bickster

I suspect its just a feint to attempt to make Russia pull troops from the Southern front proper and I doubt they'll ever get the bridge repaired to the level needed to withstand NATO armour But it should be easily possible to re-dam the Canal that supplies Crimea with water, that in itself will cause Russia a real headache

According to Russian bloggers, Ukraine have been repairing the Antonov Bridge for a few weeks now. It maybe more significant than you think

Abbott now has whip suspended by Labour Party pending investigation into above

I could definitely have bought that for you yesterday. I vaguely considered it myself, I picked it up because it had Dub in the title. Considering it was probably 11:30 by then, it was hardly flying out as the shop had been open since 8

If True, definitely. And it is probably where Russia expected it least. If they can establish a position there, it opens up the land route to Crimea and gives the Russians another headache in that they'll have to pull troops off the Southern Melitopol front to defend their western axis. If Ukraine cuts off the land route to Crimea, that is huge let alone invading it. They can also easily now re-dam the canal that supplies fresh water to Crimea. The real task will be to establish a bridgehead across the Dnipro from Kherson to supply the position. The Dnipro is very wide there, so it's no mean task If they can establish that position and expand it, it could lead to the collapse of the entire Southern front

Without actually saying it, that isn't that far from Holocaust denial by Abbott there

Talking of RSD madness (as I was in the album topic). The Cure re-released The Show, A live double album as a "limited edition" (of 10,000) picture disk. If I remember correctly it was priced at £39.99. I could have bought this in at least two shops yesterday and I wasn't at the front of any queue, I was hours after the nonsense So... it's just a reissue of something that is out there in the hundreds of thousands, there are now 71 different versions including CDs and downloads. It's a live album (meh) and its a picture disk (double meh). Picture disks are technically not vinyl and due to the way they are made have much thinner grooves than a standard vinyl release, let alone a 180g "audiophile" release (another nonsense but hey ho) so the sound quality is generally worse than a standard release. It was last released on vinyl a whole 2 years ago in 2021 You won't find one on Discogs at much less than £70 plus shipping, anywhere in the world The people buying this are insane

Listening to it for a second time, it's better than I first thought or I'm in a more receptive mood... But here's the thing, it has already sold 10 times on DIscogs, three different people have paid £36, £40 and £44 for it. There is only one for sale in the UK - £75. Cheapest one including shipping is £40 and that is the rarity. Utter Madness!

meh Wordle 673 5/6

This was a RSD release. IMO it has no place being such a thing. It's brand new, never released on any format, it's not a limited edition and it will be re-orderable after the fact. It's just a release Another Lionel Liminana & David Menke soundtrack collaboration, this time to a documentary titled Thatcher's Not Dead. Double album that is fortunately not priced at the +£8 level. I'd have bought this no matter what day it was released and I imagine so would 95% of the people who have bought it because I'm a big fan of the Liminanas

Wordle 672 4/6

Yep pleased with that. 73 points with just Tripper to play. Currently +16 on my nearest rival who has Trippier and Kane left, so as long as Kane doesn't get a Hat-trick I'll have put a bit more distance between me and my closest rival in our ML and I'm currently much better set up for DGW34 than he is. The amusing thing would be if Trippier doesn't play as I get another +4 on him

Its the best of the tracks they did but even then they've put two versions of Golden Clouds (Little Fluffy Clouds) on it which when you consider there were originally two ramblingly long CD albums says a lot about the quality of the original sessions. First impressions are that its OK but I bought it as a fan of both artists. Is it top drawer? No Is it as bad of the seemingly weekly LSP collaborations from the grave, again, No. Fair to middling I'd say

Anyway back home now and the first of my purchases to be played is… The Orb feat Lee Scratch Perry - The Upsetter at the Starhouse Sessions. A best of of the Orb/LSP sessions which produced two albums back when they did them iirc. They did some sessions together re-doing tunes from both their back catalogue. Some of it was fairly meh iirc especially on the second album but this contains most of the good stuff

Here's the perfect example of why Probe is no longer doing RSD Today I bought this Soul Jazz double album compilation released 24th March 2023 - price £26.99. First time it has been released so whilst there are no recording costs as such, there will be mastering, licensing and artwork costs I also bought this (not in Probe) an RSD release Double album, absolutely no mastering or licensing or artwork to do as its a repress but it's on coloured vinyl (Woo!). Coloured vinyl costs no more than black because even the black has to be added, vinyl is clear in its native form, they are only black because of the hardening agent used... so... £34.99 which was the RSD recommended price. Thats an £8 hike on lower costs JUST because its RSD And it wasn't THAT long ago that Soul Jazz double compilations retailed at £19.99. I get the increased prices because Ukraine / Brexit etc but an £8 hike because its RSD is exactly why Probe aren't doing it this year. I'm not blaming Soul Jazz either because its RSD and the major labels that are setting the prices. They really are just trying to force the product price up for no good reason

Which, it has to be said, is exactly what Raab relying on everyone doing.

Actually better than some of the real dross in this years RSD

So got up early, did some domestic tasks and decided to go into town on the train (far cheaper than parking). At the train station is my mate Bob on his way to open Probe, where I was heading anyway. I’m now working the door on RSD explaining to people why Probe isn’t doing RSD This wasn’t in the non-plan for the day

Well quite but picking people already under investigation seems a little stupid and shows what deals he had to make to get the job

Sky News this morning clearly making the direct link to Sunak, Lots of images of them together, clapping on a doorstep, introducing Sunak at the launch of his campaign etc Also saying that Raab was his number 2 and you don't lose a number 2 without it having consequences, especially so close to the local election campaign. They also quite rightly made the point that all three of the "resignations" under Sunak were for people he appointed, who already had the stench of an investigation hanging over them when he appointed them, so it also goes to Sunak's judgement. Raab going out swinging isn't going to help, it's just going to keep it rumbling on a while (thanks Dom). I can't see how the style of Raab's departure is going to help Sunak one bit

I can see where the early Shamen comparison comes in, especially around the Third solo eponymous album which was where he started to dabble in electronics a bit more According to Discogs, I have 24 records that feature Mark Stewart which kinda shows how big he was for me

And being awake early I:m continuing...

I think I may be annoying my new neighbours. This is on LOUD. I'm very sad

Holy F*** No! I'm incredibly sad at that news. Mark Stewart was a true maverick, he followed his own path and underneath it all he was such a nice man From The Pop Group, through New Age Steppers to his work with the Maffia, I was always a fan I met him quite a few times, I even put On-U Sound System Shows on with him and Gary Clail. I turned up unannounced at other gigs and he'd let me in Lots of what he had to say in the 80s is as true today as it was then. The Album As the Veneer of Democracy Starts to Fade and it’s message is as true today as it ever was An absolute legend of the Bristol scene, he also worked with Massive Attack, Tricky and many other Bristol acts He was so influential, from Nick Cave to the US Industrialists like Nine Inch Nails, many cited him as an influence He was also back in the On-U fold, there's supposedly a new album out there, I only hope it was semi-finished so AMS can complete it Good-bye to a true visionary. One thing he was wrong about, I don’t think he did have his price, he just did what the hell he wanted, when he wanted. I remember Gary Clail telling me that Mark just went in holiday once and ended up living with some Gypsies in Spain for 6 months and then just showed up on his doorstep one night full of new ideas Here with stolen Eric Satie…

The Russians don’t have air superiority either. They rarely venture over Ukrainian skies because Ukraine do have a lot of ground to air solutions