SATURDAY NIGHT GNARLS BARKLEY, ICEHOUSE.

In 2006, their single Crazy catapulted these guys from nowhere to stardom. Gnarls Barkley is singer Thomas Callaway and multi-instrumentalist Brian Burton. Call it New Hiphop, neofunk or whatever you like, it's an instant catch. From their debut album St. Elsewhere.





Some twenty-five years earlier, Aussie band Icehouse had a single Crazy of themselves, but that ain't the one that's following now. I chose the 1985 single No Promises. The album it was drawn from, Measure for Measure, came out only the year after. Icehouse is forgotten now, but in the early to mid-eighties they did achieve some status as a talented New Wave/synthpop group in Europe. Other singles include Hey Little Girl, Great Southern Land and Electric Blue. The singer and pretty much the only consistent member is Iva Davies, who also did/does guitar, bass guitar, oboe and keyboards. Yeah he looks like a terrible softie. So what? I've seen him worse.





Nite all from the European Loonybion.



MFBB.

GRATUITOUS SUPER ETENDARD PICS.

Being somewhat of an aviation fan, I have for some reason always had a soft spot for a remarkable French naval fighter, the Dassault-Bréguet Super Etendard.





This one is photographed here on the deck of the French carrier Charles de Gaulle.

It's not that it's extraordinarily fast (top speed 1,180 kmph, or 733mph) nor that it can carry a sizeable bomb load (only 2,1 tonnes). I suppose it's the aircraft's clean cut, sleek lines that do it for me.





Above you see a Super Etendard Modernisé (SEM) in the Afghan skies. That's right, the French use a small number of these planes in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. If I'm not mistaken, the French naval air arm has deployed three to operate from KAF, alongside Mirage 2000's from the Armée de l'Air.

Brits however have less rosey recollections of this plane. During the Falklands War in 1982, the Argentines had on hand some five Super Etendards, the first batch of around 15 which they had recently purchased at the time from the French. Also available were the notorious Exocet anti-shipping missiles. The Argentinian air force used them to deadly effect against several British RN and MN ships, notably the HMS Sheffield and the cargo Atlantic Conveyor.

Five years later, in 1987, these same Exocet missiles would cause the deaths of 37 US crewmen on board the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf, in circumstances that to this day remain unclear. The plane(s) that fired them were no Super Etendards however (although the Iraqis did have 5 on loan from France), but Mirage F-1's.





And a magnificent shot of a Super Etendard taking off.


Nite all. And oh yeah, the only quakes today probably occurred in the Hojateslam's underwear.



MFBB.

EARTHQUAKE EXPERIMENT.

There's an awful lot to report ot there, what with the EU's deepening financial woes, yet another Belgian government fallen, the War on Islam etc... but before we get to that, it's time for a little experiment of our own. I'm sure most of you heard of this:

BOOBQUAKE DETERMINED TO PROVE CLERIC WRONG.

A ONE-WOMAN mission to prove breasts don't cause earthquakes has swollen into a shirt-straining global movement preparing for the inaugural "Boobquake". Iranian cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi angered womens' groups around the world on Monday when he claimed that promiscuous women were responsible for literally making the earth move.

"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes,'' Sedighi said. "What can we do to avoid being buried under the rubble?'' he asked during a prayer sermon on Friday. "There is no other solution but to take refuge in religion and to adapt our lives to Islam's moral codes.''

Now, there was this student, Jen McCreight, who, upon hearing this, decided to test Sedighi's theory:

"... Sedighi claims that not dressing modestly causes earthquakes. If so, we should be able to test this claim scientifically. You all remember the homeopathy overdose?

Time for a Boobquake.

On Monday, April 26th, I will wear the most cleavage-showing shirt I own. Yes, the one usually reserved for a night on the town. I encourage other female skeptics to join me and embrace the supposed supernatural power of their breasts. Or short shorts, if that's your preferred form of immodesty. With the power of our scandalous bodies combined, we should surely produce an earthquake. If not, I'm sure Sedighi can come up with a rational explanation for why the ground didn't rumble. And if we really get through to him, maybe it'll be one involving plate tectonics.

So, who's with me? I may be a D cup, but that will probably only produce a slight tremor on its own. If you'll be joining me on twitter, use the tag #boobquake! Or join the facebook event!"

Now, April 26 has come and gone and nothing much happened. Must be that they didn't try hard enough. That's why I thought of conducting a little experiment myself.


We start with an ex girlfriend of mine. I'm sure she doesn't mind her photo on DB. Science trumps privacy.





Then my secretary. She's a rather shy type but otherwise cooperative.





And now we come to the part where we really mean bizness. A former Miss Belgium:





SHAZAM! What do you think of THAT Hojatoleslam?

Okay, that does it for now. Mind you, I've always been a cautious type. Like a broken clock still gives the correct time twice a day, even Iraniun Holotojislamullahtollahs just may be right every now and then. But, If we're all alive and well come tomorrow, then that Sedighi dude theory SUCKS. Anyway, rendezvous tomorrow night, same time, dead or alive!



MFBB.

MARGARET THATCHER ON SOCIALISM.

Quick! I JUST had to post this. Via Theo Spark. Margaret Thatcher on socialism.





What a WOMAN. I have tears in my eyes for two reasons. First, because of her personality. Second, because of what has become of the Conservative Party. Next to her, Cameron is a contemptible MOLLUSK.



MFBB.