redfiona99

Actors:

Kathy Burke: ‘Lifelong member of the non-pretty working classes’ - https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/oct/29/kathy-burke-interview-lifelong-member-of-the-non-pretty-working-classes To an extent, her experience, and someone like Caitlin Moran, reflect my experience a lot more than the "proper" 'this is what it's like to be a modern woman'. The non-pretty-working-class experience (which I am going to steal if I ever need a description) is underrepresented.

Animals:

New great ape species identified in Indonesia - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41848816

Economics:

Managing the managers: The rise of the business 'philosopher-kings' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41582245

Health:

The nurse hired to combat cancer myths online - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41780776 It's terrible that she's needed but I am glad that she's there.

Teasing Kids About Their Weight May Make Them Gain More - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/30/728111494/teasing-kids-about-their-weight-may-make-them-gain-more There is data if you need some to beat people over the head with.

Just a few nights of bad sleep upsets your brain - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41816398 My anecdata agree with this.

10 things to know about sleep as the clocks change - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41666563

History:

Forgotten history: The black missionaries of Colwyn Bay - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-41777209

Savitri Devi: The mystical fascist being resurrected by the alt-right - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-41757047

Media:

Tackling the 'boys' club' of political cartoons - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41724321

Miscellaneous:

Have Halloween costume bans in Canada gone too far? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41768859 In traditional Betteridge’s law style, the answer is no.

Free ATMs could be cut back in cash machine shake-up - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-your-money-41832537 And that was before COVID

The US state that bans sparklers but not guns - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41811499

How Facebook saved a dying mill town - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40050607

Religion:

The young man who shook the Catholic Church to its core - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41742857

Sport:

Horse racing:

Talking Horses: pros and cons of an upper age limit for jumps racehorses - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/oct/30/talking-horses-pros-and-cons-of-an-upper-age-limit-for-jumps-racehorses

Ice hockey:

Champions Hockey League: Nottingham Panthers hope to continue European fairytale - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/41788910 From 2017 - Unfortunately they then lost, but it’s the start of what has been good times for GB Ice Hockey

Winter Olympics:

The highlights of past Winter Olympics - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-41816520

Technology:

The robot lawyers are here - and they’re winning - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41829534 Although this could go under 'law and order' as well

Television:

Ghostwatch: The BBC spoof that duped a nation - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41740176 Let me assure you, it was terrifying.

Actors:

Ian McDiarmid: 'I don't want anyone else to play Emperor Palpatine' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-41345887 Article from 2017, so either he was still sworn to secrecy about the Emperor's return, or given what we know now about the production process for the Sequels, no one had decided he'd be back yet.

Culture:

The island where people eat puffins - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-41359122

Theatre:

Sir Patrick Stewart's guide to RSC costume sale - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-41365426

Actors:

How I Became a Leading Man on Broadway—Stutter and All - https://www.playbill.com/article/how-i-became-a-leading-man-on-broadwaystutter-and-all

Economics:

What tally sticks tell us about how money works - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40189959

Photography:

In pictures: Celebrities in the raw - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-40518635

Politics:

The danger of political predictions in 2017 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40534957

Technology:

The coming battle over 'net neutrality' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-40494909

Film Industry:

Is it still a man's world behind the camera? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39040666

Miscellaneous:

Where in Europe a man and woman can get a civil partnership - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39039954

Jack Barsky: The KGB spy who lived the American dream - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38846022

London's inner city riding school - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38333098

I Was a Muslim in Trump's White House - When President Obama left, I stayed on at the National Security Council in order to serve my country. I lasted eight days. - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/rumana-ahmed-trump/517521/?utm_source=twb

'How my mother's organ donations brought new friendships' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39053938

The ex-trader turning disabilities into profits - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-39026809

Sci-Fi:

Actor Taking Over Chewbacca Role for Peter Mayhew Shares Touching Letter About His Predecessor - https://www.themarysue.com/new-chewbacca-letter-to-mayhew/

Sport:

Rugby Union:

Six Nations 2017: Jonny Gray - Scotland's unassuming hero - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39057852

The 76-year-old rugby player who tackles trees - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/39041276

Owen Farrell on Jonny Wilkinson's advice and winning his 50th England cap - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39056466

Technology:

A guided tour of the cybercrime underground - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38755584

Actors:

James Nesbitt: Hair transplants helped me get better roles - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38956876

Business:

Self-employment 'reduces tax take' as firms avoid responsibilities - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38963653

No CEO: The Swedish company where nobody is in charge - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38928528 It sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Disability Works: Breaking down barriers in business - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38962050

Data visualisation:

Introduction to ggraph: Edges - https://www.data-imaginist.com/2017/ggraph-introduction-edges/

Geography:

Zealandia: Is there an eighth continent under New Zealand? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39000936

Literature:
Bram Stoker's Ever-Evolving List of Characters for Dracula -
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2013/04/23/bram_stoker_s_dracula_how_dracula_van_helsing_and_other_characters_came.html

Media:

How to Find Out If a “Local” Newspaper Site Is Fake (Using a New-ish Google Feature) -
https://hapgood.us/2017/07/03/how-to-find-out-if-a-local-newspaper-site-is-fake-using-a-new-ish-google-feature/

Miscellaneous:

How crafts workers are learning to sell their work - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38928869

Here's What TfL Learned From Tracking Your Phone On the Tube - http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/02/heres-what-tfl-learned-from-tracking-your-phone-on-the-tube/

The angry red panda that is Japan's new working woman - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-38606355

Illuminating facts about the UK's art collection - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-38340015

You're never alone at the Museum of Broken Relationships - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38960969

Why I Love (And Question) Independence Day - https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/07/03/535060572/why-i-love-and-question-independence-day?utm_source=tumblr.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170703

4chan: The Skeleton Key to the Rise of Trump - https://medium.com/@DaleBeran/4chan-the-skeleton-key-to-the-rise-of-trump-624e7cb798cb I was never a 4chan-er, but friends were. From what they've said, bits of this don’t quite ring true. Then again it’s very right about the 4chan-ers that did escape the basement.

Plastic 'nurdles' found littering UK beaches - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39001011

Politics:

13 things you didn’t know about Brexit - https://www.politico.eu/article/brexit-negotiation-issues-worrying-the-european-parliament/ From last Friday

Science:

Essential metals for crystallographers: copper, gallium and a lot of gold -
https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/icamblog/essential-metals-for-crystallographers-copper-gallium-and-a-lot-of-gold/

Sport:

Formula 1:

Claire Williams: Budget cap would suit us - https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/claire-williams-budget-cap-would-suit-us_sto6058277/story.shtml#uk-tw-sh

Technology:

Can your smartphone make you a safer driver? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38954975

Actors:

A truly fantastic Roger Moore story - http://suitep.tumblr.com/post/160997799850/if-you-need-a-lovely-story-to-make-you-feel-better

History:

A Sportscaster's Secret Mission To Save Jewish Family At The 'Nazi' Olympics -
http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2016/12/23/ted-husing-1936-berlin-olympics

Journalism:

David Fahrenthold tells the behind-the-scenes story of his year covering Trump -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/david-fahrenthold-tells-the-behind-the-scenes-story-of-his-year-covering-trump/2016/12/27/299047c4-b510-11e6-b8df-600bd9d38a02_story.html?utm_term=.9972e0340163

Law and Order:

People Can Be Convinced They Committed a Non-Existant Crime in Just 3 Hours -
http://www.sciencealert.com/people-can-be-convinced-they-committed-a-non-existant-crime-in-just-three-hours

Miscellaneous:

Viewpoint: Carey Mulligan's campaign to change how we view dementia - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38405698

Year in pictures 2016 - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-38206839

News:

Are more African leaders ready to give up power? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-38403553

Sport:

In I <3 sports fans news - Euro 2016: Irish football fans awarded Medal of City of Paris -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36661166

Football:

Motherwell's Carl McHugh feels lucky to be back in football after head injury -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38472815 Very interesting description of post-concussion syndrome

Rugby League:

Sean Long: My best ever team-mates - http://www.totalrl.com/sean-long-best-ever-team-mates/ I’d just like to focus on one comment:

STAND OFF

Tommy Martyn (St Helens)

He is the most under-rated half back I’ve played with. He never played for Great Britain. We had a great halfback partnership at St Helens.

Because when Sean Long is right, he’s very right.

Inside the Toronto Wolfpack - A look behind the scenes of the world's first transatlantic rugby league team - http://www.lasttackle.tv/

Rugby Union:

The best women's rugby sevens player on the planet? - A Portia Woodman interview -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omNdsg0CLNQ Really interesting about the Maori language and how the Ferns haka differs from the All Blacks haka.

Technology:

The garden shed full of helping hands - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38290486 Awesomeness

Saw Trance and Welcome To The Punch

But first some shopping stories:

1) The man at Waterstone's wants you all to know Reaper Man is wonderful.

2) I was wrong to be optimistic about jeans. It seems to be all skinny for anything even vaguely colourful. Also, even the not skinny jeans are giving me holster-hips. Again. Also, sadly pastel appears to be making a comeback. Bah! I mean, if you look good in pastels, more power to your elbow, but they make me look like death warmed over.

Shopping done, and Reaper Man bought, I went to the cinema.

Trailers:

I can see why one_more_cherry doesn't like the Evil Dead remake trailer. I seriously thought it was just another Cabin Fever variant until I saw the book. Also, it's just not scary. The Dark Skies trailer on the other hand is creepy as.

Dead Man Down looks suitably action thrillery, but I'm mostly intrigued by Noomi Rapace's character. Olympus Has Fallen looks generic action movie-ish and I feel really bad about having no interest in The Heat.

I don't plan on watching Spring Breakers, at least not at the cinema, but it seems like Harmony Korine is doing his thing again.

Next on the to be watched list are All Things To All Men and GI Joe: Retaliation

( Trance. Which ought to have been an 18. And needs ginormous trigger warnings. More than the BBFC gave it anyway. Spoilers underneath. )

( Welcome To The Punch, easier to explain, but that's because it's pretty much a by the numbers thriller )

angstbunny might be amused to know that there are people out there who think James McAvoy and Mark Strong aren't British and are just putting it on.

( The Adventures of Tintin )

It's perfectly competently made, but it's absolutely lacking in anything that resembles heart or soul.

( TT : Closer To The Edge )

Definitely worth a watch.

Then I rewatched Games of Shadows, and still feel about it the same way I did when I first watched it and then the first half hour of the Sherlock Scandal in Bohemia/Belgravia. I will get round to writing about Sherlock's second season. I think I am finally capable of not flailing about the end of the third episode.

On the way back I watched Pirates: An Adventure With Scientists! which is a bit slow to get going but is lots of fun once it does.

I also watched the US version of ( The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo )

Virgin flights also have TV shows on now, so I got to try out

Smash: I got bored half-way through the first episode. I think I'd like it more if there was more of Anjelica Huston's character. And less wangst. Also, more realism. Because yeah, there's no way Megan Hilty's character wouldn't easily have got the role because Katharine McPhee's character hasn't the vocal power or presence. Not amount of Jack Davenport being a Cowell-esque bastard will make up for that.

Alcatraz: Didn't get further than the first six minutes of the first episode. I've figured out my problem with JJ Abrams and his productions, it's like Vince Russo, I know his kind of twists already and there's nothing behind the twists for me to enjoy.

Hit And Miss: Very good. But a bit too Tony Abbot making everyone suffer for a transatlantic flight. Because Abbot is a master at making the characters believably good, bad, horrible, nice, messed up and human.

Once Upon A Time: Which I didn't watch when it was broadcast because it was on on Thursdays and Thursday is fencing day and will not be interfered with. I liked it, and can see why everyone else enjoys it so much, and if they ever show it on normal TV not on Thursdays, I'm definitely giving this a go. If only to see what the hell Gold's deal is. And yes, I know, I'm focussing on the wrong thing, but 1) I love Robert Carlyle and have ever since Hamish MacBeth, 2) I have been primed to enjoy him being cranky, tormented and not so nice by Stargate Universe, 3) Mr. Gold/Rumplestiltskin is the kind of character I ping for.

Fencing was fun, I finished 5th at the Coventry Open and the only people I lost to were veterans, who, as we all know, are evil. (The vets are not evil, they're merely sneaky and accurate.) I managed to frustrate one opponent to the point that she rushed at me, pretty much straight onto my blade, for my last three hits against her. Very pleased with that. Other than that, it was the usual problem of there's the people I can beat, the people where it's sometimes me winning, sometimes them, and then the people I can't even get hits on. Most frustrating. The only good thing I can think of is that the people where it's a coin toss between us now goes up to people who are ~70th in the country, rather than a few years ago when it was people at ~ 100th.

Things in RL have done odd things. Or rather good things, that have led to odd things, which require listening to of Alanis Morissette. We're talking threat level red wine and Ironic.

~~~~

( Korean GP notes )

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Also, from angstbunny's tumblr, Colin Salmon has also joined the ranks of British actors appearing in US tv shows.

( Hollyoaks )

Unrelated, but the next person who says Jackie Chan can't act is going to get shown The Shinjuku Incident.