It's Friday so....Allison Jannay

Happy Birthday today to Allison Jannay probably best known to all my readers as Claudia Jean "C.J." Cregg the Whitehouse Press Secretary who becomes Chief of Staff in the Bartlett administration on The West Wing.

So every birthday needs a song, or at least a little lip-synch. What do you mean you haven't seen C.J. do the Jackal.



She also played herself in Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip as Allison Jannay star of the West Wing. Many of the stars of the new show made comment on her being C.J. which is especially funny when it comes from Timothy Busfield (Cal Shanley S60 - Danny Concannon WW) , Bradley Whitford (Danny Tripp S60 - Josh Lyman WW) or Matthew Perry (Matt Albie S60 - Joe Quincey WW).



Of course there was a lot of poker playing scenes in The West Wing so what happens when the stars actually play on TV, for real. Well Richard Schiff has an Allison Jannay shaped space on his charm bracelet.

Un croissant in the morning can be quite continental...

... but diamonds are a girl's best friend.

The news this morning that Greggs are to start selling croissants as part of its breakfast range, despite a challenging market conditions, got this song going in my head.



Of course as a former employee of Gerald Ratner I'm musing the fact that if M&S sandwiches lasted longer than some of the Ratner's products, will Greggs next start branching out into the jewellery business. The lose of the local H. Samuel branch here in Bangor indicates that this too is currently a challenging market.

So today as David Cameron makes his closing remarks to the Conservative conference will we hear him say:

"Our country is facing tough financial times. I suggest we look at history. Bretton Woods, the gold standard, the great depression. That is why today I'm instruction Gideon, ... err, I mean the Chancellor to tie sterling to the Gregg's sausage roll standard. One pound will be the equivalent of two of Gregg's finest."

Or then again maybe not.

Better Use Google this Year

It is Google's twelve birthday today. But before you cheer too loudly a word of warning that means that next year the world's leading search engine with be a teenager and we all know what they are like.

So here are the top 10 things you won't be able to ask Google in 365 days time.

10. Restaurants - Unless it has a drive through, a bucket of chicken, or a golden arch you'll not find it. The fast food van outside the school will get 3 Michelin stars whereas the Fat Duck will be just 'Bleugh!'
9. Medical advice - You'll only get the really disgusting stuff, if you looking up how to cure a common cold you'll not find it.
8. Clothes - Will return you things you 'wouldn't leave the house wearing that!' at least that is what you'd be thinking.
7. Gay - will just return anything uncool
6. Politics - BOOOORING!
5. Drink - Alcopops, Strong Cider or Buckfast. Hard luck all you wine, whisk(e)y or real ale connoisseurs
4. Education - Meh!
3. News - Very few teenagers when asked about the news will give you the latest goings on outside of X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent or whats in Heat or Zoo. So move over Paxman it'll all be Perez Hilton.
2. Directions - Teenagers have great fun in misdirecting motorists. Therefore Google maps will soon be inoperative.
1. Sex - Like a typical teenager it will run off in embarrassment if you are older than it. If you are fellow teen you will get misinformation or boosting of knowing more than it actually does. Therefore porn will not be searchable, unless you take your laptop under the duvet.

Now on the 27 September next year don't say I didn't warn you.

It's Friday...so...here's what we've been up to this week

As many of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook will be aware I've spent this week up in Belfast. My good friend Mícheál late on my birthday was rushed into A&E and the following evening while we were up visiting he was discharged and me and Andrew have been keeping an eye on him, catching him when he fell asleep in an upright position (whilst the anaesthetic was still wearing off) and generally keeping him company.

Of course we have found many ways to keep each other entertained and our collective spirits up. So here are some of the things we found that have done just that.

Many will know that Bagpuss was the third member of #operationevacuate taking a seat in the front of the cab of the van on the trip home. This week Bagpuss has joined the team here to look after Mícheál and we're hoping the mice on the mouse will help fix him.



We also were searching around for various things, one of Mícheál's friend came over and we found some 'subtitling' to Bollywood songs. This one we have stuck in our heads.



We've also had Mícheál complain about the number of female dancers doing a highland sword dance, so here is the real thing.

It's Friday...so a little Papal (Catholic) Humour

Oops. I almost forgot the get this sorted out for this week. However, as there is a Papal Visit on guess the theme.

First up from Father Ted who's have thought that Father Jack was beaten to promotion by a Polish guy called Karol.



And Billy Connolly a Weggie and a Catholic is pleased for the Churches stance on birth control.




And the lastly Dave Allen tells us about his first remembrances of his Catholic schooling.



Of course Dave Allen always ended his shows in an ecumenical way with "Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you" so I wish you that today.

It's Friday...so some sage words from Terry Jones

No not that Terry Jones, the pastor of the fifty members of the Dove World Outreach Center. No someone completely different yet who shares the same name as the man who had threatened that tomorrow he was going to have a bonfire of the Korans. Thankfully he changed his mind last night, maybe after hearing these sound words as others seemed to have no effect.



But words can be a problem and they dodnt have to be bound in a religious text to be so. That is especially true of the four letter tweetplitive that Patrick Harvey MP types when he returned to Holyrood to find that all the estate's computers have been updated to Windows 7. I mean for [uttered in Private as per Lib Dem press statement] sake. The press got a hold of it and it was like the Spanish Inquisition.



And finally I'll just slip this wafer thin clip in to end the set.



What?

You wanted a reason for the last one.

Maybe No Dusty Bin but 3-2-1

Earlier today Sally Bercow tweeted this

It got me thinking what would have been the five cryptic clues that Ted Rogers would have read out on the show 3-2-1 for the five Labour Leadership contenders.

For younger readers 3-2-1 was a Saturday evening entertainment/quiz show by Yorkshire Television which had sketches intermingled with cryptic clues for contestants to try and guess what prizes they were. One of the prizes was Dusty Bin for which the contestants actually got a new bin and a small souvenir version.

So here are my set of clues can you tell who is who:

I'm off to the races and that suits me fine
But this two horse race needs a new winner this time.
I'll energetically bring about change
My words once laid out the Scottish range.


I've jumped to the challenge since I was born
But Swedish robes have my reputation torn
Some call me tasteless, but net beware
Our kids are best under two parent care.


I'm no coach potato any day of the week
I'm the first or so my tutor might speak.
Some Finns aren't so white I learnt to my cost
My child will be educated bugger the cost.


My ancestry is an important part of who I am
But I do with education is like American.
Though not with the Tracey's international rescue
Grey matter was the porn writer's 'hey you!'.


JFK was a way to help with my studies
But my family and animals is part of the stories.
It's good to talk but not always while driving
But second homes really ought to be in the West Riding.

I'll give you the answers tomorrow.

It's Friday...so Campanology

I was around at Mícheál's earlier in the week and just as I was heading off,, for what turned out to be a delayed train home, we stumbled upon this Huffington Post feature. The net result was to have us in stitches, awe and wonderment all at once.

I thought I'd share a few of the best. You'd think these campanologists had gone Gaga.



And if you ever need a good wing man.



And finally for all my London-based friends who noticed strange goings on at King's Cross Station this Wednesday (and for the muggles amongst then that didn't).

To Cheer Caron Up...Gratuitous Chest Exposure

I was speaking to my good friend Caron on Thursday evening and telling her I had scheduled some posts for over the weekend. She said she'd probably be crying as she read them, so this one is just for her. Although I suspect that a far number of you will be equally thrilled by it.

At this time in the winter months wed generally be settling down at Caron's with a glass bottle of wine. Getting ready for some gratuitous chest exposure on Strictly Come Dancing. While this isn't Strictly there is plenty of waxed, male chests on show.

Enjoy!

It's Friday...so BP and World Cup

It's been a while since I did one of these but a few links have really got me in the mood.

First this one taking a sideways glance at the BP situation in the Gulf of Mexico.



Obviously I'm shocked by the environmental disaster that is unfolding, it really conflicts with my green credentials. Speaking of Green.



On the theme of the World Cup of course the story is the fellowship of the people playing those little plastic horns, aka Vuvuzeala's. They may sound like a hornets nest, maybe that is what they are.

It's Friday...so...what do you feel like?

Well it is that time on a Friday and 5pm so we know what that means. Time for a little indulgence as the weekend kicks in. Earlier this year while researching something else I came up with the first one of today's clips, found it coincided with Friday and so here you have it, a rather eclectic mix.

Earlier this year we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of his release but 49 years ago Nelson Mandela gave his first interview to the outside world about the struggle in South Africa. ITN's Brian Widlake is doing the questioning.



There have been close links between South Africa and India for generation. For a start M.K. Ghandi was once a lawyer in South Africa before he returned with the aim of freedom for his own people.

Therefore the fact that 20 years after Mandela gave that interview we also witnessed the assassination of the former President of India Rajiv Ghandi (no relation to the Mahatma) here is a pictorial illustration of his last minutes.



On a brighter note (maybe) to conclude today is also Leo Sayers 62nd birthday. What does that make you feel like?

It's Friday so...Happy Birthday Prime Minister

Well tomorrow Gordon Brown celebrates his 59th Birthday. So lets have a little look at how other's see him.


An intriguing take as Gordon as Skeletor.



Classic John Clushaw turning Gordon in a rapper.



Meanwhile Rory Bremner sees Gordon more as Mika singing the music to Grace Kelly, of course the lyrics aren't the same.



Finally Jeremy Vines looks at Vince Cable's phrase "From Stalin to Mr Bean" one that Piers Morgan brought on Sunday. I wonder if we'll have an updated version on election night 2010, this from the council election night in 2008.

It's Friday so...Winter Olympics

Today the winter Olympics kick off so how about a little look at some of those Olympic sports just not at they would be able to perform in that competition.

Of course we need that thing of beauty the BBC ident to kick us all off.



First up there is this video of Alexei Yagudin in 2005. I'm sure Wendy Fraser and Caron Lindsay with both appreciate the gratuitous shirt removal half way.



So moving on to the pairs and here we have the odd couple in 1993 at the World's gold medalist Kurt Browning and silver medalist Elvis Stojko 'paired' off with this.



Of course watching this it would be hard to believe Kurt Browning was once a World Champion, or then again maybe not.



Ok what about some British involvement. How about some Highland Ice Dancing from the British stars John and Sinead Kerr. Watch out for a rather unorhtodox lift that gets a gasp from the crowd at 2:41 into this and again at 3:01. Which seeing as my ex used to attend the same highland teacher as these two would be interesting to get her take on this.



So there you have it. Qualifying for the Ski Jumping is first up you can see that at 18:00 on the BBC Red Button, the Open Ceremonry kicks off live at 01:45 on BBC2 and the red button.

It's Friday...so..Superbowl

Yeah it is that time of the week again (only a bit later than normal I was too busy to pre-write it), but it is also Superbowl weekend. One of those odd occassions where the first four Roman numeral demarkers are used and only once each. It is Superbowl XLIV in Miami on Sunday night.

So first up lets look at some past Superbowl highlights.



Of course for many the hightlight is the half time show. Here are the guys from America's Whose Line is is Anyway with the worst possible Half Time Shows.



But one of the best had to be U2 in the 2002 Superbowl. Not only was it the world's biggest rockband put it managed to pay tribute to those who feel in the line of duty and merely from turning up to work or their flight on 9/11 only months before.

It's Friday....so...Tony Blair Pre-Chilcot

It is Friday and no doubt the event of the day is Tony Blair's appearnce before the Chilcot Inquiry. But here are a few things from before today.

First up is this contempt of Parliament bing carried out here, we may already know.



Here is what he revealed to Fern Britton, wonder if he was as open today before Chilcot.



But as this is a heavier Friday take than normal how about some Bird and Fortune.



And finally a Culture Show look back at Tony's reign.

It's Friday so....a Good Day for Our Future/Present

Well it is that time on Friday to head home for the weekend. Put away the mouse on the desk in the office, which links in very well to this weeks first clip.

On the 22 January during the Superbowl a small computer company announced the arrival of their new computer being released the following week. Directed by Ridely Scott the advert was a landmark in advertising circles as well as for the product it was announcing. It was the product that popularised the "mouse".




As all good sci-fi fans know 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything so therefore the fact that 42 years ago Apollo 5 took off to test the lunar module in space conditions. So therefore we really were looking into the Universe.



Meanwhile back in 1952 on this day the first Jets went into service for B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airways Corporation). So here is a pre-service look at the de Havilland Comet.

It's Friday...Have a Cadbury Break

Don't worry my usual 5pm clips are on their way. But seeing as the news this week has been dominated by Britiain's premier chocolate manfacturer I thought you'd like these for your elevenses (after all the Stephen Glenn position has it's own hour).

Modern Classic



School Boy Memories



That first sex symbol



Frank Muir making it up as he goes along



But then there is also this.

Are You a Geek

****PARENTAL ADVISORY WORDING*****

Just thought I'd share this hilarious/worrying/scary [delete as applicable] geek test from this months Attitude. I've made slight adjustments to be Omni-sexual.

• 1. Is Forbidden Planet your favourite pick up joint?
• 2. Do you relate to the characters in Douglas Coupland's Mircoserfs?
• 3. Do you see sexual* allegory in fantasy adventure stories?
• 4. Get a stiffy/moist** for Daleks? (Or ever wanted to be a noughties assistant? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)
  
• 5. Have you ever spent an entire afternoon posting negative thoughts on online forums?
• 6. Do you spend every afternoon posting negative thoughts on online forums?
• 7. Do you live for the announcements of Steve Jobs?
• 8. Do you hate gay culture but spend your life on gay web sites and in 'Alt' gay bars?
• 9. Have you ever had a relationship with someone from the Isle of Wight conducted entirely online?
• 10. Ever talked dirty in Klingon?

As you can see I gave up omnisexualising some of these. Work it out for yourself what the alternative is.

*Originally gay.
** See thinking of you ladies with the addition.

It's Friday so.....Let's Celebrate...

....some birthdays and a bit of sporting history.

Yeah it is 5pm on Friday time to pack up the office for another weekend, but on this particular Friday the following people if any of them were still alive would be celebrating their birthdays.

First up is the Scottish poet Ivor Cutler who was born 87 years ago today. He based away in 2006 but here he is singing Shoplifters.



Ten years old it would have been Lloyd Bridges 97th birthday today, but the father of Jeff and Beau died in 1998.



Finally some more music from Lynyrd Skynyrd in honour of the band's singer Ronnie van Zant born 62 years ago, but died in 1977 before the other two. As last week I used the Utah Osmond boys to celebrate Montana I think another American state is just right for today.



For all American Football fans of course 15 January means something important as well for on this day in 1967 the institution that is the Superbowl came into being when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the inaugural game between the conferences.



PS Before anyone else think they need to point it out I also now that 81st year anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King Jnr. but I'm expecting some of my Lib Dem friends will already have posted clips of him.

It's Friday so...a little fun with history

It's 5 o'clock on Friday time for the weekend to kick in.The 8th of January is the inspiration for the links this week.

On this day in 1790 in New York George Washingston gave the first State of the Union. It will hardly surprise you that coverage of that speech is not available on YouTube. So what am I to do. The answer is obvious as I cannot show you that piece how about an extract of a State of the Union speech that also never made it. That's right the Sam Seaborn passage about curing cancer.



1297 on this day was the day that Monaco gained its Independence. So what better way to celebrate that this tribute at the way most of us see the Principality.



My final link to this day is that in 1877 Crazy Horse and his warriors fought their last battle at Wolf Mountain. So Although I don't quite get to Montana where Wolf Mountain is situated how about some lads from Utah.



As a bonus Donny sining it at Edinburgh Castle.