chrisp65

Madagascar 3 Many of the characters are now fully developed and capable of their own off shoot productions so it was heartening to see some new characters introduced to the franchise. A franchise, incidentally, worth almost $2 Billion so worth taking very seriously. The seal, Stefano, was there purely as a clowning device for easy laughs, probably as cover if King Julien really does call it a day before M4. The curse of the King Julien ego potentially striking a second time. But the female jaguar Gia (played by Jessica Chastain also of The Help and Zero Dark Thirty) showed some real promise with an interesting back story that will clearly be developed more fully in a later film. Not as controversial as ZDT but a good addition to the CV. The penguins and monkeys weren't exactly stretched in the acting they were asked to do, but all in all a decent progression. Though I suspect they have more interest in moving to the rumoured serialised TV format in a match up with Kiefer Sutherland for Netflix. The basic premise, the penguins make a makeshift rocket copter from some wreckage, fly to Monte Carlo, the others follow them by boat and snorkel and together they win enough money (disguising two monkeys and a penguin as one tall man in a raincoat) to buy a travelling circus. The circus gets to New York where they decide actually we don't want to go back to the zoo, we'd rather hold out for one more movie. With M4 currently scheduled for 2018, I'm hoping the next film is a little darker. The 3D effects were excellent. 7/10

I'm fairly sure trains, planes and automobiles can all be fully automated already. It's public perception and the expense of the switch over that have to be overcome I'd have thought. For instance with the cars. if 'real' drivers work out google cars are risk averse they'll be cut up, undertaken and ignored at junctions by, er, me. I'm sure trains are slightly different, but I'm not convinced we 'need' undergound train drivers - other than I'd prefer there to be a job rather than a piece of tech that doesn't actually make things noticeably better.

good fun - but no, I didn't go in

Goldman Sachs announce 100 UK based staff to receive a bonus of, on average, £3,000,000.00 I look forward to trickle down economics passing the good news on to the 2,727 people mentioned in the post above. (I'd reference this, but so far it hasn't got as far as the BBC website and I won't bother reffing the Mail or the Mirror)

I've had the opportunity to be in the audience a couple of times since it has moved down to Kent, and I've said thanks but no thanks. It's a little bit, I dunno, off. It's a bit reverential to people that have clearly passed their prime. It's a little bit about JH's awesome musicality. The audience are behind a barrier, off to the side and have to wear dark coours - preferably black. Not going to make for a great atmosphere when there are rules and dress code. Having said that, JH's live show, if you go into it in the right spirit can be excellent.

a little tip, if you're going to engage in conversation with Xann about music, you might want to shorten the start of the sentence down to IABINFW IABINFW is to Xann what DHUTWU is to Rob it just cuts down on typing time

There are three or four truly storming tracks on there. It's the only album I ever pinched off my old man. I'd guess maybe you'd like the Ancient Grease track too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SokSztN4haQ it edges towards noodling now and again, but I'm more tolerant of noodling as I'm getting older

Indeed. All mine are still standing and thus runners for next year, so I'm going with the same 5 save for Zara Tindall. I'm swapping in Stacy Solomon there, so it's: Bruce Forsyth Frederick Forsyth Vladimir Putin Tommy Lee Jones Stacey Solomon. You've really got it in for the Forsyth Brothers! What did they ever do to you?! you don't get anything for a pair..

Anybody got any experience of the new Dartford Crossing charge? Had a £72.50 fine through the post today for not paying a month ago. Thing is they've changed the system, the toll booths are now automatic and when I went through 24 hours after the change of system it was a mess of signage saying there was / wasn't / could be a toll to pay. With the last sign being the word toll with a big red diagonal stripe through it. I took that as meaning they were 'between' payment systems. Anyway, my fine has arrived with a warning letter saying it's early days, people got confused and if I pay in the next 14 days they only want the original £2.50 and not the £70 extra. Which is nice.

all lovely brought my brother back a litre bottle of Ballentines when I went through duty free, it's 'only' a blend but very drinkable anyway, a couple of weeks ago he sent me a text saying let's just get kids presents this year..... so I'm on the Ballantine's later!

Ethel Lang (114) Gladys Hooper (111) Florence Rayward (111) Annie Meston (111) Ivy Frampton (111) gotta have some winners in there don't tell MMV but I just looked up 'oldest living UK residents' and of the 158 people listed, 146 are female!

Basement in a zombie apocalypse!? You're a madman. It depends on the type of zombie to an extent. I've given my house a full survey. If it's a Shaun of the Dead style mogadon zombie then I should be ok as the front of house is quite secure and I have a decent gate to the rear garden. However, if it's an Omega Man style night time zombie with abilities the back of my house is particularly vulnerable due to the conservatory which is both easy to break through and offers some access to several first floor windows. In that case, with them being night creatures, I can live comfortably in the house by day but then move to the detached and secure garage at night. It's a decent size, it has electric and water and I can stop light tell taling out with ease. If they are 28 days Later ragey angry all day zombies I think I'm pretty much screwed here and will commandeer a smallish boat and live just off shore, venturing back for water when I have to.

So, the family have all gone out to watch The Lion King. Next door have gone out. So obviously I'm now doing what any self respecting middle aged man on his own would do - I'm indulging in a little vinyl play. I've rigged up the speakers in the kitchen, the music is much too loud and I'm giving it my best James Brown footwork up n down the wonderfully slidey floor.

ha! see how I avoided the Kenneth Williams Ooh Matron!

Do people pre load on saver custard creams before they go to Starbucks?

A bracing walk along the Prom and my first go on a skateboard in about 35 years - I must have covered the best part of 2 metres in total and I still have a fully functioning pelvis and a head in the same condition as when I set out on this cunning stuntery.

It was in HMV, so had to be mis filed by not quite the right genre, sub divided into sale items then put not quite alphabetically in the compilations sub section. I think I've found where all the redundant librarians have gone. The chances of finding the Cuban one must be fairly remote! But anyway, serious business today, re positioning speakers out the kitchen....

I reached a personal low point recently when I had to return to Halfords and pay the extra £6 to get them to fit a headlight bulb for me. I used to strip engines and do basic welding. I've swapped out the suspension and steering column on a 1968 Spitfire ffs. But getting a bulb in to the sealed black plastic box of a modern headlight cluster beat me.

skipping through 3 CD's of cheap re packaged funk at £4 plus a free tin (?), it only needs one or two decent track somewhere in there to have been worthwhile buy blind, get happy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NONg1-KFbVY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWtvM9NSz60&spfreload=1

tis a lovely song I went off on a little romantic youtube journey earlier. I'm sure you'll already know Alun Tan Lan ? Fairly similar, quite soulful. Seen him a couple of times and it's a sit down and close your eyes and drift away kind of gig. The current media darlings are 9bach, I think they're all a little bit in love with Lisa Jen.

I think you'll find it's Caereu, it just sounds a bit like Korea. They're currently third in division one.

Well that makes my haul of Christmas CD's look very modest - I've just shown that picture to my missus so she appreciates mine is an interest, not a 'problem'.

Isn't that pretty much the point in your own words? Well, yes. If the bees that do nothing are in the book that I haven't read, then it's me that has missed the point. I really wasn't trying to be mischievous. I'm not a big film buff, I'm certainly not art house and all that. The film looked odd - some of the reason why has now been explained. Some of my comment, re the gaming bit has clearly been raised before. I genuinely wasn't copying old established argument to be clever, I just thought the barrels scene bopping off baddies was really poor. I actually thought perhaps I hadn't got an 'in' joke. But it was a one line question. With a question mark at the end of it.