Friday 18 December 2009

eBay does terrible things to my sleep pattern and my wallet...

I may have just *slightly* fallen in love with a pair of boots on eBay:

Please someone remove some of my toes? I could fit a size 9!

Wait a minute... Update!
12 inches of footwear roughly translates to a size 11.5/12!
*GASP*
Do... Want...

Pointless post is pointless.

Wednesday 16 December 2009

On the gramophone.

,So seeing as I said I'd do it, and people (it turns out) actually bother to read what can only be described as the musings of the most underinformed person on the internet not commenting on Youtube videos, here is my thoughts on actual music in 2009.

First off, I'll say that I've not really been keeping up-to-date with music, so I'll just spout about the things I have heard or that my friends have showed me, and give you some of my favourites.
How about I do 5 albums and 5 songs? Seem reasonable? I don't know who that question is addressed to.

Ok so first off, my favourite 5 albums released in 2009.
In no particular order:

1. Regina Spektor - Far
What can I say about this? It was something of a soundtrack to my summer. It has been one of the most pleasant and wonderful things I have heard in a while. The songs span a fair distance in disparity, ranging from the upbeat pop-y-er (why does that non-word look like the name of a Welsh town) numbers such as The Calculation and Dance Anthem of the 80's, to the whispered lovelyness of Blue Lips and Genius Next Door and the to the more soulful Human of the Year and One More Time With Feeling.
Regina is one of those artists who is constantly there on the fringe, with a hardcore of fans, making quality album after quality album. You cannot fault her infectious enthusiasm which is apparent in all her songs, it adds a real energy, even to the more downbeat numbers. The songs all speak of love, passion and obscure stories. Her voice is a force alone, and the piano can only be described as huge in its effect. The two come together to give the whole album a theatrical feel without being cheesy, not an easy feat in my mind...
I'd give this album a solid 5/5, because quite honestly I can listen to it any time and feel it has something to offer.

2. Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed
I must be honest, I am a little biased towards (read "gay for") Frank Turner, so I fully expected to love this album off the bat, but I'll be honest, on the first few listen, I wasn't blown away, or even amused or mildly aroused as I normally am by Frank Turner, so I decided to ignore it as the "difficult third album". Then the time came to go see him live, and the performance DID blow me away. I mean it was brilliant. I couldn't help but love everything he played, so when I got home and had another listen, it turned out I did like this album. The thing is, Frank's taken a slightly different turn with this one, gone a bit more towards his punky roots once more, and brought some electricity and interesting new ideas into the proceedings. All-in-all it's not as good as his previous work, but you can't fault the fact that he's actually branched out. I think in that respect I like it more. Nothing irritates me more than a band who go stale...
Some of the highlights of the album include Sons of Liberty, a nod, it would appear, to bands like Flogging Molly, The Pogues and the Real McKenzies, and Dan's Song, a feel good summery tune about getting the most out of life. A solid 4/5!

3. Cougar - Patriot
Chances are you'll never hear of Wisconsin 5 piece Cougar. Not for any other reason than they're a fairly experimental, instrumental, post-rock band (you may however know their drummer's other project, the Youngblood Brass Band). This is Cougar's second album, and a fantastic follow-up to 2007's Law. Where Law was a slow-burner, brimming with sounds and ambience, Patriot is a small explosion, breaking out with heavy guitars, and a more full, developed and play-me-loud feel to it. The album opens with a fantastic foot-stomper and continues in a similar vein without becoming tiresome. Bridges and breaks split each song nicely, with inventive riffs and peaks, to the accompaniment of a sharp backing from D. H. Skogen (of Youngblood).
This one is a straight 5/5, it's experimental, it's exciting, it's new, and that pretentious part of my brain which I like to feed, loves being a fan of obscure bands (you know you do too!)
I know that instrumental stuff isn't to everyone's taste, but give this a whirl, you may be pleasantly surprised.

4. Adam Gnade - The Wild Homesick
Gnade's EP (ok not an album, I know) The Wild Homesick is rare enough that I couldn't even find a proper picture of it (look, that's Gande himself holding it), but it's something I got on recommendation earlier this year from a good friend of mine. If I'm honest, there's a large percentage of you that won't like it. It's obscure, it's somewhat long winded if you're not expecting it. Gnade is a singer, but from most of his work you wouldn't know it. Gnade's music is something akin to storytelling, with a guitar. He spins tales of his friends, his family, his life, weather, you name it. It sounds terrible, but somehow it's mostly just intriguing and a little stirring. Gnade's lyrics concerned with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are thought provoking, not in any political sense, but in sense of it showing the effect on the people back home and the families of those out there fighting.
The first three tracks portray scenes of long awaited social occasions, storms and the coming together of friends and strangers, and all through you just want to stand on a porch in the warm dark, a beer in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and your friends surrounding you.
The EP rounds off with a song by Gnade, a short, sharp, lo-fi, distored number, called I Will Put Away My Pain And Be A Beacon. It's an interesting change of pace, and brings the album to a nice ringing close.
This is another 4/5, which would've scored higher if it was longer, but the fact is this is an EP so I can hardly complain.

5. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
I don't have much to write about this. I discovered it this morning. I've not turned it off since. This album is just excellent. It makes me think of gospel with a bit of a more folky feel to it. Banjos, violins, and choruses of almost discordant voices, sound so much like these boys traipsed in from the northern moors, or maybe even further, but the boys hail straight from our capital itself, and take the country from without it seems.
The thing about this album is the soul in the whole affair. The voices, gravelly and full of emotion, backed up by string and wind make for quite a mixture.
Without a doubt, tracks Little Lion Man, Awake My Soul and Winter Winds have made this album for me. For the reason that in a matter of hours it has become one of my albums of the year and within a minute of Little Lion Man I was hooked on these boys, I can't give this anything other than 5/5. A brilliant album and one which most can enjoy!

So go forth, invest in these albums, treat your friends and family over Christmas, "treat your wife, treat someone else's wife", whatever!
And if anyone has another opinion then feel free to share it in the comments section.
Except you Haddock. You're banned from commenting on my blog now, on the basis that you're not even difficult to spot.
Eejit.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

The Numbers Game

Just a quick post to say that according to Statcounter (lovely people!), I get about 20-30 visitors a day, and around 120 page loads.
Exciting stuff.
So if you do bother to read this and you're not just someone trolling (which isn't really annoying, more just bizarre), drop a comment here.
Oh and if you would be a darling and click some of the adds on the right, I'll get paid. Which is crazy.

Cheers!

Saturday 12 December 2009

Music Makes You Lose Your Otherwise Impecable Composure.

What ho all!
So over the last few days I've had something of an educational and personal revelation. I think I finally know how to do this uni thing now. How annoying is it that it's taken me 2 and 1/3 years to figure it all out?
The answer you're looking for, is very.
Anywho, you're not here to read about my educational musing and movings. You're clearly here to hear about some nonsensical and altogether irrelevant clap-trap!
Instead we're going to talk music. For no other reason than it's something I've not yet touched on/up in this train-of-thought-made-visible that I somewhat lamely call a blog.

So the year's coming to an end, and I think it's probably a good idea to write a little about the music of 2009, what I think of it, and where I stand, as well as some recommendations (for those who care).

First off though, I must tell you that I've rediscovered Nirvana. What on earth made me forget them is beyond me and our top scienticians. They really were just brilliant. And I know it seems a bit clichéd but they changed the face of music in a huge way. Right now the sounds of Heart Shaped Box are impressing me greatly, and also making me slightly angry!
The whole thing reminds me of an Alan Partridge scene:
Alan: So who's your favourite singer then?
Ben who works in travel lodge: Oh er... Anything really. Y'know, Frank Sinatra, Kurt Cobain...
Alan: Who's he?
Ben: Nirvana. Blew his head of with a gun.
Alan: W-why?
Ben: He was depressed.
Alan: Why? Were they not very good?
Ben: No, they were great.
Alan: Oh... Someone should've told him!


Memories...


Anyway: Roundup.
A quick Google search of the top selling artists of 2009 reveals... Some stuff. Probably. I don't know. I didn't do it.
Instead I'm just going to make it up based on what I've heard.

Ok so we have:
Lady GaGa (obviously)
Little Boots
La Roux
Florence And The Machine
JLS.

I don't know anyone else. I think it's somewhat obvious that I don't know modern popular music so I'll just quickly run through my thoughts.

Lady GaGa - Grew on me lots and now has my respect.
Little Boots - Forgot to listen to her, but had heard her album was a bit of a let down.
La Roux - Another grower, but I'll be surprised if she lasts. This year might be it. When you have a single that's as big as he first, it'd be difficult.
Florence And The Machine - Not bad really. Nice voice.
JLS - Get the fuck out.

So that's popular music covered.
Next time: REAL MUSIC!

Friday 4 December 2009

Capital capital old chap(ital) part 2!

From here on out, I fully intend to dress Ben and spend more time in the capital. End of.

Also pleasingly I can still read some hiragana!
Yosha!

Thursday 3 December 2009

Capital capital old chap(ital)!

Ah, London. You are so wonderfully large, wonderfully busy, wonderfully confusing and wonderfully wonderful.
If anything, all the aforementioned traits compound to make you more wonderful. Maybe that's just me.
So today we head to the Japanese embassy. An excellent chance for me to show off my poor grasp of the Japanese language! Subarashi!
However we will then spend hours wandering the shops and wishing we/I had more money.

I think I may take my camera with me... Depends if rain is forecast. I don't want to take my camera bag (it's very small, and looks ridiculous on my 6' 3" frame), but I don't want to get a wet camera. I can't afford that at all.
Hmm... Tricksy.

Went for my run. Made it 0.5mi before I died. Confusing to me as last time I was going a good 2.5mi with no apparent problems. I blame the cold weather for making my chest feel like it was about to explode... Oh well.
What else? I'm dressed like Johnny Cash. I need to stop doing that maybe, but so help me God, he's a damn good looking man (not really, but sartorial elegance was apparently one of his traits).

On another note, I'm rather pleased to announce that I now have 5 followers. This excites me as I feel like it's not just me that reads this now! However one of the followers - Mole Skinners - I think may have got the wrong idea by the name of my blog. Sure it's nice of them to be here, but I think they may be come disinterested when I fail to post pictures of me killing and then de-coating garden pests.

This right here makes me realise I know nothing of fashion, and without great funding and luck, I never will. This upsets me greatly. I also wish to receive 1/50th of the free shit she gets... It would make me incredibly happy.

I may go wake up Ben now. It's an hour and a half before we must catch the bus and I have to go to the bank. Has anyone seen my wallet?

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Motivation

I lack it.

As tempting as it is to leave it there for some form of comic effect, I think it's worth going on slightly with this and we'll converse (albeit one sidedly) for a while.
I've done nothing of late. All my excitable, furious, inspiration and motivation. This wouldn't be so much of an issue if it wasn't for the fact that all this has ramifications on others:
The house is a mess.
Lidia is carrying my ass big time.
Declan has done most of the Christmas shopping.
My room is horrendous.
I have no clean clothes.
I barely talk to my friends because I've not bothered to go get my phone sent back.

All of this compounds to make me feel like I'm going to shoot my own face off.

Here's the plan to get me out of this awful slump.
Tomorrow: Get up. Go running. 100 sit-ups. 100 press-ups (*gulp*). Breakfast. Catch up on the day's news and events. Go to uni. Enjoy my seminar if it kills me. Go to London. Meet Flo. Go to the Japanese Embassy. Generally geek about in London until our eyes fall out. Come home. Work somewhat. Sleep.

Friday: Repeat (bar London bits).

Etc.

I feel like this will help me infinitely. That and a normal human sleep pattern.
And a dawn clock.
And a dawn porter. Om nom nom.

Monday 16 November 2009

Busy Business

Yes yes alright class I know I'm late, settle down now!
What? Why am I late? I was busy ok?
Fine! Well basically I've had a shit tonne of essay, volunteer stuff for Linkline, and moving into a new house, not to mention having a social life (on occasion) and general day-to-day living...

But anyway, down to business, take our your copy books, and turn to page 29 in your textbooks: a chapter entitled Fashion.
Yes I realise we were supposed to study this last time, but I never ended up writing it out for you so we're doing it now. Stop interrupting.

First off: my new jacket arrived. And it's delicious. £100's worth of reduced down wonder, and frankly I was at a loss, not knowing what on earth to wear it with. Suddenly: terror. "A waste of money" I heard in a middle aged male voice. "A hundred pound down the drain" I heard in a similar female lilt. "Don't have the bollocks to wear it!" I heard in an almost unmistakeable Essex screech.
Thankfully, I had the world at my fingertips, and they were (mostly) ready to help me. A round of forum questioning and I had answers... And so please turn your attention to figure 1.
Fig 1. Jack Wills Ravensworth Blazer with Black jeans, vintage shirt, PF Flyers and Ray Bans

Alright quiet now at the back, let's move on.

On the next page you will discover that a man can dress like something he has no idea about and still feel confident that he's giving an accurate portrayal of said topic.
I had recently seen (also in Jack Wills - shut up), a tweed jacket, which I had fallen deeply in love with. Deciding I needed one and being short by about £260, I should scout out the charity shops for something similar. No dice. They are certainly an overrated commodity. Luckily, Nottingham is full of vintage shops, and by that I mean there are roughly three. Wild Clothing is one such shop, and I must say, has a rather good selection of tat and trash, most of which I would describe as great! Though you may have to spend a few minutes in there...
Anywho, I managed to locate myself a houndstooth jacket in there for the meagre sum of £15. A bargain say I, especially as it actually fits. Normally if I'm lucky enough to find myself a jacket, it's going to be huge in the chest or stupidly short in the arms. Ridiculous shaped body you see! And so we turn to fig 2.
Fig 2 - Said jacket worn with white plain shirt and Prince Of Wales check trousers.


Things I want:
I have the bowler, but I need a topper.

Tweed trousers. God I want some...

A proper dress shirt. I have a bow-tie and nothing to wear it with.

There's a few other bits but I'm not sure what... I really wish I'd bought one of these things:
Before Topman got their grubby hands on them...
Grrr. (literally)

Anywho, might add some other pictures in time... For now, I merely promise to update more often. Sorry y'all....

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Liar, liar pants on fire

Ok so I lied! I'm blogging because I'm tremendously drunk!
Woo! Judge me and so help me god I'll lick your face!

Thursday 10 September 2009

I may have accidentally lied slightly

Hello again dearheart,
I have an apology to shamefacedly make. I promised my next post would be a fashion based post but I'm going to nonchalantly discard this idea until next time (which may actually be only tomorrow, or even later on tonight if I get bored enough). Instead chums, I'm going to be answering some enticing and intriguing questions I have recently become aware of. There is an American TV show called Inside The Actors' Studio. This programme is formatted by way of an interview with a specific actor each week. However towards the end of each show, 10 standard questions are asked to the actor. Because these questions are pretty thought inducing and because I like them I'm going to share my answers with the world. Because I know none of you care.
But you may be inspired to play along, eh?

1. What is your favourite word?
As a chap who considers himself as somewhat eloquent, this question poses something of an awful quandary, as I believe almost all words have their place and can be used to wonderful affect in the right circumstances, however if one were forced to narrow one's choice down to a single word, it would have to be correlational. This word holds a rather bizarre sway over me as there's something in this brain which loves a graph. I suppose it's the statistician in me but nonetheless, this particular word is nice because it sounds nice when explaining any linking ideas or data to use the word correlational.
Geeky? Very much so!

2. What is your least favourite word?
In this instance I'd have to refer you to the above answer and answer that as an unashamedly self proclaimed eloquent person, the word that annoys me the most would be any word which is in common misuse or any non-words which people use. The worst offender in my mind being "of". Could of. Should of. Would of. etc. etc. etc.
Have. Not of. Have fits here. Of is not correct at all. It is however intensely annoying.

3. What turns you on [creatively]?
Literature which alludes through metaphors to reality or to other ideas. For example, 1984, certain aspects of Lord Of The Flies, some Dickens to name but a few. In this respect I really should read The Crucible by the sounds of it! I love reading about things in literature which are almost secretly commenting on events or issues through this medium!

4. What turns you off [creatively]?
Pretentious modern art. I know people may hate me for this choice but god knows it annoys me. A urinal? A skull covered in gems? If it hasn't got a damn good message behind it, then it is literally just a toilet and a head dipped in jewelry. And you know what? I could see those for free, or even imagine it! It is not something you've painstakingly slaved over for hours getting everything beautiful and has taken great skill to create like a beautiful painting!

5. What noise do you love?
The sound of a golf ball hitting the bottom of the cup. Which, I hear you think, sounds somewhat ludicrous, but to anyone that plays golf, it is a most satisfying sound. It is one which speaks of triumph and conclusive finality, not to mention one which is genuinely pleasing to the ear without those particular connotations!

6. What noise do you hate?
People slurping their own saliva. Which is obviously not a particularly common noise, but a bothersome one to say the least. One is made to feel quite queasy when one hears it.

7. What is your favourite curse word?
Bollocks. For pure versatility there's nothing finer as displayed in the hit motion picture The 51st State starring Samuel L. Jackson. Oh bollocks. Dogs bollocks. Bollocks to that. Bollocks (as an exclamation of disbelief). Bollocks covers all bases delightfully well. And it rolls so readily off the back of the throat like an offensive cough.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
A fashion reporter or designer. Or even a stylist. I have very little in the way of ability to draw though so one of those is already out the window. I can't afford to dress myself in the way that I'd like and I'm so indecisive I end up usually resorting to jeans/t-shirt combos so that's another. And high fashion scares me slightly. How unfortunate.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything particularly monotonous or tedious. Which rules out many professions really. Unless they paid me awfully well I'd want something exciting or something which evolved.

10. Finally, if heaven exists what would you like to hear God say as you got to the pearly gates?
"It was only logical of you not to believe, so go on in, Dawkins is in there too! Don't worry, you won't feel stupid or embarrassed, this is heaven!"

Hope these gave you something of an insight into why I never seem to acheive anything substantial.
Until next time!

Monday 7 September 2009

Absence makes the heart grow forgetful

Well well! What have we here? It's a blog I'd forgotten I'd swore to update regularly... How curious!
So where were we when last we left off? Ah that's right I was busy hating myself!
Well then let me fill you in on the details since then:
My laptop died a tremendous death. I cried. I realised my brother had the same laptop sat in a cupboard with a faulty screen. I laughed. I tore my laptop apart. I revelled. I rebuilt his screen. I rejoyced. I was informed his laptop also had died the same way mine had not six months ago. I cried once more.
The upshot is I am now the proud owner of a brand new Dell Inspirion 1545. This makes me hilariously happy as it runs everything very smoothly.
I also managed in the interim to find myself a house (this is another thing I blame my absence on... The lack of laptop and subsequently, internet being the first). This excites me beyond belief as it's rather a lovely house and it's officially ours! I would attach photos but that sounds like far too much hard work so I'll just link you here. Pretty swish eh?
What else? I lost 8lbs last week, almost by accident. This is pleasing though, so I can't complain.
I'm having trouble thinking of anything else worthwhile to tell you so let's get to the meat of it:
From here on the next few posts are going to be "The Fashion Issue". Make of that what you will when you see my particular style, as you may just think I'm a prat. I care not.
I'll see you there. Like shareware.

Good to be back.

Monday 3 August 2009

How I constantly disappoint myself

For a number of days now, I have found myself deliriously under stimulated. A contradiction-in-terms you may agree, but one I fully intend to employ for the purposes of this entry.
In short my silent interlocutor (for in my mind this is a conversation that has merely taken a turn for the one-sided as opposed to an originally one-sided exchange, though admittedly the lack of feedback and followers has done little to support my claim) I have found myself with little or nothing to do. Now this offends me in a particularly hurtful way: I find it intellectually insulting that a man of my, not inconsiderable (if I may say so) cranial capacity, and indeed volume, finds himself at a loss for something to do. There is always something which can be achieved. Expanding the mind is one. Contributing to society is another. Making acquaintances is a third. And yet to my mind none of these would do nor seemed fitting enough. And thus with a heavy heart and tread, I stalked the halls of my family home in despair and almost unfettered fury. How could I allow such a mood to take me?
Alas it is entirely myself at whose feet the blame should be lain.
With this in mind I now vow to fill time in which I would complain of boredom or of a lack of entertainment to further myself and to produce a better man as a result. No more shall I throw myself onto the bedspread or the bedspread of even my siblings in a vague attempt to gain attention or to gain pity.
I, Elliot Thomas Luke Spirrett, henceforth vow to combat and defeat boredom in my quest to become a better person, in the eyes of my peers and the rest of society, or die in my endeavour.
Signed,
Elliot Spirrett.

Thank you for witnessing this moment and this rant.

Starting next entry: less ranting, more musings and creative writing, reviews and views, and, importantly, a more learned scribe, at your service.

Until next time, cheers!

Saturday 1 August 2009

Good afternoon bloggers seasoned and unseasoned alike. Hoping this day finds you well, despite the somewhat awful weather many of you are reporting. I myself rather enjoy a good rainy day, it allows me to sit inside and marvel at the weather, safe in the knowledge that I'm nice and dry. It is days like these where I'm quite sure I should be doing something with myself, mayhap relaxing with an improving book, or expanding my knowledge on subjects of interest such as philosophy, the arts, or how the perform the perfect side-parting without looking too much like a Bavarian fascist.
Instead I witnessed my younger brother complete The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess for a second time, and slept until an unnecessary hour.

One notes that the media circus which is the death or Mr M. Jackson has taken a new turn with The Guardian reporting that Jackson may have died of an anaesthetic overdose, of which he is one of only three people outside of the medical profession apparently. Now it is my opinion that it would be too easy here to make jokes about his addiction to anaesthetics and children etc. etc. however, feel free within the comments section to do so yourself.
I might point out at this interlude between rambles that I don't like celebrity nonsense, and reel in horror and disgust at the fuss that is being made over this particular death. People flying half way across the world to lay flowers at a conference centre is somewhat ridiculous. People claiming to have had their lives personally affected by Jackson, equally so.
Anywhom, rant over, I just felt that my thoughts on the matter needed airing out...

What else?
So my dissertation on the effects of Schizotipy on Executive Functioning looms ever closer, and my own personal research has, thus far, been minimal. I think it's time I started to get stuck in, and that's why as of Monday I shall be entering into a period of working, going to the gym (in preparation for next years rowing which I've foolishly promised to do) and trying to earn some more money, which will go towards furniture next year. Not to mention filling out Student Loan applications and the like. This week promises to be a busy one when mixed with the impending trip to Cambridge, where we intend to view houses. I anticipate your sympathy reader while I sigh in exasperation.

On a lighter note, the FTSE this week closed up high and has recently topped 4'600, perhaps a sign that a bull market is on the way. With investment fund sales on the rise and six-year high in investment ISA sales, is this a sign that we're on our way out of the recession? There are a couple of opposing cases, of which I know little enough about economics to understand so I won't comment on. Instead I'm going to merely remain optimistic!

I'd like to take this opportunity to plug Gordon Brown for a moment or two also. For a man who was dropped into the hot seat at a rather unfortunate time by his predecessor, he's done rather a good job. Left with a both morally and tactically difficult war on his hands and the looming threat of global recession, Gordon Brown has handled both rather stunningly. His cooperation with world politics golden boy Barack Obama has resulted in strong ties to a new USA not being cut, and has only helped his own approval ratings. The measures taken by Brown and Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling have resulted in this country being the first major nation to have made any headway in rising from the fall of the global markets. Frankly I think he's given something of a bad press due to a combination of a less-marketable personality than Blair or Cameron and an unfortunate timescale. Had he been in power when the recession was coming to an end (which fingers crossed he may yet), then I think he'd be more likely seen as a hero, whether he had much of a part in it or not.

Sorry if this post has seemed a little too serious but as a burgeoning blogger I'm struggling for topics and so combed the Guardian for a couple of items to talk about before writing.

Light-hearted service commences soon.

In the mean time if anyone knows where I can get hold of a cheap boating jacket (blazer style) then I'd be glad to know of it.

Cheerio all!

Friday 31 July 2009

Day The First

Welcome dear reader to what promises to be the first of (probably not very) many publications on this here internet, of my daily withertos and whyfores, how do you dos and dos and don'ts, and general musings on life as I see it.

Marvel at my uninteresting (yet somehow deemed worth of being written down) adventures!
Gasp at my outspoken opinion on topics I have no real knowledge of!
Wonder at why you're reading even now!
Quandary why I use parenthesis and ellipsis so frequently!

All this and more to come!

So fold back the first page of this handsome leather (read: electricity) bound tome (read: webpage) and fill your head with the twaddle and inane claptrap which fills mine!

Excelsior!