Atticus

Friday night in The Ship was our biggest turn out - myself, James, Joe, Mark, Ade, Hugh and Mike.  Hugh put us all to shame, arriving in a sharp as shit suit that made him look like a lethal assassin!  You'll see what I mean when Ade uploads his pictures.  There were naked faeries and curry.  As great as it was to meet anyone, it was really cool to get to spend a decent chunk of time with Hugh who had to rush off early last year.

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Thanks for the kind words John - a lethal assassin, I like that!

Anyway, it was a great night, I enjoyed myself immensely. Just a pity I couldn't manage to hook up with you lot on Saturday, but I blame myself for not getting to the Con till 4. Tried the bars in the hotel but no joy. I'd been looking forward to sinking a few more sociable drinks with you all, too.

Left handed people are closer to the devil, so my granny always said.

And the italian for left-handed is "sinistro" - sounds a bit too close to "sinister" for my liking.

The eye has to focus differently on different colors.  The further apart on the color spectrum, the greater the difference in focus.  In some situations it can cause odd ocular effects.  Maybe that's what's happening here, and your eyes are just different than your wife's.

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Certainly sounds convincing, Josh. It does tend to happen with contrasting colours, especially red / green.

Go on then, make mine a White Russian. Get yourself one while you're at it.

I'll have a Guinness if anyone's going to the bar, thanks.

Rogan still got his powers?

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We're still awaiting the special delivery of green kryptonite I ordered after seeing his handiwork this morning.

Things I love:

1. Crossing bridges over big rivers through cities at night, particularly the Thames & the Clyde. I just love seeing the water reflecting the glittering lights in the buildings around, and the constant flow out to sea, and just the sense of endless possibilities that rivers create.

2. The smell of new books. A bit of a common one, I'm sure, but it's definitely a classic.

3. The way certain colours when printed together continue to shake when you jiggle it in front of your eyes and then stop. My brothers, my sister & I all love this, but when I find something that does it and show my wife, she says she can't see it. I can't explain it, please someone else tell me it happens with them too. I'm too sane to be seeing things.

I didn't see this pitching session (or any other for that matter) but I think I agree with your sentiments, Tom.

Thre is a certain snobbery in the comics world that looks down on "superhero" comics. Hey, I'm not ashamed to admit that while I do like gritty and moody "serious" comics, I love superhero shit too.

Oh, and I liked the comment about " writing shit, self-absorbed poetry and don't read superhero comics".

Like Lou, I'm having trouble thinking of weird sayings, since they all seem normal to me.

But I'll give you some of my mother's quaint turns of phrase:

When asked where something is, if she doesn't know or is too busy to answer, her typical reply would be "up Mick's arse in the brewery".

When we would ask what was for dinner a perfectly normal reply would be "pig's shit & porridge".

Or when she farts "Good ol' arse - I thought you were dead".

I had a lovely time in London this weekend.

So, I've met John, James, Joe, Ade and Mark, now I have to meet the rest of you.The quest begins.

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Sorry I never got to meet up with you on Saturday, Tom. I made it to the Con around 4, met Ade, had a wander round, tried both the hotel bars and the one across the road, but couldn't track the rest of ya down. Damn.

Cool

 

Did anyone fill John in on the state of the boards. Wiht Rogans ..err...creative touches and all.

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As of Friday night he was unaware, as far as I know.

Hey, great to see(?) you again Dale, hope that takin' over the world thing's going well for you.

Anyway, just to go against the flow, I'm quite enjoying Identity Crisis. I was a bit disappointed that they killed off Sue Dibny, but what the hell, it certainly grabbed attention and got everybody talking. I just hope the consequences for the DCU are long lasting.

Liked the satirical stab at it too, (Ollie's narration does take a while) even though I wasn't aware that IC was supposed to be a "touching reflection on the topic of rape" - I thought it was going to be a superhero comic. Ditto the fishnets.

I think Don't Do That is a good cat name. Original.

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Aye, but it would inevitably be shortened to DDT.

Which, actually, might be quite cool too.

Pooka, why don't you just change his name on a weekly basis. I mean, he's a cat, he's not going to answer to it anyway unless it suits his grand plan at the time. And even then there would have to be food involved.

I'd suggest something "other" anyway - Balzac. If only because our cat was nearly called Balzac instead of Mackintosh. We were picking names of the bookshelf, and a Charles Rennie Mackintosh book was right next to Balzac.

Great suggestions, all.

I had forgotten I'd started this thread, and have only just read all the replies.

Ruth Madoc.

"Hi-De-Hi, Campahs"

 

Although with our luck we'd get the GLC.

"Yer Muvva's gorra penis"

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So not Cerys Matthews then? I always found her husky tones incredibly sexy.

Anyway, I just heard that GLC track the other night. Are they lot takin' the pish or what? Can't make up my mind if they're a novelty act, or the Welsh answer to the Beastie Boys. Didn't mind "Guns don't kill rappers......." but "Yer Mother....." seems just a bit trying too hard.

On the other hand, I always have time for bands that sing in their own accents rather than some mid- or psuedo-atlantic drawl. Even if I think their music's shite, I still respect them for doing it.

Thanks for the info Atticus about the Yamazaki single malt.

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No problem. I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get a bottle of it from any decent whiskey shop. I'm sure if there're none near you then somewhere on the net will do deliveries.

The british lads love to take the fights to other countries, at times...

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*ahem* - British, Rogan???

Scottish fans have had a reputation of being trouble free on their travels for a fair number of years now - which is really just as well, cos the national team has absolutely ZERO chance of getting a good reputation for anything, except perhaps for being able to say "well done, you deserved to win" in the greatest number of languages.

For the 2003 Uefa cup final and unprecedented 80,000 Celtic fans travelled over to Seville from Scotland (despite there only being an allocation of 20,000 tickets) with absolutely no trouble, even after we lost the match. I think there were something like 8 arrests for drunken behaviour out of the 80,000 according to the Seville police.

Sadly, people do terrible things to whiskey. I know plenty of heathens who drink whiskey and coke (generally bourbon rather than Scotch, but even so...), for example. Eurgh. I can just about cope with ice, or even a splash of mineral water, but by preference all whiskey should be drunk neat. It just tastes better that way.

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There is absolutely no harm in adding a bit of water to your whisky, if you fancy it. With some of the better ones it will open up the flavour more, bringing out more aromas and making the taste more complex. The single cask malts are generally a lot stronger than your usual single malts, and a wee bit of water there works wonders.

Room temperature mineral water is usually best, but even tap water is fine.

Friday evening in The Ship - might be a wee bit late there. My boss just reminded me I've got a meeting in the afternoon (bah! no pub at lunchtime then), and it might overrun.

Not likely, but possibly late.

Atticus where did you get the

 

"I bought a very nice bottle of 14 year old single cask Japanese single malt last week from the Yamazaki distillery".

 

I'm assuming that you got it locally and didn't travel to Japan to get it.

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I bought it through my membership of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. It's like a member's club based in Edinburgh but with "Members Rooms" in London and some places places abroad.

They sell single malts drawn from specially selected single casks from distilleries all over Scotland, a couple in Ireland, a few in Japan, and occasionally Bourbons from the USA. These are not available over the counter (or the bar) anywhere else, and are limited in quantity.

The SMWS buys the individual casks from the distilliery (after tasting, obviously), bottle it and offer it for sale. Because each cask will always taste slightly different from the next - even from the same distillery - each set of bottlings (or "expressions") is unique, and when they're all sold, you won't be able to get another whisky that tastes exactly the same. Unlike normal single malts which are the product of a number of casks from the same distilliery mixed together to achieve a more consistent taste.

If you want to know more about the SMWS then click here

No, that still looks like something a hyperactive teenager knocked together with tinfoil and string to me. Mind you, having seen the new version [of Battlestar Galactica], it does look a bit cheap, doesn't it? T&A-tastic, though...

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Certainly a good deal easier on the eyes, yes.

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Elaborate, please gentlemen, for those of us too poor / tight to get Sky.

Anyone wishing to get up for 9.30 on saturday morning for the purposes of unloading comic boxes will be looked up favourably. etc.

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Saturday morning - as in a.m.????

I'd love to say yes Ade, but unfortunately I'll be busy. Sleeping.

Aye, Atticus. Mostly I was worried about it freezing if left out in the garage. I do not intend to drink it cold!

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Thank god for that Charlie, I had you pegged as a man of good taste, and was a bit worried there for a wee minute.

Seems like a good thread to add that I bought a very nice bottle of 14 year old single cask Japanese single malt last week from the Yamazaki distillery, (near Kyoto).

A very easy to drink whisky, although a bit spicy on the nose (well, it is 61.6% alcohol), with fruity notes when neat. Dry to the taste, with a dark chocoalte aftertaste.

In short, it's a lovely way to unwind at the end of the day. But at £47 a bottle I'm going to have to ration myself.

Favourite movie: going purely on a movie that I have watched the most in my life, I'd have to say The Quiet Man.

Best movie of all time: probably The Godfather.

Question: Does whiskey freeze? Because I'm thinking about storing some in my man-cave out in the garage.

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This sounds like my specialist subject.

Well, I regularly keep my bottle of Bombay Sapphire in the freezer and that never freezes (although it does go a bit "swirly") - it tastes great straight from the cold, and means you don't really have to add ice (therefore - more room for gin).

However, I'd strongly advise against putting your whisky in the freezer.

Why?

Purely a matter of taste. If you're drinking a standard blended whisky then it's not going to matter that much, but if it's a good single malt you're going to totally ruin the taste if it's served cold. The coldness will dull the taste, lose its sharpness, and you won't really be able enjoy it at its best. Likewise, don't add ice (or even - shudder - coke! sacriledge!), just a little dash of water to suit your taste will bring the full flavour out.

Also, a good single malt will go cloudy when water is added. That's not to say if it stays clear it's necessarily bad, but it does mean it's been chill filtered which some would say makes for an inferior taste.

Does that help you, Charlie?

Favourite LOTDK arc would have to be Matt Wagner's "Faces" from early on. That was a top notch story, with beautiful artwork.

Well, as I live & breath. A smugness thread. Just when I'm feeling particularly pleased with a good weekend.

1. Went out on Saturday to buy my 3 year old niece a birthday present and ended up spending more than I planned on a Balamory play set (any students and/or brits with kids will know this kid's programme - What's the story in Balamory? Wouldn't you like to know!), which then sent up today, and it cost me another £20 to send it! But she's worth it 'cos she's my only god-daughter, and she'll love it so much that now it makes me super-uncle. Yay! It's true, you don't have to actually be around, you CAN buy children's affections!

2. On same shopping trip, booked this year's holiday. Jetting off in in 24 days time (and counting) for 2 wks in Goa at 5 star hotel on the beach. Fucking yay! Oh, and got a cheap upgrade to premier class (which, unfortunately, is nowhere near business or first class standards, but still gives us more legroom, complimentary drinks and keeps us away from the great unwashed).

3. It was our wedding anniversary yesterday and we had a fabulously lazy day wandering around the village and then went to see Billy Connolly last night. Wasn't as funny as I'd hoped, but far funnier than I'd feared. A few low patches in the performance, but still very funny.

4. And finally, off out tonight to treat Mrs Atticus to a surprise anniversary dinner at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in Claridges.

Smug? Me?

Hmmm...favourite non vertigo DC title.....?

If you'd asked this a couple of years ago I'd have frimly gone with Batgirl (until it went tits up), but at the mo', have to say, by far, Green Arrow. It's been (largely) consistently brilliant straight super-hero stuff from Kevin Smith's excellent work up to & including Judd Winick's run (but - definitely - not counting the Green Lantern crossover).

Hey, they're I know they're fanboy choices, but I like them