Well heck, this has really been a long time hasn't it.

One thing has spurned me in writing this message but I'll get on to that after a brief update.

I have now finished my degree with the result of an unremarkable 2:2. However, I will be appealing this as the the major module which led to this result was only 2 marks off a 2:1 which would have resulted in an overall 2:1 for myself as well as an immense sense of achievement. After a year where I've really stepped my game up I think Ive deserve a 2:1; especially since I know others who have done less work, and fake work, and who have achieved a higher grade.

Anyway, on to my mine gripe tonight, this morning, whatever.

Sony Ericsson phones are gigantic pieces of shit.

I've had 3, 2 of which have broken down.

First was a K750i, at the time a pinnacle of mobile phone photography with its mighty 2 mega pixel camera. This phone had the uncanny ability of deciding that it was too lazy to work properly and would switch off, reset itself, or freeze at times you really hoped it wouldn't. ( a favourite of mine was when I had to get up at 4am and it decided it wouldn't.)

Next up was the W610i. This sexy little beast was/ is the most reliable of my S.E phones. The specialised music phone was lacking in the camera department like a midget next to Mandingo, but it was at least reliable in its performance barr the odd text message cock up. But after a year living with the little guy, it was bearable.

Finally comes the K850i (also known as the dirty mother fucking piece of shit all of an hour ago). this was supposed to be the new pinnacle of camera phones when I got it back in April/May. Instead it's a sluggish pile of unreliable garbage. For a start its OS (operating system/ the stuff that makes it go) is slower than me in the hundred metres. And F.Y.I, I'm a nigh on 20 stone pile of man muscle i.e. fat and beer-gut. Next up is its fabled camera so sophisticated it decides it doesn't need to flash in the dark; the exact time when a flash on a camera would probably excel. The K850i's finishing blow occurred about 11 this evening. There I was watching a highlight show of Tito Ortiz fighting Rashaad Evans at UFC 73 when my so far trusted, yet sluggish K850i decided it would turn off. At the time I thought 'Yeah this is annoying, but hey it's happened countless times before so it'll just switch back on'.

Ah-Ohhhhh..... It doesn't. After trying out all the solutions mentioned on all the message boards, FAQs and so on, there is no workable solution. So later on it's off to ring O2 or most likely Sony Ericsson as 02 treats its customers its customers like something that's come from a Badger's ass-crack to try for a replacement or more likely a replacement of a replacement.

Sony Ericsson remind me Apple in so many ways regarding product reliability. About 3 years ago I had an iPod Photo, a 60 gig one too since my legit music collection was approaching that size. All as good for around 6 months or so. I was perfectly happy with playing my music on this mediocre fashion accessory called an 'mp3 player' with its volume limiter and high thievery rate Then around about a month later the little blighter broke leaving me with an angry grimace on my face, and a happy smiling face on the 'broken' iPod and most likely on Steve Jobs's face at the same time. The guy must be the happiest man on the planet by now surely?

So a week and a bit later my replacement iPod returned looking all shiny and new-ish. Back to university I went with a spring in my step and some thumping beats in my ears and all was well.

Until I tried to listen to some music to concentrate during an important PR (Public Relations) assessment I was supposed to be doing. As always I find an alternative source of music to keep me focused (my not mentioned Motorola RAZR). After i'd finished my assessment I decided to look up methods to restore my £300 paper-weight to some kind of productive member of the electroic community. These methods involved fropping it on the floor, freezing it and dropping it some more. I tried all, including dropping it from 3 stories up, and it still didn't work. Then, admitting defeat I rang those helpful people from Apple for another replacement. They agreed to it and said someone would collect my paperweight the next day... They didn't. I rang the people at Cr-apple and they said I was now out my warrenty date and that I would have to pay around £200 to get it fixed (which was about the same as it cost to buy a new one at the time). The pleasent Cr-apple phone opperator was then greeted to a barrage of my i-Paperweight being thrown against the wall before hanging up.

Thanks to this and three years of using Cr-apple computers out of being forced and buying a barrage on sub-standard products, I would activly discourage anyoen from buying a Sony Ericsson phone or an iPod unless they want to aggressivly raped by piss-poor customer service and customer support.

Now my latest and long over-due rant is over... I'm off to play some XBox 360.

Oh oh......

(I jest, my new 360 plays fine compared to my old one).

Bye for now

"Making love with his ego, Ziggy sucked up into his mind.
Like a leper Messiah.
When the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band"

Crikey, been a while hasn't it?

Apparently it was Christmas of something, I think I must have missed that one.

Anyways, have been back in Sunderland for a little over a week now after having to suffer the hell of being back home for the holidays. When I actually enjoy going to work in Tesco then there is something seriously wrong with my home.

Got to see some people I hadn't seen for a while, they haven't changed. One had the cheek to mock me for working in Tesco over Christmas while I was back from University even though this person has been on the dole for the past four years and not even bothered to go back into education or look for a job. I felt angry.

Today I almost got into a fight in town with some chaver kid who thought it would be hilarious to call me a 'fat bastard' with I was going up an escalator and was going down the one next to me. Needless to say I wasn't amused (now let me just say, I haven't been angry at someone calling me fat for years now, but this time when this little tool on the bottom of the social ladder said it I just snapped. These are some people who just shouldn't be allowed to breath never mind speak). Anyhow, I followed him and his friend outside (after I had gotten off the escalator of course) and confronted him. It's amazing how small you can make someone feel when you challenge them (that and being 6'4" probably helps). It all ended peacefully in the end thanks to a friend calming me down, without him I'm not sure what I would have done with the years of pent up anger inside.

I decided when I got home to take up boxing again to get fit. I used to do that and rugby when I was younger before I destroyed my knees, hence the weight being put on. Am not really fussed about losing wait really, I have worse things to feel bad about in my life than my weight and size that I see it as an advantage sometimes to be like I am.

One thing that needs to change however is my hair. Anyone who has seen me recently can see how stupid my hair is right now and I just need to find time to get it cut or maybe I will just do it myself, that'll be fun.

That's all for now

May the force me with you, but mainly with me

James

(totally ripped from Mark Hoppus)

And for your pleasure it's David Bowie who has just turned 60 bless 'im

"Every day I play, A silent game called, 'In The Future When All's Well'"

Howdy everybody, just a quick post today because I have been immensly irritated being back home and having access to the music channels on Sky and I have decided to follow on from my last post of records you should buy this year.

This post is about records and songs (mainly songs) that if you buy then you should be hunted down and dealt with in unspeakable ways. Also known as the Manor Quay record list!


1) The Fratellis: Chelsea Dagger - First off, I don't hate this song. I used to like it, a lot. But now eveyone does and it's just plain annoying. Everyone knows the song now and it has lost the specialness that it had when hardly anyone knew of it. I blame radio and Manor Quay.

2) El Chombo: Chacarron - This is a song I do hate. By hate I mean despise with every molecule of me, even though I only heard it about 20 minutes ago. I hope the record company who put this out (Substance Records is now on my naughty list) thinks again about doing anything like this again. If you haven't heard it then don't go looking for it because I don't want you to come after me when you tear your ears off in despair.

3) The Killers: When you were young - Just plain boring from a now plain boring band who had a plain boring debut album except for one great song. (All these things that I have done)

4) Fedde La Grande: Put your hands up for Detroit - If you haven't heard this then you have probably been living in a cave for the past few months and I am eternally jealous. Is probably the most boring pop-dance record ever. And once again I blame Manor Quay for making so many idiots like it so much. So, So, Boring.

5) Bob Sinclar: Rock this party (Everybody Dance Now) - The result of when two terrible records collide and have offspring. And it also sounds like Fatman Scoop has his irritating loud fat mouth screaming over it.

6) Audioslave: Oiginal Fire - I like Audioslave, or liked I should say. They were back on form untill 2.27 in when the guitar solo comes in and deficates on all the good work.

7) Franz Ferdinand - Everything they have done this year = RUBBISH

8) Akon: Smack That - What in the name of god is this? This is the original peice of crap that first crawled the earth. BAN THIS CRAP MUSIC NOW!!, (and sew AKON's mouth up)

9) Robbie Williams: Rudebox - See above. 'nuff said really.

10) Lil' Chris (the sprog who was on that Rock School program with Gene Simmons) - Again see above.

11) Take That - I'm not going to dignify they crapness with an insult. It's a waste of my time really.

That's about it for now really.

Enjoy



Morrissey - In The Future When All's Well

"You’ve been learnin’, baby, I bean learnin’,All them good times, baby, baby, I’ve been yearnin’"


Hi kids, how the devil's it going?

Things ae good here, am leaving for home in a few hours so I just thought i'd check in before I left for the holidays. (not really much of a holiday for me, or many of us)

Well, this post is my reccommended Christmas list on what you should all spend your hard, or not hard earned money that you may recieve in the next few weeks.

Here we go, the James Sanders Christmas list 2006

1) +44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating
2) Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This To Memory, I Am The Movie
3) Joanna Newsome - The Milk-eyed Mendor, Ys
4) Thom Yorke - The Eraser
5) Lily Allen - Alright Still
6) Radio 1 - Live Lounge7) Blood Arm - Lie Lover Lie
8) Beck - The Information
9) Led Zeppelin - Early Days And Latter Days (The Very Best Of)
10) Blink 182 - Greatest Hits
11) Massive Attack - Collected


And as a special treat, we're going old school today, check it out.



Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

"I decree today that life is simply taking and not giving, England is mine - it owes me a living"

Hi kids, how's it going with you all?


Some news first of all (nothing major honest). my iPod broke today which is the second time it has since I bought it last year. I wasn't pleased as you could imagine, but I like a challenge so I tried to fix it because it would cost nearly £150 to fix. So after looking around on the Apple forums I found some people with the same problem as me (Apple's products are shoddily built by all accounts) and found some solutions. One was to pry the back off the iPod which as some of you may know isn't something you are supposed to do (Apple would rather you buy a new one instead of offering new parts- great business plan guys) .


Another solution, and this is really the greatest one I kid you not. Several people said that they got their working again by hitting it/ dropping it onto something. This surely is the greatest solution to all technical problems, just hit it! and it will work again. And blimey it did. There was I in my PR lesson on Tuesday afternoon and just one drop was needed to get it fixed again.


Check out ma bad self!!

Not a very good picture but trust me it is working.

And also on a quick note, the much delayed much worked on 'What am I listening too?'

First of all: (+44) - When your heart stops beating: An absolutely fantastic debut from Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker's new band. Definately a cd worth spending a tenner on.

Stand out tracks - When your heart stops beating, 155, No it isn't, Make you smile, Chapter 13

Lily Allen: Lily Allen- Quite suprised I liked this but it is really good. The was she sings/ talks is something special and she makes mundane things sound funny and different.

Stand out tracks - LDN, Friday night, Alfie

Joanna Newsom: The Milk Eyed Mendor - Very difficult to describe. The best I can come up with is folk-pop with harps and a voice that you will either love or hate. Check out this video if you don't believe me.

Stand out tracks - All of them!

The Blood Arm: Lie Lover Lie - Am giving this a lot of love right now, it just sounds really original and it's a shame that not many people have heard any of the songs on this album.

Stand out tracks - Stay Put, Suspicious character, Do I have your attention

Motion City Soundtrack: I am the movie/Commit this to memory - Possibly one of the most underrated bands in the world at the moment with one of the best song writers of our generation by far. Their first album (I am the movie) is a full on punk-pop smack in the face but with meaningful lyrics and a sound that would be great as just an instrumental. The second album (Commit this to memory) removes some of the pop from the equation but sees edgier lyrics and more emphasis on togetherness but being alone at the same time. (both these albums are definately recommended to anyone)

Stand out tracks: I am the movie - The future freaks me out, Indoor living, Capital H, Perfect teeth, Boombox generation, A-OK

Commit this to memory - Attractive today, Everything is all right, L.G.F.U.A.D, Hangman, Hold me down.

Anyways that's just about all from me for now, but take a secod to go vote for Morrissey as the greatest living British cultural icon. Read my next post for the reasons why you should vote for him, but in the untill then just post anyway.

A little taster

(The Smiths - Still Ill (Live 1984 The Tube)

"The world's a big place, yet i'm so small"

First off boys and girls some news.

A big congratulations to Sam Wilcox who has scored a year long work placement.

And also check out Charlie's new blog, the picture is hilarious, looking very confused there, or drunk, i'm not quite sure.

The world is getting to be such a crazy place it's unreal. In case you haven't seen Jackie Danicki's post yet you should. Go now! I can't understand how people could just let it happen and not do anything to help. And also read some of the reactions, particularly 195-199, on how irritating some people can be with their backwards view on life. It annoys me a lot that some people can say such crap sometimes and get away with it.

Anyways, I was going to do big serious post on the internet (or t'internet how we say it in Lancashire) but am too tired. It will be done soon I promise.

On the plus side (you'll see where i'm going with this in a second), I got my +44 tickets (told you) for Manchester in Febuary on pre-sale courtesy of the mighty ticketmaster.co.uk. Now just ones for Newcastle on sale tomorrow.

No proper video for you today to go with the title lyrics. Instead enjoy a video from one of my favourite bands The Kinison



The Kinison - You'll never guess who died (check out the bass by the way, sounds great doesn't it)

"Two shots of happy, One shot of sad"

Afternoon everyone, how the devil goes it?

Life is reasonably good here apart from the feeling that there is a live badger scratching out my insides.

First shot of happy is the fantastic +44 are touring in Febuary, and they are actually coming to Newcastle (which not many bands do). So now I am going to go there and also the their show in Manchester the day after which will be worth it.

Next up is my bands demo. We have finally decided on the 5 tracks that will be on it.

1. Chapter 13 - +44
2. Everything is Alright - Motion City Soundtrack
3. Making Your Mind Up - Bucks Fizz (Stop laughing, our version is better than the original)
4. Tell me what you think, And i'll tell you what to do (One of my originals)
5 . Softer than Water, Louder than Bombs (Another original)

We tried to stay away from cover songs but found it pretty hard. But then again, if the Beatles did it then so can we, even though they were rubbish.

And now the bad.

My stomouch hurts, and I still have loads of work to get done. And my hair is really annoying me, I need it cut.

Have a great idea for my next post, which hopefully should be up before Friday.

Video is clips from the great TV show 'House' (with Hugh Laurie), the song is "Two shots of happy, One shot of sad" (preformed by U2 but the Nancy Sinatra version is much better. If anyone knows how to put audio on this thing then let me know)

"My goodness gracious let me tell you the news"


Crikey, been a while hasn't it. My apologies but have had loads of work to do as I'm sure you all have.

whether or not you've done it is up to you.

So whats been going on then?

Well, i started work at Manor Quay as some of you may have seen, and that's been going great. I just feel bored not having a job and being paid weekly again is good too.

Have been spending ages getting work experience sorted too for my MAC 204 module and have finally got it sorted. I am going to be working for Lancaster City Council back home for a week in April which should be fun in so many ways.

Also my band from back home are going to be making a demo record in June which is going to be great. We have so much stuff that we want recorded that it's going to be hard to cut it down to 5 tracks. On a personal note, I will also be co-producing the record which is going to be quite literally awesome and I have also started to play acoustic guitar again which should be fun.

That's all I have right now, but there will be more i promise. And no huge gap this time!

Speaking of huge gaps (and on a massive side note), I can't believe there is no more episodes of Lost 'till Febuary, and even worse no Prison Break untill Febuary.

Bloody American TV

Also check out the blogroll which is like over here------------> or there abouts for everyones blogs and so on....

Bye





This is the new Johnny Cash video for 'God's gonna cut you down' and guess all the people in the video.

"Anticipation has a habit to set you up, for disappointment in evening entertainment but... tonight there'll be some love"

Hey everybody, first of all take a look at these.

Boys and Girls, I give you.... Travis Barker (LEGEND)







He's having to play drums one handed because he broke a bone in his arm a few weeks ago. What a trooper!

Anyways, just thought I'd do an update of what's been going on today. I got my train tickets sorted, the woman at the station agreed that I am an idiot and said she would refund them and let me get new ones which I thought was nice of her considering my stupidity.

Also got my overdraft sorted at the bank. So it's been pretty productive despite a bad start (me sleeping through my alarm again and having to rush into uni.)

Also got some newCD'ss too. The Prodigy - Their Law

And John Lee Hooker - Definitive collection

And I got my phone connection sorted too so I can transfer pictures and stuff from my phone, so I thought I would show you one of my bass guitars as a treat. But, blogger doesn't want me to put it up right now so I'll sort it out in a bit.

Having to go now and get something to eat before my interview.

Enjoy



Arctic Monkeys - The view from the afternoon (live)
(The drummer and bassist/former bassist are awesome)

"So search for an excuse, And someone to believe you"

Well hello again, first of all I'M SORRY!

Yes I promised a new post at the beginning of the week but I've been really busy this week.

OK, that's a lie. I've been busy playing Football Manager and sleeping (both are great by the way.)

So what's been going on then? Nothing much to be honest apart from trying to organise going home for the weekend and it getting really complicated. For a start, I had planned to go home on Friday after Weblogs (MAC 250), but (and damn you students union) I have to go for a job interview at 6.20 so that's put a spanner in the works. Now I have another problem. I booked my tickets to go home on Saturday and guess what I've gone and done? I've gone and booked tickets for the wrong day, that day being the aforementioned Friday of which there are no late trains to take me home.

Such an idiot.

And having to walk home in the rain yesterday because the trains were off was pretty bad too, even though im emo enough to like the rain I still had to walk. Still, I made up for it with a great Kebab from the take-away and some nice cold beer along with drinking games with the flat.

Good times were had by all.

So, let's get on with what this post is really about shall we?

Today I am going to be talking about the makers of exploding batteries, expensive TV's and Euro hating Sony.

Some of you may know that last year I had evil feelings towards Microsoft (or M$ is you like). This was because they just seemed to rule everything with an iron fist and not care about anyone...ever. Now I don't hate M$ because they have shown that they do care about people even if M$ are in the worng. For example, the launch of popular (and quite heavy) Xbox 360. Although much has been said afterwards about technical issues i.e. them overheating and breaking down. However, M$ ended up replacing them all and showing their love for everyone by having a near simultainious worldwide launch for the machine. (a world first may I add)

Now for Sony, it seems most Japanese companies hate Europe for some reason and Sony are no different. For example, the launch of the PSP took NINE months to reach Europe and there were still barely enough to go around. And now the PS3 which is due to launch in Japan and the U.S in November. Sony had planned for a worldwide launch of their over £400 machine but decided that Europe wasn't important enough for them to at least try for it.

Another reason I don't like Sony is because of their abuse of their position as market leader. For example, the disk dive they are using is Blu-Ray which if you are familiar with new technology is one the next generation of DVD formats being relased (the other being HD-DVD.) They are doing this because they know people will buy the machine because to buy a standalone Blu-Ray player is over £1,000. It makes me wonder if Sony have public relations at all because to me, Sony are saying "Screw you all, you're all going to buy our products anyway so we can say and do whatever we want. We rule you all MWAHAHAHAHAHA".

And finally, the closure of Lik-Sang. Sony are actually pure evil i'm sure of it.

Sony's response

Why can't they just all get along?

Anyways, that's it from me for now.

Check back later for another post where I should have some cd reviews including the new My Chemical Romance which is actually quite good.

Oh, and by the way, what the hell is happening to Lost right now. Season three is just too bizarre right now, but on the plus side Prison Break season two is pretty damn good you should all check it out.

And now a little something for your viewing pleasure.





+44 - No it Isn't (Live)

"It's the same old S.O.S

Hey again, another post as promised, but this one with a little extra!

First off, today has been expensive, £1000 too expensive.

I paid off my first lot of accommodation fee today which has put a severe dent into my already damaged bank balance. To make matters worse, I also paid for a TV license which was an annoying experience to say the least. But other than that everything is pretty good really, I'm sitting watching 'Extras' and am still 100% positive that Ricky Gervais is not funny in any way at all.

If anyone has seen the news recently (or ready any rubbish glossy gossip magazine) may have seen this whole Madonna adoption thing. It's all very much a whole PR stunt isn't it? It's bad enough that she's on tour for most of the year and can't see her own kids, but to take advantage of his fathers poverty is just preying on his fathers weakness and separating a young child from his family is despicable, and all for publicity. It seems to me that this kind of thing is just the latest in celebrity fashion accessories.

It's bad enough that Madonna has done it, Jolie/Pitt has done it but now Britney is too.

See here

There was a picture in the Metro paper today which showed her nearly dropping her eldest son while walking around.

Alas, I have to go now, it was fun. Check back next time for a new post, should be tomorrow if all goes well.

Check out this video, pure musical greatness.



Morrissey - Life is a Pigsty

I Love you, however....

Well then, Blogging eh!, MAC 250 eh!, combined eh!

Great

For those who don't know, this is my my blog for Public Relations module MAC 250 (Weblogs - Theory and Practice). So, let's get started shall we!

We should do that whole introduction thing shouldnt we, yeah, best start there.

Name - James Sanders

Age - 21

Location - Sunderland and Morecambe

What the heck do you do - I'm a Journalism and Public Relations student at Sunderland Uni

Interests - Music, Sports, TV, Reading, all the normal stuff like that.

Future - To become a Journalist or someone in the Public Relations profession (the money is better by all accounts) .

Check back for more posts soon, there will be some.... honest

James

(For your viewing pleasure)



Motion City Soundtrack - Hold Me Down