Sunday 29 November 2009

A thought for a Sunday


"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together".

Marilyn Monroe (1926 – 1962) Grow into these trousers... >>

Sunday 22 November 2009

A thought for a Sunday

"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked".

Warren Buffett (b. 1930) Grow into these trousers... >>

Sunday 15 November 2009

Trousers demand independence!

It must be true;
Step Hen Fri says so in this broadcast from the year 2034:



So is the past tense of making a Twitter post 'to twat' as in:
I twat a funny link yesterday,
you twat celebrity photos,
they twatted about...? Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday


"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason".

Thomas Paine (1737-1809) Grow into these trousers... >>

Friday 13 November 2009

A little something to chew on

Yummy. Or maybe not.



The nerd in me first thought of Klingons, but then I wondered what's the most revolting thing you have ever eaten?

My tale:
Many years ago I knew some Japanese chemists who each were working in the UK for a year at a time. One guy in particular became a good mate. He used to get food parcels from home and shared the best Pot Noodles ever, ever, ever! He also used to get bags of tiny, dried, silvery fish which he munched like crisps. They were just about acceptable, but not really to my taste. The worst of all, the most disgusting thing, was sun dried cuttlefish, which to my friend seemed to be a delicacy.


To me it was like chewing a ball of string flavored with rotten fish. Truly revolting.

I got my own back later with a chunk of Blue Stilton cheese which, to my great laughter, he spat halfway across the room. It's all a matter of taste. Grow into these trousers... >>

Wednesday 11 November 2009

I haven’t had one of these for a long while

Where is Gilbert Murray when you need him?

-------------------------
Re:confirm your information's for delivery
Ali Mustafa [alhajiali.mustafa@gmail.com]
Sent: 11 November 2009 07:26
Attachments:
KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,
OFFICE OF THE CUSTOMS AND PRESIDENTIAL CASTLE,
MARITIME AND AVIATION UNIT,
ACCRA - GHANA.

ATTN; HONORABLE BENEFICIARY,

We decided to communicate with you via this medium as instructed by United Nation to inform you of the release and arrangement to deliver your long awaited consignment through an assign UN Diplomat.
<snip>
...forward to my Commission the followings: copy of your identification (either driver's license or Intl. passport copy), your office & home address, telephone numbers (including cell phone no. for effective communication) and also the name of your nearest Intl. airport to your city.
<snip>
This delivery is urgent so do not hesitate or delay to send the requirement at(alhajiali.mustafa@gmail.com) to avoid unnecessary delays.

Get back as soon as possible.

Regards,
Alhaji Ali Mustafa
For UN Diplomatic Unit
Tel: 00233243147583.
-------------------------

Yeah, sure :) Grow into these trousers... >>

Tuesday 10 November 2009

LRO re-images Tranquility base

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been in its final orbit for almost two months now and has passed over the Apollo 11 landing site again, but this time only 50km above. The full power of the camera is now revealed.


The Sun is almost directly overhead, so the surface seems 'flat' with no shadows, but look at the big bright blob. That's the landing stage of the LEM, the four dots around it are the landing pads. To the South are the scientific instruments they left behind and snaking around are the tracks left by Armstrong and Aldrin.

The whole image is little more than 100m across, if there were astronauts there now they would probably be visible. Amazing.

See Bad Astronomy for more. Grow into these trousers... >>

Monday 9 November 2009

Is the Catholic church a force for good in the world?

Make up your own mind watching this debate with Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Ann Widdecombe MP, Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry.

The Intelligence Squared Debate (Part 1/5)
Grow into these trousers... >>

Al least John has some standards

Grow into these trousers... >>

Sunday 8 November 2009

A thought for a Sunday

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is a music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted:
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943) Grow into these trousers... >>

Saturday 7 November 2009

Late night music - The blues

Cooolll!!!

JOHN MAYALL MICK TAYLOR ; Blues For Lost Days '03
Grow into these trousers... >>

In praise of Spitzer

Launched in 2003, the Spitzer infrared space telescope is past the end of its primary mission. The coolant for the main camera is all used up, but even so there is still important scientific work it can do.

Never quite so visually stunning as Hubble, the results from Spitzer are sometimes astonishing and still worth a look.

The following video from IRrelevant astronomy outlines some of the findings from Spitzer and is presented by Felicia Day and Sean Astin.

Hang on ...

That Felicia Day? This Sean Astin. Yup, seems right (?)

Behind the Scenes: When Galaxies Collide

---------------------
HT BA Grow into these trousers... >>

Thursday 5 November 2009

So this is what I have to look forward to...

Head rungus!

Well at least I can supply this restaurant in Yunnan, China:


Click for the full menu and read on...

OK I once had a friend with athlete's foot but, now I've joined the old folks club, can the other oldies around here tell me how they cope with outbreaks of rungus?

------------
Via Engrish.com. Grow into these trousers... >>

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Amazing drumming

{Picks up lower jaw from floor}

The Top Secret Drum Corps from Basel, Switzerland.
This beats any other tattoo I've ever seen:

Grow into these trousers... >>

Sunday 1 November 2009

A thought for a Sunday



"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends".


Maya Angelou (b. 1928) Grow into these trousers... >>