~~The Rocket~~

Were would the sport of snooker be without the mercurial Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan?

Considered as the most naturally talented player in the history of the sport and many fellow pears rate him as the greatest ever. He is the showman of the sport and his temperamental streak makes him the biggest draw of the game.

Previous stories of O'Sullivan, who is right-handed but can play to a high standard with his left hand, include displaying his left-handed ability in the 1996 World Championship against Alain Robidoux, the Canadian accused him of disrespect. O'Sullivan responded that he played better with his left hand than Robidoux could with his right. O'Sullivan was summoned to a disciplinary hearing in response to Robidoux's formal complaint, where he had to prove that he could play to a high level with his left hand. He played three frames of snooker against former world championship runner-up Rex Williams, winning all three. The charge of bringing the game into disrepute was subsequently dropped. Genius.

Earlier today Ronnie passed Steven Hendry's record of 9 maximum 147 breaks by notching up his 10th at the World Open in Glasgow. In typical O'Sullivan fashion this wasn't just any 147 break, after potting the first red and black in frame three O'Sullivan halted proceedings to ask what the prize for a 147 was!! He was eventually told there was no additional purse and only a £4,000 sum for the highest break.

He potted some outstanding balls in his maximum, achieved in barely 10 minutes - even with the delay when researching about the 147 prize - but shook hands with King after disposing of the pink.

Referee Jan Verhaas persuaded O'Sullivan to finish the break and he duly slammed in the black in nonchalant fashion.

"I wasn't going to pot the black to be honest with you because I asked the ref and was told there was no break prize for a 147," O'Sullivan admitted to the BBC.

Im no snooker expert but from watching the following footage it is clear to see that the man is a genius.

See the video here -

Keep smilling.

Mr Rice

..ML..

"Mistakes-Mistakes"

....Mr Harshbarger...


Afternoon,

Just read the following story on the MSN website.

Title reads: 'Wife mistook husband for bear'

Interesting I thought...

"An American woman who says she shot and killed her husband because she thought he was a bear has gone on trial in Canada.

Mary Beth Harshbarger became hysterical after the shooting, hunting guide Lambert Greene told the court told the trial in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland.

Mrs Harshbarger told authorities that she mistook her 42-year-old husband for a bear while the two were hunting in Newfoundland in 2006. She has pleaded not guilty"

What???

My theory on the story is that the lady in question thought it to be wizardly ironic to use the same excuse her husband had given her upon catching him sleeping with her sister. 'Sorry love I thought it was you'.

Unbelievable.

Mr Rice x

...ML...

Playlist

I have recently compiled some tracks onto CD format for my band members to have a listen to.

I thought id list the tracks so you can have a listen to any that take your fancy.

Its entitled - Post Punk 'ish'

1. The Cure - A Forest
2. The Teardrop Explodes - The Culture Bunker
3. The Sound - Longest Days
4. Television - Venus
5. Television - Marquee Moon
6. Pixies - Debaser
7. Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus
8. The Sound - Winning
9. Artery - Into the Garden
10. The Wild Swans - The Revolutionary Spirit
11. The Sound - Winter
12. Magazine - Song from under the floorboards

I have been informed that you can get most of the tracks via spotify. You cannot get The Sound or Wild Swans as they are both uncleared, shame. I strongly recommend that you get hold of any tracks by The Sound, who are often quoted as THE underrated band of the 80's, and have unfortunately been placed in the category marked 'Deserved Better'.

All the best

Mr Rice x

...ML...

Salad Cream Sir??

Yesss....

It appears I have found another fan of British culinary stalwarts. Previously I have published a blog on Corned Beef and today I have discovered a full page article on 'Salad Cream'. Felicity Cloake has written this smashing piece in today's Daily mail. Allow me to summerise and offer my thoughts on the matter.

First a little back ground.

Salad Cream - Info from Heinz.com

Ingredients
Spirit Vinegar, Water, Vegetable Oil (22%), Sugar, Egg Yolks (2%), Modified Cornflour, Salt, Lemon Juice from Concentrate, Mustard, Black Pepper, Thickeners - Guar Gum and Xanthan Gum, Lemon Extract, Colour - Riboflavin

Instructions
Unscrew cap. Remove foil seal.
Shake before use.

Storage Information
After opening refrigerate and eat within 4 weeks and by Best Before End date.

Varieties
Salad Cream, Light Salad Cream, EXTRA light salad cream, Salad Cream limited edition


On with highlights from the article.

According to Mr George Orwell in 1940 'Britain is the most class-ridden nation under the sun', I can believe that being somewhat of a 'scrubber-snob' myself but what I didn't realise the extent of how accurately your social status can be judged by the contents of your shopping basket. According to anthropologist Kate Fox, prawn cocktail, pasta salad, tinned fruit and salad cream all carry invisible warnings of lower-class associations!! The cheek I love a bit of prawn cocktail, mind you I cant stand the other 3 so maybe she has a point, jesting. It seems Mr Heinz has become savvy to this lower class association and has launched the all new fancy lemon and black pepper version, this new creation has been marketed as the condiment to unify the world, crossing social barriers and uniting us all in a Salad Cream loving heaven. Or it could just raise sales a little.

Salad Cream was actually the first product developed by Heinz specifically for the UK market taking 8 years to perfect and finally appearing in our shops in 1914. It quickly became the stalwart accompaniment for the British garden salad but it wasn't until World War II that it really came into its own. With Tomato ketchup off the menu the trusty salad cream was there to lend an edge to the dull snap that was available.

Apparently our nation consumes 14,200 tonnes of salad cream every year, with East Anglians being the biggest fans. Also worth noting that is has now gone global and is available in the US and boomerang country. The current lust for salad cream has not always been apparent as the country turns to continental alternatives, vinaigrette and mayonnaise, Heinz considered scrapping its salad cream. This news was met with widespread hysteria, riots and mass destruction of the aforementioned sauces and Heinz thankfully re considered there decision and kept the production line going. Phew.

So there we go, despite being described by cookery writers as 'one of the major culinary disasters of this country', being constantly under threat from continental alternatives the uniquely British Salad Cream is here to stay. You never know the posh folk might even take to it. Personally id take Mayonnaise every time.

Keep smiling.

Mr Rice

...ML...