Wow, what can I say... this guy can blog (techies will like this)

I found a really good blog on web 2.0 and Ajax, a couple of concepts that I hear being chucked around more and more...

My take on them.. remember when we thought javascript was the most amazing thing... and it should almost steer websites singlehandedly, alond with DHTML.. we soon found it was a cross browser nightmare, insane too many client side screw-ups, demented monkeys in a barrel wearing gas masks and flippers directing the show approach.. and dropped it... why have people not learned from their mistakes? They are doing the same thing all over again???

So read Bile Blog, Web 2.0/Ajax...

Finally saw Pumpkin Head while Nicky was out at the Doves concert

Have to disagree with Carl on this one, the old hag was great in it, throw in a bit of hillbillyism and you almost have the complete thing, but in general the film was a bit lame!

Probably needed a scene like the popcorn love scene from Troll 2 to liven it up!

Whinging in general

Yo Yo, I'm back from Milan, nice place, workde hard, played hard now tired...
so here is how bad luck comes in 3's...
first someone drove into the back of our car when Nicky picked me up on Thursday night from Reading Station... no injuries, just a pain in the arse...
then our car headlight bulb went...
then we got a crack in our windscreen while driving down to Bournemouth...

aagghh!

Fun to see you all for the Christmas gettogether!

I had a great time, was good to see you all, although we were not very successful with the Christmas shopping, at least we got ideas for ourselves hey?

Rosspo, the betrayal!!!! What a black day it was with the toffee, I shall have to remember that for your stag do!

Nice mixture of red red wine, and Guiness.

The Machinist

Wow... Christian Bale is really on form with this... he has been damn good in quite a few films so far...

I thought the transformation/weight loss thing was amazing, you couldn't pay me enough to make me want to do that!

However, the idea (not saying what) that makes up the general gist of the film has been done before.

I still think his performances in Empire of the Sun and American Psycho are his best.

A new addition to our family, Welcome Bella!

So there is a new addition to our family, little Bella, who is about 7 weeks old, and as you can see, is just about the cutest thing on the planet!
She is in effect, the spiritual daughter of Bess our beloved old family dog who died at the excellent age of 15 some months ago.

Bella is apparently quite a little character, quite hyper, and active.

I look forward to seeing you can outplay the other when I see her next!

Well I am back from Tuscany

And it has pretty much rained for a week! Over in Tuscany I was in the outdoor pool, catching the beautiful golden light thta the region is famous for. Drinking marvellous coffee, eating wonderful food, and to finish it all off, some exquisite wine.

I love the language, and culture... in short I reckon I could live there.

So here I am, working again (time to win the lottery)!

Had a disturbing dream last night, Nicky had twins!

Woke up in a cold sweat!

Hi Everyone

As you are no doubt aware, I have been incredibly busy just recenty with trips to Europe etc, so I just wanted to say thankyou for all making it to Alton Towers for Nicky's birthday, it was great, except for the rain, and my fear of some of the rides!

I am now looking forward to my holiday in just less than a weeks time, hurray!

And finally I wanted to record my latest strange dream. I was sat at my desk at work, and all the code I had written had bugs, each bug was attached to a packet of toffee, in the draw of my boss, who was kind of like Willy Wonka. The packets of toffee were all lined up and filed, and he kept throwing one at me for every bug he found. Whats that all about?

Darth Limpets Cider Homebrew Extravaganza

Great fun, cheers DL, still don't think I can get back on cider though.
Good to see Chudplug, and Mrs Plug on good drinking form.
The IToy was great fun, Kung Fu mayhem, a great keep fit toy!
Was good to see everyone.

It will be good to see those Half Yard of Ale piccies up on the web!

My first scary trip to the dentist

AAAGGGHHH, no pain, but a lot of discomfort, like when they put at least three drilling type implements in your mouth all at the same time.

The three most unpleasant aspects were however, the bits of tooth spraying out of my mouth, the dribbling like a gimp, and the choking and drowning sesation.

No more sweets, drink more milk, whatever else, just keep brushing my teeth!!!!

(And that was only one filling!)

Newbury Beer Festival

The wheel of time turns, and we found ourselves back at the Newbury Beer Festival.
To summarise, the hog roast ws perahps the best I have ever had, the first one I was allowed to help myself to crackling, yumm!!
We didn't play any drinking games this year, or make Bert eat things, which was a shame, but the organisers appreciated our plan to start with the beer at the top left and work our way down.

I know Darth Limpet would have appreciated a greater range of ciders!

Finally, some advice on good hog roast technique:
=> wait for fresh pig
=> don't be first in line
=> have more than one, its great!

Just a further effort to enhance our growing little community

Some time ago now I introduced my most esteemed compatriot Darth Limpet to a number of online tools which I hoped would enrich his life. I had been using these tools myself, and appreciated how they let me express thoughts and opinions.

The first of those tools was obviously www.blogger.com, and the second, Flickr for online photo sharing.

Now it is time for the next life improving tool, certainly for someone as forgetful as me.

Backpack allows you to create reminders, todo lists, and mini web pages, and you can get automatic reminders texted to your phone. It will help you organise your life.

And you can try it for free!

Blogging about a blog, hmm

Outstanding,

Rosspo launched a search on the web today for the 'Newbury Beer Festival', which is looming now.
Now, he used Microsofts web search MSN Search (and usually we would not forgive him for that), but in this case the first result to show was one of my blog postings, (at last, fame on the web), perhaps the first time I have ever appreciated Microsoft!!!!

IQ Tests

I am obviously so stupid that I don't even get IQ tests.

I have had three separate scores of 109, 127 and 136 over the last 6 or 7 years,
with the lowest being admittedly while I really couldn't be bothered to do it watching Anne Robinson, the other 2 occasions were under more controlled situations.

My most recent scored 127 off a web site test IQ Test.

How can you get such different scores, I know (spacial awareness is a low point for me)!

Load of old bollocks!!

Napoleon Dynamite

Saw Napoleon Dynamite last night, even had Nicky watching it. A very funny film, we both thought it had many similarities to Australian Films, some quirky filming, and it reminded us a little of an Australian series for kids form the early 90's called 'Round the Twist'.

Worth watching definately!

Holiday in Cornwall

Hi all, sadly my holiday has come to an end.

I had a great time, saw some amazing sights, and enjoyed my first attempt at surfing (something I hope to do regularly in the future)!

As it turned out, I was over confident and kept falling off the board, but Nicky was a good squatter and beat me!

Was good to see the family at my cousin Sophies wedding too! Congratulations Sophie and Mike.
See Rossputin Flickr Images .

House of Flying Daggers

Have been meaning to blab about this film for a while. I thought it was a lot better than Kung Fu Hustle despite its slant towards being a love story.

The fight choreography was a lot better and the cinematography was breathtaking at times.

I am not quite sure however why the baddies ran around with their swords pointing the wrong way!

My Sponsor Pack came through for Seamus at Monkey World

Excellent, now I have a season ticket for a year to go see chimps and monkeys at Monkey World.

In fact with any luck, I am going to combine a visit to see the chimps with the beer festival on the Purbecks this weekend. You can't get much better than beer and monkeys!

Hmm Smoothie Maker

Excellent, one of my long time aims has been met, I have wanted a smoothie maker for ages, but Nicky never let me get one. My reasoning is that it will help me eat more fruit, because I am lazy, and fussy with my fruit. Oh yeah and smoothies taste great.

Anyway, finally just bought one with a disapproving Nicky looking on, and my first smoothie (apples, banana, grapes and vanilla) was superb!!! Yum!!!

So its bombing day tomorrow again I suppose

Oh well, I suppose I will go in early to try to avoid it. If it weren't so hot I would wear my Die Hard vest and stop those lunatics myself.

Seems my boss has the right idea, he is going to be driving round in lovely Italy, eating home cooked food, drinking beer, and generally avoiding extremist fundamentalists!

Conspiracy Theory

Hmm, strange, now there are satellite images, at least up to a certain zoom level.
Either it is hunting season on bears, so the satellites are getting through the screen of bear shit, or something else exactly as strange happened!

Now I just wrote this morning to Darth Limpet, Rosspo and Chudplug about Microsofts site being screwed since Friday, (lacking a css), and by the time they look that is fixed as well.

Like Darth Limpet says, perhaps I am a known agitator, and am being watched!!!!

Summer BBQ 2005

Its been a couple of years since we did the last one, and lets just say the weather wasn't quite up to it this year!! But we managed it, the bbq found a little house under some shelter and we had brolly boys and girls to help, see www.flick.com/photos/rossputin, or www.flickr.com/photos/limpetboy.

Thanks for coming everyone, was good to see you all there! The homebrew was pretty successful really, and the half yard of ale, (cheers Darth Limpet).

Lets hope we can get back to playing in the garden next time.

Why bears definately shit in the woods in Thatcham/Newbury

As I emailed to some of you recently, google maps is good stuff, but I noticed one thing...

Click on hybrid mode over Newbury and Thatcham, and there are no satellite images for either Thatcham or Newbury.

As I suspected, bears in the woods chuck their shit at the satellites as they pass overhead, blocking their view. Thus making Thatcham and Newbury the darkest places in the universe, and probably terrorist hotbeds!

Home made beer diary - day 25

Its calling to me, I don't think I can stop myself.
Its calling to me, I don't think I can hold back.
Its coming, from the gloomy depths of its lair, its resting place.

One beer to rule them all, one beer to find them.
One beer to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

Kung Fu Hustle, thoughts

Sorry to be contraversial here, but despite the amusing snake style kung fu clip, the rest of the film is disappointing, much of the choreography is poor, with unconvincing martial artists.

The mix of genre's does not work, and reminds me too much of big gay musicals, (obviously deliberate), but these are just not my cup of tea.

A cross between Paint your Wagon, West Side Story and some other sheisser mixed up with mostly lame martial arts!!!

I would rather see Ong Bak elbows any day, or House of Flying Daggers.

Preparations for BBQ and weather

Hmm, school holidays, my BBQ therefore its going to rain on Saturday, so looks like we might not play croquet after all.

Will have to think of some back up plans, (The Swan for a few pints sounds a likely emergency plan!).

Meantime the beer is sat there calling to me, should be ready by now but I promise not to taste it till the inaugural ceremony!

I can't wait to see Dave the Tank (Darth Limpet) christen his half yard of ale!!!

Home made beer diary - day 14

OK, so my beer survived so far, but the last couple of days it is no longer producing any gas.
Did I deflate it too much? Is there a leak, will it taste really bad now? So many unknowns,
I need a homebrew guru, a beer Jedi, anyone got any ideas?

First things First

Before I tackle anything else today, I am going to Rage Against the Machine, Rant Against the System, launch into a tirade against society and in general manners and behaviour.

What sparked this off was the unpleasant end to a good, fun evening, yesterday.

We all enjoyed ourselves at the comedy in Newbury, then went for some takeaway, in this case a burger at Rio's. We all put our orders in, and Nicky asked for a burger for me, and some chips for herself, clearly enunciating every request.

10 minutes later our food turned up, with Nicky's chips mixed in with my meaty dripping burger with bacon.

When she politely asked for chips not soaked with meaty goodness, the miscreant behind the counter poured them into a fresh container. Obviously this is no good to someone who has spent 14 years chastely avoiding meat products. Nicky politely pointed out she was vegatarian, and at this point the increasingly irate individual threw some more chips on to cook. When Nicky pointed out we had to go catch a train, and had no time to wait for chips to cook, the pleb swore at her, and tried to kick us all out of the shop, swearing and cursing, asking us 'do you know how hot it is in here?'.

Out of principal, Nicky asked for her money back, which she got practically thrown at her.

Outrageous, I am not sure what kind of proprietor, lacking in education, common sense and manners thinks he can swear at his patrons, he must own the place or he would never keep his job, anyway, the moral of the story KEEP AWAY FROM RIO's of NEWBURY.

Plebs, or gimps, morons, cretins, imbeciles are not impressive representations of the species.

I had to throw my burger away, as I only eat food cooked by people with an IQ of more than 43.

Anyway, to top it all off I have been frustrated by people with an inability to queue properly this week. Its fucking simple, you stand behind the person who got there before you, how insanely basic is this principle. Yet it seems at least 50% of people can not manage it!!!!!

And finally, people with those little pieces of shit suitcases on wheels, milling round in other peoples way, WALK TO ONE SIDE get out the fucking way, learn how to make up your minds about where you are going, HAVE SOME CONSIDERATION for others in a race to catch a train.

JESUS H CHRIST, I really need to rule this planet, I can solve at least 87% of all problems facing humanity and the planet Earth.

Lots Happening at the Moment

Belated post for the Reading Beer Festival we had great fun trying to make Rosspo look like a tramp, and invented a great new drinking game, see flickr for some evidence I will be posting eventually. (Not done yet).

Its all go go go, this weekend was golf, War of the Worlds, (good film), Nicky's second Race for Life, and a bbq.

This week is comedy Thursday and Saturday, maybe a pub quiz.

Our homebrew was born one week ago, and so far there has been only one casualty, Daves decided to evacuate itself on his carpet.

Hopefully the remaining beers will survive!!!

Only a couple of weeks till we play half yard of ale at our bbq party.

Too long since my last post

But here I am again now, and with Carls wedding to blog about, we all had a great time (the Newbury Thatcham lot), and there are plenty of photo's to prove it.

Wedding was great, thanks for inviting us Carl and Lorraine.

Drank too much, had a nice cigar, had a bundle with the guys, (including the stag) which nobody managed to catch on film somehow...

Anyway, as for the ultimate picture (finally proving the nature of Rosspo and Limpet Childs relationship...

I have uploaded it to my flickr album!!!!

You should have received invites to view...

My Beautiful Mac Mini has arrived

It was late, but well worth the wait...

It is so beautiful, quiet, fast, it just works.

Everything from unpackaging to plugging in, to switching on, to wireless network to bluetooth keyboard took about 30 minutes, and I have never really worked with Mac OSX before.

If you need a new PC, consider it!!!!!

Any one want excellent Creative 5.1 dolby digital sound system?

Few years old, but works fine, free to a good home.

I am switching to the world of Mac, and just don't need such heavy firepower, as I don't have time to game so much.

Come on you gamers out there...

This has to be seen to be believed

In the usual spirit of Microsoft bashing, please follow these simple instructions for a good laugh:

1: go to http://maps.msn.co.uk
2: click on the 'Get Directions' button
3: Select 'Norway' from the combo box labelled 'Address in'
4: Enter 'Haugesund' in the city field of the start address
5: Enter 'Trondheim' in the city field of the end address
6: Click on 'Get Directions' button
7: laugh, laugh again, then laugh some more

Try reversing the search to prove you don't have to go via England

Still alive after the New Years Eve party

Oh well, back to work, it had to happen sometime, at least I have the consolation that I got to dress up like a Nazi and play with inflatable breasts over the Christmas holiday,

marvellous.