grumpyf1

The name's Bond... Buggering Off Bond Is would appear that ace movie director Danny Boyle has had his licence to thrill revoked. Oscar-winning Boyle, the man in the driving seat of such monstrously successful and critically acclaimed blockbusters as Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire, has apparently dropped out of directing the 25th outing for James Bond, due for release next year. In the same way that the phrase “under the weather” can mean just about anything, Mr B is apparently putting his departure down to “creative differences”. It’s been a remarkably short time at the helm of the Bond franchise – it’s only three months since production company EON were effusively announcing their delight at having bagged Boyle for their next (and probably final) outing with Daniel Craig as the rugged super-spy. Filming was due to start in December, with the film slated for release the following October, so whilst the current situation might be described as both shaken and stirr

Jack Whitehall - not gay. Problem? A new Disney movie is in production. Not particularly massive news in itself, but the film, called Jungle Cruise, will be the first Disney flick to have a major character who is an openly gay man. The actor taking on this role, and the associated headache of having to deal with the moral arguments that have ensued, is British – namely Jack Whitehall. Whitehall says he’s “honoured to be part of this epic adventure”, along with co-stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Whilst there’s plenty of support for Whitehall on social media, there are also many who aren’t pleased at all about him being cast in the role. That the first significantly gay role in a Disney movie will be played by a straight guy hasn’t gone down well in some quarters, but the arguments for and against this are complicated. One point of view is that there’s no reason to cast a gay man to play the role – gay actors play straight parts, and it’s rare anyone bats

...and you didn't even remove the stems. *sigh* Our hot and dry summer has brought us many things. A hosepipe ban. Lots of flies. Ice cream addiction. The sight of my legs on a regular basis. I dare say there are some good things too. Chief amongst the hot-weather-horrors (from my point of view, at least) is that most heinous of contraptions – the adult sippy cup. Masquerading as a water bottle for grown-ups, many of these have decidedly unwelcome attributes. Sure, drinking plenty of water is a good thing. Hurrah for hydration. Even those ones with a little cage for you to incarcerate some fruit are tolerable, if a faint hint of raspberry in your water makes it easier for you. It’s not the need to drink water that’s the problem – it’s how it gets from your bottle into your system. We all pretty much figured out how to use a glass many years ago. It’s a proud moment for your parents when their little ‘un manages to take a swig of juice without pouring half of it down the

It's not me, it's you... Beware the Smartphone Zombies! We’ve all bumped in to them – often literally – those expressionless, hunched, figures, shuffling blindly along the pavements of the world, so hypnotised by the glow of their phone screens, that they are oblivious to other pedestrians. Maybe you’re one yourself, and have either dipped into the physical world because your battery died, there’s no signal or for a spot of paper-based nostalgia. Or you’re reading this on your phone. High on the list of online distractions are the myriad forms of social media. Whether you are transfixed by Twitter, immersed in Instagram or fulfilled by Facebook, many of us spend more time interacting online than in real life – with the associated concerns about damage to mental health, bullying, grooming, fake news and all the other potential downsides of interacting online. If you, or your loved ones, seem to be spending unhealthy amounts of time online, then perhaps an announcemen