Recent posts

#1

Off Topic / Re: Threadjacking!

Last post by JohnW - Today at 10:41:02 PM

The last time I did was when they used to give you a free bottle of iron-rich Guinness with your chocolate biscuits. 

Because I was living in the UK during the CJD crisis in the mid '90s I was ineligible to give blood back home. It was feared that I might have been contaminated by a filthy English pollution (the words of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service – not mine). Happily, it has since been deemed that after twenty-odd years of breathing pure Irish air and leading a life of Irish virtue, my blood has been purged of noxious foreign elements.

I like to think that my life essence will be used to save an innocent child, but for all I know they'll pump it into some lowlife skanger who's been stabbed by another lowlife skanger.

They only offer soft drinks now, and I'm sorry to say that the snacks are mostly by Nestlé. Donors are probably thought to be too self-sacrificing and unworldly to want Cadbury's.

—And for some reason the bloodsucking is all done to a soundtrack of eighties hits, which is odd because this is a college campus where the average donor is only about twenty.
'What is this?' the youth might ask.
'A-ha,' will come the answer, and they will be no wiser at all.

#2

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

Last post by JayzusB.Christ - Today at 09:54:34 PM

The exception that proves the rule being Revival. Brrrr.

OK, I've read Revival now.
Our Stevie's still got it.

I've finished The Stand and made a nice dent into Revival on your recommendation.  My god, I'd forgotten how Stephen King could turn down-home folksy chuckles into vicious brain-drippimg horror so quickly.

#3

Off Topic / Re: Threadjacking!

Last post by JayzusB.Christ - Today at 09:49:56 PM

Just gave blood, so now I'm riding high on a wave of smugness and free snacks.

I really must do it again. The last time I did was when they used to give you a free bottle of iron-rich Guinness with your chocolate biscuits.  So a very long time ago.

#4

General / Re: Wrap It Up

Last post by Funt Solo - Today at 06:09:32 PM

I thought maybe Durham Red as another option, but the hair seems wrong.

#5

General / Re: Wrap It Up

Last post by Jim_Campbell - Today at 02:12:31 PM

Can it be Inspector Inaba next to Slaine on Prog 2016? Doesn't seem likely though...

That does look like a Hondo uniform, so maybe it is Inaba.

#6

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

Last post by Fortnight - Today at 12:29:03 PM

I haven't read a Stephen King novel in years, and not read the Dark Tower ones at all. I've read a great many older ones though. My favourite is probably the Langoliers, from Four Past Midnight. I don't remember the other stories in that volume, but I've read that one lots.

The biggest issue I have with King is his tendency to go off into multi-chapter-long flashbacks, remembrances, or some other sort of aside, and leave the "main" narrative hanging for an excessive amount of reading-time. It's a common technique, I know, but he does it to a degree that's beyond just irritating, and it actually puts me off re-reading the longer books, or reading newer ones at all.

Meanwhile, Lost Treasures from Hibernia has just plopped on my doormat (figurative - I don't have a doormat), so I'll be reading that!

#7

Announcements / Re: 2000 AD - The Ultimate Col...

Last post by IndigoPrime - Today at 11:52:28 AM

Born Bad just arrived from FP. Not an empty box! My replacement books from Hachette are reportedly on the way tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

#8

Film Discussion / Re: Civil War

Last post by nxylas - Today at 11:33:56 AM

I haven't seen the film yet, but calquing it onto current red state/blue state geography would be a lazy and obvious option, and doesn't seem to be what Garland is interested in.

#9

General / Re: Wrap It Up

Last post by AlexF - Today at 11:27:13 AM

Can it be Inspector Inaba next to Slaine on Prog 2016? Doesn't seem likely though...

As for Prog 500, honestly, it's a pretty solid top 20 of both artists and characters even now.
Obvs would swap out Bad City Blue (and maybe Robin Smith); and an Arthur Ranson Anderson over Kitson. But everything else is spot on!

#10

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

Last post by Barrington Boots - Today at 11:18:34 AM

I haven't read Cujo for years, I really should go back to it after Tjm's cool words about it.

The Doc is right re. Dark Tower in my opinion. A good start, followed by a descent into rot and then an ending that'll have you casting the book away from you in frustration.