Your missus wants to go to a movie, so you kindly offer to take her to some chick flick-looking drama about a talented ballerina. She’s happy, you’re happy, birds are chirping, all is well with the world etc. The fact that you offered to take her to a ballet movie seems lost on her.
But alas, this ain’t no “Center Stage” or “Step Up” or “Honey” or ummm… okay, I’m kinda out of dance movies here. Oh, or “Billy Elliot” – that’s another one. Yeah, it’s not like that one either.
It turns out that Black Swan is more of a psychological thriller than a happy dance flick. Directed by Darren Aronofsky of ‘Requiem for a dream’ and ‘The Wrestler’ fame, this one looks kinda creepy… take a look:
Yeah, not so sure you’ll have any brownie points left after that movie. Unless you earn brownie points for going to crap-yourself scary thrillers – in which case you’ve got bigger problems to worry about.
And lads: if I lost you at ballerina and you moved off to other posts, well here’s something just for you: Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman locking lips in the movie. Coz I had to drag this post into the gutter, didn’t I?
Right, time to whine. But before I do so, note that this product comes highly recommended, especially seeing as it’s R1000 cheaper than the other versions. It also seems to have the delays/lag reported with the prior models sorted out: definite PRO.
Dear Multichoice: your brand new PVR, the HD-PVR 2P, previously discussed here, is beginning to warrant a run-in with a sledgehammer.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great having access to the HD channels, and the ability to record multiple hours, pause live TV etc. is, as per your advertising, frikkin awesome (not sure you used those exact words, but that’s the gist of it).
I do however seem to have a few issues with it. I realise it was rushed to market just in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and may therefore have a few bugs to work out. Well here’s a thought: work them out already!
News24 – great to read the news at leisure on the telly. Unfortunately, 50% of the time the decoder crashes when exiting News24. It’s gotten to the stage where I will not access the service when something is busy recording as it usually means I need to reboot upon exit, thereby disrupting the recording of said show.
Series recording – not yet available. Fair enough: given the whole rushed-to-market thing I’m sure it’ll be available eventually. But the current alternative, time-based recordings, has the occasional habit of going haywire. Example: Lost. I set up the PVR to record Lost every Monday evening on Series. It records fine. Many times though when I check the next day it gives me a message that all future recordings were cancelled. Ummm… no they weren’t. Not by me, not by my missus, and presumably not by my 4-month old (she’s not exactly au fait with remotes yet).
That seems to have resolved itself lately. Now that error has been replaced by each episode of Lost (and every series set to record), for the next three weeks anyway, being listed individually. Fine, not a problem. But does mean that it’ll only record for the next three weeks? What happens in week four? Hmmm?
Last issue: the remote sucks. It is next to impossible to press ‘Play’ without accidentally causing the PVR to either Rewind or Fast-Forward. Fix the knoppie. I could go and buy a replacement remote (I see there’s a different brand that works perfectly as it has a slightly different button layout), but, quite frankly, if I’ve paid R2000 for a product I’m not forking out for a new remote too. Aight?
Whew! I’m done.
Other than that? It’s awesome. Clearly the above whines are software bugs (well, except for the remote thing), and will presumably be sorted out soon. Just thought I’d use this platform to hurry the process along…
Apple has announced that it’s sold 3 million iPads -– less than three months since the device hit stores.
…
It would appear that iPad sales aren’t slowing down at all since launch – in fact, they might be accelerating. The company announced it had hit two million devices sold just 22 days ago, whereas it took the company 28 days to sell its first million devices, and another month to sell its second. With the device going on sale in more countries in July, those numbers could jump even faster.
Not too shabby. By the way, I see you still haven’t bought me one yet. What exactly is the delay? Maaitjie FAIL.
First iPhone 4 reviews coming in
According to Wired some tech journos managed to get their hands on the new iPhone 4, and their reviews are starting to come in. Here’s the crux of it:
The reviewers agreed that the iPhone 4’s hardware is state-of-the-art industrial design.
Detailed enough for you? Yes? No? Maybe?
Unfortunately the majority of the snippets deal more with moaning about America’s (apparently) rather rubbish AT&T network – seeing as the phone is locked to them, a la Vodacom here in South Africa, – and less about the phone itself.
Dear iPhone 4 reviewers cited in the article
There are other countries on the planet too. Yes, that is correct – Earth does not consist solely of the good ol’ US of A. Capeish? We want to know about the phone, not your FAIL networks.
The iPhone 4 goes on sale tomorrow (Thursday 24 June) in the US, the UK, France, Germany and Japan. And in South Africa? Who knows…
Just incidentally, I want one. In case you were wondering. So whenever you get around to buying me that iPad you promised, feel free to throw in an iPhone 4 for good measure. Thanks, you’re a legend!
Produced by the same folks at HBO who brought you the brilliant World War II epic series Band of Brothers a few years ago, the new series The Pacific premiered on M-Net last night.
This series covers the US Marine Corps’ battles against Japan in the Pacific region during World War II. This is the point where I could immediately launch into a long-winded and drawn out diatribe on the cast, locations, plot and and and but I feel that that is unnecessary – if you enjoyed watching Band of Brothers (and quite frankly who didn’t?) then you’re going to thoroughly enjoy this new series. Simple as that.
It is top-notch, thoroughly well-made and definitely worth a look-see. I for one have now block-booked my Wednesday evenings for the next few months to see how it pans out.
There, I told you this was a brief review. Who needs pages and pages of analysis when simply stating “it’s great – watch it!” will suffice?
Want to own it?
As it has not yet finished screening over in the good ol’ US of A it is not yet available for sale, but should be shortly, and I for one will most definitely be granting it pride of place on my DVD shelf right there next to Band of Brothers and the rest of the wartime epics I possess once it is released. You can however sign up to be notified of when it is released for sale by Amazon.com in both regular DVD and Blu-ray format.
Did you all see the recent Top Gear review of the new Ford Fiesta?
If not, boy did you ever miss out on what has got to be one of THE funniest bits of TV ever made!
But never fear. Always here to save the day, I managed to track it down for you lot. All 11 minutes of it.
And you will watch them all! Trust me…
After being moaned at by a viewer for not reviewing cars “properly”, they decided to answer the call. The review answers, in true piss-yourself-funny Top Gear fashion, such pressing questions as:
Is it economical?
Is it easy to park?
Is it green?
What if I go to a shopping centre and get chased by baddies in a corvette?
Can I afford it?
What if I’m asked to take part in a beach assault with the Royal Marines?
Awe’frikkin’some!
The official Top Gear site has also put up a couple of photos of what they consider to be the Top 10 bits of TG telly. Go take a look. And yes, the Ford Fiesta test is one of them…
Okay, I’ll admit it – I’m a HUGE fan of the comedy TV series The Big Bang Theory…
Which of course means that you now get to read a whole bunch of rather amusing quotes from the show. This is thanks to me seeing a link to a whole site devoted to show quotes.
Coz people have that kind of time on their hands. And I in turn have the kind of time on my hands that allows me to copy and paste half of them.
Quit yer bitching – at least I’m not quoting Star Trek…
So let’s ease into it with a few from the whole team, shall we? First up, the exceedingly eccentric Sheldon:
Sheldon: Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and as it always has, rock crushes scissors.
Raj: If I could speak the language of rabbits, they would be amazed, and I would be their king. Leonard: I hate my name. It has ‘nerd’ in it. ‘Len. Nerd.’ Wolowitz: I lost my virginity to my cousin Jeanie. Raj: I would be kind to my rabbit subjects … at first.
Sheldon: A little misunderstanding? Galileo and the Pope had a little misunderstanding…
Raj: I don’t like bugs, okay? They freak me out. Sheldon: Interesting. You’re afraid of insects and women. Ladybugs must render you catatonic.
Howard: Sheldon, you remember the first few weeks we were looking for magnetic monopoles and not finding anything, and you were acting like an obnoxious, giant dictator? Raj: I thought we were going to be gentle with him. Howard: That’s why I added the ‘-tator’.
None from Leonard specifically – he’s too whiny…
Which of course brings us to the true legend of the show: Howard Wolowitz – the extremely sleazy and hopeless-with-women character, brilliantly played by Simon Helberg.
Wolowitz: I am a horny engineer, I never joke about math or sex.
Wolowitz: Raj, there’s no place for truth on the Internet.
Wolowitz: Penny, let me take this opportunity to point out that you are looking particularly ravishing today. Penny: Not with a thousand condoms, Howard. Wolowitz: So there is a number.
Wolowitz: Check out the sexy nurse. I believe it’s time for me to turn my head and cough.
Wolowitz: If it’s “creepy” to use the Internet, military satellites, and robot aircraft to find a house full of gorgeous young models so I can drop in on them unexpected, then fine, I’m “creepy”.
Wolowitz: Love is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, a relentless pursuit that only ends when she falls into your arms – or hits you with the pepper spray.
Wolowitz: They’re called tattoo sleeves… Put them on, have freaky sex with some freaky girl with her business pierced, take them off, and I can still be buried in a Jewish cemetery.
Wolowitz(watching America’s Next Top Model): Oh, look! That’s the future Mrs. Wolowitz. No, wait! That’s the future Mrs. Wolowitz. With her head in the lap of… what a coincidence… it’s the future Mrs. Wolowitz. Leonard: Yeah, and they can all move in with you and your mother. The current Mrs. Wolowitz.
Speaking of the future Mrs Wolowitz, here’s one for the ladies:
A few pics of the ever-fine Penny, played by just-as-fine (you think?) Kaley Cuoco. Because no post about the show would be complete without at least a few photos of Penny. And because JP complained that I talk too much kak and don’t show enough hottie pics. So without further ado…
Click an image to enlarge the photo and start the gallery.
Schweet – True Blood returns to M-Net tonight at 22:05. The series carries on with episode 8 of the second series.
By the way, and while we’re on the subject:
Dear Mnet
Thanks for not bothering to tell anyone that you were going to stop showing the series over the Christmas holidays. One week it’s there, the next it was some crappy chick-flick movie.
Keeping the customers informed FAIL.
Regards
Stu
Sookie and Bill
In case you forgot what happened before someone stopped showing it, here’s a recap of the last two episodes, compliments of IMDB:
Season 2, Episode 6: Hard-Hearted Hannah
Tara and Eggs are driving down the highway when he suddenly realizes he has memories of having been there before. As he explores the nearby woods, he realizes it is an evil place. Sam and Daphne are having a good time and go frolicking in the woods. She has a surprise for him that is not welcome. Eric is out to take possession of Sookie and has Bill’s old girlfriend, who has not seen him for 70 years, come to town. We learn that Bill was not always the gentle, mild-mannered vampire he is today. In Dallas, Sookie is partnered with Hugo – another human who is dating a vampire – for their visit to the Light of Day Institute. Posing as an engaged couple looking for a church to wed, they meet the Newlins and have a tour of the church – but Steve also has a surprise for them. Jason is asked to build a scaffold for a sunrise ceremony where a vampire will be exposed to the dawn sun before the entire congregation. Jason is having serious doubts about whether he wants to be part of this group.
Season 2, Episode 7: Release Me
Still being held in the basement at the Church, it becomes obvious to Sookie that Steve knew they were coming, but is not sure why. That tells her there is a spy among them. She tries to get a message to Bill, but he is being held prisoner by his maker, who refuses to let him go after the woman he loves. In flashbacks, Bill’s conversion to a less violent lifestyle is revealed. When Steve learns Sookie’s true identity, he makes the connection with Jason and assumes he’s a spy. As they begin to wreak their vengeance, Sookie is saved by someone she has yet to meet. Back at the hotel Jessica and Hoyt decide to sleep together. In Bon Temps, Sam manages to escape, courtesy of a drunken Andy Bellefleur. Any plans he may have had for getting even with Daphne are overtaken by Maryann who has her own plans for her acolyte. The rest of the revelers have no memory of what happened the night before.
So tune in tonight to catch the latest chapter in the adventures of the rather fine Sookie, played by Anna Paquin, and some vampire dude.
An article today on MyBroadband.co.za has reported that webmail.co.za, one of South Africa’s premier free email services, has decided to thumb its nose at local hosting and buggered off to Europe. See this snippet from the original article (link) for more info:
South Africa’s largest free email service, Webmail.co.za, has recently moved the hosting of their servers internationally. According to Netcraft the move took place around November 2009, and the new hosting location for Webmail is Nfrance Datacenter in Paris, France.
While the reasons behind this decision are not clear, it may be related to the high bandwidth costs associated with hosting services in South Africa. In South Africa data costs of between 5c and 10c per MB for high end hosting services are commonplace – multiple times higher than international hosting services.
Naturally those users who access their webmail accounts on local-only bandwidth (cheaper) are getting a bit cranky, as they now no longer have that opportunity.
If it is in fact due to the cost of local hosting… then in my opinion I totally get it – local hosting is bloody expensive, and us South Africans are getting sick and tired of constantly playing catch-up to the rest of the world in all things connectivity. If however that is not their reason, my argument about costs is still valid.
A friend of mine has his company website hosted locally, and not only is it far more expensive than international hosting, his storage allocation and monthly traffic is severely limited by comparison.
When I made the move over from the free Google-hosted Blogger to self-hosted WordPress in November last year I went straight to foreign hosting, in this case provided by Hostgator (disclosure note: my affiliate link). For 60% of the price of local hosting I get unlimited storage, unlimited site traffic, and can even host an unlimited number of websites with them. Their technical help folks have also been instantly contactable via live chat 24 hours a day in my experience during the move – no submitting a ticket and then waiting a couple of days. So all in all a win for price, product and service.
As long as there is such a major discrepancy in what you get for your money this will not change – South African sites will continue to host overseas.
So according to some genius, who is now forever immoralised on “It made my day“, District 9 is a documentary. Although, I guess that IS kinda what they were going for…
Good to know. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out tomorrow when I’m in Johannesburg then.
Dumbass.
And while we’re on the subject: I rented this movie last week. It’s awesome. Watch it now!
While trolling the halls of Twitter, I stumbled across a profile that claims to the one, the only, Barney Stinson of How I met your mother fame, the legendary womanising character overly fond of suiting-up and high-fives, and played by Neil Patrick Harris. The Twitter profile is @brocode. (The REAL and verified Neil Patrick Harris, not a character profile, is @ActuallyNPH.
The profile quotes lines from his book The Bro Code, a book which, as previously discussed HERE, is one of the funniest books ever written, and should be considered compulsory reading by all guys the world over.
Some examples of his tweets are (again- quoted from the book itself):
jump on the grenade – the process in which a Bro “takes one for the team” by talking to a hot chick’s unattractive friend. #broglossary
#prestripclubchecklist read in-depth synopsis of movie girlfriend thinks you’re going to see
#prestripclubchecklist plant fake “movie producer” business cards on self where they might “accidentally” fall out in2 cleavage of dancer(s)
rack jack – to steal a wingman’s quarry, often with malicious, premeditated intent. #broglossary
a Bro may toss the Bro Code out the window if Scandinavian twins are involved in any capacity
regardless of veracity, a Bro never admits familiarity with a Broadway show or musical, despite the fact that yes, “Broadway” begins with Bro
Another way of continuing the awesomeness that is Barney Stinson is to read his very own blog - www.barneysblog.com. Go have a look.
So go check out profile @brocode on Twitter (after following moi, @stustake, of course…), and then get your paws on a copy of the book: The Bro Code is available from any halfway-decent bookstore, or online at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. And yes, there WILL be a pop quiz.
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