Empty-handed I entered the world
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going-
Two simple happenings
That got entangled.

The TV Business (Hunter S. Thompson)

The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.

Winter Morning by Alexander Pushkin

Cold frost and sunshine: day of wonder

But you my friend, are still in slumber

Wake up, my beauty, time belies

Your dormant eyes, I beg you, broaden

Toward the northerly Aurora,

As though a northern start arise

Go well dear Simon

ADAMS, Simon. 6 September 1968 - 16 February 2011. As a result of a tragic accident. Beloved partner of Nicole. Much loved son of Glennys (Glen) and Grant and loved brother of Michelle and Ian, and Joanne (Jo). 

Much adored friend of Greg, Simon and Grant.

Five years on and we still miss you very much my dear, dear friend. I can't help but wonder what out lives would be like today if you were still around.

Go well dear Simon. 

RIP bro'

Common sense: the great oxymoron of our time.

A jetlagged US man has become the most famous tourist in Iceland after he got terribly lost from a GPS mishap.

Noel Santillan had planned to drive from Keflavík International Airport to a hotel in central Reykjavík – but a spelling mistake sent him six hours away to a remote fishing town Siglufjörður, North Iceland, reported the Iceland Monitor.

A Siglufjörður resident who answered the door at midday was astonished when a weary-looking Santillan held out a piece of paper and politely enquired if he was at the right address.

It soon emerged that Santillan had typed in an extra R to his destination – a rogue letter that caused the GPS to direct him on a 430km route to Laugarvegur, Siglufjörður, instead of Laugavegur, Reykjavík, which was only 45 minutes from the airport.

"I invited the man inside, called his hotel in Reykjavík to change his booking and then sent him to Hotel Siglo where he was well received," wrote the resident, according to the Iceland Monitor.

Santillan, from New Jersey, told Icelandic news website Visir that he suspected something was amiss during the endless drive over icy roads, when he observed signs indicating Reykjavík was in the other direction.

But, feeling tired after his flight from New York, he decided to keep the faith in the GPS. The 28-year-old said the misadventure was worthwhile, as he got to experience the hospitality of the people in Siglufjörður, reported the Iceland Monitor. He also raved about the epic views he saw during his long drive north.

"I did enjoy the scenery on the way," he told Visir. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

Kicking Against The Pricks by Nick Cave

Kicking Against the Pricks was the third album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds following their debut ‘From Her To Eternity’ and ‘The First Born Is Dead’ and preceding ‘Your Funeral… My Trial’.

Released in 1986, the album is a collection of eclectic cover versions. The title is a reference to a biblical quote from acts 9, verse 5 from Acts of the Apostles:

“I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

The album marked the Bad Seeds debut of drummer Thomas Wydler, expanding the Bad Seeds line-up to Cave, Wydler, Mick Harvey, Blixa Bargeld and Barry Adamson. Wylder joined The Bad Seeds in 1985 and even let Nick live with him in Berlin when Nick was working on his novel And The Ass Saw The Angel.

Cave would later downplay the importance of the record, but said it helped the band develop musically:

‘It allowed us to discover different elements, to actually make and perform a variety of different sorts of music successfully. I think that helped subsequent records tremendously.’

‘They were all done for different reasons. Basically a list of songs were made and we tried to play them. We tried songs by The Loved Ones and The Saints and all sorts of people that never got on the record. Some songs were tributes, like the Tom Jones song; other songs we didn't think the song was ever done particularly well in the first place. Some songs had just kind of haunted my childhood, like "The Carnival is Over", which I always loved.’

The strings were arranged by Mick Harvey and played by the Berliner Kaffeehausmusik Ensemble.