Analysis, Film & Television Opinion

Life’s Too Short, Revisited (with spoilers)

David Stringer

Spoilers up to S1E6 of Life’s Too Short.
As the show features Warwick Davis playing a fictionalised version of himself, I’ve referred to the character in inverted commas. So, the actor Warwick Davis plays the character ‘Warwick Davis’.
I discuss the use of Davis’ size, and it’s relevance to the plot, but I’m not totally sure what the correct term is, and what’s generally seen as slightly offensive. I’ve used the terms ‘dwarf’ and ‘short person’ – if either of these cause offence, I apologise.

Life’s Too Short aired in the UK in December, and I wrote a review, based on the first two episodes.
After the series finished, I had some thoughts based on the series as a whole that… well, that I didn’t up at the time, based either on being nice or lazy. Take your pick of those two. Having seen adverts for the American airing of the series currently taking place, I’ve decided it could be worth putting finally putting those thoughts down in writing.
You know – for journalistic integrity. Or something like that.

Continue reading “Life’s Too Short, Revisited (with spoilers)” →

FootballOpinion

The Lower League Week – Linked To While Still Topical

David Stringer

My latest Lower League Week is now up at Born Offside, and for a change I’m linking to it on the day, rather than a fortnight after. It’s a radical approach, but I feel it may help keep the blog more timely and relevant.

My reference to Hartlepool's Town End 'rocking like Vanilla Ice' was timely when it was written, but not when it was linked.

My latest column features news on the weekend’s Sheffield derby, Bournemouth’s half time team talk (more interesting than that sounds), Keith Curle’s start at Notts County and Port Vale’s financial troubles.

Just come along this way for this week’s Lower League Week.

FootballOpinion, Recaps

My Neglected Blog

David Stringer

Looking back at the dates of recent posts, I’ve been neglecting the blog in the past few weeks, and, like the alcoholic father I am in this metaphor*, I intend to overcompensate dramatically in a way that embarasses everyone.
So, in the next few days I intend to polish off a few things I’ve been working on, and get them up either here on the blog or elsewhere (and remember to link to them this time).

So in the next few days there should be a follow up to my earlier Life’s Too Short article in a shameless attempt to cash in on the show’s American debut. I intend to write reviews of the books I’ve read since my last review was posted, and more.
That is, if my day job of rocket scientist/rockstar doesn’t get in the way.

Hard at work

Since my last post here at the blog, I’ve written two entries for Born Offside. The first of the two, filed on the 15th, went into depth on the lovely cuddly Steve Evans, while covering Torquay’s remarkable winning streak, Kettering not being able to afford to pay police for their matches, and more.

Despite his crimes, this is the closest he gets to a prison these days

Then, last week, I covered the reasons for Stevenage’s rise and congratulated them on holding Tottenham to a draw, the reasons why Lee Clark’s sacking at Huddersfield was reasonable, and once again giving Darlington sympathetic press.
Really, as a Hartlepool fan, I hope they sort their finances out so that I don’t have to be sympathetic to them so often.

Once again, in case those links were hard to find in the text: February 15th’s ‘P All Draw Edition’
February 22nd’s ‘You Wait Ages for a Full Fixture List and then Two Come Along at Once Edition’

* Not literally of course. I’m really more of a junkie than an alcoholic.

Comedy

The Phantom Menace? In Three Dimensions? Wow!

David Stringer

I’m going to do something I’ve been planning to for a while – recommend some videos.
I still don’t really know what I’m doing here with the blog, so I’m throwing everything at the wall in the hope that some things stick.

The first is from ‘Honest Trailers’ – they do alternate trailers for films that are…well, more honest.
This is from the 3d release of The Phantom Menace. It’s decent, with one or two good jokes (mainly later on), but not hilarious.

Continue reading “The Phantom Menace? In Three Dimensions? Wow!” →

Comedy, FootballOpinion, Recaps

Hey – I forgot I had this blog!

David Stringer

Nine days without posting – if I don’t write more often, I’ll never clog up people’s inboxes.

Right. After spending a few days away, I missed a week of lower league column for Born Offside, and compensated with Born Offside’s first ever Lower League Fortnight.

Knowing my issues with reliability and consistency, I’m sure it won’t be the last time that happens.
This issue covered transfer movements, changes in management, Bournemouth paying a huge £800,000 transfer fee…it’s crazy, a tell thee.

I’m so happy to have signed for Bournemouth. Yayyyyyyy.

This past week, Fabio Capello, the Italian manager of the England national football team, walked out. It was the culmination of a long series of irritating events – the media attacked Capello for not walking on water, Wayne Rooney did something stupid and Capello didn’t stop him from doing it so is therefore dangerously incompetent, John Terry may or may not have said something potentially hugely offensive and faces a trial for it, Capello wanted to stick by him, his bosses didn’t, Capello told Italian television he wanted Terry to remain as captain.

Continue reading “Hey – I forgot I had this blog!” →

Film & Television Opinion

Suits vs Eternal Law

David Stringer

This new year I’ve been watching two new lawyer based programmes – the American import Suits, and new ITV and Kudos show Eternal Law.

I’d been putting off watching the beginning of Eternal Law, as the concept of angels acting as lawyers seemed a bit gimmicky, and it was only the involvement of Kudos – creators of Hustle, Spooks and Life on Mars – that convinced me to put aside my reservations.

But Eternal Law fleshes out the concept of angels on Earth well. There’s references to their boss, ‘Mr. Mountjoy’; spotting an image of a friend on stained glass; ‘If that’s the Jehovah’s Witnesses, tell them they’re totally wrong’.
It all adds depth to the world, makes it seem more believable.

Suits is a bit more straight forward – a ‘normal’ law programme, albeit well executed, following a genius dropout with no formal training in the law, but the skills to excel.

I don’t know if this guy’s an angel, but I think he has a slug living in his nose

Continue reading “Suits vs Eternal Law” →

Comedy

Mitt Romney is a Total Mormon

David Stringer

Mitt Romney, the Mormon former governor of Massachusetts is currently challenging for leadership of the Republican Party, for the right to lose the November election to Barrack Obama.
Palin, Perry, Cain, and now Gingrich have all been challenging him for leadership in the polls at different times, with Romney consisting being one of the top two candidates as the different flavours of the month come and go.

It appears that voters are having their doubts about him, whether it’s because he’s a bit on the stiff side and doesn’t have the chattiness of Cain and isn’t as funny as Rick Perry, or it may be because his background is in what’s known as ‘vulture funds’, which you know won’t be a good thing.

Gingrich wants to build a colony on the Moon. Seriously. No wonder Romney looks dull by comparison

Anyway, there’s a magazine called Mormon Today! which is totally a real thing and definitely not made up, who are running a poll to find America’s favourite Mormon. And what do you know, Romney’s position in this poll parallels his position within the presidential race. It’s as if the whole thing were made up for satirical purposes.

I covered the latest news in the compilation of Mormon Today!’s poll.

Recaps

A Very Late Monday Recap

David Stringer

I’ve said that I intend to recap everything I’ve written, and the best of the sites I’m associated with, once a week on Monday. I’ve been away over the weekend, on an extravegant holiday full of sunshine and beaches, so I have a limited excuse for missing my self-set deadline this time.
On the assumption that it’s better late than never, I’m going to recap the previous week’s writing now.

Before leaving for my glamorous getaway I’d witten the latest edition of the Lower League Week, as well as a review of Robert Harris’ novel The Ghost. The latter is here on the blog, the former is linked from a previous post.

Born Offside has extended the series of weekly recaps. As well as the continuing English round-up, there’s a new Scottish weekly column, and one following the Dutch league.

Over at The Leaky Wiki, David-Troi Sweatt reported on the reason Facebook didn’t join the SOPA strike, and Matthew Kahn reported that a new Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme gives kids bad trips, which generated debate over journalistic accuracy in the comments.

Review

Book 04: The Ghost

David Stringer

The Ghost, written by Robert Harris, a one-time friend of Tony Blair, features a former British Prime Minister not named Tony Blair.
The character, Adam Lang, was a charismatic PM (but not named Tony Blair), was accused of lacking depth (but wasn’t named Tony Blair), and got Britain heavily involved in the War on Terror (but remember, he isn’t Tony Blair).

This Robert Harris doesn’t have a very good sense of imagination

I’m not quite sure whether to refer to The Ghost as a thriller or a satire. It definitely progresses as a thriller – the protagonist, a celebrity ghostwriter, is hired at the last minute to make sure Adam Lang’s forthcoming memoirs are completed in time for the deadline. The story follows his progress as he tries to learn more about Lang, to understand the psychology behind the former Prime Minister.

Continue reading “Book 04: The Ghost” →

FootballOpinion

Born Offside – Lower League Week

David Stringer

Just a brief post to tell everyone reading this (and statistically, that means you’re probably a random googler who was searching for a picture of a mountain or jawless zombie) that my latest column for BornOffside is now up.

In it you’ll be able to read about Les Parry at Tranmere, Paolo di Canio’s actions at Swindon, and Giles Coke making a bad impression at Bury, which is pretty much  the same thing, right?

Go on, you know you want to.