BlogMonkey

Interesting

2008-07-23T21:32:00.002Z

Not sure when I'd ever really have need of this technique to determine how cooked meat is but I'll file it away to pull out at my next BBQ. And once I've poked all their meat an they don't want to eat it - more for me. :)

I'm actually more excited by the fact that I learned to cook soup last Friday and now really want a food blender. It just appeals to the lazy side of me - boil stuff for a while, blend it for 2 mins and I've got a a healthy meal that doesn't even involve chewing.

Weird

2008-07-23T21:28:00.002Z

I'm not sure if this is a good way to get kids interested whilst on a museum trip or just a good way to scare the sh*t out of them.

Must make for a talking point on your CV too.

Video

2008-07-23T21:16:00.001Z

John MacCain's never-ending war

Don't get it confused with the neverending story.

Video

2008-07-21T13:27:00.000Z

I always liked Beaker.

Film

2008-07-21T07:22:00.001Z

It's been all over the internet but in case you've not seen it, this trailer is causing comic book fans to have joygasams.

I've not read the graphic novel but I have heard it's good.

Don't like deadlines

2008-07-21T07:14:00.002Z

I've been meaning to write this post for a while - and to answer Meesha' question - work is ok. I think.

It's a bit like playing snakes and ladders at the moment. Some days/weeks are good. I get things done, finish particular projects and come away with a sense of achievement. My deadline doesn't seem to daunting and it is definitely a ladder week.

Then other days/weeks it's all snake. Stuff I thought was done with comes back with problems to fix. More work I wasn't expecting lands on my desk and my deadline looks scarily close.

As my (first) deadline is about this week, I'm hoping for lots of ladders.

In other news, I'm debating when to go home to see the family over the summer. The good son in me wants to go back for my mum's birthday. The bad son is going "It's £120 for a return train ticket - maybe the week after would be ok...."

Amusing

2008-07-17T16:51:00.002Z

Sorry for the lack of posting recently - dead snowed under at work.

Something to entertain in the meantime.

Interesting

2008-07-17T16:42:00.003Z

Sometimes I find things that I want to post not because I'm trying to make a point about anything but just because I feel it needs sharing. This article is one such thing that just makes me go "How does that happen!?"

Interesting

2008-07-14T19:45:00.004Z

I said the other day that I thought the Olympics this year were going to be interesting. Pictures like this seem to back that up.

Now the armed police on segway are a little odd but what I want to know is what sort of anti-terror squad uses a flamethrower!?

(link via the Presurfer)

Video

2008-07-14T16:47:00.003Z

Brilliant vis this one - little girl wants a toy, little girl goes to get a toy.

I like how it looks like the mum totally ignores her brother to start when he tells her where she went.

TV

2008-07-14T14:57:00.002Z

I happened to be around at Miss C's the other night when the first episode of Bonekickers on BBC1. Now the fact that the name made no sense to me what-so-ever hinted that the program would be a bit rubbish. I mean, when do they kick bones and why? I wasn't prepared for just how bollocks it was though - and I didn't even watch it all.

It really was a cross between Time Team and Indiana Jones. It ended with two people burning to death (and possibly the true cross along with them) and all teh cast can says is "Can we go to the pub for a pint now?". Drivel.

This review sums it up nicely really. Another top notch program produced by the BBC....

Environment

2008-07-10T21:59:00.002Z

The conservatives plan to have a scheme where people who recycle are paid seems much better than one which charges people who don't. The later will lead to people finding ways to get rid of their rubbish on the sly whilst the first might actually encourage people to start picking it up from the street!

Of course, there are always problems (which considering this is taken from an American scheme I'm surprised haven't already been seen or dealt with there). One is that it might encourage people to buy heavily packaged goods more often. It would also seem to reward people for using glass and metal.

Still, doubt it makes much difference really. I'll probably be 10 years and 7 failed trials (costing millions) before anyone has the guts to try it anyway...

Amusing

2008-07-10T21:40:00.002Z

It might be a tad cruel but it's also quite funny. Inventive use of lego too.

Film

2008-07-09T20:59:00.002Z

I went to see Hancock last Friday. I'd heard some bad reviews but a workmate fancied seeing it so I tagged along. It wasn't bad really - had a good old chortle at some bits and cringed at the total failure of other bits (without giving away anything, the 'big fight' scene was so pointless and seemed only to be there to show off special effects).

Was a typical hollywood effort to make a movie that would make money rather than be a 'good' movie. In this case it worked.

In case you are wondering what it could have been, you can take a look at the original script here back when the film was called 'Tonight, He Comes' (innuendo intended). Having read it, I can't quite decide if that would have been a good movie or not. One thing's for sure, they totally butchered it.

Interesting

2008-07-09T20:54:00.001Z

Whilst I watch the olympics, I don't usually get that excited by it's approach. This years may be quite interesting if this disaster guide is anything to go by...

TV

2008-07-07T06:57:00.002Z

Ooooh, it must be bad enough being caught with a dirty magazine as a teenager but this... this just takes it to a whole new level of awkward. He needs to work on his poker face....

Animation

2008-07-07T06:51:00.002Z

Who would have though plasticine animation could have so much blood in it.

Amusing

2008-07-07T06:36:00.000Z

The friends with benefits chart.

Film

2008-07-07T05:58:00.002Z

I'm sure I linked to the trailer for The Machine Girl ages back. I've now seen the whole film. It was a bit like watching Power Rangers but with less cheesy monsters and more blood. Much more blood....

When to act?

2008-07-05T12:23:00.002Z

I've always been a pretty quiet bloke. Back when I was a kid I was really shy, I'd always worry about what other people thought. So I'd not do anything to attract attention to myself. Plan clothes, never expressed an opinion on anything, kept myself to myself.

As I got older I realized that it didn't matter what other people thought about me and I came out of my shell a lot. It didn't really change my underlying personality though, I was still quiet. I tend to listen rather than talk and don't usually start conversations with people I don't know. I don't like conflict and much prefer a subtle and planned revenge over direct retaliation. I asses a situation, decide what to do and then act.

I some ways that's good, gets you in less trouble. In others....

I was on my way to the market to get some groceries earlier today and was walking through the town square. As I'm walking towards a bloke fiddling with a bike on some railing I hear a *snick* and look up to see the bolt-cutters going back into his bag. I'm standing pretty much level with him as he hops on and rides slowly off.

I hesitate and by then it's too late.

I see him pass someone and pat them on the back - an accomplice. I think about phoning the police but I've left my phone at home. Besides, I'm rubbish when it comes to paying attention to details about people and I've forgotten what he looks like within 30 seconds. I think about giving chase but I'm not sure what good that would do. He's on a bike after all. And stories like this can't help but cross my mind.

But I still felt rubbish for not acting. I'd like to think that if it was something that mattered - someone was getting hurt or something like that - that I wouldn't hesitate. That'd I'd do the right thing regardless of consequences. I'm hoping never to have to put it to the test though.

Internet

2008-07-01T16:39:00.003Z

See, articles like this BBC one really annoy me. "Surfing the web unprotected will leave the average web user with 70 spam messages each day, according to an experiment by security firm McAfee." says the article heading. No, what they actually mean is "Surfing the web with most of your brain switched off will unsurprisingly leave you with loads of sh*t in your inbox".

You see, it wasn't that these participants of the great spam experiment were unprotected, it was that they had been given orders to sign up to every site they felt like, leave their email address in places it was likely to be spotted and reply to all the spam they got.

Who would've thunk that would result in them getting send spam?

Blatant attempt by McAfee to get more business. Ironically if you go to their anti-spam website you have to register to get much information. Wonder how much junk they send you? Actually, lets just register and find out...

Gadgets

2008-06-30T17:24:00.002Z

The supermarket of the future? I'm not even sure where to begin with how stupid some of that stuff is. How is using your mobile to self scan barcodes any easier than letting people use purpose made barcode scanners? I know some supermarkets tried that a while back and did it revolutionize shopping? Nope. God help you if your battery dies before you get to the checkout....

If they are using RFID tags on food, why not just tag everything so that you're whole trolley is totaled up as you walk through the till?

I do like the wine tasting idea however.

In the news

2008-06-30T15:39:00.004Z

Student writes nothing but "f*ck off" in an English exam paper and gets given a mark of 7.5%.

Amusing

2008-06-30T15:36:00.005Z

Well I found it funny (and rather catchy) - pull your pants up.

Update: can't... get... song.. out of... head!

Science

2008-06-30T06:33:00.003Z

Another of those "How did they get funding for that?" fairly pointless studies - women prefer men with stubble.