The Secret Speech by Tim Rob Smith

No Comments Written by whizzbang on February 15, 2010 in books.

Tim Rob Smith’s latest novel is available for £2.99 with the Times Newspaper this week. Set three years after the events in his last novel CHILD 44, The Secret Speech again features Leo Demidov, who now heads a secret homicide department with his friend, Timur Nesterov. Although he and his wife Raisa live in a smart apartment with their adopted daughters Elena and Zoya, , Zoya cannot forgive Leo for his part in the death of her parents and her hatred is poisoning the family.

When the new premier, Kruschev, orders the publication of a speech that he made criticising the actions of the government under Stalin, it triggers a series of murders – the victims are all people who participated in Stalin’s repression of the innocent. The deaths force Leo to confront his first arrest as an MGB agent, where he infiltrated and betrayed an Orthodox priest, Lazar. Soon Leo’s past will put him and his family in danger as a figure from Leo’s past seeks revenge, sending him on a dangerous mission to save his family….


Up

No Comments Written by whizzbang on February 15, 2010 in Film & DVD.

I am a huge fan of all the Pixar animated films and when I found out that
Pixar’s latest hilarious film “UP” is out on DVD, to coincide with half-term, I bought it. :D

It features a old chap named Carl Fredricksen, who, faced with the prospect of losing his house & ending up in a retirement home, decides he wants some excitement in his life (I don‘t blame him Go for it!). So, Inspired by his childhood sweetheart & the daring exploits of his boyhood hero, he ties thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for a lost world of adventure.

Along the way Carl unwittingly manages to pick up an overeager eight year old Cub Scout named Russell who has never ventured beyond his backyard, and meets a talking dog named Dug and a rare flightless bird named Kevin.

As with all Pixar films, it features loads of hilarious in-jokes & references, which are all great fun & it will take repeated viewings to spot everything that’s going on, I really enjoyed it :D


God loves Blondes

No Comments Written by whizzbang on February 15, 2010 in Fun & Games.

A blonde finds herself in serious trouble. Her business has gone bust and she’s in dire financial straits. She’s desperate so she decides to ask God for help. So She begins to pray..

“God, please help me. I’ve lost my business and if I don’t get some money, I’m going to lose my house as well. Please let me win the lottery.”

Lottery night comes, and somebody else wins.

She again prays… “God, please let me win the lottery!

I’ve lost my business, my house and I’m going to lose my car as well.”

Lottery night comes and she still has no luck.

Once again, she prays… “My God, why have you forsaken me?

I’ve lost my business, my house, and my car.. My children are starving. I don’t often ask You for help, and I’ve always been a good servant to You. PLEASE let me win the lottery just this one time so I can get my life back in order.”

Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as the heavens open.

The blonde is overwhelmed by the Voice of God, Himself…. when he said to her ……..

“Sweetheart, work with Me on this……. Buy a ticket.”


Genuine Police Complaint letter

No Comments Written by whizzbang on February 15, 2010 in Fun & Games.

This is a genuine complaint to Strandtown Police Force from an angry member of the public. A true email sent to the force, lengthy but brilliantly written…..
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Dear Sir/Madam/Automated telephone answering service,
Having spent the past twenty minutes waiting for someone at Strandtown police station to pick up a telephone I have decided to abandon the idea and try e-mailing you instead.

Perhaps you would be so kind as to pass this message on to your colleagues in Strandtown, by means of smoke signal, carrier pigeon or Ouija board.

As I’m writing this e-mail there are eleven failed medical experiments (I think you call them youths) in Parkgate Crescent, which is just off Mersey Street Belfast.

Six of them seem happy enough to play a game which involves kicking a football against an iron gate with the force of a meteorite. This causes an earth shattering CLANG! Which rings throughout the entire building. This game is now in its third week and as I am unsure how the scoring system works, I have no idea if it will end any time soon.

The remaining five failed-abortions are happily rummaging through several bags of rubbish and items of furniture that someone has so thoughtfully dumped beside the wheelie bins. One of them has found a saw and is setting about a discarded chair like a beaver on ecstasy pills.

I fear that it’s only a matter of time before they turn their limited attention to the caravan gas bottle that is lying on its side between the two bins. If they could be relied on to only blow their own arms and legs off then I would happily leave them to it. In fact, I would even go so far as to lend them the matches.

Unfortunately they are far more likely to blow up half the street with them and I’ve just finished decorating the kitchen.

What I suggest is this – after replying to this e-mail with worthless assurances that the matter is being looked into and will be dealt with, why not leave it until the one night of the year (probably bath night) when there are no mutants around then drive up the street in a Police car before doing a three point turn and disappearing again.. This will of course serve no other purpose than to remind us what policemen actually look like.

I trust that when I take a claw hammer to the skull of one of these throwbacks you’ll do me the same courtesy of giving me a four month head start before coming to arrest me.

I remain your obedient servant

Mr ??????,
——————————————————————————————-
I have read your e-mail and understand your frustration at the problems caused by youths playing in the area and the problems you have encountered in trying to contact the police.

As the Community Beat Officer for your street I would like to extend an offer of discussing the matter fully with you.

Should you wish to discuss the matter, please provide contact details (address / telephone number) and when may be suitable.

Regards
PC ???????
Community Beat Officer

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Dear PC ???????
First of all I would like to thank you for the speedy response to my original e-mail.

16 hours and 38 minutes must be a personal record for Srandtown Police Station, and rest assured that I will forward these details to Norris McWhirter for inclusion in his next Guinness book.

Secondly I was delighted to hear that our street has its own Community Beat Officer.

May I be the first to congratulate you on your covert skills? In the five or so years I have lived in Parkgate Crescent , I have never seen you. Do you hide up a tree or have you gone deep undercover and infiltrated the gang itself? Are you the one with the acne and the moustache on his forehead or the one with a chin like a wash hand basin? It’s surely only a matter of time before you are head-hunted by MI5 to look for Osama.

Whilst I realise that there may be far more serious crimes taking place in Belfast, such as smoking in a public place or being Christian without due care and attention, is it too much to ask for a policeman to explain (using words of no more than two syllables at a time) to these twats that they might want to play their strange football game elsewhere.

The pitch on Holywood Road , or the one at Victoria Park are both within spitting distance as is the bottom of the Pollock Dock, the latter being the preferred option especially if the tide is in.

Should you wish to discuss these matters further you should feel free to contact me on . If after 25 minutes I have still failed to answer, I’ll buy you a large one in the Great Eastern Pub.

Regards
?????????

P.S If you think that this is sarcasm, think yourself lucky that you don’t work for the sewerage department with whom I am also in contact !!!