All that comes with it

at December 18, 2007 in Competiton time. 14 Comments

My new About Me page is up and running, so it’s about time I announced the contest winners:

It may look faintly like a fix, especially the third winner, but I assure you everything was honest and above board. I had seven independent adjudicators supervising the entire process to ensure no shenanigans took place. However we did have a trial run off camera and a certain name got stuck in Amy’s head.

If the three winners want to contact me via email (dghughes28[at]yahoo.co.uk) with their addresses then I’ll post your prizes off to you. and for winners of my previous contests who have not yet received prizes I promise to get them off to you in the new year (although I’m not yet committing to which new year).

Dec 18

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at December 18, 2007 in Lists. 6 Comments

Beyblade

“Let it rip”

Does anyone actually know what on earth Bayblade is about? As far as I can tell it’s an entire cartoon devoted to trying to persuade children that old fashioned spinning tops are cool. What’s next, hopscotch? (actually interestingly enough hopscotch was created by Roman soldiers as a training exercise, so perhaps there is a cartoon in there somewhere after all).

Bayblade came onto the scene in 2001 and finally petered out in 2004. I’ve tried looking it up on the mighty wikipedia but to be honest I’m still pretty clueless. I think I’ve got a mental block when it comes to manga style TV shows (or should that be Anime? See, I can’t even get the name right). I blame Akira for befuddling the 13 year old me so badly that I get flashbacks every time I see a cartoon character with big eyes and no nose.

Anyway, Bayblade was a cartoon and also a line of toys so it still counts even if I don’t understand it.

Dec 17

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at December 17, 2007 in Lists. 8 Comments

Transformers

Robots in disguise

The Transformers have a pretty impressive pedigree. Jim Shooter, the then editor-in-chief of Marvel comics, had a large part to play in the creation of their mythology - not only inventing the Autobots and Decepticons but also providing a rough story outline. Acclaimed Batman writer and editor Dennis O’Neil also had input in naming the individual characters, but many of his suggestions were largely overuled by Hasbro executives (although he still retains credit for naming Optimus Prime). Perhaps it is the imput of such creative heavyweights that made the Transformers so enduring in popular culture. However comics legend Jack Kirby had input into the creation of the Centurions, a show that largely sunk without trace, so perhaps the theory does not really hold true.

My friend Paul would have you believe that Transformers: The Movie (1986) is the greatest film ever made. He states that the death of Optimus Prime was the very pinnacle of emotional storytelling and it still makes him weep to this day. I say that Paul is a big wet lettuce, but you have to admit the film had a pretty impressive cast for a kids cartoon: Orson Wells (in his last ever role), Eric Idle, Leonard Nimoy, and Judd Nelson to name but four.

I don’t know if the more recent film made Paul cry or not, although I suspect it didn’t. Personally I thought the movie was really good until the Transformers turned up - then it all got a bit pants. I don’t care what anyone says, Optimus Prime should not be sneaking around flowerbeds trying to hide from someone’s parents.

Dark Knight

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at December 17, 2007 in Mini blog. 0 Comments

Dark Knight movie trailer. Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy.

Now bring me some figgy pudding

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at December 16, 2007 in General. 19 Comments

_{Leeds Christmas market}

Christmas is once again sneaking up on me. Despite me making a concerted effort this year I am not yet feeling the yule tide spirit. The tree is up, I’ve got Bing Crosby at Christmas on permanent repeat on my iPod, and I’ve even gone so far as roasting my chestnuts on an open fire - but still I’m getting nothing.

It probably hasn’t helped that I’ve worked pretty much non stop for the last week or so. Also I haven’t done myself any favors by imposing this stupid Advent Colander thing on myself. I found NaBloPoMo a bit of a strain last month, and now I seem to be posting twice a day. I am officially an idiot.

Still, I remember feeling the same lack of festive cheer last year and it all turned out ok in the end. I’m planning on doing a bit of Christmas shopping tomorrow so that might put me in the mood.

In an effort to hurry things along a little Kerry, the kids and I went to church this afternoon. It was the first time I’ve been in a church for something aside for a wedding or a funeral since… well… ever actually. I did used to go to a church kids group once but that was only because it was less rough than the local youthclub. Even then I stole sweets from the tuck shop. I’m not worried though, I’ll repent on my deathbed.

However Amy has been talking about baby Jesus a lot recently, and both Kerry and I had an urge to sing some carols so we thought it might be a nice thing to do. I can appreciate that some may not approve of non believers such as ourselves going to church just for the “atmosphere”, but it was more to do with giving Amy the experience really. We want our children to eventually make up her own mind about religion, and they will only be able to do that if they are exposed to all sides of the argument.

And anyway, we weren’t the only heathens in the place. Paul was also there under the strict supervision of his more godly wife Becky. Evan and their baby daughter Layla had a competition to see who could disrupt proceedings the most. Layla took an early lead with a prolonged burst of crying, but to my mind Evan was the real victor with his periodic episodes of loud shouting and his attempts to wrestle lit candles from all and sundry.

We had a nice time and Amy really enjoyed herself, although she was a little disappointed that she didn’t get to see baby Jesus. We also got a couple of Christingle’s to take home with us. I haven’t seen one of those since I was about eight. Kerry claims she’s never seen one at all, but she had a weird childhood. Amy had eaten all the sweets from hers before we even got out the church door. Perhaps that’s how the Anglican church can combat the continuing decline in congregations, free christingles at every service. I shall write to the Archbishop of Canterbury with the suggestion immediately.

Dec 16

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at December 16, 2007 in Lists. 10 Comments

Care Bears

“Care Bear Stare”

The Care Bears were originally created by American Greetings for a line of birthday cards. The company are responsible for a number of other crimes against humanity (Strawberry Shortcake and The Get Along Gang to name but two). But it is for the likes of Funshine Bear, Love-a-lot Bear, and Tenderheart Bear that they will burn in eternal damnation.

I used to watch them a lot though, and even remember lusting after the Bedtime Bear playset, so perhaps I shall be joining American Greetings in their fiery torment.

My sister was a big Care Bear fan, and once got one for Christmas. However my parents had proven immune to the marketing machine and instead of getting her an official bear had instead bought a customized with her name sown on it’s belly. I’m not sure what powers the Megan Bear had, but I’m pretty sure they would have revolved around sleeping for 23 hours a day and an inability to hide it’s secret diary very well.

Dec 15

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at December 15, 2007 in Lists. 7 Comments

Roary the Racing Car

“You bend it, you mend it”

Roary is one of a new breed of advertisements thinly veiled as television programs. In the 80’s they tended to be aimed at 8-12 year olds, but these days the market has been expanded to include the pre-school demographic. Dora the Explorer, Fifi and the Flowertots, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, all of these franchises make more money from merchandising than they do program sales. Walking round Toy’s R Us the other day I was struck by how hard it was to buy a toy that wasn’t linked in to a film or TV show. A sad state of affairs.

Roary is the newest of these programs, and to be fair it is of pretty high quality. The show centers around Silverhatch racetrack and a variety of talking cars, caravans, tow trucks, and rabbits. It’s made by Cosgrove Hall so it has good pedigree, and it features the voice of Peter Kay and Sterling Moss - two well known names in the UK (although not, I imagine, in the US).

These are the shows that Evan and Amy will be blogging nostalgically about in thirty years time. And that’s all well and good. But they don’t seem a patch on Chorlton and the Wheelies or Dangermouse to me.

Plugins and Widgets

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at December 14, 2007 in Blogging. 15 Comments

Iâ€™m not sure if this is supposed to be a secret, but it looks like my brother is getting ready to switch his site from blogger to a self hosted wordpress blog.

So, you think you can run with the big boys eh Sam? You think youâ€™ve got what it takes? Well Iâ€™m not going to be able to shield you forever little guy. You have to make your way into the big bad world sometime. Just remember, Iâ€™m not going to be there to dry your tears if you accidentally urinate on your Thundercats duvet this time.

Nevertheless I am able to give him some pointers. Here are some wordpress plugins that I rather partial to:

Around this Date

Picture the scene. There you are at a high-powered business meeting. The room is packed to the rafters with executives and important clients and customers. The very course of your career could well be dictated by your performance over the next forty five minutes. And yet you canâ€™t seem to focus. Your concentration just isnâ€™t there. When you should be thinking about amalgamated beef packaging and incorporated chicken benchmarks all you can think about is something that has been niggling you ever since you got up this morning: â€œWhat was Dan doing this time last year??â€

OK, maybe not. In fact I think the only person who looks at the this time last year section on the left had side of the blog is me. But thatâ€™s ok. Itâ€™s really quite nice to revisit those old posts now and again. Itâ€™s what I started blogging for in the first place, to have a record of things that otherwise Iâ€™d forget (of course now I blog purely for the glamour and fame).

Comment Email Responder

Received blog wisdom states that one of the best ways to encourage readers is to respond individually to the comments you receive. Some people are excellent at this, Whit for example always emails you an amusing retort to whatever half baked blathering you sully his comments section with. Me, Iâ€™m not so good. Itâ€™s not that I donâ€™t value peopleâ€™s comments, quite the contrary - I leap on them like a ravenous wolf (a ravenous wolf thatâ€™s self esteem is dictated by the number of blog comments it gets). But the process of going into my control panel, cutting and pasting a commenterâ€™s email address, then going into my mail account and composing a witty and erudite response is organisational task that is quite frankly beyond me.

The comment email responder plugin however allows the blog administrator to respond in the comments section and have a copy by email simultaneously, thus making the whole process one hundred percent easier.

Of course I still donâ€™t respond to peoples comments as often as I should do. This is because I am crap.

Commentluv

My newest acquisition. I saw this over at Leeâ€™s blog and had to have it. Basically whenever anyone leaves a comment the plugin adds a link to the most recent entry from their own blog at the bottom of the comment. Hereâ€™s an example of it in action. Unfortunately it will only link to blogs which have RSS feeds available (So Greg, Deb, Rachel & Henry and Steve, you need to get your sites sorted out. Itâ€™s not 2005 anymore guys. Sheesh, get with the program).

Extended Live Archives

I bet you havenâ€™t even looked at my archive page have you? Well go have a quick look now, Iâ€™ll be waiting for you when you come back.

â€¦

You taken a look? Liar, youâ€™ve done no such thing. I have a stat counter you know, I can tell where youâ€™ve been (and sometimes even where you came from â€“ Paul you should be ashamed of yourself). Youâ€™re going to have to take it on trust then, my Archive page is a wonder to behold. It is glorious in its sleek and smooth bountiful beauty. Itâ€™s even been praised in reviews of my blog. And all of this could be yours too if you install the Extended Live Archive Plugin.

Wordpress Database Backup

The server where I host my blog has yet to spontaneously burst into flame, but with my track record with technology I know this is only a matter of time. This plugin allows you to email a backup copy of your entire blog to yourself whenever you want. Very handy.

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I apologise for all those who still use blogger, and for whom this post will have had little relevance. However I consider it as payback for your damn blogs commenting system refusing to let me link back to my site unless I have an account with google. Bloody imperialists trying to take over the world.

Dec 14

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at December 14, 2007 in Lists. 3 Comments