Talk About Big Brother: Technology phases me from time to time and I admit not being clever with it. But having just looked at Google Maps to do no more than be inquisitive as to what I would find, to my suprise I can see perhaps a year old image of my front garden and property, and those of my neighbours, which was quite a shock.
Finding an aerial view on Google Earth a couple of years ago was quite a surprise, too; but to think that someone has been driving around the roads of the UK putting these pictures of our homes, in all their glory, on there, is quite astounding!
All you have to do is type in your postcode on 'Google Maps' and move a little man around, and there you are, standing outside your property.
Definitely no places to hide now, even if we wanted to.

This Link Is Worth Clicking: http://vimeo.com/10454647

The Brother's Grimmer: Are a local band here in the Poole area, and I used to work night's with Shawn, the bass player, this is their website and video http://www.brothersgrimmer.co.uk/
They're pretty good, too.

I Know It's Only Fiction: And I enjoy the X-Files, but this week we have had the silliest yet. The Bravo channel are repeating the John Dogget episodes, which is a blessing as I hadn't watched many of them.
Dogget came into the story when Mulder was abducted. Later, the alien spaceship dumped him back on Earth barely alive.
And then he died, or so they believed, and they buried him, and then a fishing boat found the guy who had been abducted before Mulder, floating 50 miles out to sea.
He was still alive, and thinking he might be in a similar deep coma from the abduction, they exhumed Mulder and put him on life support, bearing in mind he had been interred for 3 months by this time, but there were flickers of life within.
The wayward friend / enemy that is the Krychek character came back into the story, he had a vaccine which would / could save Mulder, and of course, he eventually recovers and the story goes on.

The thing is, though, when a body is made ready for the coffin, be it for interment or cremation, the lungs and stomach are filled with a formaledhyde solution to keep the body 'fresh' until it is buried or burned. Obviously they missed doing this with Mulder, as he definitely wouldn't have still had his heart ticking when he was exhumed if this had taken place.
Like I said, I know it's only fiction...

Practicing Victor Meldrew?: There have been quite a few letters of mine printed in the local Daily Echo lately (see website Scrapbook). There is no explanation for this other than the fact that I buy and enjoy reading our local newsaper every day. Sometimes, a news item sticks in my head, and I feel my opinion is valid and might not have been considered, so I write a quick letter.
That it goes any further to be published or not is up to the Letters Page Editor, who must think the view is worthy. Indeed, there have been one or two they didn't print, so it's not a case of just including letters to fill the double-page spread.
And I don't read the paper avidly looking for something to write about, like some literary Victor Meldrew; like I said, it just depends on what bubbles up from the broth of digesting the local news.
I am grateful for those they have deemed fit to print, and who knows when there will be another one?

Taken The Guts Out: These days, with my Warfarin tablet disagreeing with some of the things I used to eat, certain foods and treats must be avoided, or else an horrendous migrane sets in. Mrs. B has benefitted by paying attention to her cholesterol intake, and it makes me wonder what happened to people before cholesterol and Warfarin and open heart surgery prevailed; and presumably, they were either very ill, or they died.
We know our world is changing, and our food has been altered by the manufacturers not by asking us, or taking a vote on whether they should or not; they just did it.
One foodstuff in particular which has changed far too drastically are Heinz Baked Beans. They were once the best of the best, with fantastic, thick, tasty juice and nice beans - but now? Now, they are tasteless, insipid, miserable looking things with thin, gutless juice which spreads across the plate and soaks into and ruins the chips.
Most families, after eating them, would spend the evening having a competition, because Heinz Baked Beans were also the best at generating wind power. Now, nothing. Windless, gutless and tasteless, and I am surprised they still sell.
But there is an answer - Branston Baked Beans.
Presumably, by the design of the logo on the can, they are made by the pickle company; and they are like a real baked bean should be - how Heinz Baked Beans used to be. And not only are they an absolute delight to eat, with the return of nice beans and thick, tasty sauce, and not that it matters too much, but the wind generation effect has also been included in the recipe.
Now I know the wind generation is an after-effect, and we are looking at how the beans behave on the plate and what they taste like. Branston are superb, and whilst, if you look hard enough, you can find the 'Original Heinz Baked Beans' up high on a supermarket shelf, Branston are brave and bold enough to be 'in-your-face' at the supermarket, almost with a badge saying "Go on, big boy, try me!"
It's great having 'the real thing' back, and I or one am pleased that Branston have been brave enough to walk where Heinz now fear to tread.
Let's enjoy our darned beans, if it cuts a year off of our lives, who gives a s**t!

Fastway - 'Steal The Show' - Had a busy but enjoyable weekend writing the liner notes for the booklet for this release. It will be a fabulous Box Set of 4 shows (on 4 CD's) from the 1983 / 1984 'Fastway' and 'All Fired Up' albums era, and I know you will get as much enjoyment listening to them as I did when they are released under the above title.
More info as and when the release date approaches, but I'm not sure when that will be at the moment.
Meanwhile, there are a fair few Fastway videos on You Tube which I didn't even know existed, so have a look to rekindle your Fastway tastebuds, and dig out those old albums and give them a spin.

'Ace Of Spades' with Lemmy / Slash / Dave Grohl at Golden Gods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lc8E4VeBnI
'Doctor Alibi' by Lemmy with Slash's band from the Golden Gods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiw8KnDxSBc
Thanks to Stefano Loi.

Lemmy's Lifetime Achievement Award:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/1/20100410/ten-metallica-rock-golden-gods-c60bd6d.html

Queen V - 'Death Or Glory': Came across this one because Lemmy Kilmister is a guest on the 'Wasted' track. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/QueenV6
We know by now that Lemmy doesn't get involved in anything sub-standard, and every track on this album is a corker.
Hate giving for-instances, so I'll just say that Queen V's voice sounds a little like Pat Benatar, but it's just an excellent rock album which, if it gets heard by the right people, would break some ground for Queen V and her band.
For download freaks, 'Wasted' or the whole album can be yours in a trice.
Me? You know I've got the CD!

The 'Classic Rock' Magazine: website currently has a short interview with Lemmy on http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/ from the 'Lemmy The Movie' premiere.

Sam Gopal 'Escalator' album: If any MHB's don't have this 'Early Lemmy' psychedelic rock album, it's here:
http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9024039

Went To See A Skynyrd Tribute: on band Friday evening. The review for Mr Kyps should be here: http://www.mrkyps.net/gigreviews.asp?ID=1336

Fanzines Are Go!: It seems as if most UK and European MHB's have received their Full Colour Anniversary Fanzine, Anniversary sticker and List of Motorhead Live Dates (so far) for 2010.
Upon saying this, any and all MHB's living in what is regarded in postal terms as The Rest of The World will have their 'surprise' spoiled, but at least they can look forward to it.
It was fun but quite expensive to have the fanzine in full colour, and it cannot be a regular thing. But, it might be a great idea in future to include a colour centrefold as well as the colour cover.
Time will tell.
Several MHB's have asked if there are any spare stickers, the answer is No. There was a sticker printed for every fanzine, and those remaining will be for the fans who join between now and the August issue.
Have a great break over Easter, all we need is some warm weather, but 4 days off will be a treat regardless.