#TodayILearned that the word ‘eleven’ comes “from an Old English word meaning “one left over.””

Making English Gooder - A.J. Jacobs

I ♥️ Battersea Arts Centre

Today I have been wondering whether Unai Emery might be related to Dick Emery

Pic: twitter.com/skrike_ Derivative:Avraham Aizenbud, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This much I know. #1

If the people in a BBC Radio 4 comedy have regional accents, then it will probably funny. If they don’t, then it probably won’t.

Note 1: in this context, ‘London’ counts as a regional accent

Note 2: YMMV

I didn’t watch the proper 70 UP but I very much enjoyed this 1965 off-shoot. Hats were clearly very much a thing for older women at the time.

Watched: 70 Up: The Victorians 🍿

I like the word ‘hoax’.

“Into the face of the young man who sat on the terrace of the Hotel Magnifique at Cannes there had crept a look of furtive shame, the shifty, hangdog look which announces that an Englishman is about to talk French.”

Currently reading: The luck of the Bodkins by P. G. Wodehouse 📚

What’s a song that helps you focus or concentrate?

If I’m honest…

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Share a song that tells a great story.

As I understand it the historical detail in this song isn’t quite right. However, it’s a great story, rooted in the truth of how the people of the East End and anti-fascists stopped Oswald Mosley marching through Aldgate

(Oswald Mosley is the posh fascist in Peaky Blinders)

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Share a song that makes you want to dance every time.

This is the four women who are on Rock and Groove LP doing bits of the songs somewhere outdoors that looks a lot warmer than it is in the UK at the minute.

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As Socrates almost said, “The untested backup is not worth having”

Pic: Al-Mubashshir ibn Fatik, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This is about Bud Flanagan, from Wikipedia. Flanagan was most famous for being one of Flanagan and Allen, and for ‘Underneath the Arches’ and the ‘Dad’s Army’ theme.

“Flanagan was born in Whitechapel, in the East End of London. His parents, Wolf Weintrop (1856–1932) and Yetta (Kitty) Weintrop (1856–1935) were Polish Jews who were married in the city of Radom, Poland, and fled to Łódź on their wedding day to avoid a pogrom. Wolf and Yetta Weintrop intended to escape to the “New World” from Eastern Europe – they paid for a ticket to New York, but a dishonest ticket agent gave them a ticket to London.”

The bit I like is this:

“In the Army, he worked as a driver and entertained the troops with his singing and impersonations. Here he met the anti-Semitic Sergeant-Major Flanagan, on whom Reuben later had his revenge when he adopted the name “Flanagan” as his stage name.”

The vid is ‘Underneath The Arches’

youtu.be/q7HoMWuXC…

Back at the home of the Champions of the World

I didn’t entirely expect this would be 3rd against 4th when I got the tickets

⚽ #ChelseaFC #cfc

I should have got this stencilled on the kids' bedroom walls

“Honour thy father and thy mother, Daughter, authors of thy being, upon whom a heavy charge has been laid, that they lead their child in innocence and righteousness along the fearful narrow path to everlasting bliss, and render her up at last to her God a pious and a virtuous soul; reflect, Daughter, upon the joy in Heaven as the souls of these tiny creatures wing upward, released before they have learned aught of sin or faithlessness, and make it thine unceasing duty to remain as pure as these”

Currently reading: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson 📚

Pick a song from an artist or band that’s had the biggest impact on your life.

The song that supposedly introduced the word psychobilly to the world.

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#TodayILearned that I can do emoji’s in vim, and I’m inordinately pleased. Some of them look particularly good in a green-screen style

0-2 down, end up winning 6-3 against Dirty Leeds.

As they say… imagine not being Chelsea.

⚽ #ChelseaFC #cfc

The Chancellor just said he’d ban “vexatious legislation”, before correcting himself to “vexatious litigation”.

It’s a shame they are not banning vexatious legislation, particularly if the other lot get back in.

What is a song that instantly energizes you?

I don’t smoke, but I do like the word ‘herbalists’

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At 10 miles I thought I could run forever

At 11 miles I wanted it to stop

At 12 miles I wanted to die

I loved the Big Half though - my favourite run. Huge thanks to all involved, particularly to whoever kept the Portaloos so clean. Marvellous work.

_Did you sing along to anything today? Describe the moment.

I was in the 10th mile of a half marathon this morning, and someone had this on their headphones but was singing it aloud. A few of us joined in.

A great song, but singularly inappropriate in the circumstances

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What song do you wish you had written?

Because it’s a great song, and because this line tells you more about politics than any number of protest songs

I called my Congressman, and he said ‘No’ I’d like to help you, son, but you’re too young to vote

Younger people are still less likely to vote. In my humble opinion, that’s why there’s a ‘triple lock’ on pensions, but going to college costs an arm and a leg.

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Dirty old river, dirty old town

🎶🎶 I’ll join the Legion, that’s what I’ll do 🎶🎶

Big run for me today, and a big match for Chelsea, against the ‘orrible Arsenal

Both these things on their own always make me nervous….I possibly don’t need an caffeine this morning