Live Blogging the Baltic

OK, technology is getting silly. I’m sat in a bar on a ferry in the middle of the Gulf of Finland, between Tallinn and Helsinki, and I can get a wireless signal.


I’ve been on a day trip with a research group I hang around with. The trip started as work, but degenerated. One member of the group talked about some serious cool stuff that will kick arse, as well as at least one hybrid equid. Unfortunately it was confidential, so I can’t say more. Booo!
After that we wandered Tallinn. Our trip to the shopping mall was tainted by the realization that almost all of the shops were Finnish, and not much cheaper.
We had a meal together during which the question was raised “What is considered ultra-cool?” I excused myself from answering, having never been cool. The Canadian who raised the question strggled once Summer of ’69 was mentioned, and ended up admitting that in his day “Rock on, dude” was considered “cool” in his day. Poor guy: this is going to run and run.
We also took a tour of the old city. Tallinn used to be a Hansa town, with the guilds ruling, We worked out that this was finally destroyed by an Englishman, through the introduction of Clearasil. Apparently anyone wanting to be a Tallinn trader would have to join an organisation based in The House of the Black Head. This was the place for all the un-married merchants. Apparently every year they would hold a competition to shoot a parrot, which seems unkind (almost as bad as putting the Canadian embassy in a haunted building).
Anyway, our theory is that the merchant guild steadily lost members once someone decided to deal with the black heads by selling skin lotion to the locals. Such are the things that are discussed by high-powered researchers when they get together.
Now the big question – are Kiss cool or not?

About rpg

Scientist, poet, gadfly
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8 Responses to Live Blogging the Baltic

  1. Cath Ennis says:

    Now the big question – are Kiss cool or not?
    Not. Sorry.

  2. Mark Tummers says:

    They were cool in the 70s.

  3. Lee Turnpenny says:

    I was into KISS on and off years ago. Visually impressive in a comic book fashion, but musically, they’ve never really stuck. KISS is really a big sophisticated marketing organisation. Brilliant in its way (because it certainly works); but decidedly un-cool.

  4. Mike Fowler says:

    Bob, i know you’ve been out of the UK for a while now, and your grammar is suffering, but shouldn’t the question be “is kissing cool”?
    And the answer depends on a lot of thingses.

  5. Bob O'Hara says:

    I guess glam rock never reached Scotland. You poor dears never got beyond Rod Stewart, did you? Straight from him to The Krankies.

  6. Graham Steel says:

    Bob. Here’s some suggested reading material from, cough, the Scotsman.
    BTW, as you will see )(and I didn’t know)_ Rod Stewart is actually English !!

  7. Mike Fowler says:

    Aye, but his Dad wuz Scottish. Or suhing like that.
    And The Krankies are going to be the next big thing in Lancastriarshire, Bob. Just you wait and see. Or go for the Finnish equivalent

  8. Graham Steel says:

    What a hoot mon re. Finnish-ed- Krankies. Seeeensational keyboard solo.
    The Bank Holiday madness continues in the form of Pif Paf Pof from Scottish outfit “The High Life”.

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