Review: “Tangled”, the movie
Disney’s kids’ flick, “Tangled” came out in Aussie cinemas yesterday.
It’s a gorgeous, hilarious re-imagined, Disney interpretation of the classic fairytale, “Rapunzel”. To its credit, the film isn’t called “Rapunzel” (unlike “Gulliver’s Travels” which were nothing of the sort).
Even Rotten Tomatos loves this movie.
I won’t give away the story, but will say that it’s worth taking the kids to. Everyone gets plenty of laughs and the Disney magic sparkles. The tunes were cute, the morals were intact and the pictures sure were pretty.
And, does it make the parentals hide behind Kleenex? Indeed, it does.
Thumbs up. Go see it.
(And, parents of little girls, be ready for the conversation about how long they’re going to grow their hair….)
4,000 Thank you’s
This week, my little blog surprised me by clocking its 4000th visit, so I thought it a good time to say, thanks for swinging by (and coming back). I hope 2011 treats you well.
Smiles,
T.
Queensland Floods: an Underwater World story
Bob Bonnell evacuating Jean from Chuan Huat Farm, Biloela. Photo, courtesy of Dominique Tan.
Local readers would know that my home state of Queensland is currently experiencing unprecedented flooding – the affected area is bigger than our neighbouring state of New South Wales. For international readers, it exceeds the combined area of Germany and France. The city of Rockhampton is now cut off, with the Fitzroy River still to peak.
While I’m fine and far away, friends in the country aren’t. On NYE, I received a humorous but heart-breaking email from the Tan family of Biloela. Read the email below (reprinted with permission), and you’ll understand what I love about the country (I lived there for >6 years) – it’s the indomitable spirit of the people.
**************
New Year’s Eve, 2010.
Ours is just one disaster story among many. I truly regret the loss of our cars – If only we had shifted them – if only we’d known the large volume of water that would come down from the town (this is not flooding from creeks but storm run-off from the town – our property is below the level of the town). Our downstairs was thigh-high in water and all we’d done was pile things to bed & bench-top height.
Ok – have to go. Have just fielded 5 phone calls – it’s been lovely to hear from friends during a difficult time.
Dominique
Attachment
From: Richard
Sent: Friday, 31 December 2010 7:20 AM
We are fine! (sob, sob)
The place stinks.
The grass is rotting, the earth is oozing.
Dead fish and dead pigeons & chooks everywhere.
We are into day 3 of cleaning up.
So far, we’ve taken 4 Toyota loads of dead stuff to the dump (our own dump on the farm is still under water).
Look at the bright side: I’ll know how to set up the farm to avoid flood damage in future.
Also, the bamboo is the brightest they have looked since coming out of the drought.
I had photos taken whilst the water was rising.
Then, I left the camera in the Lexus.
Overnight, the Lexus got drowned.
Now, I’m waiting to see if the memory card will work, when it dries out.
I just caught my chest freezer as it floated out the back door of the carport.
I hitched it to the stairs by the electrical chord, next to the dinghy.
Good thing I saved the freezer.
The freezer had my entire fishing catch from my November fishing trip.
(SES took fish into town) I bought a new freezer, now in a friend’s carport, up town.
We also retrieved a freezer full of meat (about 150 kg) from another freezer that was in another shed.
We had killed a young bull the week before Xmas.
Our plumber, a good friend, restored fresh water to the house yesterday.
Good to have first shower after 4 days (having ‘bird-baths’ before that).
A retired electrician restored power to one of my bore-pumps.
Our normal electrician was stranded at Byfield (see ByfieldGetaway.com)
This enabled to keep all my Soon Hock fish alive (small mercies).
Also, this supplied drinking water to my pigeons that have survived (about 3,000).
Our two builders (they built sheds, etc) and family members, came to help in the cleanup.
They helped to drain water away, went through cages pulling out dead birds, etc.
It’s amazing how everyone came to help.
The numbers of people ringing up to offer help was incredible.
We are just grateful that we are not as badly off as other towns.
We can survive.
It’ll soon be a memory.
Richard
***********
The full extent of the Queensland floods will be realised when insurance assessors (currently stranded in Rockhampton) come out to affected areas and determine that some people are covered; some partially covered; and some, not at all. Many producers didn’t or couldn’t insure their animals. Furthermore, insurance companies will be particular about who’s covered under flood or storm water run-off.
Many of the people badly affected by these floods put food on Australia’s table and keep the lights on. It’s perversely bad luck to suffer floods after surviving terrible drought.
Keep these communities in your thoughts. Help out, if you can. And let’s hope the state and federal governments get the assistance packages right and in a timely manner. Country folk aren’t prone to asking for outside help (Moura SES has already closed the donation line, citing the immense charity of nearby Biloela residents), but they’re certainly going to be needing it.
Do you have any photos or stories about the floods?
Please add your words of support for flood victims to the comments.
UPDATE: Reader Lee has a great TIP, which might help those with WATERLOGGED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (Richard: maybe it’ll help your camera card?). ***Place water-affected electrical equipment into a sealed bag of uncooked rice for 3 days – the dry rice sucks out the moisture. DON’T turn on the camera/DS/phone until 3 days of drying, as you’ll fry the electricals.*** This has worked for a DS dropped into a toilet and a mobile phone that took a bath. Hope this helps.
Road Test: Tupperware Turbo Chef
When I’m this impressed with something, I have to share it.
Tupperware Turbo Chef - the latest & greatest
Tupperware has brought out something which exceeds the popular Happy Chopper. People who’ve had both, love the new Turbo Chef the best.
If, like me, you hate having dozens of single-purpose gadgets cluttering your kitchen, you might be wondering whether it’s worthwhile. In short, it is. So impressed am I, that I’m looking at buying another two for gifts this Christmas (just don’t tell Mum & Nanna).
Simple: 3 parts, no electricity or batteries needed
I use it every day to cut up onions, carrots, apples and garlic. It’s also handy for making pesto & chopping nuts. Kids can help, because there is no way they can cut themselves on any moving parts (and an adult would handle the blades) or electrocute themselves. All they do is pull the chord.
Do this quantity in 2 quick batches
No body double or hand model was used ...
After 7 easy pulls of the string
After about 15 spins, a finer chop.
Carrot, just as the chooks like it.
PROS:
* kid-safe & nanna-safe
* fool-proof
* great for everyday use & for camping
* easy to clean
* much quicker than a knife
* much less fuss than an electric appliance
* great size (300ml) for small batch chopping (food processors for big jobs)
* precise (with a food processor, it’s easy to overdo it)
* comes with a good lid that seals (not pictured).
OTHER:
* costs $54.95
* blades not covered by Tupperware’s otherwise awesome lifetime guarantee.
RECOMMENDATION:
Buy it.
If you don’t have a Tupperware rep, try:
Natasha Yannuccelli Mob 0412 527 840 tashtupperware@gmail.com
Carmen Rooke Mob 0403 825 627 carmenstephen@bigpond.com
Or, Tupperware 1800 805 396.
P.S. I have no relationship with Tupperware or any of its sales people and accrue no financial or other benefit in reviewing this product, or any others on this blog.
HAVE YOU USED THE TURBO CHEF YET AND IF YES, WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR?
UPDATE: The Turbo Chef is dishwasher safe (top shelf) although Tupperware recommends against putting the blade in the dishwasher.
UPDATE: I have 3 x Beauty & The Geek calendars to give away to readers commenting on the blog. They’re hilarious & I can’t possibly keep them to myself. Congratulations to Samantha – you get the first one!
UPDATE: 9:16pm Second calendar accounted for – Reader L came up with an amusing (but unpublishable!) use for the TC.
Modern Talking: Blue Steel with lip gloss
What’s hotter than a German man wearing lip gloss? Well, two German men wearing lip gloss, of course. Check out Modern Talking’s “Brother Louie”
And for the best Blue Steel, Zoolander, let-me-undress-you-with-my-eyes-right-after-I-admire-myself look, check out Modern Talking here in “You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul”.
The music is catchy. I know you’ll thank me for the ear worm.
Sony Music won’t allow embedding of the YouTube clips, so you’ll have to click through to YouTube (sorry!). Miss Nine (who is slightly obsessed) has kindly sketched one of the German mega-stars for your pleasure.
… you’re my heart … you’re my soul … OOOHHHH ….
(With thanks to reader Chris.)
Comedy in cat food labelling
This week, the Six-Kilo-Cat developed her annual fussy-with-furballs problem, necessitating the administration of twice daily tablets, Cat-Lax paste and a whole new menu.
Scratched-up and emotionally crippled by the ordeal, I took myself to the shops in search of new cat chow – something to hide tablets in, chiefly. To this point, I’d managed to stay within the Kia-to-Corolla range of cat food, but desperation finally brought me to the Rolls Royce of kitty cuisine.
Comedians in cat food labelling...
Well, how funny did I feel, reading the labels:
* pate, marinade, jus, sauce and gravy (nary a jelly at this price point)
* sliced, shredded, whole, or strips
* chicken, turkey, duck, whitemeat, ocean fish (how discriminatory), prawns, beef, chicken hearts and livers, virgin tuna (as opposed to what, exactly?)
* accented with long grain rice, tossed with vegetables
* a delight, affair or banquet?
Readers would know that truth in advertising is something I hold dear, mainly because it happens so rarely. Give me a brand of cat food, something like this:
* Ducks’ guts in goop
* Fish eyes ‘n fins jelly
* Chicken wobblies in sauce
* Beef offal with cereal.
As the kids insightfully point out, the cat can’t read. However, after all the fuss and big-spending on new food, the kids also advise me that the boss only eats what comes out of light pink tins and still spits out the tablets. Go figure.
The Other Column 
Review: “Tron Legacy”, movie
It’s a typical quest story: reluctant hero (Sam) gets a message which sets him off on his journey, where he meets a wise old individual (Kevin) and mythical creature (Quorra) on the way to defeat the bad guy (Clu) and save the world. Somehow, along the way, hero wins and the lost warrior does something to redeem himself.
Disney’s “Tron Legacy” is a hard one to review insofar as I think it’ll be loved by some audiences and hated by others.
Likely Supporters:
Computer geeks (nothing wrong with that, embrace it)
People who loved the original movie back in ’82
Boys aged 8+
Popcorn crowd up to the age of 40.
Likely Naysayers:
Script-writers & novelists (who get pounded by editors to write better characters)
Arts students (who know about “the arc”)
People who like well-developed characters
People who don’t like fast motorbikes.
The movie was a visual feast and the imaged cyber universe, quite impressive, but the dialogue and character development was lame, almost an afterthought. The movie was fantastical in the way that “The Matrix” was, but without the obvious depth. To its credit, however, “Tron Legacy” didn’t take itself as seriously as “The Matrix”.
If you’re a parent, wondering whether it’s okay for your teenagers, well, I’d have to say yes, insofar as it was a clean film: no sex scenes, no horribly smutty stuff (other than female robots in skin-tight plastic suits and stilettos), no frightful messages. It was a boy meets girl cliche in the end, but who cares. Your kids might hassle you for an RSPCA rescue pet as well, because it’s made out to be really, like cool – to impress the chicks, particularly.
Disney overclocked its computers and came up with a movie that will impress the crowds who know what overclocking means, and quite possibly, lots who don’t.