Alphas

Who cares how many takes this took. Take a bow, son.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZoJqDWPUmM

I tried to order a pint when I was in Portugal several years ago and got told (adopts Portugese accent) - "We no do pint, we have small beer or turbo beer". It came in a tall litre glass, which was a bitch to drink from but quite possibly the best drink I've ever ordered. It was so good I didn't even bother questioning why they thought turbo was a size.

I'd be surprised if anything ever surpasses this as my favourite album. I remember being absolutely stunned after my first listen and it was pretty much the only album I put on to for 4 or 5 weeks after I bought it. So many decent songs and Paranoid Android is an absolute fucking masterpiece.

A singer I could listen to all day, such an amazing voice. His own songs stood up well but he had a great ability in doing covers but making them much better than the originals and in his own style. Anyone familiar with the full Sin-e recordings will know what I mean.

Agaetis Byrjun - Sigur Ros. To be honest, I can't decide which Sigur Ros album is my favourite but this one has sentimental value to me. A cracking band and their set at the Connect Festival is one of my favourite gigs.

Great album from start to finish although anything Johnny Marr plays on is going to be good if you ask me. Except his solo album as that was a bunch of arse.

One of the best albums of modern times I'd say. Sorrow and Runaway are stunners. I saw them at Glastonbury in 2010 and was impressed with how they come across live.

Pavement are/were ace...fact! Of all their albums this is the one I like the most from start to finish.

Nostalgia! This album soundtracked my 1st year at university and I still love it. Anyone looking to form an indie rock band should listen to this. She Said is an absolute banger.

I fucking love Doves! Criminally under-rated and some of the best and most consistent songwriters around in my opinion. Some great singles on this one.

I forget how good this album is sometimes. In fact, I'm away to put it on now.

That'll do although you can throw in most Radiohead and The Smiths albums I suppose and I'll probably think of dozens more that I'll come back to.

Moved here in 2000 after finishing Uni in Stirling. All my family are from Aberdeen so I always considered it home in a strange way even though I had never actually lived here as I was born in England but moved to Kirkcaldy when I was about 7 (the less spoken about that place the better though). I moved here as I got a job after graduating and coincidentally my Dad got a job at the same time, which suited me as I didn't need to think about finding a place for the first instance.

I wouldn't rule out moving away at any point and I'd probably have good opportunities to go abroad with the line of work I'm in now but regardless of where I go I'm certain I'll end up back in Aberdeen. As I mentioned, I've always considered it home and with friends/family/Dons here I'd be keen to come back at some point.

Won't be of surprise to anyone but welcome back Cadger!

http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/20120117/skipper-returns-home_2212158_2579594

You should still be able to get here:

http://www.boxofficeaberdeen.com/prod-productions_details.asp?VenueID=88&pid=3818

I'm still trying to figure out how sloppy second's would work with her.

Oh dear...

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/293321-offensive-rant-against-the-pope-and-celtic-published-on-ex-referee-jeff-winters-blog/

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health-news/2012/01/11/woman-with-two-vaginas-had-to-lose-virginity-twice-115875-23694835/

One woman + two chuffs = ridiculous news

Why are clear penalties in football known as stonewallers? What have walls and stones got to do with a handball?!

I'm told that the reason Grimmer hasn't played and Fyvie, Robertson, Pawlett etc have is because Grimmer isn't professional enough to do it without crying to the ref or whatever. My source knows more about this than I do but allegedly he's a bit of a dick.

I'm not so sure, he's pretty young and would imagine that's the reason he hasn't broken through yet. He's already played in the first team so has been given a chance. From what I understand he's highly rated and being a midfielder would probably struggle to break into the first team at present as we are well covered there. He may well be a twat but I reckon it's what he can do with the ball at his feet that will determine whether he plays or not.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/american_football/16346855.stm

That reminded me I was going to post this one a while back. Not a somersault mind you, just a boring old catch.

While those are some decent tunes they are without doubt the best song titles ever!

Personal abuse is completely unacceptable, but I don't think there's anything wrong with voicing your displeasure for people who are clearly dragging your club down.

This is true to an extent but the abuse of Kean is completely premeditated. The minute they went down against Bolton you got the "Kean out" and "sacked in the morning" chants, all the banners were unfurled, newspapers being waved with the headlines about getting Kean out and there were a large amount wearing t-shirts against the manager and the Venkys. Voicing your opinion about a poor performance is one thing but coming to the ground prepared is another. In fact, I remember a few games ago when the Yak scored his first of four he celebrated with Kean and the fans started booing. And that was a game they won!

But that meeting in India is a total caper. How do they think that is good use of his time when they are struggling in the league.

Exactly. He's never criticised the Blackburn supporters for their negativity when he has been on the end of some terrible abuse. He's done the opposite in fact and accepted they have an opinion and asked for them to rally behind the team, which is in fact what they should be doing and would go a long way to help the team on the pitch.

The unfortunate thing for him is if he walks then he is seen as a quitter but if he continues in the job and keeps getting bad results then he'll be recognised as a bad manager. A shitty double edged sword if there ever was one.

I have to admit I feel quite sorry for Steve Kean. He's obviously in over his head as a manager and as mentioned previously (by Eupraxia I think) he's like a rabbit in headlights in front of the media, but he shouldn't have to perservere with the treatment he is getting. I've always felt football supporters should get behind their team through thick and thin but Blackburn fans should be ashamed of themselves. All this support the players but not the management is a load of pish...the players hear the abuse as well and it isn't going to help their performances on the pitch. The Bolton game was a good example as the fans were like rats up drainpipes to get on his back and get the banners out. I'm glad to see the other Premiership managers lending their support and even better to hear one of them saying they probably would have got something from the game if the support had backed them for 90 minutes.

He's not a great manager by EPL standards but his own supporters aren't allowing him to try and become one. Unless he is in with Glesga criminals...then fuck that guy.

Watched the Dons highlights. I don't think Pawlett dived and there was definite contact as he was squeezed off the ball by two players. In my mind it's a penalty but if I was a Hibs fan I'd probably think it was a bit soft.

As for the sending off he goes flying in with his studs up. It probably only deserved a booking but I can see why he was sent off.

I actually think the officials got both decisions completely wrong. I wouldn't say there was enough contact to constitute a foul for the penalty and the sending off was probably a booking as you mentioned for how Pawlett has gone in for the challenge but there was next to no contact. It was more of an effort to block the clearance than make a tackle and apparently the Hibs player said it was never a red card. The refs been let down by his linesman on the latter decision as he was the one who made the call by the looks of it.

It was a shame Chalali went off injured as it would have been interesing to see how he would have performed in the position behind the strikers. I thought he was finding good space until he went off.

Juan mata's head size to body size ratio is all messed up. He's like those mini footballers you used to get.

I think he's actually a really big midget.

Another 3 points for the Dandies today. Have to say I'm changing my opinion of Jason Brown over the last couple of games. Thought he had a howler against St Mirren but seems to have a safe pair of hands and thought he brought a bit of calm at the back over the last two games. Another big game against Caley next though.

Can't say I bought a huge amount this year but my highlights have been:

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys!

Wild Beasts - Smother

Staircase and The Daily Mail are being released on Deezer and Amazon on Monday.

Don't think our problem is anything to do with lack of pace. Jack, Foster, Milsom, Fyvie are all plenty quick enough down the wings. We looked like a pacey side when we were 2-0 up.

I'm not so sure, I'd say it really hinders us at times. Foster is lightning quick and Milsom and Jack are mobile enough but other than that I'd say we struggle in this aspect of the game. On several occassions yesterday the ball went up to Vernon and Fallon but there was no support coming through from midfield so they tend to get isolated up top. Having that bit more mobility would allow us to break out of defence, support the front men and close down the opposition quicker when they are in possession.

Agreed about the defending mind you. Horribly uncertain about themselves at times and probably need someone to show a bit of leadership. I wouldn't actually say teams get too many chances against us but frustratingly/inevitably we lose concentration and give away daft goals.

We got 2-0 up and then sat back and effectively shat ourselves. Referee was laughably bad but it was us who lost the game.

Pretty much sums it up. Unfortunatley we're a team woefully short on confidence and our lack of pace hurts us as the midfield can't get forward quickly enough to support the front men. The biggest problem today was how much we were sitting off the opposition as at 2-0 we could have closed the game out easily by getting to the ball carrier quicker and fighting for the 2nd ball. St Mirren pass it around well enough but weren't really causing any trouble at the back until we invited them to come at us. Interested to see the penalty shouts again as the first looked a stonewaller and the second looked a good shout as Fallon was about to shoot.

And Jason Brown should be executed in front of his family for letting that free kick in.

I still think we have the players to turn it around though. There needs to be changes in the midfield to bring a bit more pace in but the likes of Pawlett and Clark need to raise their games if they get the chance in the starting 11. Big week coming up now for the Dons.

Turns out that picture of him coming out of the bookies is a year old. Drat. Come on! This Scandal better unfold into mayhem.

Maybe the odds were better back then.

He was unshirkable in the tackle, rarely lost a header, and grafted more than I have seen any midfielder graft since.

To think he played like this but was hardly ever injured and rarely missed a game.

That Leeds chapionship winning midfield was top notch but he was a cracking player and professional wherever he went. Seemed to be on the verge of turning the Wales national side onto better fortunes as well. Football's really lost one of its good guys.

I like how Milsom gets up and walks off with no fuss...fucking nails! While it was a shocker I'm not so sure there was intention from Naismith. Seemed to be a reaction to the ball breaking away from him rather than trying to do the player in. A strikers tackle if ever I saw one.

Saying that, how a late, high tackle with a straight leg isn't worth a booking is beyond me.