So, when I’ve been on Taipei 101, I look at that heavily-constructed, narrow-gapped, tall barrier fence around the outside observation deck as a safety measure to protect me from strong winds blowing me off the building, or perhaps the odd roc flying down and carrying me off.
Even with this barrier, I get a disturbing feeling that somehow I might accidentally slip between the 4 inch gaps and fall off.
Consequently, this guy is a nut!
According to the BBC, Airfix, manufacturer of model airplane kits is back in business.
BBC News => Airfix – Britain’s next top model?
Airfix has been bought by model train giant Hornby, which plans to rebuild the brand.
But will today’s Playstation generation even notice?
Generations of school children grew up in the 50s and 60s gluing and painting Airfix model planes, from the iconic Spitfire and Lancaster to the Messerschmitt and Fokker – then hanging them from their bedroom ceilings to re-create the Battle of Britain.
Looks like one of their first kits will be a TARDIS. <SARCASM>That sounds like a challenging kit.</SARCASM>
I, for one, spent many an enjoyable hour (in the 70’s) building model kits, and am generally appalled by the current selections. But I wonder if one of the premises of this article is true. Was it really computer games that wiped out the model building market? I’m sure that’s part of it, but, surely the distance in time from the days of the “glories of war†has something to do with it also.
My knowledge of WWII planes was firmly imparted to me by my father, who was 10 when WWII started. He and his friends used to play trading card games with fighter plane stats on them. I have no illusions that people of my generation had the same background. My father was considerably older than the average when I was born. Many of the children in my grade had parents who were bead-wearing, anti-war protesting hippies.
By the 80’s, the generation of kids who would find WWII fighting machines meaningful had to be significantly diminished.
Still, half the time, I pretended my Spitfires, P-48s and Corsairs had been retrofitted for spaceflight and had been pressed into service on Moonbase Alpha.
On second thought, maybe computer games did turn kids into imaginationless drones.
Technorati Tags: Blog, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Hobbies
Since the so-called “adult†content of Torchwood added not one squat of value to the stories, I suspect I’ll find these new “kid friendly†version superior.
CBBC Newsround => Young fans to see Dr Who spin-off
Doctor Who spin-off show Torchwood is to be shown in a version that younger fans will be able to watch.
The first series was aimed at adult audiences, but in the second series a specially-edited repeat will be shown that’s suitable for families and kids.
The fact that RTD himself seems to be endorsing this clearly indicates that the adult stuff was just tacked on to the stories to make them “edgy.â€
Technorati Tags: Blog, Commentary, Torchwood, UK, Video
Well, it’s not really “the Return of the Saintâ€, that name has been taken. It’s the new Saint series currently in production.
James Purefoy, whom I’ve never heard of, is the Saint.
The Saint and Leslie Charteris Blog => James Purefoy To Play Simon Templar in The Saint
James Purefoy, who played Mark Antony in “Rome†is set to play the new Simon Templar in the forthcoming TV series of The Saint.
Bill Macdonald tells www.saint.org (the official website of The Saint Club) that his team is prepping a two-hour pilot for a European shoot. The reason for shooting in Europe is the current strike situation in U.S. would otherwise hold up production. Shooting in Berlin and Australia begins in April.
All I can say is, please, please, please don’t screw this series up. So far, the little info coming out of the production is mixed.
Going back to the original premise of the Saint being a vigilante, good.
Bringing back Patricia Holm, bad. Didn’t work all that well in the earliest stories and no wonder Charteris dropped her. She was drag on the story.
New actor, someone who was considered a 007 candidate and British, good. (I was really worried he’d be from Texas in this new version.)
This is their chance to expunge that pile of crap movie with that egotistical fart from Real Genius from the collective memory of the world. Best of luck!
Technorati Tags: Blog, Television, The Saint
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Sounds like a new version of Lonely Planet Taiwan is out. This is a book I used to find indispensable when traveling to Taiwan. Lately I’m familiar enough with Taipei and confident enough in just exploring that I don’t use it much any more.
Nonetheless, if you’re traveling there for the first time, or considering a trip there, it’s a good read.
From this morning radio interview from Taiwan’s English-language radio station with one of the the authors, Joshua Samuel Brown, it sounds like the latest edition has been significantly enhanced. I might have to get a copy just to find out.
Click the play button on the embedded player to listed to the interview, and learn about “cutting edge†bands like Led Zeppelin.
Gridman, that’s me.
Fine. It’s not a fantastic score, but it’s a first try.
Look at this “brandon†guy. To quote the immortal one (Praise be Shatner’s name), “Get a life.†Can’t quite understand how someone can score 323736 points on a 30 question quiz, with what appears to be a 100 point maximum per question, but hey, who am I to accuse someone of cheating?
If you want to test your TV theme song knowledge, check out televisiontunes.com
Technorati Tags: Blog, Music, Television
There are days when I’m proud of my Scottish ancestry from the Clan Stewart…
… and then there are other days when I’m glad I’ve got more Irish and English in my veins. Like today.
The Daily Record => Scotland’s New £125k Slogan…Welcome To Scotland
A £125,000 campaign to replace Scotland’s Best Small Country In The World tag has been unveiled.
And the exciting new catchphrase dreamed up by top advertising brains is…“Welcome to Scotlandâ€.
Well, it least it’s easy to memorize. It doesn’t sound so bad if you say it with an accent, and obviously they’re too cheap to go back and buy another one, so they’re stuck with it.
BBC – Doctor Who – News => Billie Is Back!
Rose Tyler returns for Series Four.
Following a series of unconfirmed reports across the media this morning, we’re delighted to officially confirm that Billie Piper will return as Rose Tyler in Series Four of Doctor Who.
Anything you may read elsewhere about when, how or for how long Rose returns to Doctor Who should be treated as pure speculation at this point.
Seriously, this is not a good sign. Leave the lost companion lost. It’s bad enough that screwed up by getting rid of Freema. I’m willing to give Catherine Tate a chance (not impressed so far, yet) but… don’t bring back Rose.
Unless she’s going to be the regeneration of The Master.
Now, that’s what the official BBC Doctor Who page said earlier today. Minutes later, BBC News said more…
BBC News => Billie Piper to return to Dr Who
She will star in three episodes of the sci-fi drama, reprising her role as the Doctor’s companion, Rose Tyler.
So much for the idea of her playing someone other than Rose.
Technorati Tags: Blog, Doctor Who, Dr Who, News
You know, it amuses me no end to point out to Christians that the holiday they call Christmas is a huge hodge-podge of completely and utterly non-Christian traditions. (I love this site at this time of year – The History of Christmas.)
In fact, the Church used to forbid opening the churches on “Christmas†because it was a holiday they didn’t support. Easter being the important turning point in Christianity. It was only popular demand (and, more importantly, competition from other Christian sects who were willing to open their doors – and collection plates – at Christmas) that got the big churches to embrace Christmas across the board.
Anyway, you can hardly argue that it’s anything except a secular holiday these days. It’s just the name is so blatantly biased that spoils it all. Still, I can’t come up with a suitable replacement name. Saturnalia just doesn’t work and besides, it’s just as nutty.
“Winter Solstice?†Too WICCA-wacky, with all the connotations of Gaia earth mother and cavorting druids.
“Yuleâ€? That’s a nice Scandinavian name, but, thoroughly associated with Christmas nowadays. The “yule log†is inextricably linked to the concept of Christmas. Few realize they aren’t even related.
Saturnalia, Juvenalia, Mithras Day? No no no.
We need a new word. I’m going to give some thought to that one. Perhaps I should draft the help of some Madison Avenue types. It needs to be modern, catchy, memorable and most importantly, completely without meaning – much like the names of automobile models these days.
Whatever it’s called, I did something this weekend I though I’d never do, and certainly haven’t participated in in at least 30 years. I put up Christmas lights (or “fairy lights†for our overseas readers.)
I did it for the kids, plain and simple. No one will accuse me of going overboard on the project, though.
Technorati Tags: Blog, Christmas, Commentary
Sounds like a new version of Lonely Planet Taiwan is out. This is a book I used to find indispensable when traveling to Taiwan. Lately I’m familiar enough with Taipei and confident enough in just exploring that I don’t use it much any more.