Wednesday 22 February 2023

Whoop-de-doo, tarantula town

Whoop-de-doo indeed, for this blog is 18 today: legally old enough to vote. In fact, if it was a person and not a collection of nonsense this blog could also legally...

  • ...stand for election as an MP, local councillor or mayor
  • ...serve on a jury
  • ...be tried in a magistrate's court, and go to prison if found guilty of a criminal offence
  • ...make a will
  • ...pawn stuff in a pawn shop
  • ...get married without parental (my?) permission
  • ...if adopted, see the original birth certificate (and have their name added to the birth contact register)
  • ...consent to their body being used in a medical study
  • ...carry an organ donor card (an excellent idea)
  • ...buy cigarettes, rolling tobacco and cigarette papers
  • ...buy alcoholic drinks in a pub or a bar
  • ...buy fireworks
  • ...view, rent or buy an 18-rated film
  • ...view, rent or buy pornographic material that does not contravene UK obscenity laws
  • ...place a bet in a betting shop or casino
  • ...get a tattoo
  • ...get body piercings
  • ...ride a motorbike above 125cc with a licence
  • ...drive lorries between 3,500kg and 7,500kg (with the appropriate licence)
  • ...and drive a bus, under some specific circumstances – such as if learning to take the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) test

But it still couldn't adopt a child (21 for that) or supervise a learner driver (25).

Anyway, I had a look at the singles chart for 22nd February 2005, and it was mostly rubbish. I'll save you a click - Jennifer Lopez was number one, with Get Right, a song that is instantly forgettable and yet has also somehow racked up 163 million views on YouTube, but I'm not going to feature that . Surprisingly, Elvis Presley had seven entries in the Top 100 that week - I'm casting my mind back, and can only imagine that this was in response to what would have been his 70th birthday in early January. Okay, happy birthday and all that, but I'm not going to feature The King either.

Digging further down the chart, I note that it featured the only week in the Top 100 for The House of Love's comeback single. Casting my mind back (again) I can't remember them even having a comeback, probably unsurprising as it was straight in at #73 and straight out again the week after. And that's a shame, because this is alright, I think. Here's Love You Too Much.

14 comments:

  1. 18 - I can now legally buy it a pint!
    Congratulations. A magnificent achievement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers. But only achieved by not posting very often, especially in the baby, toddler and primary years.

      Delete
  2. I look forward to electing the newly tongue-pierced, gambling, lorry-driving Mayor of New Amusements asap!
    Happy 18th blog birthday, Martin and congrats for such an achievement - I enjoyed the song too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as it's only the tongue it gets pierced... ;)

      Delete
  3. Congratulations on your 18th. A night of drink and vomiting awaits

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Man Of Cheese22 February 2023 at 20:47

    Congratulations-I shall vicariously buy New Amusements a pint through its creator very soon. It's been an interesting journey!
    Good tune-I think we used to sing Shine On by House Of Love at school. Or was it in the pub? Either way many happy returns.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I shall look forward to consuming ale as the blog's proxy. Shine On, what a song that is!

      Delete
  5. Congratulations, Martin, a fantastic achievement! I trust this won't be the cue to kick New Amusements out of the house, saying that it's time for it to start earning and stand on it's own two feet now it's all grown up. I'll confess, I didn't wait until I was 18 to buy my first pint at the pub or buy cigarettes but I'm still waiting for that call for jury service...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers. Am pretty sure the blog was down the park with a two-litre bottle of Strongbow about three years ago...

      Delete
  6. Happy blogversary. Ah, I remember the good old days...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, you were definitely an early adopter!

      Delete
  7. Bit late with this but happy anniversary to your blog. It wouldn't be able to buy a drink in the US but it could get married in Scotland without parental consent (and I know of quite a few that did back in the day).

    Just checked and the reason Elvis had so many records in the Top 100 was that they were promoting his 18UK#1s album.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, thanks Alyson. And that makes sense re Elvis.

      Delete