Trousers to Grow Into

Merry Christmas To All

2011-12-24T14:31:00.004Z

Have a great weekend!

This is how I want to remember Hitch

2011-12-17T05:13:00.005Z

Christopher Hitchens has died and the world has lost one of the greatesat speakers in the debates for rationality and human rights. May the spirit of his words endure...This, I think, is Hitch at his best Debating free speech laws at the University of Toronto in 2006. The motion is: 'Be It Resolved: Freedom of Speech Includes the Freedom to Hate.' "Stay cool"

A thought for a Sunday

2011-11-13T15:48:00.004Z

A bit of music

2011-11-04T19:37:00.002Z

Sometimes it just hits the right spot!Steeleye Span - Drink Down The Moon (1974)

Oh! So this is why we have 'small clothes'

2011-11-02T19:50:00.005Z

Lawrence Ferlinghetti reads Underwear

A thought for a Sunday

2011-10-23T17:41:00.003+01:00

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."Alice Walker (b. 1944)(Found at the start of this film trailer)

A thought for a Sunday

2011-10-16T16:43:00.007+01:00

"People get the wrong idea. If you're a scientist the two most exciting things you can be are wrong or confused, because that means there's a lot left to learn, and we are living in very exciting times. We're just like the early map makers in a sense. Just a lifetime ago we knew of one galaxy in the entire universe, now we know there are 400 billion galaxies. In a single human lifetime our

Bad Astronomy at TED

2011-10-14T14:43:00.004+01:00

The highly entertaining Phil Plait gives a talk to TEDx about asteroid impacts on the Earth, and how we may be able to avoid them.From the 6 mile wide rock which may have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago to the smaller, more recent, Meteor Crater and Tunguska impacts the Earth has been under continuous bombardment from space.How can we escape the next big one? Phil Plait explains...

Brian Cox take a new view of the universe

2011-09-25T20:51:00.002+01:00

I have no comment ;)Wonders of the Stoner System

Need something interesting to pass an hour ot two, or more?

2011-09-11T14:15:00.005+01:00

Go visit openculture.com The site is a vast repository of links to free audio and video in lots of categories.So far I've watched a video about black holes, downloaded two audio books (Isaac Asimov's Nightfall and Rudyard Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi - there are many, many more I will get) and lined up a series of lectures called 'Science, Magic, and Religion' from UCLA. I'm off to dig through the

John Martyn, One World.

2011-09-04T14:27:00.004+01:00

The remarkable song writing of the late John Martyn joins with a very subdued Dave Gilmour. Perfectly... John Martyn.and David Gilmour- - "One World"

A thought for a Sunday

2011-09-04T13:55:00.003+01:00

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121-180 CE)

The 1st BBC Comedy Prom

2011-09-01T02:52:00.004+01:00

For those in the UK only (sorry) the full concert is on the BBC iPlayer for a few more days, though clips are sprouting on YouTube. It is a magical divergence for the often dry and dusty annual Promenade Concerts from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Tim Minchin hosts a gala of music and fun which is a must see. Yes, this Tim Minchin! I can't yet find the clip I want to play so bugger the Proms,

Glastonbury 2011

2011-07-06T13:26:00.002+01:00

I wasn't there but thanks to the wonderful BBC iPlayer I've probably seen more than if I had been. What I did miss was the micro-atmosphere though: the sights, sounds and smells as you walk around, the endless stalls where you can spend an afternoon just shopping, and an entire world of food. The Beeb recorded many hours of video and it's all on their website, from short clips to full

Caption this...

2011-06-07T23:03:00.003+01:00

It's not often I do a 'caption this' but I saw this on the news today and it was too much to resist.I'll try:"now wash your hands""Spain introduces new EU standards in condom testing" The guy at the left says "so that's what they are for!"Give me your worst.

Warning - Do NOT listen to this song

2011-06-07T09:18:00.002+01:00

The Badger SongI told you not to listen!

It's the end of the world as we know it!

2011-05-19T21:41:00.006+01:00

Judgement Day is a' comin', Saturday 21st May. Wow that's like... this weekend!I thought it was going to be just before Christmas 2012, according to the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar, but Christian preacher and radio broadcaster Harold Camping thinks otherwise. The long-awaited Rapture, when all good Christian souls will drift off up to Heaven, will be on Saturday and conveniently arranged for

RIP Polly

2011-04-26T18:03:00.003+01:00

You kept me entertained in the late 70s, and you were a formative punk rocker. I doff my cap to:Marianne Joan Elliott-Said aka Poly Styrene (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011)A legend with a quieter side...Poly Styrene - Shades

Just for Duncan @ MadHatters

2011-04-05T10:36:00.003+01:00

Slurping my morning coffee and blearily reading The Mad Hatters my day perked up wonderfully when I found Duncan had posted "The Mad Hatter's Song" by The Incredible String Band.It got me thinking, are there any other songs with 'Mad Hatter' in the title? I could only come up with this. Edgar Broughton Band Mad HatterThere must be more, any other suggestions?

Crack, crunch!

2011-03-12T22:27:00.006Z

The Gypsy has just told me that, during heavy winds yesterday, a tree has fallen onto the pub where our band is based. See here.PCSO Orham Yigit outside the George Pub, Cleckheaton after a tree fell into itPhoto credit: The Spenborough Guardian.Looking at the photo that window is in the main concert room, next to the stage and on my side too! Thank goodness it was in the morning and not when

Late Night Music

2011-03-03T02:40:00.003Z

I just tripped across this tune by the late great Jerry Garcia. We are just learning this in the band. Thin Lizzy made it famous, but we do a punked up full on rock version (Metallica, poop). But here is a proper version :Jerry Garcia-Whiskey in the Jar

Sorry if this spoils your day

2011-02-22T13:46:00.003Z

But it needs to be widely understood that slaughtering animals for human consumption is a nasty business. However it need not be a prolonged, inhumane, barbaric ritual. The video description begins:"This video starts by showing the Western humane "Bolt Gun" method of instant slaughter. The remainder of the video then shows the Islamic Halal method of slaughter. Halal is the Sharia Law prescribed

Stardust/NExT re-images comet Tempel 1

2011-02-16T15:04:00.004Z

A couple of days ago the space probe Stardust/NExT zoomed past comet Tempel 1 and the images are being made available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/stardust/5 years or so ago the probe Deep Impact smashed a massive (370 kg) chunk of copper into the comet to try to stir up sub surface material. Stardust/NExT has re-imaged that impact site, though it's difficult to see in the above image. Tempel

Early evening music - John Martyn

2011-02-13T19:14:00.003Z

I just tripped across this track by the late, great master. The oil rigs are a puzzle to me, the music is class...Grace & Danger - John Martyn

Sometimes I despair at religious 'logic'

2011-02-04T16:31:00.005Z

BBC news reports on the troubles in Egypt quoting Issam al-Aryan, spokesperson and reputedly "A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood":"We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties, press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary,"Which sounds fine except for the 'Islamic principles' bit which which denies

A bit of nice music

2011-01-25T20:02:00.004Z

And an unusual find...I was picking up a takeaway pizza the other night and got talking to the good people behind the counter. As is often with me the topic turned to music when this this poor guy was pulled out of the back room and, to his embarrassment I'm sure, encouraged to sing. I thought immediately that he had a good voice. So here is a plug for Payam Edraki, long may his songs be

Richard Dawkins on faith schools

2011-01-22T15:44:00.004Z

I post this without comment as most people will know my views anyway.A Channel 4 documentary I haven't seen before. Note: Vimeo's embed code seems a bit wonkey so follow the link instead.Faith School Menace?------------Via Unreasonable Faith.

It gets better

2011-01-17T12:30:00.004Z

Many young people go through their education as victims of bullying and hate campaigns because of their sexual orientation, which is seen as abnormal by their peers (who are probably just as confused by their own developing sexuality) and by narrow minded adults who are over-righteously heterosexual.Many other young people keep their mouths shut but still carry the fear of 'being found out'.This

Busy doing nothing...

2011-01-14T20:36:00.005Z

Not true...I've actually written some code over the past couple of days. The band now has a domain and we'll be launching a website real soon now. I am no graphic artist, I'm much more happy to work on back end stuff with server scripts and databases, and I got a PHP/MySQL database running online today. I am over the moon! Stay tuned for more.

Here's to a great 2011

2011-01-08T18:36:00.001Z

I'm still here folks. This winter has been a bad one for me health wise, and for most of my close friends. The flu has been knocking us out one by one. The unexplained thing is that it seems to make no difference if you had the seasonal vaccine or not; you still get it. Some rogue strain that the vaccine manufacturers didn't anticipate? Perhaps but whatever, for the first time in about three

This is becoming a habit!

2010-12-20T15:10:00.001Z

I missed another Sunday post. We were playing again but I had forgotten it was another early start. Sitting with a steaming mug of coffee just after lunch, and expecting to have ample time, I thought I would ring the guys to see what the plan of action was."We've just finished loading the van mate. Pick you up in about 10 minutes."I really must get better organised. Failing that, here's a little

Oops - missed Sunday

2010-12-13T16:14:00.003Z

Well, not really. We were playing at a charity fundraiser in aid of motor neurone disease, the whole day rocked and I stayed much longer than I had planned to. Many thanks to the bands who gave their time, notably The Travelin' Band, Area 67, Mark James and everyone else who made it a day to remember.

Late night music - Bowie

2010-12-07T22:43:00.002Z

Haven't done one of these for a while, but I still have dreams of playing bass on this track.David Bowie - Let's Spend The Night Together

A thought for a Sunday

2010-12-05T15:10:00.003Z

"In our more diverse and secular society, the place of religion has come to be a matter of lively discussion. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue and that the wellbeing and prosperity of the nation depend on the contribution of individuals and groups of all faiths and none."Queen Elizabeth II (b. 1926)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-11-28T17:50:00.000Z

"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm ... As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others".Audrey Hepburn (1929 - 1993)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-11-21T15:15:00.003Z

"The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water".John W. Gardner (1912 - 2002)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-11-14T11:34:00.000Z

"Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits".Hannah More (1745 – 1833)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-11-07T13:52:00.001Z

"In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me".John Fowles (1926 – 2005)

Just look at those jets

2010-11-04T17:00:00.001Z

At about 2pm GMT today the NASA Deep Impact spacecraft (aka EPOXI) played a game of interplanetary 10-pin. Millions of kilometres from home the craft raced past comet Hartley 2, closing to about 700km (435 miles) away and gathering data and images as it went. The first images of the fly-past are intriguing, exciting and oh so pretty.What is this strangely shaped object? How did it form? Why are

Conjugating the verb to be

2010-11-01T16:09:00.004Z

This is/be/am a WIN from FailBlog:

A thought for a Sunday

2010-10-31T13:03:00.002Z

"But now I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth".Umberto Eco (b. 1932)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-10-24T14:10:00.000+01:00

"A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing". Emo Philips (b. 1956)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-10-17T17:02:00.003+01:00

"A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may feel tenderly drowsy".George Jean Nathan (1882 – 1958)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-10-10T17:43:00.002+01:00

"Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing".Thomas A. Edison (1847 – 1931)

The Age of Discovery

2010-10-09T00:44:00.006+01:00

Abstruse Goose hits the spot again. Click through for the dénouement.Every educated grown-up should realise this. I would like every child in the world to understand it too.

Spooky UK - I think not

2010-10-06T19:48:00.000+01:00

In an article last month that renowned tit mag national daily newspaper The Sun reported A RECORD 227 paranormal events have shaken Britain in the past 12 months, a study reveals today.The soaring number of unexplained activities is set out in police reports and other official sources.Now The Fringe Weird Report has been compiled by the Rev Lionel Fanthorpe, a Cardiff-based Anglican priest and

A thought for a Sunday

2010-10-03T13:15:00.000+01:00

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine".Anthony J. D'Angelo (b. 1972?)

Religious survey results not good for American Christians

2010-09-29T15:14:00.000+01:00

Earlier this year the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life conducted a survey on religious knowledge among the American populace. The newly released results were not surprising, to me at least. In the 32 question survey atheists and agnostics scored the highest, closely followed by Jews and Mormons who were way ahead of the average Christian believer. There's a summary of the results here.To

A thought for a Sunday

2010-09-26T18:02:00.004+01:00

"Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully".Graham Greene (1904 – 1991)

Spot the goat

2010-09-25T13:29:00.000+01:00

The work these guys must put into making their videos makes my jaw drop. OK Go do it again with their latest opus:OK Go - White Knuckles - Official VideoTheir previous video is here and is well worth seeing too.And did you spot the goat?

Dude, you have no Quran

2010-09-22T15:24:00.001+01:00

I'm sure we all remember the Quran book burning threat from a couple of weekends ago. I wanted to comment at the time but other commitments got in the way. Now I have a quieter day so here we go:Burning books is stupid and ignorant.Note, I am not saying that all books are sacred, or that any are. Nor am I saying that an individual is forbidden to destroy a possession, so long as it is legally

Protesting against the Pope

2010-09-19T20:51:00.000+01:00

Richard Dawkins does a remarkable shakedown. Brief, to the point and utterly true.Richard Dawkins' Speech at Protest the Pope March Perhaps this should have been today's Sunday thought... My use of the English language is far from perfect; but I protest against something, or I protest in favour of something. Or if someone makes a statement with which I disagree, I can say "I protest" in

A thought for a Sunday

2010-09-19T18:26:00.003+01:00

"Even when poetry has a meaning, as it usually has, it may be inadvisable to draw it out... Perfect understanding will sometimes almost extinguish pleasure".A. E. Housman (1859 – 1936)

This is made of awesome

2010-09-17T16:09:00.000+01:00

Over the next weekend BlogTV is to present an interactive, 24 hour, non-stop fundraiser in aid of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders - international links), a very worthy charity. Starting on Saturday 18th September at 4pm BST (click for your local time) the lineup is... Well, awesome. The live broadcast will be here:http://www.blogtv.com/People/dprjonesWatch the promotional video!

Pope? Pap!

2010-09-16T15:50:00.002+01:00

So the Ratman arrives in Edinburgh and immediately contradicts himself. The BBC reports him saying he wants to "extend the hand of friendship" to the whole of the UK during his visit. Hmm, OK... He continued:"Today, the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multicultural society. In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural

Late night music

2010-09-13T21:27:00.003+01:00

I think I've posted this before, but again tonight it is capturing the right mood for me...Joni Mitchell - Coyote

A thought for a Sunday

2010-09-12T12:15:00.003+01:00

"I don't need you to remind me of my age. I have a bladder to do that for me".Stephen Fry (b. 1957)

What I did last summer

2010-09-09T20:26:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone! I know I haven't been posting much recently but it's been an enjoyable summer and the band is starting to get back on track again so I hope I am excused my holiday. Here are some video clips of us from last weekend at our own CleckFest bash when we opened the night for The Voos and The Syndicates. Hats off to Steve, our front man, for putting together yet another great weekend of

A thought for a Sunday

2010-09-05T12:58:00.003+01:00

"One of the definitions of sanity is the ability to tell real from unreal. Soon we'll need a new definition".Alvin Toffler (b. 1928)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-08-29T12:01:00.001+01:00

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody".Bill Cosby (b. 1937)

Late night music

2010-08-27T22:55:00.000+01:00

I just came across this old cover version of an even older song. Well I quite like it...Fairport Convention - Heard It Through The Grape Vine

Support an impoverished sceptic!

2010-08-24T19:25:00.000+01:00

Settling down to listen to something interesting this evening, I was delighted to find an interview with my old friend Andy Roberts on the Righteous Indignation podcast. Agg, as I will always call him, was interviewed following his talk at Weird Weekend 2010 discussing the Berwyn Mountains UFO case.Synopsis: In the winter of 1974 residents close to the Berwyn Mountains area of Wales, UK, were

A thought for a Sunday

2010-08-22T17:13:00.000+01:00

"Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life".Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121 – 180 CE)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-08-15T14:34:00.000+01:00

"It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace".André Gide (1869 – 1951)

Another reason to like Hitch

2010-08-10T20:34:00.002+01:00

I was saddened to hear recently that Christopher Hitchens has been diagnosed with cancer. I wish him well. Hitch is not a 'light in time of darkness' but a small glow of rationality which, I hope, may herald a sunrise. I like his wit, erudition, honesty and unshakable self confidence. Even in illness he is a wise sage:Christopher Hitchens Interviewed by Anderson Cooper But Hitch is just Hitch:

A thought for a Sunday

2010-08-08T12:40:00.000+01:00

"Why shouldn't we give our teachers a license to obtain software, all software, any software, for nothing? Does anyone demand a licensing fee, each time a child is taught the alphabet?"William Gibson (b. 1948)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-08-01T18:29:00.003+01:00

"The really good idea is always traceable back quite a long way, often to a not very good idea which sparked off another idea that was only slightly better, which somebody else misunderstood in such a way that they then said something which was really rather interesting".John Cleese (b. 1939)

I'm just taking a break...

2010-07-30T22:09:00.001+01:00

...from playing bass guitar. We've a series of gigs over the next couple of months, and more in the pipeline, so I've been practicing a lot over the last few days. Right now my fingers hurt so I'm typing gently.Got to get my stamina (staying power?) up to scratch, the last thing I want is for my hands to cramp up on stage. I don't use a plectrum, just my digits, and some songs are a relentless

A thought for a Sunday

2010-07-25T11:50:00.000+01:00

"Our belief is not a belief. Our principles are not a faith. We do not rely soley upon science and reason, because these are necessary rather than sufficient factors, but we distrust anything that contradicts science or outrages reason. We may differ on many things, but what we respect is free inquiry, openmindedness, and the pursuit of ideas for their own sake."Christopher Hitchens (b. 1949)

I can say no more... than this...

2010-07-23T02:26:00.000+01:00

"Offensive Ideas" - Campaign for Free Expression PSA #1

When words are not as they seem

2010-07-23T01:56:00.000+01:00

I had half forgotten the poignancy and comic genius of Ivor Cutler until I caught a repeat on the radio (thanks to the excellent BBC Radio 7).I am at a loss as to which YouTube clips to post so search here and watch them all. You will be much enlightened!Ivor Cutler [Shoplifters]

Just for a chuckle

2010-07-22T12:29:00.003+01:00

For the first time in weeks the weather total crap today. It's damp, cool and windy so I'm staying indoors.Here's a cartoon that raised a smile - click through for the punchline.

Thinking of Debbie Harry

2010-07-18T21:00:00.001+01:00

Here's a couple of old tunes.This first one I would really like a shot at playing (band members? What you think?)Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone (Orignal Video) The second I know our lead singer has mentioned. I find it a bit creepy/spooky/stalkey but it is a good song. It's featured in a half decent movie (Coyote Ugly) and was the theme tune to Sugar Rush, a UK comedy about a young girl

A thought for a Sunday

2010-07-18T12:22:00.000+01:00

"I don't mind if my skull ends up on a shelf as long as it's got my name on it".Debbie Harry (b. 1945)

Another great animation

2010-07-16T22:27:00.001+01:00

This is very clever. The artist, in time-lapse, captures the words from an inspiring (though I could/would call it obvious) lecture in economics and management. Exploring the fact that 'carrots and sticks' is not the way to productivity or a happy workforce.I know nothing about the artist/animator, the lecturer or the parent organisation: the RSA or Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts,

Not much provokes me...

2010-07-15T05:04:00.000+01:00

But this does.I find all religion to be a trivial, disgusting or violent parody of reality; but too often these days those people who carry this cultural disease cause harm to the non-infected.It seems that a young air traffic controller (a good profession which implies a certain level of intelligence), who came from a Moslem background in the Maldives, was driven to suicide after being rejected

Summer is still winning

2010-07-11T11:35:00.004+01:00

I'm still enjoying the long, lazy summer days… If anyone has emailed me and not had a reply, sorry; I will get round to it. 'Till then here are a few things I could have posted about but didn't.For those with an interest in religion, Philip A. Harland (Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Ancient History at York University, Toronto) has a podcast giving a historical context to The New

A thought for a Sunday

2010-07-11T11:15:00.001+01:00

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest".Confucius (551 BCE – 479 BCE)

Postcard from the outside

2010-07-04T14:50:00.001+01:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know why things have gone a bit quiet. It's the weather! The sunny days and long warm evenings make me want to be outside all the time.The first tomatoes are ripe, peppers and beans are swelling and my onions are starting to look more like vegetables and less like long grass. Sadly the little wrens seem to have given up, don't know why but I doubt they could have

A thought for a Sunday

2010-07-04T12:23:00.000+01:00

"Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books".John Lubbock (1834 – 1913)

A thought for a Sunday

2010-06-27T10:50:00.000+01:00

"It is the eye of ignorance that assigns a fixed and unchangeable color to every object; beware of this stumbling block".Paul Gauguin (1848 – 1903)

No I haven't disappeared to Glastonbury

2010-06-26T13:05:00.001+01:00

The weather is just too nice to spend time at a keyboard. Wish I was at Glasto though, if only for Seasick Steve later today...Seasick Steve LIVE ON JOOLS HOLLAND-- TOP QUALITY VID

A thought for a Sunday

2010-06-20T14:49:00.003+01:00

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music".Jimi Hendrix (1942 - 1970)

Poor, Poor, Poor

2010-06-18T22:15:00.002+01:00

So will someone remind me just why these men are paid so much?They have some of the best training facilities in existence and are called world class players but they can't pass a ball, the meaning of team play seems to elude them and they fall apart like schoolkids with their jackets piled up for goalposts. In the above photo they look more like a troupe of bongo drummers than sportsmen and

Just for Jill

2010-06-18T18:49:00.002+01:00

Go visit Jill at Elemental, my dear for great photos of what she found in her garden.----------------------The image is a design from T-Shirt Hell if anyone wants to buy me one (size M).

This is not a pretty picture

2010-06-18T14:19:00.001+01:00

Orange Beach, Alabama.------------------------Photo credit: Dave Martin/AP. Via The Guardian.

Ukraine's Got Talent

2010-06-14T15:29:00.000+01:00

This young lady has incredible skill. Her pictures come to life as she draws, in real time, to a rich musical soundscape. I don't know what else to say, I'm in awe.Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation (Ukraine's Got Talent, Final) PART1 [4:47]Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation (Ukraine's Got Talent, Final) PART2 [6:07]

A thought for a Sunday

2010-06-13T12:04:00.002+01:00

ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.ACADEMY, n. [from ACADEME] A modern school where football is taught.Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914?)From The Devil's Dictionary (1911), full text at Project Gutenberg.

Chimp twats owl

2010-06-12T19:58:00.002+01:00

There seems to be a little rivalry in the studio :)MONKEY ATTACKS OWL very funny [0:46]

Late night music - John Martyn

2010-06-11T23:40:00.003+01:00

Another nice tune. From The Tumbler (1968)John Martyn - Fly On Home

Can't find the book you were looking for?

2010-06-10T16:46:00.003+01:00

It's obvious. You're in the...-------------------Cheers Mark.

The advancements of microbiology

2010-06-07T20:28:00.000+01:00

Portrayed in Lego...All hail Leeuwenhoek and Pasteur.Great microbiologists [8:44]---------------------Via Pharyngula.

A thought for a Sunday

2010-06-06T13:08:00.000+01:00

"Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone".Jim Fiebig - writer.

On wrens and bumblebees

2010-06-04T22:10:00.001+01:00

I've been watching a wren in the garden for the last few weeks. The little fellow bobs in and out of a knothole in the eaves of my roof where he will have started to build a nest. The nest will only be finished if he can attract a female. Then they will line the nest and endeavour to raise youngstersI've heard his rattling song regularly but I have never seen a partner. Until yesterday evening.In

Late night music - John Martyn

2010-05-31T11:49:00.000+01:00

A brand new find, I don't even know this track! Wonderful new JM keeps surfacing on YouTube which I have never heard before. Duncan, do you know this?John Martyn with Eddi Reader - He Got All The Whiskey

Thoughts on gardening

2010-05-30T22:35:00.001+01:00

After a not bothering much for a few years, my old love of gardening has surfaced again and, since retirement, I now have the time. I won’t be too ambitious this year though, I want to get things cleared out and tamed for next; that’s when the fun starts. Question is what to grow?Years ago I used to like big garish ornamentals like dahlias and gladioli but they don’t excite me any more, and you

A thought for a Sunday

2010-05-30T11:26:00.000+01:00

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young".Henry Ford (1863 – 1947)

Blogoversary!

2010-05-29T17:05:00.000+01:00

2 years, 876 posts, about 42,000 visits from 20,000 different people. Over 140,000 page views - Wow, that's almost 200 views per day on average.Where does everyone come from? Mainly the US (17,744 visits) and the UK (11,376), then surprisingly Pakistan (1,526) followed by Canada (1,351) and India (916). Close behind are New Zealand, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain and South Africa,

Science fiction comes one step closer

2010-05-27T18:04:00.004+01:00

A vertical take off rocket engine which can hover, but then it shuts down and re-ignites the engine in flight! Truly awesome engineering to maintain control and attitude. I can't get over how important this is. Conserving fuel in the decent phase of a spacecraft lander is, well, crucial. Especially if you need to be able to lift off again.Xombie flying rocket shuts down and restarts in

If you ever feel you're sick of your job

2010-05-26T17:41:00.000+01:00

Spare a thought for Stevie Starr who's job is regurgitation! How does he do it?Stevie the professional regurgitator...-------------------Via GrrlScientist.