It's John Lennon - With A Pennon!

Indeed It Is James Di Griz
I know, I know, now I have to explain who James Di Griz is.
     Once upon a time there was a an author, cartoonist and editor called Harry Harrison, whose parents apparently lacked the creative spark.  He invented that science-fiction legend "The Stainless Steel Rat*", the nickname of slippery Jim Di Griz.
     Jim, I have to say, is not one of your noble heroic paragons of virtue.  He is, in fact, a shockingly prolific criminal but who does have a sound moral compass - he refuses to take a human life.
     There you are.

I had this edition

     There was also a jolly entertaining strip in 2000AD, drawn by Carlos Ezquerra:

Modelled on James Coburn

     Oh - John Lennon?  Do you really want to know about him?  Oh go on then.

BOOJUM! obliges

My Night Out On Friday
I shall only post a few photos as it's never that much fun looking at complete strangers enjoying themselves whilst you're changing hypergolic fuels for your missiles.  Anyway, last night was Dan's last day working at The Electric Goldfish Bowl, because he's skipping off with fairy feet** to go work in Japan. 

That's Dom, with the beard, Dan Mark 2 and our hero Dan "Firestarter" 

     Dan bamboozled your humble scribe with a bit of Japanese, before explaining that it was "small talk".  Whatever you say, Dan.

That's Rick,  Dom and Dan again

     Conrad knows "Domo Arigato", which he seems to recollect is "Ta***" and "Kaiju", which refers to those giant monsters that the Toho studios turned out for decades.

The supporting cast - every one a mate of the Firestarter.

     He isn't really an arsonist, it's just that his surname rhymes with "Firestarter", and because Conrad hasn't gotten permission to post these photos, his last name shall remain shrouded in mystery.
     If you go back about a year, you will find photos of Conrad out in Leeds at Dan's stag do, which was an extended drinking session of quite epic proportions.

How To Snore More
Sophie at work - no, not this Sophie, that Sophie - has a wickedly mischievous sense of humour, and if she'd been given the right career advice, would probably be a professional anarchist laying the Establishment low by now^.  She posted this on FB:

No, it's not a real post ...

     "How is this relevant, Conrad?" I hear you asking.
     2 reasons.  1)  Sophie has a septum piercing herself.  
     2)  Conrad himself has a deviated septum, coming from when he broke his nose going headfirst over the handlebars, the only thing breaking his fall being his nose.  He should have been back for corrective surgery but - as you already know - being a huge coward could never face up to the prospect.
     Consequently - and here we finally reach the reason for that title - he snores at such volume that it can be heard at the other side of the house, and on occasion has been so loud he's woken himself up.

Egad!  Torture For Some Is A Treat For Others
I'm sure if you've read the blog with any regularity then you recall about me banging on about making a longhand index for my official history book - about the 51st Highland Division in the First Unpleasantness.  This run to 50 sheets of paper, and I now have to type it up.

Rivetting stuff, eh?

     This isn't a chore to yours truly, after all I added 32,000 hexagons by hand to a sheet of green cotton, although in my wisdom I doubt that anyone but a professional indexer^^ would truly enjoy this typing up.
     Horses for courses, jays for ways and parakeets for streets as they say.

Oh - a Comment has been added that I didn't put there.  Stimulated by the Exploding Rat article, they recommended that I check up on "Operation Mince Meat", which has nothing to do with mince or meat nor doctors either.  I may come back to you on this.

Special Operations Executive
This is fruitful ground indeed.  As you may recall, their instructions were "to set Europe ablaze", and this they proceeded to do with great gusto.
     I would like to reassure you that since most of Europe was occupied by either Nazi Germany or it's allies at the time, this was not merely the British blowing things up for fun.
     Now, if you are out to create mayhem and chaos, you like to sneak up on your enemies unannounced, without a volley of gunshots ringing out and advertising your presence as people out to Cause Armed Mischief.  Enter the De Lisle Carbine.

Victim's eye view

    This was a heavily modified Lee Enfield rifle, with a ton of baffles being used to silence the noise of operation, giving it the "bloated barrel" appearance, made all the quieter because it used sub-sonic ammunition.  The most noise it made was when the bolt was cocked.
     Although designed and intended for use during the Second Unpleasantness, the DLC was allegedly used long afterwards by the winged-dagger chaps in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.  Given the nature of their work the truth will probably only be released under the 100 Year Rule.




* Nothing to do with exploding ones, sorry.
** Not literally, Dan's no mere slip of a chap.
*** Northern dialect for "Thank you very much"
^ The Establishment acknowledges it's grateful relief
^^ Such people do exist.