Rula Lenska
This was all so, so unfair for poor Rula. Many will now probably remember her career for two things; Rock Follies and this TV Folly. Rock Follies was arguably the start of her career in the public eye and this TV Folly looks like being the end of it. Pray for a cat-food commercial, Rula! In fairness, though what a nightmare she must have found herself in - a 57-year-old, clearly past her physical best, finding herself in the company of a Mata Hari (Faria), a Daisy Duke (Chantelle), Britain's Primo Slapper (Jodie) and, to cap it all, Baywatch Babe Traci! Most woman well past a certain age would bridle at the thought of competing with any of them, poor Rula had to take on the lot and she lost, in spades. I thought George Galloway was right in his comments after she did that ludicrous striptease - she was, indeed, trying too hard. Who wouldn't have their confidence rocked? The brave face she put on arguably wasn't the best one either. Go to bed with a countess, wake up with a count. I choose my words very carefully here! Gee, I'd rather go to bed with Pete - at least he looks the same in the mornings as he does last thing at night!
Chantelle Houghton
A (not quite) singing version of Jade Goody.
She is so very self-possessed, the producers must have been thrilled beyond belief by the way she stood up to Dennis Rodman. Enough is being written about her at the moment; I have no further comment other than to observer she seems areal-life version of Billie Piper's character Rose in the current Dr. Who.
Dennis Rodman
Everyone knew Pete Burns had a hard time deciding what to wear for the day but what about poor Dennis, eh? Let's (hypothetically) listen in...."Uhm it's time to get up, what kind of look shall I wear today? Little Lord Fauntleroy? Nope, did that the other day. Geisha? No, Pete'll do that any minute" (and he did). "I got it - lemme see now, just give the ol' tattoos a burnish....get them pointy studs all in...adjust the baseball cap just so...and there it is - third circle of Hell! Yay, me, not that I give a shit..."
Did anyone note that while Pete Burns got awful raggeddy when he ran short of booze and cigarettes, both Dennis Rodman and the adorable Traci Bingham got grouchy when the food got low? They being the two pro athletes it wasn't at all surprising. I noticed Dennis complaining that training without proper food wasn't too much fun. Probably the first time he's ever had to do it.
And did you see how he balanced on the exercise ball with one foot while he did push ups? Have you ever tried that? Do you know how HARD that is? And he made it look so simple! No wonder this guy is major league.
Jodie Marsh
Poor, poor Jodie. How sad and muddled she appears to be. I gather, though, that there's a very upbeat enthusiastic and likeable girl in there somewhere. She seems to be gathering acolytes rather than making friendships, confusing fans with friends. I noted when Pete Burns and Michael Barrymore were trying to get through to her late one night, Michael suggested to her that she try and envisage a certain scenario just for the sake of argument. Oh no I couldn't agree to that, says our Jodie, that would be immoral and I don't tell lies. Something similar seemed to be happening when she was talking to Davina McCall after her eviction, Davina gently suggesting that the other housemates had been trying to act in Jodie's best interests and Jodie went immediately off on a complete tangent in her reply.
I think myself that there's a great big rock sitting in the head of Jodie Marsh, never referred to, never to be admitted to. What lies under it? Something that Jodie finds so terrifying that she visibly flees from considering the rock's very existence.
One suspects that self-contemplation is not a regular pastime for Miss Marsh. A shame, as rarely does one encounter a light bulb that really, really does need to change.
Poor, poor Jodie.
(Sam) Preston
Just like Dennis Rodman, I had no idea who Preston actually was. I gathered he was in a band called the Ordinary Boys, and going from his appearance in general, I'd have put them somewhere between the Jam and and number of ska bands, say, The Selector? Later in the show we were treated to some Ordinary Boys tunes and it looks as though I wasn't too far off the money.
Apart from that, I knew nothing before about Le Preston and I know little else now, other than that he seems to be a perfectly decent sort of geezer with, I rather imagine, considerable woman trouble on his plate.
All quite ordinary, in fact.
Michael Barrymore
What a piece of work is this man! How infinite in frailty, his new personna suggests, and I have no reason to believe anything other than that the face we saw was the real one. He seemed a perfectly decent being, flawed, ragged round the edges, and while he and Pete Burns together both displayed an ability to provoke gales of genuine laughter (from me) it's Barrymore who has the touch of genius about him, the air of one driven to perform yet denied his stage. I hope the UK does what Pete said it should and opens its arms to welcome Barrymore back. He's a tonic for the nation. We probably need him more than he needs us.
Pete Burns
Twisted embittered genius. Youngsters will probably be too young to realise this but in the genre of movies known as noir, in small, run-down and seedy clubs in the boonies of Anytown, USA, the kind a Private Dick would inevitably find their way to when they were looking for clues or following leads they'd find the Heroine of the movie. She'd be seated, alone at the bar, she'd have a cool drink that she hadn't paid for in a tall glass in front of her and she'd always be smoking. Whatever happened, even if it happened right in front of her, her face would be frozen into a mask of disdained amusement. In other words, she'd look like Pete. Assuming that's what he had in mind when he had his plastic done, he's got it dead right.
For me the best times in the house were when the Pete and Michael show hit the road, late at night or early in the morning over coffee and cigarettes when the rest of the house was asleep. Funny funny funny.
Who was it pleaded with George to go and speak with Rula because she was feeling so bad as a woman? Pete.
Who was it spoke up so volubly for Barrymore after being evicted, saying how much he needed to be rehabbed back into this country? Pete. Not quite such the monster then, eh?
Traci Bingham
The delightful, the truly gorgeous Traci Bingham. Every man should have a Bingham of his own. starting with me. The rest of you can get your own, though, I want that one. See how she went straight into a series of classic brilliantly executed girlie poses for the photographers as she left the house? An absolute professional, a master of her craft. And how beautiful in her red devil costume! Cheap to run too, (once you've bought the mansion), give her alcohol and she wanders around making small, happy sounds all day (whether you want her too or not). Does the guy she's engaged to realise he's marrying one of the Clangers? "Oh my Gah-had, it's the Soup-Drag-gen..."
I don't think Traci understood the show, which goes a long way to explaining why she was so devastated by being nominated. Observe when she was talking to Davina at the end, she said how hard she'd tried to be a good housemate. I suspect she thought you had to win by proving how pleasant you were to live with and dutifully went out of her way to be just that. I don't think she had to go far our of her way at all, either, I think she really is that nice a person. that's why she was so upset at being nominated, she thought she was doing something wrong on a personal level to the other housemates. Hence her shock and surprise. You get the feeling that to a certain extent, once you reach a certain level of stardom your life is run to a large extent by your agent; Traci and Dennis both gave the impression that they simply went where they were signed to go and did their best when they were there.
George Galloway
What a clear-cut warning to us all of how politicians plan to use us. We seem to be no more than stepping stones to their own self-serving ends. How did he serve his constituency in the BB house? His blustering complaints about censorship left me unimpressed.
I noticed too that when there was the first a major disagreement in the house - I believe over a misunderstanding about racism - George it was who suggested that a round table discussion be held which George, seemingly thoughtfully, offered to chair.
Thus, it begins. How long before, in order that George may the better to fulfil his post as arbiter of the house decisions, not be made to suffer the distractions of, say, hunger; shouldn't he be given a bigger share of the food than the others, so that his thinking may be clearer and not distracted by hunger? It's in the best interests of the group as a whole, after all; he's the decision maker.
In the same vein, we might conjecture, how long before George's sexual needs/desires must similarly be given priority over the others, the women of the tribe, sorry, house, should be encouraged to offer themselves freely and regularly to George over and above the others. All in the best interests of the group, of course. Politicians, eh? They never close.
Maggot
Maggot, the common man - the voice of reason, as he said. A straightforward decent guy. Good to see he got over his initial reserve about Barrymore. Why was he concerned about his image, I wondered? How genuine can he be if that's a concern? Subsequently, though, he proved himself a steadying influence on the rest of the household.
Faria Alam
The Big Brother experience must have been very difficult for Faria. I thought she behaved throughout as I imagine she was brought up to be, dignified and reserved. I never thought she was a slapper, or in any way cheap, when her sex life got her in the news. Her business, I would have thought. I was subsequently a bit disappointed to hear quite how promptly she was hawking her BB story round Fleet Street but, I suppose, a girl has to be practical and topical if she's going to make money that way. For me, the most interesting thing about Faria was her apparent inability to express the emotions she was claiming to feel. I put this down to her upbringing to and there may be a lesson there for all of us. Imagine a girl bought up in strict circumstances in old established traditions, then abruptly cast out of that culture into a new and different one. She'll know how to function emotionally in the old culture, her appropriate upbringing will have prepared her for that, but in this new (by which I mean, 'Western') culture, one where the world has moved on from the time that birthed the culture she was raised in, she struggles to express emotions that she has no name for. We're probably all a bit that way at times as the world turns faster. Our childhood upbringing can less and less prepare us for adulthood as effectively the two happen in different worlds. Poor Faria. I liked her.
Big Brother grew up and found its feet here, this was ground-breaking TV. It still seems the fashion in newspapers that somehow, inexplicably, appear to consider themselves and their readers above Big Brother viewers. It's only for the oiks is the subtext of the copy in pretty much all the nationals.
Synchronise watches, tv kids; only a matter of time before they change their tune and accept that here are observations made on life in the raw, that the spat between Dennis and Chantelle, the spats between everybody and George, everybody and the confused unfortunate Jodie Marsh, weren't far more riveting viewing than anything scriptwriters could have dreamed up. It's been an age in coming, but Big Brother seems to be coming of age.
dilwonder.blogspot.com
Beneath the Armor of The Iron Man
Heroes are often defined and made what they are by two things: the villains they face and the burdens they carry. Superman carries the burden of fear and anxiety, living a life afraid of breaking something, of killing someone should be be careless with his power. In some ways, Spider-man fought off depression after the death of his Uncle Ben by turning to crime-fighting. Batman turned his fear and anxiety into a weapon in his personal war, fueling his lone crusade against crime. However, in very few heroes is the relationship between burden and heroism as blatant and as prominent as in Tony Stark, the Iron Man.
The armor worn by the Iron Man, unlike the costumes of so many other heroes, is more than a mere tool for fighting crime. The armor also bears several components designed to help him cope with his physical ailments. Tony Stark's heart was compromised in Vietnam, such that the armor's primary purpose was to sustain him – keep him alive and moving – long enough to get proper medical care. In many ways, the early years of his career was marked with mild hints of depression. The armor was less of a tool in his eyes, and more a reminder of the frailty of his condition. The fact that the chronic pain he felt was alleviated better by the armor than by medication only added to his problems.
Still, despite the frailties, the Iron Man continued to do what he felt needed to be done. More so than any other hero, he risks his life whenever he engages his enemies in battle. The slightest malfunction or damage to his armor could prove fatal for him. The slightest disruption in the systems could cause the systems to go berserk and take many innocent civilians along with him. The burden has, at certain times, been too great for the character to bear. In a contrast to many other superheroes around him, Tony Stark tried to fight his depression and the pressures of his life in a very human way: alcohol.
Of course the decision to make him an alcoholic was controversial, but then, Marvel Comics has always pushed the line that way. Harry Osborne had been a drug user in an even more sensational storyline from the Spider-man comics. However, the difference here was that, unlike Osborne, Stark was a hero. As a hero, he was supposed to be above the petty squabbles and flaws of ordinary human beings. He eventually recovered, but not before his alcoholism caused great turmoil among his teammates and pushed his already strained relationships to near-breaking point.
The Iron Man character is often overlooked in the long list of superheroes that have become more human over the years. This is probably due to the fact that Tony Stark isn't quite as fitting into the comic book niche-worlds that others seem designed for. Spider-man is the everyman of the superhero world, designed so that anyone who reads his comic can find something about him that they can relate to. Superman is the vision of an ideal, a dream given form and power. The Batman represents the darkness in everyone, honed and shaped into an overwhelming power. It is arguable, but there are some that would say Tony Stark is more human than any of the above. The armor may make him seem invincible, but like a turtle, underneath the shell is something soft and vulnerable.
The armor worn by the Iron Man, unlike the costumes of so many other heroes, is more than a mere tool for fighting crime. The armor also bears several components designed to help him cope with his physical ailments. Tony Stark's heart was compromised in Vietnam, such that the armor's primary purpose was to sustain him – keep him alive and moving – long enough to get proper medical care. In many ways, the early years of his career was marked with mild hints of depression. The armor was less of a tool in his eyes, and more a reminder of the frailty of his condition. The fact that the chronic pain he felt was alleviated better by the armor than by medication only added to his problems.
Still, despite the frailties, the Iron Man continued to do what he felt needed to be done. More so than any other hero, he risks his life whenever he engages his enemies in battle. The slightest malfunction or damage to his armor could prove fatal for him. The slightest disruption in the systems could cause the systems to go berserk and take many innocent civilians along with him. The burden has, at certain times, been too great for the character to bear. In a contrast to many other superheroes around him, Tony Stark tried to fight his depression and the pressures of his life in a very human way: alcohol.
Of course the decision to make him an alcoholic was controversial, but then, Marvel Comics has always pushed the line that way. Harry Osborne had been a drug user in an even more sensational storyline from the Spider-man comics. However, the difference here was that, unlike Osborne, Stark was a hero. As a hero, he was supposed to be above the petty squabbles and flaws of ordinary human beings. He eventually recovered, but not before his alcoholism caused great turmoil among his teammates and pushed his already strained relationships to near-breaking point.
The Iron Man character is often overlooked in the long list of superheroes that have become more human over the years. This is probably due to the fact that Tony Stark isn't quite as fitting into the comic book niche-worlds that others seem designed for. Spider-man is the everyman of the superhero world, designed so that anyone who reads his comic can find something about him that they can relate to. Superman is the vision of an ideal, a dream given form and power. The Batman represents the darkness in everyone, honed and shaped into an overwhelming power. It is arguable, but there are some that would say Tony Stark is more human than any of the above. The armor may make him seem invincible, but like a turtle, underneath the shell is something soft and vulnerable.
Before you buy Dining Room Table
Dining is one of the most important things people do in their day, though they may not realize it. Why, because aside from quelling hunger pangs, dining is also meant to spend some quality time with the whole family.
This is why close attention should be paid to make dining room as comfortable as possible. Yes it does cost some serious money but with some adjustments, even forlorn rooms can be made as satisfying as mom's home cooking without denting the pocket by much.
Just how to do it? Let’s start with dining room tables, which is the focus of this article.
Choosing the right dining room table goes beyond simple aesthetics. Its location determines its style and materials, for example in kitchens, a hard-wearing solid wood top is crucial; large, formal dining rooms require a table with a strong presence; if your taste veers towards modern then contemporary and modern dining tables would work best.
These decisions will affect the look of the home and sense of space. So before actually going for shopping ponder over following points.
<b>Before Shopping for a Dining Room Table</b>
To fine tune your planning, here’s a list of things to consider prior to your purchase:
1. Budget – How much have you allocated?
2. Family – What is the size of your family?
3. Space – What is the size of your dining room? Cramped space makes getting in and out of chairs awkward.
4. Lifestyle – Do you entertain often? Formally or informally?
5. Usage – What other usage do you have for the table e.g. study, arts and craft?
6. Special requirements – Do you need mobility or you would want to extend it to seat 12?
In addition to the above, take along the floor plan and measurements when you go shopping.
<b>Tips on Picking the Right Dining Room Table</b>
Following points would help you in selecting the right dining table:
<b>Dining Table Shape</b> - When considering a dining room table, its shape is the most important consideration since it affects the space in your dining room. Find out the pros and cons of common shapes. For example, a circular, glass dining table may be very trendy looking and would give your dining area a modern appeal. But you would need to have a large, square-shaped area to give it enough room.
<b>Dining Table Size</b> – Take note of the size of the dining area and the size of the table to check whether the table would have enough breathing space around it.
<b>Dining Table Material</b> - Since the dining room table anchors the look of the space, its material affects the moods and style you’d like to bring to the room. Decide on what suits you best in terms of materials. Again, the uses you will put your dining table to will help you decide the most suitable material.
<b>Dining Table Style</b> – Make a statement and select the right style to add character and flair to your dining room.
Remember that a good dining experience needs a relaxed atmosphere so don’t get hung up on designer looks. No table should be so precious that guests are afraid of leaving smudges. Destined to be oft-used, this piece of dining room furniture must be adaptable to the household’s needs.
This is why close attention should be paid to make dining room as comfortable as possible. Yes it does cost some serious money but with some adjustments, even forlorn rooms can be made as satisfying as mom's home cooking without denting the pocket by much.
Just how to do it? Let’s start with dining room tables, which is the focus of this article.
Choosing the right dining room table goes beyond simple aesthetics. Its location determines its style and materials, for example in kitchens, a hard-wearing solid wood top is crucial; large, formal dining rooms require a table with a strong presence; if your taste veers towards modern then contemporary and modern dining tables would work best.
These decisions will affect the look of the home and sense of space. So before actually going for shopping ponder over following points.
<b>Before Shopping for a Dining Room Table</b>
To fine tune your planning, here’s a list of things to consider prior to your purchase:
1. Budget – How much have you allocated?
2. Family – What is the size of your family?
3. Space – What is the size of your dining room? Cramped space makes getting in and out of chairs awkward.
4. Lifestyle – Do you entertain often? Formally or informally?
5. Usage – What other usage do you have for the table e.g. study, arts and craft?
6. Special requirements – Do you need mobility or you would want to extend it to seat 12?
In addition to the above, take along the floor plan and measurements when you go shopping.
<b>Tips on Picking the Right Dining Room Table</b>
Following points would help you in selecting the right dining table:
<b>Dining Table Shape</b> - When considering a dining room table, its shape is the most important consideration since it affects the space in your dining room. Find out the pros and cons of common shapes. For example, a circular, glass dining table may be very trendy looking and would give your dining area a modern appeal. But you would need to have a large, square-shaped area to give it enough room.
<b>Dining Table Size</b> – Take note of the size of the dining area and the size of the table to check whether the table would have enough breathing space around it.
<b>Dining Table Material</b> - Since the dining room table anchors the look of the space, its material affects the moods and style you’d like to bring to the room. Decide on what suits you best in terms of materials. Again, the uses you will put your dining table to will help you decide the most suitable material.
<b>Dining Table Style</b> – Make a statement and select the right style to add character and flair to your dining room.
Remember that a good dining experience needs a relaxed atmosphere so don’t get hung up on designer looks. No table should be so precious that guests are afraid of leaving smudges. Destined to be oft-used, this piece of dining room furniture must be adaptable to the household’s needs.
Beware online casino scams
Online casinos scams are rampant especially since some of the more prominent establishments have chosen to pull out of the U.S. market even though there is no specific law stating it is illegal to gamble on line. The only law which has been passed in the states made it illegal for banking istitutions to knowingly allow gambling transactions on line unless it is for the horse races or state lotteries. They were given a pass on this law likely due to the fact that both have a lot of pull with Washington. In the case of the horses, they contributed to the Senator's who pushed the UIGEA (unlawful internet gambling enforcement act) through on the last day of the session while riding on a homeland security bill which was sure to pass.
It was enough along with a few arrests of casino owners who were taken into custody while changing planes in the states to push many reputable online casinos out of the picture which of course made room for some very unscrupulous gaming sites to move in. This resulted in only making matters worse for players if that was ever truly the concern of senators who were behind the UIGEA. It is hard to tell what exactly was their reasoning behind pushing the law unless of course it was about the money they weren't getting to tax but so far they have stood on just about everything else from money laundering to supporting terrorist activities to playing the moral card but that latter only puts those who play it in a hypocrytical light because of the exceptions allowing horse betting and lotteries.
There are still however plenty of reputable online casinos available for players in the states although that number is greatly decreased if you live in one of the eleven states which Microgaming powered casinos are not allowed to serve. This a policy adopted by the parent software company who provide the games to many of the best online casinos in the world. Certainly these casinos also have the best reputation of all online gaming and as such, to lose their entire network takes a lot away from the percentage of quality choices for those living in one of these eleven states: Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin.
Although those living in one of the eleven banned states are most likely to fall victim to unscrupulous online casinos and the scams they run, they are certainly not the only ones at risk. Look for online casinos listed at trusted gambling guides and casino portals for your best chance at avoiding trouble because you add an extra entity into the recipe that has more clout with the casino than anybody else, providing this is a reputable casino portal which cares about its readers and where they send them. Make sure that gambling guide has contact information that is working so you can contact them if you have trouble as they will have much more clout with the casino than any one player due to the fact they represent so many players both present and future.
Landing Page Success Tips
Also known as the “name squeeze page” or “lead capture page”, you can build your mailing list by funneling all of your would-be subscribers through the creation of a landing page. Not only do you do the work just once, your traffic driving efforts can be focused onto just one effective method.
The following are tips in creating a successful landing page that converts visitors into subscribers on a very huge percentage.
Success Tip 1: Offer a freebie in exchange for your visitor’s email address. I very much endorse this method of building your mailing list. You can offer a special report or a sample of your paid product to your visitor in exchange for their details such as name and email address.
Success Tip 2: The landing page must be written professionally. When writing your page, treat it as if you are writing a sales letter. While you are not necessarily making a hard sale or try to get someone to buy your product upfront, being able to entice your visitors to give their details to you is just as important as selling.
Success Tip 3: Other than your opt-in form and perhaps important disclaimers and terms, there shouldn’t be any other links on your landing page.
Success Tip 4: Rub in the benefits of the freebie you are offering more than a mere subscription to your newsletter. You should focus most of the attention of the letter on encouraging your prospective visitor to download your free offer. Later, you gently remind your prospect that he or she has nothing to pay but just merely subscribe to your newsletter in exchange for the freebie.
As a final reminder and conclusion, in order to build trust, you can include your hand-written signature or a photo of yourself explaining where you are coming from and how you can help your visitor through your free report on offer.
The following are tips in creating a successful landing page that converts visitors into subscribers on a very huge percentage.
Success Tip 1: Offer a freebie in exchange for your visitor’s email address. I very much endorse this method of building your mailing list. You can offer a special report or a sample of your paid product to your visitor in exchange for their details such as name and email address.
Success Tip 2: The landing page must be written professionally. When writing your page, treat it as if you are writing a sales letter. While you are not necessarily making a hard sale or try to get someone to buy your product upfront, being able to entice your visitors to give their details to you is just as important as selling.
Success Tip 3: Other than your opt-in form and perhaps important disclaimers and terms, there shouldn’t be any other links on your landing page.
Success Tip 4: Rub in the benefits of the freebie you are offering more than a mere subscription to your newsletter. You should focus most of the attention of the letter on encouraging your prospective visitor to download your free offer. Later, you gently remind your prospect that he or she has nothing to pay but just merely subscribe to your newsletter in exchange for the freebie.
As a final reminder and conclusion, in order to build trust, you can include your hand-written signature or a photo of yourself explaining where you are coming from and how you can help your visitor through your free report on offer.
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