redfiona99: (Default)
AEW - Please, having heard him speak, do not try to convince me that Brodie Lee is eloquent.
Once again, all my love for Jericho the commentator. It's a really interesting mix of conniving evil, and human reactions.

TNA - I appreciate Madison Rayne being "damn right" when Josh Matthews asked her if she avoided full metal mayhem style matches.

This three way is a very clever way to get round the "eek our champion is trapped in a different country" problem.

In other fun things, I love this Barclaycard advert

Links

Apr. 7th, 2019 11:17 am
redfiona99: (Default)
Adverts:

Ben Johnson: Advert featuring disgraced ex-sprinter criticised - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/39921658

Eurovision:

Eurovision Song Contest: Who are the other Graham Nortons? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39825727

Food:

TV dinners: The hidden cost of the processed food revolution - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39490182 You know when you read the first paragraph of an article and know it was written by a man. Yeah, this is one of those.

Miscellaneous:

The boss who lives as a medieval knight - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39851253

Spring-cleaning India's most magnificent tent - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39890722

How do you go about crowdfunding for someone you have never met? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39642967

Is Africa facing a new wave of piracy? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39849352 From 2017

I acted as a man to get work - until I was accused of rape - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39705424

Venezuela protest victim's parents speak of ordeal - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-39885943

Weapons in schools: 'I used anything I could get' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39907769

Let's talk about why I had to terminate my baby's life - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39885755

Sport:

Football:

Forest Green Rovers: The village team that reached the English Football League - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39923153

Technology:

A sex doll that can talk - but is it perfect Harmony? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39859939
redfiona99: (Default)
In more than the general sense of "why make anyone do Blue Steel now it's a mocked thing?", why in particular make Chris Hemsworth do it.

I really don't get it. I mean, you've got a guy who when he smiles makes the unsusceptible happy and the susceptible throw underwear. Why are you making him do bland male model pose number 1?!

Why?!

Links

Dec. 9th, 2018 10:05 pm
redfiona99: (Default)
Adverts:

Kendall Jenner Pepsi Commercial: How the "Worst Ad Ever" Came to Be - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pepsi-ad-how-why-was-made-991617

Business:

How a razor revolutionised the way we pay for stuff - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39132802

Food and Drink:

Quebec's maple syrup producers seeking global domination - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39375257

Law and Order:

The Uruguayan prison where inmates set up shop - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-39145551

The Americans volunteering to watch executions - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39535957

Miscellaneous:

One family's life in the wilderness - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-39418054

Belfast hotel warns Irish dancing guests against practising in elevator - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39544605

EDL Birmingham protest photo woman 'surprised' by viral reaction - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-39545256

His name was Henry Summers - but who was he? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39429128

African migrants sold in Libya 'slave markets', IOM says - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39567632

'Blood contamination tore my family apart' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39516344

New fiver is not so indestructible - if you know how - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39551613 According to Rob the tea-man, a simple washing machine will do the trick.

Politics:

Could private investors fund a new wave of hospitals? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39557279 Because it went so well last time!

Brexit: Economists Will Have The Last Word - https://medium.com/@vincentcable/brexit-economists-will-have-the-last-word-43a1c6f4d496

Jacob Rees-Mogg’s hashtag is hijacked by LGBT tweeters - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/ce6853ab-453a-4ac2-8bef-c41c5b15dc04 Not in front of my salad goes mainstream

Will London fall? - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/11/world/europe/uk-london-brexit.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

'Disastrous response made things worse': UK PR experts lay into United Airlines and its precarious CEO - https://www.prweek.com/article/1430230/disastrous-response-made-things-worse-uk-pr-experts-lay-united-airlines-its-precarious-ceo

Sport:

Anne Dickins: Rio Paralympics canoeing champion hopes to have inspired others - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/39556564

Football:

Claudio Ranieri: Former Leicester City boss thinks he may have been pushed out - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39558439 In which Claudio Ranieri is once again love.

Golf:

Masters 2017: Is Sergio Garcia winning at Augusta the perfect sporting story? -https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/39553279 I don't even like golf but this made me so, so happy.

Horse racing:

Grand National 2017: Aintree boss pleased with course safety - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/39545411

One For Arthur wins the Grand National for Scotland, injured jockeys and 'golf widows' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/39541910 From 2017

Ice hockey:

Manon Rheaume, NHL's first female goalie, continues to inspire - https://www.si.com/nhl/2016/06/27/manon-rheaume-where-are-they-now?xid=si_social

Snooker:

Reanne Evans' World Championship bid over after defeat by Lee Walker -https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39546825 From the 2017 World Championships

Advert

Aug. 26th, 2018 10:59 pm
redfiona99: (Default)
Just in case I didn't share it at the time, I love this advert.

redfiona99: (Default)


I'm not entirely convinced the campaign will work, but at least they're trying something different.
redfiona99: (Default)
Yes, it's yet another good Virgin Media advert. Now if only they'd improve their customer service.





And my favourite out of this bunch:

redfiona99: (Thinking)
Since Movie Day was a great success (except for London Midland screwing up so I missed Book of the Dead), have some short comments on the trailers first.

Good:

The Penguins of Madagascar is on my to be watched list along with Get Santa which looks like my kind of nonsense. And my hat is off to Rafe Spall for managing to look/act so differently in everything I see him in.

The Bizarre:

The Spongebob movie trailer looks like Hollywood has been imbibing the nose candy again.

Not My Thing:

The Imitation Game - probably one of those things where I know slightly too much about the cryptanlysis side of things (I am terrible at cryptanalysis, but I enjoy reading about it) to enjoy the film.

Nativity 3 does not look like my kind of nonsense.

The Drop
~~~~

I'd love to know why in Virgin Trains's advert for their Birmingham to London route, they're using footage of Liverpool Lime Street. To the point of asking them on Twitter. I have spent too much time at Lime Street, New Street and Euston not to recognise them all instantly, but more importantly, the rock formation and color at the back of Lime Street is unmistakable.

Is that Kevin Spacey I see in the new Call of Duty ad? And is that Taylor Kitsch in the ad for whatever military shooter that was?

They're letting ad agencies at the crack again, aren't they? As evidence, I would like to nominate this Just Eat advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWsjVV4iLZs), this O2 advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTFxwYZ96Cg) and this Freederm advert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wleR59hiV0A). Not that I don't like them, but bzuh, what?! The other main theme seems to be Busby Berkley as done by Dyson (in an advert I can't find on Youtube) and Currys/PC World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU8WLf9OIlU).

Adverts

Apr. 30th, 2014 10:31 pm
redfiona99: (Thinking)
Yes, I know I am the reason for the decline and fall of civilisation, but I really like adverts. The two that have really caught my eye are:



Partly it's a good, fun ad, partly "hello Clive Russell" and partly "maybe Wilkos are trying to expand and might finally have a shop near me".
redfiona99: (Thinking)
I really like this Green Flag advert



Mostly for the pitch perfect take off of the 24 news channels.

Fiat Advert -



I would like to suggest that the ad-writer may have had something to get off his chest.

~~~~

Football

Mad props to the Man United fans who decided to sing "Cum On Feel The Moyes" at their new manager. I applaud the ingenuity. The original, before footie fans happened - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLsw668PVyY

Also Jose Mourinho, you are a bald faced liar. And I love you.

~~~~

Football and Music

So when MCA died, the awesome Sunil of the BBC F1 highlights put the highlights on over Sabotage. The footie highlights dude (or dudette) did the same thing for Jon Brookes (of the Charlatans), and had "How High" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7AMfNy2MsI). It's such a nice touch. They didn't make a thing of it but if you knew the band you knew why.

Adverts

Aug. 3rd, 2013 11:12 pm
redfiona99: (Thinking)
Muller Rice advert -



Now normally I'm not a one for adverts that sound like the main idea has been produced by madlibs, but there's something about this one. Possibly because there's a bear with a quiff singing "rice, rice baby".

The Toyota Auris advert -



Because I like their version of the future.

Alpen advert -



The one with the Swiss who have mysteriously up and down Swedish accents, given that they're Swiss.

And, despite the bias which my final comment is going reveal, I will give Swiss muesli this much. It is a lot better than Alpen. Because Alpen is cardboard and sugar. I have a sweet tooth, and it's too sweet for me. But the no-added sugar version is literally cardboard.

My final point, the revealing one, wishes to make it clear that the Swiss know nothing about having been robbed in the skiing. Because it's normally them reporting the Austrians to the powers that be leading to our boys being stripped of their victories. Bloody Swiss skiiers!

Ahem. /skiing rant
redfiona99: (Thinking)
Because I'm having a real disconnect. All my friends, whose tastes I trust, keep assuring me that this film is fantastic, and features plot and characters and interesting stuff. Also, it's directed by Guillermo del Toro who, whatever else, makes interesting looking films.

The only problem is, your adverts do not suggest any of this. They suggest:

In the first advert - this is Real Steel robots fighting in what looks like Battleship's background and sets. It looks like humungous mecha: the movie, and that's not a genre I'm even vaguely interested in.

In the second advert - generic geek is going on (and on, and on) about how cool his job is to Ron Perlman in front of neon futuristic city lights. He keeps saying that he can't give any details. But his work is cool. I understand the intent of the advert but it just doesn't work for me.

They are bad adverts. They make me not want to watch what appears, in reality, to be a cool sci-fi film. I'm used to trailers lying to over-state their case, I don't think I've ever seen a trailer that makes a film look worse than it is.

Adverts

Apr. 26th, 2013 10:56 am
redfiona99: (Thinking)
A couple of adverts I am loving at the moment:





Please ignore that they're both for alcoholic drinks.
redfiona99: (Thinking)
They've just helped me find something I've been looking for for ages.
redfiona99: (Default)
Due to a mass power outage in Birmingham, I missed the start of Impact. Apparently Magnus is British and evil. On to actually spoilery matters )

~~~~

Adverts

I really like this Ikea advert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8gtdBqRe2s

I also wish Tesco would stop using the Thunderbirds theme for their adverts, it gets my hopes up every time.

~~~~
US Election stuff )

Brief gap for question - Can anyone explain why Nebraska and Maine's various Districts get separate mentions?

Back to the cut )
redfiona99: (Default)
TNA )

~~~~

Caught up with the end of Revenge. OMG, as Nolan would say, OMG. Also brilliant use of music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIwKzBg0aI - Seven Devils by Florence and the Machine).

~~~~

Other things I liked recently - this Heinz advert - http://www.tvadmusic.co.uk/2012/10/heinz-tomato-soup-i-love-winter/

~~~~

Book Review:

Who Saw Her Die - Patrica Moyes - Interesting characters and situation, let down by an unsatisfactory resolution. (3.5/5)
redfiona99: (Default)
Films:

Every time I see the advert for Looper, I want to congratulate the make up / costume/ general effects teams on not making Joseph Gordon Levitt not look like himself, not in a bad way, but in a oh, it is him sort of way.

~~~~

Politics:

Okay so I sometimes lurk on chemistry blogs. One recent set of posts was all about the French government managing to save a few jobs at Sanofi Aventis. Most of the blogs have mostly US-based commenters. I am amazed at the number of people who are annoyed at the French government looking after their own citizens, rather than at the US government for not looking after theirs.

~~~~

TNA:

No, idiots in the Impact crowd, Chavo does not suck.

Not counting those idiots, there was actually a lot of fun crowd stuff, in between Storm getting the crowd to help him beat up Roode, and Bully Ray and Austin Aries causing havoc. Oh how I love thee, Austin Aries, even though I can see the thick, strong roots of your heel turn.

~~~~
Advert:

I suspect many people I know will be deeply amused by this advert - http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/service/26551.htm

~~~~

Book Review
The Science of Discworld -

Very enjoyable book, with the science clearly explained. I loved the Discworldy-insert bits, especially Ponder Stibbons. It's terribly accurate about academics wizards. The only extra thing I could have done with is a bibliography so I can track down some of the books they mention.

Suggestions )

I've already read one of the suggestions and am looking to read another 2, so it's accurate. The unsuggestions seem to be mostly the kind of books I avoid reading so again, reasonably accurate.

A Post

Aug. 23rd, 2012 11:16 am
redfiona99: (Default)
Not that I don't appreciate it (and given the Manics love their sport, I'm sure they love it too) but an instrumental version of "Design For Life" is an interesting choice for a Paralympic advert. I'm assuming, if any thought went into it beyond whee! good music, it was chosen because of the theme of the song, fighting against the tide of life that wants to wear us down.

(Actual advert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jel6Ckee8cE)

~~~~

Virgin Media still suck, but this is a good advert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB6LH62llrg

~~~~

Person of Interest has been moved to 9 pm. I'd love to believe it's because Channel 5 have seen sense, but I suspect it's because of Big Brother scheduling.

Person of Interest )
~~~~

TNA )
redfiona99: (Default)
Dublin report to follow.

TNA - warning, not compliamentary )
~~~~

I have no shame in admitting I like this lottery advert.



Yes, it's grossly sentimental, but it's well done.
redfiona99: (Default)
No disrespect intended to anyone who ships the pairings I don't.

Six ships you're into right now

1. Fai/Kurogane
2. Crimson/Matt Morgan
3. Black Widow/Hawkeye
4. Charles Xavier/Erik Lensherr
5. Moriarty/Moran (from the RDJ Holmes)
6. Sherlock/John (Sherlock version - only not / more John is Sherlock's most important person, for whatever value that Sherlock is capable of. Not that I have excessive numbers of WIPs on this topic, more or less.)

Three ships you liked, but don’t like anymore

7. Phil Coulson/Pepper Potts
8. Jack Harkness/Toshiko Sato
9. Cap/Tony Stark, but only in the movieverse

Four ships you never liked

10. George Smiley/Peter Guillam
11. Matt Hardy/Jeff Hardy
12. Mycroft/Lestrade
13. Thor/Loki

Two ships you're curious about, but don’t actually ship

14. Mystique/Angel
15. Mystique/Azazel

(Um, those last two might tell you which character I'm writing a lot of at the moment)

On to the meme )
~~~~

The jubilee, whatever my own personal views* appears to have gone off well. Also, I believe, that political commentators, both on the left and chunks of the right, over-estimate the general public's dislike of Prince Charles. He might be a nimwit, but he's generally viewed as mostly harmless. Also, and this might just be my generation, if I wanted to make sure that people didn't vote to get rid of the monarchy, all I'd have to say would be, "imagine the other option, how would you feel about President Blair?" People really underestimate the dislike most people have for today's politicians.

And of course, there was Handel, Holst and Elgar. And Beethoven. I make no comment about the last.

* I am, needless to say, a republican (in the monarchic sense)

~~~~

I thought the ITV Euro2012 build up thing was good, if silly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt_xRVSCztM). The BBC one is better (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTlf59c_wlU&feature=related). It makes me want to go storm castles.

~~~~

Shakespeare Meme - Day 22 - Underrated Play

True story time.

So the RSC do a cheap ticket for students thing, and after the wonderful Stu volunteered to drive (because trains to Stratford at the weekend from Leicester are terrible), I thought game on. So I looked for tickets, and the only play on at the right time with student tickets left was 'Coriolanus'. I knew the name of the play, but that was about all that I knew about it. It wasn't one of the big hitters, it wasn't even in the second rank. It might not lurk in quite as much confusion as the Two Noble Gentlemen Kinsmen of Verona (yes, I know neither play is called that but I still get them horribly confused) but not one I'd ever considered watching.

I wavered a little on whether or not to buy some tickets. In the end I decided yes, because I didn't know when the next time I'd be able to see the RSC do anything would be.

And I'm really glad I did because I loved Coriolanus. Both the play and the character. One day I will get round to watching the Ralph Fiennes version to see if it is the character himself or if it was just the version that I saw first that I loved quite so much but he's so ...

Well he's fine as long as you give him an army and a battle to fight, it's after that where it all goes horribly wrong. He's a man who keeps getting pushed into positions he's terrible for/at by advisors and his somewhat all-powerful, utterly terrifying, she-who-will-be-obeyed mother (who is all these things and still loves him and only wants the best for him). And no, I don't over-identify at all :P

It's very much one of those plays where you find yourself wanting to yell 'no, don't do that' at the main character. It doesn't help, he keeps doing that, the rolling stone of Roman tragedy stopping for no-one.

I really don't get why it isn't better known and better loved.

Other Days )

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