The internet is a great place for getting side-tracked.
In a search for diy materials to refurbish my hi-fi speaker covers (i.e. "steel" "mesh") Google provided me with an exciting, fascinating, dangerous and spectacular tale of Urban Exploration.
Three blokes breaking into a disused hydro-electric power station under cover of darkness at Niagara falls, to explore the Confluence tailrace tunnel that leads out behind the waterfall.
Intrepid Subterranean Urban Explorers, or Thrill Seeking Nutters with no regard to their own, or others, safety? - you decide.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Dasher
I've been using the Dvorak Keyboard for typing both at work and at home for over 12 years, therefore I'm interested in alternative methods of typing, or entering text.
The latest one that I've come across is called Dasher.
This is the weirdest alternative that I've come across for a long time. I've downloaded the free software and have given it a try or two.
It does appear to work, but looks like it'll take a little bit of practice. I don't think that this will ever be as fast as typing, but does provide an acceptable speed rate for the sci-fi like method of entering information using no hands e.g. eye movements, or breath control.
Could come in handy when we've all evolved into giant couch potatoes, with a couple of huge eyes, and a single button pressing digit :-)
The latest one that I've come across is called Dasher.
This is the weirdest alternative that I've come across for a long time. I've downloaded the free software and have given it a try or two.
It does appear to work, but looks like it'll take a little bit of practice. I don't think that this will ever be as fast as typing, but does provide an acceptable speed rate for the sci-fi like method of entering information using no hands e.g. eye movements, or breath control.
Could come in handy when we've all evolved into giant couch potatoes, with a couple of huge eyes, and a single button pressing digit :-)
Spotty Boy
Frodo decided to play with a felt pen tonight after he'd gone to bed.
We found that he'd decorated his forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, throat hands, chest, stomach, wrists and arms with hundreds of purple spots and strokes.
The overall result was vaguely reminiscent of Maori tattoos.
We think that he took about 15 minutes to do this.
We found him hiding in his bed under a sheet (he knew that he'd done something naughty). After a telling off, and much scrubbing with baby wipes we managed to get the worst of it off him - although his fingers are still a little spotty.
We found that he'd decorated his forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, throat hands, chest, stomach, wrists and arms with hundreds of purple spots and strokes.
The overall result was vaguely reminiscent of Maori tattoos.
We think that he took about 15 minutes to do this.
We found him hiding in his bed under a sheet (he knew that he'd done something naughty). After a telling off, and much scrubbing with baby wipes we managed to get the worst of it off him - although his fingers are still a little spotty.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
New Blogger Template
Time for a change of background.
The Blogger template that I'm using here is "Parchment" by www.blogcrowds.com
The Blogger template that I'm using here is "Parchment" by www.blogcrowds.com
Disaster!
At 14:00 today our main server and data centre caught fire.
The police set an 800 metre exclusion zone around the area.
We had to copy the operating system to disaster stand by servers at a remote site, then retrieve and recover the databases from the latest backups, and bring up the recovered system.
At least that was the scenario for today's disaster recovery test.
This meant that I had the day off work today, until my services were required at 16:00.
Finished early today (due to some hardware that needed fixing before we can proceed) and was back home by 19:00. In a real disaster we'd have to urgently source some replacement hardware, but since we're just measuring timings we're repeating the exercise again, same time tomorrow - I expect that this time it'll take until after midnight.
The police set an 800 metre exclusion zone around the area.
We had to copy the operating system to disaster stand by servers at a remote site, then retrieve and recover the databases from the latest backups, and bring up the recovered system.
At least that was the scenario for today's disaster recovery test.
This meant that I had the day off work today, until my services were required at 16:00.
Finished early today (due to some hardware that needed fixing before we can proceed) and was back home by 19:00. In a real disaster we'd have to urgently source some replacement hardware, but since we're just measuring timings we're repeating the exercise again, same time tomorrow - I expect that this time it'll take until after midnight.
Monday, 23 July 2007
Bring out the Gimp
"But the Gimp's sleeping."
"Well, I guess you're gonna have to go wake him up now, won't you?"
Tonight I have mostly been playing with the GIMP, albeit at a very basic beginners level.
Here's the result - a stickman with a knotty pine complexion, and his shadow.
"Well, I guess you're gonna have to go wake him up now, won't you?"
Tonight I have mostly been playing with the GIMP, albeit at a very basic beginners level.
Here's the result - a stickman with a knotty pine complexion, and his shadow.
Sunday, 22 July 2007
We All Live in a Yellow Submarine
Of course we don't, but we have discovered a new kids themed activity centre called Yellow Sub.
Samwise went there for his last day of Nursery School treat on Thursday. We decided to go again on Sunday morning, and take Frodo along too.
It's in a converted warehouse in Brunswick Dock, so the apparatus is about 20 feet high at the very top. This makes the slides a bit daunting for the smaller kids. Samwise was OK with the long blue slide on Friday, however on Sunday they seem to have polished it a bit, so children were flying down the slide and then off the end - which put him off a bit.
He didn't like the idea of the vertical spiral snake slide - although Frodo had no trouble at all with this on Sunday, and did about 30 circuits of the apparatus to go down this one.
The equipment is all fairly new. I think that they've only been open for a few months, plus it's off the beaten track with nothing else about other than warehouses, so a lot of people haven't discovered it yet.
The smaller children's area is a lot better equipped than most, including a touch screen computer and a small "little tykes" car racing track. Samwise found this a good area to rest in when he'd had enough on the big apparatus. Super vigilant staff wouldn't let Frodo into this area - fair enough I suppose if they're trying to stop the boisterous older kids from knocking the younger ones over.
They serve decent coffee (we had a couple of lattes), cakes and croissants. The breakfast menu is a little pretentious, but not too pricey. I tried the Manx Kippers - which for £2.50 turned out to be what looked like a "boil in the bag" kipper with a quartered slice of buttered toast. It was quite tasty though.
The only downside was that we usually take our own bottles of water for the kids to drink. As we left the chap on the door (who I believe might also be the owner or manager) pointed out to us that for our future reference no food or drink is allowed to be brought in. We could buy bottles of water from their restaurant area.
Bringing your own water isn't a problem with other similar places that we go to. For future reference we'll make sure that any bottles we may have aren't visible when we leave ;-)
Samwise went there for his last day of Nursery School treat on Thursday. We decided to go again on Sunday morning, and take Frodo along too.
It's in a converted warehouse in Brunswick Dock, so the apparatus is about 20 feet high at the very top. This makes the slides a bit daunting for the smaller kids. Samwise was OK with the long blue slide on Friday, however on Sunday they seem to have polished it a bit, so children were flying down the slide and then off the end - which put him off a bit.
He didn't like the idea of the vertical spiral snake slide - although Frodo had no trouble at all with this on Sunday, and did about 30 circuits of the apparatus to go down this one.
The equipment is all fairly new. I think that they've only been open for a few months, plus it's off the beaten track with nothing else about other than warehouses, so a lot of people haven't discovered it yet.
The smaller children's area is a lot better equipped than most, including a touch screen computer and a small "little tykes" car racing track. Samwise found this a good area to rest in when he'd had enough on the big apparatus. Super vigilant staff wouldn't let Frodo into this area - fair enough I suppose if they're trying to stop the boisterous older kids from knocking the younger ones over.
They serve decent coffee (we had a couple of lattes), cakes and croissants. The breakfast menu is a little pretentious, but not too pricey. I tried the Manx Kippers - which for £2.50 turned out to be what looked like a "boil in the bag" kipper with a quartered slice of buttered toast. It was quite tasty though.
The only downside was that we usually take our own bottles of water for the kids to drink. As we left the chap on the door (who I believe might also be the owner or manager) pointed out to us that for our future reference no food or drink is allowed to be brought in. We could buy bottles of water from their restaurant area.
Bringing your own water isn't a problem with other similar places that we go to. For future reference we'll make sure that any bottles we may have aren't visible when we leave ;-)
Saturday, 21 July 2007
A Couple of Days off Sick
Turned out to be a short week at work this week, since on Tuesday afternoon I felt some flu-like symptoms coming on. Felt really queasy as I set off for home. Called the boss to tell him that I wouldn't be in the next day. Drove carefully home. Walked in the door, threw up. Rang one of my colleagues to get him to cover my early shift. Cleaned up and went to bed.
Still a bit rough on Wednesday, and recovering on Thursday, so I didn't get back to work until Friday.
Still feeling pretty lethargic this weekend (what's new). Have begun to tidy the house but not get very far. My illness could have been due to a severe housework allergy reaction since I cleaned the bathroom on Monday night (although it's more likely to be something I caught off the kids - I should inform the military about their ability to regularly create personnel disabling germs.
Still a bit rough on Wednesday, and recovering on Thursday, so I didn't get back to work until Friday.
Still feeling pretty lethargic this weekend (what's new). Have begun to tidy the house but not get very far. My illness could have been due to a severe housework allergy reaction since I cleaned the bathroom on Monday night (although it's more likely to be something I caught off the kids - I should inform the military about their ability to regularly create personnel disabling germs.
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Warning Sign
In work again on a Sunday taking systems down and up again, whilst somebody else patches the operating system.
Watching the oil tankers go past the window, I noticed that one of them (according to AIS Liverpool it's the "Juanita") has what must rank amongst the biggest "No Smoking" signs in the world. You would think that you wouldn't need to be reminded with all of that inflammable stuff on board.
Watching the oil tankers go past the window, I noticed that one of them (according to AIS Liverpool it's the "Juanita") has what must rank amongst the biggest "No Smoking" signs in the world. You would think that you wouldn't need to be reminded with all of that inflammable stuff on board.
Friday, 13 July 2007
Badger Soldiers
Do you believe the Military spokesman? i.e. "We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area."
I reckon that there's been a top secret program to breed Mutant Badger Warriors for the war in Iraq.
I reckon that there's been a top secret program to breed Mutant Badger Warriors for the war in Iraq.
The next Dr Who?
Samwise having a great time being Dr Who at the wedding we went to last weekend.
And here's The Master...
Explaining his evil plan...
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Skyscraper City
This Skyscraper City forum is a great collection of images showing what's proposed and planned with ongoing construction projects in Liverpool.
Reminds me of a scene in The Rutles film where Eric Idle says "Here in Liverpool" with the New York skyline in the background.
Reminds me of a scene in The Rutles film where Eric Idle says "Here in Liverpool" with the New York skyline in the background.
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Frodo - New School?
We had a meeting at Frodo's school yesterday to help determine whether or not Frodo will be going to a new school.
It looks like he might be attending a school that has a Language Unit, but that can also address any social and behavioural problems.
We think that at this stage he needs the intensive help that such a school can provide.
As always the schools with specialised resource units are located in the scummiest areas in the city, because that's how they can get the funding - although the kids attending the units can come from anywhere else in the city.
If we live far enough away from the school then the council will provide daily transport for him - probably a taxi.
It's taken us three months to get the finalised report from his last assessment sorted out i.e. so that it's accurate.
We're still left a bit in the air, since the final decision as to whether this is right for him lies with someone who is in charge of special needs admissions.
If the decision is "No" then he'll stay at his current school and have a further assessment at a later date.
Hopefully we'll find out soon.
It looks like he might be attending a school that has a Language Unit, but that can also address any social and behavioural problems.
We think that at this stage he needs the intensive help that such a school can provide.
As always the schools with specialised resource units are located in the scummiest areas in the city, because that's how they can get the funding - although the kids attending the units can come from anywhere else in the city.
If we live far enough away from the school then the council will provide daily transport for him - probably a taxi.
It's taken us three months to get the finalised report from his last assessment sorted out i.e. so that it's accurate.
We're still left a bit in the air, since the final decision as to whether this is right for him lies with someone who is in charge of special needs admissions.
If the decision is "No" then he'll stay at his current school and have a further assessment at a later date.
Hopefully we'll find out soon.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Colonies
It's the anniversary of the Revolution of the 13 Colonies again today. Do we want to claim them back?
Monday, 2 July 2007
In Penny Lane there is an Extremist Terror Cell.
Happily sitting in on Saturday night, watching the Doctor defeat the Master in a titanic struggle of Good versus Evil.
We could hear a few sirens and the sound of a helicopter going overhead outside, but thought nothing of it.
Tuning into the news later on we found that a bigger drama had been unfolding in real life, about half a mile down the road.
We could hear a few sirens and the sound of a helicopter going overhead outside, but thought nothing of it.
Tuning into the news later on we found that a bigger drama had been unfolding in real life, about half a mile down the road.
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