Oxford American

ISSUE 91: 17TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN MUSIC ISSUE and CD – GEORGIA

I think we will need a copy of this each, John.

The Oxford American’s 17th-annual music issue features the state of Georgia! The magazine comes with a 25-song CD compilation that showcases music by Georgia artists such as James Brown, Sandy Gaye, Gram Parsons, Otis Redding, OutKast, Indigo Girls, Drive-By Truckers, the Allman Brothers Band, and many more. Browse the table of contents below.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

Listening

The Music of Georgia

Editors’ Note

There’s nobody like Blind Willie McTell

by Peter Guralnick

The moony lyricism of Johnny Mercer

by John Lingan

Pondering the Indigo Girls, awaiting clarity

by Jamie Quatro

DA ART OF STORYTELLIN’ (A PREQUEL)

OutKast’s Southern Stank

by Kiese Laymon

FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION

Innovation

Gram Parsons’s prophetic Nudie suit

by Elyssa East

The Skillet Lickers’ pickin’ picnic

by Greg Reish

MC Shy D, an original ATLien

by Will Stephenson

Thomas A. Dorsey unites gospel and blues

by Dom Flemons

THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER

The Allman Brothers’ wild South

by Amanda Petrusich

THE DIRTY SOUTH

Scenes

Savannah, metal, and mourning

by Bill Dawers

Hip-hop and black history in Albany

by Regina N. Bradley

Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn soul

by Brian Poust

WHEN THE FIRE BROKE OUT

Life and Death in Cabbagetown

by Abigail Covington

ATHENS X ATHENS

Why Athens?

by David Barbe

Welcome Hinges

by Art Rosenbaum

The Cos-mo-pol-i-tan Sound

by Patterson Hood

Plus: anecdotes, images, and memories from around town

ENLIGHTENED ROGUES

Legends

Calling Little Richard

by David Ramsey

Beverly “Guitar” Watkins at seventy-six

by Rachael Maddux

Bessie Jones, vision and voice

by Nathan Salsburg

In defense of Dave Prater

by Jonathan Bernstein

Fiddlin’ John Carson’s darkest murder ballad

by Christopher C. King

Ray Stevens remembers a comedy song

by Jewly Hight

SUGARFOOT STOMP

The genius of Fletcher Henderson

by Cynthia Shearer

OH, MAKER

Visionaries

Rico Wade’s Dungeon Family reunion

by Rodney Carmichael

Sharon Jones comes home

by Maxwell George

In the cosmic mind of Col. Bruce Hampton

by Lance Ledbetter

Killer Mike turns forty

by Austin L. Ray

Janelle Monáe looks toward the future

by Brit Bennett

AN UNFINISHED STATE

Dust-to-Digital’s unheard magnum opus

by Wyatt Williams

Peter O’Brien

18th November: The committee, members and friends of St. Peter’s RFC, would like to send their sincere condolences to the family of Peter O’Brien who died this morning. Peter was a well loved and exceptionally popular member, who represented the club in baseball and rugby. He was a founder member and current (three times) club champion of St. Peter’s Bowls Club. Peter was a family man. Husband to Marie and father of Keiran, Hannah, Sean, Rachel, Martha and Dominic; son of Sheila and Bart; brother of Bernard, Kevin and Catherine. He will be sadly missed.

Two workers who died in an explosion at a Cardiff steelworks have been named as Peter O'Brien and Mark Sim.

I didn't know Peter, but I was in university with his brother Bernard. I guessed the relationship when I heard the news yesterday, and had it confirmed by my brother Vince this morning.

This Sort of Thing Is My Bag Baby

I must get along to this exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in Euston some time between today and the end of February ............ and - in the interests of balance - to the Old Rutlishians' Wine and Cheese Evening on December 4th.

Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM (12 May 1975 – 18 November 2015)

RIP Jonah Lomu. I was in Hong Kong (Dickie and I were visiting Kev) for the 1994 Sevens where he burst onto the international rugby scene.

I also remember that his brother ended up playing in Cardiff for the Old Illtydians and that I met him down the club in Splott. I could never quite get my head around how that might have happened, but happen it did.

La Marseillaise

Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive! Contre nous de la tyrannie, L'etendard sanglant est leve, Entendez-vous dans les campagnes Mugir ces feroces soldats? Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes! Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons, Marchons, marchons! Qu'un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons!

Arise children of the fatherland The day of glory has arrived Against us tyranny's Bloody standard is raised Listen to the sound in the fields The howling of these fearsome soldiers They are coming into our midst To cut the throats of your sons and consorts To arms citizens Form your battalions March, march Let impure blood Water our furrows

Spelling out the lyrics of the French anthem in English shows how eerily apt and prophetic it is as a response to Friday. I hope the home fans sing it along with the visitors at the France-England football match at Wembley tonight.

It's the Arts

After we got back from the Winchester game yesterday, I took myself off to catch the tail end of the Open Studios Art Show. I hadn't even heard of the Wimbledon Art Studios until Andy posted in Facebook that Sharon was exhibiting. "It Just Shows to Go Ya," when one considers that it is only a mile and a half away from my house.

I was quite staggered by the scale of the thing. Reading Sharon's potted biography among her paintings I found that she graduated from Camberwell College of Art.

Ben's art teacher in school has been trying to persuade him to take classes there on Saturday mornings but to no avail. If we are ever at a social event that the Smarts are attending as well I ought to introduce him to Sharon. Maybe she could enthuse him? She and Ben are the only two people that I know who carry sketch books. They would have that in common, and it is more than you can say for me.

Here's a video of the last Open Studios, back in May.

It pays to increase your word power

There was more Marquis of Queensbury than we are used to in the Ruts away game at Winchester earlier today. An hour and a half down the A3 for a punch up seems a bit extravagant. I could have just gone into Ben's room this morning, tuned him with the business end of a baseball bat and saved on petrol.

One particular donnybrook after a late tackle is lodged in my mind. An aggrieved Winchester prop came up off the floor and gave Sid the time-honoured two palm to the chest who-the-fxxx-are-you shove that we have all delivered when wronged, only to find he was pushing an immovable object and succeeding in nothing more than bouncing back and knocking himself down again. A one-in-all-in mêlée ensued, but an atavistic part of me thrilled as the ref sent him scowling and gesticulating to the touchline.

Prodnose: Donnybrook?

Myself: Named from Donnybrook Fair, a notoriously disorderly event, held annually from 1204 until the middle of the 19th century. A brawl or fracas; a scene of chaos.

Prodnose: Atavistic?

Myself: Relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

Prodnose: OK. I'd still prefer to have it in English though.

Kalashnikov, grenade and suicide attacks across French capital.

I was at the Guardian Centre in Colliers Wood last night, at a quiz to raise money for MertonVision, who, this year, celebrate 50 years of providing services, information and support to residents of the borough with a visual impairment.

Just as I was starting to think what a comfortably heart-warming evening it was social media reports started coming in via peoples' mobile phones of the atrocities in Paris.

Paris terror attacks: Isil terrorists gunned down disabled people as woman held dying Briton in her arms

Us and them. How can we be the same species as the people who did this? Words fail me.

The last book I read was The Gun: The Story of the AK-47. I have been thinking about it a lot today.

The AK-47, or 'Kalashnikov', is the most abundant and efficient firearm on earth. It is so light it can be used by children. It has transformed the way we fight wars, and its story is the chilling story of modern warfare.

C. J. Chivers's extraordinary new book tells an alternative history of the world as seen through these terrible weapons. He traces them back to their origins in the early experiments of Gatling and Maxim, and examines the first appearance of the machine-gun. The quest for ever greater firepower and mobility culminated in the AK-47 at the beginning of the Cold War, a weapon so remarkable that, over sixty years after its invention and having broken free of all state control, it has become central to civil wars all over the world.

The Kalashnikov is the main tool that was used in yesterday's massacres. It is estimated that 100 million Kalashnikov-family weapons have been built of which 75 million are AK-47s,

That genie is not going to be stuffed back into the bottle God help us.

Move Along, Nothing to See Here

I hurried along to http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/prince at 10 sharp this morning only to read:

The on sale of Prince - Piano & a Microphone tour has been postponed and will not be going ahead at 10am this morning.

More details regarding purchasing tickets to follow.

So that is that then, at least for the time being.

In other mind-numbingly tedious news, I have discovered that the key ingredient in the pork pibil, Ben and I enjoyed recently is aciote paste and I can get it from http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/Achiote-Paste.html.

Wahaca - Mexican Food at Home has been added to my wish list as well, for what it is worth.

SPOTLIGHT... PRINCE PIANO & A MICROPHONE.

It was initially reported that the tour was announced during a press conference at Prince's Paisley Park studios in Minnesota over the weekend.

Prince allegedly told attendees: "Why do this now? For several reasons. For starters it is a challenge. I rarely get bad reviews because this is something that's been perfected for over 30 years. You have to try new things. With the piano it is more naked, more pure. You can see exactly what you get."

Friday 27th November – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – Doors: 17:00

Friday 27th November – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – Doors: 21:00

Sunday 29th November – London Theatre, Royal Drury Lane – Doors: 15:00

Sunday 29th November – London Theatre, Royal Drury Lane – Doors: 19:00

Tuesday 1st December – Birmingham Symphony Hall – Doors: 17:00

Tuesday 1st December – Birmingham Symphony Hall – Doors: 21:00 

Tickets on sale 10am, Friday 13th November at gigsandtours.com

- NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED
- ONLY 2X TICKETS PER PERSON
- PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR LEAD BOOKER

You will have to excuse me at 10am tomorrow as I try and snaffle a couple of tickets for a London show at http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/prince. The earlier one may be easier to swing than the later.

I just kept plugging away

I read a Guardian interview with Henry Slade (one of the guys who emerged with credit from England's World Cup disappointment) yesterday. He says

“I went to the Devon county trials as an under-15 and I didn’t get in because they said I was too small. I was gutted but I reminded myself that you usually end up being taller than your mum and she was 5ft 11in. So I had hope.”

Does Slade believe English rugby is too caught up in physicality, at the expense of skill?

“From my experience, yeah, in the lower age groups. Other boys had a lot of skill and they weren’t picked for the county side because they weren’t big or powerful – even if you could see the smaller kid would be better in the long run. A lot were lost but, in my case, I just kept plugging away. It comes down to mentality, doesn’t it? If you’ve got that competitive edge it makes you stronger. I kept trying and trying and it paid off eventually. But it was a long road.”

Food for thought. Especially as I got an email in the afternoon from Surrey Rugby saying that Ben has been nominated, by the head of rugby at his school, for the U15 County Player Development Programme and inviting him to an Assessment Day early in December.

"I just kept plugging away."

The story of the first Sex Pistols gig

Forty years ago. Goodness me.

We have to wait until December next year for the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols in Caerphilly though. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/history/pages/sex-pistols-caerphilly.shtml for the skinny on what was the talk of the playground in St Illtyd's.

Cassandra

David Davis looks tired and puffy-eyed. It’s the morning after Theresa May’s unveiling of the government’s flagship investigatory powers bill, and he has spent the night getting to grips with its 296 pages. The battle over the bill is going to last for months and Davis, who from the Conservative backbenches has become one of the foremost defenders of civil liberties, will be leading the critics, but he knows this initial period is crucial in shaping public attitudes.

“The government had the most amazing propaganda blitz,” he says. “GCHQ had a three-day advertorial in the Times with gushing pieces from young journos, so we knew we were going to get some sort of heavy-duty spin on all of this, and the spin was in my direction – we’re going to be more transparent, we’re going to have more accountability, we’re going to bring in the judiciary, we’re going to limit it. All of it turns out to have been overstated. They’re making lots of rhetorical moves in the right direction, but the substance doesn’t add up. There are loads and loads of holes in it. My impression is they didn’t finish writing the bill until the day before they published it.”

Two and a half years on (Icons passim) David Davis is still fighting the good fight; Tooting's finest. If I agreed with him 100% before, I agree with him 110% now.

"The whole game is Beast Mode"

The Ruts away game at Hove was cancelled today due to waterlogged pitches. It is pity that I didn't know on Friday as I could have gone back to Cardiff to check on Mum and Dad.

Alex has come back home with Ben after training to check out Call of Duty: Black Ops III - an early Christmas present I have been talked into.

IN THE YEAR 2065, cybernetic advancements give rise to augmented human soldiers, a new breed of badass charged with preserving our way of life. Their mission leads them to a seedy bar in Singapore, where they encounter an underworld boss and his elite squad of mercenaries. Among them is a 5-foot-11, 215-pound battering ram of a man who's exactly like the world's most ferocious running back circa 2015: the Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch.

OK. Now that we have the Seahawks/ Ben on the XBOX connection sorted, my life is starting to look more coherent, (52 seconds into the trailer is where we start making sense.)

#HelloJetman

Now that is something that should have been in SPECTRE!

The carefully choreographed aerial showcase involved the world’s largest passenger aircraft flying at 4,000 feet in two holding patterns. The A380 aircraft was then joined by the Jetman Dubai duo, experienced pilots and operators of the smallest jet propelled wing, who were deployed from a helicopter that hovered above the aircraft at 5,500 feet. The duo conducted formations on both sides of the aircraft and joined to one side thereafter before breaking away.

Can I have a jet propelled wing as a combined Christmas and birthday present?

Sticking the boot in to James Bond's latest outing has reminded me that last night I realised that a major plot twist is, to all intents and purposes, lifted - postmodern self referentiality ahead - from Austin Powers in Goldmember.

A Spectre is haunting Europe

Ben and I went to see the new James Bond film in the Wimbledon Odeon last night, and both of us found it - for all its UK box office domination - rather dull.

What wasn't dull though, was the adventurer's selection menu that we shared at the branch of Wahaca (Thomasina Miers' Mexican market food chain) downstairs in the same building before the showing.

I am recording it here so I can work through versions myself over time at home:

Salmon sashimi tostadas
Pork pibil tacos
Chipotle chicken quesadilla
Rajas tacos
Huitlacoche empanadas
Smoky cauliflower cheese
Sweet potato

Churros y chocolate to share

The tacos were particularly good, though the churros were a bit heavy for my taste. To think that we went straight from this great grub to a Bond film whose first sequence is set in Mexico City on the Day of the Dead, and even that couldn't save the movie for us.

I have another Spectre tie-in. Last week I was downstairs writing (fuelled by loathing of Sam Smith) my own James Bond song at the piano, when I decided to take a sandwich up to Ben in his room. When I arrived he was drawing in his sketch book.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A steam punk cat."

And sure enough it was, complete with leather flying goggles and an intricately detailed bronze exoskeleton.

The design is available for license, if Barbara Broccoli is looking for a new villainous hench-pet for Bond 25.

While the world burns

Exhibit A: Hi-tech backpack that becomes a frontpack invented by British engineer

Exhibit B: London bar to sell world's first transgender beer brewed from hermaphrodite hops

The New British Empire

Like the industrial revolution before it, our postwar culture is a success story built on geographical opportunism and an indefatigable entrepreneurial spirit. Just as the industrial revolution transformed British society, creating new wealth and a thriving mill-owning middle class, so too have money, marketing flair and creative invention underpinned our cultural development. It is, after all, a development that has been driven by a handful of inventive, single-minded, and savvy entrepreneurs.

Up to a point, Lord Copper. Dr Strabismus has the floor.

Deep South

I am just off to Virgin Active where I will be continuing with Paul Theroux's Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads on my kindle while I knock out half an hour on the static recline bike.

Travelling with him through North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas, and from soul food cafe to soul food cafe has made me wonder how John and I let our Route 55 trip  go off the boil.

I got a text from the latter over the weekend:

I was looking to see what the Hang Fire girls were up to and stumbled across The Smoke House in pontcanna. Worth a visit I suspect. Good
luck to Ben and the Ruts.

He is obviously still as interested in BBQ as I am and https://www.facebook.com/SmokeHouseWales goes on the to-do list for next time I am back visiting mum and dad.

My own peregrinations have pooted forth Caveman BBQ in Great Bookham. It is just down the road from the practice where I take Ben each month for his orthodontist treatment. The next appointment is on November 24 (Vince's birthday) so we will pop in for some brisket when we are there.

It is also just round the corner from Howard of Effinhgam school where Ben and Rutlish have an away game on Friday in the County Cup. (Addendum: This game is actually on Nov 20th.)

Deep South; past the Fortnum-Mason line, y'all.

tada!

Prodnose: So that is what it is, how remarkably uninteresting.

Sonny Bill

It seems like the entire world (including me) fell head over heels for Sonny Boy Williams after he gave his World Cup Winners medal to a young fan who had been clotheslined by an over zealous steward.

SBW was playing rugby league in 2014 and has signed on to play sevens for New Zealand next year targeting the Rio Olympics. England would never have selected someone with such an independent cast of mind for their World Cup squad. Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

It is also quite striking that neither he, nor Nehe Milner-Skudder, nor Steve Hansen (who wanders over to see what is happening) overreact to the guy who knocked the kid down. Play what's in front of you and don't fret about what led up to it.

the Strabismo desk

I have popped into the office on the way back from the Brighton game. We lost but it was a useful friendly and I thought Ben played well.

It is odd to be here on Sunday, but if I had one these new desks that the heirs of Dr Strabismus have been working on I might never leave.

My verdict is final

Ahead of today's showdown with Australia, World Rugby has ruled, as a tribute in light of his likely retirement, that as throughout his career Ritchie McCaw has spent so much time during test matches in areas of the pitch where the other countries are supposed to be trying to play, he is to be officially eligible to be included in the all time best 15 of every other international side as well as New Zealand.

Ho ho, very satirical. I'll be watching the game in the Charles Holden later if any of my showbiz pals fancy it.

The most intriguing rugby news this weekend though is that the Bomber is scheduled to start at outside half tomorrow against Brighton after years in the back three at full back or on the wing,

Go, get the butter

Listen to Me Marlon, of which more perhaps another day, was released on fewer screens than Spectre this week but it is showing in the Clapham Picturehouse so that is where I took myself off last night.

Remembering that Bodean's is round the corner, I had a look at www.bodeansbbq.com and found I could get a free movie ticket thrown in if I ate their baby back ribs and pulled pork combo first for a total of £15.

When you consider that the price on the menu for the combo alone is £15.45 and it meant I could get half a bar off my dinner before I went to the movies for free. So that is what I did.

It only takes me ten minutes to get to Clapham Common on the tube. Why don't I get along there more? I haven't been to Bodean's since I took the Bomber there in July last year, and - according to the WBI time machine - the last time I rocked up at the Picturehouse was 2007.

Time is a funny thing.

NIHILISTIC PASSWORD SECURITY QUESTIONS.

SOHEIL REZAYAZDI

What is the name of your least favorite child?

In what year did you abandon your dreams?

What is the maiden name of your father’s mistress?

At what age did your childhood pet run away?

What was the name of your favorite unpaid internship?

In what city did you first experience ennui?

What is your ex-wife’s newest last name?

What sports team do you fetishize to avoid meaningful discussion with others?

What is the name of your favorite canceled TV show?

What was the middle name of your first rebound?

On what street did you lose your childlike sense of wonder?

When did you stop trying?

I have just stopped trying now.

The Rules of Mr Robot

I watched the first four episodes of Mr Robot last night. Talk about wearing your influences on your sleeve.

1st RULE: You do not talk about FIGHT CLUB.

2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about AMERICAN PSYCHO.

3rd RULE: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, You do not talk about TRAINSPOTTING.

etc.

I'll still watch the rest of the series though. Or at least that is the plan. I haven't really got a boxed-set level attention span. I've only ever watched the first episode of The Wire, and I bought that over six years ago.

Spoonfest

You have missed Spoonfest 2015, which ran from July 28th to the 30th, but you couldn't have gone anyway as it was a sell out.

Myself: Oh dear. How sad. Never mind.

Richard Benson: Gentlemen, I have seen the future, and it is spoon-shaped.

“How could you have had such a wonderful life as me if there wasn't a God directing?”

I read this morning that Maureen O'Hara died on Saturday. I wonder if that is why The Quiet Man turned up on TV that afternoon. I'm glad I watched it again.

I must schedule How Green Was My Valley and Miracle On 34th Street as well.

Dignity. Always dignity.

If you knew your country's history as well as you claim to know it

The Quiet Man is just starting on More 4. I am unavailable until half past two, then I will be off to watch the World Cup semi.

Unless its only a mirage brought on by my terrible thirst.

Segue Swegway

His hover board has arrived. All we need now is for someone to invent a belt and he will be able to tuck his bleedin' shirt in.

Strike Price

We are living through a week in which our government is allowing the British steel industry to go to the wall because it has to pay twice  as much for energy as competitors in, say, France and can't match the prices at which China is dumping excess capacity on us, while simultaneously agreeing to pay the French majority publicly owned EDF and the state-owned China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) twice the going rate for electricity from a nuclear power plant they will build at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

This is strategically and economically insane; practically treason to put it bluntly.

Spotted on the tube

Shoes for bees, edible hats, suede binbags, pasta tent, the Hover Kettle and waterproof jam. I've said it before but it's Dr Strabismus's world, we just live in it.

The Fields of Athenry

About an hour into the New Zealand France quarter final at the World Cup I was astounded to find the stadium ringing to the sound of thousands of Irish fans singing a song that I have now discovered is called The Fields of Anthenry. This came as something of a surprise to me as Ireland weren't due to play until the next day.

Wikipedia

"The Fields of Athenry" is an Irish folk ballad set during the Great Irish Famine (1845–1850) about a fictional man named Michael from near Athenry in County Galway who has been sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, Australia, for stealing food for his starving family. It is a widely known and popular anthem for Irish sports supporters.

It was actually written as late as the 1970s,and the most successful version was released by Paddy Reilly in 1982. So now we know. All together now.......

My regular shows

"Cyber-conspiracy thriller Mr Robot (Amazon Prime) has been US TV’s most talked-about new drama of 2015. Bafflingly, it took months for a UK broadcaster to snap up the rights. When someone eventually did, it was Amazon’s streaming service, where it’s likely to attract only a niche audience. A shame, as this is edgily exciting stuff." says the Telegraph, so I cued it up when I got in yesterday.

Having watched the Ireland Agentina quarter final at the Ruts and Australia versus Scotland in the Charles Holden though, I promptly fell asleep so I can't report on it.

My niece, Jazz, having hipped me to the Regular Show over the weekend, I was also pleased to see I can get the first two series of that free at the point of delivery on Prime.

The series revolves around the lives of two friends, a blue jay named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby—both employed as groundskeepers at a local park. Their regular attempts to slack off usually lead to surreal, extreme, and often supernatural misadventures. During these misadventures, they interact with the show's other main characters: Benson, Pops, Muscle Man, Hi-Five Ghost, Skips, Thomas, Margaret, Eileen and CJ.

Hi-Five Ghost: What's not to like?

away from the numbers

• Old Rutlishians U15A 0-43 KCS Boys U15A
• Ireland 20-43 Argentina
• Australia 35- 34 Scotland
• Carolina Panthers 27-23 Seattle Seahawks 23

You may safely say that the Ruts, the entire Northern hemisphere and my fledgling North American interests have had better days than today. Don't even get me started on Wales even though I was lucky enough to be at the Millennium on Saturday evening for the All Black master class.

Brian More says:

The joke started with an Englishman walking into a bar to find no Welsh, Irish, Scottish or French counterparts – they were all out watching their teams in the Rugby World Cup 2015. Well now they are all there but cannot get served because the Aussie barmen are watching all the semi-finals.

This is a low, but it won't hurt you

On 27 June 1998 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria South Africa beat Wales 96–13 at rugby. Almost exactly a year late, on 26 June 1999, we beat them 29–19 at the Millennium Stadium.

A fallow period followed but we beat them there again last November and, with a bit of luck will prevail again at Twickenham in the World Cup Quarter final in Twickenham this afternoon.

That ought to give us some perspective on the school losing 90-7 to Dulwich College yesterday. (I note that 'Diq was out, and Bill came off injured. You can't really afford to lose your only two Surrey squad forwards.)

As I watched Invictus on Amazon Prime lately I offer:

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Prodnose: Thought you were smart when you took them on,
But you didn't take a peep in their artillery room
All that rugby puts hairs on your chest
What chance have you got against a tie and a crest?

fried chicken vs. coffee shops

From the Strabismus Research Institute:

With the assumption that the ratio of coffee shops to chicken shops is an indication of future prosperity (with a resultant uplift in house prices), then the following characteristics make an area “legitimately” up and coming:

High density of coffee shops

Low density of chicken shops

Low house prices

And the results say…

Move to Peckham!

As well as Peckham, other areas of interest for property buyers on the hunt for the next best thing are: Southwark, Woolwich, Isle of Dogs, Colliers Wood, and Willesden Junction.

With the first report into how to predict London house prices complete, further investigation into other factors can duly follow.

Currently in the pipeline, are studies of the ratio of £1 stores: bicycle repair shops, fluctuations in the street price of coriander, and the density of shops selling quinoa…

Coffee in the Wood is putting pounds in my pocket it seems.

My fascinating life

Viv S Section

I've been on Amazon Prime for a while now and it is starting to recommend music to me. Over the last couple of weeks it has brought two Viv Stanshall albums to my attention: Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead and Sir Henry at Ndidi's Kraal.

I am old enough to remember when theses where hard to obtain rarities - they were certainly too hard for me to obtain - yet now I can add them to my library at no marginal cost at all. The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hooray!

Note to self: I must also listen to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pcklz

some are innies and some are outies

← Geoff Parling (England)
→ Kane Douglas (Australia)

← Jonathan Joseph (England)
→ Matt Giteau (Australia)

← Konstantin Mikautadze (Georgia)
→ Lood De Jager (South Africa)

← Vereniki Goneva (Fiji)
→ Keith Earls (Ireland)

I have made the swaps above to rid my squad of players whose teams haven't made it to the quarter finals, and I am still hanging on at the top of the leader board in our Ruts fantasy rugby world cup competition on SuperBru.

I've still got another couple of transfers left but I don't have to finalise my squad and starting line-up for another four and a bit days so I will wait for team announcements before my last tweaks.

I still have not the faintest idea how points are awarded though.

Prodnose: Take a look at http://www.superbru.com/rwcfantasy/how_to_play_scoring_fantasy.php.

"Charles III" II

I read in Vanity Fair that the Charles III, a play that imagines what might happen when the Prince of Wales ascends to the throne is to open on Broadway.

I saw it twice last year in the West End. The first time Melvyn Bragg was sitting next to me, and the second time I took a member of the Royal Household. I must have been an insider 2014. Now it's 2015 I am outside looking in again.

You know the Welsh football and rugby results from the weekend: two defeats but we are still through in both competitions. As I store memories here I will also record that the school lost 19-10 to the London Oratory and the club beat Bromley 19-7. Ben is off school sick today. I hope he is better in time for the Dulwich College game on Thursday.

She' s so modern

Peerage authorities have been called upon to determine if genetic material could be used to determine who should inherit the Pringle of Stichill baronetcy.

The Queen herself referred the case to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. 

The little-known court of top judges will rule on whether DNA evidence can lawfully be used to settle the issue of the hereditary title.

If approved, the use of DNA evidence in cases relating to hereditary titles could have far reaching consequences if 'pretenders' with genetic evidence of their birth right begin to emerge.

And to imagine Jeremy Corbin wasn't thrilled with the opportunity to join the Privy Council.

The Glidd of Glood, quite frankly, sounds less ridiculous, than the Pringle of Stichill.

Fixture Pile Up

This weekend I will be anxiously watching the following:

Sat 10:30 Rutlish School U15A v London Oratory School U15A: Friendly
Tony Blair and Nick Clegg sent their boys there. Will Rutlish send them packing?

Sat 16:45 Wales v Australia Rugby World Cup Group A
Both are already through to the quarter finals, but bragging rights and a potentially smoother path the final are at stake.

Sat 19:45 Bosnia-Herzegovina v Wales European Championship Qualifying Group B
Chris Coleman's side are unbeaten at the top of Group B as they bid to reach the finals of a major tournament for the first time since the 1958 World Cup. Wales need but a single point to reach next summer's European Championship finals in France.

Sun 11:00 Old Rutlishians U15 v Bromley RFC: Friendly
I am unfamiliar with Bromley but they beat Westcombe Park 38-10 in the first round of their cup competition so they are very likely no mugs.

I won't be able to watch the England Uraguay game as it clashes with Wales' football.

England Prepare For Quarter finals

Pacific Warriors

I am going to be watching the New Zealand v Tonga game in the Charles Holden this evening with the Colliers Wood Kiwi contingent, so Ben and I rented Pacific Warriors last night (you can get it on iTunes or Amazon Instant video) as part of my "we can be Tongan, just for one day" revision.

There is an interview with a guy called Jed Thian interspersed through the documentary which seems to have been filmed in the Old Ruts changing rooms as they were before the club was renovated. Another clue is the badge on the hoodie that is hanging behind him. Ben noticed it. I was oblivious as usual.

I knew there was a Ruts connection to the producer but I had no idea it went this far. I can't help but wonder if some of the other interviews were filmed in the bar now I replay it in my mind.

It is a great film by the way, and well worth a look.

today's selection news

In no particular order of significance.

1. The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2015 is awarded to the Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich, "for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time." I've never heard of her either.

2. Warren Gatland has ripped his Wales side apart to face Australia in the World Cup pool of death decider, making six changes from the XV that started against Fiji. In a series of shock selections, Gareth Anscombe starts at full-back, George North moves from wing to outside-centre, Justin Tipuric comes in to the back row at openside flanker - with captain Sam Warburton moving to blindside - and Paul James is preferred to Gethin Jenkins at loosehead prop. There is also a return for Liam Williams, with the Scarlets man coming on to the left wing to accommodate Anscombe in the No.15 jersey. Samson Lee also starts at tighthead and there's a change in the second row with Luke Charteris partnering Alun Wyn Jones instead of broken nose victim Bradley Davies.

Wales: G Anscombe; A Cuthbert, G North, J Roberts, L Williams; D Biggar, G Davies; P James, S Baldwin, S Lee; L Charteris, AW Jones; S Warburton, J Tipuric, T Faletau.

Reps: K Owens, A Jarvis, T Francis, J Ball, R Moriarty, Ll Williams, R Priestland, J Hook.

Australia: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Scott Sio, Stephen Moore (captain), Sekope Kepu, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Scott Fardy, Sean McMahon, David Pocock.

Reps: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Rob Simmons, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.

What would Henry Newbolt say?

Ye that with me have fought and failed and fought
To the last desperate trench of battle's crest,
Not yet to sleep, not yet; our work is nought;
On that last trench the fate of all may rest,
Draw near, my friends; and let your thoughts be high;
Great hearts are glad when it is time to give;
Life is no life to him that dares not die,
And death no death to him that dares to live.

Draw near together; none be last or first;
We are no longer names, but one desire;
With the same burning of the soul we thirst,
And the same wine to-night shall quench our fire.
Drink! to our fathers who begot us men,
To the dead voices that are never dumb;
Then to the land of all our loves, and then
To the long parting, and the age to come.

Attention English press and English people. All this bitching and moaning about your rugby side when you still have a game to play is embarrassing and unseemly. You should all get together to offer full-throated support to England in their last World Cup game against Uruguay. You owe them at least that before moving on to the inevitable time-honoured tradition of ritual human sacrifice that accompanies the passing of the torch in any of your national teams.

Prodnose: So there!

Myself: That'll learn 'em.

When memory disappears

Life with dementia — misery, anger, sadness, dark comedy — is an awkward teeter between despair and hope ... more »

Football Echo

Yesterday afternoon, I managed to secure the only spot in the Royal Standard (and perhaps in Colliers Wood) from which I could follow the first half of Ireland sneaking past Italy on a TV in the bar at the same time as the second half of Arsenal 3 - Manchester Utd 0 on a telly in the lounge.

I am still top of the Ruts SuperBru fantasy rugby contest after round 2, but with less of a lead.

I was thinking this morning that I would have to transfer my England players before the start of round three, forgetting - such is their humiliation - that they still have a pool game against Uruguay.

I am off to see Brian Moore and Michael Lynagh at Bookfest tonight. That should be interesting in light of last weekend's England Australia game. The ex-England hooker calls for calm in the Telegraph this morning.

twixt cup and lip

Australia have put England out of the World Cup, which means Wales are definitely through to the quarter finals. I am delighted but find myself curiously flat about the English disappointment and in no mood to crow.

Ben turned out for the Club U16s (the year above his age group) today. They beat Rosslyn Park away very convincingly (43-12 as I recall) on their 3G pitch and under (though they were off, of course) floodlights that were paid for by Oliver Reed.

The school has drawn Dulwich College in the next round of the NatWest Cup. A school with such resources that they are the official team base of the Australian World Cup squad. The odds will be stacked against them, but I am sure they will do us proud.

entitlement

Wimbledon Bookfest is back for 2008.

Having read it earlier this year I went to see Catherine Mayer on Charles: The Heart of a King at quarter past four.

Remarkable woman; she talks off the cuff in complete sentences and paragraphs. Not many people can do that these days.

While we are on the subject of books, let me recommend Denis Healey's autobiography The Time of My Life, as a tribute on his passing at the age of 98. It is a wonderfully wide-ranging tome and - as I recall - introduced me to the works of Elmore Leonard in a passing reference. it is difficult to image a contemporary politician's reminisces doing anything similar.

My brain hurts

Wales and the school won yesterday, both rather faded in the second half though.

Rutlish U15 put away Richard Challoner School to progress to round 3 of the NatWest Cup. Ben got three tries at outside half. It was 45-5 at half time but 59-33 at the end of the game which means the boys conceded five tries in the second half. Taking your foot off the accelerater doesn't begin to cover it.

As regards Wales and the group of death, Saturday night's England Australia game is crucial.

If England lose to Australia they are out and Wales are through with the Wallabies.

If England draw with Australia but don't pick up an attacking bonus point, Wales will be through to the quarter-finals but the hosts could still catch the Wallabies.

If England draw with Australia and pick up an attacking bonus point they can still catch Wales or the Wallabies so all three sides will be in the equation on the final weekend.

If England defeat the Wallabies, regardless of bonus points, all three sides will be in the equation going into the final weekend with Pool leaders Wales needing AT LEAST one bonus point to secure qualification. The hosts would be in pole position with Wales and Australia facing a potential boom or bust showdown.

Thus Australia have to beat England, as otherwise things will get so knotty my head will explode.

Lime and Thyme on my dime

We went to a place called Lime and Thyme in Raynes Park for Ben's birthday yesterday. I would say it is more at the bistro than fine-dining end of the scale, but none the worse for that. It is a favourite of his - Jane takes him for breakfast there from time to time on the weekend - and now of mine as well.

While we are on the subject of scran, I noticed this Schwartz Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork mix in Sainsburys last week. I don't imagine it will live up to a butt out of my smoker but it may be worth trying out.

The recipe calls for 1 sachet Schwartz Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe Mix, 1.4kg (3lbs) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat, 125ml (5oz) tomato ketchup, 2 tbs brown sugar and 3 tbs cider or white wine vinegar.

The ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar lift may be worth remembering even when I am working with my more usual Dunn's River seasoning of choice.

Synchronicity

Wimbledon's "Best Coffee Shop" turns two.

Ben turns fifteen.

directly, quickly, awake, looking at it

I have finished reading Elia Kazan: A Biography, and started The Gun: The Story of the AK-47. I can't see any theme or pattern either.

Both titles, as ever, were purchased from Amazon for my Kindle. Kazan's story is interesting despite author Richard Schickel's best efforts.

It is amazing to think that, if I was of a mind, there are nine Kazan movies on Amazon Instant Video that I could queue up and watch without delay.

Gentleman's Agreement 1947
A Streetcar Named Desire 1951
Viva Zapata 1952
On The Waterfront 1954
East Of Eden 1955
Wild River 1960
Splendor in the Grass 1961
America America 1963
The Arrangement 1969

That would have seemed miraculous a few years ago, and I might even do it if I didn't have to work for a living.

There is also a connection to Anton Corbijn's new movie about James Dean which is set just after he had made East of Eden.

You're Darn Tootin'

Ben's grandparents have given me money to pay for his monthly mobile phone charges for six months or so as a birthday present. We lucked out when I was in Cardiff this weekend trying to convert this to vouchers that could be presented to him, but this morning I have discovered "you can top-up by a voucher between £10-£50 from any Three store, or from any shop in the UK where you see the green Top-up logo".

There is a Three shop in Tooting High Street that is open until 8pm on Mondays so I can pick up vouchers on the way to the Antelope quiz tonight. The cash may yet be weaponised into a genuine gift as opposed to rascal counters!

Prodnose (curled of lip, turned up of nose): Fascinating.

Myself: That is the quotidian reality of my life mate.

Ian Faith: For one thing that goes wrong... one... one single thing that goes wrong, a hundred things go right. Do you know what I spend my time doing? I sleep two or three hours a night. There's no sex and drugs for Ian, David. Do you know what I do? I find lost luggage. I locate mandolin strings in the middle of Austin!

Veni, vidi, vici

England 25 Wales 28.

Later today Spike's beloved Chicago Bears visit my beloved (though rather neglected of late due to the Rugby World Cup) Seattle Seahawks.

Trimmo's Pulled Pork

I am back in Cardiff - and off the grid - on one of my regular visits to see how mum and dad are getting on so this post has been scheduled on Friday.

I will be watching the England Wales game in Bronwydd Avenue, but if you are in the smoke and don't have a ticket for Twickenham you could do a lot worse than the Old Ruts Rugby Club, The Clubhouse, Poplar Road, Merton Park. London SW19 3JS.

69-10

The school U15s beat Rodborough School 69-10 yesterday in the first round of the County Cup with Ben apearing at outside half and scoring three tries.

This means that they will face either Howard of Effingham or Gordon's School in the next round early in November.

Howard of Effingham beat Rutlish 15-12 in the U14 County Cup Final in 2014 (the Bomber played for Rutlish a year above his age in that) so there may be a chance of revenge.

To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war

Last night, the BBC iPlayer recommended I watch this series following the race for the crown every curry house in the principality wants to win - Welsh Curry House of the Year.

It's good stuff, presenting me with a few new places to check out in Cardiff, making me sentimental about Newcastle Emlyn, and reminding us all (in a time when the media doesn't give us much positive about Muslims) what big hearted British Bangladeshi restaurateurs have contributed to our lives since the 70s.

hello cheeky

Geoffrey Smeddle's sensational pork cheeks recipe includes a ham hock bon bon, crushed swede and spiced apple compote.

It is unlikely to feature on the menu at No 10 or Chequers any time soon.

See also headcheese (Icons passim), satire fans.

The missing links

Surrey Rugby have got a new website for this season.

The Ruts U15As League 1 fixtures are on (deep breath) -
http://surreyrugby.co.uk/junior-competitions/cbre-u15-leagues/u15-league-1-2015-2016/team/23-U15+league+1+2015+-+2016/183-Old+Rutlishians+U15A

And the table is on -
http://surreyrugby.co.uk/junior-competitions/cbre-u15-leagues/u15-league-1-2015-2016

For the U15Bs the League 4 fixtures and table respectively are on
http://surreyrugby.co.uk/junior-competitions/cbre-u15-leagues/u15-league-4-2015-2016/team/39-U15+league+4+2015+-+2016/209-Old+Rutlishians+U15B
and
http://surreyrugby.co.uk/junior-competitions/cbre-u15-leagues/u15-league-4-2015-2016

(The matches don't seem to be coming up for the Bs yet though.)

Inspired by this I took a look at last season's U14 results in the Sussex leagues on
http://www.sussexrugby.co.uk/competitions-96/sussex-rfu-youth-league-u14-league-1-9911/

Worthing came second in division 1 last season winning all their games except a draw with Jersey and a fourteen to five draw with Brighton. That makes our four tries to two win last Sunday look like a good early season indicator, and sets up our away friendly in Brighton on November 1, nicely.

( I also need to store up https://gms.rfu.com/Gateway/CompetitionDetail.aspx?GroupID=9686 so I can check up how this year's league opponents got on in 2014/15).

Droning On And On

I suppose the world is just going to have to deal with the fact that there will be little but rugby here while the world cup is on.

There's no modest way of announcing this. After round 1, I am top of the Ruts World Cup Fantasy Rugby competition with 219 points.

ticking over

I watched four games of rugby today. Ruts U14B versus Worthing B, the As against Worthing A, then Wales v Uruguay followed by the All Blacks against the Pumas.

The B's lost, the A's won 22-13, and the Welsh and New Zealand games went according to the form book.

I am not entirely convinced this is adds up to an entirely healthy and balanced Sunday though, Wimbledon Brewery ale being available after the kids' games and both the World Cup fixtures watched with a glass in hand.

phantasmagoria

Position Player Team Prop Marcos Ayerza Argentina Hooker Agustin Creevy Argentina Prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro Argentina Lock Geoff Parling England Lock Konstantin Mikautadze Georgia Loose Forward Sam Warburton Wales Loose Forward Justin Tipuric Wales Loose Forward Kieran Read New Zealand Scrumhalf Gareth Davies Wales Flyhalf Daniel Carter New Zealand Outside Back Simon Zebo Ireland Centre Jonathan Joseph England Centre Vereniki Goneva Fiji Outside Back Jonny May England Outside Back Mike Brown England

Here is my starting 15 for round 1 of the Ruts World Cup Fantasy Rugby competition. I am second with 64 points after the England Fiji game last night, and Konstantin Mikautadze gives me an interest in the Tonga v Geogia game that just kicked off.

a tail of two cups

The World Cup is finally here. I got a call from my brother John yesterday saying he had got me a ticket for the Millennium Stadium semi final on October 17 (Winner Pool C v Runner Up Pool D).

Closer to SW19, Rutlish U15s have drawn Richard Challoner School in the 2nd round of the NatWest Cup and I who I noticed, on www.schoolsrugby.co.uk, walloped Bishop Thomas Grant School 81-19 in the first round.

As that looked a bit worrying, I dug deeper and found - this may be more detail than you need - that Richard Challoner lost 43-7 to Royal Alexandra and Albert at U14 Nov last year after Rutlish had beaten Royal A&A 34-12 in October.

As for Bishop Thomas Grant, admittedly they played Kings College and Whitgift last year, but they played the D teams so they can't be highly rated.

Still a job to do, but panic over for the moment.

Be still my beating heart

we've got about 160,000 auction photos to archive so this new AWS offering looks handy, not that S3 ever cost that much anyway.

Dear Amazon Web Services customer, 

We are excited to announce a new, lower-cost Amazon S3 storage class for data that is accessed less frequently. Amazon S3 Standard - Infrequent Access (Standard - IA) offers the high durability, low latency, and high throughput of Amazon S3 Standard, but with prices starting at $0.0125 per GB per month, $0.01 per GB retrieval fee, and a 30-day storage minimum. This combination of low cost and high performance makes Standard - IA ideal for long-term file storage, backups, and disaster recovery. 

Additionally, effective September 1, 2015, we are decreasing the price of Amazon Glacier storage by up to 36% for the US East (Northern Virginia), US West (Oregon), and Europe (Ireland) regions. Today's price drop continues the AWS tradition of reducing our costs and passing the savings along to our customers. This price reduction will take effect automatically and no action is required on your part. 

You can now choose between three Amazon S3 storage classes that are designed for 99.999999999% durability: Standard, Standard - IA, and Amazon Glacier. Amazon S3 Standard is secure, highly scalable object storage with very low latency, high throughput, and a Service Level Agreement (SLA) of 99.9% availability, making it suitable for a wide variety of applications and workloads that frequently access data such as business applications, dynamic web sites, content distribution, and big data analytics. For data that is less active, but must be immediately accessible when needed, the new Amazon S3 Standard - IA introduces a reduced per GB storage price, with an availability SLA of 99%. For longer-term archiving where immediate access is not required, Amazon Glacier is the lowest cost Amazon S3 storage option, available for as little as $0.007/GB per month. 

Amazon S3 also allows you to define configurable lifecycle policies at the bucket level that will automatically move objects to the preferred storage option. For example, you can store data into the Amazon S3 Standard storage class, move it to Standard - IA 30 days after it has been uploaded, and then to Amazon Glacier 60 days later. These transitions happen without any changes to the application, or to the Amazon S3 bucket where the object is stored. 

For more information on today's announcements, read the AWS blog and visit theAmazon S3 webpage. 

Sincerely, 
The Amazon Web Services Team

Spectrumm

I had to go the office on Sunday when I got back from Wales to work on a bid. The Bikini Beach Band were playing so I whipped out the iPhone to preserve it for posterity. It was all part of something called the Spectrumm Festival (a weekend of free pop-up events at Merton Abbey Mills) that had somehow passed me by. I guess it shows how distracted I am lately.

They have been inching the BlundaBus (a double decker bar and venue) out of the site this morning. Rather Mick than me.

And they're off

The school U15s have successfully navigated round one of the NatWest Cup with a 40-21 win away at Hinchley Wood School including a score from Ben. They are in the London & SE A group.

Wednesday's game with Christ's Hospital has been postponed, which may be a blessing in disguise at this stage of the season as they were the Sussex champions last year and came out of the traps with a 52-0 in the first game of this campaign.

Fingers crossed this means the boys will be rested and confident for the next game which is a home Surrey Cup fixture with Rodborough School a week today.

Catholic Throwdown

Jack White and Stephen Colbert's Catholic throwdown plus red wine could help slow dementia onset (but you'd have to drink 1,000 bottles a day). You'd have to be one of my brothers or sisters to understand quite how neatly this juxtaposition encapsulates the weekend I have just spent with mum and dad.

Education is important but rugby is importanter

In the week the World cup kicks off, here is a little crib on the Kiwi's haka.

Lifestyle Fitness

I am back down in Cardiff, helping run Mum and Dad round on various errands. Part of that will be taking the old fella to Lifestyle Fitness club in Rover Way today.

Looking at the website yesterday I saw a could get a day pass for myself at a reasonable £7.50 so that is what I have done. I didn't manage to train when I was last down a fortnight ago, or indeed when I was in Wales the fortnight before that, so an account with Lifestyle Fitness (email username and usual password) should be just the job for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

I sell mirrors to the blind

I see, by the miracle of writing here almost every day, that I have been doing yoga for getting on six years now, but I didn't understand until I came across the video clip above this morning that I should - in Steve Maxwell's terms - be working towards being more mobile rather than more flexible.

You should watch it as well.

a problem you didn't know you had

YoYo Mat is the world's only self-rolling fitness and yoga mat. It stays flat when in use and rolls up by itself tightly when you are done!

Apple launch yesterday? Schmapple launch yesterday!

Dr Strabismus of Utrecht is working hard on about fourteen thousand and fifty new inventions. These include a collapsible salt-bag, a bottle with its neck in the middle, a rice-sifter, a stanchion to prop up other stanchions, a suet-container, a fog-horn key, a leather grape, a new method of stencilling on ivory, basalt cubes for roofing swimming baths, a fox-trap, a dummy jelly-fish, waterproof onions, false teeth for swordfish, a method of freezing meat-skewers, a hand-woven esparto grass egg-cosy which plays Thora when released from the egg, a glass stilt, a revolving wheel-barrow, an iron thumb for postmen, a hash-pricker, a beer-swivel with blunt flanges and a red go-by, a fish-detector, a screw for screwing screws into other screws, hot pliers, a plush sausage-sharpener, a rope-soled skate for use in mountain quarries, an oiled cork for use in rabbit-hutches, a cheese anchor and a chivet for screaming radishes.

Meet the Bohos

I read about Bohemian guitars this morning on the Amazon Web Services 'blog this morning. Jeff Barr interviewed one of their founders at the at the AWS Loft in San Francisco. Recycled oil can guitars! Why didn't anyone think of that before?

I am going to the AWS Pop-up Loft London Opening Party on Thursday because I am so ineffably cool.

Educating Cardiff

A British jihadist has been killed by UK forces in Syria after he directed a plot to kill the Queen, it emerged on Monday night.

In a move David Cameron said was “a new departure” for Britain, Reyaad Khan was last month assassinated in an RAF drone strike after security services uncovered his bid to stage a terror attack in the UK.

The Prime Minister said that it is the first time UK forces have directed a targeted attack against one of its own citizens when Britain is not at war.

......

The Prime Minister authorised the strike without the approval of Parliament but said that it did not require a vote because it was an act of “self-defence” for which there was a “clear legal basis”.

Wow, that is - once again - the Reyaad Khan (see Icons Passim) who went to Willows and then St David's just round the corner from Bronwydd Avenue. Does this mean he wasn't killed as previously reported in July? I shed no tears for him, but I don't know what I make of this "clear legal basis."

If I had been born later I would have gone to St David's. My generation went to St Illtyd's in Cardiff. We did Robert Bolt's A Man for all Seasons at O level.

What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? ... And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you – where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's, and if you cut them down – and you're just the man to do it – do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!

Stiffen the sinews

Simon Church's injury-time goal being ruled out for offside at the end of a goalless draw with Israel, the champagne is still on ice as Chris Coleman's side have not yet absolutely confirmed an end to Wales' 57-year absence from major soccer tournaments.

A damp squib of a weekend for the Principality's rugby and football teams really.

The Bomber's rugby season is now under way. We had the first weekend training session at the Ruts yesterday and their first game is a friendly against Worthing Sunday week.

The school's U15 schedule is on http://www.schoolsrugby.co.uk/Team.aspx?ID=901&TID=334057. Their first game is a NatWest cup fixture a week today.

I ought to add http://www.schoolsrugby.co.uk/Team.aspx?ID=901&TID=334055 to my resources here as well in case he turns out for the year above this season as he did in the big games last year.

Be careful what you wish for

I blogged earlier this week that http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbctwo?area=wales was the link needed to watch BBC2 Wales last night on a browser to get the Wales Italy game live on the iPlayer.

This link won't work on the apps you get on other things like the iPad or Amazon Fire Stick but I have discovered that on them that if you go to settings and change your location to Wales you get BBC2 Wales by default when you watch live. This would have been a handy thing to have discovered a long time ago for all sorts of coverage we can't get in Sarf Lahndan, and worked a treat at 5pm last night.

Now that the smoke has cleared, and with Webb and Halfpenny as casualties I almost wish I hadn'r seen the game. That said I have stumped up my £6.99 this morning to Sky Now so I can get the Wales Israel footie tonight.

The New Colossus?

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

Many Obstacles Are Seen to U.S. Taking in Large Number of Syrian Refugees - The New York Times, yesterday.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Behold, he that keepeth Israel

I've turned the sound down, but unless the source gets removed for copyright reasons last night's winning goal against Cyprus will loop here for ever.

Wales manager Chris Coleman has urged fans to get "carried away" but says he and his players will not do so until they have qualified for Euro 2016.

Having beaten Cyprus 1-0 on Thursday, Wales can seal qualification with victory against Israel on Sunday.

Coleman believes ending Wales' 58-year absence from a major tournament would be just reward for the supporters.

"For the Welsh supporters waiting for us to get back home, get excited," Coleman said.

"My message to them is to get carried away. Enjoy this - they've waited a long time.

But we can't get carried away. I can't, the players can't, my staff can't and we won't."

The story so far

About tonight:

By winning in Cyprus and defeating Israel, Wales would go to 20 points. That would mean Israel and Cyprus could only reach 18 points at best.

Even if Bosnia draw in Brussels, the maximum total they could then reach from their last three games would also be 18.

 So Wales would be in the finals, with Belgium almost certainly joining them from Group B.

If Bosnia defeat Belgium and also take maximum points from their other games, the most they could get to would be 20.

Wales would already be on that tally, meaning a draw at home to Andorra would be enough. It would also mean Belgium could only get to 20 points themselves and because Wales have the better head-to-head results against them that would stand Coleman's side in good stead.

But what if we don't win these September games? Well that’s feasible and why the mathematics make it hard to work out. But even if Wales were to lose the next three games - Cyprus (away), Israel (home), Bosnia (away) they have a get out of jail free card at home to Andorra.

That would take them to 17 points and in truth that could well be enough, anyhow.
Remember, the Wales doomsday scenario would be based on us losing and the other sides collecting close on maximum points hauls, but they have to play each other anyhow so something has to give.

Bosnia and Israel each have to visit Belgium, while Cyprus also play them. The Belgians are likely to win most of those games.

Israel also meet Cyprus, while the Cypriots take on Bosnia at home in their last match.

It's all too much of an ice cream headache for me. I think I will bin the Cyprus game and just go out for a couple of sun downers with the burglar after work before heading back home for the new Danny Baker sitcom. If we beat Cyprus I will be glued to Sky Sports One on Sunday night for the Israel game though.

A slow news day

A bridge in Merton has been revealed as one of the top places in the country to play Poohsticks.

The white "fairy-tale" bridge in Morden Hall Park was named by Visit England as the second best in the country to play the stick-racing game, made famous by the fictional children's book character Winnie the Pooh.

The game involves dropping sticks over a bridge and waiting to see whose stick emerges from the other side of the bridge first.

Described as a "serene oasis at the end of the Northern Line", the National Trust park's bridge was judged as the best place in London to play the game.

Thrilling eh? You should live near such a park. So what if the survey found it to be only the second best in the country. Second to what? Sheepwash Bridge in Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire. Sheepwash Bridge in Ashford? Sheepwash Bridge in Schmashford!

Beer by the River, Morden Hall Park has got this weekend. You prefer a sheep dipping bridge? Here, feel a gabardine—how can you doubt?

Ranking

The final world cup warm up game against Italy in the Millenium Stadium is at 5 o'clock in Saturday. it is only going to be shown on the regional BBC2 Wales channel so those of us who live in England will have to watch it on the iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbctwo?area=wales.

The Welsh win against Ireland on Saturday moved them up to fifth in the world rugby rankings ahead of England who have slipped to sixth.

There are two important Welsh football internationals coming up, both on Sky Sports 1; Cyprus away on Thursday and then Israel at home on Sunday. If we win both we will have qualified for the European Championships. The first time we have got the the finals of a major event for over half a century.

More good news is that rankings expert Eduard Ranghiuc, has predicted that when the latest FIFA figures are published on September 3, Wales will be at number nine and above England at ten. Four years ago they were 117th.

That is right, come Thursday Wales will be above England in the world rankings in rugby and football simultaneously.