Even more celebrity reality madness

While the list from Briton is impressive, it misses the American celebrity real life content. Just today I noticed a new one, Armed and Famous, where famous actors are given a police training course, guns, and the chance to arrest people. We also have, Hogan Knows Best, which follows the real life trials and tribulations of the famous wrestler and his family. Also, The Surreal Life, where half a dozen famous types live in a mansion together for a month under constant camera scrutiny. There's another one about the children of a Mafia Boss called, Growing Up Gotti. Of course, the one that seemed to start this madness has to be mentioned, The Osbournes, showing the home life of the rocker Ozzy Osbourne.

the Grit

Can we stop celebrity Reality please?

Celebrity Reality has gone too far!!!

Maybe it is not right to start the new year with a bit of a moan, but over the past month from mid December to now, I have become very weary of reality - entertainment programmes that is. Whatever television channel one tunes into, reality programmes seem to be bombarding us. Here in the UK I have lost count of the numbers, but here are just a few.

1) I'm a Celebrity - get me out of here.

Deep in the wilds of Australia (so they say!), a dozen or so celebrites from the D-list had to battle it out for survival. During the course of their three week stay, they did bungee jumping, had to eat Kangaroo anus and Crocodile penis, amongst a host of other equally unpleasant tasks. The only highlight of this series was the way that David Gest (of Liza Minelli fame) was able to make fools of everyone, turning most into his servants.

2) Celebrity strictly dancing.

A host of so-called celebrities joined in partnership with professional dancers to show how they can master the art of ballroom dancing, or not is a more accurate description. We had to witness two weeks or so of tangos (or tangles), Rumba's (or bungles) and waltz (or wally's) moving round the dance floor like cart horses in a frisky mood. A cricketer won this event, but then I guess all the others were stumped.

3) Just the two of Us

This is a programme where celebrities sing duets with "famous" singers, all trying to beat each other to the prize of the week, a glass plaque. In general, the only highlight of this show was the singing of Marti Pello and Beverley knight. As for the celebrity wannabe's, apart from Cricketer
Mark Butcher, they were all best listened to with the sound turned off.

4) Soapstar - Superstar

For those who do not come from the UK or Australia, the celebrities taking part in this show will be totally unknown. The idea of the show is that these people are supposed to exchange their acting talents for musical fame. Of course, as you can guess, most of them have about as much musical talent a cat being scalded on a hot tin roof.

5) Celebrity Big Brother

In a specially constructed house somewhere in the UK, a TV channel has gathered twelve people, ostensibly celebrities, to expose their everyday lives to the viewing public for a little over three weeks, some of whom have been paid up to £500,000 ($1,000,000) to appear. So what are we being treated too?

1) Donny - Lead singer of a hardly heard of band called "Tower of London", who was so fed up with the thought of having to act as a servant to others that he legged it over the wall of the house on day two.
2) Ken Russell - an 80 year old film director (of "Women in love" fame) who, after subjecting the whole house to a snoring crescendo, which led to sleepless nights, and breaching the rules by helping himself to cheese and biscuits, decided that it was all beneath him and demanded to be released, so he left on day three.
3) Jermaine Jackson - looking as if his smile is fixed by plastic surgery, Jermaine is the quietest person in the house, and the least disruptive. However, he is sporting jeans that look like advertising hoardings for America's celebrity elite.
4) Leo Sayer - (a 1970's pop idol) who was so dismayed at the conditions he was forced to live in that he started f*****g and blinding all over the place and demanded to see a copy of his contract. Having read the contract he then crawled humbly back into the house with his tail between his legs. One has to ask why he signed up without reading the small print.
5) Dirk Benedict - (of A-Team fame) who has become infatuated with bollywood star Shilpa and is bemoaning the fact that age stops him from entering into a meaningful relationship with her.

Do the television media really have nothing else of value to put on for their viewers? Whatever happened to the days of drama and entertainment?

Of course, this is all generated by profit. The elimination process on all of these shows is down to a public vote. With average call costs of between 50 pence and £1, and the response ostensibly being up to millions per night, it is not difficult to work out how much money the networks and sponsoring communication companies are earning out of all these shows.

the Brit

The end of a year draws near

Three days to go - 2007 approaches

We near the end of another year. Individually and as a whole people it is a time to reflect on the events of the past 362 days, and to look forward to a new chapter.

Individually, I the brit look back over 2006 with a mixuture of emotions. There are a few tears for the few ocassions when things did not go right, or I said something I should not have. There are the smiles for the many happy memories that have been made during the year. There is love for the people close to me, the family present and those who are no longer here. There has been laughter and a new kind of friendship forged with all the new people I have met in the corridors of www.helium.com. Perhaps the three most precious gifts I have from this year are: -

1) The deepening love for the one person who is special to me.

2) Meeting and befriending the Grit, with whom I have travelled a special journey of fun, laughter, satire, indignation and wit over the past few months. And with whom I am enjoying a unique friendship. I look forward to this continuing into the future. Thank you Grit.

3) The new friends I have made this year. I thank you one and all for sharing with me.

Globally, the world has seen a lot of turmoil over the past twelve months, although this seems to be a regular annual occurence. We wait to see whether in 2007 those who threaten our world will find the good sense to raise a hand in friendship and hope rather than anger and hate.

Resolution, for me the brit in 2007 my resolution is to live like I did in 2006. To find more tears, love, happiness, peace and above all laughter.


We hope that all of you out there can find peace, love and happiness as the new year dawns, and may all your individual and global wishes be granted.

Thank you for sharing 2006 with us, we hope you will share 2007 with us as well.

the Brit and Grit

Christmas Day is dawning

It's Christmas

Christmas day is dawning around the world, starting with Australia. The brit and grit would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you, wherever you are, on this special day.

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

May all your wishes come true today, but most of all may you find peace and happiness with the ones you love this day.

Have a great time. Thank you for visiting with us. We will raise a glass to all our friends and hope to see you again soon as we continue our journey.

the

Brit and Grit

We thought we would leave you with a tune that epitomises what Christmas is about, particularly the politicians.

Its Christmas time, theres no need to be afraid

at christmas time, we live in light and we banish shade
but in our world of plenty, we should spread a smile of joy!

Throw your arms around the world at christmas time

but say a prayer - pray for the other ones

at christmas time, its hard but when your having fun

theres a world outside your window

and its a world of dreaded fear

where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears

And the christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

and there wont be snow in africa this christmas time

the greatest gift they'll get this year is life

where nothing ever grows

no rain or rivers flow
Do they know it's christmas time at all?

heres to you raise a glass for everyone

underneath that sadness

do they know its christmas time at all?

feed the world

let them know its christmas time

Christmas around the world 12

The twelve days of Christmas

We would like to thank Megan, Erik, Jayne, Maia, Vicky and Marlis, who with the brit and the grit have provided us with experiences of Christmas around the world over the past few months. For those of you who have not yet decided what presents to buy, here are some ideas for you.

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
three French Hens, two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
six Geese a Laying, five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds, three French Hens,
two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
seven Swans a Swimming, six Geese a Laying, five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds,
Three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
eight Maids a Milking, seven Swans a Swimming, six Geese a Laying,
five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the ninth day of Christmasmy true love sent to me
nine Ladies Dancing, eight Maids a Milking, seven Swans a Swimming, six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
ten Lords a Leaping, nine Ladies Dancing, eight Maids a Milking, seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying, five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds
three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
eleven Pipers Piping, ten Lords a Leaping, nine Ladies Dancing, eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming, six Geese a Laying, five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

On the twelfth day of Christmasmy true love sent to me
12 Drummers Drumming, eleven Pipers Piping, ten Lords a Leaping, nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking, seven Swans a Swimming, six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings, four Calling Birds, three French Hens, two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Christmas around the world 11

Whatever They Are Called

by Vicky

When I think about Christmas recipes, the most memorable ones contain sugar. Not surprising since I remember both grandmothers and my own mother starting their Christmas baking just after Thanksgiving, and each day when I arrived back home from school, the whole house was permeated by wonderful smells. Pleading and begging might wrestle one tiny morsel off a cookie tray, or a single item out of the dozens of 5 lb coffee cans used to store the Christmas stash, but the majority of the goodies were meant for gifts or special occasions through the holidays.

There was fudge, date loaf roll, gingerbread men with cherry noses, and the proverbial fruitcakes (soaked in bourbon so no child in their right mind ever went near them). My most favorite of all was a little cookie my mother called Russian teacakes.

When I grew up, I found that these little melt in your mouth morsels were also called Mexican wedding cakes, Italian butterballs, Southern pecan balls, snowdrops, Viennese sugar balls, and even snowballs. How we down on the Texas/Arkansas border ever got the Russian version is beyond me since we’re Irish and Indian for the most part of our heritage, and we were in the height of the Cold War and were supposed to hate and fear everything Russian. Regardless of where the name came from, they were and are still my absolute favorites.

The recipe is quite simple and foolproof if you don’t try to substitute anything imitation …like cheap imitation vanilla instead of the pure stuff or margarine instead of the best butter you can buy. Insofar as the nuts, pecans are the best choice although I’ll admit the best batch ever made contained hickory nuts. As a seven year old, I sat for most of an afternoon hammering hickory nuts on a stone, and then carefully picking out the tiny bits until there were enough to take into the kitchen. This may well have been another grandmotherly tactic to keep my fingers away from the cookie tins, but the taste was unforgettable.

Any of this recipe is possible to do with a food processor, but the best way is the old-fashioned way ... by hand.

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup lightly toasted, chopped pecan
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Topping: 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

Cream the butter and ¼ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the extract and then add the flour and salt and beat until well blended. Stir in the nuts, and then place the bowl (covered) in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Make one inch round balls by rolling them between your hands and place the balls about an inch or so apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until browning on the edges. Cool for no more than five minutes and then roll each ball in the sifted sugar.

This recipe makes about three dozen but that isn’t allowing for how many you or your children eat while putting them away. Oh, and these were the first cookies I ever learned to make, and I still make them!