Not only do we have another shiny new episode of Torchwood tonight but there's a whole new Charlie Brooker programme on my telly to beam his anger at the world (and Telly) straight into my eyes and eyes. Yay! it's really good timing too as I've just finished reading his book Dawn of the Dumb (A collection of Guardian articles for people too lazy to read them on the website).

And even better I've just found out that he's going to be doing a games series too (the cleverly titled Gameswipe (to go with Screenwipe and Newswipe). Today is a day of Charlie Brooker cheer in this household.

In other news His Lordship actually thought last night's Torchwood was very good. He has never said such a thing about that particular series before. I thought I was hearing things, but he was actually very impressed. I had to go outside and check that the sky wasn't falling.

In other book news now that I've finished the Brooker book I've made a start on House of Leaves (making sure that I've left plenty of space in the freezer to store the book a la Joey from Friends). So far, not that strange. But I'm only 30 or so pages into it. I expect it to get much, much weirder before long, judging from what others have been saying about it.

Go and appear in the sequel to a very rubbish St Trinian's film:

David Tennant Joins St Trinians 2

It's detention time for David Tennant as he goes from Time Lord to House Master for St Trinians II: The Legend Of Fritton's Gold.

As if one installment wasn't bad enough, the girls in small uniforms are back - and they're ready for a spot of gold-digging. Searching for the hidden treasure of the legendary Fritton's Gold, the film will see Tennant sizing up to the girls as their arch-nemesis, the mysterious misogynist Pomfrey - part of a woman-hating secret society called AD1.

-------

It does also star the awesome Shaz from Ashes to Ashes, but I don't think even the pair of them will save this film.

Even icon!David is shocked by this news.

First ITV axed primeval, now the BBC has dumped Robin Hood:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8132101.stm
(Spoilers for the last episode in the article btw)

I love these sorts of forced perspective pictures, they always look so brilliant. (Like having Blackpool tower sticking out of the top of your head like a jaunty Victorian Metalwork hat.)

BEJEWELED BLITZ IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE

There was a major fire at Bejeweled Blitz's server hosting facility last night. We would like to say that the heat of everybody's gem swapping burned up the servers, but unfortunately in this case it was an actual fire.

Bejeweled Blitz will not be available until the damage is cleaned up and generators are brought in to restore power. Our current estimate is that we will be back up later tonight (Seattle Time).

When the game does come back up, you may notice that some of your friends' scores from this week appear to have been erased. Don't worry -- all scores are safe and secure in our database, and they will start to show correctly as you and your friends visit the game.

Thanks for playing Bejeweled Blitz. We are working very hard to get the game up and running for you as soon as possible, and we appreciate your patience.

- The Bejeweled Blitz Team

Woes.

OMG! How cute?




Probably the coolest place I've seen on abandonedplaces in quite a while: Sorrento, Italy:
http://sorrentovmills.blogspot.com/2007/04/deep-valley-of-mills-we-had-holiday-in.html
http://www.sorrentoinfo.com/en/3/1/149/category/articles/the-valley-of-the-mills.html
http://www.pbase.com/christhorpe/image/58181124

Look what we bought today:



I tell you, His Lordship shouldn't be allowed to go out shopping. It arrives in 8 weeks. All we have to do now is get rid of the old one. If I leave it on the drive, do you think someone will nick it like they did the washing machine?

However, the thought of having a comfortable sofa again fills me with joy.

Today has been very weird. I feel awful about Farrah Fawcett, because she was suffering so much right up until the end. All the Michael Jackson songs on the radio (about time Radio 1 started playing stuff with lyrics and a beat) and wall to wall coverage on everything (His Lordship's Musoguide boss was on Sky News this evening - and Charlie Brooker was so so right about Sky News, what an awful, awful attempt at 'news'). Not surprised that ONTD broke the internet. Got a lot of texts of people in the middle of the night. Even His Lordship woke me up to tell me.

cleolinda has a very good and eloquent obit here.

Like Cleo, my first exposure to him was the Thriller video. Channel 4 (I think) were doing a big unveiling of it, with a making-of and stuff (which my mum still has on tape) and I grew up with Michael Jackson music always playing in my parents house (my mum was quite a fan up until the nineties).

But you know what my enduring memory is of him? (and not for the best of reasons at that) This performance at the Brits in the mid-nineties:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upbbz_Eyq4Q

Really ought to get my arse in gear for this.

Has everyone paid me know? I've lost track due to hormones and a missing notebook THAT CONTAINS MY LIFE Woes! (The only two I'm unsure about were Charlotte and Emma)

Places to stay:
We could do the Big Sleep again. Had a look tonight and a twin room is £69 for one night £69 (with breakfast) and I could reserve 5 rooms so I think they've got a few there.

Travelodge on St Mary Street (by the train station) is £29 per night but I can't see how many rooms they have available. And they would only offer me double rooms.

I think there's a couple down by the bay, Premier Travel Inn is £65 a night and there's another Travelodge near there too.

So where shall we book?

P.S. still have one speare ticket. does anyone know conjunkie and would like to ask her if she'd like to join us?

From ICanHasCheezeburger:


How? How did they get a cat to agree to wear a diving suit and how did they get it in a pool? Is it an advert or CGI or something or is it horrifyingly real?

• The now officially awesome Pixar grant a dying girl's wish. If you don't shed a tear when you read this then you are dead inside.
• News on s3 of the wonderful Chuck!
• Cybermen concept art (SPOILERS!)
• For the Jacqueline Carey fans on my flist: a preview of her new book, Naamah's Kiss
• Cowell admits mistakes over Susan Boyle
• Will The Stig be revealed tonight? If the Stig doesn't have a blank face a la Rose in The Idiot's Lantern I will be very sad.

Crazy weather

• Deadly hail in China, Dead Tadpoles in Japan
• Tornado in Suffolk

How can you cancel Primeval and leave it on such a cliffhanger? That's just mean.

When our Washing Machine died we stuck it outside the back gate so it was out of the way until we could dispose of it. It's been there for about two weeks or so now (mainly because I'm NOT paying the Council £15 for the privilege of taking it away for me. What the hell am I paying my Council Tax for?)

Come home from work tonight and it's GONE!

Someone has stolen our broken washing machine. I hope they don't try to use it else they're going to get a very damp surprise.

via circe_tigana:
a baby bobcat and a fawn having a snuggle
Access all areas with Johnny Depp

Moar Johnny News: Fans make Johnny a quilt he sends back a really nice letter

My Little Zombie Pony

( bunch of LOLCats which made me smile today )

The Prisoner remake promo (It's not the same without Portmerion)

I have been requested to remove the galleries I host on Adventures in Time and Space (doctorwho.time-and-space.co.uk), The Institute (torchwood.time-and-space.co.uk) and the Ninth Doctor Screencaps (ninthdoctor.time-and-space.co.uk) within the next seven days.

I'll be backing up the galleries over the next few days ready for the deletion which will take place after the weekend. If there are any pictures you want to save I recommend that you do so now.

Just so you know.

But I come bearing MUSE NEWS!

[x] The new album is called "The Resistance"
[x] ETA September 2009
[x] Two pictures from the making of the album have been posted by the band on Twitter [1] [2]
[x] Drowned in Sound report that one of the tracks is called "The United States of Eurasia"

[x] Showbiz and my favourite of all the Muse albums Origin of Symmetry are being re-released on vinyl on July 21st (Origin... is going to be a double album. It almost tempts me to buy a turntable.)

[x] The tour is still on for 'the autumn' (oh please God let it be before November.)

...well there wasn't, but 'Romulans' doesn't fit.

I went to see Star Trek on Thursday night. (Yes I think I am amongst the last people in the world to go and see it.)

Our Trailers du jour were:
The Hangover (Mike Tyson singing Phil Collins is probably the most surreal thing I've ever seen)
Transformers (EXPLOSIONS!ROBOTS!MORE EXPLOSIONS!THE AUDIENCE LOOKING UP MEGAN FOX'S SHORTS!)
Terminator (More ROBOTS!F*CKING CHRISTIAN BALE!TIME TRAVEL!)
I am not a fan of the new style Orange adverts though. I miss the film pitches. But tangentially related: how much is Emilio Estevez looking like his dad?

( spoilers )

What a lovely day we had today! I spent a lot of time in the back garden this morning hacking down shrubs and weeds and putting lovely plants in my planters. Obviously it's not going to last as it is a bank holiday tomorrow.

Bilbo was somewhat less enthused though.


Who's that hiding under the rhubarb at the top of the garden?


Oh Hai Bilbo!

Bilbo says that warm, sunny days may be great for you humans but it's not so much fun when you're wearing an inch thick fur coat!

In other news:
This ICanHasCheezeburger post made me giggle, because I have experienced the sparkly poo of a kitten and it is special.


And on a Star Trek theme (which I've now seen, thought was brill, will be showing you my thoughts on it later)
[x] redscharlach has a pile of mini!Trek icons. I wants so many of them!
[x] My Little Spock

The first thing we did when we got hme yesterday was get the kettle on and get Lost on. And OMG it was worth the wait.

( SPOILAHS! )

I have paid for the tickets today. They should be with me either tomorrow or Thursday.

Once I can get back into my PayPal I will do a who's paid update (which I think is everyone). I still have that one spare ticket as I couldn't cancel it so I'll do a post on the 'meets' community at some point this week.

What have I missed? The thought of skip=1,000 makes me want to cry. I'll never get caught back up.