Christopher Fowler's Blog, page 511

Hot Day, Brick Lane

The East End's mad Brick Lane is probably not the best place to be on a baking Sunday in London, but it's certainly fun. Here's a random selection of stuff that happening around me. This chap to the left had a naval theme going on, with the cool admiral's chapeau, possibly a tribute to the [...:]

By Hook Or By Book

Were you surprised to discover that the 'Lost' writers didn't know what they were doing after their initial premise played out? The final episode brings a circularity to this shaggiest of shaggy dog stories, but little else. Like 'The Prisoner' before it, and 'The X Files', it proved to be all hook and no punchline. [...:]

Misspeaking Is The New Lying

I don't know how to break this to you, but I've just found out that politicians lie.
The New York Times revealed that would-be Democratic senator for Connecticut Richard Blumenthal obtained no fewer than five deferments of military service in Vietnam taking repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, then told a group [...:]

That's New!

I spend so much time looking for quirky old architectural follies dotted around the backs of London buildings, that it turns out I've been walking past a brand new one almost every day. Just off the Euston Road, this represents the sort of pavilions and kiosks you used to see dotted about the West End. [...:]

Behind Closed Doors

There can be nothing worse than giving a talk on a sweltering day; these things so often take place in windowless rooms. So yesterday I was pleased to be about to address the Margery Allingham Society in the University Women's Club, Audley Square. I'm always amazed how many nondescript London doors hide beautiful private clubs, [...:]

Re:View – 'Prince Of Persia – The Sands Of Time

You know you're in trouble when Ben Kingsley, all kohl-blacked eyes and vizir robes, appears as the oleaginous king's advisor with 'Villain' virtually tattooed on his forehead. We're in Persia, not the real Persia of the Ottoman empire but a videogame-derived Kismet-land of vague Middle-Easterness, which means minarets, sand, snakes and temples of the sub-Indiana [...:]

Dead Men Walking

I was struck by an article on the front page of the online Independent today, bigging up a new videogame. I'm less interested in the game itself – no matter how much it cost, it still features what appear to be grappling shop window dummies – so much as the article itself. We've not hit [...:]

Paging David Niven

'This is a serious attack on the heritage of humanity," said Christophe Girard, deputy culture secretary in Paris. Well, not exactly, more like an attack on the rubbish security system of the Museum of Modern Art after a lone back-clad thief made off with five paintings, including Pablo Picasso's Le Pigeon aux Petits-Pois and La [...:]

British Olympic Mascots Not World's Worst Shock!

I've found some team mascots which are even more scary and awful than those 2012 eyeball creatures. Sammy the Santa Cruz Banana Slug and the Stanford Tree must have sparked a few childhood nightmares in their time. And here's an idea; if you want to get young lads to follow our team, don't call your [...:]

Bad Geometry

Alabama's record on race relations wasn't the best to begin with, and this story won't help. A teacher has been suspended for asking his students to work out the best angles from which it would be easiest to assassinate Barack Obama. Incredible.