[blogfocus thursday] gentlemen’s evening

1. Jeremy Jacobs is deeply concerned about quinces:

Make marmalade or jam from it. Now you may wonder what I'm doing writing about an obscure fruit such as the quince. Well my travels today included a visit to the wilds of Suffolk, whereupon I came across the owner of this quince tree. (You can just make out the hanging fruit) For 50p I bought four and continued with my trip.

2. Shades is, however, reminded of something else:

Through a process of random connected thought and erratic surfing after reading his book I have now found out that the well known Dexy's Midnight Runners song Jackie Wilson said (I'm in heaven when you smile) was written by Van the Man. (I also now know who Jackie Wilson is as well). That reminded me of the first time I saw this episode of Top of the Pops (aired in 1982 but I was abroad at the time) and laughed like a drain when I got the in-joke.

Jeremy replies to this post:

Professional Yorkshireman. Contradiction in terms isn't it?

To which I reply:

Ooh, Jeremy, you are naughty about us tykes.

To which Shades replies:

Jeremy- Laugh out loud! Maybe I'll get the Tee Shirt. Or I'll set Ian McMillan on you. What number bus goes past your street? James, I didn't know you were a Tyke*. It partially blows away the old saying:

You can always tell a Yorkshiteman...but you can't tell him much!

Anyone can make errors and Shades corrects his:

Oops- a rather inadvertently funny typo in that last comment!

But enough of this gay Yorkshire banter. Moving on:

3. Ross Fountain is in a forgiving mood:

I'm always keen to resolve any questions Guardian writers may have so I'll have a go at solving this one from the Guardian sport blog: Is it really that ridiculous to argue that the disastrous invasions of Vietnam and Iraq were at least partly the fault of the games that America plays? Yes it is, in the sense that it is an absurd idea. However it is a good career move for a Grauniad writer to be able to use any subject as a stick to beat Amerikkka with.

4. The Jailhouse Lawyer has a nice twist on the EU Constitution by Any Other Name:

Jailors claim right to strike under EU treaty

Gordon Brown faces his first legal challenge under the new EU Charter of Fundamental Rights days after claiming to have won a watertight opt-out from the document for Britain. Prison officers are preparing to use the charter to win back their right to strike in what will become a key test of its force in this country.

* Bingley