As a non-smoker I was rather pleased with the ban on smoking in pubs. It made my life a lot nicer when I went out in the evenings. However the news that Tobacco displays set to be banned is just plain stupid.
I’ve never smoked, but that’s not to say I’ve never purchased a pack of cigarettes. And the one thing that I do know is that I can spend five minutes going “A pack of Rothmans”, “The blue and red ones”, “Up a bit”, “No to the right”, “Just a bit higher”, “20s not 10s” and fingers waving over the shop.
If they are going to be under the counter it’s going to be a lot harder.
Category Archives: Other
Them bones, them bones, them Bones Commision Report
Oooh, it’s me on the TV
Cadbury’s and Sony Adverts
Both Cadbury and Sony use the same people to come up with their recent ads. Out of the most recent six, three are great, one is good, one is ok, and one is crap.
Balls
This was the first Sony advert, set in San Francisco with the bouncy balls falling down the hill. It falls into my great catergory, very original, music was perfect (who didn’t get the Jose Gonzalez album) and it brought back images of childhood.
Paint
The second Sony ad falls into the OK category, it felt too fake and if it wasn’t for the behind the scenes video I would have never believed that they actually used real paint. I’m guessing the big problem was using a Scottish tower block, it didn’t have that American polish that the others have.
Play-doh™
Another one of my great ads, very colourful, the soundtrack fits right in and if I had a chance I would have purchased one of the rabbits or fly out to NY.
Foam City
Set in Miami, the latest Sony Ad falls into the good category, it calm, peaceful and very impressive, just lacks the omph from the previous ad.
Gorilla
This advert for Cadbury was clever. The first time you see it with the close-ups you’re not sure what’s going on and then the pan out for the drumming scene works really well. Not 100% certain about Phil Collins, but hey it still features in my great catergory, just leaving one advert…
Trucks
… which is the worst of the lot. I just don’t like it. We have different coloured trucks racing, now if they related them to different variations of Dairy Milk (green for mint, orange for orange) then it might have worked. Also they felt the need to start the ad with the glass and a half logo, giving away what the product was before you’ve even seen the first 10 seconds.
I hope to do more advert blogging, because for some reason I like watching them, just depends whether I get around to doing it.
Fake German Number Plates
Some of my regular readers might realise that I have a thing about number plates. Something that caught my eye was the top image. At the time I was looking for a 725, however foreign plates can’t be counted. However it looked very much like a British plate, just styled as a German one. So once I got home I used wikipedia to double check.
Wiki says that plates are in the format of 1-3 letters for the place, then stickers to show the emission test and vehicle safety test, then 1-2 random letters, and then 1-4 random numbers (maximum number of characters is 8). So clearly the plate on the left is actually a GB plate just designed to look like a German one (example at the bottom).
I’ve now seen two in this format, so I’m guessing someone is producing them for homesick Germans. But as with other styled number plates unless they are in the offical typeface with the correct spacing they are illegal to drive with and will fail an MOT.
VW Vans Newark
On Lincs FM at the moment there is a radio advert for Volkswagen Vans in Newark. At the end of the ad they say find us by searching for VW Vans Newark on the web. Yet doing this doesn’t result in any expected websites like www.vw-vans-newark.co.uk or similar. Instead at the moment the top result is a Shop Locally (Yellow Pagesish) website.
So if you are looking for them, I can’t seem to find a local website, just this national one.
Altenatively you could go old skool by visiting them in person at:
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, 2 Northern Rd, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2ET (T: 01636 704484).
Mario Kart Wii
Are you a LibDemBlogger? Do you have Mario Kart Wii? Are you online?
Fancy sharing your friends codes in the comments so we can have a battle royale?
If so leave your Mario Kart Wii Friend Code in the comments. Don’t worry both sides need to add each other before they become friends, so make sure that you add everyone you want to be friends with.
My code is: 4425 1593 1549
Well at least I’m not gay
I’m a regular blood donor. I have a nice certificate and a pin badge saying I’ve made it past 10, however this time last year I failed one of their tests. It turns out I’ve got Anemia. They wrote to me they advised me to see my doctor, and to come back in a year. I now take iron tablets each day, and my last blood tests showed everything to be ok.
So when the email came around saying that the blood van was to be parked up in our work car park on the 4th February I gave them a call. The first problem I had was that session hadn’t been put on their system, and so it wasn’t possible to book an appointment. A few emails later this had been sorted out and I called again. They could find the session, but their computers refuse to let me give blood until the 9th February, one year after their letter. Even though it’s been 16 months since my last donation, computer says no.
I was offered alternative locations after the 9th, however with the hours they are available being the same as those I work, it makes it pretty hard for me to donate. Instead I’ll just have to wait for them to come back in June.
At least in June they’ll give me the chance to give blood, if I was Gay, I would never be allow past the questionaire.
What’s on my desktop
The Don has pointed a gun at my head and told me to take a screenshot of my computer, so here it is:
I believe I need to point the gun towards others, so here’s the next five:
Iain Dale, Jo Anglezarke, Mark Valladares, Pink Dog and Stephen Robinson
Crap summer?
Everybody seems to be going on how this summer has just been crap, and for those who are still living in temporary accommodation after the flood it must be, however:
In June, Heather and I got married and had perfect weather all day. Our honeymoon in Sorrento was in the 30’s everyday.
We went to Kew Gardens, where it was lovely except for a small thunderstorm.
Heather sang at Bury St Edmunds, St Edmundsbury Cathedral where I sat in the sun for hours and had a great time at the Greene King Brewery.
We took Sasha and Rhys to Whipsnade Zoo, which was also a hot day, followed by me going to watch Arsenal on the Sunday which again was a fine day.
We went to Clumber Park this weekend, and yep that was a great day too.
So whilst it might have been a bit rubbish whilst I’ve been sat behind my desk, on the days we’ve made plans to go out it’s been wonderful.