Monthly Archives: January 2014
STAX – NEW BOOK AND SOME OLD FAVOURITES
Neil Spencer in Observer 19.1.14, at http://tinyurl.com/qzrukc7/ reviewed Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion, by Robert Gordon, and provided a link to Carla Thomas singing Gee Whiz, which was the studio’s first big hit – http://tinyurl.com/ny44not/ Here follows … Continue reading
YOUTUBE V. SPOTIFY – THE RESULTS
Better late than never, I have been giving Spotify a run and finding it useful, although not quite as comprehensive as it likes to think.. I always have a pocketful of recommendations for records to check out and up to … Continue reading
READING FOR BOYS – THE ORIGINAL ARK
In furtherance of my vague idea of a book of the sort of stuff I might have liked to read at the age of eight or nine, I have saved below a slightly shortened version – trimmed but not shorn … Continue reading
FILOFACTS ON MOTORING – DIY DIAGNOSIS
Computeractive magazine, sept-oct 2007, had a good article by Mark Whitehorn about plugging your car into your laptop in order to use the car’s computerised fault diagnosis system, like the garage does. You can find the full article, Get … Continue reading
MANAGERIALISM – SCOURGE OF BUSINESS
Stephen Kinnock, son of Neil, wants to become an MP, having done his time in the world of work, we are told. It turns out he is “employed by business advisory service Xynteo”. I could do some research but … Continue reading
THE COST OF STUDENTS
With a whistle and a groan, I pass on the following extracts from a Guardian report, Jan 15, 2014, saying that £6 of the higher education budget is now being spent on writing off student loan debts for every £1 … Continue reading
REMEMBERING THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
It is a little early to celebrate it but we are coming up to the 200th anniversary of the fight commemorated in one of America’s favourite records of all time. The main Battle Of New Orleans actually took place in … Continue reading
QUOTES TO FILE
On MATURITY or GROWING UP Eccentric DJ Andy Kershaw, in his autobiography No Off Switch, said: “A man’s life is not complete until he has tasted love, poverty and war.” On HILLSBOROUGH Letter to Guardian, 15/12/2012: “We can all … Continue reading
ELMORE’S RULES OF WRITING
Finally, for the Filofacts section of this site, which is supposed to build into the essential steam-powered go-anywhere personal organiser, here are Elmore’s 10 Rules For Writers, summarised by me from a summary in the Guardian – http://tinyurl.com/kd3g4lr/ – when … Continue reading
hack4hire 
FLOATING OUT OF REACH OF BOTH GEORGE AND ED
Been a floating voter most of my life, so I am monitoring my own reactions to the beginnings of the next general election campaign with interest. George Osborne’s sudden conversion to the idea of a decent minimum wage does him … Continue reading →