12 September 2005
Oooh Forgot To Say
I'm on a three day residential course, so unless the hotel has free internet access. I'll see you all on Thursday possibly Friday.
11 September 2005
Meme Thing
Rats, Becky has pinged me for a meme, I suppose it is her revenge for me saying to her about my snakes posting "well it may be lazy but at least it isn't a bloody meme" just as she was completing her meme blog.
Having sat down to complete this meme I've realised that it means I actually I have to some work I've got to write something, recycling funnies I get sent by friends is much purer in the essential slothness.
So here goes "Five Songs I'm Diggin' This Week"
1. Happy When It Rains - Jesus and Mary Chain on Darklands
This is the first JAMC tune that really hit my consciousness properly and make me go "wow, that is possibly a perfect pop song" Darklands is their most poppy album they stripped away some of the feedback that had drenched their first album Psychocandy and allowed their pop sensibilities to flourish.
2. Staying with the Scottish Vibe (could this be because of Scotland's rather good win over Norway on Wednesday?
) Next up is Dry The Rain by The Beta Band on 3EPs
I remember reading about the Beta Band a few years back in a Guardian supplement and thinking oh that sounds good, I'll have to check them out and then never quite getting round to it. I saw High Fidelity, heard this song and thought yes they are good must check them out properly this time, then didn't do a thing about it until about 2 years ago when a local music shop was closing down and I was able to pick up Hot Shots II for £3. I really loved that and got more of their stuff. I saw them at The Junction in Cambridge with a friend from work in January. Excellent gig and possibly the politest band I've ever seen, I hope that they reform.
The problem with this meme thing is that I go through phases of doing nothing but listening to music and then phases of not doing so at all. And I'm in a not listening to much music at the moment. All my radios are tuned to Radio 4 on an almost permanent basis with brief trips to Radio 5 Live. I don't listen to music when on the move. I'm rarely exposed to music on a day to day basis so this exercise is slightly artificial as I'm having to look at my music collection and ponder. I did tell Becky it would have been a lot easier if she had asked me to list "5 Radio 4 programmes I'm diggin' this week"
But back to the meme:
3. Venus in Furs by The Velvet Underground on The Velvet Underground and Nico.
Cool and kinky, sounds fabulous as well.
4. Rowche Rumble by the The Fall my copy is on 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats.
Now I have been digging this song this week. It popped into my head when I read Miss K's answers to this meme, I've been singing it to myself all week.
The other problem with this meme is avoiding slipping into pretentiousness or showing myself to be the no hope goth/grunge/stuck in the late 80s early 90s geekette I really am.
5. Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes on Elephant.
Thunderous opener to the album, the video is also very striking and I have been diggin it this week cos I've had the lines "I'm going to Wichita, Far from this Opera for evermore" stuck on repeat in my head.
Right I believe that is tradition to chose people to pass this on to so Charlotte, Palace Fan, Michelle and Lazy Iguana, your turn if you want to.
Becky - mini meme back to you What was the first album you got? Mine was Arrival by Abba
Having sat down to complete this meme I've realised that it means I actually I have to some work I've got to write something, recycling funnies I get sent by friends is much purer in the essential slothness.
So here goes "Five Songs I'm Diggin' This Week"
1. Happy When It Rains - Jesus and Mary Chain on Darklands
This is the first JAMC tune that really hit my consciousness properly and make me go "wow, that is possibly a perfect pop song" Darklands is their most poppy album they stripped away some of the feedback that had drenched their first album Psychocandy and allowed their pop sensibilities to flourish.
2. Staying with the Scottish Vibe (could this be because of Scotland's rather good win over Norway on Wednesday?
) Next up is Dry The Rain by The Beta Band on 3EPsI remember reading about the Beta Band a few years back in a Guardian supplement and thinking oh that sounds good, I'll have to check them out and then never quite getting round to it. I saw High Fidelity, heard this song and thought yes they are good must check them out properly this time, then didn't do a thing about it until about 2 years ago when a local music shop was closing down and I was able to pick up Hot Shots II for £3. I really loved that and got more of their stuff. I saw them at The Junction in Cambridge with a friend from work in January. Excellent gig and possibly the politest band I've ever seen, I hope that they reform.
The problem with this meme thing is that I go through phases of doing nothing but listening to music and then phases of not doing so at all. And I'm in a not listening to much music at the moment. All my radios are tuned to Radio 4 on an almost permanent basis with brief trips to Radio 5 Live. I don't listen to music when on the move. I'm rarely exposed to music on a day to day basis so this exercise is slightly artificial as I'm having to look at my music collection and ponder. I did tell Becky it would have been a lot easier if she had asked me to list "5 Radio 4 programmes I'm diggin' this week"
But back to the meme:
3. Venus in Furs by The Velvet Underground on The Velvet Underground and Nico.
Cool and kinky, sounds fabulous as well.
4. Rowche Rumble by the The Fall my copy is on 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats.
Now I have been digging this song this week. It popped into my head when I read Miss K's answers to this meme, I've been singing it to myself all week.
The other problem with this meme is avoiding slipping into pretentiousness or showing myself to be the no hope goth/grunge/stuck in the late 80s early 90s geekette I really am.
5. Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes on Elephant.
Thunderous opener to the album, the video is also very striking and I have been diggin it this week cos I've had the lines "I'm going to Wichita, Far from this Opera for evermore" stuck on repeat in my head.
Right I believe that is tradition to chose people to pass this on to so Charlotte, Palace Fan, Michelle and Lazy Iguana, your turn if you want to.
Becky - mini meme back to you What was the first album you got? Mine was Arrival by Abba
10 September 2005
Edie in Second Life
I succumbed, Becky talked so much about it the other day including the killer information that there was now a free entry level that I signed up and spent far too much time playing in it last night, designing my avatar, clothes for my avatar, talking to Kisa, Peony and Joanna, flying around, trying to build things - I can now make killer wooden cubes.
I'm Edie Minogue in there, so if you see me about say hi.
I'm Edie Minogue in there, so if you see me about say hi.
07 September 2005
How the Military Deal With Snakes
Those gifs are really disturbing me now, every time I go to my blog they are there hurting my eyes, I need to get them away from the top quickly, as I've been out for a meal tonight and can't really think of anything to write about here's one that was emailed to me earlier.
HOW THE MILITARY DEAL WITH SNAKES
INFANTRY
Tracks snake through jungle. Snake smells them and quickly leaves area, travelling upwind.
PARACHUTE REGT
Lands on and kills snake.
ARMOUR
Runs over snake. Laughs and looks for more snakes.
CAVALRY
Treats snake with haughty disdain as having no impact on primary objective - to hold London against Roundheads at all costs.
ROYAL MARINE COMMANDO
Plays with snake. Gets smashed with snake. Eats snake.
COMBAT ENGINEER
Studies snake. Prepares tactical plan for fixing snake using counter-mobility assets and defeating snake using mobility assets. Chain of command pays no attention. Snake falls into hole dug by infantry and drowns.
ARTILLERY
Fires 3 hour concentrated barrage. Misses snake. Tree blown up by stray round falls on snake and kills it. Mission declared successful and all participants awarded gallantry medals.
SPECIAL FORCES
Makes contact with snake and ignoring Foreign Office directives builds rapport with snake and starts winning its heart and mind. Trains it to kill other snakes. Files massive expenses claim. Writes best-seller 'Python-Two-Zero'.
ARMY MEDICAL SERVICES
Snake dies by mistake on operating table. Dissects snake.
ROYAL NAVY
Fires 183 missiles from 17 ships. Estimates 60% of snake killed. Makes PowerPoint presentation to MoD Select Committee on how Naval forces are the most cost effective means of conducting anti-snake operations.
TA
Kills snake by accident on weekend camp. Keeps quiet about it.
RAF
Obtains geo-coordinates for snake. Alerts 40 Jaguars, 20 Harriers, RAF Regiment. Loads laser-guided bombs by mistake. Flies in at 20,000 feet. Can't find snake. Drops bombs in sea on way home. Returns to base for crew rest, dry-cleaning collection, facial and manicure.
INTELLIGENCE CORPS
Snake? What snake? Only 4 of 35 indicators of snake presence currently active. Assesses potential for snake activity as low. Dies of snake-bite.
DEFENCE LOGISTICS ORGANISATION
Orders 2 year study by Anderson Consultants at cost of £1.5M, generating massive workload at Grade 1 staff level. Report finds that killing snake may contribute to 20% output cost savings by inclusion of snake meat in Tri-Service messing. Snake Meat Implementation Team formed, with 2-star Tri-Service steering group. Aim to introduce snake meat into all messes and ration packs by 2005. Snake experts from Special forces and Gurkhas do not know what they are talking about. High profile £2M PR campaign launched featuring celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott and retired 4-star officers keen to supplement their excessive pensions. Snake meat launched in Service messes and restaurants to resounding clamour of apathy. Desperate to recoup lost money Army demolishes 300 married quarters and sells snake meat holdings to Indian and Canadian Armed Forces.
DEFENCE PROCUREMENT AGENCY
Decide they want to buy a Snake. Offer ambiguous contract for tender. Contract states that an eel will be supplied as Government Furnished Equipment and must be modified to meet the performance characteristics of a snake as laid out in the aforementioned ambiguous contract. 6 years late and £3Bn over budget the project is scrapped and a Commercial Off The Shelf snake is bought from the USA for $10Bn.
ADJUTANT GENERAL
Respects and values the snake's unique contribution, irrespective of its race, ethnic origin, religion or gender and without reference to social background or sexual orientation. Loses interest.
HOW THE MILITARY DEAL WITH SNAKES
INFANTRY
Tracks snake through jungle. Snake smells them and quickly leaves area, travelling upwind.
PARACHUTE REGT
Lands on and kills snake.
ARMOUR
Runs over snake. Laughs and looks for more snakes.
CAVALRY
Treats snake with haughty disdain as having no impact on primary objective - to hold London against Roundheads at all costs.
ROYAL MARINE COMMANDO
Plays with snake. Gets smashed with snake. Eats snake.
COMBAT ENGINEER
Studies snake. Prepares tactical plan for fixing snake using counter-mobility assets and defeating snake using mobility assets. Chain of command pays no attention. Snake falls into hole dug by infantry and drowns.
ARTILLERY
Fires 3 hour concentrated barrage. Misses snake. Tree blown up by stray round falls on snake and kills it. Mission declared successful and all participants awarded gallantry medals.
SPECIAL FORCES
Makes contact with snake and ignoring Foreign Office directives builds rapport with snake and starts winning its heart and mind. Trains it to kill other snakes. Files massive expenses claim. Writes best-seller 'Python-Two-Zero'.
ARMY MEDICAL SERVICES
Snake dies by mistake on operating table. Dissects snake.
ROYAL NAVY
Fires 183 missiles from 17 ships. Estimates 60% of snake killed. Makes PowerPoint presentation to MoD Select Committee on how Naval forces are the most cost effective means of conducting anti-snake operations.
TA
Kills snake by accident on weekend camp. Keeps quiet about it.
RAF
Obtains geo-coordinates for snake. Alerts 40 Jaguars, 20 Harriers, RAF Regiment. Loads laser-guided bombs by mistake. Flies in at 20,000 feet. Can't find snake. Drops bombs in sea on way home. Returns to base for crew rest, dry-cleaning collection, facial and manicure.
INTELLIGENCE CORPS
Snake? What snake? Only 4 of 35 indicators of snake presence currently active. Assesses potential for snake activity as low. Dies of snake-bite.
DEFENCE LOGISTICS ORGANISATION
Orders 2 year study by Anderson Consultants at cost of £1.5M, generating massive workload at Grade 1 staff level. Report finds that killing snake may contribute to 20% output cost savings by inclusion of snake meat in Tri-Service messing. Snake Meat Implementation Team formed, with 2-star Tri-Service steering group. Aim to introduce snake meat into all messes and ration packs by 2005. Snake experts from Special forces and Gurkhas do not know what they are talking about. High profile £2M PR campaign launched featuring celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott and retired 4-star officers keen to supplement their excessive pensions. Snake meat launched in Service messes and restaurants to resounding clamour of apathy. Desperate to recoup lost money Army demolishes 300 married quarters and sells snake meat holdings to Indian and Canadian Armed Forces.
DEFENCE PROCUREMENT AGENCY
Decide they want to buy a Snake. Offer ambiguous contract for tender. Contract states that an eel will be supplied as Government Furnished Equipment and must be modified to meet the performance characteristics of a snake as laid out in the aforementioned ambiguous contract. 6 years late and £3Bn over budget the project is scrapped and a Commercial Off The Shelf snake is bought from the USA for $10Bn.
ADJUTANT GENERAL
Respects and values the snake's unique contribution, irrespective of its race, ethnic origin, religion or gender and without reference to social background or sexual orientation. Loses interest.
06 September 2005
Awful Awful Gifs
There is a chain email going around at the moment I got it today, it is full of toe curling "folk" wisdom and "downhome commonsense" saying about and by "Mommies" utter utter guff
But the crowning glory of its naffness was the animated gifs attached. Too good to keep to myself I decided that it was my duty to share
The fairy blowing love over everyone!
The wacky colour blind red head.
The jumping for joy woman - ugg
Dancing in the flowers
And you can make up captions for the last two
Now where is that gif of a sick bag?
But the crowning glory of its naffness was the animated gifs attached. Too good to keep to myself I decided that it was my duty to share
The fairy blowing love over everyone!
The wacky colour blind red head.
The jumping for joy woman - ugg
Dancing in the flowers
And you can make up captions for the last two
Now where is that gif of a sick bag?
5,000th Visitor
I have had my 5,000 visitor today according to Stat Counter he or she lives in Oklahoma, uses Road Runner for an ISP and it was his or hers first visit to my site and spent exactly 0 seconds looking at my site :-(.
Fire!
We had another false fire alarm this morning we all dutifully trooped out of the building and on to the grass outside, because I was at my desk I was able to grab my handbag and mobile so that I could take pictures of the building in flames if it had turned out to be the real thing. Others also grabbed the essentials this was noticed by our fire warden who sent out the following email once the excitement had died down.
Tis true, one of the bosses was happily stood there with a mug in one hand and his Kylie calendar in the other chatting away without a care in the world.
PS we had another false fire alarm this afternoon as well.
To All
From Fire Warden
Date 06/09/05
Dear All,
As we are all sat back at our desks, you will be aware the fire alarm this morning was a false alarm (unfortunately my In-Tray did not go up in smoke). The evacuation and subsequent muster went very smoothly, however there are a couple of pertinent instructions that need to be exercised, which are:
1. If not in the immediate vicinity of the fire and if time permits, switch off all electrical appliances.
2. Close all doors and windows.
Your priority is NOT to save your favourite Kylie Minogue calendar, your mobile phone or cigarettes for a quickie on the grass. I appreciate that we all by nature assume the fire alarm is false, however one day it may not and these actions will reduce any damage.
Tis true, one of the bosses was happily stood there with a mug in one hand and his Kylie calendar in the other chatting away without a care in the world.
PS we had another false fire alarm this afternoon as well.
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