Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Music
Whilst I can imagine they have no choice but to try, attempting to stop illegal file sharing must seem like trying to defeat the hydra. No sooner do they shutdown one prominent music sharing site than all the high quality user head off elsewhere to boost the quality of other sites.
Time to follow the lead of others (although I was put off getting this - even for free - when I hit the page asking for loads of details like email and mobile phone number).
Time to follow the lead of others (although I was put off getting this - even for free - when I hit the page asking for loads of details like email and mobile phone number).
Labels: Music
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Monday, October 29, 2007
Weird
Arty
Friday, October 26, 2007
Friday at last
And there's a beer in the shop with my name on! Before I go fetch it, I found this very funny when I heard it on Virgin radio news a couple of minutes ago.
Plus how many of these virals do you remember....
"Football star Channing Crowder, from the Miami Dolphins, has admitted not knowing people speak English in London. The NFL player is taking part in this weekend's prestigious game again the New York Giants at Wembley stadium. He admitted not realising London was in England and said, "I swear to God. I don't know what nothing is".
Plus how many of these virals do you remember....
Labels: Amusing
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Amusing
I saw a video clip with someone wearing one of these t-shirts the other day and thought it was great. Might get one for my little brother.
Bunni also sent me a link to this great sockmonkey dress a while back but unfortunately I rarely check my gmail and only just found it. Soz Miss B.
Bunni also sent me a link to this great sockmonkey dress a while back but unfortunately I rarely check my gmail and only just found it. Soz Miss B.
Labels: Amusing
In the news
Well as ways to protest go, this one is certainly different. I have this image in my head of a group of Burmese generals cringing in front of an Agent Provocatuer shop like Superman near some kyptonite.
Do they have Agent Provocatuer shops? What, I'm just curious.....
Do they have Agent Provocatuer shops? What, I'm just curious.....
Science
10 slightly odd scientific papers/books". I especially like "Pressures Produced When Penguins Poo -- Calculations on Avian Defecation"....
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Science
It's hard being green
Big green week came to an end on Friday and it seemed to go pretty well. Apparently the largest green awareness stunt any university has put on in the UK. Not sure about the five minute talk by Patricia Hewitt we had to endure as several hundred people gathered on the park to spell out a message using people but we got free fair trade chocolate after so I was willing to suffer....
Was really pleased by the response from the staff in my department to my request to turn everything that could be turned off, off at the plug over the weekend (might not seem like much but 10-15% of the electricity a PC here uses in a year is when it's shut down but not unplugged). Most happily participated which was most super.
My efforts in waste reduction didn't go quite so well and someone submitted a complaint against me. Meh, the risks of being an environmental rebel. ;)
Was really pleased by the response from the staff in my department to my request to turn everything that could be turned off, off at the plug over the weekend (might not seem like much but 10-15% of the electricity a PC here uses in a year is when it's shut down but not unplugged). Most happily participated which was most super.
My efforts in waste reduction didn't go quite so well and someone submitted a complaint against me. Meh, the risks of being an environmental rebel. ;)
Labels: Environmental, Personal
Friday, October 19, 2007
Interesting
The more words you get right, the more rice is donated. Plus you get to increase your levels of wordyness. I seem to only be hovering around level 37/38 if anyone is interested....
Labels: Interesting
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Games
Monday, October 15, 2007
A moment to change
Today is Blog Action Day. Never heard of it? No, neither had I until about an hour ago. There is a little background here. I was intending to write a short post about the environment today anyway.
As I mentioned a couple of days back, today is also the start of Big Green Week here at the uni. I managed to pop along briefly during my lunch break and it didn't seem to be going too well which is a shame. Maybe I just hit a quiet period and I did miss the alternative transport race which a couple of people in the department entered on giant space hoppers (although one did explode before even making it to the starting line). I am going to try and make it to the farmers market they have on tomorrow however.
It's just nice to see people trying to raise awareness and make a difference - unlike some other people. Seems too often the excuse used for not changing is that "nothing I do can have much of an affect". Maybe the 6KWh of electricity saved by turning your computer monitor off at night won't make a blind bit of difference but if you can't even manage that small bit of effort, what chance of real change is there? And sometimes all it takes is one person.
For those that tell you there is no point whilst China continues to build a couple of coal power stations every week, keep in mind that China does save 2.6 million tonnes of carbon a year - or about half a percent of the UK's total emissions. But then that's just the saving from the conservative quarter of a million people a year that die prematurely due to air pollution and the amount they would have created should they have lived. Sometimes the consequences of failing to act are more obvious and have nothing to do with 'climate change'....
As I mentioned a couple of days back, today is also the start of Big Green Week here at the uni. I managed to pop along briefly during my lunch break and it didn't seem to be going too well which is a shame. Maybe I just hit a quiet period and I did miss the alternative transport race which a couple of people in the department entered on giant space hoppers (although one did explode before even making it to the starting line). I am going to try and make it to the farmers market they have on tomorrow however.
It's just nice to see people trying to raise awareness and make a difference - unlike some other people. Seems too often the excuse used for not changing is that "nothing I do can have much of an affect". Maybe the 6KWh of electricity saved by turning your computer monitor off at night won't make a blind bit of difference but if you can't even manage that small bit of effort, what chance of real change is there? And sometimes all it takes is one person.
For those that tell you there is no point whilst China continues to build a couple of coal power stations every week, keep in mind that China does save 2.6 million tonnes of carbon a year - or about half a percent of the UK's total emissions. But then that's just the saving from the conservative quarter of a million people a year that die prematurely due to air pollution and the amount they would have created should they have lived. Sometimes the consequences of failing to act are more obvious and have nothing to do with 'climate change'....
Labels: Environmental
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Analyze this
I dreamt I was going to marry Jim Robinson from Neighbours last night. I'm worried...
Labels: Personal
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Stir fried what?!?
I've been on a bit of a push lately to live a slightly more sustainable lifestyle. My target area - food!
For the first time ever I've been heading down to the local market to shop for my fruit and veg. I'm only now starting to get the hang of it as in the beginning I had no idea how many mushrooms I'd get of I ordered 2lbs worth. It's nice and cheap though and everything comes in paper bags which I can recycle.
I've also been looking at what I eat. With my new influx of healthy local vegetables I've been trying to cook vegetarian a couple of times a week - less environmentally damaging meat for me. And when I do eat meat - because to be honest I like it - I'm looking at alternative. Tonight for instance I just finished eating rabbit Kung Po.
Unfortunately I don't think rabbit is the right alternative for me. I bought a whole one and it took me ages to figure out which bits had enough meat on to make them worth getting and just as long actually preparing it. It's not a lot of meat to be honest. Shame as it's very healthy stuff.
Next up - pigeon! Might make a nice alternative to chicken....
For the first time ever I've been heading down to the local market to shop for my fruit and veg. I'm only now starting to get the hang of it as in the beginning I had no idea how many mushrooms I'd get of I ordered 2lbs worth. It's nice and cheap though and everything comes in paper bags which I can recycle.
I've also been looking at what I eat. With my new influx of healthy local vegetables I've been trying to cook vegetarian a couple of times a week - less environmentally damaging meat for me. And when I do eat meat - because to be honest I like it - I'm looking at alternative. Tonight for instance I just finished eating rabbit Kung Po.
Unfortunately I don't think rabbit is the right alternative for me. I bought a whole one and it took me ages to figure out which bits had enough meat on to make them worth getting and just as long actually preparing it. It's not a lot of meat to be honest. Shame as it's very healthy stuff.
Next up - pigeon! Might make a nice alternative to chicken....
Labels: Environmental, Personal
I'll tell you again, it's broken!
It's always fun when you work in IT and the whole service goes pear shaped. You get to spend several hours on the phone repeating "Yes there is a problem. No I don't know when it will be fixed." I especially like the people that say things like "But.. I have a very important thing I NEED to do!!" like I'm suddenly going to figure out how to repair the whole system or find a fix just for them!
Can you guess why I've not been blogging the last couple of days? ;)
Can you guess why I've not been blogging the last couple of days? ;)
Labels: Personal
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The worm has... sunk
I'm on a bit of a detox at the moment - trying to avoid the takeaways, unhealthy foods and alcohol.
*wipes remenants of cream doughnut from mouth*
Anyway, I've not had a drink since Satuday night which is a fair achievement considering I often fancy a nice glass of wine when I get in from work. However I just spotted a minature bottle of tequila - complete with worm - whilst out shopping. Never tried one with a worm before and now I want one. Soon...
You may also remember I had a craving for extra cocoa chocolate. I found some of the 85% stuff the other day and had to get it. It wasn't exactly a pleasant taste and yet I'd find myself reaching for another square a minute later. Still took me all day to eat however.
*wipes remenants of cream doughnut from mouth*
Anyway, I've not had a drink since Satuday night which is a fair achievement considering I often fancy a nice glass of wine when I get in from work. However I just spotted a minature bottle of tequila - complete with worm - whilst out shopping. Never tried one with a worm before and now I want one. Soon...
You may also remember I had a craving for extra cocoa chocolate. I found some of the 85% stuff the other day and had to get it. It wasn't exactly a pleasant taste and yet I'd find myself reaching for another square a minute later. Still took me all day to eat however.
Labels: Personal
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Timewaste
If you like your games slow and a little odd, try the stuff over at Warbears.
*Insert witty title here*
Don't you just hate it when you are in the middle of a nice dream and your alarm clock goes off? It's always just at the good bit too.
Anyway, my lack of posting is is down to still being pretty busy at work. I'm quite enjoying it although they days seem to be flying by and at the end of them when I try and look back I'm never quite sure what I've managed to achieve. How can you work hard for eight hours but seem to do nothing more than attend a meeting, answer the phone a few times, do some research on the internet, answer a few emails and test install a new bit of software?
I'm not working as hard as this here lovely lady however. She is pretty much single handedly dragging the uni into a new green era at the moment. She's doing it with style however as in just 10 months she's already phasing in recycling all over campus and has (with a little help) put together our first Big Green Week amongst other things.
Seems a lot of people also miss the fact that she is a Dr and assume she is bringing in 'green hippie ideas' with little thought to implementation or consequence. I like watching her shoot those people down.
If I can slip out during the day I'll try and get a few pictures next week. There are some interesting activities planned (and maybe I can find some free cake at the baking competition).
Anyway, my lack of posting is is down to still being pretty busy at work. I'm quite enjoying it although they days seem to be flying by and at the end of them when I try and look back I'm never quite sure what I've managed to achieve. How can you work hard for eight hours but seem to do nothing more than attend a meeting, answer the phone a few times, do some research on the internet, answer a few emails and test install a new bit of software?
I'm not working as hard as this here lovely lady however. She is pretty much single handedly dragging the uni into a new green era at the moment. She's doing it with style however as in just 10 months she's already phasing in recycling all over campus and has (with a little help) put together our first Big Green Week amongst other things.
Seems a lot of people also miss the fact that she is a Dr and assume she is bringing in 'green hippie ideas' with little thought to implementation or consequence. I like watching her shoot those people down.
If I can slip out during the day I'll try and get a few pictures next week. There are some interesting activities planned (and maybe I can find some free cake at the baking competition).
Labels: Environmental, Personal
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Gadgets
With tasers becoming commonplace with law enforcement officers nowadays, we can look forward to getting a shock from a good 100ft away with the most sophisticated projectile system ever launched from a shotgun.
Sounds fun doesn't it.
Sounds fun doesn't it.
Labels: Gadgets
Interesting
France's secret war. Can't say I'd ever heard of the Central African Republic before but then geography was never my strong point...
Labels: Interesting
Weird
Transforming clothes. The last one is not really safe for work....
I think these should catch on.....
*cough*
What!?
I think these should catch on.....
*cough*
What!?
Labels: Weird
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Arty
Weird
Weird
When you find a story about a leapfrogging mayor injuring a woman dressed as a tomato, how could you not blog it.
Plus I never considered lettuce to be sexy before.
Plus I never considered lettuce to be sexy before.
In the news
Veteran cuts down illegal Mexican flag. Right or wrong? I just find it interesting because if I passed someone jumping up and down on a Union Jack for instance, I'd probably do nothing other than walking slightly wide of the obvious weirdo whilst carrying on trying to decide what to have for tea. I wonder how many Brits - like me - would be that bothered?
Actually I find it just as interesting that it's illegal to hang any flag above the US flag. I suppose it's not much different that the (supposed) treasonable offence of defacing a coin or putting a stamp upside down....
Actually I find it just as interesting that it's illegal to hang any flag above the US flag. I suppose it's not much different that the (supposed) treasonable offence of defacing a coin or putting a stamp upside down....
Labels: News
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Interwebnet
Whilst still in beta, Joost is now open to the public. Content is still limited at the moment but it's worth a look.
Labels: Internet
Arty
Definitely not safe for work unless your boss likes looking at manbits - the amazing Pricasso.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Weird
With a complaint this professionally written, how can Google not give this guy $5 billion?
Talking of weirdos....
Talking of weirdos....
Labels: Weird