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THE changeover to the complete new Australian Golf Handicap system is currently underway and will come into force on Thursday 23rd January 2014.
The GOLF Link public handicap computer system went offline on Monday to allow for the overhaul and the new Golf Australia Handicaps are due to be available from 7pm Thursday.
The new handicaps will incorporate all elements of the new system, including the use of the Daily Scratch Rating (DSR), Slope, standardised national "GA Handicaps" and the use of "Daily (or playing) Handicaps".
This final measure is the culmination of the gradual introduction of the new system over the past couple of years. Golf Australia is confident it will be a much fairer and better system overall.
Details of the new Australian Golf Handicap System
(edited from information supplied by Golf Australia)
Already in Effect
• Best 8 of 20, multiplied by 0.93
• Cap (previously 'Anchor')
• Immediate updating of handicaps
• No lapsed handicaps
Introduced on January 23, 2014
• Slope
• Daily Scratch Rating (DSR)
• SHA (Stableford Handicapping Adjustment)
• Handicapping of Conforming Social Scores
• Handicapping of Four-ball scores (will be similar to current regulations)
• Changed 9-hole regulations (9-hole score to be automatically held in GOLF Link for combination with next 9-hole score)
Slope and DSR
The most important new components are the use of the Slope system and the new Daily Scratch Rating.
It can get a little complex but basically the Slope system compensates for the inherent and unchanging difficulty of a course (i.e. a large creek 180 metres out from the tee makes it difficult for high handicappers) whilst DSR is a (more complicated) replacement for the old CCR rating and compensates for daily conditions like wind and rain.
Under Slope, a golfer's playing handicap on any given day will be determined according to the difficulty of the tees or course to be played. Golf Australia believes that this will be fairer than our current one-handicap-fits-all-courses method.
What are the features of Slope?
• Every set of tees on every golf course around the country will have
a Slope Rating which has been determined in accordance with the
new course rating system. The maximum Slope Rating is 155 (most
difficult) and the minimum is 55 (least difficult). The Neutral Slope
Rating is 113. Every set of tees will also have a Scratch Rating.
• GOLF Link will calculate a nationally-standardised handicap index for
every player and this will be called the GA Handicap.
• A GA Handicap will be calculated by using the best 8 of a player's
most recent 20 scores (ie best 8 of 20, x 0.93). However, every
score in every player's score history will first be standardised by GOLF
Link against a Slope Rating of 113. As a result, the GA Handicap
will reflect a golfer's ability on a course which has the neutral Slope
Rating of 113.
• The GA Handicap is not intended for use as a playing handicap. It
is to be used in conjunction with the Slope Rating of the set of tees
being played to calculate a golfer's playing handicap for the day, and
this will be called the Daily Handicap.
• It is the GA Handicap that will be displayed in a player's GOLF Link
record on www.golflink.com.au
How will Slope make things fairer?
Generally speaking, a high-marker finds it harder to adjust to a difficult
course than a low-marker does. Slope adjustments will play a balancing role. For example, if the Black Tees are harder than the White Tees, a high-marker may play the Black Tees off a handicap of 28 and the White Tees off 24. The elite player finds it easier to adjust, so they may play the Black Tees off 4 and the White Tees off 3. Golf Australia believes this is fairer than having the difference between the elite player's handicap and the high-marker's handicap always stay the same.
Every time before I play a round, I should check what my Daily Handicap will be. How can I do this?
• Different clubs will use different methods to communicate Daily
Handicaps to golfers. Examples of different methods include via the
use of existing club computer systems, and via direct printing on to
score cards. Some clubs will provide easy-to-use Daily Handicap
look-up posters.
• The GA website and the GOLF Link website will feature Daily
Handicap calculators.
I know that I will be playing off my DailyHandicap when I visit another club, but what handicap do I use at my Home Club?
• Whether you are playing at an away club or at your Home Club, you
will need to check your Daily Handicap for the tees you are playing
from and play off this handicap.
• Home Club Example: A player with a GA Handicap of 22.3 when
playing off the White Tees (eg Slope Rating of 119) at their Home
Club will play off a Daily Handicap of 23; and when they play off the
Blue Tees (eg Slope Rating of 136) will play off a Daily Handicap of
27. (Note: The same calculations would apply if the example was for
an away club).
What is the formula that GOLF Link will use to calculate a Daily Handicap?
Daily Handicap = GA Handicap x Slope Rating ÷ Neutral Slope Rating
(ie 113)
How will the new DSR (Daily Scratch Rating) system work?
Under the new DSR system, GOLF Link will assess a current scratch rating each day for your course. This rating will be appropriate to the conditions you actually experienced.
The formulas used to assess the DSR are complex as our statisticians have advised that simple formula options are not efficient enough to produce reliable ratings – this was the problem with CCR.
Will the DSR system mean more work for clubs?
No. GOLF Link will do all of the work and the DSR value will be displayed on the club administrator's computer screen immediately after the scores are processed.
Through GOLF Link, the DSR system will establish each of the following:
• An average net score for the field.
• An average handicap for the field.
• The field size.
• The type of competition (Stableford, Par, or Stroke).
• The gender of the competitors.
Once it has established each of these factors, GOLF Link will compare the average net score it has calculated from the scores on the day, with the average net score it EXPECTS for this precise field composition.
(The EXPECTED average is determined by GOLF Link from millions
of prior rounds.)
GOLF Link will then determine the DSR by using the difference between
what happened on the day and what was EXPECTED to happen.
Why do we need course ratings?
• In order to process a player's score for handicapping, we need to know how hard the golf course was. If we don't, the score itself is largely meaningless and is unusable. For example, 82 on a very hard golf course is a much better achievement than 82 on a very easy golf course.
• For this reason, every set of tees on every golf course has a Scratch Rating assessed for it by a group of State/Territory Association experts.
What is the benefit of changing the course rating from day to day?
• Course ratings currently stay the same day after day, ignoring all daily shifts in course and climate conditions. We all know that the difficulty of a course can vary substantially from day to day based on these conditions, with score fluctuations being the evidence of this. This means that on many days the Scratch Rating does not reflect the true course difficulty.
• In a computerised world, clubs and golfers are becoming increasingly expectant of improved service standards. Utilising technology to provide ratings more closely aligned to the difficulty of a course is an innovation that will increasingly be seen as a basic requirement.
• It is important for Australia to have a handicap system that has the flexibility to be able to reflect daily movements in course difficulty, be it driven by wind, rain, course condition, hole placements, green speed or any other conditions impacting on the daily scores returned. If we don't, we end up processing scores against inaccurate course ratings, making handicaps inaccurate.
• DSR will lead to more stable and comparable handicaps than if the vagaries of fluctuations in conditions from day to day and season to season are not taken into account.
Can the DSR strategy be summarised in one paragraph?
DSR will provide golfers with a rating that is a reflection of the conditions under which they played. The formulas will determine whether the difficulty presented at the time by playing conditions was normal, or different to normal, with scores returned for the day being the evidence of any variation to the Scratch Rating.
There is a handy poster here at golf.org.au giving full details.
[box]This is all very complex so the best advice from an anonymous panel of ASG experts is: Just concentrate on hitting one ball at a time and worry about the score later.[/box]


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He may be just 6 months old, but it seems that Charlize Theron's son Jackson is already used to the finer things in life… at least when it comes to air travel!
Speaking to UK talk show host Graham Norton, the Monster star revealed that her adorable baby boy has been a great traveler – until it came time to take him on a commercial flight.
"There has been a lot of traveling and stuff and he came with me on tour and did the whole of Europe and Japan. We were really spoilt and went everywhere by private jet," Charlize says. "I want to keep him humble so I told this newborn, 'This is not the norm' – and he did great until we took the first commercial flight and he just freaked out!"
Mom and son have been criss-crossing the globe as Charlize promotes her latest film Snow White and the Huntsman.

subset: commoncrawl


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Troy Industries Battlemag AR-15 .223/5.56 30-Round Magazine
The Troy Industries Battlemag is an advanced polymer 30-round magazine for AR-15 style firearms in .223 Remington. The polymers used in the magazine are chemical, biological and impact resistant. The feed lips have been reinforced and the mag uses an anti-tilt follower. The mag body features a aggressive scale texture that provides a sure grip but will also extract from magazine pouches easily. The spine of the magazine is designed to prevent over-insertion common with some polymer mags. The floor plate features a shock absorbing pull tab, or can be used with the flush locking plate. Functions with all M4, M16, AR-15, HK416, and FN SCAR rifles. Includes a flush and shock absorbing extended floor plate lock – a $5 value.


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To say that I am a Coen brothers fan is not nearly enough. I've seen all the movies, own all the DVDs and have collected most of the original posters and trailers. I've read Ethan Coen's book and I threw a Big Lebowski-themed party for New Years Eve.* In other words, I think the Coens are some of the most talented filmmakers working today.
What I like most about their films is the dazzling originality. Whether it's a shot from the inside of a bowling ball, or a man meeting making his unfortunate end in a wood chipper, I look forward to a truly unique experience in each film. But what happens when their latest film is a remake?
The original Ladykillers was set in England and starred Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers. Joel and Ethan have relocated the story to modern day Mississippi and assigned Guinness' role as the group's leader to Tom Hanks. The plot remains essentially the same: a gang of robbers pose as musicians and rent a room from an elderly landlady. They think they can carry out a heist right under her nose, but when she discovers their plan, the robbers try to kill her off. In the new version, The Professor (Hanks) rents a room from a widow who's basement is in close proximity to the underground counting house of a riverboat gambling establishment. The Professor brings in a tunneling crew and convinces the old lady that they are all a group of musicians who specialize in renaissance music. While Bach blasts on a CD player, the men go to work.
Hanks' character, Professor Dorr, is truly remarkable. The dialogue is well-crafted and Tom Hanks wields it well. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Coens spent all their time and energy perfecting The Professor and hurriedly filled in the rest of the gang at the last minute. The Marlon Wayans character Gawain is completely out of place in the film. When he comes on screen it's as though someone has changed the channel from IFC to BET. The problem isn't with Wayan's performance, it's a clear misstep in the writing. The rest of the group is somewhere in the mediocre middle and imminently forgettable. Lump, "the muscle," is little more than a Varsity Blues send up, and The General's only memorable characteristic is that he can hide a lit cigarette in his mouth.
The plot moves along well enough and there is never a moment where the movie is boring, but The Ladykillers left the fan in me a little unsatisfied. I didn't come away with any great lines to quote ala Barton Fink or Big Lebowski, nor was I blown away by a really great shot (ala Fargo or The Man Who Wasn't There). Some say the film is worth seeing for the gospel performances, but, unfortunately I have to say The Fighting Temptations has a lot more to offer musically.
Those that aren't Coen devotees like myself will probably enjoy this movie more than I did. All the characters are very likeable and the premise of the film is a lot of fun. Hanks' performance alone is worth a matinee admission price and Ladykillers is probably the funniest movie out there right now. In the end, I'm sure I'll buy the DVD and find a way to work in "We must all have waffles forthwith!" into conversation, but you can bet I'm never throwing a Ladykillers party.
On that note. . .
-Megan A. Denny


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" Brand: Cadbury / Type: Biscuits "
* Prices may differ from that shown
Cadbury produce great chocolate. Combine the smooth silky taste of Cadbury chocolate, add a crunchy biscuit and throw in a thin layer of Turkish Delight for good measure and you may think that it sounds heavenly. Well, having been bit off colour lately I have been pampered. Numerous sweet treats have come my way including a packet of Cadbury Turkish Delight biscuits. I have tried the Cadbury Crunchie biscuits and have to say that I have tasted better. But it would have seemed rude not to sample the Cadbury chocolate Turkish Delight biscuits.
As far as chocolate biscuit packaging goes the wrapper is smart. Pleasant shiny wrapper which is exactly like the wrapping on the Turkish Delight chocolate bar. Open the wrapper and you have a brown plastic container with four sections. Each section holds just two chocolate biscuits, so you are not going to make a pig of yourselves with these.
As always the Cadbury's chocolate smells and looks good. Though I note that the top of each chocolate biscuit seems to have an indent which makes the biscuits look a little bit shrivelled. The Turkish Delight biscuits are not large, no more than a decent mouthful really. Break the biscuit in half and you notice that the crisp shortcake is topped with a thin layer of Turkish Delight before it is dipped into the sweet Cadbury chocolate.
The layer of chocolate that covers the biscuit is adequate but by no means thick. The semi-sweet shortcake biscuit is crunchy and the thin layer of Turkish Delight that sits on top of the biscuit is extremely sweet. The Turkish Delight is firm and although it is not plentiful there is sufficient. It would be very easy for any very sweet toothed chocolate lover to swallow four of five of these little chocolate biscuits and still want more.
After eating a couple of the sweet chocolate offerings I had decided that I had tasted far better. There are certain brands of chocolate biscuits that are totally irresistible, the Cadbury Signature biscuits for one! Cadbury's chocolate fingers are addictive and the small packets of Cadbury shortcake never get time to sit on the shelf in my house. But these Cadbury Turkish biscuits are lacking, what I do not know but they do not cut the mustard.
Unusually a half of the packet remains uneaten. One of the tiny chocolate biscuits contains 70 calories, as expected the biscuits are high in sugar and fats too. If I were walking around Sainsbury and saw them on special offer would I buy another packet? No, fraid not.
Cadbury are an imaginative company and have produced some iconic chocolate bars and biscuits over the years. It seems that they may have to go back to the drawing board with these and see what else they can come up with.
I have to be honest I have been resisting buying the product I will review for you now for some tie, knowing that the second they worked there way into my cupboard I would feel the need to eat them.....all in one sitting!
The product in question is - "Cadbury - Turkish biscuits".
These literally throw themselves at me every time I go shopping, with there light lilac and Cadbury purple foil packs, they shimmer suggestively as I try to ignore them, then they allow a picture of said biscuit into my eye line, and this one particular day I had put a pack into my trolley before I had even realised!
Along with the very alluring picture of a whole biscuit and one with a bite taken out, allowing the soft pink Turkish delight inside to seep out, there is all the obligatory information to be found, brand name, product name, description, ingredients and nutritional information, which I refuse to read until I need to for this review!
When the pack I opened you will find about 6 flat round discs of chocolate covered shortcake, with this smelling strongly and deliciously of the best chocolate in the world!
It really didn't take me too long to tuck and was surprised to find how runny the "Turkish delight" was inside the biscuit, with the shortcake biscuit base actually having an indentation in the middle to have this piped into, though after reading the pack it does state that this is a Turkish delight "flavoured" jam, and not the real thing, I was a bit disappointed but it does taste authentic at least!
The shortcake base is crumbly and deliciously buttery, with it being thicker round the sides, so does seem to give a little quicker in the centre, along with the runny filing I have found you have to be quick eating it before it drips!
The jam centre is smooth and sweet, and tasting just as described, though I would have preferred it more if it was a little more substantial.
Finally the whole thing is enveloped in a good thick layer of deliciously creamy Cadbury's milk chocolate, so beautiful to eat but incredibly sickly, so after being initially disappointed by how many are in the pack, I would say that 6 would be extremely difficult to eat in one sitting (though of course not impossible!).
The nutritional information is as follows -
Per biscuit,
70 calories,
7.2g sugars,
3.3g fat,
1.9g of which saturates,
0.05g salt.
Allergy advice states that these contain wheat, milk, soya, sulphites, and may contain nuts.
For more information visit - www.cadburys.co.uk
These are currently available from most leading supermarkets, with them being available from www.asda.com for £1.00 a pack, with tere also being caramel and crunchie varieties available within this range.
These are a lovely biscuit that after being kept in the fridge, solidifies enough to become a biscuit version of my favourite Fry's Turkish delight, and also makes them easier for a mucky pup like me to eat, recommended!
Thanks for reading x
I made the major mistake when food shopping - I went when I was a bit peckish. This usually means I end up buying something for my sugar craving than something that is good for me. Still the biscuit aisle had these new biscuits from Cadbury's on prominent display and despite the £1.68 price tag I still thought 'they sound good and before I knew it a pack was in my basket. I do think at £1.68 is a little high as there are only 8 rather small biscuits in the pack - but I only found this out when I got home.
The smell is one of Turkish delight but I have to say it is one that is mass produced and so rather chemical. The smell of the chocolate it there as well which is the regular smell you get from Cadbury's chocolate (I see Kraft haven't messed that around - yet). The chocolate has a distinctive milky smell but also quite a sweet smell comes through as well. There is a base note smell of cocoa here but it is not overly strong due to the rather low cocoa solids content cadbury chocolate contains. This is one of the reasons I rarely buy chocolate by cadbury as I prefer a stronger cocoa flavor. The chocolate is, however, smooth in texture and it has a good mouth feel as it slowly melts on your tongue.
The layer of chocolate on the biscuits is disappointingly thin and like most cadbury chocolate it is rather too sweet and lacks any true chocolate taste (give me 60% cocoa stuff any day). The biscuit is crunchy and does have a good crumbly texture to it. It is, however, almost totally tasteless. If anything the only taste I can pick up is that of bicarbonate of soda.
The 'big deal' of these biscuits is the 'turkish delight flavoured jam' used as the filling is frankly a damp squib. It is far too sweet. Now I know that turkish delight is supposed to be sweet but these are over the top. More than one of these and they become rather sickly. The taste of the jam beneath this over baring sweetness is not like any turkish delight I have tried, or made, in the past. There has been an attempt to make it 'rose' flavoured but it is a very chemical tasting rose flavour and there is a slight unmistakable taste of apple in there as well. Frankly these would have been better if real turkish delight had been used in place on the jam, at least that may have improved the taste.
How 'naughty' are they
Ok so it's January and some of us are trying to shake of that extra helping of Christmas pudding that we just had to have and that last chocolate that looked so lonely left on it's own in the box. So something sweet with less calories, well these do weigh in at only 70 calories each. Now considering a single 'custard cream' is 65 calories they aren't so bad in the grand scheme of things.
nutritional info per biscuit:
Energy - 305 kj/ 70 kcal
Protein - 0.9g
carbs - 10.2g (sugar 7.2g)
Fat - 3.3g (saturates 1.9g)
salt and fibre - traces
I'm not a fan of these as you have guessed they are overly sweet, sickly and the actual biscuit part is frankly not up to standard. For me I only buy biscuits when I'm in too much of a rush to make any and if I make my own I know what is in them. For me it is not the list of ingredients that is the problem, but what is in the stuff that they put in (if that makes any sense). These little crimes against baking will not be going into my shopping basket again .
My friend comes to tea on a weekly basis and nearly everytime brings a new biscuit selection to try. This time god bless her she bought some lovely new Cadburys Biscuits called Turkish Biscuits.
Sound exotic and yummy don't they?
Well on first bite they are quite nice and you do get the turkish delight flavour that is some reminicent of the frys bars of yummy goodness.
But Sorry Cadburys these were just that little too sweet and sickly once you got past the initial first bite for us.
And by us that means there were three of us trying these deights out.
My Husband, who is renowned for his sweet tooth, My friend Wendy, who enjoys chocky like the rest of us and myself. A self confessed chocky holic.
Each of us in turn bit into our biscuits savoured the first bite and thought ok not bad in fact they were quite nice, but oh my after two or three bites more there was a general grab for the coffee cup and a good swilling down to rinse the mouth out because these biscuits were seriously sweet and overpowering.
The general feeling was this was a nice try but they would not be bought again and although I did not buy them and Wendy god bless her did we thanked her for her efforts and we resoundedly made an oath together never to buy them again.
Which is bad news for Cadburys as we generally enjoy their products. We felt they dropped the ball with this one, but know many people who do rave about them and several will buy them again so it is a mixed blessing perhaps.
In our view not good and one to be left off the shopping list. Sorry Guys.
I was in Asda today and I saw these biscuits on offer along side the 'Crunchie' and 'Caramel' versions too. I couldn't resist as they were only £2 for two packs so threw them in the basket to try when I got home with a cuppa.
When I opened the packet, I was slightly disappointed to see that there was only eight in the packet. However when I tried them, I realised why there was only eight in a pack!
They are quite small but they can also be quite sickly. I am quite a big fan of Turkish delight so if you like Turkish delight then you'll no doubt enjoy these biscuits. They are quite simple but I found that they are very sweet. They consist of a crunchy but sweet biscuit, with a thin layer of lucious Turkish Delight and then that is covered in a thin layer of Cadbury milk chocolate.
I enjoyed eating these biscuits very much I found that they were a nice snack and satisfied my need for something chocolaty and sweet. They are great for tea parties and a quick sanck but not if you are planning to take them in your packed lunch as they are not individually wrapped so they will melt. If you are not planning to eat them all in one go then I would try and transfer them into something else that can be sealed because I didn't and mine didn't stay very fresh! Over all they are a very nice snack.
Im sitting munching these as I write this review ( thinking how geeky that is)
As a big fan of Turkish Delight I got a bit over excited when I saw these on offer at Tesco for £1.00 so naturally threw them in the trolley and rushed home to taste my bit of Eastern Promise in a biscuit
There are only 8 biscuits in the packet which is decorated in the usual turkish delight colors however I felt that the pack may you believe there was more than 8 to munch
On opening the pack you are presented with 8 discs covered in a layer of Milk chocolate the biscuit base is made from a shortcake type biscuit and could actually be a little bit thinner for my taste , however did not overwhelm the rest of the biscuit
The filling is a very meagre in my opinion scraping of a Turkish delight flavored jam , and this is where the product I feel falters badly as there is not enough of the filling to really make a difference to the tastes of the chocolate and the biscuit , in fact it is almost as if the filling operator forgot to switch the machine on
The filling also seems to be in the middle of the biscuit and not all around as a good filling should be
Needless to say though the taste is what you would expect of the Turkish delight bar , but in a biscuit from and can become quite addictive once you get the taste of them despite the lack of filling both in the packet and in the biscuit
Cadbury have brought these biscuits out along with a range of others in the style of chocolate bar type biscuits , and whilst it has the Cadbury name on the packet the biscuits are actually made by a subsidiary called Burton foods
Im not going to run through every single ingredient in the packet as I feel that is not necessary I will however list the GDA details as there may be some rabbit food munchers out there who fancy a little treat and these are as follows
Calories 70(3.5%)
Sugar 7.2g (8%)
Fat 3.3g (4.7%)
Saturates 1.9g (9.5%)
Salt 0.05g (0.8%)
The main things to note are the biscuits contain Wheat .Milk , Sulphites and also may contain nuts
While shopping in Tesco recently my eye was drawn to a new range of biscuits from Cadburys, in particular the Turkish Delight inspired packet as I am know to be rather partial to this flowery tasting jelly - and the chocolate never goes amiss either!
The range was priced at just £1 when I purchased them, I believe the usual price for the biscuits is £1.49 which is not terribly good value considering there are just eight rather small biscuits in the packet.
I honestly could not wait to arrive home so I could try a biscuit, unfortunately it turned out the anticipation of a Turkish Biscuit outstrips the actual experience of eating one and I ended up a mite disappointed.
The biscuit is a small disc, I could smell the Turkish Delight as soon as I opened the wrapper and I must admit the chocolate did look very inviting indeed. Actually, in my opinion, the chocolate is the very best thing about these biscuits as it is fairly thick and has the signature Cadbury flavour. It's extremely sweet and creamy, flavourwise I would say these are definitely more in the realms of chocolate bar than biscuit but strangely it is the biscuit base itself which really lets these down.
It's so terribly bland, you see. The biscuit is very similar to that used in Cadburys Fingers; while this bland flavour works extremely well with the smaller Fingers, I found it leeched the surrounding flavours to such a degree that what should have been a very flavoursome biscuit because simply a jumble of flavours all vying for attention.
The Turkish component of the biscuit is very tasty, although not exactly what I had been expecting. Rather than having the semi-solid texure of actual Turkish Delight, this is more of a tacky liquid - it has a thinner consistency than jam and is very sugary sweet tasting. The actual flavour of Turkish Delight is there, but it's different and personally I do not think it goes terribly well with the biscuit even if it matches the chocolate beautifully.
I cannot, in all honesty, recommend these biscuits. Yes, they do taste rather nice and yes, the unusual aspect of having a Turkish Delight in biscuit form is interesting. It's the biscuit itself which spoilt them, it has a similar taste to very inferior shortbread and this very blandness makes the biscuits seem badly thought out and almost as though they have been rushed into production to make Cadburys (sorry, Kraft) a profit on the back of one of their most popular bars.
Another problem I had with these biscuits is the fact that they are incredibly sickly, after eating just two I was beginning to feel like I had eaten far too much and I know I wouldn't have been able to manage a third. Even my (rather greedy) eleven year old granddaughter only ate three, whereas the girl could happily wolf down an entire packet of any other biscuit.
For £1 I say give them a try, if you find they are now back to their full price I would wait for the next time they are on promotion as, frankly, they are not worth the RRP.
==Cadbury's Turkish Delight Biscuits==
I am trying to steer clear of all things overly fattening but my will power is terrible and seeing these on special offer in Morrison's I just couldn't resist.
I paid £1 for a packet of these biscuits and there are 8 in a packet. It think the usual selling price of a packet of these are around £1.90p odd so there was a nice saving although I probably would not buy these at the normal selling price.
The design of the packaging is pretty much what you would expect in the fact that there is the pink colouring of the Turkish Delight packaging with the standard deep purple colouring that is associated with the Cadbury brand. There is a plastic holder inside the outer cellophane which does a good job at protecting the biscuit inside.
The biscuit itself is an entirely round shape which is covered in milk chocolate. The biscuit is made up of a shortbread type base with a layer of Turkish Delight and entirely covered with smooth and creamy Cadbury's Milk chocolate.
Eating the biscuit was rather nice and even more so that I know they aren't overly healthy. The layer of Cadbury chocolate is quite thin but noticeable enough to give a nice creamy texture of chocolate within the mouth when eating. The Turkish Delight layer is very tasty although the texture of this is much thinner than I would have first thought. I expected a rather Jaffa Cake texture to this part but it was far runnier than this and perhaps I would have personally preferred the Turkish Delight to be slightly harder.
The biscuit base is very firm and crunchy but does seemingly melt in the mouth when eating and crumbles up nicely. The three different sections of the biscuit do work very well together but on the whole I would say that it is a rather mediocre biscuit and not something I would be buying again. The taste is nice and quite different from any other biscuit that I have tried but unfortunately it wasn't as nice as it could be. I would of perhaps preferred the chocolate layer to be chunkier and the Turkish Delight layer to be of thicker consistency.
Per biscuit there are 70 calories and 1.2 grams of saturated fat which is not especially high compared to most as if you think a McVities Chocolate Digestive contains 2.1 grams of saturated fat. Although slightly less fat these Turkish Delight biscuits really make for a change although not an overly great one. I enjoyed the treat but wouldn't say it made me feel like I could scoff the whole packet.
I don't think I would ever consider paying the full price for these biscuits and I probably wouldn't even buy them again at the special offer although if work had bought them in I wouldn't say no to eating one. I think they are an okay biscuit which is slightly different from the norm but nothing to get too excited about and therefore I am awarding a 2 out of 5 stars and somewhat of a recommendation.
I do hope this has been of some help/interest to you
Many thanks for taking the time to read.
I first brought these when Tesco had them on special offer for £1.00, that's not a bad price because these are proper nice biscuits but now they've gone up to £1.59 I don't know if that is very good value for money because you only get 8 biscuits in the packet.
They are part of a new lot of biscuits that Cadburys have brought out, I've also tried the caramel and crunchie ones but these Turkish Delight biscuits are deffo the best I think because they taste loads different from any other biscuits you can buy at the minute.
They are a shortcake biscuit that has got Turkish Delight flavoured jam in them and are covered in yummy Cadburys chocolate. The jam is a bit runny so you can tell it's not real Turkish Delight like you get in the chocolate bars but it's got the same delish flavour and makes it feel a bit like you're eating a crunchy Turkish Delight. The taste is kind of hard to describe because it's supposed to taste like roses, I've never eaten roses (not since I was a kid anyway!!! lol) and think this has got more of a sugary raspberry flavour than anything.
The shortcake biscuit is yummy, it's crunchy and drops crumbs all over the place. It's not majorly sweet but doesn't have to be because of the mega sweet jam and the milk chocolate is sweet as well. I think the different textures are just right in these biscuits and I ate all of them in the space of about an hour! lol The chocolate is to die for, it's quite thick on the biscuits and melts lovely when you bite into the biscuit. It tastes like Dairy Milk but you can tell it's not that chocolate because it isn't quite as creamy as eating a bar of Dairy Milk. That doesn't bother me though because I think the biscuits would be a bit sickly if they was as rich as eating Dairy Milk.
Over all I think these are wicked biscuits. The flavour is gorgeous and like I said they've got the taste of the jam perfect so that the whole biscuit has got a delish Turkish Delight flavour. I don't know why Cadburys never thought of putting some of their chocolate bars into a biscuit before because these are sooooooo yummy I reckon I'll end up getting addicted to them..... until the price goes up again! lol
Recommended..... a delish change from plain biscuits or chocolate bars!!!
I got these as I kept seeing the giant signs in Sainsburys and have been waiting for them to come in stock (sad I know, but I do love Turkish delight).
The packet costs £1.00, but it does say that this is an introductory offer, but I can't find anywhere what the actual price is going to be, to be honest I wouldn't pay any more than £1.00 for them.
Inside the foil packet is a little plastic tray with 4 compartments, each with two biscuits inside.
These biscuits have caused a dilemma as I am very torn. They taste great but you only get 8 in a pack, and they are quite small (I would say the size of a viscount biscuit) so I think if they are any more than £1.00 I really would struggle to pay for them (not that I'm going to steal them or anything!), it's just far too expensive for 8 biscuits.
The biscuits themselves are extremely tasty, they have a shortcake base, which is crumbly, buttery and delicious. Then a thin layer of quite runny and sticky turkish delight. The turkish delight is it's usual bright pink colour and tastes quite floral (as it's supposed to) but it's not as strong a flavour as other turkish delights, and it's pretty sweet too. The whole biscuit is then covered with a thin layer of lovely cadbury's chocolate. As a whole the biscuit works really well, and the flavours are great together, and I really liked them.
I do love these biscuits, there is no mistaking that, they are brilliant cadbury quality and every element of them tastes great. It's just the price and quantity that lets them down. I'm glad I tried them, and may buy them in future as a treat, but I dread to think how much the real price is going to be after the introductory offer runs out.


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"Home" means different things to each one of us. It may mean our childhood home, to others it may mean the home of a relative or friend. And to still others, the home that we have built ourselves may be the only true home we have known. The Long Road Home, collaboration between Snickerdoodle Designs & ADB Designs, was designed with everything you need to create beautiful scrapbook pages.


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Rectangular sponges are out; triangles are in. Today's NY Times writes about how Disney's Phineas and Ferb is the next SpongeBob. I find that premise difficult to believe. Is Phineas and Ferb really as popular with college students and young adults as SpongeBob in its heyday? A successful kids show it may be, but Phineas and Ferb has a ways to go before turning into a pop culture phenomenon.
"For 2009, "Phineas and Ferb" was the No. 1 television animated series among children 6 to 11."
The show is definitely geared to the 6 to 11 audience. I'm not a marketing expert, but I can't see many people over the age of 14 liking this show.
Arthur F.
That sounds more like a publicist's guide text at work to make it happen. I recall Spongebob went mega pretty surprisingly fast, thus the "phenomena" tag, and by the first year I was hearing about it while in Europe already. (Without the Disney publicity network behind it as well) It didn't take a suggestion in a newspaper that it "might be" the next anything… It was in the newspaper because of the first wave of immense popularity, and icons (an important part of making it in pop culture) closer to how Pee Wee's Playhouse felt, also in terms of breaking out from tv demographics and having different audience age groups. I guess what makes it a phenomena vs. simply popular, would be how it mined a fine line between the Nick cartoon norm and "stranger" angles that its deviously simple characters and stories developed — all the funky subtexts that draws in older audiences seeing "in-jokes" and references to be hip to as well. Especially after the first year.
Still, it IS kind of telling if a Disney cartoon like "Phineas and Ferb" is going to be the college-age "next Spongebob".
Marketing talk or not, I always thought that Phineas & Ferb was a very good show. It is very formulaic but the writing is very clever and there's usually an original song each episode. I usually never laugh at anything my daughter watches but P&B usually makes me laugh out loud more than once.
As far as this 47 year old is concerned, it's probaby the best kid's cartoon on TV right now. The question I have is how long the show can be sustained.
@Isaac, I'm 18 and me and several people my age I know watch and love the show. I even know older adults who love the show and while watching an episode one day my mother, who could care less about anything animated, got involved in an episode and was asking what the show was about.
As for whether it truly is the next spongebob? In quality, this surpasses anything the writers of spongebob have crapped out in the past 5 years, so it has that going for it.
Grayson Ponti
I as a teenager do think that Phineas and ferb is actually a very smart and well-made show but I would not rank it in the same league as Spongebob. Spongebob is unanimously funny in a way few cartoons have been over recent decades and even if I'm not a big fan of the animation it always makes me laugh. Rocko's Modern Life still is my favorite TV cartoon though.
Bill Field
I'm not completely surprised to see this statement, my tween age niece and nephew have liked this show since it's premiere. It has a whacky quotient that isn't quite as high as Sponge Bob, but I mean, c'mon- Sponge Bob set THAT bar!
Amid, I had to laugh at this line in your post "Is Phineas and Herb really as popular with college students and young adults as SpongeBob in its heyday?" I think the typo may yield the real reason P&H is catching on counter culturally- At "college age"- everything is funnier with…HERB! Hell, forget the FERB!
Mike Russo
I don't know anyone aside from little kids and internet cartoon fans who like P&F. That show is never going to have the widespread, multi-age appeal Spongebob has had for a decade now. I never hear any adults talking about it, whereas Spongebob was something you couldn't get away from no matter where you were.
Phoebe O'Shea
I am 15 and I love this show a lot more than spongebob. spongebob was always just something to watch if nothing was on. P and F always makes me laugh and I know a lot of people will agree with me.
I haven't heard of anybody other than kids watching it, so that part doesn't seem accurate. Children do seem to like it a lot though, which I guess is what they're referring to.
Why is this important enough to gain a post here? "The next Spongebob" is a phrase that has been used so often for so long now, I am sick and tired of it! Why does everything need to be the "next Spongebob"!?
Sounds like a planted story to me!
Yeah! my cartoon will become the next animation revolution, yeah right!
I think the marketing person's mom told him that.
Oh mothers always think their kids are the best.
Keith Kritselis
I'm probably the wrong person to judge since the whole Spongebob thing left me scratching my head, but P & F is my favorite of he latest crop of animated kid fair.
Bob P.
And yet, look back at your own Sunday Funnies only two days ago.
I like how they don't point out in the article that Dan Povenmire was a writer on Spongebob during its best years. This was actually in the New York Times?
It's not Spongebob-popular yet, but it has the potential to be. I think a lot of people miss it because it's on the Disney channel between its other lame live-action shows. A number of former Rocko's Modern Life and Family Guy writers work on the show (sans the gross jokes), and it definitely looks like a show that's fun to work on.
Spongebob's appeal, I think, is due too its strong, cartoony nature, it's commitment to the squash n' stretch, wacky sensibilities that you don't really see any more (seriously, what's a modern cartoon that shows characters hit by cars/exploding beyond Chowder?). "Phineas and Ferb" doesn't have that – it has the visual air of a young teen show – but it's surprisingly clever with the verbal and visual cues, decent and comedic music, and even the characters outside the main 2 protagonists are decently designed.
There are college kids who enjoy Phineas and Ferb…I'm one of them. What P + F has that's lacking in most cartoons today is soul and extreme fun. The characters stay static from episode to episode, but it's something that's craved from this group. The different songs and situations we see them get into has lots of energy. It's an actual cartoon show, not something worked up to try and be freakin' commercial! As for it become the next Spongebob, it does have time to take to get there, and also more audiences to grab….but if it stays strong with the content and with their viewership, it'll get there…just hopefully Disney doesn't screw up a good thing like they did with Kim Possible.
In my opinion, the reason WHY it's unusually popular is due to the amount of times it's been repeated and marathoned over and over on both Disney Channel and Disney XD so there's nothing else left to be showcased properly – at least that's how it feels over here in the UK :P
I don't know if it'll be the next Spongebob, but the series has been consistently funny since it landed on-air. Sometimes you'll get the obligatory "guest star" episodes, but those have been rather few and far in-between.
I remember reading about how they pitched it around and received some pushback from development executives unsure of the concept of kids inventing things that didn't really exist — one of the show creators retorting, "Do you really think your kids are that stupid?"
Jason M
I'm 17 and I dont watch the show but I do know kids who love it! I do these " how to draw cartoons" classes for kids ages 5- 11 and they all love learning how to draw them but when I tell the parents or other adults about the show they dont know what I'm taking about.
I think the show is funny. ( on a recent commercial for an upcoming episode they where trying to stop a giant cameleon form rampaging thru the town and the called it a dinosaur cuz it sounded cooler. haha) I didnt lol i just appreciate the humor. I'm sure little kids love this stuff! I think what turns most older people off to P&F is the fact that it's on Disney Channel. Even kids my age dont wanna have to sit thru the dumb Jonas Bros. commercials and the hannah Montana promos. if it were on Nick it would be a different story…
I think if given a chance CN's Chowder whould have been the best candidate to be the next Spongebob. I know tons of college kids and adults who watch and lol at the show. To bad CN canceled it.
Actually, a lot of 14+ viewers like Phineas and Ferb, especially for the original songs that frequently pop up in the episodes. And the creators of the show were very smart in how they handled their female characters, especially Candace, so that young girls aren't put off by the all-too-usual girls-are-pests jokes many cartoons indulge in. I like the show a lot myself (although this season the songs aren't as good, unfortunately).
I love this show to death…And pretty much every single one of my friends really like it as well. We're in college =D Really, it's a pretty amazing cartoon. Excellent writing that only keeps on improving, characters you actually grow attached to, clever staging, drop dead hilarious humor, and of course, lots of heart.
Truly the best cartoon (not aimed at adults) airing at the moment…And certainly thousand of times better than anything Spongebob has released after its 3rd Season.
i have a few niece's and nephews who have abandoned spongebob , for PnF. and, as a 35 year old man with no kids. i watch it all the time. great show.
I'm no fan of SPONGEBOB. Like I said, I thought it was okay, at least in its prime. I'm more into other (unfortunately canceled) Nick shows like MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT, THE X's, EL TIGRE, and THE MIGHTY B! (the cancellation of the latter was the death knell of Nick for me), shows liberally aimed at both younger and older audiences (mostly older audiences; the ones who made these shows!).
And domestically, ADVENTURE TIME is currently the best CN has to offer. (I find myself more entertained by its Canadian fare, especially the now-ended 6TEEN.)
But I do like PHINEAS AND FERB! Indeed, it's the best new cartoon on Disney after the end of KIM POSSIBLE. I thought it was a cute and silly show. And indeed the other characters have appeal! A show that I would like to watch more often than I should.
It does have a ways to catch up to SPONGEBOB (if Disney relinquishes its 65-episode format), but then, that could be said of all cartoons nowadays, sadly.
Penis and Ferb
This show is a character design abomination. It has none of the visual appeal Spongebob has.
I'm surprised parents allow their children to watch this show. Would you let your kid what a show where one of the main characters looked like a giant dildo?
Actually the design are so deceptively simple it borders on brilliant.
Chuck Howell
I started watching this with my daughters, ages 9 and 11, and it has rocketed to the top of our "shared shows" list. "Sponge Bob" still has a prime spot on that list, along with "Avatar" and "iCarly," but P&F has entered our zeitgist in a way very similar to Sponge Bob. We can sing the Perry the Platypus theme song, as well as several of the other witty songs the show has produced. I have developed a Doofenschmertz voice to go along with my Mr. Krabs, and P&F has generated more catch phrases in our house than even Get Smart! did in my youth. For instance –
Phineas: "I know what we're gonna do today!"
"Hey, where's Perry?"/"Oh there you are, Perry!"
[Adult: Aren't you a little young to be building a particle accelerator?"] "Why yes. Yes I am."
Candace: "You guys are so busted!"
Doofenschmertz: "With my newest invention, the (insert name here)-inator, I will rule the entire TRI-STATE AREA!"
Isabella: "What-cha doooin'?"
There are more, but you get the idea. I actually find the very structured nature of the program frees it to concentrate on the humor. It reminds me of the Roadrunner cartoons in this regard. You know what's going to happen more or less, but the fun is in getting there. The scripts and the songs are uniformly of high quality, the characters are consistent and the very cartoony style of the program is a plus. In short, I'd say it's probably number two with a bullet – I do see some slippage in Bikini Bottom…
I don't know what's the big deal about Phineas and Ferb, I don't find anything clever about it. Maybe peoples' standards are way low?
And since when Kim Possible was ever a good show?
Ben K.
Strangely enough, I was hanging out with a group of friends last week when one of them begged us to watch this. It was pretty enjoyable and funny in my opinion, but that's only based on the one episode. We're all in our 20's.
Chris Sobieniak
"The show is definitely geared to the 6 to 11 audience. I'm not a marketing expert, but I can't see many people over the age of 14 liking this show."
I certainly don't, and I'm 32! There's some girls in my house 14 and under who do watch this show, but I just can't get into it regardless of how I find it to be to their liking anyway (the obnoxious set). Part of the show kept reminding me of Dexter's Lab, if only for the two brothers doing these outrageous stuff behind their parents' backs and there's an older sister who otherwise would rather tell on them anyway but is often involved in their adventures.
It certainly will take time for us to know where Phineas and Ferb will go in terms of being the next Spongebog for the older crowd.
"It does have a ways to catch up to SPONGEBOB (if Disney relinquishes its 65-episode format), but then, that could be said of all cartoons nowadays, sadly."
Ah the "magic 65"! It would definitely help if Disney sees the potential for growth on this show if they let it slide this time.
I saw a couple of episodes of phineas and ferb, and as most of the bloggers have pointed out it doesn't have the same cartoony appeal spongebob has. This is why I can't see it catching on the same way spongebob did. It'll take alot of money in merchandising for P/F to catch on, but disney is better off investing that money to finding another potential cartoon. Thats what Walt Disney did when Mickey Mouse was at its prime. Instead of making more Mickey shorts with the same premise, he helped create more characters like Goofy and Donald which then catapulted them to feature films.
What most people complain about today's cartoons is how they don't act like cartoons and more like animated TGI-sitcoms. All the plots of phineas and ferb have a pattern, the kids do something wacky that the sister wants to exploit them for and the platypus foils an evil scheme. Oh, and they sing a song.To me this represents the dark ages of cartoons that DIC and Filmation have exploited for a really long time.
For Spongebob, there is barely any consistency from one episode to the another. Its the characters somewhat unpredictable nature that makes the shows worth watching. Patrick could be incredibly stupid and confuse a coat hanger for a guest, while the next he is a competing fry-cook who wrestles with yellow underwear (just going with the show people).
Those are the qualities of cartoons people wish they saw more which is what spongebob offers. To me, Phineas and Ferb is like Junk Food. It looks good, but at times its not worth watching all the time; which is why its main demographic are 6-11 year olds and college kids stumped from finals.
I scoffed when I saw the title of that article. Let's compare:
Phineas and Freb has been around since 2009.
Spongebob has been around since 1999.
Thats a huge 10 year gap between the two, meaning through all the years when P&F didn't exist, Spongebob rose to fame.
Spongebob also is, to me, a better deisgned cartoon for having great talented artists on there (namely Vincent Waller and Aaron Springer, but I sure there are other great people in that crew.)
The designs on P&F look like cock-a-dookie by comparison.
I haven't really watched alot of P&F, but from what I gathered from those short gilmpses, it's kind of boring.
So I don't think Phineas & Ferb is going to be at Spongebob's level, but thats just me.
I don'r think Phineas & Ferb will ever be at Spongebob's level, considering what year they started (Spongebob: 1999, Phineas & Ferb: 2009, quite a big gap).
Ehhhh probably not. I've never heard a single person in my animation program ever mention this show. I barely even knew about it until I started seeing things occasionally about it here. Since then I've seen like 2 episodes and it seems alright, but I think the animated kids shows attracting all the attention of everyone at my college right now are Flapjack and Adventure Time. You can't go a day without a conversation about something involving those shows.
Also, Spongebob has better design then P&F (I root for the whole crew on Spongebob, especially Vincent Waller).
I love the show!
Spongebob has better design, but Phineas and Ferb has an interesting concept that sometimes it's as imaginative as Spongebob. It also has Perry the platypus, his section of the show is usually funny and him and that Doofenshmirtz characters are competent designs. I would even say Ferb is a pretty decent design. The only characters that don't look totally right to me are Phineas, Candance and Isabella, their faces are a little too abstract and her expressions are a little limited, especially Candance's. But she's a fine character personality-wise.
Overall Spongebob is better, but I think it's a little overrated. I mean, it's a good show, but I don't totally get why it's EVERYWHERE right now. Ren and Stimpy was much better and it wasn't that popular-at least in my country. We didn't see so many Ren and Stimpy merchadise as I see with Spongebob. Maybe that was because of the internal problems between the channel and the creators. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Spongebob's success, but I feel like I'm a little overexposed to it.
Right, and Lady Gaga is the next Madonna.
I did read somewhere that Ben Stiller and his wife are big fans of the show- hence why they ended up doing voices on the show. I'd heard the same thing about other stars. That's how scarlett Johanses got a part in the Songebob movie: wrong as her voice was for that part, she was a huge fan and asked to be a part of it. That's what I heard anyway.
I can't see it. The show is ok but I imagine 30-50 years from now it will be largely forgotten though I can imagine SpongeBob lasting in popularity beyond that. This show just doesn't have the legs. Closest in quality and appeal but lacking in marketing is Flapjack. Why isn't that on DVD? Why aren't there toys and bedroom sets at Wal-Mart?
As someone JUST out of college and also left with an animation degree, I concur that none of us ever talked about Phineas and Ferb. The most I knew about it for a while (not having cable) was that it had some weird kid with a triangle face. Of kids cartoons, we were mostly interested in what we grew up with, what films were just coming out, and I occasionally heard rumblings about Flapjack from people around me.
The show I heard most often though was Clone High. This is STILL popular among the crowd and a lot of kids sorely missed it. After watching the entire season, I can see why. Skewed older with a lot of jokes surrounding historical figures that history-savvy people could appreciate.
Funny that they both have a strong "Rocko's Modern Life" heritage.
Both Dan & Swampy and Steve Hillenberg were directors on Rocko. More importantly, both shows are premise-based like Rocko was — the show isn't scripted, the writers come up with a premise and the actual script is written as the show is storyboarded. Makes for a much more visual cartoon.
I seen the evidence, especially the "triangle-head-syndrome" comic strip.
His head more looks like a Dorito, though.
To be fair, Clone High still airs on Teletoon in 2010. Granted, Corus part-owns Teletoon and owns Nelvana, so CanCon keeps the show in play.
I'm surprised Teletoon/Nelvana hasn't attempted a CH revival, although I figure it would need an American backer and the okay from Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence.
I haven't seen Batman: The Brave and the Bold mentioned as a cross-generational hit. I'm not sure of its ratings on Cartoon Network, but you have to be a bit of a comics fan to appreciate the use of B'wana Beast, Owlman and the Terrible Trio. The show even pulled off a musical episode while roping in Neil Patrick Harris. I realize Batman's been popular for decades, but not the campy, Bat-Random-Device version of the character.
Roberto Severino
I doubt that Phineas and Ferb are ever going to be as popular as SpongeBob, but I congratulate the talented crew on both shows, especially people like Sherm Cohen, Richard Pursel, Vincent Waller, Aaron Springer, Jay Lender, Zac Moncrief, and many more. Some of them even worked on both shows and other shows like Rocko's Modern Life and even Ren and Stimpy. In my opinion, that show is the best I've seen from Disney's TV animation department, despite the inferior design sense and BG color choices, as compared to SB. It actually can be quite funny, especially with Perry the Platypus and such. Plus, I've always loved the work that Povenmire and Marsh did on Rocko's Modern Life, so this show kinda has hints of their tenure on that show.
"(Spongebob: 1999, Phineas & Ferb: 2009, quite a big gap)."
Actually Rooni, Phineas and Ferb premiered back in 2007, so it really isn't a bigger gap than you think.
I remember everyone I knew hated Sponge Bob when it came out. The show eventually grew on them, and so will Phineas and Ferb. Besides, Sponge Bob is suffering from over exposure. When everyone starts to like something, it becomes uncool to like it. It's time for something new.
Spongebob is MASSIVE, up there with the Warner's classic characters, Popeye, and the original few episodes of REN'n'STIMPY. Phineas and Ferb is "Eh". It's no more appealing than the weak and uncompelling Mighty B, or Total Drama Island. I can see that kids might like it. For the record, demographically, I am nine hundred years old.
Whatever happened to that Gary Baseman cartoon in which the dog dressed up like a kid? It was great. It vanished.
Michael F.
Although I am not too big on it I will admit that it is more enjoyable than Spongebob in my honest opinion. Also, I think that the people behind P&F are doing the right thing and keeping its exposure controlled versus throwing Perry's picture on everything and stuff. I work at a department store (whose name I will not mention) and I have seen a few P&F items here and there but not much. They are popular sellers.
never heard of it… but at least it's well designed…. or.. no wait
I can't make a comparison between P&F and SpongeBob because, frankly, I never got into SpongeBob. But I was exposed to a single episode of P&F at my sister's house and was immediately hooked. Her kids (8/5/4 years old) are fans. I'm a bit older (46).
I was familiar with Dan Povenmire's work on Family Guy and can see similarities in terms of timing and writing that is consistently tight and occasionally brilliant. I think what makes P&F work so well is the discipline they have maintained. They set up a basic episode formula from the very beginning (very strict and as rules-based as Jones' Road Runner shorts). Once the formula was established, they almost immediately went into self-parody mode, to the point where the majority of each episode is a prolonged inside joke poking fun at their own structure.
Doofenshmirtz is a dim bulb who is nonetheless self aware enough to recognize that he is essentially a prisoner of the formula and must fatalistically play out his role to the bitter end each time. This adds a level of depth and even poignancy to a character that could easily be a one-dimensional idiot otherwise. It also makes him funny as hell.
J Lee
P&F is more dialog-driven than Spongebob, which long run will probably make it less attractive on repeat viewing (though if you're going to be more dialog-driven, giving Doofenschmertz a pseudo-Hans Conreid voice isn't a bad idea). So it's actually closer in style to something like "Anamaniacs" in trying to work on two levels at the same time verbally (but the show has been smart enough not to lean on topical gags and references, which as quickly as pop culture falls in and out of fashion nowadays is a surefire way to confuse and lose your main target audience just a few years down the line).
Marc Baker
Honestly, I just can't into Disney's current cartoon offerings. I seriously doubt that 'Phineas & Ferb' will become as big as 'Spongebob', or bigger than 'Hanna Montana' (Even if it went the 'scandalous' route.) I miss the style of the 'Disney Afternoon' shows. They were more in line with the classic Disney animation style, but that's just me. Heck, the early cartoon network styles have a more appealing style than Disney's current shows.
Would it be possible to make them any uglier?
Donald C
As a college student I love it.
At first I wrote it off as a typical mediocre Disney cartoon, but I soon discovered that it was actually far more clever and funnier than I thought.
It somehow comes off as a parody of itself while remaining true to its setup and somehow it actually works.
big bad balloon
ahhhh the new age of tv toons. where "appeal" is no longer a requirement, just a suggestion. good thing this has good writing because the style is horrendous.
"Actually Rooni, Phineas and Ferb premiered back in 2007, so it really isn't a bigger gap than you think."
I did? Sorry, my mistake Roberto.
And sorry for the excessive comments, I thought the first one was deleted.
the triangle headed plush will look really bad.
Honestly, I can't see Phineas and Ferb being the next anything. I have mix thoughts on this show – I'm not sure if it's my type of show (which is kind of sad since the creators of P&F did work on some of my favorite shows). I'm 14, and the appeal of the show just seems like a kid's dumbed downed version of Family Guy/The Simpsons (which again is also sad since I do enjoy the writing of Family Guy and The Simpsons). This is a list of shows that could be the next Spongebob's if they have (or had) the right marketing:
* The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack (which at this point Hot Topic is the only store that sells anything besides maybe Wal-Mart with the first – and only at this point – DVD.)
* Adventure Time w/ Finn & Jake (Frederator puts quite a lot of marketing into it, but I think CN is still just observing the show… which is pretty damn stupid since Adventure Time is one of the top ranked kid's shows as of right now as well as CN bought over 20 new episodes)
* Chowder (which is sadly canceled. I would suggest CN should really do what FOX did to Family Guy by revising it. Many kids/teens – including me – very much worship that show.)
And that's about it… three shows have (had) that potential. Disney can market the hell out of P&F, but it will never catch on like Spongebob did – probably not even catch a cult following like all of those three shows (with the YouTube Poops, cosplays, fansites, ect.). It is cool in a scene that Disney is willing to put so much effort/marketing into a cartoon though instead Hanna Montana or JONAS. Hopefully this will give Disney the idea that they can still count on cartoons to being in the greenbacks.
I do believe that this is one of the most annoying shows I've seen. It's not witty or clever, the characters have terrible designs, and the songs.. God the SONGS. It's like some terrible cartoon Hantana Montana shite.
I never got why anyone would watch Spongebob.
I've found P&F delightful! The strength of the show is its writing; in fact, I think the design and animation might be holding a lot of people back from discovering how great it is. When it first came out, I thought for sure it would be a dreadful generic unfunny-potty-joke time-slot-filler, and it does come off that way when you first glance at an episode. Then two minutes in, you're like, wait, did that really just happen?
I gotta say I enjoy Phineas and Ferb a lot more than I ever enjoyed Spongebob. That said, they are very different vibes. Spongebob is more Three Stooges and P&F are more Marx Bros., if you like. One of the things I really enjoy about P&F is that they are encouraging kids to be into science and engineering without being preachy. The structured storytelling , as said elsewhere, frees up the show for more comedy but there's more. This show has some genuine heart to it. See the episode "Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together" for example of a truly genuine romantic comedy. Every single character is designed and written in a smart way. True, Candace would do better if she weren't so high strung but you don't mind it because none of the others do. And Phineas is the single most positive character on tv. When he offers to help Candace bust themselves to their mom and she asks "You'd really help me bust you?" Phineas replies "Sure! If it'll make you happy." All the songs are awesome I even find myself singing them while doing chores or whatever. Oh and I'm 37. My landlord who's in his 40's watches it too.
Phineas and Ferd, you're no Marx Brothers!
To be completely honest, I love both shows. The problem with me though is that whenever I like two things, I often compare them to each other. I did the same thing with this one, and guess what? Spongebob still tops.
Come on, guys, the show's been around since 1999, since it's still alive and kickin' today, it MEANS that it's incredibly popular, even spawning a huge and internationally-successful franchise. I see a lot of people commenting that they like Spongebob in my country, wearing the t-shirts, downloading the songs, watching the toon, whatever. The point is, Spongebob's still going strong, and it should be and will be, for all the years to come.
Don't get me wrong, I love Phineas and Ferb, but I think the time's still too early for it to be a franchise. And we all know where all immediately-started franchises of moderately popular shows go—— at the very back of our minds. I mean, when one of us starts showing off a product of said franchise (say, a t-shirt, or something) I'm sure we'll immediately respond with "Really? How come I've never seen products of those before?"
So to speak, my overall message is, Phineas and Ferb, you're good, and I know you've got variable success with your show, but you've still got a long way to go to reach the cash-by-the-second-making franchise level marked by Spongebob.
Phineas and ferb is a brilliant show like spongebob WAS. Both show are more popular with kids but they both have brilliant adult humor. Spongebob got rid of that humor 5 years ago and thats when i stopped watching it. Right now Phineas and ferb is Way better.
Yeah, lots of people over 30 like this show. The musical half inspires children! Still, they won't enjoy 7 hours of it! Also, more adults find SpongeBob ANNOYING.
worst and most annoying cartoon ive ever seen. so hard to not punch the tv when i hear that little shit theme song come on at 8 15am every fucking day. BRUTAL. i cant believe that anyone over the age of 10 or 11 would enjoy this show, its absolutely awful. there is not 1 single part of the show that i enjoy. i can understand why kids would like it, it truly may be a great kids show, but anyone thats older watching it should just not comment and be embarassed. for people saying spongebob wasnt as good or couldnt come up with what p&f do, youre retards! spongebob appealed to every age, every country, everyone. phineas and ferb can entertain the little kids and do nothing more. just because it has a stupid song in each episode that the writers create doesnt make it any good.
Phineas and Ferb is the best Disney cartoon of recent memory, whoever dislikes that is an idiot
I can tell you why the show succeeds. Because it's different to everything on TV. It's not a Spongebob clone, it's not trying to be edgy, weird or controversial. It just delivers on of the most genuinely witty, kind hearted, catchiest and funniest shows on television with a design style that's so deceptively simple it's genius.
In my opinion, when comparing the newer episodes of spongebob with phineas and ferb, then i'd choose phineas and ferb definitely as the better cartoon. It's not like other cartoons today. That's why it's so great. Phineas and Ferb isn't one of those cartoons that's so random and weird, for example, a head exploding out of nowhere. It's different. It sort of reminds me of the episodes Stephen Hillenburg-the creator of spongebob who used to make episodes- made while he was still in charge, the show was awesome and you could see why the show made a name for itself. When comparing the old,classic but genius spongebob episodes made by him then both cartoons would be equally great. Phineas and ferb could be an icon. Who knows? It could even be the next spongebob. I have friends who like phineas and ferb and they're teenagers. Their ages are 12,13,14,16,17 and 19. Even my mom has watched some episodes with me! Phineas and ferb is really cool with all its witty jokes and funny plots. I could see why a large age group would like it.
Phineas and Ferb is just as good as spongebob. Well, the old spongebob episodes.


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One of the biggest challenges facing any NFL head coach is making certain that a team concept permeates throughout the locker room at all times. That's why the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick remains at the top of his profession.
Nothing - be it an egomaniac receiver, a contract squabble, an injured quarterback or the eviction of a popular player - can be bigger than the team. Anything that detracts from winning must be eradicated or resolved as quickly as possible.
Right now, the Jaguars and coach Jack Del Rio are up to their armpits in a soap opera with starting middle linebacker Mike Peterson that, amazingly, still has no conclusion.
We don't know if Peterson will be suspended, deactivated for Sunday's game against the winless Detroit Lions, or, by Del Rio's account, invited back on the condition that a meeting today satisfies whatever conditions are laid out.
For a second consecutive day, Peterson's status over his moment of insubordination with Del Rio at a Wednesday team meeting was left undecided. Teammates confirmed that Peterson was asked by Del Rio to leave the meeting when Peterson tried to defend himself after the coach was critical of him flexing his biceps upon sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick last Sunday.
Peterson is a passionate player. Nobody can be shocked about him taking exception to being called out by Del Rio in front of his teammates.
"It's something that shouldn't get in the way of the big picture of us going out here and winning games once everyone cools off," defensive end Reggie Hayward said.
But why let this messy situation linger any longer? If Peterson verbally challenged Del Rio when the coach didn't want anybody speaking, then it's understandable why there might be consequences.
So make a decision. Suspend him, cut him, fine him, throw a welcome-back party. Whatever, just be done with it.
The worst thing is to leave the issue hanging during a game week, with teammates wondering about the fate of one of the most respected Jaguars.
At 3-5 and their season at a crossroads, the Jaguars have enough adversity on their plate. If Del Rio suddenly wants to become a hardball disciplinarian, then act the part. Give Peterson his medicine and move on.
Of course, that's not going to erase questions about why Peterson was placed in the coach's doghouse and wide receiver Matt Jones, who was arrested on cocaine possession charges back in July, still hasn't been officially disciplined by his employer.
The irony here is Peterson, the first free agent signed by this Jaguars regime, used to be one of Del Rio's favorite players. Now he's in limbo during a season in which his status as team captain was revoked by Del Rio before a player vote restored it.
If winning matters as much to the Jaguars as it should, then put this soap opera to bed. For the sake of the team.
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Francisco Cigarroa's contributions to the University of Texas System should be evaluated two ways: first, the reforms and growth that happened under his watch, and second, the damage that was avoided during political infighting over higher education in Texas.
Cigarroa has been as much a buffer as a builder in his five years as chancellor of the UT System, and the sprawling UT family will miss his calming leadership. One regret we have with his announced departure is the timing: It will come as battle lines are still drawn over the direction of the university system.
Cigarroa said he's not leaving because of the pressure but is looking forward to returning full time to his medical specialty of pediatric transplantation — "saving lives," he called it. We hope the UT System ends up in hands as capable as his.
The building part of Cigarroa's record is straightforward. The 15-campus UT System is moving ahead with two new medical schools, one in Austin and one in the Rio Grande Valley, plus a newly minted UT-Rio Grande Valley campus.
Cigarroa has also helped nurture development of four emerging research universities in the system — including UT-Dallas and UT-Arlington — toward coveted Tier One status nationally. Further, the system has instituted new transparency and efficiency measures, partly in response to calls for revolutionary change in hidebound higher education traditions.
Like many effective leaders in times of change, Cigarroa would bend but not break, especially on the question of Bill Powers' presidency at UT's flagship campus in Austin. Despite incessant flak directed at Powers, and his defense of research as a core university mission, Cigarroa has stuck by him. That put Cigarroa at odds with allies of Gov. Rick Perry, who want faster change and tighter cost controls in higher education.
Cigarroa's steadfastness has helped preserve the brand of UT-Austin as one of the nation's elite universities in both academics and research. The chancellor is wise enough to know the two go hand in hand. The best universities attract disruptive creators capable of hatching world-changing ideas, the kind that start in the research lab and, once commercialized, can ripple through the wider economy.
As UT System trustees search for a leader to succeed Cigarroa, they must keep in mind what he's demonstrated — that the system is capable of rapid change while enhancing a reputation as a place where creativity can flourish.
Where the UT brand is concerned, trustees should abide by the same maxim that Cigarroa and all other physicians heard in medical school: Above all, do no harm.


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Okay, California Pacific Airlines ready again
FAA-certified, but start dates out of Carlsbad airport uncertain (psst, April)
Ken Harrison 8:30 a.m., Nov. 18
What's the deal, Matt:
I was driving up the 805 the other day and I noticed a freeway exit sign that said "Maric College." Right after that was another sign that said "National University." These are private businesses. How do they rate a freeway exit sign? Can I have them put up an exit sign for my restaurant?
-- Don't Get It, the net
Dialed up Caltrans and had a nice chat with Peggy the Sign Queen. She had all the answers. According to a special state law, it is legal for any post-secondary school to have its name on a freeway sign. Hmmm. Smell the pork in that barrel? Anyway, say you run the Gorgeous Pretty Beauty Nail Salon and School for Aestheticians. You submit a letter to Caltrans setting forth in detail the reasons your school rates an exit sign, and they'll consider it. Your school must have (and maintain) a very large enrollment, it must be within two miles of the exit in question, and the surrounding jurisdiction (city or county) must be willing to put up additional direction signs to your wisdom emporium. You can't dump people at the top of the ramp with no clue about which way to turn. Finally, you must be willing to pay for all this. No taxpayer dollars were harmed in the making of the Maric sign.


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WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 5, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The effects of abortion on women's health is a hotly debated subject. The topic came up for discussion earlier this year by a panel of 100 scientific experts, convened by the federal government's National Cancer Institute. Most of the participants opined that a woman who terminates her pregnancy does not face a higher risk of breast cancer, the Chicago Tribune reported Feb. 27.
The researchers contended that most of the early studies of the relationship between abortion and breast cancer suffered from an error known as recall bias. This means that many of the healthy women in the studies were likely to have lied about having had abortions, whereas those with breast cancer were somewhat more likely to reply honestly. The researchers did agree, however, that giving birth to a full-term baby at an early age lowers a woman's lifetime risk of getting breast cancer.
But the meeting by no means put an end to the debate. The Texas House and Senate recently passed a law mandating that doctors inform women seeking an abortion of a link between the procedure and an increased risk of breast cancer, the Washington Times reported June 5. The state's Women's Right to Know Act obliges abortion providers to inform women verbally or in writing of the potential breast cancer-abortion risk, in addition to all other possible problems associated with abortion and pregnancy. The act also requires a 24-hour waiting period after women seeking abortions are informed.
The naysaying by the experts convened by the National Cancer Institute has also come under criticism. In an article in the Summer 2003 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, Karen Malec cites numerous studies that identify a link between abortion and breast cancer. Malec is president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer.
She noted that in 1973, the year abortion was legalized in the United States, the incidence of breast cancer was 82.6 per 100,000, and it was considered a disease of elderly women. By 1998, the incidence of female breast cancer had increased more than 40% to 118.1 per 100,000 — and had become a young woman's disease.
Malec accused many authorities and the media of not informing people of the higher risk of breast cancer because the question is controversial, or because they do not want to weaken the case for abortion. She noted that three years ago, a former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. George Lundberg, told an interviewer that abortion and tobacco are "sensitive issues" that had been on the AMA's "don't touch" list for many years.
More evidence on the abortion/breast cancer link comes from a 2002 book by the Canada-based deVeber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research. "Women's Health After Abortion," by Elizabeth Ring-Cassidy and Ian Gentiles, is based on information contained in more than 500 books and scientific papers published over the last 20 years.
The book notes that of 14 studies carried out in the United States, 13 show an increased risk of breast cancer in women who had an abortion. Worldwide, 27 of 33 studies show a higher risk. A 1996 meta-analysis of already published studies, by Dr. Joel Brind and biostatistician Vern Chinchilli, pooled data from 28 reports. They found that there is a 30% increased risk for breast cancer after an abortion. While this study has come in for strong criticism, "Women's Health After Abortion" noted that with time it has been accepted. In 2000 a review of the study by Britain's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists concluded that it had no major methodological failings.
"A right to know"
Breast cancer is not the only medical problem associated with abortion. "Women's Health After Abortion" reports that abortion also is associated with ectopic pregnancy, uterine perforation, pelvic inflammatory disease, cancers of the reproductive system, and infertility. There are some "elements within the research and medical establishments for whom the paramount consideration appears to be to preserve the image of abortion as simple, safe and easily available to women," the book reports. It adds: "If there is a right to choose, there is also a right to know."
Abortion's impact on subsequent pregnancies is another problem. Injury to the cervix can lead to later spontaneous abortions, and damage to the uterus can create problems in the implantation of future pregnancies. Premature birth is also a result of abortion, as 20 studies conducted between 1973 and 1999 in seven countries testify. One or more induced abortions can lead to an increase of up to 30% in the possibility of a prematurity. The premature births occur not only because of the physical damage to the reproductive system, but also to the infections resulting from abortions.
Ectopic pregnancies, whose incidence has increased notably in recent years, have also been found to have a link with abortions. Five studies reviewed in the book find that there is anything from a twofold to a thirteenfold increase in the risk of an ectopic pregnancy following induced abortion. Increased rates of subsequent infertility and spontaneous abortion have also been detected among women who had abortions without previously giving birth, the book says.
The danger to health can even reach the point of causing death. The book notes that there are significant difficulties in obtaining reliable statistics on this subject due to inconsistencies in the registration of information. However, it cites data from Finland, which maintains a careful registry of births, deaths and abortion.
The maternal death rate after abortion is four times higher, at 100.5 per 100,000 women, for women who aborted than it was for women who gave birth. This contradicts the widely repeated claim that abortion is safer than childbirth. The Finnish data also show that women who have an induced abortion are more than three times likely to commit suicide within a year than women who gave birth.
Another book that gathers many references on the subject of abortion and health is Thomas Strahan's "Detrimental Effects of Abortion: An Annotated Bibliography with Commentary." The third edition, published in 2001 by Acorn Books in association with the Elliot Institute, contains more than 1,200 bibliographical entries in 140 categories.
Unspoken pain
Abortion's damage is not limited to physical effects. Psychological trauma can often affect women for many years following an abortion. One of the latest studies examining this question is by Theresa Burke, the founder of Rachel's Vineyard, a post-abortion healing ministry, with David Reardon, head of the Elliot Institute. In their book, "Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion," they relate the traumas suffered by many women, and offer advice on how to overcome these problems.
Many women, notes the study, do not anticipate or understand the severity of the problems they may suffer. Abortion cannot simply "turn back the clock," restoring women to where they were before becoming pregnant, explain the authors. While it might bring a short-term sense of relief to a woman, an abortion sows the seeds for longer-term problems.
Abortion, explains the book, touches on three central issues of a woman's self-concept: her sexuality, her morality and her maternal identity. It also involves the loss of a child. "Few women sort through all of these issues before their abortions," the authors write. These unresolved issues will often surface later, they say.
A contributing factor to these problems is that most abortion clinic counselors promote the false expectation that there are few, if any, psychological risks to abortion. One reason for this, the authors contend, is the clinic's financial interest in selling abortions. The true price of the procedure, tragically, may not be evident until it's too late.


text: James J. Spina Editor-in-Chief, 20/20 October 2006 Street Seen Street Seen Photographed By Christie WalkerTHE PERFECT SUN SET — Have you ever been to Laguna Beach? Photo/journalist Christie Walker aptly describes it as the epicenter of art meeting beach. It has a precious boardwalk, a pleasantly steamydreamy hotel right on the water's edge, a splash of tempting outdoor cafés and a whale of select art galleries. She spied these ultra-trend setting shades during the town's summer-long Sawdust Festival Art show. As usual we love it when the sightings speak for themselves. — James J. Spina


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"Just SING! Christmas Vol. 3"– seasonal cheer guaranteed!
dtp young entertainment publishes"Just SING! Christmas Vol. 3" for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service. So karaoke fans can now sweeten the long wait until the most wonderful time of the year.
Hamburg 24 th November 2011– For those who love to sing, the joy of Christmas has just been pre-programmed, because a special treat awaits in the Nintendo DSi™ Shop in the form of"Just SING! Christmas Vol. 3". At last players can storm the festively decked out stages and put their seasonal singing abilities to the test. Two popular Christmas songs create the perfect festive atmosphere and transport players to the magical Advent period as they enjoy the ultimate in singing fun with this special Christmas edition of the successful karaoke series.
Two Christmas classics, the contemplative"Oh Christmas Tree" and the joyful"Joy to the World" await would–be singing talent, who must use their best efforts to sing them as flawlessly as possible. Those who hit the right key and keep to the rhythm will be able to crack the high score– a fun musical challenge to put some real swing into things at any time - and not just in the Advent period. The suitably festively styled avatar also adds to the Christmassy atmosphere. And there's another cool feature where the Nintendo DSi™ camera can be used to film the performer and simultaneously stream their image live onto the videowall behind the singing avatar.
"Just SING! Christmas Vol. 3" is all set to turn the run-up to Christmas into the most wonderful time of the year!
The"Just SING! Christmas Vol. 3" title is available right now for download for 200 Nintendo DSi Points™ in the Nintendo DSi Shop.?
The game has been developed by Engine Software B.V., Doetinchem, Holland.
List of Songs
- <*>Oh Christmas Tree*> <*>Joy to the World?*>
- <*>The"Just SING!!" titles are a currently unique karaoke game conversion for the Nintendo DSi™*> <*>Two popular songs to sing along to, to get every player into the Christmas mood*> <*>Players can film themselves with their Nintendo DSi? while performing and project their image onto the videowall behind their singing avatar*> <*>Direct feedback on the player's own performance as they are singing*> <*>A special noise filter enables a high quality karaoke experience via the Nintendo DSi*>
Nintendo DSiWare and Nintedo DSi are trademarks of Nintendo.? 2011 Nintendo.?


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Surveillance cameras recorded two gunmen emptying the safe at a Wendy's restaurant in Woodbridge, Va.
On Dec. 15 at 8:40 p.m., two men dressed in dark fleece hoodies and ski masks ordered customers at the restaurant at 1470 Old Bridge Road not to look as one of them struck the manager on the head -- knocking him to the ground and causing a 3-inch laceration -- and ordered him to open the store safe.
The man took more than $600 in cash and escaped with his accomplice.
Employees went to their manager's aid and called 911 to report the robbery. Police arrived to interview witnesses and paramedics treated the manager.
Police haven't solved the crime, and surveillance video is the best evidence they have.
"This video shows how the suspects we're dressed, how they used violence right in front of customers in the restaurant at the time," said Erika Hernandez, of Prince William County police.
"Anyone who would attack someone from behind is a coward," said Nolene King, who lives in the area.
Anyone with information that could lead to an arrest and conviction should call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. A $1,000 reward is being offered.


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Part of Prentice Hall's Connection: Key Themes in World History series.
Written based on the author's annual course on slave trade, Captives as Commodities examines three key themes: 1) the African context surrounding the Atlantic slave trade, 2) the history of the slave trade itself, and 3) the changing meaning of race and racism. The author draws recent scholarship to provide students with an understanding of Atlantic slave trade.