fun

I, like most people of my generation, like cartoon programes such as The Simpson’s and Family Guy, yet I miss Looney Toons like Tom & Jerry. My favorites also included Speedy Gonzales, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester & Tweetie, Road Runner and of course Bugsy. But a part from the odd feature length sanitized version from Disney, they never seem to show the classics on terrestrial TV, or else I’m never up early enough to watch them? I fear however the PC’ers and people with too much time on their hands to complain caused them to be axed…

I’m not condoning the violence of cartoons or sayings its amusing (although of course it is hilarious); no I’m also interested in the philosophical issues raised by cartoons such as T&J, Cats inhumanity to Mouse for example. Also it’s an interesting case study of the 1950s/60s and its politically incorrect climate, which is progressively diametrically opposed to our current more enlightened times. I’m not asking that they show them just for entertainment, but for the purposes of education of our youth, social studies classes should be established for the study of such cartoons!

Or you could just watch the ones I found on youtube?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8z5JON-fOc
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvR58XdzINk&mode=related&search=
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av7nyA3ufXE
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT92rLEAWd8&mode=related&search=
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7-OzPYra_o

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 // Fun Stuff

You know, there’s been a big hole in the political satire market since Newton Emerson hung up his boots for a semi-respectable career as a journalist. Thankfully, he’s done the decent thing and bundled the last couple of years worth of material into a book (did someone say “cash-in?”), The Last of the Portadown News.

The Portadown News was one of those sites that literally had me in stitches laughing. I’d check the site each week for new material, and within 5 or 10 minutes, I’d be getting told to shut up and stop laughing to myself.

Whatever you think of Newton Emerson, he’s got a sharp wit that cuts straight through all the bullshit and political rhetoric that gets spun around here. He can expose a double-standard in his sleep.

Anyway, I got a copy of The Last of the Portadown News for Christmas this year. Needless to say, I was doubled over laughing yet again. I know this is juvenile, but the names of the reporters really got me started (Billy Shootspatrick, Reg Empty, etc) to the point where I wondered if Emerson’s own name wasn’t made up (Newtown-emerson, anyone? No?).

Anyway, despite the fact that it’s freely available online, get yourself a copy! You never know when they’ll pull the plug for good.

Sunday, December 31st, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I was watching Corpse Bride with the kids recently, and was completely struck by the similarities between slimy Lord Barkis and our permatanned Secretary of State, Peter Hain. It’s quite sinister really.

If you don’t think there’s a resemblance between the two, watch the movie and you’ll see what I mean.

Tuesday, June 27th, 2006 // Observations

If you thought crash test dummies had it hard, spare a thought for the stick men (and women) of the world…

Flickr has an amazing set of images showing stick figures in danger. You honestly couldn’t begin to conceive of the number of ways a stick person could be mutilated or injured. Of course, it’s only a matter of time before someone decides to take the protection of stick men under their wing.

I wonder if you can get grant funding for that?

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006 // Observations

Paint the front of your house with lamb’s blood, lock up your first born son and lead my people out of Egypt, Moses. Word reaches me that the classic 10 Commandments movie is about to be re-released.

Check out the updated trailer.

Sunday, May 21st, 2006 // Observations

I discovered a great multimedia site this evening, Interact 10 Ways.

Try out the Information Interactive page, which starts off with a photo of a man. Click anywhere on the picture and it will zoom in on the area, revealing a photomosaic of other pictures. After a while, you end up immersed in a never-ending stream of pictures.

From its content to its visual components, a photograph is filled with information. Choose a point on an image and delve deeper into it, linking one idea to another in a never-ending chain.

The Light Interactive lets you move around a 3D photomosaic box, setting the target on any object zooms in and reveals a picture. It’s a freaky little parallel universe….

Best of all is the interactive caption set. You view a gallery of pictures and can either rate the existing caption or add your own! Go on, do your worst.

Thursday, May 18th, 2006 // Observations

EatLiver.com is a bizarre name for a website, especially one which has a gallery of almost 1,000 hilarious pictures found across the Internet.

They’ve got truck-lifting Russian girlfriends, a psychiatrist who leaves his business card on high-rise office ledges and warnings about stepping out on the ice.

Still, my favourite two so far are the ones I’ve included here - the Chuck Norris Action Jeans (straight out of the catalogue) and the Baby sign. No Sleep, No Free Time, No Fun. Next 18 Years.

Well, I don’t know about “no fun”, but the rest is about right!

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Observations

Mr Levee recently posted about the new phenomena that is Google Idol.

We spotted the Pomme and Kelly videos early in the contest and knew they would go far. It seems that we were right and this week Pomme and Kelly became our new Gidols and were presented with the grand prize of $250 (which they are going to donate to charity!)
The girls entered the contest as just a bit of fun, but have found themselves drawing the attention of the worlds media and have aquired thousands of fans in just two and a half months.

Getting more attention than they bargained for, the girls controversially removed all their videos except their Google Idol entry from their website and asked that anyone with downloaded copies keep them off the internet.

If anyone is checking out the Google Idol site, make sure to check out the Anthony and Katy videos. these are a bit more rehearsed and less raw than Pomme and Kelly’s offerings but equally hilarious!

Monday, April 3rd, 2006 // Observations

I came across Google Romance on Sunday and thought it was the coolest idea ever! I raved to Mr Levee about how I wished i was single and could participate.

Of course I have since discovered that it was obviously an April Fools joke and I am the biggest fool ever.

No flies on me eh?

Monday, April 3rd, 2006 // General

Mrs L and I have spent most of this evening laughing at the unfortunate people who have submitted video clips of themselves to Google Idol.

The idea is, you do a video of yourself lip-synching to your favourite tune - and you can ham it up as much as you want - and then upload it to Google Video. Then you enter by submitting your video on Google Idol and wait for the votes to roll in!

The saddos in the picture above are doing their spoof version of Europe’s The Final Countdown. Our favourite Gidols (yes, they have a name) are Pomme and Kelly and their version of Respect. A quick search on Google Video reveals that they’ve got a whole back catalog of classic lip-synchs! If you do one thing today, go and vote for Pomme and Kelly in the competition!

Hold up! They’ve got their own website and they’re canvassing for votes! I could waste a lot of time watching this Google Idol competition!

Saturday, March 18th, 2006 // Observations