(no subject)

[liadnan]

Absolutely shattered and a million and one things to do (I have a Proper Trial on Friday) so pissing around on livejournal seems like a sensible way to use my time...

Hmm. Actually, what I shall do is give you the headlines of my life for the last few days and leave it to you to fill in the story. It's much more fun that way anyway.
Friday: successful case against most truly annoying LIP. Evening went to private view of Turner and Venice at The Tate courtesy of K. Insert educated and insightful commentary on Turner here.
Caught last train down to see parents. Insert pleasant weekend in the country here.
Caught [Expletive Deleted] train back. Insert worst nightmare train journey from hell story ever, here.
Collapsed on sofa at home and watched Louis Theroux on Nevada brothel; Coupling; chunk of 100 favourite no. 1 singles. Insert (a) sage ruminations on legalised prostitution; (b)(i)enthusiasm for genius of Coupling (b)(ii) warning to Americans about American remake thereof; (c) assorted bits of nostalgia and note of how totally bonkers Kate Bush's video for Wuthering Heights was; here.
Came in this morning and learned that worrying hearing in RCJ settled. Insert expressions of relief, and also smugness that Big Shiny Solicitors seem to think my skeleton argument, a piece of bluff and bluster, had something to do with other side caving in, here.
Insert "currently (re-)reading" exposition here. (Vanity Fair actually).

Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Don't expect much from me this week.

Comments

[fairymelusine.livejournal.com]

Insert expressions of relief, and also smugness that Big Shiny Solicitors seem to think my skeleton argument, a piece of bluff and bluster, had something to do with other side caving in, here.

Um, sir? Isn't bluff and bluster what you're supposed to be doing? I thought that was lawyer rule no. 1 - say nonsense like you mean it and if you say it fast enough they won't question it ... or maybe that's just what they teach us at American law schools.

And take care - working too hard rots the soul, they tell me.

[liadnan]

Well, I never thought I bluffed very well myself. We did have an argument, but opinions varied on its strength...

[fairymelusine.livejournal.com]

Well, one always has an argument, but if there wasn't a possible opposing one, why would anyone be fighting about it? One needn't call if bluffing per se, if that makes one uncomfortable ... but there is a bit of the old 'oh, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain' about it all ...

And why I felt the need to use 'one' so many times in the preceeding paragraph I shall never know.

[liadnan]

I think one difference between America and Britain on this is the pressure to settle, and consequent penalties in costs if you don't. So blatant bluffing is less common. Possibly.

[fairymelusine.livejournal.com]

That may be so. There is a pretty large pressure to settle here too, but you're right - we don't get knocked up for the other party's fees if we lose.

Also, to Americans, bluffing is second nature, I think.

[oletheros.livejournal.com]

the american version of coupling has already been cancelled, i think.

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

I don't know that that's official yet, but it's been pulled for the time being.

[liadnan]

Well, I've heard so many bad things about it I'm fairly relieved..
The UK remake of the Golden Girls was appalling. In fact, now I come to think of it, almost all trans-Atlantic remakes are awful.
Ironically, Coupling itself, I've always suspected, is not uninspired by Friends in any event. Only sharper and much, much bitchier.

The U.S.'s UN-Coupling

[liquidkitty08.livejournal.com]

You know how Pepsi One is not quite Pepsi nor is it really Diet Pepsi, it's just this odd non-entity? Well, that's the U.S.'s version of Coupling. It was quite resoundingly cancelled and disowned by NBC, while it still had three shows left to film. A U.S. season has thirteen episodes, so they filmed a few original episodes, but for the most part they simply refilmed the existing British versions and substituted Britishisms with Americanisms. I *LOVE* Coupling, but the U.S. version frankly stank so badly that whilst watching the pilot, I wondered if Cat had passed something ultra nasty in the litterbox.

As for Coupling being Friends inspired, Stephen Moffat denies it. He says that it is based on his relationship with Sue, and the characters are built so that when the group of threes are speaking it reflects what goes on in a person's head.

[fi.livejournal.com]

I watched a bit of Coupling on DVD< and I have to say, I couldn't get into it.

I suspect this was because I was halfway through watching This Life and Cold Feet, bith oif which I enjoyed immesnsely, and Coupling's just... different.

[liadnan]

I loved This Life and Cold Feet too. Coupling is more "pppure" sitcom than either of those.
It isn't quite my favourite of recent British sitcom (Spaced, Black Books, and the neglected gem of How Do You Want Me (Dylan Moran and the late Charlotte Coleman) come to mind, but I do find it very funny, and sharp.

(Also Sarah Alexander is the future Mrs Liadnan, though she knows it not as yet, but that's beside the point)

[megamole.livejournal.com]

Friday: successful case against most truly annoying LIP. Evening went to private view of Turner and Venice at The Tate courtesy of K. Insert educated and insightful commentary on Turner here.

Droool. Two magic words. Venice and Turner.

[liadnan]

Indeed. Though we did come to the conclusion that quite so many Turners all in one room was a little over powering (I get the same feeling in the standing Clore collection).

I missed Coupling

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

but I did see Theroux. It as interesting, to say the least.

(I think I too would like to get paid for spending weeks in brothels doing documentaries...)

Re: I missed Coupling

[liadnan]

Hmmm. Yes.
I find it difficult to come to a firm conclusion about legalised brothels, mainly because it seems so ripe for abuse. In Turkey, by all accounts, it amounts to little more than legitimised slavery
I did manage to find myself, entirely by coincidence I assure you, outside the most famous and ancient brothel in Istanbul when I got lost round Galata once: looked pretty sordid. But this place seemed ok, by and large.
Am I right in thinking brothels are legal in Greece too?

Re: I missed Coupling

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

I think some are, but you always find those that are not. I'm not that sure - under the right ... control, I suppose, I think they could protect the people working there.