Talkin' Kartin' Again

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I've been playing Super Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch and shared my early thoughts.

Well.. in the post, I wrote about how great it looks and the new courses are amazing. What I didn't realise, when I wrote about them, is some of the courses are redone from previous versions of the game.

Obviously, they're spruced up versions, but I have played on some, not most, of these tracks before!

Karting Again

I am a bit late to the party, but I bought Super Mario Kart for the Nintendo Switch earlier this week.

I had a game of it yesterday and, oh my, it is great.

I've been a fan of the Mario Kart games ever since I bought the original on the Super Nintendo in 1992. It was such a favourite from my childhood that I remember the exact day I bought it - Boxing Day!

The most recent version I bought was for the Wii on the day of its release. I loved that, too.

This one, though... This is a lot better. 

More characters to choose from, the courses are great to look at and more.

Those are my first impressions. I have some racing to do...

Lotto And Bingo Stories Wind Me Up

Don't get me wrong - I am happy when I see people in the newspapers celebrating their lottery or bingo wins.

I obviously wouldn't mind being where they are, but this isn't why I am writing about them today.

What I do not like, in the same articles about their wins, are the BS stories about how they won.

You know what I mean? The 'It was the last £1 I had' kind of thing. Don't BS us!

To be fair, it's probably newspaper spin more than anything else. Just makes it seem ridiculous when every winner has some story about how they were fluky.

Your win is a fluke enough at those odds!

Down On A Deadline Countdown

The people at Sky Sports News really have to take a long hard look at themselves after something that was done yesterday.

The channel was covering the situation at Bury and Bolton Wanderers that really bothered me.

Bury and Bolton are near to collapse and were in last-ditch talks with suitors to try and work out a deal before a 5PM deadline. After that time, the teams were set to be excluded from the Football League.

The channel had a countdown clock to the deadline.

It's not a flipping transfer deadline show. People's livelihoods were on the line. It didn't need to have that sort of coverage.

It was shameful.

Shortly before this post was published, Bury was expelled from the Football League. A terrible, terrible thing to happen to a historic club.

More About Luck

I'm still kind of surprised about Andrew Luck's decision to retire from the NFL.

When I wrote about it in the early hours of Sunday morning, my thoughts were fresh after finding out and having watched the live press conference where he confirmed the reports.

I have had a few days to allow it to sink in some more.

And I still think he'll be back. I cannot shake off the theory/notion/assumption that he'll be playing again in 2020.

He cannot play for the Colts again, though.

Apparently, if he decided to go back on his retirement this season, he would still have to go on waivers. Therefore, a team could snap him up before Indianapolis gets a chance to have him back.

I'm unsure what would happen if he decides to un-retire following the upcoming season.

All this thinking could all be for nothing, though. He might really be done.

Reaction To The Mandalorian Trailer

OHMYGOD.

That was my reaction when I stumbled upon the trailer for Disney's live action Star Wars TV series - The Mandalorian on Saturday morning.

It looks SOOO good.

The series will be about a bounty hunter, who will be wearing Mandalorian armour similar to Boba Fett in the Star Wars movies.

Just looking at the few minutes, I know I am going to love it.

Unfortunately, I do not know when I'll get to watch it. This is because the series will be streamed on the Disney Plus service that launches in the US - and other countries - later this year. The UK has yet to have a confirmed date or arrival, which is going to irk me as I know I'm going to have to avoid the spoilers for this series.

Anyway, before I go, here's a picture of the series logo.

Andrew Luck Retires From The NFL

It has just gone 4:00AM BST as I am writing this. I've been awake for almost an hour. Why am I up? Well - I looked at Twitter.

Here's a lesson for you. When you wake up in the early hours, NEVER check out Twitter. You might see something that's going to wake you up even more.

It happened to me this morning. There was an alert telling me I had a direct message. I opened it. A friend of mine had left a picture of a tweet sent by the sports reporter - Adam Schefter. It stated that Andrew Luck was planning to announce his retirement.

Yes. Andrew. Luck. Was. Planning. To. Announce. His. Retirement.

The reason given was due to all the wear and tear that he has endured. He has recently been sidelined with a calf and ankle problem.

As an Indianapolis Colts fan, who had visions of Luck being this year's MVP (I have, or rather had, £50 on it!) and even going on to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl, this is devastating news.

Apparently, Luck's press conference was meant to be later on Sunday. Due to story leaking, they had to do it right after the game against the Chicago Bears. I watched it.

As I watched, I didn't have a feeling of sadness as I did when I watched both of Peyton Manning's speeches live (I watched the one when he announced his departure from Indy and the one when he officially retired as a Denver Bronco). Watching Luck's presser,  I couldn't shake off the feeling that this is not the end of his career.

I think he'll return with another team. Next year.

If I am wrong, and this is not an orchestrated exit strategy, then this is not the way the story should have ended.

And if I'm right. - this is not the way the Indianapolis chapter should have ended.

Thoughts After Watching The 3rd Season Of GLOW

I finally finished watching the third season of Netflix's GLOW the other night.

As per usual, I loved it.

I liked a number of things about this year's edition.

For starters, with the troupe moving to Las Vegas at the end of last season, it meant that the entire year was spent in Nevada as the ladies worked a residency at a hotel.

It was a change from the usual setting of Los Angeles and it kind of played into the real GLOW wrestling promotion from the 1980's  - that the series is based on - because it originated from Las Vegas.

I also liked how some of the minor characters had more of a role in this season. The first two seasons were about the development of the principal characters. Don't get me wrong - the minor cast developed in the first two seasons, but this time they had more of a spotlight on them.

Without spoiling it too much, the season ended with it looking like the GLOW had scored a new TV gig. So, they definitely kept the door open for a fourth season. Let's hope Netflix doesn't can it...

2 More To Go

Two more weeks to go.

The NFL will start its new season in two weeks from when this post sees the light of day.

I cannot believe how quick it creeps up after the first month after the Super Bowl drags.

XFL Team Names Announced

The XFL announced the names of its teams yesterday.

They are:

Dallas Renegades
Houston Roughnecks
St Louis BattleHawks
Tampa Bay Vipers
Seattle Dragons
New York Guardians
DC Defenders
LA Wildcats

I don't even know which one I would choose as my favourite based off its name. I suppose Seattle Dragons sounds cool...

The XFL season begins next spring.

Ben Unwin Dies

As a Home and Away fan, the first news that caught my attention - when I was browsing the Internet yesterday morning - was the one that had a headline along the lines of 'Home and Away's Ben Unwin Dead'.

Unwin played the character of Jesse McGregor in the soap. The news stories state that he was a regular from 1996-2000 and then returned for another stint between 2002 and 2005.

His character, in my opinion, was one of the most memorable in the show.

He was kind of like a bad guy who became good. A lot of Home and Away characters turn out like that. Anyway, what made Jesse's story so different is how he was written out of the show.

As I sad, when he first came into the series he was not a 'goodie' as such. I wouldn't say he was a complete 'baddie' but he was certainly not an angel.

In the end, the character left the show after being sent to prison for causing the death of one of the characters after driving while under the influence of drink.

Jesse's departure in that way was quite a fall after spending so many years as the good guy. It sure did leave a mark considering that I still remember it all these years later.

I was very sorry to read yesterday's news.

No Disney+ In The UK (Yet?)

Disney has revealed the countries that will get to view its Disney+ streaming service when it launches later this year. A conspicuous absence on the list is the good old United Kingdom.

According the news site I read yesterday - the USA, Canada and the Netherlands will be able to subscribe on the launch day. This will be November.

On November 19th, customers from Australia and New Zealand will have the opportunity to sign up.

The same report states that the plan is to have more countries added within the first two years.

I kind of had a feeling Great Britain would not get it at launch, which is a pain as I really want to see the Star Wars TV series that's going to be on it.

Looking Out For The Spurs/Newcastle Result

I'll be looking out for the Newcastle United .vs. Tottenham Hotspur score this Sunday.

A few weeks ago - when Steve Bruce was appointed Magpies boss - I placed a wager on Newcastle to lose the first three games of the season.

The odds were 6/1 and I put a little over £2 on it.

The team lost 1-0 to Arsenal in week one and were battered 3-1 by Norwich over the weekend.

This leaves me with one game to go, And this one is a trip to Spurs.

I'm not stupid, though.

Knowing I'll only win with a Newcastle lost, I've placed a small bet on them to win against Spurs and I've also covered myself in case of a draw.

Everything to gain. Nothing to lose.

How Newspapers Should Really Do The 'An Apology' Thing

I have just been looking through the a newspaper's website and came across - right near the bottom of the page - an article with an apology to a person.

I didn't bother reading it, but I assume the paper had written a story that alleged something untrue and the paper was forced to issue an apology to the person - or persons - it wrote about.

This happens now and again, but there's something that irks me about the entire thing.

The apologies - whenever they're published - are hidden away. Oh, they for sure can be seen, but only if you dive deep inside the content.

I believe the fairer way for these apologies to be made is for them to be made on the same page - or position of the website - where the initial story was published.

So - for example - if a story is printed on page seven, the apology should be issued on page seven.

Same goes for front page stories.

Maybe it's me, but that would be the best way to put a newspaper to task for writing stories that lead to apologies down the road.

It's all well and good delivering the apology, but what use is it if a portion of the readers don't see it?

If True...

I read a really interesting fact about The Wizard of Oz movie the other day.

Apparently, the wardrobe department bought a coat from a second hand shop. The coat was worn by Frank Morgan, who played The Wizard in the movie.

Well - while filming, the actor found something inside the pocket of the coat and it confirmed the identity of its previous owner.

It was none other than L. Frank Baum, who wrote the Oz novels.

Baum had passed away in 1919 and the movie was released twenty years after that, so - IF TRUE - this is quite a crazy coincidence.

An Idea

I have had some funny business ideas popping up in my head over the past week or so.

Some have been insane and I don't even know how viable they can be, but I think it COULD be fun to try.

I am not giving anything away. 

Not yet, anyway.

Unicorn Spread

Look what I've had on my toast the past two mornings.

It's from Asda and it's called 'Raspberry Flavour Unicorn Spread'.

I saw an article about it on a newspaper website a number of weeks ago. I decided there and then that - as soon as it became available in my nearest store - I'd buy a jar.

But, I forgot something.

When I started to munch away, a popping in my mouth reminded me that there was popping candy pieces in it.

It was a surprise. I can't state for sure whether it was a welcomed surprise, but it was a surprise nonetheless.

I tastes okay. Not something I'd go out of my way to buy again, but it isn't something I'd avoid.

Thoughts On The Asda Strike

Asda workers are on strike today.

They're doing so because their employers have put pressure on the staff members to sign new contracts. Should they not agree to the new deals, they have been threatened with the sack.

This isn't right. I'm glad to see them sticking up for their rights.

Ironically, Asda likes to 'rollback' their prices. The company sure is trying to roll back to a time when employees didn't have rights.

Switch'd On

I have had a Nintendo Switch for a little over a year now. In that time I've collected quite a few games.

As I didn't have much to do this morning, I thought I'd put them in a shoebox alphabetically just so I have them at hand.

Here's how they all look.

It's building up nicely, if I say so myself.

Apocalyptic

I've just been reading the news and there have been pictures taken across the UK of 'Apocalyptic Clouds' because part of the country is due to experience 'two weeks of rain in three hours'.

Bloody hell.

I don't know if it will reach where I am, but we had a ton of rain the other night. I hadn't seen anything like it, to be fair.

The Solar Eclipse

I remember what I did twenty years ago today.

It was the day of the solar eclipse. The news was going overboard about it leading up to the event. I remember they were either giving away glasses to wear as it happened, but I read that there was a way to view the eclipse without having to wear them.

I cannot recall exactly what it was but it MIGHT have involved piercing a hole in one piece of paper and then have another piece below it.

My dad, my neighbours and myself were in our garden giving my makeshift viewing apparatus a go.

Let's just say this - it was probably better to have done it with glasses.

It wasn't the only thing that happened that day. In fact, as we were watching the eclipse, a few miles away - at a nursing home - my aunt had passed away.

I didn't find out until I came home from work earlier that evening.

When I was born, only one of my grandparents was still alive. And I didn't have my grandmother for very long as she passed away when I was very young.

I may not have had a grandparent as I grew up, but I had the next best thing in my aunt. She was like a grandmother to me. She used to visit us every week, come here to stay over Christmas, look after us on the weekends when my mum was working and dad had rugby, go on holiday with us.

She was there throughout my childhood. And - like I said - she was the next best thing I had to a grandparent.

It's twenty years since she left. That's half of my life. Thinking back, the twenty years up to 1999 seem to have passed by slowly when compared to the next twenty. I guess, in a way, it was good to have had the twenty that went slow with her because I have plenty of fond memories of growing up with her there watching along.

I Write About My Passport Renewal

I feel British again.

No, this isn't a post about Brexit - it's about the three years or so that I've spent without having a British passport.

I finally needed a passport, so I tried the online renewal service using a camera phone picture of myself and thought I'd share my experience.

I made my online renewal application on Sunday July 28th. I had taken a photograph against a plain coloured background in my home and uploaded it when it was requested.

After completing the online questions (they wanted to know if I had lost my old passport, what the passport number was etc), I was told the process would continue once I sent my old passport to them. I did that the following day.

At 12:35PM on July 31st, I received an email to notify me that they had received my old passport and would get in touch if they needed anything else.

Well, they did just that because - three hours after that - an email came to inform me that the picture I had uploaded was rejected. The reason was because there was shadow on my face.

Panic stations!

I tried a new photograph. This time I had a desk lamp shining on me from the my stairs (it was a nutty setup but it was desperate times!).

After finally getting a picture I was happy with, and was hoping the Passport Office would be happy with, I uploaded it. This was within an hour of receiving the rejection email.

I waited a day and then my status was updated to 'Joined Processing Queue' and I remained at this point until the evening of August 8th when I notified that the application was approved.

The following day, I had another mail to inform me that the passport had been printed and sent and that it would be delivered to me in two working days.

Well, it arrived this morning so it was a day. It probably helps that I live in a city and that's why it came quicker than the ETA.

All in all, it was a much easier experience than having to do everything by paper. It was cheaper this way as well. I lost a day due to the crappy photo I uploaded to begin with, but it took less than two weeks.

I recommend doing it this way if you're looking to renew, but I strongly advise looking up the dos and don'ts about how to take a passport photo with your phone.

By the way, I reckon it would have been quicker had I done it outside of peak times like the summer hols!

Here's how my passport application history went for those who may be looking to see how the process worked out for me:

GLOW Season 3 Is Out Today And Things Don't Go To Plan (In A Good Way!)

How is this for timing - my Netflix subscription ends today and the third season of GLOW has gone live.

I knew this was going to happen, but the plan was to wait until after the weekend to renew my sub because I have a busy weekend ahead and thought there was little point buying it until that was behind me.

Things didn't go to plan.

I can still watch programmes for the time being, so I have watched THREE episodes of it!

It should not come as a shock to see me write the next sentence.

I am enjoying it.

Not sure when I get kicked out, but I'll resume this binge next week...

Note To Self - Today Isn't Friday

Have you ever had one of those days when you think it's another day?

I had it today.

I have had moments throughout the day when I've thought it was Friday. It takes me a second or two to realise that my mind has played a trick on me and it's really Thursday.

It has happened quite a lot today. Weird, eh?

Home Alone To Be Rebooted (And People Are Mad!)

Social media appears to be in uproar over something stupid.

Apparently, Disney has revealed that it intends to reboot Home Alone in order for the new films to appear on its streaming platform - Disney Plus.

Some are incensed over the decision, but - to them - I ask 'where have you been?'

Macaulay Culkin was in the first two Home Alone movies. There have been more since then!

One of the Home Alone movies I watched last Christmas even had a new child playing Kevin McCallister. I wouldn't call that one a 'reboot', but it was as good as one!

Bale To Bayern?

Looks like Gareth Bale MIGHT be off to Bayern Munich, if the reports are anything to go by.

I would be very interested to see him move there, to be fair.

Bayern is my favourite German club, so it'll be Bale jumping from my fave Spanish side to the German one.

My Thoughts On Harry Maguire Signing For United

Manchester United have confirmed that they've signed Harry Maguire for £80 Million - a transfer record for the club.

Sorry, but he is not worth that.

Leicester 1 Man Utd 0.

I Wrote Too Soon

I certainly 'wrote' too soon in yesterday's post.

As I was composing the post, Cardiff City were 1-0 up on Wigan Athletic and I stated that I hope it was going to be the beginning of things to come for the next nine months or so ahead.

Immediately after hitting 'Publish', I checked back in with LiveScore.com to see that Wigan had pulled one back.

And then came more goals.

The final score was 3-2 to Wigan!

Football Season Is Back

Football season is back.

..sort of.

I've just been keeping tabs on the Cardiff City score on LiveScore.com. This is something I tend to do a lot of whenever I am at a PC and City is playing.

Watching out for the team's match on the website reminded me of something I noticed I was doing a lot of last year.

What I found myself doing was spending a few seconds scouring the Championship games to find Cardiff's game only to realise the error I was making - I had to look at the Premier League fixtures!

I'm not going to find myself doing that this year because they're back in the Championship. It's weird that I couldn't get used to them being out of the Championship back then.

I probably did the same back in the 2013/14 season as well!

As I write this, the score is 0-1 to Cardiff and it is in the fifty-second minute. They're away to Wigan.

Fingers crossed that this is the first of many because I want to be on LiveScore.com in 53 weeks and trying to find City under the Championship games.

Harley Race

The king is dead.

Harley Race, who was an eight-time World Heavyweight Champion for the National Wrestling Alliance, passed away yesterday at the age seventy-six.

When I first got into American pro wrestling, Race was working for the World Wrestling Federation and became 'King Harley Race'.

As my interest in the sport grew, I sought out old matches and found a few of Race that I really liked.

Being a fan of Ric Flair, it should come as no surprise that one of the matches I liked the most is the one in which Flair first became NWA World Heavyweight Champion after beating Race. The bout took place at Starrcade 1983.

In the early-1990's, Race worked as a manager. His main client, if you will, was Big Van Vader who had a fair run as the monster heel at the top of WCW.

Once again, some of my favourite memories of that era of WCW had Harley Race there as a key player. Especially during Vader's battles with the likes of Sting and Cactus Jack.

I didn't get to meet Harley, but I have a funny story to share.

Back in 2005 or 2006, I used to watch PPVs in an online chat room. One of the users, who had just started coming in there, told everybody that he knew Harley Race.

Some, possibly most, disbelieved him so this user said that he would get Harley on the phone and air the call live so we could all hear.

I can't remember for sure what happened, but the call didn't happen.

It went on for a few weeks, the guy would promise Harley Race, but - in the end - there would always be something that ensured the call didn't happen.

But then, just like all those weeks in WCW when Ernest 'The Cat' Miller promised to bring out James Brown before really bringing in James Brown (another one of my favourite WCW memories, BTW), the guy really did get Harley Race on the line to speak and answer questions from people in the chatroom.

It turned out that the person who got Harley on the phone was one of his students. I don't know what became of him, but it was nice to remember that random story today.

I Write About Something, But Don't Write Anything

Without writing too much, it has been a weird twenty-four hours.

Something has happened that has nothing really to do with me, but I can't help but feel sad for some people.

I've been sat at the PC for hours and have been trying to think of things worth writing about, but I keep leading back to the thing that is none of my business and I kind of feel that I'd be disrespecting some people if I try to write about something else.

Yes, this post is full of riddles. Maybe one day, I'll explain more. Maybe.