Boy A

Posted by Jamie on November 27, 2007 12:28 PM

Little fanfare surrounded Channel 4's no-holds-barred drama Boy A, a fictional piece with very obvious links to Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, the schoolboys convicted of murdering Jamie Bulger in 1993, and now on release under new identities.

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Make 'em Earn their Wages

Posted by Jamie on November 22, 2007 11:42 AM

England are out of Euro 2008. I'm not a massive footie fan, but I was convinced the boys would squander the gift proffered by the land of Milk & Honey on Saturday, and I didn't enjoy being proved right.

Steve McClaren has been sacked, but what about the players? If anyone else underperforms in the workplace, there are ways and means to deal with them, be it a pay cut or a suspension.

That's not feasible for the various clubs which have the national team members on the books as key stratagems in their Premiership campaigns, so perhaps the lads could repay their debt to the nation in other ways.

They're going to have a lot of time on their hands next summer, now that we have nobody to cheer on. Therefore, they should get out there in the community and do some voluntary work, while their vast salaries continue to lie in lead-lined vaults - gaining the high level of interest the team should have taken in last night's fixture.

I'm sure Peter Crouch could volunteer to clear leaves from old ladies' guttering (he wouldn't need a ladder), Steven Gerrard could do the lunch run for the builders working on the new LFC stadium, David Beckham could lend his bonce to trainee hairstylists and Scott Carson could... he could... well, any type of job that doesn't involve his hands.

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I Believe the Phrase is 'Squee'

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Posted by Jamie on November 20, 2007 9:12 AM

I can be a bit curmudgeonly about words and phrases which originate from the internet community.

For example, whoever thought up 'LOL' for 'laughs out loud' should be put in a big sack and shook.

It seems to be applied at the end of every other statement on emails and internet forums, whether what's being said is remotely amusing or not ('Butterfield on Peter Serafonowicz, lol!'/'Israel beat Russia, lol!'/'What are you having for tea? lol!'/'An alligator has just bitten my leg off, lol!').

Just stop, please. it's wrong on so many levels (except the bit about Butterfield being funny).

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Hall He Wants For Christmas

Posted by Jamie on November 20, 2007 9:00 AM

In just five weeks we'll all be sat round the telly, full of turkey and trimmings and arguing over a bumper Radio Times about what we want to see on Christmas Day telly.

But before all that, there's the important job of starting the bauble rolling for the festive season, and that's why the Southport Visiter team were out in force on Sunday evening at the annual Christmas light switch-on.

Broadcaster Stuart Hall was the man bestowed with the responsibility of depressing the plunger which lit up Lord Street and other parts of the town centre.

We were lucky enough to get a video interview with the man - once his Herculean task for the day was over - and he even uttered one of his infamous It's a Knockout phrases for us.

Keep an eye on the Southport Visiter website for a video report of the occasion, which should be online soon.

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Are You a Celebrity?

Posted by Jamie on November 14, 2007 9:30 AM

Everywhere you turn this week, there seems to be coverage of the latest series of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.

I have to confess, I have never seen the appeal of the show, and after seeing the line-up for this year's jungle antics, shouldn't they replace the word 'celebrity' with 'mediocrity'?

Hope they all have fun in the bush, but you can bet your bottom witchetty grub I won't be tuning in.

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Go Go Glasgow!

Posted by Jamie on November 9, 2007 12:52 PM

I spent four very happy years at Glasgow University between 1995 and 1999, and I have to confess I got slightly emotional when Scotland's second city won the race to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games this lunchtime.

I've always regarded it as my second home, and now it has the chance to show people around all the bits of the world that the Queen looks after what a fantastic, friendly place it is.

Just wish I could be on Byres Road tonight to join in the celebrations.

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Kevin Core reviews KT Tunstall
Liverpool University, Saturday, November 3

Posted by Jamie on November 5, 2007 4:16 PM

JUDGING by her pitch perfect scouse accent KT Tunstall has some affection for Liverpool - and last Saturday Liverpool returned the compliment.

More muscular than its 2004 predecessor, Eye to the Telescope, new album Drastic Fantastic, highlights an edgier voice - and an equally feisty line in mid-set banter.

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Jamie McLoughlin reviews The Proclaimers, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Thursday, November 1

Posted by Jamie on November 2, 2007 1:55 PM

"THEY are an excellent band. Far more to them than the usual hits! You'd better give them ten out of ten!" read the text from my Scottish chum (and Craig and Charlie devotee) who had to decline the last minute invitation to hare down to Liverpool for last night's impromptu review.

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