Friday, December 9, 2022

If Hallmark Did True Crime

I like true crime.  My wife likes sappy Hallmark stuff.  We were joking at dinner the other day what a combination of those two genres might look like. 

Methodology

  1. Find a list of all Hallmark’s Christmas movies (their cheesiest product)
  2. Substitute “murder” for “Christmas” in the title and description (more or less)
  3. Make a few more edits, if needed (including turning infinitive phrases into “to commit murder”)
  4. Cull the list for the best ones
  5. Present them here in no particular order
  6. Throw in some pix from real, honest-to-goodness Christmas horror movies (there is such a thing)
  7. Enjoy!


The Murder Spirit

A women lands in a coma but realizes her spirit is awake, so she tries to communicate with people in her town and convinces them to commit murder.


The Murder Shepherd

The search for a missing dog leads to murder.


The Murder Secret

While her life is falling apart, single mom Christine finds a magical family heirloom that leads to murder.


The Murder Ornament

A widow plans to give Christmas festivities a miss, as they bring back too many memories of murder.


My Murder Dream

An ambitious store manager of a renowned retail flagship store must enlist the help of a struggling, single-father handyman to help her commit murder.




Ice Sculpture Murder

Callie, an aspiring chef, with her childhood friend David, enter Callie into a club's annual Christmas ice sculpting competition against her boss. Callie's passions for cooking and ice sculpting are met with murder.


A Perfect Murder

A newlywed couple prepare to host their first murder together, but things don't go according to plan.


Murder Incorporated

Riley lands herself a new job via a case of mistaken identity, and her first assignment is to murder her new boss on a trip to save a failing toy factory.


The Most Murderous Time of the Year

Corporate analyst and single mom Jen tackles murder with a business-like approach until her uncle arrives with a handsome stranger in tow.


Once Upon a Murder

When a Princess escapes her entourage to explore New York City over Christmas, she meets a young man who murders her.




A Murder for Christmas

A single man tries to win a bet by getting a woman recovering from a broken engagement to murder him by Christmas.


A Cookie Cutter Murder

Two schoolteachers take their rivalry to a new level, while they scramble to win a holiday baking contest and the affections of a handsome single murderer.


A Rose for Murder

Andy's family has built Rose Parade floats for generations. When her Dad gets sick, Andy's forced to supervise the construction and decoration of their client's float and deal with a murder.


A Nutcracker Murder

When her niece is cast in The Philadelphia Ballet's production of the Nutcracker, a jaded ex-ballerina is forced to commit murder.


Eve’s Murder

A wealthy and successful career woman gets a second chance in life when a magical wish transports her back in time eight years to when she murdered her fiance to lead a business life in New York.




Our First Murder

Murder plans are destined to be ruined when two families come together.


A Dog Named Murder

A developmentally challenged young man with a penchant for caring for animals in need sets out to convince his family - and their whole rural community - to participate in a local shelter's inaugural "Murder a Dog for Christmas Program."


Mrs. Murder

Overwhelmed widower Seth Webster is searching for a housekeeper to help him with his unruly six-year-old twin sons. "Mrs. Murder" mysteriously appears and quickly becomes an irreplaceable nanny, chef, friend... and murderer.


The Murder Pageant

When a temperamental Broadway director is fired from yet another job, she is forced to commit a murder.


I’ll Be Home for Murder

Jackie Foster is a dynamic Assistant District Attorney and single mom. But when Jackie's estranged dad, Jack, a gruff retired police officer, unexpectedly shows up at her door, they will be forced to confront an old murder.



Hearts of Murder

When Jenny plans a Christmas retirement party for her beloved hospital supervisor, she butts heads with Matt, a new manager determined on murder.


Enchanted Murder

Young widow Laura Trudeau was a remarkable dancer. As a project manager she is tasked with renovating a lodge in her hometown and having it ready by Christmas Eve. She is stunned it's the lodge where she and her former love committed murder.


Finding Murder

Grace is thrilled to be taking over the town's Christmas parade, but when the man playing St. Nick is murdered, she needs to find a replacement, even if the replacement is unwilling.


The Murder Train

A cynical journalist decides to take a train from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles for Christmas to get inspiration for a story in honor of his late father. He gets to know the other passengers and runs into an old flame while aboard, whom he murders. 




Switched for Murder

When identical twin sisters are stuck planning their respective Christmas parties, they're convinced the grass is greener on the other side and decide to commit murder.


Sharing Murder

Stephanie Nichols takes over the Christmas Shop, but a property developer has bought the building and is terminating the retail leases. She finds help and love from Michael Kilpatrick, who murders him.


Murder for Christmas Day

A young woman begins a long-distance relationship with an active-duty soldier, then murders him.


Murder in the Air

Struggling with his work-life balance, a widowed father-of-two enlists the help of a professional organizer for the holiday season, then murders her.



A Song for Murder

Country music's latest "It Girl," Adelaide Kay, has a hit single and is linked with a hot star. She should be overjoyed, but dislikes pretending she's in love. Even worse, her manager doesn't want her to write her own songs anymore. She murders him.


Murder Homecoming

A widow of a war hero takes in an injured soldier who has just returned from Afghanistan. Together they commit murder.


Rocky Mountain Murder

After her breakup with a famous tech entrepreneur makes national headlines, Sarah returns to her uncle's ranch to escape the spotlight where she crosses paths with a Hollywood actor and murders him.


The Sons of Murder

A foster home for boys is in danger of being closed when its benefactor is murdered.




Slayer Bells

Manhattanite Catherine O'Mara bonds with a young man who has run away from his father. When the father returns to New York a year later to sell his Christmas trees, they murder him.


Mr. Murder

A Guardian Angel, posing as an English teacher, helps a young woman commit murder.


Signed, Sealed, Delivered for Murder

When the beloved quartet of postal detectives discover an urgent letter written to God on Christmas Eve, they delay their own plans to help a little girl commit murder.


A Royal Murder

While on a last-minute European holiday, a young woman finds herself in the middle of a real-life fairy tale when a chance meeting with a handsome local leads to murder.


Murder Me at Christmas

A bridal boutique owner who is deep in the flurry of planning an exquisite Christmas wedding, is unexpectedly murdered by the bride's brother.




The Sweetest Murder

Kylie is expecting a proposal from her boyfriend/boss at a restaurant and gets a promotion instead. The restaurant owner is her old high school boyfriend, who she hasn't seen in years. They help each other out. Is murder in the air?


One Starry Murder

When journeying by bus to surprise her boyfriend for Christmas, Holly meets a charming cowboy who she murders.


Murder and Mistletoe

A young woman who left the year-round holiday party of "Santaville" - where her dad reigns as the resident St. Nick - returns to find her father murdered.


Catch a Murder Star

With the help of his two precocious kids, a widower murders his high school sweetheart, who just happens to be one of the biggest pop stars on the planet.


Northpole: Open for Murder

When Mackenzie inherits her aunt's once-majestic inn, she decides to sell it. But fixing up the rundown place is more challenging than she had anticipated. Then the magic of murder intervenes, with unexpected help from killer elves.




Tuesday, November 15, 2022

The Great British Brands: Are They Still British?

You may be aware that some of the famous British brands are owned by someone else. Someone who’s located in a foreign country. Someone who is definitely not British.

It may be most obvious in auto. Rolls-Royce and MINI, for example, are owned by BMW. Range Rover and Land Rover are both owned by the Indian company Tata.

Now, how about the rest of them?


Methodology

  1. Did a Google search on “British brands”
  2. Came up with a list of 25
  3. Figured out where the headquarters are
  4. Created some snazzy graphs


Results

  • As you can see, it’s basically half and half
  • Not too surprisingly, the good ol’ US of A is the leader
  • More surprisingly, is India, at second. In addition to the Rovers mentioned above, there’s also Tetley. This one makes a ton of sense, as India’s where most of the world’s tea comes from.
  • Germany’s the only other country that has more than one
  • The Netherlands actually comes in for half a credit, with Durex (condoms) being co-located in the two countries


  • I’ve already talked about auto
  • Food includes companies such as tea (3 companies) & candy (4)
  • 1-offs include things like clothing (Burberry), financial (Barclays), insurance (Lloyds) & others


  • One-offs are pretty much half and half
  • Grocery (Sainsburys and Tesco) are just local brands (unlike, say, Aldi or Lidl, from Germany)
  • Food & auto are about a third British


What’s really not covered here is the degree that foreigners own the premier British brands. For example, who even knew Skittles or Twix were British originally? At the same time, what could be more British than Rolls-Royce or Tetley?  


Super Bands That Never Quite Happened

 There’ve been a lot of super bands over the years – Blind Faith; CSNY; The Good, The Bad & The Queen; even the Travelling Wilburys. Here’s a sampling of what might have been.  

I’m also sharing any pix that came up when I entered in the new band name on Google Images.  Enjoy!


Buffalo Springfield + Lovin Spoonful = Buffalo Spoonful


Though Lovin Springfield would be a good house band for The Simpsons


Modest Mouse + Depeche Mode = Modest Mode


Depeche Mouse is pretty good too



Pink Floyd + Deep Purple = Pink Purple


Now goes by the name Mauve


Rolling Stones + Stone Roses = Rolling Stone Roses

I see I wasn't the first to think of this


Moody Blues + Moby Grape = Moody Grape



Mamas & the Papas + Mothers of Invention = Papas of Invention


Queens of the Stone Age + Mothers of Invention = Stone Age Mothers

Original name: The Queen Mothers


Black Sabbath + Yardbirds = Blackbirds


Actually, the name of several bands


Bad Company + Green Day = Bad Day

I understand "Green Company "was also in the running


Ben Folds Five + Fall Out Boy = Ben Falls Out


Formerly known as the Fallout Five


Neutral Milk Hotel + Black Eyed Peas + Stone Temple Pilots = Neutral Eyed Pilots


"Best Sunglasses for Pilots" (thrustflight.com)


Aerosmith + Portishead = Aerohead

I understand, though, that "Aeroport" tested well in Europe


Grateful Dead + Def Leopard = Dead Leopard


With new band members Don and Eric


Led Zeppelin + Deaf Leopard = Led Leopard


LED Leopard Neon Light Sign (wayupgifts.com)


Lynyrd Skynyrd + Def Leopard = Lynyrd Lepyrd


Leonard Elementary School, Troy MI


The Mamas and the Papas + Big Brother and the Holding Company + Sly and the Family Stone = The Mamas, The Papas, Big Brother & the Family



Strawberry Alarm Clock + Blue Oyster Cult + Quicksilver Messenger Service = Strawberry Oyster Service


Oysters with Champagne Strawberry Mignonette (sprinklesandsprouts.com)


Band of Horses + Crazy Horse = Band of Crazy Horses

Band of Horses has covered "Powderfinger"


Black Sabbath + Black Flag + Black-Eyed Peas + Black Mountain Boys + Black Rebel Motorcycle Club + Ladysmith Black Mombazo = Black



Talking Heads + Jefferson Airplane = Talking Airplane


From the Duchess of York’s Budgie series


Nickelback + Soundgarden = Backgarden


Arctic Monkeys + Flying Burrito Brothers = Flying Monkeys


With the Wicked Witch of the West on vocals


Men Without Hats + My Morning Jacket = Men Without Jackets


"Without My Morning Hat" was another possibility


Blink-182 + Maroon 5 + Matchbox Twenty = 182+5+20 = 207



AC/DC + ZZ Top = AC/DC/ZZ


Guys with long beards and sunglasses in schoolboy outfits & wearing beanies


Franz Ferdinand + Country Joe & the Fish = Franz Ferdinand & the Fish


Cod, Franz Ferdinand Bar, Steyr, Austria


King Crimson + Small Faces = Crimson Faces


Beach Boys + Beastie Boys = Beachy Boys


pour votre plaisir d’ecoute 


Iron Butterfly + Butthole Surfers = Iron Butthole 

"Butterfly Butthole" just didn't have the same ring to it


Motorhead + Smashing Pumpkins = Motorpumpkins

A Motown group out of Chicago


Smashing Pumpkins + Limp Bizkit = Smashing Bizkit


Oh, so close


Rage Against the Machine + Florence and the Machine = Rage Against Florence


Ditto


Cheap Trick + Sex Pistols = Cheap Sex


Somebody else beat me to it 

No Doubt + New Order = No Order


Ditto


Pure Prairie League + Blue Oyster Cult = Pure Prairie Oysters


Yum …


Foo Fighters + Flaming Lips = Flaming Foo

A foo dog is a “traditional Chinese architectural ornament known in colloquial English as foo dogs or lion dogs.”  This particular one just so happens to be flaming.


Catherine Wheel + Van Halen + Dinosaur Jr = Catherine Van Halen Jr.


Was she the lead singer?


Bon Jovi + Joy Division = Bon Jovi Division


Garden State angst


Jesus & Mary Chain + Alice in Chains = Jesus, Mary & Alice in Chains

Glasgow, meet LA


Blood, Sweat & Tears + Tears for Fears = Blood, Sweat & Fears

So, another Aussie band


Pearl Jam + Guns ‘n Roses = Pearls ‘n Roses

The two actually had planes to tour together in 1993


Chemical Brothers + Cocteau Twins = Chemical Cocteau


Members of the 2 bands actually played together in the band Snowbird


The Shins & The Strokes = The Shrinks


You know, there’re a lotta bands out there


Blur + Pulp = Blurp


Absolute dream group for Britpop fans


Goo Goo Dolls + Lady Gaga = Goo Goo Gaga

More popular with a younger crowd, I understand


Red Hot Chili Peppers + Fleetwood Mac = Red Hot Chili Mac


Please note the jalapenos


Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young + Emerson, Lake & Palmer = Emerson, Stills, Nash & Palmer LLC


Attorneys at law


Coldplay + Radiohead = Headcold


Oddly not already taken


And here are a few I couldn’t find any pix for:

  • 8 Nine Inch Nails + Iron Maiden = Nine Inch Maiden
  • My Bloody Valentine + REO Speedwagon = My Bloody Speedwagon 
  • Deaf Leopard + Led Zeppelin = Deaf Zeppelin
  • Jethro Tull + Molly Hatchet = Jethro Hatchet
  • Death Cab for Cutie + A Tribe Called Quest = A Death Cab Called Quest
  • Guided by Voices + Kings of Leon + System of a Down = A System Guided by Leon
  • Electric Light Orchestra + Creedence Clearwater Revival + Bachman Turner Overdrive = Electric Clearwater Overdrive 
  • Panic at the Disco + Rage Against the Machine = Panic Against the Disco Machine 
  • Huey Lewis & the News + Paul Revere & the Raiders + Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers = Huey Revere & the Newsbreakers
  • Lynrd Skynrd + Marilyn Manson = Lynrd Mansyn
  • Electric Light Orchestra + Flying Burrito Brothers + Grand Funk Railroad = Electric Burrito Railroad