This week we didn't make it to the quiz. Our Sandford friends AA and CP were otherwise engaged in the Lake District, and I was too knackered to do any form of brain wracking. Therefore, our total remains at £26 with perhaps only 1 quiz (plus a potential Christmas special) to boost the curry fund.
Sweet Jesus, was I tired Sunday evening - so much so I could not stay awake to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm on More4. (CYE is one of only three shows that I refuse to miss an episode of. The bit with Larry in the car calling David Schwimmers dad is making me chuckle as I type. This would really annoy Helen if she was here because it appears that I am laughing at nothing. The other two programmes I never miss are HIGNFY and Monday Night Football (i.e. Gridiron) which I video and then watch over the following nights of the week. This too annoys Helen, and may be part of the reason I do it.)
The root of my tiredness was two late nights sandwiching a day Christmas shopping (talking of Christmas, get ready for a special treat through the month of December right here on SYi2!). Friday night was superb - a few pints of home brew (of the delayed drunken effect type) followed by an excellent late night horror movie and a portion of a bottle of Whisky. Perfect. Then I was up early to get into Exeter.
However, during my truncated sleep, I found myself dreaming constantly of Coca Cola, and when I woke I was desperate for some. This is not the first time that coke have used my slightly-drunken slumber to advertise their drink to me. As always the advertising worked and I drank a couple of litres whilst shopping. This amount of sugar placed me in a strange mood where I walked around Exeter trying to convince Helen I was having imaginary phone conversations and using my scarf to pretend I was Seth Conway from Westcountry news interviewing her.
Saturday night involved the cat incident, but I slept ok and I would have been alright had I not agreed to mounting a mirror on the bedroom wall late Sunday afternoon. Why oh why do I try to do DIY at times when I'm least suited to using power tools? Suffice to say I've decided there is no need to mount the mirror to the wall and I've left some holes for Helen to fill.
Anyhow, that's enough of this rambling - well done if you made it to the end. Hopefully AinSQ will return in a fortnight.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Cartoon of the Week - No. 5
Hoorah, so I'm back in Exeter with a delayed edition of Cartoon of the Week.
Today an excerpt from Get Fuzzy, a superb cartoon that takes the Garfield scenario (man talking to cat and dog), updates it and makes it good.
I like a lot of things about the Get Fuzzy strip, which no doubt will come up in future cartoons of the week, but central to it has to be Bucky, the mean-spirited cat.
I am not a cat person, which derives from the fact that a lot of cats don't seem to be a Gary person. From a young age when a friend's cat purposely climbed a high set of curtains to jump on my young head, to the resident uni cat attacking my flapping jean trouser legs, they seem to have something against me. Even when I try to be nice to a cat, it's only a short while before they take my good-natured stroking and throw it back in my face. Or dig their claws into my arm.
An example. Saturday night Helen and I visited our good friends James and Emma in Torquay (that is three Jameses I know that really like cats...hmmmm). James's cat was all friendly pre-pub, purring and the like. On our return from a particularly cold Torquay night out, the cat moved around looking for attention. Next thing I know, the little beggar (as my Grandad refers to the feline) had bitten my thumb. Luckily I had prepared myself for such an eventuality by drinking a few beers, thus dulling the pain, although it equally reduced my reaction time.
It was agreed I had done nothing to instigate the cat attack (or cattack, as I've never called it before), so the only conclusion is that cats are the manifestation of all that is evil, whilst I am goodness, personified in human form. Therefore, the cat and I must remain mortal enemies. That, or I smell of Whiskas.
Category: Cartoon
Today an excerpt from Get Fuzzy, a superb cartoon that takes the Garfield scenario (man talking to cat and dog), updates it and makes it good.
I like a lot of things about the Get Fuzzy strip, which no doubt will come up in future cartoons of the week, but central to it has to be Bucky, the mean-spirited cat.
I am not a cat person, which derives from the fact that a lot of cats don't seem to be a Gary person. From a young age when a friend's cat purposely climbed a high set of curtains to jump on my young head, to the resident uni cat attacking my flapping jean trouser legs, they seem to have something against me. Even when I try to be nice to a cat, it's only a short while before they take my good-natured stroking and throw it back in my face. Or dig their claws into my arm.
An example. Saturday night Helen and I visited our good friends James and Emma in Torquay (that is three Jameses I know that really like cats...hmmmm). James's cat was all friendly pre-pub, purring and the like. On our return from a particularly cold Torquay night out, the cat moved around looking for attention. Next thing I know, the little beggar (as my Grandad refers to the feline) had bitten my thumb. Luckily I had prepared myself for such an eventuality by drinking a few beers, thus dulling the pain, although it equally reduced my reaction time.
It was agreed I had done nothing to instigate the cat attack (or cattack, as I've never called it before), so the only conclusion is that cats are the manifestation of all that is evil, whilst I am goodness, personified in human form. Therefore, the cat and I must remain mortal enemies. That, or I smell of Whiskas.
Category: Cartoon
Monday, November 28, 2005
Quick
A very quick post, created on someone else's computer at a company I'm visiting today. I've not missed a post on a weekday yet and I'm not going to let being in Gloucester stop me!
Friday, November 25, 2005
Parsons Watch - Episode 3
Hello and welcome to Parsons Watch.
Tony Writes:
Eek. I knew Tony's column was bad - that's the whole reason I keep an eye on it - but this week is a particularly poor one. Let's see what he's been up to.
- Oh dear. This week Tony presents an argument for the reinstatement of the death penalty. It is maybe the worst written pieces of comment I've seen for a long while.
- He launches an attack on Newsnight Review - a programme that he's been on "100 times". Er, I'm guessing that they've not asked him to do it again?
- He states Madonna's not sexy.
Parsons of the Week:
A special Parsons of the week as we meet our first Gary Parsons. Gary is an associate librarian at Florida Atlantic University. Among Gary's interests are the uses of computers in libraries, alternative energies, librarians, and librarianship. Gary graduated with a masters in Library Science.
You could say he sleeps, breathes and eats libraries, but you would be wrong - he also enjoys water sports, so there.
***Parsons in Music***
Allow me to introduce you to Kenneth John Parsons, A.K.A. Inexplicata Music. With his music, Ken aims to explore the paranormal. Through tracks such as "Womb Tomb", "Kosmik Kalypso" and "Deep Marine Space Dive", Inexplicata will place you in an Altered State of Mind where you may even happen upon an OBE - Out of Body Experience. So why not order up a copy of "The Hyades Electro-Suite" direct from Ken.
Alternatively you could buy a Casio keyboard, set it to voice number 72 "Ghost Strings" and hold down various notes for a few hours whilst trying to grow a beard. I know I do.
Parsons Word Fact: A common vegetable based nickname for a person with the surname Parsons is Parsnip.
Tony Writes:
Eek. I knew Tony's column was bad - that's the whole reason I keep an eye on it - but this week is a particularly poor one. Let's see what he's been up to.- Oh dear. This week Tony presents an argument for the reinstatement of the death penalty. It is maybe the worst written pieces of comment I've seen for a long while.
- He launches an attack on Newsnight Review - a programme that he's been on "100 times". Er, I'm guessing that they've not asked him to do it again?
- He states Madonna's not sexy.
Parsons of the Week:
A special Parsons of the week as we meet our first Gary Parsons. Gary is an associate librarian at Florida Atlantic University. Among Gary's interests are the uses of computers in libraries, alternative energies, librarians, and librarianship. Gary graduated with a masters in Library Science. You could say he sleeps, breathes and eats libraries, but you would be wrong - he also enjoys water sports, so there.
***Parsons in Music***
Allow me to introduce you to Kenneth John Parsons, A.K.A. Inexplicata Music. With his music, Ken aims to explore the paranormal. Through tracks such as "Womb Tomb", "Kosmik Kalypso" and "Deep Marine Space Dive", Inexplicata will place you in an Altered State of Mind where you may even happen upon an OBE - Out of Body Experience. So why not order up a copy of "The Hyades Electro-Suite" direct from Ken.
Alternatively you could buy a Casio keyboard, set it to voice number 72 "Ghost Strings" and hold down various notes for a few hours whilst trying to grow a beard. I know I do.
Parsons Word Fact: A common vegetable based nickname for a person with the surname Parsons is Parsnip.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
The Sights of Exeter
Just enjoyed a lunch with my brother in town. Walking to the St George's Meeting House (where, by the way, they were interviewing people about the 24-hour licencing - yawn) I saw a girl with a rabbit on a lead. She was taking her rabbit for a walk in the middle of Exeter city centre like it was a dog. Crazy.
I now know why people have camaras on their mobiles.
I now know why people have camaras on their mobiles.
Tron
For me, the best thing about Science Fiction is not the books and films, of which I have only a passing interest, but rather the fans of the genre. They'll queue in sub-zero conditions to watch incredibly average movies, write God-awful fan-fiction or spend hours searching ebay for episodes of BattleEarth Enterprise on Betamax.
However, the real cream of the crop are those that take it a little bit further.
Take the fans of the movie Tron. Tron is a very, very strange movie and one that I never really understood. This is largely due to me only ever seeing the second half of it, but still, I think that it is agreed that it is a little "out-there". One defining aspect of the movie is the suits worn by Jeff "The Dude" Bridges et al., so it would only be expected that the true Tron-fan would want to recreate the attire so that he/she can impress fellow Tronites at conventions and the like.
Enter Jay Maynard.
Jay found to his dismay that Tron suits were not made to fit his, er, physique, so he set about making his own. This manufacturing process is documented in all of its dubious glory on his website, Tron Guy. Even now, a year after I first happened on the site, it still makes me laugh, although due to the nature of the costume, and Jay's, er, physique, just be warned before you venture into his world.
Category:Film
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely
Everything about the new Sarah Jessica Perfume advert annoys me.
Firstly the name, Lovely, is rubbish. Really rubbish. It's self-promotion so that people who talk about the perfume will automatically make the connection between SJP and all things good, wholesome and sweet. Yuk. And even if this isn't the plan, which it is, calling something Lovely is just lazy and will create no end of problems, thus:
Man (Smelling air around female companion): What are you wearing, it's lovely?
Woman: Yeah, it is.
Man: So what is it?
Woman: Lovely.
Man: I know it is. But what is the perfume?
Woman: It is Lovely.
Man: Yes. But what is it?
Woman: You're dumped.
Etc etc.
Secondly, the advert uses SJP's face. Something that has bugged me for a long time was a conversation, no, argument, I had in a pub when I was an undergraduate. 4 girls took extreme offence to me refering to SJP as a bit moose-like. "But she's beautiful" they screamed, "She's so gorgeous". "Men know nothing about what a good looking woman looks like." they admonished, firmly putting me in no doubt that I was as wrong for questioning the "looks" of SJP.
Now I'll admit that I have, in the past, made judgement on things that I'm not totally qualified to pass judgement on. However, I think that as a man I am in some position to judge the attractiveness of a female. And in SJPs case, she is definitely not what my dad would call a looker. The problem is, the advert accentuates her craggy face by trying to make her look attractive. She gurns in an attempt to look what I'm guessing is sultry, but comes across as being more suited to an advert for Syrup of Figs.
Apparently $20 million was spent on the marketing for this campaign. Wow.
Category:Advert
Firstly the name, Lovely, is rubbish. Really rubbish. It's self-promotion so that people who talk about the perfume will automatically make the connection between SJP and all things good, wholesome and sweet. Yuk. And even if this isn't the plan, which it is, calling something Lovely is just lazy and will create no end of problems, thus:
Man (Smelling air around female companion): What are you wearing, it's lovely?
Woman: Yeah, it is.
Man: So what is it?
Woman: Lovely.
Man: I know it is. But what is the perfume?
Woman: It is Lovely.
Man: Yes. But what is it?
Woman: You're dumped.
Etc etc.
Secondly, the advert uses SJP's face. Something that has bugged me for a long time was a conversation, no, argument, I had in a pub when I was an undergraduate. 4 girls took extreme offence to me refering to SJP as a bit moose-like. "But she's beautiful" they screamed, "She's so gorgeous". "Men know nothing about what a good looking woman looks like." they admonished, firmly putting me in no doubt that I was as wrong for questioning the "looks" of SJP.
Now I'll admit that I have, in the past, made judgement on things that I'm not totally qualified to pass judgement on. However, I think that as a man I am in some position to judge the attractiveness of a female. And in SJPs case, she is definitely not what my dad would call a looker. The problem is, the advert accentuates her craggy face by trying to make her look attractive. She gurns in an attempt to look what I'm guessing is sultry, but comes across as being more suited to an advert for Syrup of Figs.
Apparently $20 million was spent on the marketing for this campaign. Wow.
Category:Advert
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Dogtanian
I like pubs, and one that will always be remembered with fondness is Exeter University's Ram Bar. However, it does have one major drawback: it is full almost exclusively with students. Now students constitute some of the most annoying members of society, but what really gets me is that they consistently and relentlessly get younger and younger, serving as a reminder that I am indeed getting older and those days are slipping further behind me.
Now what really rubs it in is when you sit next to a group who are loudly reminiscing about what was around when they were young, which with the current group of first years was when I was approximately thirteen. Because this annoys me so much, I decided to try and keep nostalgia in my blog to a minimum. However, yesterday in Cartoon of the Week, I remembered the shows of my youth, and in particular Dogtanian. Like all people who have too much time on their hands, I googled the show and found a fan website dedicated to it.
After a quick listen to the theme tune and a view at some of the high fashion available:
I happened across a "Which character are you?" test. How could I resist? I always thought of myself as perhaps the dashing Aramis or even the noble Porthos. So I honestly fill out the questions (I'd only be cheating myself) and click the submit button.
And which dog character most matches my personality?
Juliette.
I've been called a lot of things by internet personality tests, but a female fox?? I've never thought of myself as a Pacino or De Niro, but I did think that perhaps my main traits might have been at least male. But I'm not worried, I'm secure in my masculinity. Now excuse me while I go listen to some Led Zepplin, check out some rugby scores and eat some pork scratchings.
Category:TV
Now what really rubs it in is when you sit next to a group who are loudly reminiscing about what was around when they were young, which with the current group of first years was when I was approximately thirteen. Because this annoys me so much, I decided to try and keep nostalgia in my blog to a minimum. However, yesterday in Cartoon of the Week, I remembered the shows of my youth, and in particular Dogtanian. Like all people who have too much time on their hands, I googled the show and found a fan website dedicated to it.
After a quick listen to the theme tune and a view at some of the high fashion available:
I happened across a "Which character are you?" test. How could I resist? I always thought of myself as perhaps the dashing Aramis or even the noble Porthos. So I honestly fill out the questions (I'd only be cheating myself) and click the submit button.
And which dog character most matches my personality?
Juliette.
I've been called a lot of things by internet personality tests, but a female fox?? I've never thought of myself as a Pacino or De Niro, but I did think that perhaps my main traits might have been at least male. But I'm not worried, I'm secure in my masculinity. Now excuse me while I go listen to some Led Zepplin, check out some rugby scores and eat some pork scratchings.
Category:TV
Monday, November 21, 2005
Cartoon of the Week - No. 4
Doonesbury is one of the great American comic strips, using an excellent set of characters built up over thirty years. Although the best of Doonesbury is when the characters are involved with real world issues (the series with B.D. in Iraq has, in my opinion, provided some of the best commentary on the war), todays choice is a bit lighter.
This strip remainds me of wet summer days spent with my brother and a Spectrum. We'd get an early start at 7am, catching the end of an episode of Pole Position or Top Banana followed by Dogtanian and breakfast over the Racoons. Then select the game for the day and start the Spectrum loading. Watch some more t.v. and then when it had loaded, settle down for a day of solid football management. This would normally end in tears at about 6:30 in the evening when my brother would finally crack under the pressure of managing Exeter City and pull the plug from the wall. Once he screamed "What have I ever done to God? Why won't he let me get promoted?".
Nowadays I rarely play computer games, mainly for the reason that like Jeff in the above strip, I go into a stupor where I find it really difficult to talk to anyone outside of the game. This really annoys wives, who will find an increasing number of jobs to do that involve walking and indeed standing between tv and gamer. This then invariably esculates into a row in which I have no standing ("er, Yes I'm being lazy and I wasn't listening to you, but , like, I've only been playing for two hours while you um, cleaned the guttering, moved our mortgage and settled a boundary dispute between three sets of neighbours"). I find winning arguments hard enough as it is without giving my wife a large headstart, so my gaming days are more or less over.
Category: Cartoon
This strip remainds me of wet summer days spent with my brother and a Spectrum. We'd get an early start at 7am, catching the end of an episode of Pole Position or Top Banana followed by Dogtanian and breakfast over the Racoons. Then select the game for the day and start the Spectrum loading. Watch some more t.v. and then when it had loaded, settle down for a day of solid football management. This would normally end in tears at about 6:30 in the evening when my brother would finally crack under the pressure of managing Exeter City and pull the plug from the wall. Once he screamed "What have I ever done to God? Why won't he let me get promoted?".
Nowadays I rarely play computer games, mainly for the reason that like Jeff in the above strip, I go into a stupor where I find it really difficult to talk to anyone outside of the game. This really annoys wives, who will find an increasing number of jobs to do that involve walking and indeed standing between tv and gamer. This then invariably esculates into a row in which I have no standing ("er, Yes I'm being lazy and I wasn't listening to you, but , like, I've only been playing for two hours while you um, cleaned the guttering, moved our mortgage and settled a boundary dispute between three sets of neighbours"). I find winning arguments hard enough as it is without giving my wife a large headstart, so my gaming days are more or less over.
Category: Cartoon
Friday, November 18, 2005
Getting Old?
Two random blogs I got sent to:
I think they're in English, but they make my head hurt and my eyes start watering. Is this what kids are talking like nowadays? Crikey, I'm feeling older than my meagre 26-years.
The Flaming Lips
After the slight barracking I received from one quarter earlier this week for expressing an interest in the Strokes's new material, here is something that is hopefully a bit more palatable for certain people.
The excellent Flaming Lips have a planned new album called "At War with the Mystics" pencilled for release sometime around April next year. A fine video for one track off the album (or under consideration), "You've Got to Hold On" can be found here - thanks to The Merry Swankster for the link. Something to look forward to next year already.
Category:Music
The excellent Flaming Lips have a planned new album called "At War with the Mystics" pencilled for release sometime around April next year. A fine video for one track off the album (or under consideration), "You've Got to Hold On" can be found here - thanks to The Merry Swankster for the link. Something to look forward to next year already.
Category:Music
Parsons Watch - Episode 2
Hoorah - it's Friday, and that can mean only one thing here on See You in 2..., it's time to see what's been going on in the world of Parsons.
Tony Writes:
Let us take a look at the view from the top of Tony's column.
- Only God truly knows how long the police need to hold terror suspects without pressing charges. (Maybe he told George W. - the US have a 7-day period).
- Fiona Bruce is set to hit the big time
- Shop girls are just as good as lawyers. (I think this is meant to be a compliment)
Parsons of the Week:
This is Matt Parsons, a computer programmer. He is known within IT circles as Crazy Matt due to the hi-jinx that he gets upto. Some of his most memorable stunts include:
Switching the monitor leads on his 3 friends' computers (hilarious)
Strawpedoing a bottle of lucozade, followed by a Tab chaser (unhinged)
Asking a girl out on a date (unprecedented)
***Parsons Music Hall of Fame***
This week sees Alan Parsons join inaugral inductee Gram Parsons as a member of the Parsons Music Hall of Fame.
Alan overcame his beard affliction to work on some of the all-time great albums, including Abbey Road and Dark Side of the Moon. However, after working with Wings, Alan got the idea that he too could make his own records and so began his Prog Odyssey, or Progyssey. Albums from his 30 years journeying through synth-landscapes include his interpretations of Poe and Asminov, plus the classic exploration of telephone conversations, Ammonia Avenue.
Today he remains one of the hairiest Parsons in all of rock.
Parsons Word Fact: An anagram of Parsons is "Ass Porn".
Tony Writes:
Let us take a look at the view from the top of Tony's column.
- Only God truly knows how long the police need to hold terror suspects without pressing charges. (Maybe he told George W. - the US have a 7-day period).
- Fiona Bruce is set to hit the big time
- Shop girls are just as good as lawyers. (I think this is meant to be a compliment)
Parsons of the Week:
This is Matt Parsons, a computer programmer. He is known within IT circles as Crazy Matt due to the hi-jinx that he gets upto. Some of his most memorable stunts include:Switching the monitor leads on his 3 friends' computers (hilarious)
Strawpedoing a bottle of lucozade, followed by a Tab chaser (unhinged)
Asking a girl out on a date (unprecedented)
***Parsons Music Hall of Fame***
This week sees Alan Parsons join inaugral inductee Gram Parsons as a member of the Parsons Music Hall of Fame.
Alan overcame his beard affliction to work on some of the all-time great albums, including Abbey Road and Dark Side of the Moon. However, after working with Wings, Alan got the idea that he too could make his own records and so began his Prog Odyssey, or Progyssey. Albums from his 30 years journeying through synth-landscapes include his interpretations of Poe and Asminov, plus the classic exploration of telephone conversations, Ammonia Avenue.
Today he remains one of the hairiest Parsons in all of rock.
Parsons Word Fact: An anagram of Parsons is "Ass Porn".
Thursday, November 17, 2005
He-Man in One of the Best Films Ever!
This one is especially for Mr G. I don't know if you've seen it before (I hadn't), but I think you might enjoy it. Two super quality vids in two days - I'm on fire!
Watch the Movie
There's a couple of sets of ads to get through, but stick with it - its well worth it.
Category:Funny
Watch the Movie
There's a couple of sets of ads to get through, but stick with it - its well worth it.
Category:Funny
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
He-Man Sings!
Reading a friend's blog reminded me of a video that I saw back in September that made me laugh a lot, mixing together beautifully my nostalgia for the mid to late 80s and penchant for ridiculous silliness (as opposed to the none ridiculous kind). Watch it here.
Note to self - must stop using the word penchant
Category:Funny
Sainsburys
One of the great innovations for supermarkets over the past decade or so has been the successful launch of storecards. Whereas before the supermarkets had to go and collect their information through boring market research methods like everyone else, they now have a complete record of everyone's spending trends connected to personal information and population demographics. So they give back a bit (about 1%) - a small price to pay for the economic benefits that having an endlessly analysable set of data brings.
This is hardly ground-breaking stuff, but Sainsbury's latest, and pretty successful, advertising campaign is perhaps the first time that there's been such a blatant use of storecard data. From the information they've garnered from their Nectar card system, Sainsbury's know that a lot of people that are pretty well-off shop in their stores. However, they just keep buying the same old products. Is that an opportunity for a new ad-campaign I see?
Sainsburys decide to tell us, in the nicest possible way, that we are sooo boooring. And there's no denying - stats never lie. They get Jimbo Oliver to use nutmeg on Spag Bol - "Go on" he says "Try it. It's amazingly pukka", like he's giving away the recipe for Ambrosia Custard (living in Devon, I know why it's so creamy - believe me, it should definitely stay secret). The ad works.
However, their radio advert shows that a good idea can be stretched too far. "We know that you boys like your beer", says a young lady, "so with Carling, Carlsberg and John Smiths all on offer, why not try something different?"
Eh? How many men stolidly buy Fosters, eyeing suspiciously those green cans of funny-looking Danish lager? Has anyone ever thought, "Hmmm, I'm going to go crazy and try some heavily processed bitter?" It's such a stupid, stupid advert that I can only think that it was thought up by a tee-total idiot. I can think of no other explanation.
Category:Advert
This is hardly ground-breaking stuff, but Sainsbury's latest, and pretty successful, advertising campaign is perhaps the first time that there's been such a blatant use of storecard data. From the information they've garnered from their Nectar card system, Sainsbury's know that a lot of people that are pretty well-off shop in their stores. However, they just keep buying the same old products. Is that an opportunity for a new ad-campaign I see?
Sainsburys decide to tell us, in the nicest possible way, that we are sooo boooring. And there's no denying - stats never lie. They get Jimbo Oliver to use nutmeg on Spag Bol - "Go on" he says "Try it. It's amazingly pukka", like he's giving away the recipe for Ambrosia Custard (living in Devon, I know why it's so creamy - believe me, it should definitely stay secret). The ad works.
However, their radio advert shows that a good idea can be stretched too far. "We know that you boys like your beer", says a young lady, "so with Carling, Carlsberg and John Smiths all on offer, why not try something different?"
Eh? How many men stolidly buy Fosters, eyeing suspiciously those green cans of funny-looking Danish lager? Has anyone ever thought, "Hmmm, I'm going to go crazy and try some heavily processed bitter?" It's such a stupid, stupid advert that I can only think that it was thought up by a tee-total idiot. I can think of no other explanation.
Category:Advert
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
The Strokes
I seem to be well behind some people on this, but the Strokes have got a new song doing the rounds called Juice Box. The video was shown last night on Channel 4, but for people like me who missed it there and haven't heard it yet might want to mosy over to the recommendable Filter Magazine and have a listen.
Actually having a look around, I see that Jo Whiley had it as a record of the week back in October and the song was available from the Strokes's website back in September.
Ho hum - finger on the musical pulse here.
However, I've wrote this now and I'm going to post it anyway. Opinions on the track/prospects of the album out in 2006 anyone?
Category:Music
Actually having a look around, I see that Jo Whiley had it as a record of the week back in October and the song was available from the Strokes's website back in September.
Ho hum - finger on the musical pulse here.
However, I've wrote this now and I'm going to post it anyway. Opinions on the track/prospects of the album out in 2006 anyone?
Category:Music
Postcard
Mrs P's parents have been on an extended holiday to Australia since late September. During stays with family they've had access to email, and every week or so they relay what they've been up to. However, the email is a bit of a cheat when it comes to holiday correspondence - they look the same wherever they are sent from.
What is required is a pictorial representation of the country or area that the tourist is staying in. The picture should say "Look how beautiful it is where we are. We know that you are having cold, wet weather, so look at the blue skies and sun-licked world famous sights and imagine for a couple of seconds that you are somewhere else". Hence the invention of the pictoral postcard in ages of yore.
Today we received a postcard from Mrs Ps parents. It was slightly disappointing, thus:
The postcard fails on a number of counts.
1. It could be from anywhere - if I was to hazard a guess I would have said Beaulieu in Hampshire or one of those rubbishy theme parks that is used to advertise Westcountry weather.
2. It hardly shows off Australia - Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, Ayres Rock, etc. etc. No. The back end of some cars at a Car Museum.
3. It's inside. Therefore, I feel no jealousy over the weather - it looks like the kind of thing that I would have ended up doing with my family on a typical British summer's day in the early/mid-90s.
4. It's not even a good picture of some cars.
On the postcard Mrs Ps mum states "Lovely scenery" and "Weather is sunny and warm", and that the "car museum was empty wherever we go."
What is required is a pictorial representation of the country or area that the tourist is staying in. The picture should say "Look how beautiful it is where we are. We know that you are having cold, wet weather, so look at the blue skies and sun-licked world famous sights and imagine for a couple of seconds that you are somewhere else". Hence the invention of the pictoral postcard in ages of yore.
Today we received a postcard from Mrs Ps parents. It was slightly disappointing, thus:
The postcard fails on a number of counts.
1. It could be from anywhere - if I was to hazard a guess I would have said Beaulieu in Hampshire or one of those rubbishy theme parks that is used to advertise Westcountry weather.
2. It hardly shows off Australia - Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, Ayres Rock, etc. etc. No. The back end of some cars at a Car Museum.
3. It's inside. Therefore, I feel no jealousy over the weather - it looks like the kind of thing that I would have ended up doing with my family on a typical British summer's day in the early/mid-90s.
4. It's not even a good picture of some cars.
On the postcard Mrs Ps mum states "Lovely scenery" and "Weather is sunny and warm", and that the "car museum was empty wherever we go."
Monday, November 14, 2005
Adventures in the Sandford Quiz - No 2
So Sunday saw the second of our attempts to generate some curry money for a pre-christmas meal.
After a slow start in Trivia and History rounds, we hit the quiz jackpot with a jokered 12 point music round, doubling up to 24. We then played it safe in the last few rounds to cruise home with a 4 1/2 point vistory. However, our dominating second in-a-row win didn't bring with it the addulation of the rest of the pub, but a rather significant amount of abuse. This made our victory all the sweeter and we shall return in a fortnight to complete our hat-trick.
Reduced prize money (Helen was absent and replaced with a sub) meant we only added £10 to the curry fund, now totalling £26.
To this weeks quiz awards:
* The "Would Never of Got That" Award 32 (How many times around the world would all of the fish fingers ever sold wrap?)
* The "Why Won't You Listen to Me" Award for Most Ignored Answers Subsitute Chrissie, three overuled answers (Longleat, Chameleon, 175 years)
* The "Where Did That Come From" Award Gary again for Sir Francis Chichester - knighted in 1967 with the same sword as Sir Francis Drake
* The Big Al "Are You Sure" Award Allen for Leonardo DiCaprio in identifying the picture below of an Olympian turned Actor. He was pretty certain until the real answer of Johnny Weismuller, Tarzan actor, was given. Our written answer of Marlon Brando wasn't much better, but at least it was in the right era. Allen claims to have 20-20 vision.
After a slow start in Trivia and History rounds, we hit the quiz jackpot with a jokered 12 point music round, doubling up to 24. We then played it safe in the last few rounds to cruise home with a 4 1/2 point vistory. However, our dominating second in-a-row win didn't bring with it the addulation of the rest of the pub, but a rather significant amount of abuse. This made our victory all the sweeter and we shall return in a fortnight to complete our hat-trick.
Reduced prize money (Helen was absent and replaced with a sub) meant we only added £10 to the curry fund, now totalling £26.
To this weeks quiz awards:
* The "Would Never of Got That" Award 32 (How many times around the world would all of the fish fingers ever sold wrap?)
* The "Why Won't You Listen to Me" Award for Most Ignored Answers Subsitute Chrissie, three overuled answers (Longleat, Chameleon, 175 years)
* The "Where Did That Come From" Award Gary again for Sir Francis Chichester - knighted in 1967 with the same sword as Sir Francis Drake
* The Big Al "Are You Sure" Award Allen for Leonardo DiCaprio in identifying the picture below of an Olympian turned Actor. He was pretty certain until the real answer of Johnny Weismuller, Tarzan actor, was given. Our written answer of Marlon Brando wasn't much better, but at least it was in the right era. Allen claims to have 20-20 vision.
Cartoon of the Week - No. 3
Pearls Before Swine provide this week's cartoon.
I like the reference to "stupid" blogging from the excellently mean Rat character, but more so I like the crocodiles inability to work a computer. Inability with computers always makes me chuckle - if you're of a certain age then they are a really alien technology, so perhaps it's a bit cruel to poke fun, but where's the fun in that?
So special mention to a friend of Mrs P's parents who phoned up to enquire if he used coloured fonts in Word, would the ink in his monitor run out? And to Mrs P's mum, who picked up the mouse and pointed it at the monitor like a remote control and said "Why isn't this working?". Ho ho.
Category: Cartoon
I like the reference to "stupid" blogging from the excellently mean Rat character, but more so I like the crocodiles inability to work a computer. Inability with computers always makes me chuckle - if you're of a certain age then they are a really alien technology, so perhaps it's a bit cruel to poke fun, but where's the fun in that?
So special mention to a friend of Mrs P's parents who phoned up to enquire if he used coloured fonts in Word, would the ink in his monitor run out? And to Mrs P's mum, who picked up the mouse and pointed it at the monitor like a remote control and said "Why isn't this working?". Ho ho.
Category: Cartoon
Friday, November 11, 2005
Wolf Parade and Assorted Music Stuff
After the strange 15 minutes that caused me to write the previous post late yesterday afternoon, I thought I would do a posting of a more serious nature.
Today I finally got the Wolf Parade album that I ordered well over a week ago. Hailing from Montreal, Wolf Parade have predictabily been hailed as the new Arcade Fire, which seems ridiculous considering the Fire were virtually unheard of 12 months ago.
Produced by Modest Mouse's Issac Brock, the album "Apologies to the Queen Mary" has picked up some rave reviews, including the hard to please Pitchfork, plus a great deal of hype on the US music scene. However, away from all that in merry-old England, the album just sounds great.
Second bit of music concerns Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah!, who despite not having released anything here yet (I don't think) get a Guardian article punning up there name. They've been a real word of mouth success, selling a shed load of albums from there own website before they even got signed. Anyway, they've already sold out half of the gigs of their current Eurotour - although for those lucky enough to live in Nottingham (damn you, lucky James), Cardiff, Glasgow or Liverpool they should be well worth going to see.
Finally, today I feel a whole load older. People over 26 turn away now because I know that there's nothing worst than reading about someone younger than you moaning about how old they feel. This morning I read an Arcade Fire review, from the previously mentioned Uncut Top 50 Albums. Win Butler, lead singer and group leader, was born in 1981. Nineteen. Eighty. One. He is two years younger than me. Now I know this shouldn't suprise me, but it really does - Arcade Fire's music sounds so accomplished and developed that I kind of thought he might be a bit older than me.
Category:Music
Today I finally got the Wolf Parade album that I ordered well over a week ago. Hailing from Montreal, Wolf Parade have predictabily been hailed as the new Arcade Fire, which seems ridiculous considering the Fire were virtually unheard of 12 months ago.
Produced by Modest Mouse's Issac Brock, the album "Apologies to the Queen Mary" has picked up some rave reviews, including the hard to please Pitchfork, plus a great deal of hype on the US music scene. However, away from all that in merry-old England, the album just sounds great.
Second bit of music concerns Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah!, who despite not having released anything here yet (I don't think) get a Guardian article punning up there name. They've been a real word of mouth success, selling a shed load of albums from there own website before they even got signed. Anyway, they've already sold out half of the gigs of their current Eurotour - although for those lucky enough to live in Nottingham (damn you, lucky James), Cardiff, Glasgow or Liverpool they should be well worth going to see.
Finally, today I feel a whole load older. People over 26 turn away now because I know that there's nothing worst than reading about someone younger than you moaning about how old they feel. This morning I read an Arcade Fire review, from the previously mentioned Uncut Top 50 Albums. Win Butler, lead singer and group leader, was born in 1981. Nineteen. Eighty. One. He is two years younger than me. Now I know this shouldn't suprise me, but it really does - Arcade Fire's music sounds so accomplished and developed that I kind of thought he might be a bit older than me.
Category:Music
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)