Happy Gnu Year!

Wishing a great 2010 to one and all.

Grow into these trousers... >>

Just how I like my pizza

Via engrish.com Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind".


Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
(1869 – 1948) Grow into these trousers... >>

Merry Chistmas

This is the best Christmas song ever!
Have a wonderful time - love you all...

The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music

And Merry Winterval to all:

Intro and Outro- Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

The real reason for the poor outcome of the climate change summit?

-----------------------------
Via The Real MFG, credit Joel Pett. Grow into these trousers... >>

Brrrr - it's cold

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.

Anon (C. 1600) Grow into these trousers... >>

A memory jogger

There was some of the 1990s where the music hit the spot. I love this song but I can't remember if it's the original video or not. Anyone have a better memory?

PULP - 'Live Bed Show'
Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"The mind likes a strange idea as little as the body likes a strange protein and resists it with similar energy. It would not perhaps be too fanciful to say that a new idea is the most quickly acting antigen known to science. If we watch ourselves honestly we shall often find that we have begun to argue against a new idea even before it has been completely stated".

Wilfred Batten Lewis Trotter (1872-1939) Grow into these trousers... >>

Dead, ill, abducted by aliens?

No, still here. Thanks to everyone who's been asking if I'm OK; I'm fine.

So what's happening? A couple of weeks ago I caught a cold and felt a bit down, I had no concentration or enthusiasm and couldn't be bothered with the blinking box on my desk. As a result things began to slip. After a few days I was back on my feet but I still had no interest in things online. It's strange but I felt that, after spending the best part of 20 years in front of a screen, I'd had enough. "I'll blog and do my emails later on" was a regular thought, but it never got done. So, apart from DVDs, audio books and the occasional computer game, the PC has been off (I never realised how many programmes on Radio 4 are repeated through the week).

In the last day or two I'm feeling different and bouncing back. I still have old emails to catch up with and, even though I'm normally a very lazy Facebooker (don't bother), I have a surprising backlog of requests and whatever to respond to. I will get to it all soon.

Cheers all, I'm not far away. Grow into these trousers... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

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... >>

It's Halloween

And I always think of this epic story of intrigue, mystery and witchcraft by the renowned Jewish poet Rabbi Burns.

Envoiceulated by Karen Dunbar

Grow into these trousers... >>

Job Done!

Now I stand on my own feet. Today was my last day at work.

But I must say that today the warmth, friendship and generosity of my former workmates has been overwhelming. I feel quite emotional. I won't miss the journeys to work, especially in the cold and dark of the coming winter, but I will miss the camaraderie.

Well, a stage of my life ends. New beginnings? You bet, and maybe I can find time to blog more :)

Anyway, for tonight...
Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music

This warm and haunting piece hardly needs an introduction.

Joaquín Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez.

Rodrigo captures Spain's history beautifully; a culture crystallized in music.

Concerto Guitar Rodrigo De Aranjuez


Guitar: Taymaz Hemmaty
Cor anglais: don't know :( Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"There is one kind of robber whom the law does not strike at, and who steals what is most precious to men: time".


Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821) Grow into these trousers... >>

One week to go!

And I will finally have shrugged off my shackles and be walking the free and verdant Earth.

Time is dragging. The days seem to pass with their usual regularity, I keep busy and time flies (like a banana), but the days are so slow to add up to weeks. I am so frustrated, I want my last day at work to come as quickly as possible.
In the meantime here are some links I was going to post last week:

I'm sure most cat owners will have seen this...
http://diracseashore.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/if-you-have-cats-youll-understand/

Via Skepchick comes a chart showing something we should all be aware of, so I was once told.
http://streetanatomy.com/2009/10/22/the-good-ol-menstrual-cycle/

An image which has so much future in it:
http://failblog.org/2009/10/15/protest-fail-3/

Live to 100, feel like you're 50
A soon to be former colleague outlines a new research project at Leeds University.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8314442.stm

All I can say is: 'Come on Eileen'

Grow into these trousers... >>

A bit of boogie

The Grateful Dead - Alabama Getaway
Grow into these trousers... >>

Today's silly joke

Once upon a time…

In a faraway land the King found his dominion under threat from a rebel group seeking to overthrow him. Calling for his spymaster, the King gave instruction to find the ringleaders and bring them to his justice. By the skill of the spymaster the rebels were soon infiltrated and the King's own cousin, the Count, was implicated.

The Count was taken to the dungeons and given to the torturer for the extraction of the truth. Under questioning the Count refused to yield so, with a nod from the King, the torturer began to cut off the Count's toes. "Tell us names and places" said the King. "Never" screamed the Count. The torturer began to cut off his fingers. "I will never tell" cried the Count. Then his feet were sawn off. Then his hands. Still the Count was resolute.

Now, the King was a kind and benevolent person, and he viewed the Count with new honour. For withstanding such agony and still refusing to confess, the King thought to end the Count's misery by granting his death. The executioner was summoned.

It was not a good day for the executioner. He had not expected any business today and his axe was with the smith, for a service (normal things: sharpening, balance check and a good polish). However he did have his trusty hatchet, with which many had been dispatched to oblivion. At a sign from the King the hatchet fell, but at that instant the Count's resolve broke. He cried out "Hold, I will tell all". Too late, the executioner's blow was swift and it was out for the Count, so to speak.

The moral of this story is below the belt.

Don't hatchet your Counts before they’ve chickened.
Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing. I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."

Manuel, Fawlty Towers

Socrates (c. 469 BC–399 BCE) Grow into these trousers... >>

I know I've been quiet

Don't worry about it! There's been much I've had to do, and much more I still have to do. I've been doing some of it today whhich is wwhy I now haave an elevated blood/alchoholl level. I never expected so much reminiscence...ing though.
Two weeks, 10 working days, till I hand in my key fob, pick up my P45 and go to the pub.

This October is the longest month of my life.

Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music - The animal eating song

And I don't know why either...

Burl Ives - I Know An Old Lady
Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves: We are the same."

John Denver (1943 – 1997) Grow into these trousers... >>

Ooo, Err, Just had an internet outage

And it was horrible. I got home from work and fired up my trusty workhorse only to find that Firefox wouldn't connect. ARGH!

Immediately I blamed myself, in an "I didn't do it" sort of way, but then I noticed outgoing network traffic when the should have been none. Double AARRGH - VIRUS. No internet connection and my virus scanner (AVG) has failed.

Calm me says: OK don't panic. Look at what's happening, go: Start -> run -> cmd -> netstat -?
(I had to be reminded of the netstat switches) then netstat -a -n

And it's all local network traffic, 192.168.x.n or 127.0.0.1 Hmmm.

Hang on... no internet connection.

I look at the cable modem, RDY light off SYNC light flashing. No connection! Triple AAARRRGH. The outgoing traffic is just my computer 'trying' to connect. So I off/on the modem and twizzle all the connections. No difference.

Then! Then I cursed The Gypsy* who is re-laying some flagstones in front of the house where the wires come in. "Nah" says he "Not bin ahghtside i'this weather.**"

With a sigh I resigned myself to a weekend of service calls and no internet. So, for fun, I dug out an old game (Neverwinter Nights) and fought mythical creatures for a while (great therapy for a DnD nerd like me).

After a long night I looked at the modem again. RDY light on SYNC light on, back on line. Yay, it was their fault not ours. Bastards though, it was off for hours.

Internet service providers have a lot to answer for. There would be at least 50 gnolls, countless kobolds and orcs, and a giant still virtually alive but for Branson.

I virtually feel I could kill something...

-------------------------------
* He is a very close friend, he can take it.
** TRANSLATION: I did not work outside today, it was raining. Grow into these trousers... >>

LCROSS to slam into the Moon

The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) will tomorrow experience a rather abrupt deceleration as it plunges into a crater near the South pole of the Moon.

Launched together with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO - the one with my name on it) LCROSS clung to the final stage of the rocket motor and fuel tank. In a long looping orbit, LCROSS has slowly pointed the spent stage on a suicide dive into a crater where the Sun never shines. Shortly before impact LCROSS with detach from the rocket stage but follow it down a few minutes later. As the rocket stage hits and throws up debris LCROSS will fly into the plume with all detectors on full. Wow!

The LRO will be watching from orbit and ground based telescopes too. Let's see what's thrown up, some people hope to detect water, maybe lots of it, I just want to hear the results. Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music

It's a long intro because Stevie dedicates the song to her dad, but that's fair enough, it's worth it.

Stevie Nicks - Landslide - Soundstage 2008 HQ part 14
Grow into these trousers... >>

Buying a camera

I have never been much of a photographer, though I admire the skill. Mum and dad had a nice Konica 35mm which I liberated from taking family holiday snaps; and then took pics of woodland and lakes and the sea when I was on holiday! I'd be aged about 16-18. Then, in my mid 20s I was shown how to develop and print in black and white to produce laboratory images. Gel documentation, autoradiography and the like; though I did a few rolls of B&W snapshots to see how that worked (with a borrowed camera).

That is about my total knowledge of photography and that was 30 years ago. OK my ex would sometimes give me this plastic thing, tell me which button to press and say "just point and shoot", but that's a different story.

It's a new digital age and I want to buy a camera. I'm obviously looking around myself and I have some ideas, but I'm asking everyone and I value the opinions of folks with more experience.

Firstly, I've set a budget of £350-400. Secondly, you may ask, why do I want a camera anyway?

One big reason is that near where I live there is a lot of history and I hope to make some interesting blog posts. I can easily find evidence of Robin Hood*, the Industrial Revolution, the Brontës and a lot more**, within a mile or two of home.

Insects and wild flowers are also a fascination (gardens are too). I would also like to be able to photograph the Moon. Not with astronomical precision but to capture mood. Tripod? Got one!

So I want a camera with a decent zoom to pick out say, architectural detail or blow up the Moon, but with the ability to get up close when needed. Am I expecting too much? Should I save up for separate lenses? Have you a camera that you love and trust.

What would you recommend?
---------------------------------
* the legend anyway.
** I even know where there's a public air raid shelter from WWII. Grow into these trousers... >>

Heretic? Dammed sure I am.

Pat Condell gets a bit hot under the collar expressing his feelings about religious leaders. He's pretty much right of course.

The arrogance of clergy


-----------------------
From dictionary.com

heretic – noun:

1. a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.


2. Roman Catholic Church. a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith.


3. anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.

Regarding religion, I'll take number 3.
Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward."


Amelia Earhart
(1897 – missing 1937, declared dead 1939) Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music - Shaft

Isaac Hayes - Theme from "Shaft"
Grow into these trousers... >>

Two great cartoons in ~ a week

Abstruse Goose is on a roll.

Click the cartoon to read on:

Grow into these trousers... >>

A silly song for a laugh

I've no idea why this popped into my head, but...

Mike Nesmith - Rio
Grow into these trousers... >>

Till death us do part

Though a little non-PC today, Warren Mitchell's character as Alf Garnett in Till death us do part is still great comedy.

Alf Garnett on the British Empire
Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music - Beth Orton

I love this song, it resonates with me somehow. The original (and best) version is here:

Beth Orton - Stolen Car

but it's embed disabled. Click the link or watch her live at Glastonbury; where she makes a big booboo in the middle :)

Beth Orton - Stolen Car live @ Glastonbury '99
Grow into these trousers... >>

Wicked illusion

Do NOT try this if you suffer from epilepsy or any strobe-light induced disorientation or nausia!

If you've done acid or mushrooms it's a doddle :)

1. Go to this link http://www.neave.com/strobe/


2. Stare at the moving pattern for ½ a min


3. Look at your hands

----------------------------
Via the Bad Astronomer, from Richard Wiseman on Twitter (whatever that is). Grow into these trousers... >>

Beware of stealth cat

Ninja cat comes closer while not moving!

Via Cosmic Variance. Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"... nature is not cruel, only pitilessly indifferent. This is one of the hardest lessons for humans to learn. We cannot admit that things might be neither good nor evil, neither cruel nor kind, but simply callous -- indifferent to all suffering, lacking all purpose".


Clinton Richard Dawkins (b. 1941)


From River Out of Eden (1995) Grow into these trousers... >>