Doctor Who: 'Tooth and Claw' or 'The Origins of Torchwood'

'Tooth and Claw' - Someone is having a bad hair day...

With the news of Torchwood returning soon(ish) to our TV screens (for more details and info, see the related links at the end of this post), we thought that, while we're waiting for the Big Event, we might as well do some time travelling of our own and take you back to when (and finding out the reasons why in the process) Torchwood was originally founded...

Oh yes, the Torchwood Institute existed loooooong before the Doctor Who TV Series was even created. Never mind the good old story conveniently spread around about Torchwood being an anagram of Doctor Who and that's what gave the idea of the Torchwood story, etc... It's only a cover up, more or less like the one telling us that Santa Claus doesn't exist. See what I mean?

It's all in the Doctor Who's 'Tooth and Claw' episode (second episode of Series Two, to be precise...) anyway. So, if you haven't watched it yet, now might be a good time to do so. 

Plus, it's one of those episodes when Rose Tyler was still the Doctor's companion (aaaah, those were the days)...

⏩ NB: All the pictures used in this post are from  the BBC's official Doctor Who site...

Today's post is filled with opportunities that I couldn't humanely pass even if I wanted to... Not only we have both timely opportunities to refresh our memory about Torchwood's history and populate the almost neglected "It's a Wolf Thing" Category in the process, but we also have the golden opportunity to see our favorite chav, Rose Tyler, once again (and, I don't mean only Billie Piper's pictures either, nope, we have a video-clip with her in it as well)... How's that for value for money?

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

'Tooth and Claw' - "I do look good with glasses. Maybe I should wear a bow tie as well. Hmm, perhaps another time..."

'The Origins of Torchwood' aka the 'Tooth and Claw' episode

In 'Tooth and Claw', the Tardis is back to its goold old self and, instead of taking The Doctor and Rose to Sheffield 1979 (so that they could see Ian Dury and the Blockheads live in concert), it takes them to Scotland... in 1879.

That's also when Queen Victoria is expected to visit Sir Robert McLeash and his wife at their house, the Torchwood Estate...

But It looks like the Tardis, didn't bring the Time Lord and his companion to that time and place by accident: There have previously been a possible assassinat attempt against the monarch and the Torchwood Estate has been taken over by a cult's members who have some rather sinister plans for Queen Victoria and the British empire...

'Tooth and Claw' - Rose... in a cage.

Some nice little treats

• Rose (probably) making the guards' day with her "nakedness" 
• Rose in a cage (well, it worked for some of us) 
• Some Kung-Fu fighting during the taking over of the Torchwood Institute
• A Were-Wolf and a full moon
• A rather interesting and funny joke about the modern British Royal Family

'Tooth and Claw' - "Have you got rats in your attic?"

What's on the continuity front

• The werewolf's host saw a ‘wolf’ inside Rose (reference to "Bad Wolf" in Season One)
• The 10th Doctor called himself James McCrimmon, (the full name of one of his previous companions)
• The Time Lord took credit for crashing Skylab in 1979.

The origins of Torchwood

What we learn in the "Tooth and Claw" episode is that Queen Victoria was actually not amused at all with the way The Doctor has been dealing with the events and, seing him as a threat to the British Empire and her world, (she has seen now that Great Britain has enemies beyond imagination and must defend its borders on all sides) she decided to found the Torchwood Institute.

"There shall be an institute, who shall investigate these occurrences and to fight them. It shall be christened after the house, the Torchwood Institute and should the Doctor ever return then he should beware, because Torchwood will be waiting…" 

Talk about royal ingratitude... Wow! 

'Tooth and Claw' - "Wow, that's a big one!"

'Tooth and Claw' - a great Doctor Who episode, written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn. With David Tennant as "The Tenth Doctor", Billie Piper as "Rose Tyler" and Pauline Collins as "Queen Victoria".

Doctor Who Fan Video:

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• Torchwood gets ready for fourth series
• Torchwood to return in BBC / Starz deal with 'explosive and global' story
• Torchwood returns for new series
• Torchwood to return for fourth series
• Davies talks Torchwood
• Starz Brings Torchwood Back From the Dead
• Doctor Who: 'Tooth and Claw' or 'The Origins of Torchwood'
• New 'Torchwood' Gets A Title Change; BBC Releases Plot Details
• TARDISblend 19: Countdown To 'Miracle Day'
• As Production Begins On 'Torchwood', Lauren Ambrose Joins Cast

Lawn Games for Good and Inexpensive Summer Family Fun

In today's post, Rachel Paxton - our Guest Writer for the day, shares with us some tips to help make Summer time a great and fun family time...

I'm quite lucky where I live, because it's not too far from the sea front (5 minutes walking distance) and the local park. So when the kids come visit me, there is always somewhere to go during the summer. But, while it's great to be able to go to the beach or/and the park whenever we want, the kids do tend to get bored very easily and quickly and that's when the unexpected added expenses (extra drinks, ice-cream cones, etc...) that are not always easy to pay for when you are on a very stretched budget (hey, I need to save some money if I want to go that ideal holiday destination suggested in the other post, don't I?) get in the way...

Lawn games look like the solution for me. It involves a bit of shopping, of course, but whatever I'll buy will definitely pay for itself after a few weeks.

Enjoy, and have (an inexpensive) fun this Summer!

Loup Dargent 

Lawn Games 

for Summer Family Fun

by Rachel Paxton

Summer is a great time to play lawn games outside with your

family. There are many affordable games available to choose

from, and most games are portable so you can take them camping or

to the local park for large gatherings of family and friends.

The last time I went to Walmart I found all of these lawn games

for $20 or less.

Ladder Ball

Ladder Ball has been very popular for the past couple of years.

The game comes with two "ladders" and balls that are attached

together with short nylon ropes. Each rope has a ball on each

end. Each player gets three of these ropes to throw at a ladder.

Points are based on which rung of the ladder the rope wraps

around. This game is fun for all ages. For young children you

will have to let them stand really close to the ladder so they

can hit it, but even adults have a great time playing this game.

Bean Bag Toss

I just picked this bean bag toss game up the other day. It was

only $19 at Walmart. It is the classic bean bag toss game. It

comes with two collapsable platforms that each have a hole in

them to throw bean bags through. This game is also suitable for

children of all ages. Even toddlers will love this game. Our 1

year old loves running up to the platform and dropping the bean

bag through the hole. This game comes with a portable carrying

case. The platforms have removable legs and everything folds up

and fits in the bag so you can take it with you. This game can

also be played in the house. It is great for rainy days!

Horse Shoes

This is the classic game of horse shoes, also $19 at Walmart. It

comes in a portable carrying case so is easy to take along with

you to wherever you want to play it.

Magic Mitts / Rally Ball

This game is a little different but fun. It is only $5 and is two

games in one. It comes with two mitts that have velcro on one 

side of them. Each player wears a mitt and you throw a ball back

and forth to each other, using the velcro to catch the ball. The

game also comes with two flat paddles and a rally ball to hit

back and forth to each other.

Croquet

When I was a child, croquet was one of my favorite lawn games.

It was one of the only lawn games that my family played together,

and I always looked forward to when my parents got it out for us

to play. Walmart also has an inexpensive portable version of

this favorite game. This game is great for children that are old

enough to be able to use a mallet to hit a ball on the ground.

The object of the game is to be the first to hit a ball through a

series of wickets that are set into the ground.

Hopefully these lawn game ideas will inspire you to go out and do

something fun with your family this summer. Kids love to spend

time with their parents, and lawn games are a great way to spend

time together and have some fun at the same time.

About The Author:

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For

resources for the Christian family, including parenting, toddler

and preschool activities, homeschooling, family traditions, and

more, visit Christian-Parent.com 

Tags : Lawn Games, Ladder Ball, Summer Family Fun, Bean Bag Toss

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Facebook Apps: Welcome To Your Own Personalised Holiday Match Maker

If your Facebook profile was a holiday destination, what would it be? 

Of course, you know what your ideal holiday destination is, don't you?

I mean, who knows you better than... well... you?

Plus, you don't need anyone to tell you what you want, do you? 

Not only you know what you want, but you also recognise quality when you see it...  
After all, you do read LoupDargent.info. 

(Hmmm... okay, that last bit might not really help your case, but we/you know what we/you mean.)

But, to come back to the ideal holiday destination topic, have you ever wondered what your Facebook profile would be if it was a holiday destination? 

We know that you know what you want it to be, of course, but humour us for a few minutes and let's find out with that nifty Facebook application conveniently called  The Holiday Match Maker, okay?

The Holiday Match Maker is a Facebook App from Halifax. It’s one of those rare things, a Facebook application that is genuinely useful and entertaining at the same time. 

It’s quite clever too. By analysing the content of your profile, it will ’calculate’ what your ideal holiday destination is, where you should stay, what you should do, what the weather’s like at the moment and how many plastic Eiffel Towers you can buy for a fiver. Now it doesn’t get much more useful than that. 

It will also point you in the direction of Halifax Travel Money, something you might find handy when going on holiday (fair enough, it's an App from Halifax after all...). 

So, what is your real  ideal holiday destination? 

Mine is... wait for it.... 

Nope, not Paris.... 

Not Southend-on-Sea either... 

it's... yes.... Chamonix!

Hold on, there is more....

"Being an adventurous kind of guy, you'll love testing out the slopes and of course enjoy the après-ski! The beautiful mountain landscape will make Chamonix a great destination for your birthday celebrations. The kids will love it too! Why not bring along Christy Guichard?"

Brilliant! 

(Just in case you were wondering, Christy is one of my daughters...)

Please, do let us know what your results are...

But, most of all, have fun! 

Loup Dargent

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Is It a Plane? Is It a Bird? No, It's a (Foam) Polar Bear!

People who were in Tokyo that day might have wondered if there was an alien invasion going on with all those polar bear shaped figures flying in the sky...

The One About The CO2 Reducing Cowhorse (Vacheval)

A TV report from Belgique Television back in the 1960's introduces a strange new animal - the Vacheval. A cross between a horse and a cow, it was reared in an attempt to create a CO2 reducing transport system...

Le CO2eux Soirée Finale - One Mini Cowhorse And Lots Of Mustaches Included

We're back to the 1960s and, in the grand finale of Le CO2eux Soirée (the show broadcast from inside a bottle), Alain du Monde shows off his super chic dance moves to the sound of Albert 3000's CO2 reducing tunes...

We also learn that cows are not chic at all.

Cowhorses are definitely very chic, though...

Especially if they are mini cowhorses.

No Marina and The Diamonds or Mystery Jets in this final episode,

but it's still weird and fun all the same.

Good news! The robot is still there...

"Le CO2eux Soirée is a four part variety show created to launch Stella Artois’ new lightweight bottle, which contains less glass and therefore produces less CO2 emissions. 

The show has been created by creative agency Mother and is supported with press and outdoor activity as well as an on-pack promotion."

More details are available in our "Le CO2eux Soirée - Broadcast  From The 1960s and From Inside A Bottle" post.

Episodes two and three are still available to watch through our "Le CO2eux Soirée - The Marina and The Diamonds' Music Video Episode" and "Le CO2eux Soirée - The Mystery Jets Are Dreaming of Another World" posts.

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

PS: RSS Feed Readers: If the video player doesn't appear on the page shown by your RSS Feed Reader Facility, please click on this link...

Tags : Alain du Monde, CO2eux Soirée, 1960s, Cows Are Not Chic

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Pictures Time: Doctor Who's Vintage Daleks

While re-visiting the sixties, thanks to the CO2eux Soiree episodes one (Broadcast From The 1960s and From Inside A Bottle), two (The Marina and The Diamonds' Music Video Episode) and three (The Mystery Jets Are Dreaming of Another World), we've made the most of our travelling back in time and managed to get our hands on more Doctor Who related pictures - all black and white pics,  like the ones we got  for our Tom Baker's Years Part One and Part Two posts. And, not only they are pictures of some of the earliest Time Lords, but they are also pictures of the fearsome and merciless Daleks themselves...

UK: 'Get Him To The Greek' Out In Cinemas On June 23

"English rock stars don't die..."

"Are you as wild as Russell Brand?"

On this side of the Pond we all know how wild former "Big Brother's Big Mouth" presenter and telephone prank caller extraordinaire, Russell Brand can be and that he is definitely a hard act to follow when it comes to wildness... so, I guess most of us will have to say "nope!".

From what I've read in some of the reviews from the US regarding 'Get Him To The Greek', it looks like our "enfant terrible" has done us proud. Of course, Aldous Snow is the perfect part for Essex born (and practically, give or take quite a few miles, my next door neighbour) Russell Brand as, let's face it, he does  look like a Rock Star in real life. It's like he was born to be a Rock Star... or, at least, to play one.

It's a "two for the price of one" kind of post today as, not only we have the movie's UK trailer but... We also have the first five minutes of the movie!

Get Him To The Greek Opening - watch more funny videos

(By the way, if you like spoilers, there are quite a few good ones about 'Get Him To The Greek' at the Geeks of Doom...)

 Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

PS: RSS Feed Readers: If the video players don't appear on the page shown by your RSS Feed Reader Facility, please click on this link...

Aaron Green has 72 hours to get a Rock Star from London to L.A. Pray for him.

Director: 

• Nicholas Stoller

Writers: 

• Nicholas Stoller (written by) 
• Jason Segel (characters)

Cast: 

• Jonah Hill 
• Russell Brand 
• Rose Byrne 
• Tyler McKinney 
• Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs

Plus celebs playing themselves like, for example

• Pink 
• Christina Aguilera 
• Tom Felton 

The full cast and crew list can be seen here...

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Le CO2eux Soirée - The Mystery Jets Are Dreaming of Another World

This is the third episode of the show, and 'The Mystery Jets’ give us a preview of their brand new single Dreaming of Another World.

Yep, we're back to the 1960s and in this episode of the show broadcast from inside a bottle and co-hosted by avant-garde, eco-chic personality Alain du Monde (don't laugh, not everyone can have cool names like, for example, Loup Dargent...), we have The Mystery Jets performing their brand new single Dreaming of Another World.

Of course, as the show is all about reducing stuff like CO2 emissions, The Mystery Jets play with reduced instruments, in front of a reduced audience...

Mystery Jets is an English five-piece indie band 

The band's members are: 

• Blaine Harrison 
• William Rees 
• Kai Fish 
• Kapil Trivedi 
• Henry Harrison

"Le CO2eux Soirée is a four part variety show created to launch Stella Artois’ new lightweight bottle, which contains less glass and therefore produces less CO2 emissions. 

The show has been created by creative agency Mother and is supported with press and outdoor activity as well as an on-pack promotion."

More details are available in our "Le CO2eux Soirée - Broadcast  From The 1960s and From Inside A Bottle" post.

Episode two is still available to watch through our "Le CO2eux Soirée - The Marina and The Diamonds' Music Video Episode" post

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

PS: RSS Feed Readers: If the video player doesn't appear on the page shown by your RSS Feed Reader Facility, please click on this link...

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Exam - The Movie Is Out on Blu-ray and DVD Now

"After watching this movie, you will think twice before applying to all those jobs that sound too good to be true..."

"How far would you go to win the ultimate job?"

Yep, Exam, the BAFTA nominated movie, is now out on DVD and Blu-ray

If you have seen the movie when it was shown in cinemas, the video-clip will help you refresh your memory... If you haven't seen it, then the video-clip should give you a good idea of what you've missed.

Le CO2eux Soirée - The Marina and The Diamonds' Music Video Episode

This is the second episode of the show and, with this one, we are definitely in for a treat... Not only it features the ‘first ever music video in history’, but this video is actually the Marina and the Diamonds’ hit single I Am Not a Robot's one.Wow!

The very "classic sci-fi" looking (and, of course,  in black and white) music video, fits perfectly within the whole show's 1960s television programme atmosphere... It's like travelling back in time, but landing in another dimension (and in a bottle). Brilliant!

For those who don't know yet who Marina and The Diamonds is, she released her first LP, The Family Jewels (679 Recordings) early in 2010.

She comes from a Greek/Welsh background and was born in Abergavenny, and was nominated for the critics' award at this year's BRITS.

Oh, and by the way, the Diamonds in "Marina and The Diamonds" are actually her fans... Nice, isn't it?

"Le CO2eux Soirée is a four part variety show created to launch Stella Artois’ new lightweight bottle, which contains less glass and therefore produces less CO2 emissions. 

The show has been created by creative agency Mother and is supported with press and outdoor activity as well as an on-pack promotion."

More details are available in our "Le CO2eux Soirée - Broadcast  From The 1960s and From Inside A Bottle" post.

Update: Episode Three is now available to watch through our "The Mystery Jets Are Dreaming of Another World" post

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

PS: RSS Feed Readers: If the video player doesn't appear on the page shown by your RSS Feed Reader Facility, please click on this link...

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Le CO2eux Soirée - Broadcast From The 1960s and From Inside A Bottle

Alain du Monde and co-host Jeannie present the most carbon efficient television show of the 1960s  from inside a bottle. 

The video-clip in this post is the first episode of Le CO2eux Soirée, a four part variety show created to launch Stella Artois’ new lightweight bottle, which contains less glass and therefore produces less CO2 emissions.

It's also a variety show with a difference...

A follow-up to last years’ Recyclage de Luxe Show, the CO2eux Soirée is also inspired by 1960s television programmes and is aired ‘live’ from inside the new bottle. Broadcast directly from 1963 (yep, we're travelling back in time with this one.... but it might not look like the past you knew, though), the show features the ‘first ever music video’ - of Marina and the Diamonds’ hit single I Am Not a Robot - alongside a live set from The Mystery Jets, performing their yet to be released single Dreaming of Another World.

"The show has been created by creative agency Mother and is supported with press and outdoor activity as well as an on-pack promotion."

Le CO2eux Soirée is a more intimate version of Stella Artois’ Recyclage de Luxe show, launched last autumn. The show was presented by avant-garde, eco-chic personality Alain du Monde who also co-hosts Le CO2eux Soirée. It featured Florence and the Machine alongside several eccentric guests who shared fascinating tips on how to please Mother Nature - the show’s muse – whilst maintaining a chic lifestyle.

"Stella Artois believes many small green steps help make a big difference. Their new bottles not only contain less glass but are made of 75% recycled glass; their cans are made from 50% recycled aluminium; the corrugated packaging we use for our packs is made out of 100% recycled paper and our cardboard packaging is certified compostable. 

Over the coming years, the brand will continue to produce pioneering eco innovations, taking small steps towards improving the environment"

Episode 2 (featuring Marina and The Diamonds) is now available to view in our "Le CO2eux Soirée - The Marina and The Diamonds' Music Video Episode" post.

Update: Episode Three is now available to watch through our "The Mystery Jets Are Dreaming of Another World" post

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

PS: RSS Feed Readers: If the video player doesn't appear on the page shown by your RSS Feed Reader Facility, please click on this link...

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