I think it's dumb that DVD's are released on a Monday.

They should be released on a Friday, so you have them for the weekend.

To avoid this, when I was living in London and again this weekend, I head down to the Cinema Store on St Martin's Lane as they usually have Mondays releases for sale on the Saturday.

So coming back on the train this afernoon I was happy to while away the tedious three hour journey but watching Episode III on the portable dvd player.

Lesser mortals cannot buy it until tomorrow.

You can call me Sir Smugalot from the town of Smugsville in Smugshire.

So George Takei, 'Star Treks' Mister Sulu has come out as gay.

He's had a partner for the last eighteen years and said he came out after Arn-ult vetoed a bill legalising gay marriage in California.

California has The Teminator as there Governor, Binky!..Sometimes I worry!

Good on you, Goerge!

I'm sitting on the tube on Saturday, at Chancery Lane station.

I've gone ahead of the rest of the crowd so I can do a little shopping before going to the OXO tower for dinner.

I'm sitting on the tube minding my own business, but looking at everybody around me and deciding if I would have sex with this guy or that guy (or both!).

The majority were definate 'no's' and one I would, but only if I was desperate/bored or if there was nothing on TV on a wet wednesday afternoon.

So I look out the window at all the people rushing by and I see this one guy (a'no') and he looks at me.

Then he sticks his toungue out.

And then rushes past.

What the Fuck?

There's this guy in New York -an artist- and he came under fire from DC Comics this month for the way he has portrayed Batman and Robin - as a couple of fags.

Have a look:

Nothing new here huh? Certain quarters always claimed there was a certain subbbtext to B and R, but I'm confused.

Is the above image supposed to be acceptable to me because I'm as gay as the artist (well, maybe gayer after a few vodka's...) because, well, it isn't.

And this mild compared to the other paintings.

Taking a pop culture icon and trashing it for the sake of sensationalism is lazy and lacks any kind of creativity or originality.

And it's not particularly well painted either.

And yes Binky, I can say fag, I'm reclaiming it.

Alex Ross is da bomb.

Binky! Shame on you!! You could at least attempt to google it!!

He's a comic artist who is comparable to no other. Every cover, every panel is loving painted -instead of the usual pencil/ink/colour- and all his work has a realism about it, I have never seen superheroes looking so real.

Don't believe? I present exhibit 'A'

Darn cool huh?

I'm saying this because I've just finished reading a graphic novel called 'Kingdom Come' by Ross, if you have the inclination I would recommend you pick it up.

So the LONDON GUY has fucked up again.

Sweet.

Two of our most senior director's came up from London as they are want to do. They were staying overnight and they had dinner and drinks with THE BOSS and THE LONDON GUY.

The LONDON GUY is close friends with both of them.

He has slept with one of them, the guy.

The slut!

Anyway, THE BOSS left at a reasonable hour to go home to his wife and kids, the other's party'd hardy until 4 am.

Racking up a four hundred pound bar bill.

Getting blotto along the way.

For Senior people, one can only speculate the example to the staff they must have set as they ordered more and more drinks, even when they had stopped serving residents.

The LONDON GUY failed to show into work this morning,and then called to say he was taking a lieu day,he must have had a sore head.

Poor bitch.

Needless to say, THE BOSS was not best pleased.

Fuming, in fact.

Trust me when I say that he deserves everything that comes his way. He is arrogant,rude,self serving and poisonous.

The hotel has not been the same since he arrived.

And I am determined to re-employ Tanika, if it's the last thing I do.

And above all, I hope the trust and confidence that the BOSS places in him is now being called into question.

You can call me Mr Smug.

Mr Smug Sir, if I'm in the mood.

So the BOSS pulls me aside first thing this morning

''Neil'' he began

''We've known each other for too long for you to have to send me shitty emails.''

He was , of course , refferring to the email I sent him on Friday.

I did'nt think it was shitty, I had outlined the seriousness of the fuck up by the LONDON GUY. I had thought the the BOSS had just dismissed it,paying it no heed when I had told him on Friday. I was afraid there would be come back on him.

And I like him. He's the best GM I have worked for and I feelextremely loyal.

I told him so.

''No, I take it seriousely, I am still dealing it. You have an issue with me, you come and tell me. Don't send emails. You did the right thing in telling me, you did your duty and parked it firmly at my door. Now lets move on..''

So I had been bollocked, but I hadn't.

Hmmmmmm.

Of course the LONDON GUY is not talking to me.

But who cares about that?

I used to think -rather arrogantly, I guess- that if I were to die and there was a God and we had to be judged, that I would question his right to judge me.

If we are his children, therefore he is the 'parent' and well, no parent in their right mind abandons their child.

Yes, Binkster, I am familiar with the 'free will' arguement.

But you don't put your kids in a playpen, give them a loaded gun and if they end up shooting themselves, well, they chose to do that.

Nah, it doesn't hold true.

But, I do have my moments.

Moments, where I just sit and think about everything.

Me, you, the universe, feeling,the wind, the stars, the water,sex...

You get the picture.

And I think *wow*

These are just private moments, they happen everywhere, at home, at work, in the movies...I don't have to be watching a stunning sunrise/sunset.

If Kevin Dolenz were to ask me what the meaning of life was I would ask him to take a deep breath.

And I would walk away smiling.

Kaylee, the engineer on the Serenity comes up with this timeless gem.

It hasn't been a year, but I can relate to the sentiment.

The LONDON GUY fucked Up.

A friend of his booked a suite via the GDS at the rate of £375 per room per night.

GDS. Google it, Binky!

Anyway the guy arrives and the next day he meets up with the LONDON GUY and the schmuck decides to reduce the rate from £375 to £185 and allows half of the accommadation from the night before.

No biggee right?

Oh so very wrong!

I have seen other people be sacked for this.

I asked him and he brushed it off, I pressed the matter and he became sheepish.

I asked him not to put the hotel in this position again.

I informed the General Manager as it could have inplications for him, but I got the impression he didn't take it too seriousely.

This was perplexing.

So I sent him an email outlining the serious of it, as no matter what I think of the LONDON GUY, I'm loyal to the GM.

But after what I have seen the LONDON GUY do?

He's fair game.

Zombies man...they bum me out.

Well, I'm prepared.

Should I ever be attacked by a horde of shuffling living dead, maybe a class four outbreak (go figure!) I'm one step ahead of ya.

Browsinng through HMV on Tuesday after a particuarly hard day at the office I happened upon a small book that could just save my life.

'The Zombie Survival Guide' by Mike Brooks should be essential reading.

Heck, it should be taught in schools.

It covers every concievable angle, from outbreak to surviving the undead for weeks or even months before rescue comes.

And any manual that lists a bandana as essential equipment when fleeing a zombie infested city gets my vote!!

You may mock,but I'll have the last laugh as I watch you get ripped to pieces as you become food for the undead, from my secure zombie free highly defensible encampment (covered in chapter 14).

I've been chatting to this canadian guy for a couple of weeks now, and I must say that for the first time in a very long time,I have felt a real connection with another human being.

When I say connection, I mean I feel like I have known him a long time. He's handsome, intelligent and funny.

And has a great ass.

What more could I ask for?

He called me on sunday and we chatted for three hours.

Three hours!

He was calling from Canada so the phone bill -his and mine as I was on my mobile- will be huge.

But I don't really give a fuck.

No matter how much, for me, it was money well spent.

He's in Canada.

I'm in England.

Again, I don't give a fuck.

I want to meet him, see what happens.

I hope he wants to meet me.

My mother called the other day.

It was the pre-florida holiday call , the I'm-having-to call-you-because-our-plane-might-crash-and-then-you'll-feel-guilty-
that-you-never-called, call.

You know the one.

Anyway, she tells me that the executor of Brian's will is going to let her choose a ring of his when she returns.

She said that Julie-the executor-had told her that Brian used to talk about us all the time -his nephews on my mothers side, that is.

And I could hear the pride in her voice as she said this.

And that felt good.

But,

I am of the opinion that we got lucky. Out of all the kids that were born into the famly at that time we turned out the best.

But we shouldn't have, because we fit the sociological defination of criminals and undesirables.

I'm talking of broken home, custody wrangles, abusive step father.

We were textbook.

But it was the other kids, the ones that were spoilt and upon whom we looked on with envy at christmas and birthdays who have fallen. Scott is a recurring offender in and out of prison and Nicola? Well nobody knows where she is.

Like I say, we got lucky.

Dear Joss Whedon,

Thank you.

I watched your movie Serenity today and I just wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for not letting this 'verse you have created die.

It's about a hundred miles from the grittiness of the BSG universe and ten thousand miles from the sterile world of Star Trek and of them all I like yours best. It has real adventure, there are consequences to actions, just like there is out here in the real 'verse, and the characters are complex and flawed.

Mal being the best example, his search for direction is one we could all relate too and it was not until he started to follow his belief's did he begin to see the journey ahead.

Rarely am I moved during a movie and I was moved twice. I have read the threads asking why those two beloved characters had to be killed off, but you know what? I get it, death is random, there are no guarrentee's. Your characters are real people, not invulnerable superhero's who
are impervious to any harm.

I felt for Zoe at the end, I was sad that Wash died but he did his job to the end and he did it well. I hope one day we will learn the history of Shepherd Book, there is a story to be told there I am sure.

It is interesting to note that the central theme of the movie -following your belief's- mirrors the Firefly story and again I thank you for believing in these people and the world they inhabit.

I hope we will find out where they go from here, I hope we get to see the crew of the Serenity pull off their next job, meet the new pilot and now that Kayleigh and Simon have got it together I hope we get to see Mal and Inara also get it together.

But not yet.

There's a whole galaxy of stories waiting to be told and I for one, cannot wait to see what happens next.

Originally posted at the startrek bbs

Tanika came into the hotel on friday to see me and to ask for her job back.

You remember Tanika, Binky, the LONDON GUY fired her.

You can read the blog here:

http://www.blog.co.uk/main/index.php?blog=8659&page=1&disp=posts&paged=8

Because she was too common.

The LONDON GUY is a grade 'A' bona fide asshole.

Since she was fired, she has lost her council flat and is sharing with a friend. She is working in a sandwich shop not too far from the hotel getting paid cash in hand.

It's shit.

She asked me if there was anyway she could work in the hotel again.

I told her to write a letter to the BOSS and tell him how much she wanted to be there, he can be a sucker for that sometimes.

Talking of the LONDON GUY we had a fracas on friday, one that left a bit of a cloud over my weekend.

I think I'm a thorn in his side,I think because I'm the only guy who does not report him - I report to the BOSS - I'm kinda outside him.

I'm also fairly well connected in London so I think thats a factor also.

I'm Luke facing Darth in the carbonite freezing chamber on Bespin on a daily basis.

I'm lying in bed this morning, semi aware that there is some kind of machine outside, I can hear the whirring of the mechanics and some kind of generator, it's pretty loud.

I turn over and open eye and see four men looking back at me through my window on the first floor.

I think all my christmases have come at once.

Before I squeeze these guys through the window and get them naked and in line for a bit of mid morning lovin' they begin to soap the windows.

Then they move on to another window and I turn over.

It's kinda where I'm at.