Observe and Report (2009)

Simply the stupidest movie I've seen for a long time. Why did I watch it? Because two 18-year-olds convinced me it 'might be good'. It was awful, so bad, in fact, that it raised the odd titter.

IMDB rating 6.1/10

In The Loop (2009)

Funny, but not hilarious. Razor-sharp dialogue. Peter Capaldi (from The Thick of It) is the UK Government's relentless Director of Communications. A few classic moments, though, when Capaldi's Scottish brogue just gives it the lift required: "Fuckety-bye-bye then!" 

The US President and UK Prime Minister fancy a war. But not everyone agrees that war is a good thing. The US General Miller doesn't think so and neither does the British Secretary of State for International Development, Simon Foster...

IMDB rating 7.7/10

The Sun - 40th anniversary

The Sun's 'must-have hand-held accessory of 2009, with 26-inch panoramic matt CMYK, full-colour display'. 40 years old and still going strong...

Source: PaidContent.org

These cats "can't sing"?

The Telegraph Online seems to have worked out that lists of 'interesting' facts draw site traffic from around the world.

According to their list here, Bob Dylan, among others, 'can't sing'. Wrong. 

Don't shoot the messenger...
How about a list of people who can sing, but shouldn't? Top of my list would be Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.

Trumpet Crumpet

Winner of the Female Artist of the Year Brit Award 2009, Alison Balsom make the trumpet more attractive than ever before. Her jazzy interpretation of a Gershwin song on the Last Night of the Proms in September won me over, showing that she's potentially as versatile as Nigel Kennedy. 


Crossover often gets a bad name, but I see nothing wrong in reinterpreting Vivaldi violin and oboe concertos (her new album of Italian baroque concertos should be out before Christmas). She's a cool 'trumpetress', who even includes Dizzy's Tin Tin Deo on YouTube as part of her inspiration:

Will the net toll to the sound of tuppences?

The pay-for-website-news-content debate hots up as Rupert Murdoch says that Google search referrals are of little interest to him in the future and that news is defintitely not going to be free. Meanwhile, a survey says that petrol-head journalist Jeremy Clarkson may be worth 2p per article, using micropayments. Tuppence?

Grauniad: For whom the net tolls 
Brand Republic: Clarkson tops list of possible paid content earners
Brand Republic: Is Murdoch really plannng a Google free future?

Photo: William West, AFP, Getty Images

Grannie and her radio...

Just when you have lost faith in human kindness...

Someone who teaches at an Elementary in Thorsby forwarded the following letter. The letter was sent to the principal's office after the school had sponsored a luncheon for the elderly. An elderly lady received a new radio at the lunch as a prize and was writing to say thank you. This story is a credit to all humankind.

Dear Thorsby School:

God bless you for the beautiful radio I won at your recent senior citizens luncheon. I am 84 years old and live at the Sunnybrook Assisted Home for the Aged. My family have all passed away and I am alone so thank you for your kindness to a forgotten old lady. My roommate is 95 and has always had her own radio, but she would never let me listen to hers, even when she was napping. The other day her radio fell off the nightstand and broke into a lot of pieces. It was awful and she was in tears. She asked if she could listen to mine but I told her to fuck off.

Thank you for that opportunity.

Sincerely,
Edna

Trick or treat, sick and sweet?

Halloween, schmalloween. Trick or treat, my arse.

Nice pumpkin soup, though. Thanks, Frances.