Video Vault

There we were, dozing on the sofa with MTV2 on in the background, when what should come onscreen but this early nineties classic?


The Prodigy - One Love.

We were overcome with waves of nostalgia when we saw the computer graphics, which were cutting-edge for the time. Then, of course, we started thinking about how it was around that time that everyone was going nuts for Virtual Reality, putting on big black-and-yellow headsets and walking around computer-generated landscapes (which seemed to consist of lots of big blocks, all the same colour).

If anyone can remember the name of that Virtual Reality gameshow Craig Charles used to host, please let us know. All we can remember is that
a) It involved the phrase 'Awooga warning', and
b) It was like Interceptor, only about a hundred times slower.

It Was 30 Years Ago Today...

Ever wondered where the phrase 'Jump the Shark' comes from? Something is said to have 'Jumped the shark' when it becomes irretrievably bad. It's usually TV series which jump the shark; One event will act as a very clear marker for the point at which the show begins its steady decline into a quagmire of suckage. For example, we firmly believe the TV series Roseanne 'jumped the shark' when the family won the lottery and they started doing all those serious episodes. Top of the Pops jumped the shark when they started trying to be like CD:UK, with all those rubbish interviews and 'backstage' things.

Anyhow, thirty years ago today, the phrase 'Jump the Shark' was born. 'Happy Days' was a great TV show. We used to watch repeats every Saturday morning on TV-AM in the 1980s, and loved the antics of the Cunninghams, Potsie, Ralph and the Fonz (not so much Chachi. Never liked him). However, one day the show ran out of steam and went bad. It was a very clear moment; It was the episode in which the Fonz attempted a daring water-ski leap over a vicious razor-toothed sea-creature. Yes, this was the moment at which Happy Days Jumped The Shark.

But, we hear you ask, how bad could it possibly be? Well, we've tracked down the video to show you. Believe us; When you watch this, you'll instantly forget the emotive episode when Fonzie went blind, and the gripping 'To Be Continued' two-parter when his garage exploded with him inside.

Please view the following shark-jump with caution.



And here's something to leave you with better memories of the Happy Days gang; The video for Weezer's 'Buddy Holly', directed by the obscenely talented Spike Jonze (and not that dreadful 1980s time-travel cartoon 'The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang' which, if we remember rightly, included a cartoon dog, for no apparent reason other than it was a cartoon, and every cartoon had to have an animal in it).


PS It's still Magazine Week, if you're interested.

'TrackWord' Not Included

Here are the only TV shows you'll need to watch tonight. Everything else is rubbish.

19:30, BBC Four: Batman. It's the one where the Penguin puts a giant umbrella in Gotham City. Not sure whether Batman does that dance or not. Still worth a look though.
21:30, BBC Four: Flight of the Conchords. This might be brilliant, or possibly not.
22:00, BBC Four: Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe Guide to TV. This is guaranteed to be brilliant. TV's most awkward presenter reveals how TV actually works, in the sort of grim detail that the premium-rate-phone-in investigation could only dream of. It will also be very funny.

P.S. You may have noticed that all our recommendations are from BBC Four. This is because we are incredibly intellectual, and not because our favourite programmes just happened to be on that channel tonight, whereas any other night would see us glued to repeats of Jackass and Takeshi's Castle.

Magazine Week: Day 2

It's still Magazine Week. And we're sure you won't be surprised to know that the whole country has been gripped by magazine fever. Everyone is getting into the spirit of this thrilling event, marking Magazine Week in their own special ways.

Here are just some of the ways that people are celebrating Magazine Week across Britain:

- Huntingdon have given the freedom of the city to TV&Satellite Week. TV&Satellite Week, however, pointed out that Huntingdon wasn't actually a city, and to go away and come back when they'd got a proper present.

- Residents in Colchester held a parade through the town, with people dressed up as their favourite magazines. Mandy Scudd, 37, was crowned winner of the Best Costume award for her elaborate 'Angling Times' outfit. Sadly the event was marred by the discovery of an as-yet unnamed man dressed as Razzle, who was found torn up under a hedge.

- The people of Plymouth declared war against badgers. It is not yet known whether this was connected to Magazine Week.

But what better way to celebrate Magazine Week* than by subscribing to one of these top titles , each of which comes with a fantastic free welcome gift?

Subscribe to SFX and get a free collectable Star Wars Film Cell!
Subscribe to Pro Cycling and get a free Polaris Talon cycle shirt worth £32.99!
Subscribe to Trucking Magazine and get a magazine about trucks.

There's quite literally never been a better time to subscribe to a magazine. Unless there was a Magazine Week this time last year too (which would kind of suggest that lessons haven't been learnt).

*We can think of about 15 ways ourselves, none of which involves writing a blog about Magazine Chuffing Week. But please, don't let us spoil your fun.

It's Magazine Week!

Please, bear with us here.

So we've spent the last two weeks bringing you some of the most eye-popping, pant-endangering chap-friendly movies in celebration of Boys' Fortnight, and we loved it. Afterwards, we felt an emptiness not unlike the post-Christmas downer which grips you on the day after Boxing Day. We'd had so much fun sharing our collection of cool things that, when all of a sudden it was over, we missed it. We had nothing to celebrate anymore.

Then our inbox made a 'ping' noise.

Guess what, kids? IT'S MAGAZINE WEEK! According to this press release we've been sent, from September 17th the nation comes together in a celebration of magazines. And let us tell you right now, this is no shallow promotional gimmick flung together by a bunch of gits in advertising in an attempt to flog a few more copies of Amateur Photographer. Hell, no. Magazine Week has been celebrated since Medieval times, when villagers would come together and worship a huge wicker effigy of Woman's Realm. Then they'd probably drown a donkey or something. Believe us, Magazine Week is big news.

Stick with us. We can do this.

So, in an attempt to satisfy our desire to 'celebrate' something, we're proud to bring you Magazine Week at RunForYourLives.co.uk. This should be a hoot. Every day this week, or until we lose the will to live, we'll be bringing you some amazing facts about magazines, plus some incredible offers on the nation's top magazines. You see, magazines aren't just something you lean on when you're trying to fill out a form in the dentist's. Apparently you can read them and, if you really like them, you can even subscribe to them.

So, here are today's incredible Magazine Facts. DID YOU KNOW:

• On average, each person in the UK buys a magazine every 18 days
• 82% of all women and 69% of men regularly read a magazine
• Each magazine is picked up 5.4 times before it is finished with
• This is approximately 4.4 more times than the average sheet of toilet paper
• Due to their glossy nature, magazines don't work well as a toilet paper substitute
• You're probably better off using a copy of the Daily Mail for that sort of thing
  

As if that wasn't reason enough to subscribe to your favourite magazine, we've rounded up some of the best special offers currently available. There are some great free gifts on offer when you buy a subscription to some top titles. Just look:

Subscribe to Total Film and get FREE box-sets of Goodfellas, True Romance, Heat and the Matrix trilogy!
Subscribe to Fast Ford and get a FREE Griffin iTrip (that nifty gadget that lets you play your iPod through your car radio)!
Subscribe to Heat Magazine and take a long hard look at your life.

You see? Magazine week is FUN! You can see a whole range of magazine subscriptions at RunForYourLives.co.uk, with loads more special offers and free gifts to make things even better. Woohoo!

We're going to go and have a little cry now.

We Love Spider Cochon

Happy Friday :)

Boys' Fortnight: Grand Finale

It's gone far too quickly, this Boys' Fortnight. We still remember first 'floating' the idea in the pub three weeks ago (back when it was still going to be Boys' Week, before we got all over-excited with videos of explosions and Bottom). And now, thirteen amazing Boys' things later, here we are. We'd admit to a tear in the eye if we weren't so, y'know, manly.

The good news is that you can still save money at Boysstuff Ltd, until the end of September. Just enter the code 91BSPGD at the checkout and you'll get 10% off whatever you buy. Go on, find your credit-card now and get something fantastic in your life...

So anyway, how do you close Boys' Fortnight?

Like this.

Boys' Fortnight: Day 13

We used to love dominoes. Not the pub game (which was alright, but hopefully something we'll have plenty of time for in years to come when we find ourselves sitting in the snug, drinking 'Mild' and comparing driving-gloves); More the setting-them-up-then-knocking-them-down game. We'd create elaborate domino paths over steps made of books, across bridges and off the edge of the table, the last domino landing in mum's best ornamental pot-pourri bowl with a triumphant clang. Granted, it wasn't quite as impressive as those students we saw on Record Breakers, who'd spend three weeks standing up forty billion multicoloured dominoes which, when knocked down, created models of the Statue of Liberty and portraits of New Kids on the Block. But it made us happy, and it kept us off the streets.

If you've never tried this, we suggest you give it a go as soon as you can. There's nothing more satisfying than knocking down an elaborate domino course (and you'll be surprised to discover how many swear-words you know when the cat walks through and sets it off early). Of course, this is assuming you actually have dominoes in the house. What if you don't?

Well, then you do this;



And talking of knocking things down, you can get some top boys' toys at knock-down prices* if you visit Boysstuff Ltd. Just enter the voucher code 91BSPGD and get a 10% discount!. Huzzah!

*Have we used that line already? Sorry if we have.

Boys' Fortnight: Day 12

Step away from the Dido CD - It's time for day 12 of Boys' Fortnight, our shameless bask in all things chap. Technically we're doing this to promote the whopping 10% discount on cool gubbins and gadgets at Boysstuff Ltd (just enter the all-important code 91BSPGD at the basket any time during September). However, the more we get into it, the more we can't believe we haven't done it before. A bit like the time we discovered condensed milk as a main course.

Today's Boys' Thing: The best bird-scarer we've ever seen. Garden centres are full of plastic owls, 'ornamental' herons and fancy sonar devices which are supposed to deter airbourne predators and poo-dropping pests. But where's the fun in that? We much prefer what this man rigged up; A sprinkler with a motion-detector. We salute you, bird-scarer dude.



Please note: RunForYourLives.co.uk does not endorse the squirting of any birds.

Apart from geese. We really hate geese.

PS You can see more ace stuff like this at Break.com

Boys' Fortnight: Day 11

Greetings, chaps (and chapesses) and welcome back to Boys' Fortnight at RunForYourLives.co.uk, a chance to step away from the grooming kits, put down the low-fat cereal bar and spend a few minutes being a boy again. Why? To 'celebrate' the fantastic discount offer going on at Boysstuff Ltd, that's why. And when we say 'celebrate', we mean it. There's balloons on the front door and everything.

First of all, the useful bit; To get a nifty 10% discount on top boys' toys and gadgets, just visit Boysstuff Ltd and enter the promotional code 91BSPGD at the basket any time during September. Huzzah! It's just in time for Christmas and everything.

Now for today's Boys' thing; We'd like to pass on some very useful advice today, if we may. BBC4 have just started showing one of the finest TV programmes ever made. If you tune in at 7.30pm any Tuesday or Wednesday from today, you will be able to enjoy the purple-leotarded crimefighting ace that is Batman. Hoo yes.

In our opinion, this is the best incarnation of the man. Sure, the films were fun, the gothic settings and unhinged villains were cool, but Adam West made the part his own in the 1960s. Tonight's episode features all the best elements, including:
- Batman awkwardly performing the Bat-Dance in a swinging sixties club
- The Bat-symbol shining into the night sky
- The Riddler and his demented laugh (and riddles which, we're pleased to say, we got immediately. Although this might just be because we remember the answers from when they showed it on TV-AM in 1988)
- Bruce Wayne explaining his disappearance to Aunt Harriet by claiming to be taking Dick on yet another fishing trip (she never seemed to get suspicious that they'd both vanish for a few hours and return with no fish)
- The Bat-Poles, with name-badges

Don't miss it. BBC4, Tuesdays from 7.30pm, Then again the next night. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Boys' Fortnight: Day 10

We see some fairly impressive Boys' Toys at RunForYourLives.co.uk, from remote-controlled choppers to electric-shockers. But when we saw today's Thing for Boys' Fortnight, none of that mattered anymore; Instantly we regressed to our first ever trainsets.

And no disrespect intended, but none of our trainsets were as cool as this...




You know what to do; Visit 'our friends' (we're not yet at the stage of hanging out with them at weekends, but we're working on it) at Boysstuff Ltd this September, and enter 91BSPGD at the checkout for a whopping 10% discount.

Boys' Fortnight: Day 9

Today we bring you proper Boys' TV; One of our favourite scenes from Bottom, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson's brilliant early-90's sitcom. In this scene, Eddie is teaching Richie the rules of Chess.

Remember, for top Boys' toys and gadgets AND a 10% discount, visit 'our friends' (well, maybe acquaintences) at Boysstuff Ltd this September, and enter 91BSPGD at the checkout.

News Just In

Speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, one MEP explains that her proposal for greater funding for research into the causes of extreme flatulence is a subject close to her heart.

Boys' Fortnight: Day 8

It's Boys' Fortnight! And what better way to celebrate this extended bask in all things chap-based than with some huge explosions?



Don't forget to take advantage of the nifty 10% discount voucher for Boysstuff Ltd this September, by the way. Just enter 91BSPGD at the checkout and watch the pounds drop off.

Boys' Week: Day 7

If we're being brutally honest, we're not hugely into sports at RunForYourLives.co.uk. Our sporting abilities stretch as far as;
- Late-night darts on BBC2
- Occasionally asking 'Which way are we going again?' during important World Cup matches
- Wondering out loud what happened to 'Golf' Club bars (you know, they were like Mint-flavoured Club bars, only for some reason they were called 'Golf' and they had a picture of a golf-ball on them).

However, we know sporting talent when we see it. And so for today's Boys Thing, we present to you possibly the most amazing basketball shot ever.



Don't forget for more good Boys' Stuff, you could do worse than visit Boysstuff Ltd for some top gadgets, toys and other essentials. Better still, enter the promotional code 91BSPGD at the basket any time during September and you'll get a nifty 10% discount on your order.

PS We realise that we've now reached the end of Boys' Week, what with this being day 7 and everything. However, we're quite enjoying it, so don't be surprised if you come back tomorrow and find it's become Boys' Fortnight.

Your Friday Afternoon Doss

Nobody does any work on a Friday afternoon. Even the Queen's sitting with her feet up at the moment, updating her Facebook and wondering who's had all the good biscuits. With this in mind, we bring you the Friday Afternoon Doss; Something to do while you wait for the clock to get a blasted move on.

The internet is a great place for strategy games. Games which challenge your powers of logic and forward-thinking, games which pit you against opponents in a battle of wits and nerves, games which require you to plan several moves ahead and mentally calculate every possible situation.

Here's a game where you smash lemons with a big hammer.

Top tip: It helps if you yell "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!" whilst playing.

Boys' Week: Day 6

We've always had a soft spot for trebuchets, those huge medieval catapults which used to fling dead cows into castles. Initially this was used as an invasion tactic, but as time went on it became something to do when there was nothing on the telly. Be honest, if you had the choice between watching yet another round of X Factor auditions or hurling a cow over a wall, which would you rather do?

Sadly the market for trebuchets these days has dwindled (largely due to tougher restrictions on the sorts of places you can fling dead cows). Fortunately one man has not only kept the trebuchet alive, but also made it bigger, better and cooler than ever. Gentlemen, we present you with today's astonishing Boy Thing.



Whilst we can't promise anything quite as neighbour-pleasing as that, the good people at Boysstuff Ltd are offering 10% off everything this September. Just visit their site, choose from their brilliant range of gadgets and toys, then enter the promotional code 91BSPGD at the checkout. A 10% discount will be yours before you can say "Is that a Vauxhall Astra up ther-IT'S COMING TOWARDS US!!!"

PS Wanna buy a trebuchet?

tuneoftheday_060907

Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn and John



It seems to have come out at around this time every year since 2002, but is still an absurdly good tune (with a nice video, don't you think?). Guest vocals come from Victoria Bergsman, ex of The Concretes (see one of their finest moments here).

The album, Writer's Block, is full of this sort of cool Scandinavian pop. The last time we were full of cool Scandinavian pop was when we got that pear cider from Ikea. And this album is almost as good as that.

Boys' Week: Day 5

Do you remember that kid on Jim'll Fix It who asked Jim to Fix It for him to demolish a tower-block? And do you remember the envy you felt as you thought "Drat, I wish I'd asked to do that, instead of wanting to meet Matt Bianco"? It's the sort of hurt that never truly leaves you, is it?

Well, today's Boys' Thing might at least cheer you up a bit. When you blow up a Texas power station, you can't just settle for the usual routine (countdown, big bang, building falls over, everyone cheers until they realise that large cloud of hazardous debris is getting close quite quickly). Oh no, there has to be something a bit more to it than that. Like dirty great explosions.



Bonus Boys' Thing: Here's what happens when you buy supermarket value explosives.


Speaking of knocking things down, don't forget that's exactly what you can do to the prices at Boysstuff Ltd this September!* Just enter the promotional code 91BSPGD at the checkout and get 10% off your purchase.

*Just so you know, we felt very dirty after writing that line.

Boys' Week: Day 4

Take off that ridiculous pink polo-shirt and join us for day 4 of Boys' Week at RunForYourLives.co.uk. First of all, here's the important money-saving bit;
- Visit Boysstuff Ltd any time this September
- Shop from their vast range of aces gadgets and toys
- Enter the promotional code 91BSPGD when you get to pay
- Get a nifty 10% discount on your purchase

And now here's today's cool Boy thing. Everyone loves diggers, right? But did you ever wonder how they were made? If so, you'll probably want to watch this...



BONUS COOL THING: Remember when diggers used to dance?

Boys' Week: Day 3

You may have spotted that it's Boys' Week at RunForYourLives.co.uk, a celebration of all things chap. This here internet is a fantastic place for boys to buy stuff, and nowhere's better for boys to buy stuff than Boysstuff Ltd. Even better, throughout September you can save a tasty 10% on whatever you buy at Boysstuff if you enter the code 91BSPGD at the checkout. Do you own a light-up Transformers t-shirt? Don't you think it's time you did? We suggest you get over to Boys Stuff and treat yourself.

Shameless hard-sell over, let's get onto the important bit; Today's fanstastic Boys thing. If you've ever turned up at a fancy-dress party in a cheap suit and a pair of sunglasses, claiming to be a Reservoir Dog (or really pushed the boat out and added a hat to become 'One of the Blues Brothers'), hang your head in shame; These are the best costumes we've ever seen. (Don't let the slightly rubbish first one put you off, they get loads better).

Tune in tomorrow for more manly pursuits.

Boys' Week: Day 2

It's Boys' Week at RunForYourLives.co.uk, a chance for chaps across the world to cast aside their 2-in-1 conditioners and acoustic compilations, and instead revel in being a boy. Why? Well, because we felt like it. But also because the good people at Boysstuff Ltd are offering a very handy 10% discount throughout September. Just enter the code 91BSPGD at checkout and watch the savings fly.

What will you save money on? We're seriously considering brightening up the RunForYourLives hovel with some CD Wall Tiles and a couple of brilliant I-Cushions (pictured), the cushions it's OK for boys to admit buying.

On to today's special Boys thing, then. What could be better than Motörhead performing Ace of Spades? How about Motörhead performing Ace of Spades on The Young Ones in 1984?

Astound-People-in-the-Pub Fact: All but one episode of The Young Ones featured a musical act like this, with bands like Madness and Dexy's Midnight Runners putting in appearances. These were included because it meant the programme then counted as 'Entertainment' rather than 'Comedy', and Entertainment shows got a bigger budget. Typical students...

Anyhow, get yourself to Boysstuff Ltd, bag some top gadgets and enter the code 91BSPGD at the basket for 10% off the price. Even on these.

It's Boys' Week at RunForYourLives.co.uk! *

* Ladies allowed too

Attention boys everywhere: Do you like stuff? Specifically, do you like buying stuff online? If so, we have some very good news for you.

Boysstuff Ltd is a great place to buy everything a boy could need, whether it's bottom-endangering Death Sauce or sexy wireless speakers. They've got a list of brilliant gadgets and gubbins as long as your arm, and that would be assuming you had very long arms and very small writing. Best of all though, during September you can get all these amazing boy-things for less money than usual.

Visit Boysstuff Ltd during September, fill your basket with all kinds of great things and then enter the code 91BSPGD at checkout. Why? Because it'll give you a whopping 10% discount, that's why. This sounds to us like an excellent reason to buy yourself some cool new toys and gadgets.

Anyhow, we thought we should do something special to celebrate this fantastic offer. And so in honour of boys everywhere, we're proud to announce the launch of Boys' Week. Huzzah!

"What's Boys' Week?" we hear you ask. It's easy; Every day this week, we'll bring you something very special for boys. Come back every day this week for a fresh testosterone-tweaking thrill. For a few minutes, forget your fancy overpriced mochaccinos, put down your metrosexual skin-creams and enjoy some proper boys'-own fun.

Today: Let's crash a plane into a wall.



Don't forget; Visit Boysstuff Ltd, enter 91BSPGD at checkout and save 10% on your order. And come back tomorrow for more mischief.