text:
Alan Rickman needs to play the head baddie: Rupert Murdoch.
The French Lieutenant's Woman is poised to tackle the Iron Lady in a dramatisation of the 17 days leading up to the 1982 Falklands War, the Hollywood Reporter suggests. Meryl Streep is "in talks" to play Margaret Thatcher in the Film4/Pathe* collaboration, dubbed Thatcher, with Jim Broadbent also discussing the possibility of …
Alan Rickman needs to play the head baddie: Rupert Murdoch.
Maggie Mia...?
And miss out the bit that tells how the Americans win it?
Surely not
... I remember speaking a few years later to somebody who had been there with the RN. He said that it had been, "An absolute shambles and if it hadn't been for the Yanks we'd have been stuffed."
I was chatting to an ex-USN officer a couple of years ago who distinctly remembers intense gunnery drill as his ship sailed with some alacrity in the general direction of the Falklands in May 1982. That they turned around before they arrived at their ordered destination was primarily due to the rapid conclusion of the land battle.
Benicio del Toro as Pinochet? I reckon not. Philipe Noiret would have been a shoo-in for the role, had he not preceded the dictator to the grave by a fortnight or so. A nice irony too, given Noiret played Neruda in Il Postino.
As she did in her triumphant role as Mrs. Arthur Scargill?
Wasn't there a playground song just slighty before my time called "Thatcher Thatcher Milk Snatcher" or something? That would make a good song! Ha!
...Should have been the headline.
No chance - more likely to be the opposite>
Immediately before the Falklands was a time of recession & high unemployment. Opinion polls suggested that the general public perceived her as the worst Prime Minister in British history.
It was only after she (virtually) invited Argentina to occupy the Falklands that she gained the backing ('leader at war' syndrome).
..... leader at war syndrome that worked so brilliantly in favour of Messrs Blair and Brown ?
because they _were_ the worst leaders in history.
Brown especially- as Chancellor and PM he did more bad than Thatcher could have tried to.
This play sounds like a good thing to go see!
I want to get off this planet.
There are innumerable US politicians who have made a career of playing Ronald Reagan--pity that'll be at best a bit part.
As for the musical numbers, may I suggest "Don't Cry for Sheep, Argentina"? Or maybe "They Can't Take that Away From Me" (The days we ran on coal/The time we got Graf Spee/The memory of all that...).
My career is saved
by the argie battleship
sent below the waves
I have no regrets
about my brave boys
killed by french exocets
I have no time for whiners
i'll march on at home
and go thrash the miners
what about "The Fletcher Memorial Home" ? Too obvious? Might make for a short film too I guess.
"If Streep signs on the dotted line, she'll be reunited with director Phyllida Lloyd"
Phyllida?! Sounds itchy.
Get Alan Rickman as Pinochet, not Galtieri - the latter could be played by Geoffrey Rush. Both actors look like the dictators in question.
As for playing Murdoch, all you need is a puppet from Spitting Image to get that rubbery look.
From the title it sounds so so promising. Then you realise it's got nothing to do with ladies rugby!
"Military Intelligence Blunders and Cover-ups" by Colonel John Hughes-Wilson. £6.69 from Amazon.
Sort of been done already, by Steve Bell the Guardian cartoonist and a cast of penguins.
It was noted for a massive heap of penguin guano called "Paramount", which explained Thatchers quote: "the interests of the Falkland islanders are paramount"
I can't wait ... for the scenes where Maggie threatens to cut of their dangley bits.
Sharon Stone reenacting her finest moment from 'Basic Instinct' showing how Thatcher charmed Reagan with Jedward to play the Thatcher twins. Graham Norton to host the inevitable BBC talent search programme.
'visualized' by the great Steve Bell..
'FOoooortress falklands where the cash goes pouring down the drain, where the sound of sheep will stop you sleep' ( all i can vaguely remember)..
Still , meryl streep as thatch , that does sound very 'comic strip'..
I don't know why people think it should be a comedy. There was nothing amusing about trying to run a business during the Friedmanite hag's economic experiment. I didn't notice people laughing when their mortgage payments doubled and then doubled again within a few months, or when unemployment ramped up to several million. Export industries weren't rolling in the aisles while she held the pound at $2.40 and made it impossible to sell anything overseas. I imagine the banks didn't chuckle either, with the numbers of people just abandoning their homes, though the fly builders probably grinned as they looted newly-foreclosed properties and ripped the bathroom fittings out. Even, I would think, genuine Friedmanites would pause at the way this supposed small-government conservative left office with the total tax burden, as a percent of GNP, several points higher than when she came in.
I hope the movie is a serious hatchet job, as serious as the hatchet job she did on the British economy. It needs to be recorded for posterity. It might help prevent the greater tragedy of a new generation of since-borns picking up the right-wing nostalgia and ignorantly repeating the same mistakes.
...if I may say so.
I have my "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead" T-shirt ready. I'm determined that when the evil crone finally snuffs it they don't turn her into some kind of national hero.
each to their own I guess.
That would put me in the large majority, then. At the time General Galtieri saved her ass, Thatcher and her government were enjoying the lowest approval ratings (25% and 18% respectively) since opinion polls began. The wave of jingoism that is presumably the subject of this film pushed her up enough to win the next election, but she was ignominiously sacked by her own party to avoid a Tory holocaust in the one after.
I guess you had to be there to understand.
"The wave of jingoism that is presumably the subject of this film pushed her up enough to win the next election, but she was ignominiously sacked by her own party to avoid a Tory holocaust in the one after."
Interesting - according to you we had a parliament that lasted without a general election for 9 years from 1983 to 1992. The "next election" (the one after the Falklands war) was in 1983, Thatcher stood down 7 years after that (in 1990), and the election following that - the first one in which she didn't lead the Tories - was in 1992. But it was not possible for a parliament to last for more than 5 years without a general election.
Your idiotic rants might carry a bit more weight if you bothered to check your facts before spewing out your drivel. It is quite clear from the dates quoted above that there must have been a general election some time in 1987 or 1988 (in fact it was in 1988) and that far from being as you claim sacked by her own party to avoid defeat in that election she led the party to victory in it.
After all, it worked for "Keating!"
'Springtime for Margaret'
Where's Mel Brooks when you need him?
They did a show about Hollywood's version of the miners' strike, with Al Pacino as Arthur Scargill and Meryl Streep as Maggie.


text:
The budget Android tablet segment is getting a little more crowded today with the introduction of the 7.9-inch Acer Iconia A1-830 and 7-inch Acer Iconia B1-720. The Acer Iconia A1-830 runs on Android 4.2.1, powered by an Atom processor with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, microSD card slot, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 1,024 x 768 resolution IPS display and a battery that can last up to seven hours. The smaller Acer Iconia B1-720 packs a 1.3GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and five hours of battery life. Since Acer didn't care to mention any other specs for the B1-720, we're going to assume there's not much to write about.
The specs of Acer's new Iconia tablets won't be impressing the Android faithful, but Acer is hoping its bargain basement pricing will help capture the attention of the general public. Acer's Iconia A1-830 will launch in Q1 with a suggested retail price of $149 while the cheaper Acer Iconia B1-720 will carry a $129 sticker price when it shows up in stores in late January.Show Press Release
Acer Debuts Iconia A1-830 Tablet — Premium, Stylish Design With 7.9-Inch IPS Display
LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwired – Jan 3, 2014) -
Editors' Summary:
- Stylish, premium design features aluminum metal back cover
- Stunning visuals on 7.9-inch LED-backlit display with IPS(1) technology
- Great performance with Intel® Atomâ"¢ processor and dual speakers for rich audio
- Ideal for consumers who want a superior tablet for enjoying web browsing, casual gaming, sharing and staying connected
- Build Your Own Cloud (BYOCâ"¢) for creating reliable, more secure and easy to use self-built clouds
Acer America today unveiled the new Acer Iconia A1-830, a 7.9-inch Android tablet with a premium and stylish design, vibrant IPS display(1), responsive performance and rich sound, starting at just $149. The Acer Iconia A1-830 is ideal for consumers who want a superior tablet for enjoying web browsing, casual gaming, sharing and staying connected.
The new Acer Iconia A1-830 debuts at this year's 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It will be shown for the first time at Pepcom's Digital Experience! media event on Monday, Jan. 6, which highlights some of the hottest gadgets and technologies debuting this week.
"Our fundamental goal when creating the Acer Iconia A1-830 was to provide our customers with an optimized Android tablet that stands out from other devices," said Jerry Kao, associate vice president of Acer Mobile Consumer Business Unit. "Consumers expect more than ever from value-oriented products, and the Acer Iconia A1-830 tablet delivers much more than tablets in this class with its vibrant IPS display, premium aluminum metal finish and great performance and sound."
Stylish Design with IPS Display
The tablet features a premium design with an aluminum rear cover and a metal mid-frame to add strength and rigidity to the device. This durable design provides additional protection for the 7.9-inch display (1024 x 768 resolution) with IPS technology. The IPS display offers crisp and accurate colors from viewing angles up to 178 degrees for an enhanced visual experience. The 4:3 aspect ratio provides a large viewing area for browsing websites and reading.
The premium chassis features an elegant silver design that is comfortable to hold thanks to its smooth finish and rounded edges. The tablet is stylish and portable at only 0.84 pounds. Also, the 7.9-inch display is surrounded by a sleek bezel and measures only 0.32 inches (8.15mm) thin, so it's easy to hold in just one hand for convenient multi-touch.
Performance and Long Battery Life for Web-Browsing and Entertainment
The Acer Iconia A1-830 is powered by an Intel® Atomâ"¢ (Clover Trail+) Z2560 1.6GHz processor and 1GB of onboard LPDDR2 SDRAM, so it delivers fluid and fast navigation through apps and websites, smooth video playback and better mobile gaming.
"People continue to demand more from their tablets, and we must stay ahead of what they need and want to do," said Hermann Eul, corporate vice president and general manager for Intel's Mobile and Communications Group. "Acer has designed a tablet that does just that using our multi-core multi-threaded Intel Atom processor for Android. The new Acer Iconia A1-830 provides a smooth, seamless and responsive Android-based mobile experience for multitasking, web browsing and gaming. We're excited to see another Intel-based Android tablet available for consumers."
Designed for a great portable media experience, the Iconia A1-830 plays vibrant video and movies. Customers will enjoy their media even more with dual speakers for rich stereo sound. There is plenty of room to store media and apps with the tablet's 16GB of storage, as well as via the microSD slot that supports cards up to 32GB(3). The Iconia A1-830 also features the Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean operating system and 7.5 hours of battery life.
The Acer Iconia A1-830 keeps consumers connected to Wi-Fi networks with 802.11b/g/n wireless. Its rear-facing camera captures 1080p HD audio/video recording with a 2560 x 1920 resolution. The front facing camera is great for video chats and capturing images with a 1600 x 1200 resolution for 720p audio/video recording. Plus, the tablet's integrated microUSB and Bluetooth 3.0 lets consumers quickly connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and speakers.
Acer PCs can be seamlessly integrated for accessing data anytime, anywhere — throughBuild Your Own Cloud (BYOCâ"¢)(4). It enables users to build their own cloud on their devices, such as music, photos and other types of clouds. These self-built clouds, based on an Acer Open Platform, are reliable, more secure, easy to use and provide users convenient access to their information and content anytime, anywhere.
Accessories for Extra Productivity and Protection
A variety of optional accessories make the tablet experience more enjoyable and productive.
Acer Crunch Keyboard - For users who need a keyboard, Acer offers a state-of-the-art, ultra-slim Crunch Keyboard that is built into a soft synthetic leather case. The keyboard easily folds outs while the case serves as a tablet stand. The keyboard is only 0.21 inches (5.3 mm) thin, offers Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity and is rechargeable via microUSB.
Acer Crunch Cover - Made with durable microfiber, the Crunch Cover folds out into a tablet stand with multiple angle settings to suit a range of user preferences. The slim-fit cover provides access to all ports and is available in several colors.
Other options include a protective case, protection film and adaptor kit with bag.
Pricing and Availability
The Iconia A1-830 will be available in North America this quarter starting at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $149.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
1495 Heron Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
1963/01/01 to 1965/01/01
Pavilion B is a component of the Federal Study Centre, a self-contained training complex composed of twelve interconnected pavilions (A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I, J, L, K and M) identifiable by their modern vocabulary of dark, rough brick surfaces divided by contrasting smooth white concrete floor plates and parapets, and by their careful organization around four small courtyards. Pavilion B is a small, low building connecting the former chapel (Pavilion A) to the east, six-storey tower (Pavilion C), and defines the northern edge of the former novitiate courtyard. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Pavilion B is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its architectural and environmental values, as well as its historical associations.
Historical ValueThe Federal Study Centre, of which Pavilion B is a significantly contributing element, was built to house a high school for girls, a high school for boys, a convent and a novitiate. As such, it is a good example of a multifunctional education complex. Commissioned and run by a religious order in the early 1960s, it was erected during a period of extensive suburban development initiated with the annexation of Alta Vista into the City of Ottawa in 1950. The original owners of the property were The Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, the first religious order founded in Canada. The Sisters developed into a powerful and progressive Catholic organization, well known in the eastern part of the country. The Sisters were closely involved in the design of the complex, and remain associated with the period when it was operated as one of their educational facilities. Acquired in the early 1970s, the Federal Study Centre also represents the rapid expansion of Federal Government activities at that time and the way the related need of facilities for training civil servants was addressed, in this case to meet the objectives of the Official Languages Act of Canada.
Architectural ValuePavilion B speaks to the educational role of the Federal Study Centre, which is a very good example of a modern educational campus. Using features of the modern architectural vocabulary, the campus creates high visual interest through a diversity of effects. All pavilions share a common, limited palette of colours and good quality materials assembled with very competent craftsmanship. They are also united by the play of light and shadow, and texture and space. Functionally, the Federal Study Centre complex originally served a complex program, organized into three groups of interconnected buildings around a chapel (Pavilion A) and four courtyards (the academic, the administrative, the novitiate and the monastic). All pavilions are characterized by a clear yet subtle hierarchy of interrelationships from public to private spaces. The functional interconnectivity of the complex is further reinforced by a system of tunnels and walkways connecting all pavilions. An early work of Tim Murray of Murray and Murray Associates in Ottawa, the complex also benefited from the contribution of landscape architect Peter Coe and multidisciplinary artist Gerald Trottier, who was responsible for the interior decoration of the former chapel (Pavilion A). All buildings of the Federal Study Centre were easily converted from a religious educational complex to a government training facility. The integrity of the campus remains intact.
Environmental ValueConsistent with the intimacy favoured for religious complexes, the Federal Study Centre is a discreet, self-contained environment, screened by a row of mature trees from Heron Road. It is somewhat isolated yet compatible with the surrounding 1960s residential suburb. The interrelationships between all pavilions, the landscaped courtyards they define, and two closely adjacent educational facilities have been well maintained.
Sources: Kate MacFarlane, 12 Buildings, Federal Study Centre, 1495 Heron Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Board Office Building Report 04-059; Pavilion B, Federal Study Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 04-059.
Pavilion B is an intrinsic component of the Federal Study Centre and plays an important contextual role on the campus. As such, it shares the following character-defining elements, which should be respected:
The Federal Study Centre's aesthetic expression, as demonstrated by:- its features typical of modern architecture, such as clean lines, strong horizontality balanced with vertical elements including a former chapel spire stating the religious foundation of the complex, a stylized campanile, two towers, and horizontal bands of windows; - its clear articulation on the exterior of the structural system, expressed in the engaged pillars, deep overhangs, horizontal floor plates and cornice with large water spouts;- its articulation of building function through varied footprint, massing and roof profiles, size and location of openings; - the highly texturized exterior façades created by alternating solids and voids, combining smooth concrete surfaces with projecting and more rustic brick planes and deeply recessed windows extending from floor to ceiling;- the common palette of materials comprised of red mottled bricks with smooth white concrete accents and copper trim and roofs;- the strong visual and physical relationship between the pavilions, as well as between the pavilions and the landscaped courtyards, which creates a sense of a self-contained environment; - its strategically located plantings, as well as carefully organized and proportioned walkways, stairs, brick screen walls and concrete fixtures;- the three-dimensional articulation of the terrain, created by raised courtyards, sunken concrete planters and basin, and varying ground planes from one building façade to another.
The Federal Study Centre's very good functional layout incorporating, beyond a low colonnaded entrance:- the typical functions of an educational campus, such as classrooms and halls, a cafeteria, a gymnasium, a library, a theatre, and administration offices; - additional functions related to the religious foundation of the campus, such as the former chapel, two residential towers, initially for novices and nuns, and a former dormitory building for girls; - four courtyards, each with its specific character reflecting the hierarchy of its original users (the academic, the administrative, the novitiate and the monastic); - a system of tunnels and walkways connecting all pavilions.
The Federal Study Centre's use of good quality materials assembled with very competent craftsmanship, as exemplified in: - the common palette of materials comprised of red mottled bricks with smooth white concrete accents and copper trim (Pavilions B and L) and roofs (Pavilions A and F). In addition, a number of projecting, distorted bricks enliven the wall planes, creating highly textured surfaces.
The Federal Study Centre's compatibility with the 1960s residential and institutional character of its setting, as illustrated in:- its low but varied silhouette and massing, pedestrian scale and simple materials, as well as its generous lawns and plantings;- its intact relationship with Heron Road and two closely adjacent educational facilities. One of them, the St. Patrick's Elementary School to the west, is identical in design to the Federal Study Centre buildings.
Government of Canada
Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy
Recognized Federal Heritage Building
Tim Murray, Murray and Murray Associates
National Historic Sites Directorate, Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 89, 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec.
1495 Heron Road, Ottawa, Ontario
Pavilion F is a component of the Federal Study Centre, a self-contained training complex composed…
Pavilion H is a component of the Federal Study Centre, a self-contained training complex composed…
Pavilion I is a component of the Federal Study Centre, a self-contained training complex composed…
Administered by Parks Canada


text:
Don Polec, who's been doing goofy features for Action News since his arrival from Buffalo in November 1982, is on his way out, effective April 1.
A station source said he was headed off in a different direction and is looking to do reports with his wife's TV production company. Channel 6 may even air some of them.
"Long before Seinfeld, he was the guy who could take absolutely nothing and make it hilarious," said former colleague Marc Howard.
For your edification, here's a great Gail Shister story on Polec from 1984.