Yet another memorable email solicitation found its way into my inbox the other day, this one supposedly sent by two orphans named Ms. Gift and Danel Mellitus (I shit you not) who are in desperate need of assistance. Well, given that they are orphans, I can’t think of anyone more suited to help them than Aloysius P. Hazzencockle, a guy who built his very own orphanage/castle/sneaker sweatshop to honor the last wishes of a benevolent dying spammer (relive the inspired story here:
http://spambait.wordpress.com/category/aloysius-p-hazzencockle-ali-abbas/.
Aloysius responded to their heartbreaking entreaty:
“Hello Friends,
Your luck is about to change because you‘ve contacted the right person! Through my work here at the ALI IN THE FAMILY – HOME FOR ORPHANS AND ALOYSIUS P. HAZZENCOCKLE, I have ensured that orphans such as yourselves grow up in a charming Dickensian milieu complete with oakum-picking, gruel, and our very own lovable Fagin who is, in actuality, a cranky Slavic groundskeeper with trowel for a hand. With regard to your heartfelt plea –
“Are You’ A Trustworthy Person?”
Am I trustworthy? Am I TRUSTWORTHY?! TRUSTWORTHY?!! ME?!!! TRUSTWORTHY?!! I hope this answers your question.
“ My Greetings To You and your family in the name of God,though its a sad and long story but we will cut it short…”
By going on for another three paragraphs? Crap. Good thing I got the condensed version. Ha ha! Just kidding. P.S. Your story is very heartbreaking.
“My Father […] ran an orphanage, had a footbridge and soccer stadium built in the slum where he grew up…”
Hey, small world. I run an orphanage, play bridge, and grew up in a soccer stadium on account of my father’s passion for the game and the fact that they never checked under the seats after the matches ended. Every night, we used to open up the concession stands and make corn dogs and onion rings for dinner. Do they have corn dogs in Kenya? If they do and you haven’t tried one yet, I strongly urge you to pick one up. They’re quick and delicious! My old man loved them and ate one every day of his life until he passed away at the ripe old age of 36.
…and sponsored teenage mothers to go to college.”
I do something very similar except that in my case instead of sponsoring them to go to college I buy them expensive dinners. Oh, and instead of teenage mothers, they’re high-priced call girls.
“ Our Regretably,father was killed On Tuesday morning 29th of January 2008 by the political assassination rebels during Election here in KENYA , As he was going out from our official residence and they dragged him out from his car and shot him and he was rush to hospital where he spend some hours before he died, Is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously but GOD knows the truth.”
Hmmm. I think I might know the truth regarding his mysterious passing. I’m guessing…he was dragged out of his car and shot. But I’m no detective.
“Before his death in the hospital he secretly tell I and my brother to rush home that there some documents that he kept in the house that we should take the papers and move out quickly form KENYA, down to Abidjan COTE D’IVORIE for my life’ that he Deposited the sum of ($7. 5 Million)…”
Damn. What is it with successful Kenyan businessmen who are killed by their unscrupulous relatives yet nevertheless manage to secret away millions of dollars in Cote D’Ivoire bank accounts only to end up entrusting a financial institution that makes it incredibly difficult for their heirs to access the cash? Believe or not, this is the fifth email I’ve received where the exact same thing happened. I would suggest one of two things: Either invest your money somewhere safer where the bankers are more dependable like, say, Burkina Faso or Nigeria, or don’t go into business in Kenya. Working at your local fast food outlet may not prove as lucrative, but I can honestly say that I’ve never received an email from a hard-done-by heir to the Manager of a Malawi Chuck E. Cheese.
“I and my brother have managed to escape from KENYA and we are right now in Cote d’Ivoire. […]. We are hiding in the United Nation Refugee Camp of this Country for security purposes pending when you reply back our letter and then we will know your readiness and if you can be able to come down here to see the BANK for the transfer and for your assistance 35% of the total profit made daily or per anum will be for your assistance and we will map out 10% for any expenses you may make during the transfer of the money while the remaining money will be paid to a new separete account open on my brother name in your country.”
Got it. The UN Refugee Camp in Cote D’Ivoire. I’m on my way. Do you need me to pick up something at the airport duty-free shop? Some cigars or a special fragrance for the little lady? Let me know.
Also, does the UN Refugee Camp your staying in validate parking? I’ll need to know.
Sincerely,
Aloysius P. Hazzencockle”
Today’s blog entry is dedicated to Zobby. Get well soon!
thank you sir
Good ole Aloysius P. Hazzencockle–always there to help!
Hmmm. I was unaware that UN Refugee Camps had Internet access. Or computers upon which to access said commodity.
I am once again considering sending my ”…congratulations, you’ve won the UK lottery…” (I’m in the US) emails to APH. He has such flair for responding.
Ooh, look. My icon changed! I’m no longer the blue triangle, now I’m a squishy green alien with a red tail. Wonder if I’ve been promoted?
At least it was the computer screen at work that suffered the unexpected bath. I really am a slow learner. Read Mallozzi’s post= do NOT drink anything near the computer. Thanks for a great laugh.
Best wishes to Zobby.
re: the car yesterday, why does it make me think “Wraith”? XD
@das ~ Like chevron 7 said, we may not always agree, but I enjoy your posts. I understand why you need to take a break, but I hope it won’t be too long, and I hope the season finale leave you at least mollified and not disappointed. I can’t imagine the Wraith with be gone at the end of the season — aren;t they supposed to be in the movie? … Anyway, *HUGS*!!
Speaking of chevron 7: I am in total agreement with you regardng the McKeller shot. She looks like she’s trying to pull away — her hip is as far away as can be instead of flush up against him, and she’s pulling her head away, rather than resting it on him. And that smile looks rueful, like “grin-and-bear-it”, at least to me. Which is weird, because Staite keeps saying at cons that she thinks Rodney is sweet, so Jennifer at the very least shouldn’t seem like she thinks touching Rodney is repulsive. That kiss shouldn;t have been so ruddy chaste in Last Man, shouldn’t have seemed like she waskissing family (or doing a job), but that’s how it came off to me. And McKay deserves a woman who looks to actually *want* to be with him, wholeheartedly, one who is *passionate* about him (Hewlett did the hottest kiss I’ve ever seen in Century Hotel, and another pretty hot one in Scanners 2 — I know he can kiss much more passionately if the person in the scene would only get more involved), rather than one who simply thinks he’s “sweet”. He deserves someone who seems truly and deeply love him in return, rather than someone who seems to like hanging out because she likes finds his interest flatterng, or someone who seems to look at him like he’s, forgive me, a pity f**k … I really hope that screemshot is not indicative of how she acts with him the rest of the season, that her feelings seem more genuine and more loving and less aspartame (read: falsely sweet with a bad aftertaste).
And lest ye think I’m only saying all this because I’m a die-hard McShepper, and wouldn’t want to see Rodney with any woman, I roleplay Rodney online, and I have him having a thing going on with a Satedan girl, who belongs to another player. I’m quite enjoying the scenario, too! So I am capable of looking at Rodney without my slash goggles. 😉 I still think Rodney would be better with a time-dilation-bubble-aged-up-Harmony.
Hi Joe:
As always, you have a real flare for comedy with these poor hapless rich people. For them to continue to solicit from Canadians, and I’m assuming Americans and anyone else in the Western World, there must be a great many naive people out there.
Patricia (AG)
Hey, has Aloysius considered opening another home for unemployed Wraith? You should hook those boys with Todd – I’m sure he would be a great mentor [and business manager…].
Meanwhile, I’m seriously thinking about investing in African cell tower stock…
Once again I am amused and wondering how they managed to get computer access.
Thanks for the laugh. V
A footbridge? That’s rather random…
*posts to see if i’m still a monster*
*sees i’m a showman*
*wants to be a monster again*
*hopes joe reads this and makes me a monster*
*a DIFFERENT monster this time*
Thanks Joe, it gave me a great laugh. Out of curiosity, has anyone actually heard of COTE D’IVORIE ? Or am I just that unknowledgeable about the world? So it looks like Aloysius and Cookie Monster both get to travel overseas – lucky them!
Hey Joe
A suggestion for your LA visit from Esquire’s Top 20 Restaurant List. I’ve not been but have heard great things about it – seems like the kind of place you’d dig. If it appeals to you – might want to book now since the article just broke online yesterday.
Link to the entire list – FYI this is the only LA area restaurant on the list
http://www.esquire.com/features/new-restaurants-2008/best-new-restaurants-2008?src=syn&dom=yah_buzz&mag=esq&ha=1
PALATE FOOD + WINE
Glendale, California
I had never seen so many car dealerships in my life until I drove down Brand Boulevard in Glendale, which is not sufficient reason to drive out there. But in a year when it was hard to stifle a yawn over the new restaurants in L. A., Palate Food + Wine is worth the trip. A fairly simple dining room is housed in a 1920s warehouse, with a flattering pink glow, a friendly bar, black-and-white tile floors, an open kitchen, and big windows from which you can see hundreds of unsold SUVs. In the rear is a big family-style table and behind that a great communal room where you can feast on cheeses and wines in a sleek, industrial-style wine cellar. From the greeting and seating to the service and wine list, Palate hits every point of hospitality. Chef Octavio Bercerra, formerly with the Patina Group restaurants, starts you off with mason jars of salmon rillettes and potted Berkshire pork, then it’s on to crawfish with chile butter; yellowtail poached in olive oil with olive tapenade and artichoke béchamel; pork belly with farro grain and cherries; and a fabulous wagyu rib eye with sweet onions, charred carrots, and oxtail sauce — this last, the most expensive thing on the menu, is nineteen dollars. Whatever you spend on gas to get to Glendale, you’ll save on the food and wines here and go home very happy, maybe even in a new car.
933 South Brand Boulevard; 818-662-9463; palatefoodwine.com.
Hi Joe!
Stayed up late to watch Outsiders tonight (iTunes). Really enjoyed it. Nice team episode with doctorly goodness. Loved the banter and good to see the team having to make tough decisions – it obviously gives us stuff to talk about…or in my case, think about.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Also, good to see Aloysius is keeping busy. Strange, I don’t remember seeing any Internet cafes on TV when they show refugee camps. Just desperate people trying to stay alive. Huh. Makes me a little suspicious of that e-mail! 😉
Have a great trip to Japan, a good pitch for Mallozzi’s Movie of Eeeevil! (if that’s what you’re pitching), and a very pleasant evening.
Keep your stick on the ice, eh?
eddy
Dear Disenfranchised Viewers,
There have been a lot of commenters of late who seem disappointed with the direction that Stargate Atlantis is taking in its final season, mostly because it’s not the way they had hoped it would go.
As we all know, the world is full of different people with varying likes, dislikes, opinions, motivations, fantasies. Keeping this in mind, it would be impossible for the writers of any TV show to keep the entire fan base happy (and maintain an M rating). In my short time of reading the thoughts of viewers I haven’t been able to work out if these feelings are that of the vocal minority or if it is also reflection of the silent majority. The ratings suggest the minority.
But do you mind if I put something to you? Yes? Well stiff, here it is anyway.
When was it that you felt the show had to go in the direction that you want in order for it to remain enjoyable to watch?
Can’t it still be enjoyable just going in the direction that those put in charge are taking it and seeing what happens rather than closing you mind and making assumptions that you won’t like what is going to happen?
Can watching a partnership/lack of partnership/not enough screen time for character X/unsure of where the character is being taken be that distressing that you can no longer watch something you have enjoyed for so many years?
I’ve been watching Stargate preeeeetty much since the start of SG1. I’m not talking I would reserve the TV and ask everyone to be quiet because it was on, it was actually the show I watched late on a Tuesday night in-between seasons of Buffy (no offence Joe). However, it did keep me interested enough to watch it week to week. I might miss it here and there due to other commitments, changes in airing times, but when I would sit down and see it was on I would think “Oooo, goodie”.
Then Atlantis came along and initially I wasn’t too sure about it, but I still watched when I could and once I understood the new characters more it became part of my regular viewing schedule. It’s now part of my “not to be missed” viewing.
Stargate over the years came and went randomly on our free-to-air channels but come SG1 Season 10 it settled into the Thursday late-night slot. So you had to be prepared to watch at 11pm, 11.30pm, 11.35pm, 11.51pm, 12.06am, or whenever American Dad and Family Guy finished.
It was during this time my husband and I started to make a habit of sitting down on a Thursday night with a glass of wine for me, bourbon for him and watch it together… and he doesn’t even like Stargate, but he got the odd laugh and enjoyed hassling me for back-story during important moments. It was watchable for him.
Each week we would watch the opening scene and had no idea what was going to happen. Maybe the enjoyment I get from that type of randomness is influenced by my work environment. I’ve been in Senior Management since I was 21 and have been a business owner for the last 4 years. I love it when someone else makes the decisions for me. mmmmmnoresponsibility.
Despite not knowing what was coming up we would spend the opening credits quickly outlining how we could see the episode panning out. Usually we would make up the most ridiculous storyline we could think of and end up in fits of laughter, but another part of the enjoyment factor of just watching.
Because I’m not dictating what the storyline will be, who is going to be in the episode, which character is going to paired with another (despite how amusing I find McShep) or who gets written out I get surprised. Granted, not as much as I used to due to my involvement with fan related sites, but I still enjoy the “Oh, didn’t see that one coming” moments. I like that.
But if everyone had their way and the show went exactly how you wanted it to, not only would it be one really big version of Choose Your Own Adventure, but then where would be the fun in watching?
This is in no way a criticism of people with these feelings towards Atlantis, I’m just hoping that maybe a tilt of the head and looking at it from a different angle may turn what has become quite distressing for some people into a way of getting back to the basics and think of why you started watching in the first place.
What I am attempting to convey in my own special inarticulate way, is there aren’t many episodes left, so rather than feel bad about where an arc is taking your favourite character or not wanting to watch because it may or may not end the way you want, how about sitting back and enjoying it for what it is while you still can … a great TV show.
Dear god, what I wouldn’t give to see the recipients of that email try to understand what the hell you’re saying. For the sake of my internal organs it’s probably good that I can’t though, considering I just split my sides reading this entry.
*hugs Narelle*
Thanks! Great post!
eddy
If you were going to die tomorrow…(not that I would wish for that or anything)
What would your last meal be?
Who would prepare the meal?
Helping orphans… always a good time =)
Tonight, I rearranged my room in 4 hours (it looks 4 times bigger now!) while listening to the first half of Metatropolis, an audiobook anthology of sorts I bought today on a whim. It’s got 5 stories by 5 different authors set in the same futuristic uncivilization. I highly recommend it!
I’m off to find a way to get up onto my bunk. I conveniently placed walls where the ladders are!!!
My old man loved them and ate one every day of his life until he passed away at the ripe old age of 36
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I found that coffee splattering amusing!
Thanks for the giggle. 🙂
Now where’s the WFPD??
Get better soon, Zobby! 😀
Das: Take care and don’t stay away/too disenchanted for long, huh? I’ll miss the Wraithy rants 😛
Narelle: Well said and couldn’t agree more 😉
ROTFFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi again Mr M!
Just caught FIRST CONTACT last night. What an ep! Great to see Danny boy back in action…Fav bits include: The camera sweeps around the city…You know, in all the great story telling, I often forget just what a beautiful city Atlantis really is… Also, loved the three soldiers on the plinth..dropping down the levels…Very very cool!! Looking forward to Part 2.. *covers ears and eyes for spoilers*
With regard to the car…Is that a Pontiac Firebird (aka Jim Rockford’s mode of transport?) I love those American muscle-esque cars…. And I believe that the car is really Paul Mullie’s car….He has ditched the bike!
RE: LA and Agents….. I laugh everytime you talk of the pitch/pilot season… It must indeed be a strange gold-fish bowl to work in.. I can only imagine.. Having watched THE PLAYER on numerous occasions and read books such as “You’ll never eat lunch in this town again”, I have (an amateur’s) appreciation for your strife….
Finally: Japan: What an adventure! The hotel looks really top notch. Should be a great trip!
Best to all
S’n’T
“a time-dilation-bubble-aged-up-Harmony”
LOLOL, oh wolfenm, what a great-weird-funny mental picture!
cheers
Deb
You forgot the duty free alcohol. I’m sure they’ll need some of that.
Hope you feel better soon Zobby =]
(Standing and applauding Narelle from Aus). Outstanding post. Thank you,
Coucou joseph! Comment allez vous aujourd’hui? Moi trés bien, un peu fatiguer, mais bon je me dit qu’il ne reste plus que 2 jours avant d’être en vacance^^!
Je n’ai pas comprend ce que vous avez marquer sur votre blog aujourd’hui? snif snif je ne suis pas encore biling^^!
Bon, j’y vais! bisou Bisou! je vous adore!
wolfenm said:
It was the first thing I noticed. I thought why is she standing so awkwardly? You’re right about the hips. Even though you can’t see it in the closeup they can’t be standing close together at the hip. More like friends. Not really a romantic vibe (particularly on Keller’s end).
I wouldn’t have expected their first kiss to be hot, it was sweet, gentle. So I didn’t have a problem with this. I watched the Century Hotel kiss on Youtube. I don’t know if it’s the hottest kiss but it was pretty good (luckily I checked this over as I had actually typed food 😀 ). Love the audio.
It’s so lucky I wasn’t drinking ‘cos I would have sprayed it over the monitor. Nice!
LOL! Grown-up Harmony and Rodney would be hysterical, if not a bit creepy. So do you write FF?
Cheers, Chev
Hi Joe
(Snort) Hey I know Danel’s brothe..Dianetes Mellitus RPTFLMAO. Sorry but as soon as I read that I was laughing.
YAY!
Good luck in LA.
Hugs
Wendy
John Sheppard is my happy place
Rats that should read Diabetes Mellitus. Shoot i really should spell check.
Hugs
Wendy
John Sheppard is my happy place
[b]@Pol[/b]
See that’s what you get for sending 100-dollar-laptops over there with wifi internet…
When did they change the name from “Ivory Coast” to “Cote d’Ivorie”? Do you think it’s just a marketing ploy by the orphans to get them more attention? It does sound more exotic & less poacher-related controversial I suppose.
I hope I remember to spam you while on my deathbed so I can get such a well thought out response.
It may be a while though….
Ha ha ha brilliant! Thanks for that.
How is it you get all of the interesting spam? I just get ads for penis enlargements…and I don’t have a penis.
@Narelle ~ Firstly, didn’t say I was going to stop watching. But since you bring it up, the reason I *started* wathcing was because of McShep, quite specifically. I came to enjoy other aspects as well, yes, but that’s still first and foremost, and even if the rest of the show went to hell in a handbasket, so long as there was some McShep still there, I would still watch for those bits.
But think about it from *this* angle for a minute: If your favourite food started to be prepared with an ingredient that wasn’t there before, an ingredient you in fact loathed, isn’t there a chance it would be hard you to continue liking the dish still? Maybe you’d manage to eat somewhat around the part you didn’t like, but it you’d have to work at enjoying it still, especially if the new ingredient bled into the bits you liked, and doubly especially if other elements you’d enjoyed were lost as well. Pizza and lasagna have some elements in common, but they aren’t *quite* the same dish, and it seems unreaonable to me to expect people to sit back and enjoy the lasagna after they’d been enjoying the pizza, especially if they have indeed been trying that lasagna and have, after giving it a chance, decided it’s not really to their tastes. Just becauise it has mozerella and sauce like the pizza did dfoesn’t mean it’s going to please all of the same consumer base. Maybe they hate riccotta and the ricotta is overpowering ….
Certainly I don’t harbour illusions that a show should cater to my tastes and my tastes alone, but that doesn’t mean I’m not entitled to my opinion, or to express it. (Which, ro be fair, you said as muchm, but the rest of yopur words seem to say otherwise.) You like the show no matter what? Good for you. Others love McKeller: good for them. Others hate McShep: I feel bad for them, but I hope for my own sake that it stays prominent. But I wouldn’t tell McShep haters that they should just ignore their dislike of McShep and enjoy the show anyway. And I would never presume McKeller lovers even *have* other reasons they love the show — maybe they do, but maybe they *don’t*. And the same goes for all other types of fans — you don’t know what drew them in to the show in the first place, or whether or not they ever really came to like other aspects of the show *enough* for it to be worthwhile for them to continue watching. Like people who love Carson — maybe they can only really enjoy his eps now.
I like lasagna noodles and ricotta and mozzerella just fine in a lasagna myself, but if suddenly those noodles and cheese were *all* the dish were comprised of, with no sauce, I wouldn’t be terribly interested in continuing to eat it — it would have lost the element that made the dish suit my tastes. Nor would it still quite suit my tastes if the sauce was still there but zucchini were added. Rodney with Keller doesn’t taste the same as Rodney alone. I’m managing to eat around the Keller-zuchinni, but she’s still leaving a bit of flavour there and it’s killing the enjoyment some for me. It’d be different if a person came to the show and liked *no* elements and expected it to change, but for those of us who liked it at one time, you think we shouldn’t be disappointed if the dish has changed in a fasion that makes it not as palatable for us anymore? We shouldn’t be a bit sad? And we should never *tell* the chef we’re disappointed, just pretend all is fine?
Joseph, I wonder why you get some many of those kinds of emails. I don’t ever get them personally and only have one Reverand emailing the business email to buy product from a far off state. Apparently, you are just a very lucky guy.
To Narelle: No matter what tv show I choose to watch, if the interest in the characters isn’t there, I won’t watch. My time is valuable and just cause it is the stargate franchise, doesn’t mean any more. Since it is Atlantis, however, I will attempt to watch episodes that highlight my least favorite character just to see, but like a book, it has to capture me before I will stay with it. I love Atlantis for the characters and their interaction. That said, not all keep my interest. I do rearrange my schedule on a Friday night for the show and my friends know and accept it. In fact, this week I am babysitting for my friend and just simply said, “if you come home before 10pm, you are watching my show and you will like it”. Now, when Brainstorm is on, I may just not mind waiting until the 11pm showing as not go out of my way to put my activities on hold just because without all the Team and only mostly Rodney and Jennifer, it doesn’t interest me and I would be like that for any show I watch. If I don’t care about what happens during an episode, I don’t see the need to rush to watch. Curiosity because it is my favorite show, I will eventually check it out. In the end, it isn’t because of a since of duty I watch a show, it has to interest me.
@Narelle
Hear hear, couldn’t have said it better myself. SGA in my opinion is one of the best action/adventure shows on TV right now, and the fact that it’s scifi is a bonus for me. A greatly enjoyable watch for our whole family.
Jean
Hey Joe,
Watched Window of Opportunity last night and laughed out loud in many places…is this one of your favourite episodes from your writing portfolio?
Jean
Brilliant!!!! LOL
Whisht, now.
Whisht…whisht…
[soft whisper] Hush-sh-sh… just for a second.
T’is a very hard thing, a very emotional tame, when something you luff very much is coming to an end. Or at minimum, going sideways. People have their own ways of dealing with things. Some can’t but help erupt in a geyser of grief, and they must take themselves away for a while. It’s too much for them. For others, festering disappointment turns into free speech made with “sharp, pointy words” or mail-in lemon campaigns not sanctioned by the California Citrus Board. [wry grin]
It’s even gotten to our Cap’n Joe, who, in a fit of pique, gave us his own list of spoiler promos. Not that we didn’t enjoy it immensely! However, he does entertain us in his virtual home every day. We camp out in the dear mon’s livingroom whilst he tells us how his day went and passes ‘round pretties (or teasers – naughty Joe!) for show and tell.
But here of late “home” has been feeling less welcoming. We’ve been rubbing off on the Cap’n, as well as ourselves. Grief must come out; it cannot stay in forever. T’is true. Some very good and wise things have been said. But let’s not ruffle up each other’s feathers, or distant third parties’, with it. It’s tame to develop a steely-eyed determination to find something positive and keep it in our sights (however hard that might be). T’is a Scottish way a’ thinking, I know. (And didn’t that turn the heads of the network once, and bring a certain Scotsman back to us?) The season is not done: we still have Atlantis episodes left. There are movies to look forward to. Our virtual friends the actors and crew are still alive in real life. We have our own lives to find something positive in as well. Cap’n Joe will go on regaling us with commentary on his real (and hilarious) world. He hasn’t kicked us out of his house…yet [wee grin]. And we still have each other. We’ll notice if you’ve gone, and we’ll party when you coom back.
Whisht, now. Gently, gently. We’re going to be just fine, because we decide to be.
Affectionately, yer lass,
For the love of Beckett!
Hear Hear! Narelle. Its good to see so many people singing from the same page.
Wolfenm. I used to be a Mcweir shipper and we all know how that went but like most “ships” I feel we each see what we want where we want and that is a personal thing. I personally like to think I’ve grown up enough to deal with the disappointment of my “ship” not sailing and don’t actually have one anymore but as a result my enjoyment of Atlantis has increased instead of diminishing as I had anticipated it might.
Its wrong to blame the writers for what our fevered imaginations make us see, a bit like that unrequited crush!
I’m sorry to say also that your analogy between “shipping” and food was lost on me I couldn’t seem to correlate it in my mind but thats probably me.
What I’m trying to say I guess is To each his/her/its own.
No hard feelings to anyone. Just my not so humble opinion
Shiningwit
*note to self* no more posting after half a bottle of red.
I have to answer these comments:
#
9 Ganymede
Meanwhile, I’m seriously thinking about investing in African cell tower stock…
~~~ Please do. Because of the difficulties caused by vast distances, civil wars etc, Africa’s future will be cellular. Buy stock in MTN, Glo, Vodacom and make money!~~~
#
10 Vspun
Once again I am amused and wondering how they managed to get computer access.
~~~ I use my cellphone to read emails and access the internet. Why can’t Ms Gift? ~~~
14 grapesofwraith
Out of curiosity, has anyone actually heard of COTE D’IVORIE ? Or am I just that unknowledgeable about the world?
~~~ Up towards the top, on the left ~~~
34 Jinx
When did they change the name from “Ivory Coast” to “Cote d’Ivorie”?
~~~ They didn’t change it. The English speaking world did, much to their disgust. They prefer to be known as ‘cottdevoir’. ~~~
Hey wolfenm,
Sorry, my tone may not have been clear. And the questions were not meant to be read as rhetorical or condescending, they were genuine questions. Judging by your thoughts on the show you are very specific in why you watch, so my post is not relevant to your situation, but you did think about the questions, so thank you.
To use your food analogy, I love pizza, but I don’t like olives. So I love majority of what makes a pizza which keeps me eating it, but I just avoid the olives as other people enjoy the olives. I’m won’t complain about how much I don’t like olives and ask why it wasn’t ordered without olives when there are those around me that like them, and the pizza has been delivered.
Everyone has different likes/dislikes.
If pizza was suddenly made of anchovies and olives and that’s it, then sure, I’d stop eating pizza.
But is Atlantis really just made of anchovies and olives?
That’s my view on the show, I like it for lots of different reasons, not one or two specific items and my likes/dislikes will not be the same as others. McKeller = Meh, for me, but I don’t hate it (I lack the ability to hate fiction), however I find myself each week thinking “Show me what you’ve got”. Make me like these two together. When Woolsey came on board, I was thinking the same.
I think everyone has the right to say what they are thinking.
My post was to highlight that this final season has wrapped, no amount of complaining will change how the season ends, so maybe just wait and see and enjoy the time we have left of Atlantis coming to us each week.
Narelle said: But is Atlantis really just made of anchovies and olives?
For me, the stories are paramount. A great story will draw me in and hold my attention until the end. I want to see what situations the characters are thrust into, how they deal with things, each in their own way, and how their actions affect them and those around them. Even the most iconic characters are nothing without a great story – a skillful writer makes the audience care about the characters and what happens to them. Stargate mythology provides a perfect setting and the ultimate tool for great storytelling – people travel through the RING and are changed by their experiences. Sure I’ve got favourite characters and I’ll be sad to see them go as regular weekly fixtures when SGA ends as a series, but I’m looking forward to more and different stories with SGU and the Stargate movies. As long as the writers keep writing great stories, I’ll be there.
The universe is made of stories, not atoms.
– Muriel Rukeyser
Just my 2 cents’ worth…
Jean
I wonder if Mr. Hazzencockle is going to get an answer…
(I’ve read some of the spambait entries and liked the “on-going” ones best)
SGA season 3 has started again on TV here! And it took the first 15 minutes for me to get used again to the synchronisation o.O”
Half a year ago, I was used only to watch SGA in German but season 4 hasn’t yet been shown so I finally decided to buy the UK import and back then, it took a while getting used to the original voices but now it’s the reverse >.<
nevertheless, I’ll keep watching even though the original is the better version (well, it’s original, so… 😉 some jokes just vanish into nothingness due to translation issues but that’s a common problem)
it’s strange how a different voice can make a character appear so differently o.O
but No Man’s Land made me realize how much I’ve come to like the character Woolsey (I hated him in SG-1). He’s still his annoying self but I really like him now and I prefer him to both Weir and Carter as leader (which really is a surprise to me because I like both Weir and Carter, but, completely unexpected, they lost against Woolsey o.O strange me xD)
Todd looks so vulnerable in the Gateworld picture of Enemy at the Gate
it could be from hunger or he has finally agreed to the testing and decided that the “honorable” way would be to test on him first and he doesn’t enjoy it… (I’m not sure whether he would actually decide that way because he would not want to risk getting weak)
to das: I hope you can enjoy SGA again soon, I liked to read your thoughts on the episodes and the Wraith.
OMG joe your bd is in october that is sooooo cool so is mine . mine was on 10/14. happy b-lated bd.. by the way were is my joe flanigan picture that would be a great bd present he he . happy b-day.
Anchovies and olives and ricotta, oh my. I’m frelling hungry.
And my hamster died. All curled up in a cute little ball, like he was sleeping, except for the cold and stiff part. I cried when I carried his cage down to the spare bedroom. I know, hamsters aren’t much in the gran scheme of thing, but I will miss the little guy. He’s in the freezer until hubby gets home in a few days and we can bury him.
@ Narelle –
“There have been a lot of commenters of late who seem disappointed with the direction that Stargate Atlantis is taking in its final season, mostly because it’s not the way they had hoped it would go.”
“Can watching a partnership/lack of partnership/not enough screen time for character X/unsure of where the character is being taken be that distressing that you can no longer watch something you have enjoyed for so many years?”
Thank you for your comment!!!! I agree with everything you had to say and I second them!
I enjoy watching Stargate Atlantis and so long as some of the main characters are in the episode, then it’s good for me. I take the hour and enjoy spending the time with my favorite TV show.
Just a cautious tip on your upcoming trip to Japan.
No matter what anybody says (and how interesting an episode of Weird Foods it would make), remember that Fugu is NOT your friend!
Go gamble money away, instead.
Bon Voyage and much happy eating!
@maggiemayday Sorry about your hamster. 🙁 Even the smallest friends can live big pawprints on our hearts. 🙁
@Narelle ~ Well, I woudn’t say that McShep and Carson are my *only* reasons to watch — I still *like* the rest of the pizza. But when you’ve been getting sausage every week *before* now and suddenly your regular place has started sending olives, yeah, I woudl say it would make it a helluva lot harder for me to enjoy that pizza, especially if most of the time the sausage is gone. And olives leave a taste on the rest that isn’t so easy to avoid like some other unwanted ingrediants — if it were so easy, I wouldn’t say anything; I’ve ignored stuff before. LIke I said, I’m happy for the people who like the olives, but since it’s gotten harder for me to enjoy the pizza too when I *USED* to be able to enjoy it just fine, yeah, I’m going to bevocal. It may be to late for this pizza, bit there’s pizzas in the future, as yet unmade, even if we aren’t going to get the as often … But you do raise some valid points, i won;t deny that. I’m glad for you that it’s easier for you to overlook some things. And I am still watching. I imagine my pots would be easier for people to avoid on the pizza than McKeller has been for me.
So people who don’t like my negative posts (not just Narelle, all who say things like that) — why not just ignore me the way y’all say I should just ignore McKeller? 😉
chevron7 said …
Yeah, but was that their *first* kiss? Even if it were, it was sweet on his end, but she was just kind of *standing* there. He was the one leaning in and doing the kissing — she was just taking it, and wasn’t really doing much kissing back. She looked to me like she wanted it to be over with. Well, maybe that’s just me. XD
Aye, I do (points to her name-link) but I haven’t gotten around to writting Rodney/Harmony, if that’s what yer lookin’ for. 😉
shiningwit said ….
Well, it is McShep I’m interested in, though — I never expected for *that* to become canon. 😉 My problem is that a ship that I *don’t* like/can’t stomach came to pass. 😉
It’s good to read that there are many people here still watching and enjoying 🙂
Maggiemayday – Sorry about your hamster. It doesn’t matter what the pet is, just the part they play.
I feel flat when one of my fish dies!
Apologies for any food cravings that may have been induced.
Hey Joe, glad to see Aloysius is still out there helping the needy (and nutty).
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile and I’m fascinated by the variety of food you consume. I’m much less adventurous and there have definitely been things on here I wouldn’t eat to win the next Survivor. My two-part question is, is there anything you won’t eat? And is there a particular ethnic food that you don’t care for, i.e. Cuban, Thai, etc? Thanks!
Wolfenm said:
Then ignore my positive posts ;|
I think my original point has been lost in the wash.
It was never about not posting an opinion it was about whether there is the possibility to put aside the negatives that seem to be honed in on and just watch.
Narelle – “Can watching a partnership/lack of partnership/not enough screen time for character X/unsure of where the character is being taken be that distressing that you can no longer watch something you have enjoyed for so many years?”
Well, yeah, if that’s what people were watching for in the first place. The show had four seasons of being overwhelmingly gen with any romance off to the sidelines and the Team front and centre; for some people season five has gone in another direction with the focus more on romance and less on the Team; however it’s all in the eye of the beholder to what degree and personal preference as to whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
To carry on the food theme, if the menu changes some people are going to keep happily dining such as yourself, new customers are going to wander in, and some people are going to leave. You seem to be saying why can’t people like what you like: because people have different tastes.
(I lack the ability to hate fiction),
When people say that they hate or love something that’s fictional I think it’s pretty much hyperbole for saying that they like or dislike it rather than them being emotionally irrational. Good fiction can emotionally engage us and there’s nothing wrong with that, otherwise we might as well just sit around reading car manuals.
The UN refugee camps are fabulous, more like a B & B than a hostel. It’s a wonderful way to see a new country and really get to know the locals. I enjoyed sharing the communal towel and the four mile walks to the river to bathe, wash clothes and collect drinking water. I and my brother plan to go again next year on a rail pass to Darfur and the DRC with a final stop in Georgia for ski season.