“Drive thru”

Such a funny thing to say, a drive-thru. On researching the term it seems that there’s no need to commit to the Americanism of “just dropping some letters off” in order to get the job done quicker, so I’ll be sticking to the proper English. Drive THROUGH.

We all know the high street chains that cater to the drive-throughers of our society. The first thing that comes to mind is the fastfood “restaurants” of American fame – ‘namely’ that Colonel chicken place, the big yellow M and the reigning monarch of meat-in-a-bun. What you may not know is that for some years the Australians have been matching that with drive-through off licenses. You drive in the GTA style double doors, tell the guy on shift what you want, hand over the money and pop the boot. I can’t imagine what versions of this sort of thing the Americans are up too with modern “thinking” but I’d guess there’s at least one step too far. For those without cars the only advice I can give you is to hire a car to try the taste of exotic laziness.

One spelling-concerned graffiti artist agrees

We’ve already started to see ideas like pay at the pump in the petrol stations and now it seems that this was just the beginning for the supermarket chains.

In a report by the Sun it has been revealed that the first drive-through supermarket is up and running. A Tesco shop in Baldock, a town just North of Letchworth in Hertfordshire, has begun the trend by charging just two quid for you to drive under cover and have staff fill up your car. You’re given a two hour window to get in after having ordered your list online. It’s set to supersede the home delivery service with a cheaper service. I have to say that organising a day that culminates in a drive home with shopping in tow (without ever really having to do the shopping) really appeals to me. I don’t have a car at the moment, so I’ll have to arrange a car rental myself to have a go at the UK’s equivalent of pushing the drive-through boat out. If it’s any good it may well be worth backing up the scheme which will go nationwide if it’s successful in Hertfordshire.

Posted: August 23rd, 2010
at 9:34am by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with Atlantic cousins, drive-through, food

Categories: Humour, In the news, Stuff

Comments: No comments

Transfers Transfers Transfers!!

I know I’m not the only one who turns into an old fish wife when this time of year comes around. The nation is flapping its gums and for the only time in the year I can just about understand why people love their celeb gossip magazines. The BBC website even has a ‘Gossip’ section in the Football category.

In my defence it’s a known fact that transfers shape leagues, and we’re smack bang in the middle of a pretty interesting window. It’s not like I give a flying beach ball (still pains me to say those two words together) about who’s had what baby, but this stuff is important. There are rumours and signings happening all over the league, and we’ve not managed to pass by without a bit of dirty washing going public.

All hail Hodgson. He’s been in for 5 minutes and instantly started working on the problems in front of him. Aurelio was asked to hang up his boots by Rafa just before the defecation hit the oscillation.. after a chat with the new gaffer he’s more determined than ever to get the red men onto a winning streak. Roy is on about Mascher even sticking around despite the near certain eventuality of him following Senór Benitez. There’s not much time left in the transfer window, and it’s an achievement to be able to say that Javier is still here so late in the day. The BBC reckons that he’ll be nursing the various savings accounts in the club – nothing but the best.

We’ve started the season with a fairly shaky result, but we can rest easy knowing it’s one of the top four. Walking away with a draw is sometimes unjust. I disagree with Hodson’s opinion on the matter: I think we deserved the final score. Joe Cole saw a straight red for the very first time in his career and his first appearance for the ‘pool, but we can confidently say that this was a poor call from the ref.

I’m chuffed to see N’Gog scoring again. It always looked as though he was suffering with a confidence issue (as many of us may well do if we were 2nd to Fernando Torres) and maybe now is his time to shine. Let’s have a bit of faith in Rafa’s judgement. Good lad. Roy makes similar moves as he looks at picking up 24 year old striker Ola Toivonen from PSV. Keep your eyes peeled for this one. 1 – 1 and we’re somewhere in the mess of the mid-table. I don’t think positions are too important when there are so many in the pack at the moment (we’re 10th).

We managed to beat Rabotnicki Skopje 2 – 0 in qualifying for.. wait for it.. that’s right! You remember from last season! THE EUROPA!! Aurelio’s right. Champions league please boys. Tonight we take on Trabzonspor of Turkey at 6.30 (GMT). They’ve made some signings of a few names I don’t recognise (Jajá) who will probably make an impression. Reina’s had his mistake of the season now. Lightning will not strike twice.

Next up in the Premier League is Manchester City. That’s next Monday at 8pm and I’ll be grinning start to finish.

Ferguson has been blasting Mancini for snap spending. The Italian has shot back with a statement defending James Milner as a good player to have locked into quickly. He also hastened to remind Sir Alex that he has spent quite enough money making financial investments in the past and that he shouldn’t be so quick to criticize.

O’Neil was let go from Villa, Tottenham lost to Young Boys of Bern’s on what has become a controversial [artificial] playing surface and Blackpool came up from the Championship to start their season with a 4-0 smashing of Wigan – good luck to them as they face the gunners this weekend.

That’s the news in brief! Welcome back EPL.

Posted: August 19th, 2010
at 3:36pm by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with new season, news in brief, transfers

Categories: In the news, Liverpool FC, On the web, Sport

Comments: 5 comments

Messi!

There is some talk on the wind of Messi heading over to Chelsea on an underground signing that isn’t planned to be publicly released for a little while.

The rumour mill grinds on – stranger things have happened, but the tag I heard is a billion. Hmm.

In the meantime Gerrard claims Joe Cole as being “as good if not better” than the world renowned superstar.

Full story here.

Come on BOYS!!

Posted: August 10th, 2010
at 5:05pm by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with footy, joe cole, liverpool

Categories: In the news, Liverpool FC, On the web

Comments: No comments

Everyone hates City!

Hooray!

There has been a few outbursts in the past few days as to the integrity of City as a football club. It’s fair enough to say that Chelsea took a nice little injection of cash a couple of seasons ago and Liverpool are looking to be going down the same path, but what you must bear in mind is that both of these clubs had built their class and their reputation before the money rolled in.

All you have to do is look at some of the signings that have been made when there’s been money on the table. To summarise: Rafa’s made exclusively awful signings other than Torres and Drogba was around before the money dropped for Chelsea.

Herein lies the sticking point: Manchester City are hastily balanced on a pedestal when they cling to the top half of the table. Any fan will defend their right to hark to the high-hills about how great they are when they beat any of the top 4, but you’ll be hard pressed to find any silverware in their cabinet. They have struggled to prove any use in all competitions for a number of years. According to the wiki page the last accolade was their rise to the Premier League almost a decade ago. Well that’s no good, is it?

Suddenly, though, an influx of quick cash and a team deprived of cups and medals alike starts to make noises sounding like the top 5 of the best domestic league in the world. It seems unfair that such a thing could happen at all, but the magnitude at which City have managed it is almost a disgrace to the game.

Mark Hughes says Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has no excuse for failing to challenge for the Premier League this season.

New Fulham boss Hughes, who was sacked by City last December and replaced byMancini, also insists he would have secured aChampions League spot – something his successor was unable to achieve.

He added: “Given the amount of investment that they’ve already spent and put into their playing staff then really they should be looking at… certainly top four has to be nailed on for them.

“And, really, they should be looking to push to win the Premier League.”

Sure, Hughes is bitter, but he’s right. With the almighty cash flow Mancini still managed to fall short of a European place. It seems suddenly contentious when he’s given another massive wedge of cash to keep buying with. Ancelotti’s started to predict the run of events.

“Manchester City has a possibility to fight for the title,” Ancelotti told Sky Sports News.

“I’m not jealous – they needed to have top players. I think we have top players. We are not jealous.”

It all seems a little sordid that one team could rocket to success on the back of money, but I suppose that’s the way of things in the Prem nowadays. Business banking over football. I’m absolutely chuffed that Hodgson has made the moves that he has, and with a bit more money maybe he can prove what SHOULD happen when a club already in good stead is given a chance to splurge. We’re not aiming to buy our way to the top, but there are certainly some gaps that need patching up.

This is the difference, Mancini. Stop shouting your mouth off at other teams and get on with your game. financial investments aren’t enough, eh Kalou?

Oh, and incase you’re wondering.. Yes. You can buy the piggy.

Posted: August 4th, 2010
at 4:49pm by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with city, football, footy, mancini

Categories: In the news, Liverpool FC, Sport

Comments: 1 comment

Pakistan Floods

Pakistan is expierencing the worst flooding it has seen for years. Buildings collapse and lives end as the flood waters move with devestating consistency. The Telegraph reports the death count to have reached 1200 “as rescuers struggled to help the two million people who have been forced to flee from their homes in the country’s north-west”.

This is exactly the kind of information we’re starting to expect in the news, and so we dont tend to do much about it. I remember seeing disasters covered on the news for the first time to the response of an almighty stomach lurch often followed by tears. As the years pass we as a global community are becoming desensitised to all that is happening around us and in turn we are losing our respect for helping those that are in need.

I could be way off the mark here.. if I were approached by someone in the street to hand money over to one charity or another I’d quite happily list of the reem of subscriptions I have and have maintained for a few years. I would promptly ask them to leave or walk away myself.

If, however, you have a little time and money to spare it’s really worth paying attention to this crisis NOW. Even if you just do a little bit of further reading about the Pakistan floods so that you can inform a circle of people around you, that’s helping the cause.

The main roads are now open – it was not possible to get out of Peshawar until yesterday– but the roads to the villages are still blocked and some 30,000 people are trapped.

If you are happy to take the plunge you can donate to Pakistan floods here, and earn yourself a sense of pride. Helping those in need is a genuinely heroic act in the modern era, and now is as important a time as any for heroes.

Source

Posted: August 3rd, 2010
at 4:35pm by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with charity

Categories: In the news, On the web

Comments: No comments

Englishman SMASHES World Cup Record

If you’ve managed to avoid the sound of a Vuvzela these past few week then I am baffled as to how you are managing to read this post. Anyone anywhere with any arrangement of conversation, news reporting or any technology befitting of the modern age will know the World Cup has been concluded. In the favour of the Spaniards and the English.

What?

This tournament has been tainted by the curse of the Nike advert. Drogba (essentially absent), Cannavaro (knocked out in groups), Walcott (absent), Rooney (didn’t really show up), Ribery (aggresive & pointless), Ronaldinho (absent) and Christiano Ronaldo (21 shots, 9 on target, 1 goal) all played well below the expected threshold. One goal between each of these players which fell on the back of Ronaldo’s head before dropping hap-hazardly (and totally out of his control) to his foot 2 yards from an open goal. What does this have to do with England winning the World Cup this year?

None of the stars shone as brightly as we knew they could – even Arjen Robben (this years firecracker on the pitch) wasn’t playing at his absolute best. During the last 120 minutes of the 2010 Africa World Cup one star the tabloids had left behind took his rightful place in history: Howard Webb.

Our home-grown hero (ex copper and hard-man at that) broke records by ‘awarding’ a staggering 14 yellow cards and 1 red.

Kay Webb [wife], who was unable to watch much of the game because she was too nervous, told GMTV she thought the 38-year-old Yorkshireman was ”brilliant”.

”I have every confidence in him,” she said.

Resting on his shoulders were the expectations of an entire planet (give or take a few), and we’ve all seen it go horribly wrong before. Too many times have I heard about the plight of a referee recieving death-threats in the post due to a horrible decision. It goes without saying that the technology debate will be rife following this tournament, but our English record-setting hero did brilliantly in the meantime.

The game and the cup ended with a single goal from the right boot of Andres Iniesta who has had one of the better few weeks/months of the worlds players. I expected more from the Dutch side who managed to fall flat on their face in classic orange style (de ja vu 2008), there was a freekick towards the end that should’ve been left for Mr Persie, Robin Van.

Many of us made clear our dislike of Mark Lawrenson’s banter, and we found ourselves slowly coming to terms with the fact that we were missing ITV and it’s vans for sale adverts. There’s something inherently linked between football and vans, so it became something of a familiarity to have a football interlude that allowed a quick snippet of some vans. I’m only talking like this because the Worlders are over. Sad times.

Well done Spain, well done.

Oh yes.. you too Paul.

Posted: July 12th, 2010
at 11:38am by shotgunbagsy

Tagged with Howard Webb, Paul the Octopus, spain, World Cup Final

Categories: In the news, On the web, Sport

Comments: 1 comment

Van Persie vs Luis Fabiano

The most exciting game of the World Cup is currently under way and I feel compelled to write about it. After 60 minutes of play we’ve seen some of the biggest names of the international stage prove their worth, and one or two seem to have black marked themselves voluntarily. Prove yourselfves now lads it could be your last chance.

The opening goal was an absolutely Brazillian pass from Melo that scythed open the Dutch defense and allowed Robinho to slot a simple finish past Stekelenburg. 1 – 0 and the Dutch begin to make attacking moves. It seems as though this Brazillian defence has been told to slash Robben down every time he gets near the ball. Michelm Bastos going through him this time. The Brazillians are blasting Arjen with verbal abuse every time they foul him. Blinkers off, lads.

Schneider proceeded to cross the ball and claim a goal from Filipe Melo’s head. Although accidental he’s been absolutely key in both goals so far. 1 – 1. Sneijder looks chuffed.

Corner to Holland and as the cross comes in work-a-day Dirk Kuyt nods the ball onwards (accidentally, knowing Kuyt) to Sneijder who heads home. 2 – 1 in the 68th minute and its all to play for. Brazil look shaken.

Melo gets himself sent off. If anyone you’d say that Wesley. S would be the star of the show, but you cant take away from Melo that he’s gotten enough attention from officials and fans alike. Stamping on Robben’s
calves in a vain attempt to get the ball sees a straight red. It clearly is deserving of a red, but Robben uses the classic response by rolling around and asking for the blues and twos of an ambulance van. Hire an agent, Robben – you could make it on broadway!

Van Persie in on the shot, but he’s let it get away from him. Sneijder manages to snap the shot away. Saved.

Van Persie off for Huntelaar. 5 minutes on the clock.

Drik Kuyt in! He’s run the whole pitch and he’s suddenly on the edge of the box. One defender on his heels! Oh he’s given up.. lost possession.

Dani Alves with the weight of the world on his shoulders. A freekick just outside the Netherlands box. So many HUGE stars on this yellow/blue squad, and it’s Alves to take. Oh he’s kicked it really hard at the wall. Suprise.

Freekick just inside the Brazillian half 91 mins 45 seconds. All hands on deck for the final push. Nothing.

In their very last gasp of the game Alves sends the ball over the top to Lucio, keeper claims. Final minute.

A quick dispatch from the keeper and the ball drops to Huntelaar! No Brazillian defense to speak of! He’s cut it back to Robben! NO! What?!?!!!! Why not just hit it at the goal?! The Brazillians did well to come back and clear their lines, but that should’ve been 3 – 1. Maybe Huntelaar can be excused for not being warmed up yet, but that was a shocker.

7 seconds on the clock. Throw in to Robinho who tries to jink. Whistle blows! Holland win!

Final say from the commentary team: “Brazil’s next world cup game will be in Brazil. 4 years from now. “Kaka goes into the list with all the other players who didn’t even come close to performing well, let alone in top gear.

Could be looking to get the organisers to arrange van rental for the amount of blubbering fans that now fill the stadium. I’d sympathise if we hadn’t been so readily ejected in the previous round. The Germans are going to win again, aren’t they?

Oh World Cup, you do treat us poorly.