Welcome back class! Can you believe that next Monday is the last day of our lecture on British slang? Me either! Hope you all had a nice weekend! Without further adieu, here is your British slang for the week!
off license - liquor store
oggy - pasty
oi - hey
on the dole - unemployed
one off - something that happens once
parcel - package
parritch - porridge
pastie - meat pie
pensioner - old person
petrol - gas
phone box - phone booth
polo neck - turtle neck
poppycock - unbelievable
porter - doorman
posh - well to do
post - mail
postage & packing - shipping & handling
postbox - mailbox
postcode - zip code
pram - baby carriage
pub - bar
pudding - dessert
queue - line
quid - currency
removal van - moving van
restroom - staff room
return ticket - round trip ticket
reverse charge call - collect call
reversing lights - back-up lights
sacked - fired
sarnie - sandwich
scallywag - rascal
scone - biscuit
sellotape - scotch tape
semi housing - duplex
septic - American
shandy - beer and lemonade sixes and sevens - crazy
In light of the NHL All-Star game this afternoon, I give you Clark, the Canadian hockey goalie. Clark is one of the best dual sportsmen to ever live. Hope you're having a great day, and if you happen to watch (or have watched) the All-Star game, let me know what you think of the short for the Guardian Project!
Ok, ok. So if anyone who reads this blog is anything like me, the have seen the commercials for The Cape. You've been hesitant. NBC did so well with Heroes season 1. Then they did us wrong with Heroes: the rest of the seasons. You might still be gun shy about a NBC superhero series. I'm here to tell you that you are only partially right.
Here are the things going right with this show.
First thing: Old school hero storytelling. I know I might be in the minority of comic fans but I really liked the four color style (four color style, for those who don't know, is the storytelling of old, heroes and villains and the like. Before realism and grim and gritty took hold of comics). The first episode is the origin. We have Vince Faraday, a cop in Palm City. The local madman/super villain Chess ends up framing Faraday.The Cape is a hero who is made by the Lillian, like most great heroes were. He trains with a mentor (Keith David...he should be in more stuff) and becomes a force to be reckoned with. I enjoyed the pacing and flow and it really hearkened back to the olden days of comics.
Second thing: Summer Glau. Yeah, from Firefly to The Sarah Conner Chronicles I like Miss Glau. So sue me. She plays (SPOILER ALERT) a oracle-like character named Orwell, one of the few well named characters (see below). She pulls off the super knowledgeable role and her character fills the support role for The Cape. She works well in ensemble casts and definitely works well here.
Third Thing: The Circus of Crime. The group that finds hero Vince Faraday is an evil group who rob banks. The include a hypnotist (Ruvi), the circus ringleader/illusionist (Max Malini), a circus performer of unknown ability, possibly an animal trainer (Raia) and my favorite. A little person strong man (Rollo). The scenes with The Cape learning from everyone in the circus are fun and upbeat. The group work well together and are a light spot in the series
Not so fast! here are the things I didn't like.
First Thing: The names. I know coming up with new and copyrightable names is difficult. You don't want to go to the well one too many times. These names seem like my nephew came up with them. The hero who uses a cape as a weapon? He's The Cape. The gangster arms dealer with the scaly skin disorder? Scales. The main villain who has chess piece contact lenses? Chess. Come on guys, i really feel like you could have done better. Here are some names I just came up with. The Cape? Now The Black Mantle. Scales? Agamid. Chess? Castling. That's two minutes of work NBC.
Second Thing: I'm confused. It seems as if this world has costumed villains but The Cape is the first hero. Why? Scales has a scale disorder? Is he a mutant? Are super hero powers real in this world or is this more of a Watchman style hero and villain situation? It's possible that these questions might be answered but I found myself wondering the whole time about this stuff.
Third Thing: SFX. Quite simply they are of the straight to video circa 1999 quality. Every time The Cape uses his cape (let me tell you, it's a lot) it looks horrible. Just out and out fake. I find it hard to believe that they couldn't use real effects for the cape. It really removes me from the story and that makes it difficult to enjoy the product as a whole.
Overall I liked The Cape. I'm going along for a few more episodes. I would love to get a little input on this from Carlyz or The Editor on this series. Give it a go and let me know what you think.
Masharoni and Cheese by DJ Fergie Ferg- DJ Fergie Ferg is an up and coming DJ who is just about as much fun as Girl Talk. So if you like music catered for ADD, I highly suggest you download the album. (Psssssst... you can download it for free here.)
Things You Should be Watching...
Planet Earth- Yeah, I know, its been around for a while.... Last night I popped in the Blu Ray of it though, and fell in love with all over again. If you don't know what Planet Earth is, its a documentary that the BBS did a few years ago. Armed with high-def cameras, these film makers went to some of the most amazing places in the world, and got some unbelievable footage. It's completely riveting, especially in HD.
Things You Should be Reading...
Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski- I will be giving you all a full review of this book most likely over the weekend. It's one of the best graphic novels I've read in a long time. It's pretty much a retelling of Superman's origin story. Straczynski, along with artist Shane Davis, create a very cool, very grown up version of the early Superman. You'll love the story and the art.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen! In light of my recent mini-obsession with Superman (which I will be further exploring with you over the weekend) today's theme is (obviously) Superman! Lets get this show on the road....
M&M's! Mmmmmm......
Super fun. I still can't figure out how to make cake in the shape of a ball...
I like the little buildings the best :-)
Team up!
One cupcake shot, just because cupcakes are the best
Classic.
Even though it's a cardboard piece on top, it doesn't make this cake any less awesome.
Home-friggen'-made. I'm so jealous of people's skills...
Hello everyone! I have decided to temporarily abandon "Wizarding Wednesdays" in place for "Wacky Wednesdays". In this segment I'll be looking at some of the WTF's in the nerd world. I though a great place to start would be with Stan Lee's fantastic *cough, cough* project for the NHL.
So, to raise awareness for the NHL (read: not starvation, or MS, or violence, they're raising awareness for the friggen' National Hockey League), the NHL asked Stan Lee to come up with a different super-hero mascot for each NHL team. Let's just say that the outcome was... less than stellar.
For any of you that know of Stan Lee, you know that he (along with Jack Kirby) made Marvel Comics what they are today. He is the co-creator of some of the most notable Marvel super-heroes, such as; Spider-Man, the X-Men, Avengers, Iron Man, Daredevil and Dr. Strange to name a few.
In just a moment I'm going to begin revealing some of the "guardians". I won't reveal them all tonight, because there are nearly 50 of them, so I'll put out like 10 or so this week, 10 next week, and so on. While you are looking at these "completely original" mascots, I challenge you to play the game I like to call "Which Marvel character is Stan Lee ripping off?". It's a pretty fun game if you know your Marvel characters. Feel free to post your finds in the comments! Enjoy!
I spy an X-Man!
This one took me a minute... Can you figure it out?
Tornado body? Now THAT is original!
I spy an Avenger with two popular movies!
Another X-Man perhaps?
And yet ANOTHER X-Man?
Another one from the X-Men universe...
This is the only one thus far that I REALLY liked. It actually LOOKS like the Jersey Devil
This cutie is best known for her portrayal of Claudia on Warehouse 13. She is super young (only 21), but she's already working hard to earn her geek cred. In addition to her role on Warehouse 13 she was also asked to host the Halloween 2010 episode of Ghost Hunters. She is a self-proclaimed comic book buff, her favorite being Hack/Slash. She is currently being considered for the title roll of Cassie Hack in the upcoming movie. She was also chosen to write the forward on the comic Hack/Slash: My First Maniac because she is such a big fan of the series. She also played the role of Wonder Twin, Twyla, in Smallville.
She may not have a big bio behind her yet, but I have a feeling this chick is going to be rocking the cons for quite a while. Definitely one to keep an eye on!
Let me start out by letting you know my attention span boarders on the ADD level. So to have something hold my attention for the time it takes to read an honest to goodness novel and said novel doesn't involve Star Wars, that's saying something. Now think about this: I have read ten of The Dresden Files books. Freakin' ten. And I have loved them all. Loved them like a red head who enjoys Iron Man, flea markets and liberal amounts of BBC America. Which is to say a a lot. (Side note: If anyone reading this is, in fact, a red head who enjoys Iron Man, flea markets and BBC America please contact Carly) I have decided to throw out a review of the first book, Storm Front by Jim Butcher.
Harry Dresden (Full name? Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, natch) is the only wizard in the phone book in Chicago. He works as a private investigator, often for the Chicago Police Department. But this book starts like all great hard boiled p.i stories: with a beautiful dame walking through Harry's office door. He takes the case but before he can start properly on the case he's called by friend and frequent employer Karrin Murphy of the C.P.D. There's been a double murder and the police need Harry's help. One of the victims works for the local madam Bianca, who just happens to be a vampire. The other? Employed by Chicago's most powerful gangster: "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone.
That's the setup and it keeps on going from there. It's a fantastic and surprisingly quick read. Jim Butcher has a style that is both easy to follow and spectacularly entertaining. Butcher is especially good at the action sequences, both of the mundane and magic variety.
This is the story that sets up the rest of the series. Many of the mainstays of the Dresden novels are introduced here but nothing feels like a forced learning that is only there to build upon in later adventures. I really cannot recommend the book enough. I have actually purchased a copy for Carlz. Whether she reads it or not is another thing. I got this book from a friend and felt like it was my duty to pass it on. Which I did, to my sister and mother who are both deeply ingrained in the series.
Also of note it the fact that Harry Dresden has crossed over into other medias. There is a roleplaying game which I have yet to encounter but would happily gobble up. There is also a trade paperback of Storm Front. For those of you who fear the written word sans pictures (No judgment) then go try these babies and see if they inspire you to try the original material. Lastly there was a short lived television series on the Sci Fi channel (It was before the Scyfy change). While the series itself was entertaining and fun I would recommend trying the novels or comics before jumping into that series. Try the novel and if you are lazy or cheap let me know. I am always happy to lend out my copy to bring another member into the Dresden fold.
Note from Carly: If you are going to Google this book, make sure you Google "Storm Front" and
NOT "Stormfront". "Storm Front" is a book, "Stormfront" is aparantly a neo-Nazi forum.
Wiretap- Wiretap is a great show on the CBC. The host, Jonathan Goldstein is a self-proclaimed "humorist", meaning, if you're looking to be rolling on the floor laughing, you're in the wrong place. However, if you like sarcastic, self-deprecating humor, it's the perfect match for you!
Things You Should Be Watching...
Tosh.0- Tosh.0 is a clip show kind-of like "The Soup". Comedian Daniel Tosh takes the most popular viral videos and basically rips them a new one. This show also offers "web redemptions" to the most embarrassing viral videos out there, giving the people in the video a chance to redeem themselves. Fan-freaking-tastic! Below is my favorite clip from the show
FOOTBALL!- Again, I stress, if you are were not, or have not been in a fantasy football league, please be sure to do so at the end of next Summer when leagues are available. ESPECIALLY if you are a girl who HATES football. I only say this, because if football is important to your guy, you should try and embrace it, because lets face it, football is like, five months, and wouldn't you rather NOT be pissed at your guy for half a year? It's the last football weekend before the Super Bowl, so I suggest you pick your pony and put some money on that hoss! I mean, what fun is betting on the game, if you're not putting your money where your mouth is? ;-)
Things You Should Be Reading...
Angry Little Girls- You could get through this book in like, half hour. This book was loaned to me by Miss Reading Rambo, and I LOVED it. Below is the Amazon description:
Lee created Kim, the angry little Asian girl, for a brief cartoon that was a response to insulting Asian characters in other cartoons. In this collection of her weekly strip, she expands the idea to include a bunch of girls of different races. The book aims for wry humor and occasionally achieves it, as when Xyla, the gloomy girl, says, "The thought of suicide is what keeps me alive." But actual laughs are rare. Lee's minimal drawing style recalls Peanuts, Life in Hell and South Park, and she tries to emulate their tone. Like Peanuts, she gives her child characters adult neuroses, cynical worldviews and a touch of sadness. But her plain approach never reaches that strip's subtlety. Nor does her satire come close to Life in Hell, which at its best was relentless about the state of love, work and childhood in the modern world. Instead, we have a trifle that seems too timid to say much about anything, ironically packaged with a hard cover and heavy, full-color glossy pages.
If you enjoy this book, you should check out the sequel "Still Angry Little Girls".
In honor of the Star Wars RPG game we are now playing on Nerd Night (I'm a Rodian named Doda, who is totaz hot for a green chick) I figured what better cakes to post than Start War cakes! Away we go!
Adorable Yoda cake
C3PO is my favorite little garbage can!
I love this Japanese inspired Chewy and Storm Trooper!
Um, Evan T. may be getting these for his half birthday...
Hey guys! So, I was just recently reminded about how much I love a particular person. That person is Sarah Haskins. Sarah is a comedian best known for her work on the "Current" TV channel doing "Target Women" where she looks at different gender stereotypes in advertising.
This whole article should be filed under "Hot Nerd of the Week", but she's more of a nerd crush for me :-) This super smart, super funny woman will have you laughing like crazy. Below are a few of my favorite episodes of "Target Women". To see more Sarah Haskins, check out www.current.com.
Those are just a taste of some of her newer stuff. There a a TON more on the current.com website. I hope you enjoy!
This weeks Hot Nerd is most well known for playing Troy on Community. What you may not know is that for being only 27, the guy has accomplished a LOT.
In 2006 Donald graduated from NYU with a degree in dramatic writing. This degree helped land him a job writing on the fabulous TV show 30 Rock. In 2009 he was nominated for the Writers Guild of America award for Best Comedy for the work he did on the third season of 30 Rock.
In 2009 Donald's fame grew as he was cast on the TV show Community. His comedic background (Donald is part of the sketch comedy group Derrick Comedy, as well as an aspiring stand-up comedian) helped launch his star even higher.
When casting began on the new Spider-man reboot there was a huge internet campaign calling for Donald to play the title roll in the new film. Both Stan Lee and Brian Michael Bendis supported an audition for him. The role ultimately went to Andrew Garfield, but Donald got the chance to sport a spidey suit in an episode of Community.
Donald Glover has it all; good looks, a great body, brains, and a fantastic sense of humor. That is why he is this weeks Hot Nerd!
Good afternoon! So, I've become obsessed with a number of British television shows. "Dr. Who", "Being Human", "How Clean is Your House", and "Torchwood" just to name a few. Before that there was "Extras" and "The Office". While watching these shows, there were a few words that I wasn't familiar with. I figured since I'm not the only British TV loving nerd out there, I'd translate a few words for you in part one of an ongoing "Nerding 101" series. Away we go!
across the pond - in America
answerphone - answering machine
apple and pears - stairs
arse - ass
arse over tit - Head over heels
aye - yeah
back tickler - homosexual
bangers - sausages
barking - crazy
barrister - lawyer
biscuit - cookie
blimey - wow
bob's your uncle - and there you have it
bobbie - policeman
boggart - bogeyman
bollocks - testicles
boxing day - day after Christmas
candy floss - cotton candy
cheeky - rude
cheerio - goodbye
cheers - thank you
chips - fries
cooker - oven
crikey - wow
crisps - chips
daft - absent minded
dodgy - shady dressing gown - bathrobe
dual carriageway - divided highway
durex - condom
dust-bin-trolley - trash-truck
dustbin - trashcan
dustman - garbage man
fag - cigarette
fanny - ass
fizzy drink - soda
flyover - overpass
footballer - soccer player
footpath - sidewalk
fortnight - two weeks
fringe - bangs
frock - dress
fuzz - police
gearbox - transmission
git - bastard
gob - mouth
gobbing - spitting
gobsmacked - surprised
Hope you enjoyed today's installment! There will be more coming at ya next Monday!
Review time! Review time! Who dey gonna find to review? Evan T!
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam is the latest in the DC animated originals. Unlike the previous entries Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam is a combination of shorts. The previously unreleased Superman/Captain Marvel story headlines and shines all over.
The animation is smooth and crisp. It is slightly stylized to me. A marriage of traditional american hero animation and japanese anime. Here's the kicker: It's neither. It's Korean. The story is an origin story for the good captain. Simple storytelling in the classic four color style, it's a really enjoyable watch.
One of my favorite parts of the animated short is a truly inspired bit of casting. Arnold Vosloo (you may know him as the mummy Imhotep from The Mummy films, Zartan from G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra or our supremely geeky reads will know him as the titular hero Darkman from the two darkman sequels) as Black Adam. I wouldn't have thought of it but seeing it in action it seems so simple. I even believed that Black Adam looked like he was given some subtle cues of Mr. Vosloo in the animated character. Really good stuff. I have yet to be disappointed by DC's animation.
The rest of the DC Showcase animated shorts: DC Showcase: The Spectre, DC Showcase: Jonah Hex, and DC Showcase: Green Arrow are all fantastic. They were included in previous releases as extras and are all collected here in extended versions. I felt that all of them are fantastic and I really wish they were full length, especially the Green Arrow one. Knocked my socks off.
I totally recommend this purchase to anyone who might not have the other shorts on their parent discs and even if you do, you will find something for you on this compilation. There are some commentaries on all the shorts and a few Bruce Timm selections from Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Brave and The Bold and Justice League: Unlimited that correspond with the stars of the shorts. Give it a shot and you will not be disappointed.
Antoine Dodson- Bed Intruder Song- Antoine Dodson was a normal guy, until someone tried to start raping everyone up in here! His infamous interview was remixed by Autotune the News, and the song has skyrocketed to the top 100 list on iTunes. Pretty impressive! Below are the links for both the original interview (for those of you like me who are waaaaay behind the times), as well as the song. You will NOT be able to get this out of your head. Just ask The Editor...
SModcast- I've been so busy pimping everything else on the SModcast network that I nearly forgot about the original that started it all! Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier bring you this smart and hilarious podcast on a weekly basis. The two catch you up on all of the ongoings in their lives, as well as create some pretty amazing characters. If you're a fan of Kevin's, I highly suggest this, and even if you're not a fan, you should give it a listen.
Things You Should Be Watching...
Fringe- I'm aware that I have already pimped this show here, maybe more than once, but it's only because it is honestly a GREAT show. I hear stupid things all the time like "But Caaaaarly, isn't it just like, an X-Files rip off? Blah, blah, blah...". Well, I don't know, because I was too young to enjoy "The X-Files" when it was on. However, I can tell you that The Editor is/was a huge X-Files fan, and he LOVES "Fringe". I'm pleading with you to watch it because the Fox network is doing what they are notorious for doing; moving awesome TV to Friday night. This sucks because Friday night is like the "kill spot" for TV. "Smallville" is sitting in a Friday night spot, in it's last season and the amazing "Terminator: The Sara Conner Chronicles" got moved to Friday night right before Fox pulled the plug on it. Let's not forget about "Firefly" either. If we can stay on top of this, and all pull our collective "nerd" together to watch, maybe, just maybe, we can save this show from being axed. Don't let "American Idol" win.
Parks and Recreation- Parks and Recreation is an awesome show. People are always saying to me "But Caaaaaaarly, isn't it just like 'The Office'?". I suppose it is in that they are both filmed documentary style, and that you get the same douche chills with Amy Poehler's character that you do with Steve Carrell's character, but that's about it. Remember when "The Office" used to be good? Well, Parks and Rec will make you laugh just as hard as the "good" seasons of The Office did. Amy Poehler is a little annoying, but the supporting cast is absolutely amazing. Just check it out, you'll like it.
Things You Should Be Reading...
"My Boring Ass Life" by Kevin Smith- This amazing collection of Kevin's blog entries will keep you rolling with laughter. This very well written, well thought out book gives you a glimpse inside what it's like to be Kevin Smith. If you have a cross country flight, be sure to bring this with you!
