Early bath for England - Winter break the Answer

The defeat of England by Iceland will mean an in depth look into English football which will affect not only the Premier League but the English Football League.

On the match itself, England were dyer and Roy Hodgson rightfully resigned after the game before he was pushed out of the door. All the sports pundits seem to be as one saying Hodgson had no idea what his best team was and for all the talk about previous game about it been all England if you don’t score you don’t win.

The Premier League is branded has the best in the world but the FA cannot find a squad to represent their country. Back to an old subject there are too many foreigners playing in the Premier League. If Hodgson was allowed to play, any players who played in the Premier last season how many of his squad would have made the Euro 2016 championship squad if any.

I think a winter break will now happen but will not reduce the chances of English success but hey, the FA will be expecting to buy a new trophy cabinet because a week or so off is the way to succeed. The Welsh players played just as many games as their English counterparts and are not on a plane home.

Labour Party - Jeremy Corbyn - Turmoil in the Party

Interesting times if you are a Labour supporter with the party in turmoil after the fallout from the EU referendum campaign. You cannot really call it a campaign in Jeremy Corbyn case because when he had something to say it was normal workers’ rights and dodging campaigning with Tories. While Labour voters all over the country were talking immigration.

The Labour parties’ inability to deal with immigration is the corner stone of all the current problems and the failure of the remain MPs in particular to acknowledge the rumblings. When asked about what there were hearing on the door immigration would be way down the list. However, when an interviewer and others asked it was near always immigration either for or against.

He FAILED to bring in the Labour vote so he must stand up and be counted with his leadership on the line. I never voted for him and if there was an election tomorrow, he could not count on my vote and I am a lifetime Labour voter. Someone told me the other day a plank of wood has more of a chance of winning the next election than Corbyn. That the time of writing 28 shadow ministers and junior ministers have step down from their posts, resigned with more expected.

News outlets are now waiting on the Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office: Tom Watson which way will he go, stick with Corbyn, or knife him. Corbyn is fighting back announcing new shadow ministers replacing those who have resigned. Corbyn is expected to promote allies into the vacant jobs moving the party even further to the left like Diane Abbott, promoted to shadow health secretary.

He also made it clear if he was to be removed has party leader he would stand in any leadership election. If he were to with the support of the Unions and the membership, he could once again be elected leader of the Labour party. A motion of no confidence is set to be considered at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting, with the possibility of a secret vote on Tuesday.

The Frankenstein Theory - Film Review

After a disappointing search last night to find something on the Horror Channel that would scare the living daylights out of me this morning I happened on ‘The Frankenstein Theory’ so thought I would give it a go.

I was not optimistic for this film has I tapped in my password I was just hoping it was worth watching to the end. The benchmark I set for all films is very simple, was I entertained. This film fell short of that as I found a lack of suspense or drama disappointing but others could find something in the film.

The film is about Professor John Venkenheim (Kris Lemche) who believes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was based on a real event that went terribly wrong. He leads a documentary film crew with his old college friend Vicky Stephens (Heather Stephens) to the rim of the Arctic Circle in a desperate effort to vindicate his reputation. With guide Karl McCallion (Timothy V. Murphy), they plan to try to locate the Frankenstein 'monster’ living in the vast, frozen wilderness.

What really carries this movie is the acting. The characters come across as real people who are in a bad situation. The parts are played with subtlety and finesse. There were some funny moments that worked, which eased the tension before it was ratcheted up again. However, it did little to ratchet up my fear levels.

Finally, I thought the premise was clever. I can't give it higher than a four because it is "found footage" style, and, frankly, I'm getting sick of that type of film. I worked out what was going to be the ending soon as the killing started.

My TV - Must see TV - Week beginning 25/06/2016

Another week of my TV choices viewing ahead with offers of new shows/series, which have been thin on the ground recently. Here is my must watch list for the upcoming week.

Going back to last week for a minute the highlight for me was… Game of Thrones "Battle of the Bastards". It was an epic piece of TV and something I was dying to write about but with friends yet to watch the episode I held back. It was a TV masterpiece.

MOTD: Euro 2016 BBC1 5pm Saturday

Wales v Northern Ireland

Wales in the last 16! Is there anything else to watch? After topping their Group B, the reward is a game against a team who finish third in their Group. So it was Northern Ireland, on paper the under dogs but this is football so nothing should be taken for granted. Progression to the Quarterfinals and a game against Hungary and on to the Semi Final, who knows.

Up Pompeii Gold (Film) 9:15pm Sunday

Frankie Howard is (Lurcio) who based his whole theatrical career on dodgy double innuendos and this film is full of them. His habit of making asides directly to the audience via the camera is hilarious. In fact, most of the comedy lies in those two attributes. The visual side of the film, the physical comedy, is more or less one long chase scene funny in places.

There are some very funny scenes though. The orgy and its aftermath and the wrestling match stand out. The ending is very clever too. Playing Voluptua is the goddess that is Julie Ege and Madeline Smith is Erotica

Game of Thrones: Iffy internet stream 7am Monday

After the last episode ‘Battle of the Bastards’ this finale could be a bit of a damp squid, hopefully not. This episode is 20 minutes longer and is called ‘The Winds of Winter’. From the official trailer the episode will tie up a few storylines with things happening in Kings Landing looking interesting.

Then a year long wait for the new series and i just don't know what I will do with my Monday. I could re-watch the whole series again.

The Living and the Dead: BBC1 9pm Tuesday

It promises to be an eerie new six-period drama. Like a lot of BBC drama it debut on the iPlayer however I prefer to wait for it to hit the TV screen. What is it about a young couple inherit a farm in rural Somerset where their new life is threatened my disturbing supernatural events.

All 6 episodes are available BBC iPlayer if after watching the first one you feel the need for a viewing feast. I myself will be waiting has I enjoy the anticipating of each episode/

Ramsay’s Hotel Hell: C4 10pm Thursday

Arrives, meets the staff, and immediately finds something wrong with hygiene/security at reception or in his room. Has a meal and hates everything, finds some staff/family clashes, gets previous customers to feedback bad reviews, shouts, deals out psychology, simplifies the menu, does some simple renovation, re-invigorates chef's passion ... hey presto.

Surprise, Surprise I Voted IN - Shocked Me - Oh Well

To the polling booth for this divided country with everyone saying the outcome is too hard to call. The thing is being a postal voter my decision was made over two weeks ago so the madness of the last few weeks mean little to me so I have been standing at the side of the road watching.

Would I have changed my postal vote… yes I think I would have. I wrote a few weeks back I was always in the out camp and was surprise that it was not as easy as that when it came to making my vote.

With my voting form open in front of me and just has I was going to make my mark I paused? I started to way things up at this late stage and I could not believe it…. Earlier blog post.

Yes, all of a sudden I was questioning myself and took myself away for a few hours in serious thought. The ‘OUT’ people are all dodgy figures and immigration with the ‘IN’ votes just the same with their rhetoric but it was my vote. I decided to vote ‘IN’ and I could not believe it has I sealed the envelope.

Why? Because I believe, the rest of the European Union will have to sit up and listen especially if the vote is as close as everyone believes. The British Government should make the stand on immigration bringing back full border controls and keep records on all entrants in and out of the country. Maybe the ID cards that were discussed a few years back with more thought on the subject.

If the vote is to leave, it could be a bit of a mystery tour. Scotland are expected to vote to stay in and a leave vote could lead to calls and demands for another independence referendum. The European Union are talking of playing hardball with a messy divorce.

Oh well I am not expecting either the winners or losers to stay quiet when the result is announced I also expect both to declare themselves winners whatever the result if the vote is close.

EFL Cup - Away Trip to Bristol Rovers - The Junior Sevenside Derby

Normally the draw for the first round of the League Cup, now the ELF League Cup is made the day before the Fixtures release will in recent years anyway. I was surprised when Sky Sports News announced it would take place at 1pm today I simply had no idea.

The Bluebirds are one of 70 who feature in Round one with Newcastle and Norwich, both relegated from the Premier League in May, handed byes through to round two. Cardiff are seeded and could have face any of the below

There were some tasty fixtures in their two that jump out at me are Newport County and Bristol Rovers. The League Cup has always been seen second rate to the FA Cup but because the competition is treated so badly by most of the clubs, it can be an easy route to a Wembley Final. I like cup runners myself and hope the City’s new boss Paul Trollope fancies a cup run as well.

The draw was live on Facebook on the EFL Cup page a bit of a novelty but the future. Former Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, and England player Ray Wilkins picked out the balls and started with the Northern draw.

The non-seeded teams were pre picked on a home and away basis. In the southern draw, the second name drawn out of the hat was Cardiff who faced an away trip to Bristol Rovers for a junior sevenside derby. It has been awhile since the two clubs have faced each other in the league the last to meets have been in cup competitions. Both of which Cardiff won with this fixture likely to be played 8/9 Aug and should draw a big travelling Cardiff support.

Fixture for 2016/17 – It is like Christmas - Away at Birmingham first game

Was the wait worth it! Oh, yes, because it means the new season is getting closer. I love Fixture Release Day! Being a fan of a proud Welsh club not even the rebranding of the Football League to the English Football League with the new logo EFL cannot spoil my enjoyment.

Did you get all excited when you woke up as if it was Christmas morning and you were a kid who could not open your presents until 9am? I remember when you have to wait until the local paper printed a full fixture list in the afternoon. A click of a button gives me access to the full fixture list has internet servers around the world took a spike in demand.

We now know who we play and when of course subject to alterations by TV companies, the police, Rugby internationals, and god. The normal appetizer the draw before the big fixture release of the first round draw for the League/Carling cup did not happen yesterday.

No South Wales derby after the West Wales scum managed to pull themselves away from relegation trouble and it helped that the Bluebirds screwing up a chance of promotion via the play-offs, always a long shot anyway. However, there are plenty of grudge matches to spice the season up. The list of competitors for Cardiff City’s promotion spot are Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bristol City, Burton Albion, Derby County, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers, Reading, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There are still some juicy fixtures next season with old rivalries. The Midlands will play heavy on the Bluebirds fixture list with relegated Aston Villa joining Birmingham and Wolves. The Sevenside derby with Bristol City is always a heated encounter. The longest trip will be to Newcastle and the trip to Norwich, which can be a pain. It’s not often hard-core travelling fans get to visit a new ground, Burton Albion will be a first for lots of fans.

A lot will be made of a top six finish for this new upcoming season, at least a Play-off spot. But I believe automatic promotion must be the target/goal as I am not a fan of the play offs preferring the top three are promoted. The first fixtures I look out for is the first and last games of the season then Boxing Day. There are 46 league games next season all together and not counting cup games that is a lot of football.

Sat 6 Aug Birmingham City v Cardiff City 3pm Kick off
Mon 26 Dec 15:00 Brentford v Cardiff 3pm Kick off
Sun 7 May Huddersfield v Cardiff 12pm Kick off

Other games Cardiff travel to Newcastle and Aston Villa in November with a busy Christmas holiday period Brentford, Brighton both away with a 2 Jan home fixture against Aston Villa. There is plenty of football to come enough for any football fan. Cardiff will face Severnside rivals Bristol City at home on Saturday 15 Oct and away on Saturday 14 Jan, however both fixtures will likely be shifted to earlier kick offs than the scheduled 3pm or the may fixture attract the TV camaras .

Full Fixture List

Well done Wales - Onwards and Upwards - Interesting Times

Wales are in the last 16 and why not! Only that little hiccup against England have spoiled our journey so far. With Wales, beating Russia 3-0 and England only managing a draw against Slovakia the Welshman finish top of Group B.

I have written before that I am not the greatest fan of international football and I am always bemoaning the fact when it interferes with my passion League Football. Although even I know this is something special which has been a long time coming. I can remember the nearly games, the heartbreak but this group of players may not be the best team to pull on the red shirt but they have jelled together like no other. It is a young team with many of the players blooded young into international football.

A part of me is cursing the fact Wales move on and forward because I would like our manager back. The newly appointed Cardiff City boss Paul Trollope is part of the Wales coaching staff. With my Cardiff fan hat on the lack of transfer news coming from the club is worrying while our Championship rivals are doing business.

The fans in France have been awesome winning praise from the locals and the police and they make their presents felt in the stadium, fan zones and pubs here and over there. There will be many fans trying to figure out how to extend their stay in France. Many plans will be laid out and phone calls to bosses, wives, and girlfriends in search of some leeway to extend their adventures with many probably be disappointed. For those who come home there will be the mad dash back for Wales’s next game.

That the time of writing I have no idea who Wales will play in the next game but as Group B winners, Wales are rewarded with a easier route and will face the third-place team from Group A, C or D at Paris' Parc des Princes on Saturday.

Albania finished third in Group A, while Northern Ireland (Group C) and Czech Republic (Group D) are third in their sections as it stands. Croatia (in Group D), Germany, and Poland (in Group C) could also still finish third after the final round of matches.

If I had my wish, I think I would like to see Albania has Wales’s next opponents or Northern Ireland maybe.

Star Maidens - Seventies TV - The Planet Medusa

While digging around YouTube I came across a TV Show I vaguely remember called ‘Space Maidens’ so I knuckled down to watch a few episodes to refresh my memory. From a brief search I found out it was an Anglo-German production consisting of 13 half-hour episodes aired in 1976.

On the planet Medusa, men know their place, under the boots of the rulers. The woman rule the planet. While the men are kept for doing hard physical work, and providing sexual services to the women, which sounds pretty ok to me if you have the right job.

When a comet hits Medusa, it is thrown out of its own orbit and towards Earth. The leaders want at all cost to avoid contact with Earth where men are seen to be dominant but equal. Although the Medusans had the ability of space travel, they felt no reason to make contact with Earth.

Rumour of Earth and the standing of the male species has reached the outlawed Men’s Liberation Movement of Medusa. A plot to steal a ship to reach earth is under consideration then when two make the break for a ship to reach earth warning bells ring out to the Medusan leadership. Supreme Councillor Fulvia (Judy Geeson) and security chief Octavia (Christiane Krüger) set off for Earth to recapture the two runaways and return them to Medusa.

Contact is now established between the two planets. It is friendly if slightly uneasy and you know the contact between the two worlds will eventually shake Medusan society to its foundations. The action switches back and forth between Earth and Medusa, with a couple of human characters on Medusa and several Medusans on Earth.

Having only seen a few episodes I will seek out more soon hopefully all 13 but I doubt this series will be a shoot ’em up kind of science fiction stuff I normally go for. The models were right out of the school of other British series of the same vintage such as UFO and Space: 1999, but they are imaginative and fun. There have been quite a few films where woman have rule the world but my all-time favourite was one of the serial stories on ‘The Two Ronnie’s’ called ‘The Worm That Turned’. Where woman ruled Britain with men only free in Wales.

There is a lot of eye candy for us fellas back then and it still counts today. Judy Geeson as Fulvia and German actress Christiane Krüger as Octavia both get to wear bizarre makeup and outlandish clothes and to look rather glamorous in a very - very 1970s sort of way. The leading earth women was Lisa Harrow as Dr Liz Becker another of the actress of that time I had a major crush on.

The acting is the biggest surprise in such an obviously low budget program. It is pretty decent, and Geeson (in full-on sex kitten mode) and Krüger are very good. In addition, you get a pre-Blake’s 7 Gareth Thomas. A bit of trivia - Christiane Krüger is the daughter of famed German actor Hardy (The one at got Away) Krüger.

Poor, but happy - What is Poor - I was happy anyway

What is poor! Growing up I would say we were cash poor as we had a roof over our heads and there was always a meal on the table what more can you ask for but more money. Dad put in a shift and then some for his wage packet and was always happy to snap up any overtime.

We were cash poor the wife and I whenever my sons through a tantrum when growing up because they were desperate for the latest thing be it something to wear or a toy to buy. They would constantly do my head in with please - please – please but I was not deliberately saying no because I was evil or something, lack of money was the only reason.

My instant come back would be “you don’t know how lucky you are” speech reminding them how poor I was growing up like my parents reminded me when I would throw a tantrum. There was not much cash about but I knew my dad worked hard for his wage packet. We would rarely see him sometimes as kids. Out of the house before we were awake and home at 6pm. There was no real pocket money, if I wanted an ice cream or sweets, I would ask and mum would check the purse.

Every Friday it would be the same. Dad would come in with his wage packet unopened for some reason I never understood there would be a staple through the money, I always found that funny. Mum would there take out the rent, bill money, milkman and coal money, the book (money we owed to the local corner shop for credit) and there would not be much left.

When you watch your mum divvy up your dads wages to pay bills it soon registered with me that it meant money was tight so I soon worked out no meant no so don’t push it.

I was never on trend; half a year behind I would say unless my Nan stepped in with an injection of cash. It was always easy to get what I wanted shopping with her. Such a great lady. Mum once sent us out to buy a pair of shoes for school and I came home with a wicked pair of platform shoes, mum wasn’t pleased, I was. I can’t remember any peer pressure unlike when my kids were growing up and today it’s ten times worse.

Living in a country like ours with the Welfare State, can anyone be classed as poor? When I was young the Welfare State was Child Benefit there was none of this help for working families you can get today.

Gold Divers - TV Review - It's Cold

Last night’s viewing was the Discovery Channel and the “Gold Divers” also known has "Bering Sea Gold," one of my favourites in the series of gold prospecting TV shows. It is all part of my love affair with Alaska from gold prospecting and living off the grid, I am addicted to these kind of shows.

With winter, closing in the harbour is freezing up meaning the summer mining season is all but over, little gold has been found, and everyone is looking for a big payday. Shawn Pomrenke (Mr Gold) finally fulfils his dream of taking the Christine Rose dredge down to the Bluff a virgin piece of coast he was hoping to find his golden El Dorado. However, there was no gold to be found and he looks to have wasted the trip. Meanwhile back at the families’ inland operation his father Steve Pomrenke is worried that it has been three days and he has not heard from his son yet. He is also worried about the Christine Rose which is the cash cow for his operation.

Back in Nome, Derek McLarty with his new dredge High Noon took advantage of Mr Gold's absence at the Bluff to take control of his normal spot on the Tomcod claim after lifting the GPS coordinates in a night time raid on the Christine Rose. After making a large investment in the High Noon, taking the step up to dredge owner he has been off the gold but could is luck about to take a turn for the better.

Another dredge owner Vernon Adkison has been struggling and knows the season is just about over unless he could find the gold. While most dredge with divers over the last two seasons he has been using a sub-dredge rover with limited success.

The sub-dredge is now on the gold and it's been working for 12 hours sucking up material and getting it through the box. Just when things are going right, they have a plug, so a diver needs to go down and clear it. The diver can't fix it under the water, so they bring the sub-dredge to the surface and try to clear the jam. Vernon takes the opportunity to see what is in the box and the clean up is .029 ounces, worth only a paltry $350. The owners of the sub-dredge then pulled the plug after an emergency meeting. Vernon is last seen at the airport vowing he will be back.

On “The Eroica” owner Emily Riedel (crush alert), is without divers again with a dredge tied up in dock. She try to hire Zeke Tenhoff and his brother who were working for the Texas-based mining company, Blue Water Gold a corporate gig. There is many issues involving these two at the very beginning Zeke was hoping to have a romantic relationship with Emily who just wanted to be friends.

As contentious as their relationship has been, Zeke and Emily, both desperate for gold, decide to take advantage of each other in order to line their pockets with some cash for the upcoming winter season. Zeke calls Emily down to the harbour and they put the past behind them. Emily calls it a simple matter of practicality, so the two decide to go into business together for the remainder of the season. Zeke and Emily pick up where Daryl left off and, despite Zeke's attitude and talk about his dignity, gets to work dredging.

My TV - Must see TV (football special), Week beginning 11/06/2016

Another week of choice TV viewing ahead with an offering of new shows/series which are thin on the ground this week but here is my must watch list for the upcoming week.

Going back to last week for a minute the highlight for me was the last in the current series of Peaky Blinders. Television gold leaving me desperate for the next series.

MOTD: Euro 2016 BBC1 4pm Saturday

Wales v Slovakia

Wales take to the field against Slovakia must see TV at Dugdale Towers (my house). This will be both teams’ first European Championship final games. History to be made and as a Welshman hopefully it will be a win for Wales.

Wales have faced off with Slovakia three times. In a friendly and the first time both clubs faced each other end in a 0-0 draw. In the Euro 2008, qualifying - Group D game at the Millennium Stadium Wales were thumped 5-1 and in the return fixture, Wales won 5-2.

MOTD: Euro 2016 BBC1 1:30pm Thursday

Wales v England

More football is there anything else to watch! Not much. This game is the one the Welsh fans have been waiting for many for the wrong reasons, politics, and the like. We hate England because… could be filled in thousands of times. All I see is a football game I would dearly love Wales to win.

The last time last faced England in a competition was the 2006 World Cup qualification – Group 6 losing both game 1-0 at Cardiff and 2-0 away.

Eurotrash C4 9pm Friday

It is back for a special one off edition meaning a return of Antoine de Caunes and is sidekick fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The show run from 1993 – 2007 with various presenters after Gaultier left after series seven. The press and critics called it 30-minute soft-core porn series a low-budget comedy that included eroticism, titillation, sarcasm and many bizarre situations. I am looking forward to its one off return.

Wales kick-off tonight - Good luck lads - New era

So it begins Wales march to the Euro 2016 final and an open top bus touring Cardiff. Jumping ahead a bit but that is my wish if wishes come true. Wales kick off the campaign later in Bordeaux against Slovakia and Wales will be participating in their first major finals since 1958 World Cup.

My football passion comes from the day-to-day grind of league football with me never being the biggest fan of international football but I understand the importance of the next few weeks. If you listen to the media Wales are Gareth Bale but it was great to hear him tell the world Wales are a team. Along with Bale, another something always brought up and equally does my head in 50 whatever years since Wales were in a major finals I think every football fan in the world knows now.

I am really happy for those truly hard-core fans who have been travelling for years in the lean times supporting Wales when support below three figures was commonplace. Seven games to reach the final I just wonder how many fans have book the full tournament off work.

Ideal outcome later today a win for Wales and in the other game England v Russia a draw or with the Russians, a couple of failed drug test.

Street Party - Old School - Thing of the Past

Pomeroy Street 1969

Been watching bits of the Queens 90th Birthday Celebrations on the TV and all the talk of Street parties and I cast my mind back. When I was a kid if the Queen opened a new public toilet it would be an excuse for a street party when neighbours would come together to party. I when to a few back in the day and they were always something to look forward to.

The entire street would chip in to provide food and drink with some mums collecting money weekly even people without kids would make donations because it was the neighbourly think to do. The street would be decorated with bunting and flags. There would also be a little bit of a competition with neighbouring streets over whose street was best decorated. Windows would also be decorated but the big worry always the beautiful British weather.

On the day, organisers would make thousands of sandwiches, cakes, and other party food mostly homemade in people’s houses. Every oven, fridge, and kitchen table must have been in use then time to get the street ready. Houses would be emptied of tables and chairs and lined down the middle of the street with us kids milling around waiting.

From memory, the chairs were numbered for your house number, so my house number four there were two chairs for my brother and me so there would be no crazy stampede. All that interested me were the ham sandwiches and the sausage rolls, my all-time favourite party food. I remember at the Sea Lock pub, which had a street party made their jellies out of sandcastle buckets. I remember there was a big red jelly right in front on the table I never forgot that.

While the kids tucked into the food parents would stand/sit around with cups of tea and keep a watch full eye on the kids. After the food, there would be some fun and games with everyone still hanging out in the street or over the park for a kick about.

At some stage, the dad’s would slip away to the pub leaving the mum’s and the kids to clear up and carry home the table and chairs home. It would be the same all over Cardiff parties most outside in the street and if you street/road need to remain open you would be welcome to join the next street over. Today in the whole of Cardiff, you would be lucky to find one or two proper street parties in the whole of Cardiff.

Man on the Moon - Moon Landing - Memories

I was watching Horizon on BBC4 last night it was about NASA and there ambitious mission - to land astronauts on the surface of Mars. I fondly remember a nine year old in 1969 excited about men landing on the moon. The nine year old was I.

Even at nine, I think I understood the Apollo 11 moon landings was something special, wall-to-wall TV building up to the landing but there would be no moon people rushing out welcoming the astronauts, a disappointment. In addition, the moon was not made of cheese.

This was a historic moment - the first time that human beings had walked on another "world/planet" and in a small way, I was involved. Experts on TV were talking moon colonies under some great dome because there was no air to breathe. That big round ball in the sky was beginning to look less welcoming and dangerous but a big part of me wanted to live on the moon.

I remember soaking up the images from the TV the world they left behind getting smaller while the moon got big until the Command Module settled into orbit around the moon. Allowed to stay up late to watch the landing there was no school being the summer holidays. The landing took place just after 10pm (GMT) and the debate was then about whether the astronauts would do the walk right away or sleep first, the decision was for them to sleep not helping me much as I was shuttled off to bed.

I was tucked up in bed when Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar lander onto the surface of the moon at the Sea of Tranquillity. To this day, I can remember watching the fuzzy, monochrome images coming from the moon. We had the BBC on in our house also ITV were showing intensive coverage along with the newspapers. it was the first time I watched any big event on television.

I can recall going outside that evening looking at the moon hoping to see the landing site and the astronauts (I was only nine after all!). Of course at moon landing begun a lifetime interest in space and late night watching ‘The Sky at Night’ and Patrick Moore.

The Exorcism of Molly Hartley - Film Review - Good v Evil

I finally caught up with ‘The Exorcism of Molly Hartley’ a nice film for a sunny afternoon in Cardiff and with not much happening I sat back to watch. I have just kept missing the start of the film but today I turn over to the movie channel just as it was about to start. I only hope the film was worth the wait I haven’t had much luck with horror movies recently.

This film is a sequel to the 2008’s film The Haunting of Molly Hartley in which a teenager Molly had survived an attack in which her own mother attempted to kill her before she turned 18. She eventually learns it is because she was stillborn, and her mother begged the devil to give her back her daughter and promised him her child’s soul on her 18th birthday for the favour. Her mother was trying to save her from hell, and atheist Molly must find help from the church to save her soul. I haven’t seen that one, but that actually sounds really interesting.

The film takes place six years after Molly has graduated from high school. The film begins with an exorcism with Father James assisting. The demon within the woman tricks him (Father James) and the whole situation takes a turn for the worse, which ends with the other priest present and the woman’s body crashing through the window to the floor below. As a result, Father James is stripped of his priesthood and sent to a psychiatric hospital to recover.

We then jump to a dimly lit, crowded nightclub where you see Molly Hartley, who is partying it up for her 24th birthday. All grown up living a successful life! She’s beautiful, well dressed, graduated at the top of her class and has just made partner at a very prosperous company! Everything seems to be perfect for Molly but things will not remain that way.

While partying with some close friends, Molly meets a random woman who is interested in getting in her panties but Molly doesn’t seem to mind. Molly takes home that random woman and a man home for a threesome at her luxurious apartment. For the perverts out there, we don’t get to see their sexy time. Sorry.

The scene fades out, we see Molly laying in her bed, completely hungover, and her sex partners are gone. As the viewer we think they just slipped away to avoid the awkward walk of shame. Then, two officers come to Molly’s door asking to come in and look around because her neighbours were complaining about a noise disturbance. One of the officers decides to check out Molly’s apartment, while the other stays behind with Molly. Without dragging it out anymore, the police officer finds both of Molly’s partners brutally murdered in her bathtub.

Molly isn’t shocked, she seems absent minded and has no clue on what’s going on. The officers asks Molly if she killed the people in the bathtub, she says “No, I didn’t kill them….” then her voice switches to a demonic tone and she states “We did.” And that’s when they haul her off to psychiatric hospital to be evaluated. From then on, the film is filled with supernatural calamity and over time, Molly changes into something outrageous, wicked, and dangerous.

I was entertained although not the best film in the world but good enough. The actors all did a great job, especially Sarah Lind (Molly)! It was amazing to see her transformation.

Big Brother - Z listers - Summer of Shite

It was Big Brother Launch night, and a bigger bunch of no marks you could see in two hours of TV coverage gathered together, and I instantly could not care less. Do not get me wrong! I did not sacrifice two hours of TV for this rubbish there were better things to watch. This was a side order via my laptop.

The same old format with Emma Willis (crush alert) talking as if Big Brother was a real person, giving the show the best hype she could. The housemates’ entrance vids can make or break those going in to the house over the top vids are normally roundly booed and that type of reception can stick leaving you paranoid that you are hated so you will cry. Oh yes there will be plenty of tears over the weeks and months to come.

You get the feeling they have never watched the show making the same old statements like past housemates. “I am a nightmare” or “I am a ticking time bomb” and then there was the very attractive Laura blowing her foot off by saying she could walk into any room and have any man she wanted. That has all but killed off her chances of winning I think.

There was some totty going into the house… many boobs but that was spoilt because they opened their mouths. The twins Emma and Victoria were definitely the live wires of the night and my favourites to win.

The big reveal! There are two houses, which may have surprised me if it hadn’t been plastered over the press and social media weeks ago. In the other house, there are the ‘others’ in residents six more desperados desperate to get in the real house. I may dislike the real housemates but for this six the second they lifted their masks my dislike when up quite a few notches. They (the six) are known to some of the twelve in the house, maybe boyfriend/girlfriend some think along those lines but I do not already care.

They should have just thrown them all in together and have an end to this boring game playing. It was nice to see Wales in the house. Well it was until the Welsh contestant Lateysha turned out to be a former reality TV star from that pile of shite The Valleys the awful MTV series. The guys are the normal model types with a gay guy in there is well and a self-made millionaire entrepreneur, single (48) can see him been popular with some of the ladies with Lateysha leading the pack.

It will not be long before the friends and enemies will be looking for a payday from one of the low-end newspaper selling a story or two. Can they expect anything less in the world they inhabit? Laura. Like most model girls in this reality market, her claim to some kind of weird fame is sleeping with, or maybe not with someone and hers was a rumoured threesome with Justin Bieber.

Not letting the weeds grow under foot for long the housemates were ordered to the garden where 12 podiums with different descriptions on them including Bossy, Game Player, Naughty, Sensitive, Intelligent, Leader, Sexy, Honest, Beautiful, Fiery, Ruthless, and Sensitive for the first task.

 

Laura jumped on the sexy podium she would not have settled for anything less but the sting in the tail was in the other house the six had to choose a podium target and they pick the sexy one As a result, Laura was instantly put up for eviction. With the bombshell dropped on Laura, was told that she had to pick one more housemate to join her in facing eviction.

She picked Lateysha and her reason neither of them have spoken to each other while she mentioned Lateysha had spoken to everyone else. They could be some kind of reprieve for the two when Emma Willis teased that not all is as it seems and the pair may not be facing eviction after all…

That is my duty to my mum – R.I.P. I think she would have loved this lot with plenty of options for conflict if they live up to their vids.

EU Referendum - Which way to vote - My vote my choice

I have told everyone who knows me if asked which way I would vote if there was a referendum on Europe and my feelings have never changed over the years… I want OUT.

Pretty simple then for me to tick the right box on my postal vote! Well it turns out not to be that easy as I thought. With my voting form open in front of me and just has I was going to make my mark I paused? I started to way things up at this late stage and I could not believe it.

The last and only other time this happened to me was at the 1983 general election when I went into the voting booth with the intention of voting SDP but my loyalty to the Labour party proved too strong. To me this is not about the party line this is my decision like the vote for the Welsh Assembly most of the party went one-way, I the other.

The divide between the Yes and No camps is major and the doom and gloom from each side is tiresome, boring and over the top. Talk of war, pestilence, and death come out from the remain camp will the other side are offering roses, happiness and prosperity. Any way this seems to be all about the Tories, their internal battles, and the other big voice UKIP while the rest sit quietly back.

Have I changed my mind? Well the following day I put my cross in one of the two boxes and will be in the post-box tomorrow. On the way to be counted but did I change my mind! For that you will have to wait and see.

The big question is if we leave, will we still be able to get Danish Bacon is the big question needing answering.

My TV - Must see TV, Week Beginning 04/06/2016

Another week ahead of TV viewing and compared to last week’s offering there are few new shows/series but still here is my must watch list for the upcoming week.

Going back to last week for a minute the highlight was A Midsummer Night's Dream, which I loved.

Top Gear BBC2 8pm Sunday

Given a rough ride last week by one and all but I will be sticking with it. It may not have been as slick has the Jeremy Clarkson era but it was a new show and a new presenting team. Chris Evans took most of the criticism everything from being too loud and not being Clarkson. I liked some of the tweaks to the show and I am looking forward to the next instalment.

American Pickers History Channel 10pm Monday

An old favourite, I just love it to bits riding the van with Mike and Frank has they search around for rusty gold while at the main shop we have the totty Danielle. It taps into our primal need to hunt, hoard, share, trade, wander, and tell stories.

Together Mike and Frank wander the back roads of America in a white panel van in search of what most people see as “dumps”: broken down houses and garages normal people would speed past without a second glance. Small and big items they will forage through their stuff looking for the unusual.

Big Brother: Live Launch C4 9pm Tuesday

This shit is back and yes, I am drawn to it has I love to see the idiots who sign up for this Z list fest. God rest her my Mum loved the show and with her always asking did I see this or that so I had to start watching. I watch launch night in memory of my mum. On a few occasions, I have been caught up in the shenanigans.

The housemates are desperate to win and collect their five minutes of fame badges. If you can win, be a baddy and declare your undying love for a fellow housemate or get yourself bullied that could be worth three minutes of fame.

Power Monkeys C4 10pm Wednesday

I love a bit of comedy satire and I am looking forward to this new series. It is from the same people who brought us ‘Ballot Monkeys’ last year a political comedy set on the campaign buses of the main parties as they battle their way through the chaos of the election campaign.
This time the action focuses on fictional spin-doctors behind the In and Out camp of the EU referendum. Should be some light relief from the constant political argy bargy being thrust upon us and hopefully it will be like Ballot Monkeys filmed on the day of broadcast to make it as up to date as possible.

Peaky Blinders BBC2 9PM Thursday

Last in the series for this excellent production but it has been commissioned for series four and five thank god. Tommy his family and friends have produced some top notch acting and a story line all conversing on this episode.

With their plans to robbery of the White Russians finances and a few curl balls thrown in should lead to an explosive, tension-filled finale.

The Last Leg C4 10pm Friday

Thank god, the awful and unfunny ‘The Windsors’ is over and replaced by the return of the Last Leg. Adam, Josh, and Alex will be reviewing the significant news stories of the last seven days with their typical comic slant.

After the former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was ripped apart on the show before I was surprised any politician with have the bottle to go on the show. The guest/talent for the opening show is only the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Versailles - TV Review - BBC2 Porn

It was going to be a long night/morning for these coughing fits don’t disappear going on the last few nights I will be up way past dawn and beyond. After deciding to watch the Hotel Inspector instead of the BBC 2 porn flick French-made drama Versailles it was the iPlayer then a 2am to catch up.

It was handy that some news outlets were very helpful to broadcast the times of the rude bits so if you didn’t fancy wasting an hour you could fast forward to the advertised time and have a prev. I sat through the hour looking to be shocked after all the hype surrounding its airing.

First, I suppose I should get the elephant in the room out of the way… the sex and the graphic sex scenes. The perverts out there they must have been disappointed it was just a hype I have seen worst on terrestrial TV, blink and you would have missed it. It was not pushing the boundaries of sex on TV but I suppose people will still complain. The Tudors, War and Peace had their fair share of sex scenes.

Has for the opening episode it was roundly trashed by the critics and on social media the only way to judge the success of any new show these days. I don’t follow the sheep I am old enough and blah, blah you get where I am going with this I was entertained so I enjoyed what I was watching.

The acting was ok I was not expecting Oscar performances and it could have gone down better if it was subtitled for the critics but I like it was in a mish mash of spoken English. Sex was a currency back in them days it was the men usually had the power, the money, and the woman the ability to entrap it using the aforementioned sex.

Versailles could be liken to a big swinger’s convention with the king top of the tree and from last night he is sleeping with is brothers wife while his Queen as a soft spot for midgets. His brother is a crossdresser having gay sex with a ‘friend’ it will be interested to see how all this unfolds over the remaining weeks.

My favourite scene of the night was when the Queen was about to give birth the King and his court in attendance standing and sitting like a family watching the Wimbledon Final. The doctor shouts for everyone to clear the room. As the heir to the throne of France got two heads or shock of shock a girl no the doctor turns around to show his King a beautiful black baby.

I wouldn’t want to be that little black midget the Queen is so fond of because after seeing the Kings main torturer in action earlier I don’t see him having much of a payday from this job of work.