Friday, March 30, 2018
My Favourite Waste of Time . . .
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre (Abacus 1996)
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As Michael Portillo fearlessly said, in this country, as opposed to those wog-ridden foreign sties - I'm paraphrasing here, although only slightly - if you win a contract, it's not because your brother is a government minister or you blatantly bribed an official. Of course not. That would be corruption. In this country, you win contracts because you are "one of us", you went to the right school, give money to the right party, and have awarded an executive post to a member of the cabinet's family, or have promised a seat on the board to the appropriate minister when he resigns to spend more time with his bankers.
'We don't have anything as vulgar or primitive as a bribe. It's a matter of trust. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. For every contract, there's a kickback. It's more noble, more gentlemanly. A matter of mutual understanding. And very, very British.'
Sarah stared across, unimpressed. 'Once again, hot-shot, this much I know. Not an exclusive. Cut to the chase.'
'Fair enough. I got a bit of a reputation for myself through in Glasgow, sniffing out scams, investigating dodgy deals. But what I really wanted was to go after the big game down south, and I was head-hunted by one of the big broadsheet Sundays. I thought it would either make my career or turn out to be the worst move south by a promising young Scot since Charlie Nicholas. In the end it was both.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Blogging Shorts
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What's the point of having multiple sidebars to click on at random unless you're going to make use of them on a Friday morning?
Monday, April 21, 2008
You Shall Know Our Volleys
Via the Guardian Footie's You Tube round up, the best goals that never were:
That overhead screamer from Keegan when he was at the Dell. A not so majestic overhead kick from Robbie Fowler Six memorable non-goals from World Cups past. How come no one ever put a contract out on Clive Thomas? Bryan Hamilton had more reason than most
Hat tip to 'paulhs' for the clips.
Still can't find Charlie Nicholas wonder goal for Scotland against Switzerland on YouTube. Probably never will. However, this goal from Dario Rodriguez for Uruguay against Denmark will always be easy on the eye. It's as much for his mate's keepie uppie to set him up as it is for Rodriguez's wonder strike. It's up there with Negrete's goal against Bulgaria at the '86 World Cup in Mexico.
There's no higher praise on this blog.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
False Dawn (probably)
Mmm, just noticed that the stats for Celtic's last three league games reveal a goal difference of fifteen goals for and one against. Is it too late to change my prediction about the outcome of this year's title race?
Hibs next*, at Easter Road. The way Hibs' forward line and their goalkeeper is playing at the moment, I'd have to go with a prediction of a 4-4 draw.
As an aide memoire to myself, I'm going to post the links to Celtic's opening six games of the 2007/08 SPL season. I always forget these things for some reason, and I'd like to keep better track for a change. Strange how you can remember that wonder season from Charlie Nicholas back in 82/83, but struggle to remember what Lee Naylor had for his breakfast yesterday:
What with the R*ngers Reserves turning over R*ngers yesterday, and strong early season starts from Dundee Utd, Hibs and Motherwell, it would be foolish to think that Celtic are going to score five every week. It'll still be between the ugly sisters this season, but I'm sure that it won't just be Hearts and Kilmarnock who will be securing surprise results this season. And the league will be all the better because of it.Celtic 0-0 Kilmarnock Falkirk 1-4 Celtic Aberdeen 1-3 Celtic Celtic 5-0 Hearts St Mirren 1-5 Celtic Celtic 5-0 Inverness CT
*It's too soon to think of Shakhtar Donetsk at this point.