You've seen the film....

...now eat the star...

I remember a story of a cinema where people who had just seen the film "BABE" were met with a sign offering bacon sandwiches at a local cafe with the tagline: "you've seen the film, now eat the star..."

Remember 'Finding Nemo' ?

After seeing the film, many children wanted a clown fish, and the demand threatened the species and the coral environments where it lived. They didn't want to eat Nemo as much as take him home and have their own... (although I do have a cartoon somewhere with Nemo chopped up in sushi rolls)

This story from June 2008 provides a little more background on the clown fish story.

There was also 'Happy Feet', which featured penguins, but there was little chance of parents shelling out for one of those.

Other films that created a big demand for pets: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ?

The latest anthropomorphic antics of the film "G-Force" feature guinea pigs, and of course these are far more accessible in terms of prize and general availability (there's a pet shop at the end of my road - no really, there is...) and it has quite a few in at the moment.

This trend goes back quite a long way apparently - it's sometimes called the "101 Dalmations" effect...

A quick look at the PETS AT HOME website revealed that it's not just the cost of the animal (the guinea pig), it's all the other stuff that they need....

Local news also featured a report last night on the increasing number of cats that are being abandoned. Why not get a RESCUE GUINEA PIG if you really have to have one...

Inspiration for this post was a brief piece in Guardian G2: "Hollywood guinea pigs are for life, kids.

Oh, and I want a BACON is a VEGETABLE shirt....

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On the trail of the 'Detectorists'

As I was in Suffolk last week, I headed for Framlingham as I knew that there were various locations from the series 'Detectorists' and also a wonderful pub just a few miles away where we could go for lunch. Parked up in the Market Square, and from there it was a short walk to several locations. Here are plenty more on a map. Managed to track down four locations: the outside of the 'Two Brewers' pub (the interior was filmed elsewhere), Lance's upstairs flat, the shop where Lance's former partner sells Spiritual goods and scented candles, and the village hall where the DMDC met. Here's me outside said hut. Don't forget the uniformbooks book of course. Still available and an excellent read.

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Edexcel Cultural Geography Contexts

Those teachers who have opted for the Edexcel 'A' level specification in the UK (for students aged 16-18), there is a unit called "The World of Cultural Diversity" . Today, the pre-release titles were announced. Students will be expected to prepare OPTION 4: The World of Cultural Diversity • Explore what is meant by a global culture, how it is defined and, if it exists, what its characteristics are. • Research contrasting locations, some of which show the effects of cultural globalisation and others which seem to be resisting the process. Would be interested in hearing the thoughts of any blog readers on any suggested resources or thoughts on these particular contexts...

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