August Is Hot: The Signs

Tattoo it on your chest, so you´ll never forget

Helloooo August!

How could you overlook the HUGE signs in the last weeks that said "August is hot"? There is a subconscious stream. I know it. 

I was having dorktastic thoughts to toy with a set of delectable posts in honour of ´a´ birthday month for this year. And there they were, the signs!

 

The signs

August Calendar

Teena from the YImum blog makes calendar wallpapers and I´m proud to have them in the sidebar, on my blog. This time I begged her: "Please, think of my reputation." She promised to mail me a more dressed decent one, if she manages to cool down.

To preserve my offbeat image and her naughty creativity, her original calendar is at the top of this post.

Strike Back Video Viral. 

Who is captor? Who is captive? Who is in control?

The masochistic ones among you will play this over and over!

Surprise Video

A new suggestive clip wears the tagline: "It´s a quickie". 

You´ll see the link soon. If you dare to watch it, you´ll keep it!

Totally bonkers

In the weeks of August I will bring you a series of short tongue in cheek posts, recognizable for Leo-luscious, birthday hotties like me and hopefully bearable delectable to every other reader of this blog.

Blah-di-blah-di-blah!

Bring on August!

Willmore The Rover, Name Another Rake?

Say rakish as Richard Armitage in the upcoming play ´The Rover´ as possible Willmore (I will more?) and I say rakish as Rik Mayall as Lord Flashheart in Blackadder. 

Flashheart is an arrogant nobleman with a weakness for all women he meets. He is introduced as best friend and trustee of Lord Blackadder. He flirts with Queen Elizabeth I, Nursie and even with Baldrick, who is then dressed as a woman. Eventually he hits off with Blackadder´s bride and he and Blackadder suspectively become enemies.

Lord Blackadder: "Where have you been?"

Lord Flashheart: "Where haven´t I been? Wuf!"

To prepare you, watch the hilarious interview with Rik Mayall, Rowan Atkinson and others of the Blackadder cast. The big deal is all about the grand entrance/exit.

 

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackadder  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rover_(play)

Can´t Answer That Question

Why are you so uptight about having sand in your stubble?
"I´m sorry, Sir. I can´t answer that question!"

Making this one viral? My pleasure!


StrikeBack Viral from seanographic.co.uk HD on Vimeo.

Interpreting British DIY

"What? Now? It´s 3:00am!"

Watch out for RAndom DIY quotes! After hearing this British joke, the cultural aspect of it sheds new light on interpreting the undertone of these quotes. I mentioned this previously on my blog.

Cultural joke:

In France when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she says: "Sacré coeurs! Toujour amour!"

In Italy when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she says: "Sempre amore! Molto amore!"

In Britain when a woman is having a romantic interlude, she looks up and she goes: "That ceiling needs doing. It's all gone flaky! How about a fitting wardrobe? When are you gonna do something about that shed? I will have to bring a man in!"

May I suggest this bloke:

"My idea of a passionate weekend is doing DIY. I'm pretty handy with a screwdriver. But is that sexy?
I don't think so!"

Ken Dodd who made this joke, is a fond reader of ´The Rover´, he once said in an interview with Dawn French (Vicar of Dibley). Yes, the circle is round again!

Sources: RichardArmitageNet Spooks, Miranda Hart

Out Of Africa

We Dutch are out of Africa after the lost final in the World Cup Soccer Championship in South Africa. The upside of this Championship is, that in a period of about four weeks, several tv-channels show a number of documentaries and films about Africa with contemporary stories and stunning landscapes.

To give you some examples:

• The Constant Gardener (2005) with Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, was filmed in Kenya and is based on a story by John Le Carré. The background of the story is about the Western pharmaceutical industry in Africa. I really liked this story and I have a feeling it was an inspiration for the makers of Strike Back.
• Taking the Flak (2009), tv series, filmed in Kenya, episode Big Beasts. I catched something about an eager African man who wants to present an newsitem for BBC and bribes the English team with sweats they run out of and therefore gets his item. 
• Hotel Rwanda (2004), filmed in Gauteng Province, South Africa. This film is about the war between the Hutu´s and the Tutsi´s. A must see. 

In Holland, Strike Back is yet just for private viewing

However Strike Back is not about Africa, it´s filmed in South Africa for the locations. mostly in the Gauteng Province. And I can´t help but thinking that this British-South African collaboration is a positive way of encouraging a country to professionalize it´s film and television industry. As if. I found out through one documentary, that the standards in SA are very high already, and makers of South African tv-series don´t want to produce stigmatizing tv-series as made in the USA to avoid scapegoating sections of the population.

To give you an illustration, here some quotes from a speech (2004) at the opening of Gauteng Film Indaba:

"More than 70% of the filming and television industry in South Africa are based in Gauteng, mainly in Johannesburg. All of South Africa's television broadcasters are based in Johannesburg."

"Economic statistics have shown at all times that Gauteng is the economic powerhouse of South Africa and the continent. According to figures released by Statistics South Africa last year, the province recorded an average real economic growth rate of 5,3% in 2002. The GGP has been growing at an average of 3,1% over the period 1996 to 2002. Gauteng's contribution to South Africa's GDP during 2002 was 33,3%, the largest of all provinces."

"Gauteng is the most cosmopolitan province in South Africa. With its more than 9 million residents comprising a colourful variety of races, Gauteng can easily be regarded as a true sample of Africa's population and, to a large extent, the world's population."

"In this province there are diverse and some of the most spectacular locations for filming that can be found in the world. Our range of locations can easily offer filmmakers locations such as the African bush, industrial scenery, American and European settings. Key activities during the antiapartheid struggle took place in Gauteng."

"Some of the other things which make Gauteng very attractive to filmmakers and television production companies are:

• Highly skilled workforce including technicians
• World class facilities. These include well-established and equipped postproduction digital facilities as well as audio, graphics and animation houses
• State of the art rental equipment
• Highly developed infrastructure
• Highly efficient service providers
• Facilitators highly knowledgeable in the issues related to industry
• Compatible time zone with Europe
• Excellent weather, providing sunshine all year round and
• Sites of struggle under apartheid."

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4iTjavIkbk The Constant Gardener (2005) trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwuXvA589A Hotel Rwanda (2004) trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0L-J9HtJ8Q Strike Back (2010) trailer

http://www.imdb.com/
http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2004/04032314461008.htm speech film/tv industry Gauteng Province, SA

RichardArmitageCentral, Strike Back, screencaps episode 3, Afghanistan

Lucas North, Pretending To Be Dating

According to my latest intel from the Tazbeks under my doormat, Lucas North sends naughty Twitter replies like #I´m an expert in CPR# to blushing strangers. He is back in shape, bought a suit and is ready for cruising the meat market. Now he´s pretending to be dating...

Lucas: "Harry doesn´t want to hear this, but I am dating again."

Previous:

Lucas: "Oh Harry, you´re back! You do want to join us as in ´us´."

Harry: "As long as you don´t mention Sugarhorse."

A month later:

Lucas: "No gossip, I know Maynell from a previous op, very low key."

Harry: "Shall I look for keys on low water level?"

Lucas: "I knocked him out of my life years ago. He keeps writing."

Lucas: "I received information about funding, with sincere greetings."

Harry: "If it´s about going short, Ros is at the bout of the balderdash."

Lucas: "I won´t send him your regards, then."

Harry: "Get your suit, Lucas."

Lucas: "If I could snatch the love interest of Ros, I order a loveseat."

Lucas: "Ro-os, listen up, I´m dating again."

Ros: "Yes, and what I can I do to help?"

Lucas: "You´re lucky, you´re now my date. Get me indoors as a housefly of that slimy sneaker."

Ros: "Only if you kiss me and keep your ´temperature´ low!"

Maynell: "Is that the boyfriend you flex your muscles with?"

Lucas: "Oh..."

Ros: "He´s rather shy. I like to keep him that way."

Maynell: "No-oo. A man that banks on you."

Ros: "If you want to keep your balls, I wouldn´t boost if I were you."

Lucas: "That´s my girl."

Maynell: "I gave one away for philanthropy reasons!"

Lucas: "Oh and while we´re at it, barrow boy...you keep claiming your lecherous trophy."

Maynell: "I remember you loved the open market."

Lucas: "The Chinese opt in e-mails reached me too."

Maynell: "Truly an international player."

Lucas: "I´m on Twitter now."

Maynell: "Come in!"

歡迎搭乘

In Chinese!

Can the Tazbeks get no better intel than this?

Is this what is perceived as ´the dark side of Lucas´?

Twitter replies to blushing strangers, please.

Screencaps: RichardArmitageCentral of Spooks S7.5, Tell Me