The Whole General MishMash (Bollywood, Euro 2004 and Yeti Sports!)

So, here I am, back in Bollywood, West London style. I've been back in London since Wednesday night - Thursday was spent alternately filming the three female leads of the movie singing and rapping in a very funky recording studio near Islington and sitting in the very funky bar opposite said very funky recording studio watching Ingerlund storm to a very fortunate 3-0 win against an inferior opposition in ridiculous temperatures. Friday was spent alternately driving and sleeping. Today we were shooting in Brentford - first a cool looking camera-rigged-up-to-the-side-of-cool-merc shot and then the scene in the movie shows the asian couple at the centre of the story walk past a BNP rally. Despite not having the right leaflets for the mock-facists to hand out (causing some consternation for one of the actors who said "But how can I read it if there's nothing to read") the scene went well. Several extras had been custom ordered, and a few more were roped in from the street. At one point a very convincing looking BNP type chappy with a St George's cross tattooed on his neck, a green bomber jacket and many scary tattoos on the back of his shaven head came and volunteered his services. He was very sweet with all the Indian crew, and indeed the actors and ended up lifting the scene to something more than it would have been without him. Just goes to show, although I'm not sure what exactly.

We left Brentford and went back to the unit base, where a disused annex of an hotel had been turned into a make-shift police station. As we were leaving our exterior location on Brentford high street it began to look increasingly likely that rain was on its way - cue lots of people saying things like "good job this is an interior" "good job we've got all the outdoor stuff out of the way before the rain comes along" and surprisingly few people saying "shame the interior location's got loads of holes in the roof and leaks like a sieve..." Can you guess what happened next? At the most dangerous moment possible, when the gaffer (man in charge of lighting crew) was organising the sparks (er..the lighting crew) setting up the lighting, with massive amounts of electricity and cables lying about, we began to hear the pitter patter of some serious drippage. The first ad pulled the plug and we all went and milled about whilst the 3rd ADs tried to mop up the floods. Several of the senior members of the crew speculated that this would end up being the first time they'd ever had to pull a *interior* because of rain. Fortunately the downpour left as soon as it arrived and I was able to go and park myself in the bar of the hotel and watch the fantastic match between Holland and the Czech Republic.

Which leads me nicely into the next subject listed above. No detailed commentary tonight, as I've been working hard and am tired, but I would crave your indulgence to share a few thoughts...

The mullet count is low this year, but those there are are spectacular (Torres, the Swedish no.21 with the long name and the mullet/mohican combination.)

The refereeing is absoultely shocking...poor decisions all the time, divers getting rewarded repeatedly, penalties not being given, players being yellow carded and sent off way too easily...shocking.

Sven is way way way too defensive minded, and unless something changes England have got no chance - we've got a great set of players, but we are playing way way too deep, and without Roonaldo we'd be in big trouble.

As noted by Phill in conversation, Motson is slightly obsessed with pronouncing s as shh when dealing with Eastern and Central European players.

Lawrenson should really really really stop taking his honourary membership of the chuckle brothers so seriously and stop making "jokes." Witness - "As a game of football, John, it's a great advert for cricket." "As a pundit Lawro, you're a great argument for the interactive steve claridge rambling option."

ITV football coverage continues to be rubbish. Des, Des, Des, like the last four series of Friends, like the 5th series of the west wing, you are a shadow of your former self. It's not your fault really - you've not got a lot to work with...

That Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal in the last few minutes of Sweden Italy was absolutely mindblowingly good.

As was more or less the whole Czech Rep Holland game tonight - if France or England don't win I hope the Czechs do.

I love football more than is good for me. I am more interested in punditry than is good for me.

And finally folks, as long time readers will remember, I first discovered the Yeti Sports some time ago, but I've been reminded of it by the Whole Wide World of the Fat Buddha and it's moved on some since the happy minutes spent there last winter...Check it out if you want some browser gaming penguin whacking good time fun!