This Blog in 2022.

About  Inspired by John at Dirty Feed, here's a look back at some of my favourite posts of the year on this blog.

Annotations:
An Editor's Burial: Journals and Journalism from The New Yorker and Other Magazines.
In which I made turned an anthology into a link list to save you from having to buy it.  I've had mixed emotions about The New Yorker since reading this book after the treatment of Evin Overbey and thinking about how some of the biographical essays and the behaviour of past editors could be viewed through a different lens.

The big kahuna, the one post which went massively viral this year thanks to being tweeted and retweeted by In Our Time's own Twitter feed and some of its contributors.  It was a beast to prepare but absolutely worthwhile given how useful its been to people.  Someone I know even has it bookmarked on their phone so they can use it when they're walking about and looking for something in their field to listen to.  Which reminds me that I need to do an update soon.

The title of the blog became even more ironic than ever this year as most of the bigger posts were lists.  This was a way of accessing a number of BBC programmes about Doctor Who as listed in the parish circular that month by Eddie Robson.

Speaking of lists, here's one which didn't really work.  Putting all of the Trek stories set before Discovery into chronological order seemed like a nice idea in theory, before you realise that so many of them are set in alternate realities, dream sequences or are subsequently wiped out after the timeline's been fixed.  Which is why I haven't included the second season of Picard.  That one is *complicated*.

By far the most popular post on the blog is the Doctor Who viewing order, bringing in a couple of hundred googlers per day when the series is on television.  So I thought I'd play to the gallery and do the same for Star Wars.  No one noticed.

I'll be returning to this in the new year once I've caught up on the BBC 100 posts.  Getting to touch the pages just as they'd emerged from Jaggard's print shop was one of the most spectacular moments of my young life.

After the success of the In Our Time post, I wanted to do something with one of the BBC's other large archives and settled on Cooke's life's work.  Again, no one noticed.

These were arguably three of the main exhibitions to visit Liverpool this year (I'm yet to see the fourth, The Turner Prize at Tate) and I went to town on all of them although it's pretty obvious which I was most comfortable writing about.  The opening line of the Doctor Who review has just made me guffaw.  Speaking of which ...

Having long abandoned even attempting to review the Chris Chibnall era of Doctor Who after finding myself repeatedly noting the same, some would say choices, others would say faults, I knew there'd still need to be words written about Jodie's swansong and right up until transmission, I had no clue what the angle would be.  Then, fortunately, Paul McGann made a cameo.

One of the few posts reacting to current affairs.  In the month's since I've become less and less interested in the current crop of working royalty, especially after the Harry & Meghan Netflix series and the King's first Christmas address in which he congratulated poor people for helping out other poor people while he's decreed that his coronation should be a full budget affair with every pomp and lashings of circumstance.

Twice this year I wrote similar posts (!) trying to explain how I perceive fictional multiverses are nestled together and this was the second, slightly more coherent attempt in the wake of Doctor Strange 2.  We'll see what happens after the next Spiderverse films are released.
on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #24

 

Links  Here we are then, the end of Christmas Links for this year and the surprising reveal of exactly what I was doing with the accompanying videos featuring people walking about random places across the globe at Christmastime.  It wasn't random.  We were following the itinerary of Phileas Fogg and Michael Palin, but around the world in twenty-four posts.  The destinations listed on this page just happened to match the number of days in advent.

I had hoped to post the video of Michael returning to London at the end of the trip, where he's cross with a newspaper vender and isn't allowed back into the Reform Club, but it's not on YouTube and neither is a video of the Reform Club at Christmas.  So instead find above the opening of the journey as he explains the effort he's about to undertake which only makes me want to rewatch the thing all the more.  Happy Christmas!
 
Sugababes are releasing their new album of ‘lost’ music (today) and fans are elated: ‘Pop justice!’:
"After years in the pop wilderness, the original Sugababes trio is about to drop new album The Lost Tapes – a collection of songs that were leaked as demos in 2013."
[Editor's note:  Holy Fuck!]

"The 12 Days of Big Finishmas Christmas sale is here! Check this page for updates on the downloads on offer!"

"A group of four British women recently arrived on a remote Antarctic island to look after its population of passing tourists and penguins. As they prepare for Christmas at the bottom of the world, they tell BBC News how they're settling into their new home."

"Arriva North West warned customers services in and out of the city centre "may be extremely congested""

"‘Twas the festive season of 2015, and my 5-year-old daughter Molly was trying to explain to me the holiday ditty all the kindergarteners were going to sing in unison at the annual concert."

"Some think I’m a bit of a Scrooge, says teaching assistant who can afford to give everyone turkey and all the trimmings."

"It can save you time as well as money on your energy bills but can it cook a whole roast dinner? We find out."

"Carpenter Tan Koon Tat has been beset by rain and the rising cost of materials, but is still determined to bring some festive cheer to the neighbourhood in Marsiling."

"If you’re stuck for things to watch this festive season, this just might be what you’re after."

"Five Iberian lynx were released into the wild this week in southern Spain as part of an expanding breeding programme aimed at conserving one the most endangered feline species."
on Saturday, December 24, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #23

 
"Tail Town Cats will spotlight six adorable adoptable cats as they climb the Festivus pole; viewers at home can watch live."

A parent’s guide to setting up a new games console at Christmas:
"If your children have a new Xbox, Playstation or Nintendo Switch waiting under the tree, here is what you need to know about subscriptions, parental controls … and getting the most fun out of it for all the family."

"Birkenhead used to have fab Christmas lights and a Christmas light switch on."

Cirencester couple creates Christmas model village:
"A couple have created a model village and decorated their house for Christmas to raise money for charity."

"A limited edition three-way death match featuring Shoppe Geō, Funko, and Comfort Zone."

"The question everyone wants answered at this time of year is whether or not it snow at Christmas. Helen Willetts has the answer."

"For many in construction, Christmas is not the season of goodwill. Sadly Ebenezer Scrooge has always had his hands on construction’s cash as we head into Christmas.  The old excuse was that the office was shutting and no one was around to process the payments. With online flexible banking this rings a bit hollow, yet we still see companies hoarding cash at the year end."

"Six in ten Britons who celebrate Christmas don’t consider celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ an important part of the festive celebrations."

"Read about some of the cartoons we hold in our collection, including artwork for Christmas cards."

"On the plus side, you never have to remember to water this tree."
on Friday, December 23, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #22

 
Prawn Cocktail back on the Christmas menu, while Yorkshire Puddings remain the nation’s festive fave:
"Christmas is coming, and budding festive chefs can find inspiration in BBC Food’s most popular Christmas recipes of 2021."

"On Saaremaa, a local distillery turns town-square trees into festive mixers."

"Usually the only controversy over a crossword is the answer, but on the eve of the first day of Hanukkah, some New York Times readers found something a lot more upsetting."

"For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II was a staple of Christmas Day, appearing on television, radio and on the internet throughout her reign to deliver her annual Christmas Message."

"Kelly Conlon was blocked because her New York firm is involved in a personal injury claim against operator of Radio City Music Hall."

"It's "knot" your fault that Christmas lights always get twisted."

"A kitten which went "from being left in a bin to being loved by so many people" is proof that Christmas wishes "really can come true", a charity has said."

"As I got older, I learned who the sender was and was brought into a secret world of his delusions."


"In a period of personal grief, producer Jimmy Iovine enlisted a range of pop stars for a good cause. And unto us “A Very Special Christmas” was born."
on Thursday, December 22, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #21


Links   Finally to Review 2022, which is still developing with many more posts to go.  As you can see from the title, the idea was to only include material from non-BBC sources, but who better to tell its own story than the BBC itself?  After an intensive month of working through as many public digital archives and sources as I could, sorting the items into years in one big blog post (which is what this was going to be originally), I'm now in the process of augmenting that with some Google searches and a hunt through the BBC's own website for documentaries about significant moments in its history.  I'm also adding new links to older posts if something amazing crops up.

"The six sport stars will compete for the public vote on the night of the live show on Wednesday 21 December."

"We can all see it coming – but it/s still worth waiting for."

"New Time Lord pairs brown chequered suit with a bright orange jumper and tan brogues."

"In 1906, a new carol appeared in “The English Hymnal,” an influential collection of British church music."

"Now that Midtown is no more, it'd be hilarious if there were another Business Improvement District with an equally overblown name."

"Families have been urged not to put fat from Christmas dinners down the sink to avoid fatbergs forming in sewers."

"Mozilla, Google and Apple have announced that they are working together to build a new browser benchmark. The service will be called Speedometer 3."

"Sainsbury’s, the National Lottery and Tesco also flagged for tokenism, negative stereotyping and inauthentic representation."

"With the year drawing to a close and Christmas almost upon us the sounds that seem to sum up the season are less jingling bells and carols, more the cough of Covid and an enormous, exhausted sigh of relief." [New Zealand] 

"Look back at every Christmas chart-topper of the last 70 years."
on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #20

 
Links  Which brings us to Review 2021, the one with all the sandwiches and the best way to celebrate that, as you might have seen yesterday, was to eat another one.  The project was mostly out of necessity.  I needed something to keep myself occupied during the first Christmas since Mum died and this meant that I had to go out and make special trips to places in order to purchase the sandwiches and then do a bit of research for each of the posts.  

The farthest I travelled was the other side of Ormskirk to Booths and the closest was the local Spar shop (and I was disappointed to find that this year they're not using back bacon but followed the crowd into streaky bacon territory).  Anyway it mostly did the job.  I wept a bit on Christmas morning, but the rest of the day mostly went without a meltdown.  Thanks sandwiches.

Doctor Who: The War Doctor
BBC Radio 4xtra are broadcasting the Big Finish War Doctor audios at the weekend through January.  Here's a link to the first episode.

"He’d brought a Sainsbury’s carrier bag full of gifts. I can’t stress how unusual this was – ‘out of character’ doesn’t begin to cover it."

"Runners dressed as Santa chased people in Christmas pudding costumes to raise money for charity."

"Arriva has now released when its buses will be running over Christmas and New Year."


"The panel investigating the Capitol attack voted Monday to ask the Justice Department to hold the former president accountable for his scheme to subvert democracy."

"Now a global phenomenon, the holiday tradition traces its roots to medieval Europe."

"From romantic getaway ideas to family-friendly trips and solo excursions."

"The special features various Muppets from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies."

"This 1987 special isn't just one of the best things The Muppets ever did, it should be a modern holiday classic."


on Tuesday, December 20, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Review 2021: The Christmas Sandwich Reviews: Co-op Turkey Feast.

Food  Did I imply that Review 2021 was over and that I wouldn't be writing about any more pre-packed Christmas sandwiches?  Yes I did.  Did I think it was over?  Well, yes.  But then having written about all of the annual reviews from across the decades at the top of all the Christmas Links and realising that it might need some kind of big finale (without getting too carried away), I decided to go after the big white whale once more, the supermarket sandwich which eluded me last year, to finally try the Co-op Turkey Feast (with smoked bacon, pork, sage & onion stuffing (which is pork AND sage & onion stuffing, not pork as a separate entity on the sandwich no matter how its implied on the box), cranberry chutney & fried onion mayo on malted bread).  Apologies for the quality of the photograph but I was in my break at work and every second counts.

Much like the rest of the supermarkets which featured last year, the Co-op (pronounced coop) has just sort of been there.  Dad was telling me earlier about how membership had been passed down hereditarily through my Mum's family and that he could even remember the number she used to give when visiting one of the local shops and how she received a dividend at the end of the year.  But it's only quite recently that it's really become part of my life, through the shops opening on Myrtle and Hardman run-on streets in Liverpool and on Lark Lane, not the Doctor Who one which is mainly residential, the real one with all the restaurants and retail.  When it opened, it was during the period with the verbose branding with "the Co-Operative" written on everything which made it feel very metropolitan somehow.  They're since returned to the more familiar homespun low-caps logo.

If you don't mind, I'll refer you to the Wikipedia page for an explanation of how the gestalt structure of the Co-op chain works and how it might go some way to explaining why there are two near identical supermarkets at the top and bottom of the same road, and why some shops feel more corporate than others and instead move on to the sandwich.  After about a year of not eating turkey, bacon, stuffing and cranberry sauce on malted bread, my taste buds have lost any baseline expertise that it they might have acquired last December.  But this seems like a pretty generic example.  Despite being out of the fridge for two hours after I bought it, the bread and filling were still cold which give everything a slightly stodgy texture.  The cranberry sauce is pretty overwhelming so the flavour of the onion mayonnaise is al most non-existent.  The bacon is thin streaky kind which otherwise finds itself wrapped around small sausages.  It's fine.
on Monday, December 19, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #19

 
Links  Review 2020 didn't really happen for understandable reasons, consisting of a single post listing the films I gave five stars to on Letterboxd.  So instead, let's talk about this weekend's release of photos and a video revealing the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby's costumes.  The video is on YouTube Shorts here and they're absolutely funny/adorable in a similar was to Jodie and Mandip so lets hope unlike them, that chemistry will be taking full advantage of on screen.

His costume is supremely tasteful, both contemporary and yet somehow redolent of the past.  It'll be interesting to see if there's any mix and matching as the series progresses.  Few people seem to have remarked on the fact he seems to be keeping the 'tache which is another first for a Doctor.  The last time the Doctor wore one of those on TV he was masquerading as a milkman.  Hers has the off the peg feel of most of the more recent companions and presumably she won't be wearing that all the time.  

These are the sacrifices parents are making to try to pay for Christmas."

"Volunteers in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv have made a Christmas tree out of camouflage nets."

"In a small distillery just outside Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a clear liquid drips out of a copper pot still into a stainless steel barrel, ringing like church bells."

"Researchers urge members of the public to look out for the beloved insect that was once a mainstay of Australia’s summer."


"Police have been called in to try and get the traffic flowing."

"Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without our seasonal film quiz, which includes festive faves and merry movie title mashups…"

"A stalwart of Melbourne’s Christmas celebrations, the Epicure Gingerbread Village, will not be a feature of festivities for the first time in 11 years."

"any popular images and traditions of Christmas come from the Baby Boom years. With the dark days of World War II behind them, many Olympia families wanted to celebrate the holiday in style. Here’s a look back into Olympia history at a Baby Boomer’s Christmas."

"Tate Kids Gallery."

"Robin Miles was looking for stage and screen roles when she began reading books for the blind. She’s become one of the country’s most celebrated narrators."
on Monday, December 19, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #18


Links  There wasn't a Review 2019, at least nothing taggable.  There were the usual predictions (about which I couldn't be more wrong for either year) and a Review 2010s in which I list my favourite books, films and television of that decade largely one per year.  There's nothing much here I disagree with three years later (god, is it only three years since 2019?).  

I still think more people should see the film Advantageous which is still on Netflix.  Written and directed by Jennifer Phang, it should have been a spring board into a long cinema career but she's nevertheless instead found a niche on TV directing episodes of things like The Expanse, Cloak & Dagger, The Boys, Foundation, The Flight Attendant and Stargirl.

"Easy peasy pigs in blankets with a gorgeous maple syrup glaze. A Christmas favourite, these are supersized and guaranteed to go down a treat."

"The East Yorkshire-based frozen food giant is much cheaper than Asda and Tesco's offers."

"Skeleton crews on Antarctic research bases - known as 'winterovers' - wait until June for the festivities to begin."

"In this Midwestern town, it’s Santa season 365 days a year, with decorations and carols."

"The Challenge returns for a second year with a series of fiendish brainteasers and a final twist!"

"The land of Punt, a mysterious place where ancient Egyptians bought gold, incense and other luxury items, has been located using DNA from mummified baboons."

"Mention frankincense, and it’s hard not to instantaneously think of Christmas."

"Frome has a flourishing independent retail scene, with dozens of locally owned shops and cafes, but even here, campaigners are warning local stores are at risk."

"As part of its ‘Truth or Dare’ season, Channel 4 is setting the life of Prince Andrew to a series of song and dance numbers. But is this musical take on the disgraced royal too much, too soon?"

"Christmas celebration in Norway is a true feast of lights, full of events, preparations, and traditions that last a whole season. White snow and decorations add to the magic."
on Sunday, December 18, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #17

 
Links  It's in 2018 that the wheels really came off the annual review.  Work commitments meant I had to balance this and that so Review 2018 consisted of just two posts listing my ten worst and least favourite films of that year.  

In hindsight I can't really argue with the choices although of the top ten, I've only revisited Spider-Man, Molly's Game and Annihilation since.  But every year brings new delights and introductions to unseen old favourites so who has the time?

Perhaps there should have been space in the top ten for Black Panther, I was obviously trying to promote some of the less seen films that year and Anchor and Hope, the lesbian narrowboat romance was certainly that.  

The Square was clearly picked as the favourite because I was still cross about the sharp decline in the quality of the Liverpool Biennial.  With a new creative team, the 2021 edition was a slight return to form.

The bottom ten still makes me shiver, especially The Snowman and not just because of the amount of ice on screen.  Folding Ideas has since posted avideo explaining the problems with the edit and I'd rather rewatch that than the film itself.

Disney Finally Fixes Their 30-Year Mistake:
"Disney finally fixes their 30-year mistake with the addition of a lost scene to The Muppet Christmas Carol. But how does this lost scene improve the entire film?"

"Despite the cost of living crisis, Kirkby has come together to spread Christmas joy."

"Scottish Ministers have sided with objectors, and against the council, in a long-running planning wrangle over plans to permanently close off a short stretch of a Kirkwall street."

"It’s 10 days until the dread day, when most of London shuts down — for Christmas Day, but a few hardy venues will open for the visitors stuck in the centre of town and with nothing else to do."

"What to do in New York on Christmas Day if you don’t celebrate Christmas."

"Every year, photographers and Photoshop artists come together to bring the magic of the holidays to sick children across the world."

"Here’s how to keep calm around the dinner table this year with our advice expert’s guide to defusing festive feuds."

"An unsigned singer said it was "magical" to hear her Christmas song played on BBC Radio 2."

"It's a countdown of sweet new recipes!"

"Bovril has been a long-standing match-day favourite, heating the terraces up and down the country on a cold winter’s day, but now Stockport County is aiming to fill the stands of Edgeley Park with festive cheer, creating the nation’s first Christmas dinner in a cup."
on Saturday, December 17, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #16


Links  On the 4th December 2017, I put out a statement which began " The short version is - there won't be a Review 2017 this year" and goes on to explain that I'd been too busy with work (true) to be able to arrange anything.  Then in a moment reminiscent of Doctor Who returning to television after Mark Campbell boldly said in the introduction to the Pocket Essentials about the series that this wouldn't happen, I filled the period between Christmas and New Year with a review of the year.  The categories seem quite random.  No favourite books, music or what have you. So ...

My favourite film scene of that year was Wonder Woman battling the bullets in across no man's land.  My favourite company was Cinema Paradiso and still is now that they've decided to increase the number of discs they're sending out across accounts to help navigate the postal strikes.  My favourite Doctor Who story of that year was All Hands on Deck, Eddie Robson's brilliant Short Trip about how Susan joined the Time War.   My favourite podcast was Rachel Maddow.  My favourite TV moment was the twist at the end of the first series of The Good Place. 

"The nation’s seasonal publishing and gifting tradition nourishes its unique literary culture."

"They have everything they could ever want, except for a cheap snow globe."

"Londoners get an extra present - free travel on Christmas Day.  For the first time, Christmas day bus and tube fares are scrapped thanks to a seasonal gesture by London Transport.  This clip from BBC News was originally broadcast on 25 December 1978."

"Move to see restitution of 116 historical objects taken by British during the sacking of Benin in 1897."

"Don’t just re-heat your leftovers – turn them into delicious new dishes…"

"When @BBCBreakfast went to an outside broadcast at the absolute worst time."

"Elves are meant to be supporting players in the story of Christmas, but in the 21st century, they’ve stolen the show."

"According to Government guidance, you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week to get a Christmas bonus."

"Whether you fancy a heartwarming carol with Elvis or the story of a yuletide drug dealer from OutKast, there’s a festive album for you in our rundown of the best ever."

A Spotify Playlist.
on Friday, December 16, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #15

 
Links  It was pretty much agreed at the time that 2016 was a rubbish year, what with the situation at home and abroad (little did we know it was but an appetizer for what was to come).  So as an alternative and to highlight that it wasn't all bad, I created a single post listing "216 Good Things Which Happened in 2016" selected by me and contributors to the blog old and new via Eloni's Birdcage.  Now it's a nostalgia capsule reminding us of things like Lindsay Lohan live tweeting the Brexit vote and this giant pyramid of bowling balls.

"Candace Cameron Bure wants to put the Christ back into Christmas movies, but she’s not really following through."

"What did viewers make of the BBC's Christmas television offering for 1979? Barry Took reveals all.  This clip is from Points of View."

"Magdalene students threw a college Christmas tree into the nearby River Cam after a JCR bop."

"Virgin Atlantic has unveiled details of its inflight Christmas menu, available on selected flights from December 24-26."
"The cheeky chappy displays his bum in nativity scenes across Spain each Christmas."


"Most Britons would be pleased to receive socks, underwear or deodorant this Christmas."

"Two more deluxe coconut gateaux winged their way to me this year, without any begging. Evidence if ever it was needed of Cruise’s very hectic year."

"The Christmas lights display in a Borders village has been saved at the 11th hour."
on Thursday, December 15, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #14

 
Links  It's seven years ago and the weekly "My Favourite Film of ..." posts are in full swing (expect a catch-up in June 2027 starting on the tenth anniversary of the last post).  

So for Review 2015, I asked people to write about when and how they saw some of their favourite and not so favourite films.  

Mags wrote about seeing Fatal Attraction dozens of times while she worked as an usher just for one moment,   Kat talked about seeing The Empire Strikes Back with her Dad when it was originally released,  Annette's first experience of seeing the ending to My Girl,  Tim's visit to an illicit screening of A Clockwork Orange,  Marc on finally seeing Casablanca at St Luke's Church in Liverpool and firstly (in order of posting) Diane on the inclusivity of a Sex and the City audience.

Now, on with the show....

"‘We used real wolves for the Roman camp part. They were meant to be attacking – but they kept running away with their tails between their legs’"

"Dozens of tractors covered in fairy lights took to the Ribble Valley roads at the weekend as an annual charity tractor run returned."

"The Christmas events will run during the school holidays."

"Four families who parked in Lancaster for free to do Christmas shopping had to pay to get out after returning to the car park to find it locked."

Snow scene (1998)
"Konnie Huq makes a Christmas snow scene, under the watchful eye of the returning veteran Blue Peter presenter Yvette Fielding. No pressure, Konnie."

"I'm not a bot is exactly what a bot would say." [via]

"Twitter timelines seem to have been flooded by hateful accounts, prompting Ann Moody to have to make some tough decisions."

"The end of the year was a time for fasting, feasting and poking fun at the status quo."

"Monica Hudson said she has to be very careful pruning, since mistakes take longer to grow out for trees living in pots."

"BBC Radio 1 reveals further 29 new presenters taking over the station this festive season."
on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #13

 
Links  Review 2014 was the last of the old school annual reviews.  Inspired by the famous scene from City Slickers, I asked a group of guest bloggers to write about the "one thing" they think everyone should know about.  The idea was to make it as open as possible and essentially give everyone carte blanche to talk about pretty much anything they wanted to.  

Oh boy did people reply, with nearly thirty posts that year.  Sometimes it was cultural event, a film release or book.  In some cases it was something which happened in someone's own life, a wide spectrum of romance and weddings.  I wrote about why I don't drink, declaring myself "fine" almost exactly a year before my first full on panic attack and the ensuing anxiety which meant I wouldn't be fine again.

But perhaps most poignantly for me is the entry written by the late Sarah Hughes perhaps best known for her recaps and other television writing on The Guardian's website.  She wrote rather brilliantly about how television can create a connection with a place, a sense of belonging and how it wasn't until she settled into the change of idiom on screen that she felt like she'd properly settled in from her time abroad.  RIP.

"A 101-year-old woman who had always wanted a large pine tree outside her window to be lit for Christmas has had her wish granted."

Meghan and Harry’s documentary has hit the raw nerve of tabloid prejudice:
"David Olusoga: I was an interviewee in the Netflix series. The scale and fury of the backlash to the comments on race and royals is revelatory."

"Christmas doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some families hang up some tinsel and call it a day, some pull out all the stops, and some don’t celebrate it at all."

"A: Yes, that's what it is."

"Some mums and dads said their children were left questioning if Santa is real, with one saying his 'beard was falling off'."

"Houseplant experts how to prune a Christmas cactus to keep their size in check and to encourage more flowers."

"If it includes gravy, let’s face it, we Yorkshire folk will lap it up. Be it a pie, a Sunday roast, or a Christmas dinner – the latter of which Yorkshire might well be responsible for (at least, as we know it)."

"For me, the holiday season brings feelings of anxiety and inadequacy rather than holiday cheer."

"Remember The Singing Dogs? It was a band made up of dogs, and all the songs were spliced-together dog barks. The group's Christmas song, "Jingle Bells," hit the top of Billboard's Christmas Singles chart in 1972. But don't be fooled—The Singing Dogs' Christmas album is far from the quirkiest piece of holiday music out there."

"Sumptuous costume dramas can provide a much-needed escape in troubling times, but if you’re tired of the usual assortment of airless parlours, manicured lawns, and straight-laced suitors, there is an alternative: a subset of films that play with our expectations of the genre."
on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #12

 
Links  Thanks to the 50th anniversary and my fan gene being at its most bulbous, for much of 2013 this blog was dedicated to all things Doctor Who with weekly blog posts writing around various stories, one for each year (expect another ten later next year covering the Capaldi and Whittaker years) and days links to various things tangentially linked to those stories (and other stuff).  

So as a change, Review 2013 was called Not The Doctor and dedicated to some things I'd enjoyed over the previous twelve months and other whatsits, one of the few occasions when the annual review on this blog was an actual annual review.  It ended with the Alanis Morrissette song which was the rather obvious reference point.  

There's the usual whiff of desperation as I'm trying to fill every day with something even to the point of finally putting my (until then) one proper piece of fan fiction, the Buffy/ Friends/ Dawsons/ MSCL/ Northern Exposure/ Quantum Leap/ X-Files/ DS9/ Voyager crossover everyone has been hankering for in which most of the characters discover they're fictional and Dawson pirates Star Wars.

As is the case with blogs of some longevity, there are pieces in here I'd completely forgotten about, like transcribing a Cornwallis essay, On Revolution, which is thought to have influenced Hamlet and singing in a Karoke Shower at Birmingham Library.  None of which means I didn't review that year's Doctor Who Christmas special.  You can probably guess what I did with the title.

"Q: My husband of thirty years died last year, and this will be my second Christmas without him. Last year was awful, and even though family were supportive, I’m dreading Christmas this year and feeling anxious just thinking about it. I’m worried people think I should be over it by now, I think I should be over it - and I don’t want to ruin everyone’s day. Should I still be struggling?"

"Take the stress out of festivities by figuring out what means most to you, and discover your own new traditions along the way…"

"More people are hiring festive essentials this year, to stretch finances during the cost of living crisis, and be more sustainable."

"As the beloved film turns 30, Brian Henson lifts the lid on the challenges he faced on set, collaborating with Disney and the When Love Is Gone saga."

"Batman, Barbie, and more unlikely folks who needed three spirits, time travel, and a holiday lesson."

Christmas gaming (1973)
"Raymond Baxter demonstrates the latest in Christmas gift technology - the games console.  This clip is from Tomorrow's World."

[Emulated] "The Magnavox Odyssey was the first home video game console, predating the Atari Pong home consoles by three years. The Odyssey was designed by Ralph Baer, who had a working prototype finished by 1968. This prototype is affectionately known as the "Brown Box" to classic video game hobbyists."

"Some Christmas hits might feel like they've been around forever - but are they more recent than you think?"

"About a 100 tractors decorated in festive lighting will parade through villages and towns in the Midlands.  The annual Christmas parade heads through North Warwickshire, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley in a bid to raise money for three local charities."

"Throughout the mid-20th century, shopping centers across the United States featured an unusual Christmas tradition: kiddie monorail rides. In this video we’ll identify as many of these rides as I could find, explore where and when they were built, and discuss who was responsible for manufacturing them."
on Monday, December 12, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #11

 
Links  Rather by luck rather than design, on the tenth anniversary of the annual reviews, Review 2012 was a celebration of the blog with call backs to old writing projects and lists, wrap-ups of things I'd enjoyed that year and basically anything I could think of which could fit within the loose title of "The Projects".  In the spirit of some of those posts, here's a list of links with a few comments on each:

Still I think, the last Biennial I've genuinely loved mostly because of the absolute brilliance of having the late and very lamented City States section in the old post sorting office on Copperas Hill, about the only building in the city capable of housing a giant pillow the size of several buses.  The 2016 Biennial had its moments, but I think I enjoyed finding funny places to put my little plastic TARDIS.

In which I post the contents of an assignment from my Information Studies degree.  At the time a bit of reticence about people being confronted with a younger version of themselves on YouTube led to me only posted clips of the original video without the voxpops but eventually I realised how unlikely it was that these random strangers would stumble upon the thing, so I posted the complete version which currently has 39 views.  You can add to them if you want to see what the 19 year old version of me looks like.

To this day I haven't eaten another one.

Back when I still idolised this egotistical shit, I spent a year watching my way through his projects to date. 

Although I retired the blog years ago, the Hamlet project is still theoretically on-going.  Here's the most recent post about Michelle Terry from 2020.  I really need to do some catch-up.

A survey of the various productions I watched in year when there were a lot of them about, especially on the BBC, thanks London 2012 Cultural festival.

Let's not.

One of the benefits of following Ingmar Bergman's example and watching a film nearly every day (him during the spring and summer, me all year round) means I plough through a lot of product.  In 2012, that was the Sight and Sound list, the films of Anne Hathaway and awards contenders.

In which I try to remember what other films I watched that year without the benefit of Letterboxd, then completely fail to make a top ten.

A return to a month long project from 2007 in which I reviewed series of movies many of which still haven't received the recognition they deserve then added a new recommendation.  Ten years later, here's another one: The Kid Detective, an unofficial sequel to The Mysteries of Encyclopedia Brown books, in which Adam Brody plays a PI who was a renowned child investigator until he "failed" on a case and is still living with the consequences.

A return to a month long project from 2008 in which I reviewed series of songs and albums many of which still haven't received the recognition they deserve then added a new recommendation.  Ten years later, here's another one: Finally Out of P.E. by Brie Larson, a pretty good, sub-Swift pop album and a song called Ugly, the backing track for which sounds like a yassified version of the Sugababes song with the same title.

Which are their own little time capsule.  Some of the prediction have since come to pass, although it took a while.

That took slightly longer than I anticipated (like most of the writing on this blog for the past twenty-odd years) but here, later than usual but as promised are today's ten Christmas Links.

How one town’s terrible Christmas tree captured the mood of a weary nation:
"It’s not every day that your hometown’s Christmas tree goes viral and makes international headlines. You might think that it would be a point of pride. “We did it, baby! We’re on the map!” you might be expected to exclaim. Alas, not in this instance."

"Enjoy a live look inside the South Dakota capitol building rotunda with its beautifully decorated Christmas trees."

"James Burke immerses himself in the modern, intensely manly world of male cosmetics.  This clip is from Tomorrow's World."

"In traditional festive legend and popular culture, Santa Claus's reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve."

"A large nativity crib in a cathedral has been thatched by members of the same two families every year since it was first created in 1960.  The 10ftx12ft (3mx3.7m) crib is built in Truro Cathedral each Christmas."

"She escaped a tough childhood to become an Oscar-winning star. Now she’s on a mission to rescue country singer Tammy Wynette from decades of feminist dismissal."


"Make venison tourtière, maple ham and sugar pie from Vancouver-based chef J-C Poirier's cookbook debut."

"Christmas parties in financial services aren't what they were. Long ago, banks shamelessly spent huge amounts of money indulging staff. Then came the financial crisis."

"Christmas is, of course, a time for giving – but it is also unfortunately a time of enormous waste. In fact, an estimated £140 million worth of Christmas presents are returned each year in the UK alone, with many of them eventually ending up in landfill."
on Sunday, December 11, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #10

 

"Sounds Iconic welcomes you to a collection of ghostly tales, perfect for those long Christmas nights. From classics by H.G. Wells and M.R. James, not to mention Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, you'll hear stories from modern writers like Daisy Johnson and Lizzie Nunnery."

"Nothing lights up the night like Christmas – and the best place to appreciate the scale of its spectacle is definitely from above."

"Take care if seafood is on the menu on the 25th – prawns, salmon and other fish can be tainted by slavery even if they're from New Zealand."

"Newsreel visited a group of Serbian refugees, celebrating Christmas in Suffolk."

"The country superstar has written a clutch of new songs for this Appalachian take on the festive classic. But will she drop by to see it?"


"For study of the status of birds in the Americas here’s nothing else like it in terms of geographic coverage and duration of time—even the revered Breeding Bird Survey has “only” been run for 56 years."

"Every year somewhere between 25 million and 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States. If you’re one of the people who decorate for the holiday with a freshly cut Christmas tree, you might be wondering how to keep it looking good all the way through Santa’s visit – and maybe even a little beyond."

"Not too long ago, LGBTQ+ people who wanted to see themselves represented in holiday movies could either (a) pretend or (b) settle for a second-rate film with a queer character who had very few lines, ambition, or development."

"It's a little hard to find, but the full version of the hit Muppets film, now including the song "When Love Is Gone," is available on Disney+."
on Saturday, December 10, 2022 0 comments Labels:

Christmas Links #9


Links  Crikey Review 2010, take a step back.  Having enjoyed giving my opinion about things to the three people people who asked the year before and wanting to somehow post something every day in that December, I designated myself an "opinion engine" and solicited for people to suggest topics for me to offer a viewpoint on, and boy, did I.  Paragraphs and paragraphs of them, from this existential odyssey to this other existential odyssey.

Because inevitably I didn't get enough suggestions, I padded out the month with some book and films reviews and co-opted in a survey of that year's Doctor Who,  Christmas Carol (poor Abigail).  Doctor Who also inspired the post I'm highlighting, which was one of my few attempts at writing some Doctor Who fan fiction in which the Eleventh Doctor and Amy do battle with a rather troublesome alien rat which only a few months later did I realise was basically the same gag as Beep The Meep.

"It’s beginning to look a lot like, City A.M.’s annual Christmas sandwiches taste test!"

"Whether it’s trifle, mince pies or cake, turn ready-made products into home-made puddings this Christmas…"

"Coca-Cola is hoping that this holiday season, families will crack open some Cokes, settle into a comfy spot and watch its first Christmas Anthology film series."

"A parish church has been lit up by 47 festive trees at a town's first Christmas tree festival."

"I have more stuff than I want, need or have room for. But still I cling on to that trouser press my dad gave me many years ago."


"Newsreel documented the making of "the periodical with the world's biggest sale", the Radio Times Christmas edition."

"His Majesty the King broadcasts at 3.0 on Christmas afternoon following 'Christmas Journey,' the world-wide programme at 2.0 p.m."

"Wind Chill, for all intents and purposes, accomplished exactly what it was meant to when released back in 2007."

"A nine-year-old child just wants apples and a milky bar for Christmas, a heartbreaking list of requested festive presents has revealed."
on Friday, December 09, 2022 0 comments Labels:
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