or drowning my sorrows.
The first piece of good luck came on Monday. I received the results for the first part of my Biology A Level and I got an A which was great
The second piece luck could be to do with my selection visit at the Robert Gordon Uni at Aberdeen. I was up there yesterday to learn about the physio course which seems quite impressive and also went through some selection tests. I should hear back by Monday at the latest so fingers crossed.
The third piece would also be the biggest. Hibs v Kilmarnock in the CIS cup final on Sunday...........
Our last trophy was in 1991 so it's been a long time since I've seen Hibs lift a cup. There has been a lot of heartbreak along the way so surely it's about time Hibs fulfilled some of their potential of the last few years and won some silver wear.
It could be a very good week for me if all of this works out well. Then again it could also turn out to be pretty depressing.
Either way at least I am off work on Monday to deal with the inevitable hangover whether that be from celebrating or drowning my sorrows.
Monday, 12 March 2007
Swear Again
Recommendations:
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Q have billed it as the first essential album purchase of the year and I can't disagree with it, best album I've bought this year so far. Bought it last week and have been listening to it all the time since then. It's a great album which improves on their breakthrough album two years ago. The music is still quite chaotic but it has more focus now.
The guitarist has said that listening to the album will make you feel how music used to make you feel which is as good a recommendation as any.
Deadwood
I've been watching the first series on DVD and it's excellent. I heard good things about it and got the box set at Christmas but after the first episode I was starting to wonder what the fuss was about. However it all started to come together in the second episode and it just seems to get better as the series progresses. While the stories and script are good, it's the individual performances that really make the show for me. I wasn't around in the old Wild West but they seem really authentic. Ian McShane (or Lovejoy as most people refer to him in the UK) is a revelation as the saloon owner Al Swearengen, not a sympathetic character but manages to be both funny and menacing at the same time. He also has a gift for swearing which extends to most of the cast. Calamity Jane is also an effective practitioner of this art which is actually quite amusing as long as you aren't easily offended.
The other American import that I like is 24. This seems to rely on cliff hangers and tension to move the plot along rather than the performances (and there are a number of holes in the plot if you are inclined to spent time thinking about them) whereas I prefer the way that it's the performances that are important in Deadwood.
Louise Welsh - The Bullet Trick
This is the best book I have read recently and the author is Scottish which is nice. It's about the conjurer and illusionist William Wilson and the trouble he gets into when he tries to help out an old friend. The story moves between London, Glasgow & Berlin while moving back and forward in time and this works really well. There are hints through the book as to what happens/happened which makes you want to keep reading to find out. The characters are well written even if they aren't always portrayed in a positive light. Welsh's first book The Cutting Room was a very good debut and The Bullet Trick helps to build her reputation.
Don't hire Berti Vogts as your manager.
After the debacle that was Vogts period in charge of Scotland (reached their lowest ever world ranking) he still managed to get the job of managing Nigeria. However it's good to see some things never change. His first squad contained one player who has already played for Israel and is therefore ineligible and one player who has already stated his desire to play for England rather than Nigeria. Great stuff, Berti is as competent as ever.
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Q have billed it as the first essential album purchase of the year and I can't disagree with it, best album I've bought this year so far. Bought it last week and have been listening to it all the time since then. It's a great album which improves on their breakthrough album two years ago. The music is still quite chaotic but it has more focus now.
The guitarist has said that listening to the album will make you feel how music used to make you feel which is as good a recommendation as any.
Deadwood
I've been watching the first series on DVD and it's excellent. I heard good things about it and got the box set at Christmas but after the first episode I was starting to wonder what the fuss was about. However it all started to come together in the second episode and it just seems to get better as the series progresses. While the stories and script are good, it's the individual performances that really make the show for me. I wasn't around in the old Wild West but they seem really authentic. Ian McShane (or Lovejoy as most people refer to him in the UK) is a revelation as the saloon owner Al Swearengen, not a sympathetic character but manages to be both funny and menacing at the same time. He also has a gift for swearing which extends to most of the cast. Calamity Jane is also an effective practitioner of this art which is actually quite amusing as long as you aren't easily offended.
The other American import that I like is 24. This seems to rely on cliff hangers and tension to move the plot along rather than the performances (and there are a number of holes in the plot if you are inclined to spent time thinking about them) whereas I prefer the way that it's the performances that are important in Deadwood.
Louise Welsh - The Bullet Trick
This is the best book I have read recently and the author is Scottish which is nice. It's about the conjurer and illusionist William Wilson and the trouble he gets into when he tries to help out an old friend. The story moves between London, Glasgow & Berlin while moving back and forward in time and this works really well. There are hints through the book as to what happens/happened which makes you want to keep reading to find out. The characters are well written even if they aren't always portrayed in a positive light. Welsh's first book The Cutting Room was a very good debut and The Bullet Trick helps to build her reputation.
Don't hire Berti Vogts as your manager.
After the debacle that was Vogts period in charge of Scotland (reached their lowest ever world ranking) he still managed to get the job of managing Nigeria. However it's good to see some things never change. His first squad contained one player who has already played for Israel and is therefore ineligible and one player who has already stated his desire to play for England rather than Nigeria. Great stuff, Berti is as competent as ever.
Friday, 9 March 2007
Stop The Beaver
Random musings from the week:
I've been doing some physio research recently and I was reading an article about physios in the TA. Quite often they are attached to front line units so have to be a soldier and a physio. During a speech from one of these soldier/physios they were asked about the dangers faced and I was quite amused by the answer 'There's always a slight risk if you join the military that something might happen.'
Talk about trying to underplay the risks, really don't think the words slight and might are appropriate here. It's pretty much guaranteed that "something might happen" when you are in the TA and the fact that you may be shot or blown up while performing your job is a pretty big risk I would have thought.
The Scottish Executive seems to have it's knickers in a twist over a couple of rogue beavers in the Perth area. Beavers aren't native to Scotland since they were hunted to extinction centuries ago but it seems that two have recently escaped from captivity. The Executive are demanding the beavers are captured, effectively branding them outlaws. All they have done is gnaw down a few trees, good to see the Executive getting their priorities right. Maybe this will be the first every case of an animal ASBO.
I think Jack McConnell has been watching too many episodes of Stop The Pigeon and fancies himself as Dick Dastardly. Does this make Wendy Alexander Muttley?
There was some amusing chants from the Hibs fans at the recent Queen of the South v Hibs game. Apparently you can't get a reception for Channel 4 in the Dumfries area so Hibs fans started chanting "We've got channel 4" and "You've never seen ER". Inspired, inventive & funny. Who ever said football fans weren't intelligent.
The Britney Spears rehab doll is available to buy. It comes complete with a skinhead and a straight jacket.....
The mighty Disney corporation has been defeated by......... a bloke from Newcastle who produces porn for mobile phones. Disney used the slogan Dreams Come True but the the porn slogan was "A Place Where Dreams Come True" and this had been copyrighted. After a legal challenge, Disney have stopped using their slogan. You could say it's a victory for the little man although that's not a phrase you hear very often in connection to porn.
I've been doing some physio research recently and I was reading an article about physios in the TA. Quite often they are attached to front line units so have to be a soldier and a physio. During a speech from one of these soldier/physios they were asked about the dangers faced and I was quite amused by the answer 'There's always a slight risk if you join the military that something might happen.'
Talk about trying to underplay the risks, really don't think the words slight and might are appropriate here. It's pretty much guaranteed that "something might happen" when you are in the TA and the fact that you may be shot or blown up while performing your job is a pretty big risk I would have thought.
The Scottish Executive seems to have it's knickers in a twist over a couple of rogue beavers in the Perth area. Beavers aren't native to Scotland since they were hunted to extinction centuries ago but it seems that two have recently escaped from captivity. The Executive are demanding the beavers are captured, effectively branding them outlaws. All they have done is gnaw down a few trees, good to see the Executive getting their priorities right. Maybe this will be the first every case of an animal ASBO.
I think Jack McConnell has been watching too many episodes of Stop The Pigeon and fancies himself as Dick Dastardly. Does this make Wendy Alexander Muttley?
There was some amusing chants from the Hibs fans at the recent Queen of the South v Hibs game. Apparently you can't get a reception for Channel 4 in the Dumfries area so Hibs fans started chanting "We've got channel 4" and "You've never seen ER". Inspired, inventive & funny. Who ever said football fans weren't intelligent.
The Britney Spears rehab doll is available to buy. It comes complete with a skinhead and a straight jacket.....
The mighty Disney corporation has been defeated by......... a bloke from Newcastle who produces porn for mobile phones. Disney used the slogan Dreams Come True but the the porn slogan was "A Place Where Dreams Come True" and this had been copyrighted. After a legal challenge, Disney have stopped using their slogan. You could say it's a victory for the little man although that's not a phrase you hear very often in connection to porn.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Future's Bright, Future's Orange
It's great seeing clichés in real life. The latest example I saw was when I was shopping in Morrison's recently. A harassed looking mum was trying to get her shopping done while her two neddish looking kids trailed behind her. One of the kids was saying "Can we get some Sunny D Mum?" while the other was repeating the phrase Sunny D over and over again. Maybe he was a fan of Hot Chip.
It had me in stitches, it was the Sunny D advert come to life! I'm not sure how anyone can drink the stuff, there can't actually be any orange juice in it. Seems like it is just full of chemicals and no one would voluntarily drink it unless an advert said it was cool. Seems to have worked.
It also reminded me of a book by Rupert Thomson called Soft. A new orange soft drink is launched called Kwench! and the company try to persuade people to buy it through subliminal advertising during sleep trials. Unsurprisingly things go awry and people start craving it even though they hate it and become obsessed with the colour orange. Could this be why Sunny D is so popular?
It's just a shame that the 2 kids in question weren't a David Dickinson shade of orange. Would have made it even funnier.
It had me in stitches, it was the Sunny D advert come to life! I'm not sure how anyone can drink the stuff, there can't actually be any orange juice in it. Seems like it is just full of chemicals and no one would voluntarily drink it unless an advert said it was cool. Seems to have worked.
It also reminded me of a book by Rupert Thomson called Soft. A new orange soft drink is launched called Kwench! and the company try to persuade people to buy it through subliminal advertising during sleep trials. Unsurprisingly things go awry and people start craving it even though they hate it and become obsessed with the colour orange. Could this be why Sunny D is so popular?
It's just a shame that the 2 kids in question weren't a David Dickinson shade of orange. Would have made it even funnier.
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Gonna Fly Now
As from the end of this month I will no longer be a member of a gym.Yes, I appreciate the irony of a recent post extolling the virtues of going to the gym.
However it is a financial decision. I'm currently paying about £60 a month to use the gym when all I really do there is use the treadmill, exercise bike and weights. In theory I can do all that for free myself as I have a bike and weights so I can't really justify the fee especially as I may be returning to the student lifestyle later this year. I realised that I had been spending too much money over the past couple of months so it was time to make some cutbacks.
I will miss my gym visits in the morning though. Yes it was difficult getting up early in the morning to go but it was worth it. Even though it was expensive, the money did provide a motivation for going. You don't want to be paying for something you don't use so at least it was helping me to keep fit.
I will also miss the free papers that they provided, I may have to buy the Scotsman now rather than read it while I'm using the exercise bike. I'd like to pretend that I read all of the papers to get a good sense of what is happening in the world but I generally just read the sports sections. Sacrifices must be made though and I'm sure my life won't be any poorer from not being able to read the same story in 4 different papers.
Hopefully I can retain the motivation to keep fit by going out for runs and using my bike. The weather is starting to get better which should help, I'd imagine it would be quite depressing going out running in the dark while it is cold, wet and windy. I could go for early morning runs along Musselburgh beach and pretend I'm Rocky. Any volunteers for the Apollo Creed role?
However it is a financial decision. I'm currently paying about £60 a month to use the gym when all I really do there is use the treadmill, exercise bike and weights. In theory I can do all that for free myself as I have a bike and weights so I can't really justify the fee especially as I may be returning to the student lifestyle later this year. I realised that I had been spending too much money over the past couple of months so it was time to make some cutbacks.
I will miss my gym visits in the morning though. Yes it was difficult getting up early in the morning to go but it was worth it. Even though it was expensive, the money did provide a motivation for going. You don't want to be paying for something you don't use so at least it was helping me to keep fit.
I will also miss the free papers that they provided, I may have to buy the Scotsman now rather than read it while I'm using the exercise bike. I'd like to pretend that I read all of the papers to get a good sense of what is happening in the world but I generally just read the sports sections. Sacrifices must be made though and I'm sure my life won't be any poorer from not being able to read the same story in 4 different papers.
Hopefully I can retain the motivation to keep fit by going out for runs and using my bike. The weather is starting to get better which should help, I'd imagine it would be quite depressing going out running in the dark while it is cold, wet and windy. I could go for early morning runs along Musselburgh beach and pretend I'm Rocky. Any volunteers for the Apollo Creed role?
Monday, 5 March 2007
It's Vi-day-o
Is it a good idea to revisit tv programmes that you used to love watching? On the basis of Friday night then I'd have to say no.
In my younger days I thought Absolutely was one of the funniest comedies on tv. It was essentially a sketch show by a bunch of Scots but not in the traditional sense. It was quite surreal and some of it was just nonsense but in a good way. There were a number of classic recurring sketches most notably featuring the Stoneybridge town council and Calum Gillhooly (G for gnome, N for gnome....)
Imagine my delight to discover that there are old episodes to watch for free for those people like Sarah who have Virgin Replay. I excitedly settled down to watch one episode and I was sorely disappointed. Admittedly none of the classic characters I remembered appeared which may have contributed but I don't recall laughing once. I think I raised a smile twice but that was it. Most of the sketches just seemed to be weird for the sake of being weird rather than being amusing weird. I'm not sure if this was due to my comedy tastes evolving over the years or whether there was a lack of alternative quality shows to watch back then.
The upshot of this is that I have spent the last few years thinking Absolutely was one of my all time favourite shows but that belief has now been shattered. I don't feel like I have gained anything from the experience, indeed I think I would have been better off without having watched it again.
It's a good argument not to revisit the past, memories do tend to get distorted and it ain't always as good as you thought it was.
In my younger days I thought Absolutely was one of the funniest comedies on tv. It was essentially a sketch show by a bunch of Scots but not in the traditional sense. It was quite surreal and some of it was just nonsense but in a good way. There were a number of classic recurring sketches most notably featuring the Stoneybridge town council and Calum Gillhooly (G for gnome, N for gnome....)
Imagine my delight to discover that there are old episodes to watch for free for those people like Sarah who have Virgin Replay. I excitedly settled down to watch one episode and I was sorely disappointed. Admittedly none of the classic characters I remembered appeared which may have contributed but I don't recall laughing once. I think I raised a smile twice but that was it. Most of the sketches just seemed to be weird for the sake of being weird rather than being amusing weird. I'm not sure if this was due to my comedy tastes evolving over the years or whether there was a lack of alternative quality shows to watch back then.
The upshot of this is that I have spent the last few years thinking Absolutely was one of my all time favourite shows but that belief has now been shattered. I don't feel like I have gained anything from the experience, indeed I think I would have been better off without having watched it again.
It's a good argument not to revisit the past, memories do tend to get distorted and it ain't always as good as you thought it was.
Friday, 2 March 2007
Tight Fit
A few random points that have amused me:
The way the camera always pans out when Charlotte Church is on screen in her talk show as if to pretend she isn't that big, really. Probably doesn't help that her guest was stick thin Gwen Stefani. I don't actually think Charlotte is that fat (although in comparison with Stefani most people are) but messing about with the camera isn't doing her any favours.
This was followed up by a duet with McFly where they completely butchered Rocks by Primal Scream. Note to both, stick to what you are good at.
Frank Hadden's excuse for Scotland's humiliating defeat at home to Italy in the 6 nations. Basically he said it was a necessary evil and he was trying a different expansive style to put the players under pressure. They could have played conservatively and ground out a win but he didn't feel that is what the team needed.
Is this not what friendlies and the autumn tests are for?
I'm sure that Frank's words will be a great comfort to all the fans who forked out a small fortune to see us be embarrassed by an Italian side who had never won an away game in the 6 nations. I'd suggest winning games is better for the team than getting beat by a team we are playing in the forthcoming world cup.
The situation at Hearts being summed up rather well by local radio:
"Shareholders at today's AGM will vote on plans to increase the club's borrowing limit to £40million, although with 82% of total shares Vladimir Romanov will be able to "pass the motion with ease." "
I also enjoyed the Guardian's description of Hearts as "Preposterous SPL laughing stock"
Photo's from Hibs training camp in Spain. Most of the photo's featured milk bottle white scots lads wearing only shorts until we see one of our Moroccan striker Benji. He is wearing t-shirt, socks and tights........
Now it's fair enough wearing these when playing for Hibs in Scotland, I can imagine it's a lot colder here than what he is used to. However wearing them in bright sunshine in Marbella?! Maybe Benji has a fetish........
Also why shows photo's of players relaxing in the pool wearing the smallest trunks possible. As much as I think Boozy is a great footballer I have no desire to see photo's of him which don't leave much to the imagination
The SFA official website having a photo of King Ned himself, barry ferguson, for sale. The price? A snip at £24.99. Honestly who is going to buy that. The only people that like bazza are Rangers fans and they have no interest in supporting Scotland!
The way the camera always pans out when Charlotte Church is on screen in her talk show as if to pretend she isn't that big, really. Probably doesn't help that her guest was stick thin Gwen Stefani. I don't actually think Charlotte is that fat (although in comparison with Stefani most people are) but messing about with the camera isn't doing her any favours.
This was followed up by a duet with McFly where they completely butchered Rocks by Primal Scream. Note to both, stick to what you are good at.
Frank Hadden's excuse for Scotland's humiliating defeat at home to Italy in the 6 nations. Basically he said it was a necessary evil and he was trying a different expansive style to put the players under pressure. They could have played conservatively and ground out a win but he didn't feel that is what the team needed.
Is this not what friendlies and the autumn tests are for?
I'm sure that Frank's words will be a great comfort to all the fans who forked out a small fortune to see us be embarrassed by an Italian side who had never won an away game in the 6 nations. I'd suggest winning games is better for the team than getting beat by a team we are playing in the forthcoming world cup.
The situation at Hearts being summed up rather well by local radio:
"Shareholders at today's AGM will vote on plans to increase the club's borrowing limit to £40million, although with 82% of total shares Vladimir Romanov will be able to "pass the motion with ease." "
I also enjoyed the Guardian's description of Hearts as "Preposterous SPL laughing stock"
Photo's from Hibs training camp in Spain. Most of the photo's featured milk bottle white scots lads wearing only shorts until we see one of our Moroccan striker Benji. He is wearing t-shirt, socks and tights........
Now it's fair enough wearing these when playing for Hibs in Scotland, I can imagine it's a lot colder here than what he is used to. However wearing them in bright sunshine in Marbella?! Maybe Benji has a fetish........
Also why shows photo's of players relaxing in the pool wearing the smallest trunks possible. As much as I think Boozy is a great footballer I have no desire to see photo's of him which don't leave much to the imagination
The SFA official website having a photo of King Ned himself, barry ferguson, for sale. The price? A snip at £24.99. Honestly who is going to buy that. The only people that like bazza are Rangers fans and they have no interest in supporting Scotland!
Thursday, 1 March 2007
The Dream Team
For those of you that don't know, Berwick Rangers FC have a unique position in Scottish football. They are the only team in the league who are actually based in England. In fact they are one of a handful of clubs who play in a League different from their own country.
However this isn't the most interesting thing about the club.
I was looking at their club badge the other day. It's a shield split into two halves. The bottom half is split into two sections, one has the English lion and the other has the Scottish lion. This makes sense and demonstrates the divided loyalties of the club and indeed of Berwick itself. Officially English but likes to think of itself as Scottish. The top half of the badge however shows a bear chained to a tree and I have no idea why. It just seems completely random, it's not as if you get any bears in the Borders. Of course maybe the Borders used to be a bear paradise until they were all rounded up and chained to trees until they died. Cruel but effective and also quite unlikely to have happened. I don't think there will have been many volunteers to round up the bears. It could be that the club actually performs special rituals in order to win games and the bear represents this. If true this certainly appears to be working as Berwick are currently top of the 3rd division.
Sarah (who is from the Borders) said that the bear chained to a tree is actually a symbol in the Borders in general and is used on some school badges. This provides some further insight but I'm still no nearer to determining why it is used.
So, if anyone out there knows then please pass it on. I've tried the internet and that didn't help, even tried asking a Berwick Rangers player but he didn't know.
Actually there is another fact about Berwick that is just as interesting. Apparently they are still officially at war with Russia. When Britain signed a peace treaty with Russia back in whichever period it was, Berwick wasn't under the control of Scotland or England. Berwick quite often changed hands between the 2 countries but at this point it was almost independent. Therefore Berwick was not included in the peace treaty and it has never been rectified.
If there are any Russians reading this it may be a wise idea to postpone that trip to Berwick you had planned.
Thinking about it now, maybe the bear is a symbol of the continued war with Russia? When countries are represented by animals, the bear is quite often a symbol for Russia. Therefore the chained up bear on the badge symbolises Berwick's desire to defeat Russia and win the war. I could be onto something here.....
However this isn't the most interesting thing about the club.
I was looking at their club badge the other day. It's a shield split into two halves. The bottom half is split into two sections, one has the English lion and the other has the Scottish lion. This makes sense and demonstrates the divided loyalties of the club and indeed of Berwick itself. Officially English but likes to think of itself as Scottish. The top half of the badge however shows a bear chained to a tree and I have no idea why. It just seems completely random, it's not as if you get any bears in the Borders. Of course maybe the Borders used to be a bear paradise until they were all rounded up and chained to trees until they died. Cruel but effective and also quite unlikely to have happened. I don't think there will have been many volunteers to round up the bears. It could be that the club actually performs special rituals in order to win games and the bear represents this. If true this certainly appears to be working as Berwick are currently top of the 3rd division.
Sarah (who is from the Borders) said that the bear chained to a tree is actually a symbol in the Borders in general and is used on some school badges. This provides some further insight but I'm still no nearer to determining why it is used.
So, if anyone out there knows then please pass it on. I've tried the internet and that didn't help, even tried asking a Berwick Rangers player but he didn't know.
Actually there is another fact about Berwick that is just as interesting. Apparently they are still officially at war with Russia. When Britain signed a peace treaty with Russia back in whichever period it was, Berwick wasn't under the control of Scotland or England. Berwick quite often changed hands between the 2 countries but at this point it was almost independent. Therefore Berwick was not included in the peace treaty and it has never been rectified.
If there are any Russians reading this it may be a wise idea to postpone that trip to Berwick you had planned.
Thinking about it now, maybe the bear is a symbol of the continued war with Russia? When countries are represented by animals, the bear is quite often a symbol for Russia. Therefore the chained up bear on the badge symbolises Berwick's desire to defeat Russia and win the war. I could be onto something here.....
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