The Real Thing - I really think this would have been a great follow up to Overload

It was the first lead single not to hit number one since Overload. The end of their "Imperial Phase" I guess

Ghost probably won't chart!!

It's crazy, I hear it on the radio and it's being hyped. Plus is a good song. I guess it's hard for legacy bands now. I bet if Lola Young sang it, it would hit the top 10.

The harmonies of course but an underrated feature is that their music incorporates lots of different genres and pop styles. I mean you have the songs that sound very 80s (Freak Like Me, Whatever Makes you Happy, Flatline etc) and stuff that is a bit 60s (Girls, Soul Sound) and songs like Overload have touches of R&B. I mean Flatline itself sounds 80s like I said but it's also 90s in places and a callback to their first album. Everyone likes to compare them to Girls Aloud but I think only a few songs sound them, maybe Round Round is the most obvious.

I am in holidaying in Poland at the moment and noticed that like the French, the Polish have an updated hardcover of the atlas of Middle Earth. Why no English edition?

Great link. It's amazing to think the legendarium ecompasses writings from an almost 60 year period (1915-1973).

https://forodrim.org/daeron/md_hmch.html

For some reason the chapter "Cambronne" in the novel, was a little controversial at the time. Here are the various translations of this section.

Wilbour:

when, touched by their heroism, holding the death moment suspended over these men, an English general, Colville, according to some, Maitland, according to others, cried to them : " Brave Frenchmen, surrender ! " Cambronne answered : " Merde "

Wraxall (omitted): I could not find the proper equivalents in which to convey Cambronne's extraordinary reply

and at this moment an English general, Colville according to some, Maitland according to others, holding the supreme moment suspended over the heads of these men, shouted to them, "Brave Frenchmen, surrender!" Cambronne; answered, -*

Wraxall (supplemented by Routledge in 1887 Deluxe Edition)

and at this moment an English general, Colville according to some, Maitland; according to others, holding the supreme moment suspended over the heads of these men, shouted to them, "Brave Frenchmen, surrender!" Cambronne answered: "Merde."

*** Hapgood (omitted) Cambronne's exact language need not be repeated here, since it is so offensive that M. Hugo admits that it would not be tolerated in French history, although he devotes nearly an entire chapter to enthusiastic praises of the word. This chapter has been cut down here... ***

and then, with emotion, holding the supreme moment suspended above these men, an English general, Colville according to some, Maitland according to others, shouted to them, “Surrender, brave Frenchmen!” Cambronne replied, “——.”

Denny

In this final moment, when all was in suspense, one of the English generals, Colville or Maitland, called out to them, ‘Brave Frenchmen, will you not surrender?’ Cambronne answered, "Merde!"

Fahnestock & Macafee

when, touched by their heroism, suspending the moment of death above these men, an English general — Colville according to some, Maitland according to others — cried out to them, "Brave Frenchman, surrender!" Cambronne answered, "Merde!"

Julie Rose

and then, deeply moved, holding the moment of reckoning hanging over these men, an English general— Colville according to some, Maitland according to others—cried out to them: “Brave Frenchmen, give yourselves up!” Cambronne replied: “Shit!”

Christine Donougher:

and then, holding the moment of death suspended above these men, an English general, Colville according to some, Maitland according to others, his emotions stirred, shouted to them, ‘Brave Frenchmen, surrender!’ Cambronne replied, ‘Merde

People criticise the third movie but IMO the second movie created some loose ends that had to be addressed:

The corruption of OCP and their destruction of communities

The conflict between Murphy's identities as a man and a machine

The movie had to resolve this while also trying to be the opposite tone wise of the Robocop 2. That movie was bleak, violent and pessimistic. Robocop 3 at least provided a feeling of "people power" which is very relevant to today actually.

I remember the ending of Robocop 2 seemed to suggest a follow up was forthcoming but it took ages. I only found out about Robocop 3 after seeing it in the VHS store.

Weller criticised Robocop 2's plot for not having a moral dimension to it. IMO, the answer was obvious. Robocop 2 should have been another cop who goes out for revenge on the criminals but goes insane and ends up targeting innocent people. The dilemma is then that Robocop has to put a stop to it.