What would Harold Lloyd say?

The One Handed Man (my review on the Harold lloyd boxset)

If you live in the UK and remember Harold Lloyd, it's probably through the old TV compilations that had the song 'Hooray for Harold Lloyd' and the excitable cheesy voice over saying thinks like 'Oh no, what will Harold do now!!!'
When I bought the boxiest, I thought I would be getting those old shows. I remembered watching them as a kid, and didn't know they were just compilations from his films.
To be honest, they were very good and I was almost disappointed I didn't get that…then you watch the films.

They are some of the most amazing slapstick comedy films I've ever seen. At times I had my hands in front of my face saying NO! as he climbs a skyscraper, in one film with his feet stuck on a painters tresslle.

There are Talkies too! I've never seen these before. they are a lot different to the silents, and I think I prefer the silents. There is so much more visual comedy, whereas the talkies seem to be story lead. Feet First is probably the most hybrid of these talkies.

But…despite all these incredible stunts, what makes it even more incredible is he did it with nearly only 1 hand!
I didn't know this until recently, and I heard an interview on the radio with his daughter, who told the story.
In those old silent comedies, where you would have a big fat baddy with a big black moustache tying some maiden to a rail track whilst holding a big bomb, that said BOMB on the side, those bombs were made of paper. The idea being that when they exploded the effect looked impressive on screen. Anyway, apparently one of these bomb's went off whilst Harold was holding it, taking with it a few of his fingers. They thought his career was over, but instead Lloyd had a false hand made, it's very difficult to see at times, but in some scenes of his movies, usually when he's just sitting down, you can see his right hand makes no movements and looks slightly odd. You'd never notice though unless you knew about it, and it was kept a big secret.

Now, rematch one of his films and realise that these breathtaking stunts are not only being done by a real person, but a real 1 handed person!

Amazing set. Buy it.

What would Steve McQueen say?

Did anyone see the Antiques Roadshow where the lady brought in a Rolex?
It was fascinating. The lady who bought it in said it was her fathers. He had been a POW in Germany, originally captured in France and then marched through country after country until arriving in Germany.
The watch expert had never heard a story like the one the lady told. He knew the Germans confiscated (stole) most watches and jewellery, but what made the story so fascinating, was the watch was actually ordered and delivered whilst he was a prisoner!
Apparently Rolex would send watches from Switzerland to POW's. It was a huge moral booster for the POW's and Rolex just took it that the POW would pay when released.
The lady also said she was sure that when the great escape took place, 2 years after her father was captured, in a different camp, parts of the watches were converted to make compasses.
It was a very interesting story and one I'd never heard before.
The value of the bubble back Rolex was 2.5-3K but with the story and documentation that went with it he said a minimum value was 5K, though he knew she would never part with it.

What would David Bellamy say?

I've got a niggle about Vegetarians. It's focused on the answer I've had in the past when I've asked them 'why are you a veggie?'.
If the answer is because it's cruel to eat other animals or just about sanctity of life in all shapes and sizes, I have a small question that forms. I've never had it satisfactorily answered.
The question sort of goes like this:
If you respect all life, what about if a moth or spider gets into your house?
The answer 100% of the time is, they would let it out humanley, or spiderly or mothly?
OK, so what if it's smaller, like an ant?
Again, yes, with care and respect.
OK, so what if it's a flea, hair lice or something? They are living creatures?
I have to admit, I don't get anything at this point, and I still haven't got to germs that live on the toilet. Do you use bleach?
Do you see what I'm saying?
Life is life, isn't it? You might feel bad about eating a cow, but what about killing microscopic life whilst cleaning?

What would Kow Yokoyama say?

I've been a scale modeller since I was a kid. Every kid of my era had a go of at least 1 model kit, something that I think is unfortunatley lacking these days.
Over the years I've seen a lot of good, bad & ugly stuff. Some models I can appreciate for the skill involved or new techniques tried, but I am very rarely gobsmacked.

Recently I was gobsmacked.
I've just rejoined the Maschinen Krieger site after a few years absence: http://maschinenkrueger.com/forum and once again become interested in all things 'Kow', the designer of SF3D, or Maschinen Krieger, or more plainly Ma.K

Anyway, after some browsing I came across Mark Stevens and I was gobsmacked. Mark seems to do mainly scratchbuilt models from junk.
Here's a look at a before pic on Flickr:

I know, looks impressive huh?
Then take a look at the finished result:

Here's another scratchbuild from mark:

If you would like to see all of Mark's photo's, which also include his hobby of renovating Gillott bicycles, go HERE

What would Sigourney Weaver say?

After having just watched the whole Alien series again I was pleasantly surprised to find that in Alien 3, the only survivor from the Prison planet Fury was an inmate called....Morse!
Oh yeah. Well done Morsey. Not so good for Ripley :(

What would Peter & Jane say?

I don't remember Janet & John, when I was a nipper growing up in the early 70's I had Peter & Jane. Peter throws the ball, Jane throws the ball. Peter catches the ball...you get the drift.

Anyway, I've been thinking about those days at Marshfield Junior School, a small rural school in a small village called Castleton, South Wales, because at work wev'e been taking about Parents evening and the progress our own kids are now making at reading.
And you know what, I remember something weird.
As I said, I started with Peter & Jane, but after that, there was no Horrid Henry or Harry potter for us (or me, as I have no idea what other kids were given to read) I was given novels! It's true. The next book I remember being given is The Legend of Beowulf & Grendel. And after that a strange story of a man who travelled to the world of cats (by H.P. Lovecraft I think).

I think the memory is accurate, even if it is quite old, because as I'm writing this I've just remembered some of the books my parents bought me for Christmas whilst I was at that school. Books like Alexander Dumas The Man in the Iron Mask, and The Black Arrow.

Times have certainly changed.

What would Humphrey Bogart say?

I just had the annual task of making the company Birthday Cards. This year I went for Silver Screen stars.
Oh yeah, in case you wondered, we make aerosol cans.