The Academic Companion Piece to The Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Lounging With Lord Likely

Good day, history lovers!

Since I began transcribing Lord Likely's journals to the internet, I have been exploring ways to drive traffic to his blog, to improve the lives of internet surfers everywhere.

One means of rustling up readers is through blog directories, and two of the best of these, in my humble opinion, are MyBlogLog and Blog Catalog.

Both Lord Likely frequents both these directories, (here and here, fact fans!) and both sites are both easily within his top twenty referers. Good show, what?

MyBlogLog is excellent, and of course favoured by Ed from The Pisstakers, what with him utilizing the site for his marvelous MyBlogLog Sundays (soon to celebrate their 25th installment!) However, for my money (all seven pounds eighty-five pence of it), I have to say I prefer Blog Catalog.

Blog Catalog gets the edge due to it's excellent interactivity and added features, from it's discussion board to it's newest and most exciting feature: groups.

Groups allow members to set up a group to discuss anything at all, and invite fellow BC members over to join in various discussions. It's a great idea, and one that his Lordship has fully embraced by opening his own group, Lord Likely's Lavish Lounge. Here, members can come and chat with Lord Likely, relax and share a virtual glass of whisky. It has gotten off to a wonderful start, with topics of conversation ranging from which type of facial hair is best, to whether or not urine would make for a lovely perfume. Something for everyone, I feel!

If you have a blog, or even just love reading blogs, I recommend that you sign up to Blog Catalog immediately (it's free, and relatively painless) then you too can join the Lounge.

While you're at it, join MyBlogLog as well. It is really good. I have not tried the recently launched Blog Rush yet, and am not sure I will. Is it worth it, dear readers?

Anyway, must dash - I have to go and plump up the cushions in his lordship's lounge. See you there!

- Prof. Julian Syngen-Smythe

Oh! I almost forgot! It is Mr. Andy Fanton's birthday tomorrow! Why not pop over to his blog, i used my very best crayons, and wish him well. He does ever so much stuff for us here at Likely Towers. Well, sometimes he does. Go and say hello anyway!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Tagged and Bagged

Hello, history lovers!

Well, it's been rather a busy week and a bit here at History Heights (as I am wont to calling my spacious bungalow here in sunny Spaffton-Upon-Grime), with all manner of things going on.

Fanton Menace

As regular readers may know, Mr. Andy Fanton - one of the fine fellows working on The Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely, recently travelled up to Manchester to discuss his would-be animated series The Carrotty Kid, based on the web-comic of the same name. Things went pretty well, as far as we can tell. He hasn't hung himself in despair, which can only be a good thing. To find out more, visit his own personal blog.

Awards for Lords

Secondly, his Lordship has been awarded both the Break Out Blogger Award (courtesy of Ed at The Pisstakers) and the Bodacious Blogger Award, thanks to cutetoes. We are delighted with our shiny new awards, which will look lovely on our mantelpiece, next to my 'World's Best Teacher' mug I got back in 1983.

Fact Me Hard

His Lordship was also tagged by the lovely and excellent Olga, The Travelling Bra recently. Rather than break up the thrilling American Adventure in his lordship's journal, I thought I'd tackle the tagging over here. So: I think I'm supposed to refer to the original tagger (done, lovely) and now reveal 8 facts about His Lordship - so here we go:

1. Lord Likely has one testicle larger than the other.
2. He calls the larger testicle 'Pitt the Elder' and the smaller one 'Pitt the Younger.'
3. At public school, he crippled a teacher with nothing more than a stick of chalk.
4. His 'Lord Palmerston' is the only penis in history to have been knighted by the Queen, for 'Services to Procreation'.
5. He used to have a dog called 'The Iron Duke', but it died after being humped to death by a horse.
6. Lord Likely has never been to Scotland, fearing it to be a place of 'wild, feral beast-men'.
7. His lordship has a tattoo of Queen Victoria on his left bum-cheek.
8. Every time his Lordship sees the number '8', he gets a massive erection, as the figure looks rather like a voluptuous, curvy woman.

There you go. Fascinating, yes?

I would now like to (rather lazily) tag five more people, for not only the '8 facts...' meme, but also to also receive the awards mentioned above. SO: they are...

Nurse Myra - the naughtiest nurse I have ever come across (not literally, of course!)
The Domestic Minx - you have to love this decadent dame. I know I do!
Naked Mad Hatter - as mad as a...well, hatter.
Adventures of Lady Laura - a woman after my own heart.
Mattress Police - just because being tagged will drive Mr. Diesel CRAZY - with hilarious results!

Whew! What a lot of business. Talking of business, for a glimpse behind the crazy, glitzy world of Hollywood showbusiness, please enjoy Suck My Hollywood, a new venture from gaup Enterprises, inc. It'll certainly open your eyes!

Well, that is quite enough. I am off to polish my award, which is in no way a euphemism for masturbating.

See you all soon!

- Prof. Julian Syngen-Smythe.

Monday, September 10, 2007

A Linc to the Past

Hello, history lovers!

Well, there's been another jam-packed, swear-filled, history-stuffed chapter in Lord Likely's Astonishing American Adventure, today. It was so exciting, I dropped a pen!

Anyway, in the latest entry Likely meets a pre-Presidential Abraham Lincoln, and the pair seem to get on rather well. Maybe a bit too well?

Gay-braham Lincoln

There has been speculation and heresay about the late President's sexuality, which you can read about here. Does the encounter Lord Likely writes about confirm these previously unfounded rumours? I can only imagine that the history books will have to be rewritten, and all they will say is 'Gay'.

Maybe the beat combo Electric Six were not so far off in their imagining of Lincoln's life, after all:





Language, Timothy

I feel I must also apologise for Likely's terrible attitude towards the coloured community. Of course, such attitudes were prevalent in Victorian society, but still it is rather shocking to see in print. Suffice to say, the opinions that tumble out of his lordship's mouth do NOT reflect those of any of us.

Once A Week Man

Today's episode of Lord Likely's adventures will be the only one this week, right up until the weekend, we'd imagine.

Why?

Well, Mr. Andy Fanton, who works on my staff helping me to transfer Likely's journals to the web, is off to Manchester this week.

Why?

You're a curious bunch, aren't you? Well, as well as working on Lord Likely (so to speak), Mr. Fanton also maintains the web comic The Carrotty Kid. This creation of his also found success with an animation studio, Cosgrove Hall Films, resulting in this pilot episode getting made.

This week, Fanton returns to the studio, in Manchester, to talk further about cartoons and carrots, hence no Likely for a week. WE won't hold a grudge, however, and wish him well on his trip.

Read Mr. Fanton's recently reinstated blog for further details, and to pass on your own good luck messages.

Coming Soon

While you wait for the next chapter, I thought I'd get a little teaser of Likely's next adventure, which will debut at the end of the month, once the American Adventure has been completed. So, we present to you now, the first look at The Curious Case of the Conjuring Calamity.


Ooooh...the tension!

I'm off to find my pen. See you all in a week, history lovers!

- Prof. Julian Syngen-Smythe.

Friday, September 07, 2007

A Walk in the Park

Good day, history lovers!

Today's enthralling chapter of Lord Likely's Astonishing American Adventure features some real-life history, thus it has me as excited as a dog in a fire hydrant factory.

In today's chapter, Likely meets Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead, the joint designers of New York's Central Park. Of course, in 1856 the park was yet to be built, and his lordship makes a decent attempt at designing it himself. It's rather a pity the pair did not take Likely up on his plan, as it would have made for a rather unique-looking attraction. Ah, well.

To read more about Central Park's history, go HERE.

Further fascinating tidbits from his lordship's diaries are cropping up everywhere, especially regarding his own family. Already we have been introduced to his American half-brother, Ludlow Likely, learnt more about Lightnin' Lance Likely (the outlawed Likely, who also features in this blog, here) and discovered that in 1856, Lord Eustace Likely, the father of the clan, is still alive and pumping. Exciting times!

The Likely family tree is less a tree, and more an entire forest. I wonder what further revelations await us?

Stay tuned!...

- Prof. Julian Syngen-Smythe.