The Mark Ellis Blog

Tomorrow is the first home game of another Premier League season for Newcastle United.  This year is my 25th year of being a season ticket holder at St James Park and I have to say that this is the least excited that I've ever been ahead of a new season. A heady mix of the tripe of last season, letting a number of players go, a lack of any signings and all amongst the laughable appointment of Joe Kinnear.  It's a mix of circumstances that has lead to me to feel totally dis-illusioned at the start of another campaign. The result and performance at Man City didn't exactly help the other night either as it sounds like we were rubbish. I'd love to think that it was just me that felt that way, but it appears I'm not alone as my almost as long standing season ticket holding mate is just as despondent as me.  The only positive is that we're still going for a pint tomorrow lunchtime !  It'll be good to see him and have a catch up on the summer and speculate on w...

Until the past few weeks, I've always had the feeling that Apple seem a really good company, especially when you go in the shops. But, that opinion has now changed.  A few weeks ago, the ipod that I'd had for about 6 years got the so called "white screen of death" and despite my bestest efforts on t'internet to try and fix it, none of the online help would help. So I looked on the support bit on the Apple website and found that I needed to log a call and they duly rang me at the allotted time and I thought that was really impressive, but there wasn't much advice and it ended up me needing to book to go to a store.  A process that you then have to book online and its not really a speedy process.  The appointment was booked for 3 days hence and I duly turned up at the Metrocentre.  Hilariously, despite explaining I was there for my appointment, the bloke said that you need to make an appointment for service - hang ten Spender, that's what I'm here fo...