We went out into London on Saturday to brave the tourists and the rain so that we could see the film, Bubba Ho-tep. It has been around for a while now, but it has only just made it to the UK, and it is only playing in a few cinemas. Nevertheless, I want to se it so much we ventured off to the big smoke.
This film is a hoot…
"If you see one ELVIS VS. MUMMY movie this year... This Is It!"
Based on the Bram Stoker Award nominee short story by acclaimed author Joe R. Lansdale, Bubba Ho-tep tells the "true" story of what really did become of Elvis. We find the King (Bruce Campbell) as an elderly resident in an East Texas rest home, who switched identities with an Elvis impersonator years before his "death", then missed his chance to switch back. Elvis teams up with Jack (Ossie Davis), a fellow nursing home resident who thinks that he is actually President John F. Kennedy, and the two valiant old codgers sally forth to battle an evil Egyptian entity who has chosen their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds… "
Afterwards we decided to grab a bite to eat in a quite little restaurant we know near the Wyndam, trying to keep it small as we were going out to friends for dinner. Then it was on to the Victoria & Albert Museum for some culture.
The museum was quite busy as many other people came in from the rain. The place though is very large and after a mosey around the lower galleries we climbed to the top where not so many tourist get to and found a little cinema showing short films like 'The Crystal Palace' and 'An English Country House'. The V&A is such a big place with such a large number of pieces that it can become quite overawing and tiring to see more than a part of it.
In the evening we went to visit James and Nikala for dinner and to talk nonsense for several hours which we did without much difficulty at all.
Sunday I started to show signs of having a cold, so we stayed in for most of the day (apart for a short excursion to the allotment for more supplies) and I hardly moved from the sofa. Watched some old stuff on the box including the 'War of the Worlds' - go the Martians…
Monday, October 25, 2004
Friday, October 22, 2004
Sshh! ...sleeping...
It has all been a bit quiet this week.
The only excitement at work was a fire alarm on Friday.
The weather has been wet and grey so we haven't spent much time at the allotment this week.
The cat has taken to hunting in the nearby river and keeps coming home wet to his middle. It is pretty much the only time he will seek out someone to sit on - when he is cold and wet. He has also left a few mice in the dinning room for us to find - usually when someone stands on them (it was Kevin on Tuesday - luckily, as I wasn't wearing any shoes). I have gone out and bought a new collar for the cat, one that has a bell on it. We are going to have to 'mug' him to get it on - it is usually a two-person job.
Sue has been very inventive with our meals, keeping within the Weight Watchers guidelines and still making them taste good. We are both doing well at it so far. Points mean prizes.
The Orks failed me this week; they must have been on the fungus beer. I tried a different tactic and they were absolutely slaughtered by Kevin's Dark Eldar.
I have bought a load of music, which is being delivered in stages. I have used a variety of on-line shops this time to get the best prices (Play.com, 101cd, CD WOW, and Amazon). There is a great variety and as usual some are better than others. The joker in the pack, so far, is William Shatners - Has Been (yeah, I know, but it is actually quite entertaining in a not very serious way).
Sue is starting decorating Jamie's old room and has borrowed a wallpaper stripper from Deb and Fog so that she can get it ready for her brother Dave to come and fix up the walls for us.
The problem with having a quite week at work is that you start thinking about things you could be doing. I hope that when we have Jamie's room finished we will end up using it to get some of these things done. I hope to submit a story to a couple of publishers as a trial (I am a… farmyard animal) - what do you think? Also I hope to be inspired to do more drawings. And I still want to get my own web site in place (when I have had a bit of practice with HTML).
I did find a few fun web sites out there that you might like to try. They are all part of the Dumbrella Conspiracy:
Overcompensating: Jeffrey Rowland's True Oklahoma Stories
Wigu: There is no "I" in "team", but there is in "family"
Diesel Sweeties: pixilated robot romance web comic (I just had to order the 'Chewie is my co-pilot' T-Shirt)
Goats: The comic strip by Jonathon Rosenberg
Creatures In My Head - illustration and artwork by Andrew Bell
Explodingdog 2004
The only excitement at work was a fire alarm on Friday.
The weather has been wet and grey so we haven't spent much time at the allotment this week.
The cat has taken to hunting in the nearby river and keeps coming home wet to his middle. It is pretty much the only time he will seek out someone to sit on - when he is cold and wet. He has also left a few mice in the dinning room for us to find - usually when someone stands on them (it was Kevin on Tuesday - luckily, as I wasn't wearing any shoes). I have gone out and bought a new collar for the cat, one that has a bell on it. We are going to have to 'mug' him to get it on - it is usually a two-person job.
Sue has been very inventive with our meals, keeping within the Weight Watchers guidelines and still making them taste good. We are both doing well at it so far. Points mean prizes.
The Orks failed me this week; they must have been on the fungus beer. I tried a different tactic and they were absolutely slaughtered by Kevin's Dark Eldar.
I have bought a load of music, which is being delivered in stages. I have used a variety of on-line shops this time to get the best prices (Play.com, 101cd, CD WOW, and Amazon). There is a great variety and as usual some are better than others. The joker in the pack, so far, is William Shatners - Has Been (yeah, I know, but it is actually quite entertaining in a not very serious way).
Sue is starting decorating Jamie's old room and has borrowed a wallpaper stripper from Deb and Fog so that she can get it ready for her brother Dave to come and fix up the walls for us.
The problem with having a quite week at work is that you start thinking about things you could be doing. I hope that when we have Jamie's room finished we will end up using it to get some of these things done. I hope to submit a story to a couple of publishers as a trial (I am a… farmyard animal) - what do you think? Also I hope to be inspired to do more drawings. And I still want to get my own web site in place (when I have had a bit of practice with HTML).
I did find a few fun web sites out there that you might like to try. They are all part of the Dumbrella Conspiracy:
Overcompensating: Jeffrey Rowland's True Oklahoma Stories
Wigu: There is no "I" in "team", but there is in "family"
Diesel Sweeties: pixilated robot romance web comic (I just had to order the 'Chewie is my co-pilot' T-Shirt)
Goats: The comic strip by Jonathon Rosenberg
Creatures In My Head - illustration and artwork by Andrew Bell
Explodingdog 2004
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
A weekend of big lunches…
We had a rather indulgent time last weekend, eating, drinking and generally overdoing things.
Sue spent Saturday morning helping out at her Sister's place as they finish off the major works they have been doing to it. I waited in for a plumber and played with my toy soldiers (having slaughtered the Tau, the Orks now need a win against the Dark Elder).
The plumber didn't manage fix the shower (it runs cool unless you have the cold tap on as well). So we are going to have to get a replacement mixer (we think the thermostat is busted).
We wanted to get out and see a movie afterwards so we thought we would have a late lunch first and then go onto the film. We had a 'blow-out' lunch at an Italian restaurant at Abbey Mills (where William Morris - and then later Liberty - had a factory).
Merton Abbey and area…
http://www.marcus-beale.co.uk/pages/merton.html
…or…
http://www.mertonpriory.org/history/index.html
On Sunday we did some chores and then went off to our neighbours for lunch to celebrate Deb & Dave's anniversary and Dave's birthday. Deb's brother and sister-in-law were there along with friends Alexis and Terry. We had another great, big, meal and some of us had a little too much to drink (no names mentioned).
Even though we had two big lunches we didn't have any evening meals on the weekend, so we might not have done too much damage to our diet.
Sue spent Saturday morning helping out at her Sister's place as they finish off the major works they have been doing to it. I waited in for a plumber and played with my toy soldiers (having slaughtered the Tau, the Orks now need a win against the Dark Elder).
The plumber didn't manage fix the shower (it runs cool unless you have the cold tap on as well). So we are going to have to get a replacement mixer (we think the thermostat is busted).
We wanted to get out and see a movie afterwards so we thought we would have a late lunch first and then go onto the film. We had a 'blow-out' lunch at an Italian restaurant at Abbey Mills (where William Morris - and then later Liberty - had a factory).
Merton Abbey and area…
http://www.marcus-beale.co.uk/pages/merton.html
…or…
http://www.mertonpriory.org/history/index.html
On Sunday we did some chores and then went off to our neighbours for lunch to celebrate Deb & Dave's anniversary and Dave's birthday. Deb's brother and sister-in-law were there along with friends Alexis and Terry. We had another great, big, meal and some of us had a little too much to drink (no names mentioned).
Even though we had two big lunches we didn't have any evening meals on the weekend, so we might not have done too much damage to our diet.
More of wot I have watched...
On Saturday we went out to see the new film, Inside I'm dancing. If you can get past the controversy of able-bodied actors playing disabled persons, and you are willing to shed a tear or two in public, then you need to see this film. It is a revelation and it should make you think more about a section of society that most of us are total unfamiliar with.
'From the highly-acclaimed director of East is East and the producers of box office smash hit Billy Elliott comes a unique story of two unlikely friends who choose to take life head-on in the face of difficult circumstances.
Michael Connolly's (Steven Robertson) life is passing him by until one day he meets the irrepressible Rory O'Shea (James McAvoy), who has a plan that will change their lives forever. Outsmarting the system, the unlikely pair manage to leave Carrigmore Home for the Disabled and land their very own flat. They employ the headstrong but inexperienced Siobhan (Romola Garai) to take care of their every need. Her arrival brings unexpected revelations; Michael experiences emotions he has never felt before and the straight-talking Rory realises he has finally met his match. With their newfound friendship and independence, life is theirs for the taking.
Inside I'm Dancing is a funny and inspirational film about friendship and freedom that will make you laugh, cry and see the world through different eyes.'
'From the highly-acclaimed director of East is East and the producers of box office smash hit Billy Elliott comes a unique story of two unlikely friends who choose to take life head-on in the face of difficult circumstances.
Michael Connolly's (Steven Robertson) life is passing him by until one day he meets the irrepressible Rory O'Shea (James McAvoy), who has a plan that will change their lives forever. Outsmarting the system, the unlikely pair manage to leave Carrigmore Home for the Disabled and land their very own flat. They employ the headstrong but inexperienced Siobhan (Romola Garai) to take care of their every need. Her arrival brings unexpected revelations; Michael experiences emotions he has never felt before and the straight-talking Rory realises he has finally met his match. With their newfound friendship and independence, life is theirs for the taking.
Inside I'm Dancing is a funny and inspirational film about friendship and freedom that will make you laugh, cry and see the world through different eyes.'
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Virtually Art
I have now managed to get around to publishing some of my 'art' on the web.
I have Sally to thank for the link to a web-site that gives space to artists who draw Fantasy inspired works.
Virtually Art
or
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/v/i/virtuallyart/virtuallyart.html
Most of my close friends will have seen this work before (it is very old), but that fact is I have not done much that is any newer. Still now I hope to have the inspiration.
I need to get to grips with modern technology and figure out how to use a graphics package so that I can edit and touch up drawings as many of mine are not in a good enough state to publish.
I have Sally to thank for the link to a web-site that gives space to artists who draw Fantasy inspired works.
Virtually Art
or
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/v/i/virtuallyart/virtuallyart.html
Most of my close friends will have seen this work before (it is very old), but that fact is I have not done much that is any newer. Still now I hope to have the inspiration.
I need to get to grips with modern technology and figure out how to use a graphics package so that I can edit and touch up drawings as many of mine are not in a good enough state to publish.
Monday, October 11, 2004
More of wot I have watched...
The Station Agent
A fabulous, quirky, where not much happens but it doesn't matter, type of film…
Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) is a man trying to live life on his own terms. Looking only to be left alone, he takes up residence in a rural town's old train depot. But much like the station agents that occupied small town depots before him, he finds himself reluctantly becoming enmeshed in the lives of his neighbours, especially Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), a forty-year-old artist struggling with the break up of her marriage, and Joe (Bobby Cannavale) a thirty-year-old with a talent for cooking and an insatiable hunger for conversation - whether anyone wants to talk to him or not.
The STATION AGENT is about three people with nothing in common, except their shared solitude, until chance circumstances bring their lives together. Before long, from this forgotten depot, this mismatched threesome forges an unlikely bond, which ultimately reveals that even isolation is better shared.
We loved this movie not least for the scenery. We played spot the place we had visited and felt quite nostalgic at the end…
Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book, 'Under The Tuscan Sun' follows San Francisco writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) to Italy as a good friend offers her a special gift - 10 days in Tuscany. Once there, she is captivated by its beauty and warmth, and impulsively buys an ageing, but very charming, villa. Fully embracing new friends and local colour, she finds herself immersed in a life-changing adventure filled with enough unexpected surprises, laughter, friendship, and romance to restore her new home - and her belief in second chances.
A fabulous, quirky, where not much happens but it doesn't matter, type of film…
Finbar McBride (Peter Dinklage) is a man trying to live life on his own terms. Looking only to be left alone, he takes up residence in a rural town's old train depot. But much like the station agents that occupied small town depots before him, he finds himself reluctantly becoming enmeshed in the lives of his neighbours, especially Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), a forty-year-old artist struggling with the break up of her marriage, and Joe (Bobby Cannavale) a thirty-year-old with a talent for cooking and an insatiable hunger for conversation - whether anyone wants to talk to him or not.
The STATION AGENT is about three people with nothing in common, except their shared solitude, until chance circumstances bring their lives together. Before long, from this forgotten depot, this mismatched threesome forges an unlikely bond, which ultimately reveals that even isolation is better shared.
We loved this movie not least for the scenery. We played spot the place we had visited and felt quite nostalgic at the end…
Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book, 'Under The Tuscan Sun' follows San Francisco writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) to Italy as a good friend offers her a special gift - 10 days in Tuscany. Once there, she is captivated by its beauty and warmth, and impulsively buys an ageing, but very charming, villa. Fully embracing new friends and local colour, she finds herself immersed in a life-changing adventure filled with enough unexpected surprises, laughter, friendship, and romance to restore her new home - and her belief in second chances.
Science bites…
The New Scientist is a good read for those with an interest in all things scientific, but who don't necessarily have a PhD. If you have a short time to spare and would like a laugh, try their Feedback pages.
Sock singularity! I knew it…
ONE of our winning questions to Stephen Hawking was "Why, when two socks pass the washday event horizon, do they so often become singularities?" (11 September). Peter Hicks's proposal prompted reader Geoff Levick to recall investigating this very serious matter in the 1970s.
He reports discovering that the board of New Zealand's largest sock manufacturer and the board of the country's only washing-machine manufacturer had two directors in common. He deduced that collaboration between the two companies had resulted in a device for the washing machine that extracted socks on a random basis, shredded them, and expelled them in the wash water.
Some time spent upside down in the machine bowl with a torch in an unsuccessful search for the device only led him to conclude that it was very cleverly hidden.
See what?
This is great! I first saw these experiments on TV, and it is surprising how easy it is to fool the eyes. Obviously 'slight-of-hand' magicians and pick-pockets have been doing this for ages, but it is interesting to find out that our eyes are actually quite poor and it is our brain that sees (and not sees) things. Try them out, but don't cheat…
Daniel Simons of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Christopher Chabris of Harvard earned the Ig Nobel prize in psychology for their "Gorillas in our midst: sustained inattention blindness for dynamic events" (Perception, vol 28, p 1059). In a study that has already gained some notoriety, they asked students to count how many times a group of people threw a basketball in a video. Over a third failed to notice a woman in a gorilla suit walking through the scene. See http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/djs_lab/demos.html and for the full Ig Nobels go to www.improb.com
Sock singularity! I knew it…
ONE of our winning questions to Stephen Hawking was "Why, when two socks pass the washday event horizon, do they so often become singularities?" (11 September). Peter Hicks's proposal prompted reader Geoff Levick to recall investigating this very serious matter in the 1970s.
He reports discovering that the board of New Zealand's largest sock manufacturer and the board of the country's only washing-machine manufacturer had two directors in common. He deduced that collaboration between the two companies had resulted in a device for the washing machine that extracted socks on a random basis, shredded them, and expelled them in the wash water.
Some time spent upside down in the machine bowl with a torch in an unsuccessful search for the device only led him to conclude that it was very cleverly hidden.
See what?
This is great! I first saw these experiments on TV, and it is surprising how easy it is to fool the eyes. Obviously 'slight-of-hand' magicians and pick-pockets have been doing this for ages, but it is interesting to find out that our eyes are actually quite poor and it is our brain that sees (and not sees) things. Try them out, but don't cheat…
Daniel Simons of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Christopher Chabris of Harvard earned the Ig Nobel prize in psychology for their "Gorillas in our midst: sustained inattention blindness for dynamic events" (Perception, vol 28, p 1059). In a study that has already gained some notoriety, they asked students to count how many times a group of people threw a basketball in a video. Over a third failed to notice a woman in a gorilla suit walking through the scene. See http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/djs_lab/demos.html and for the full Ig Nobels go to www.improb.com
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
A food lovers film...
We watched an absolutely wonderful movie last night on Sky. Tortilla Soup, though, is not a film to watch if you are hungry, as the main star of it is the delicious Mexican dishes that are prepared so mouth-wateringly. Hector Elizondo is superb as the retired chef, Martin, father of three very different women. The film also stars Raquel Welch who obviously had great fun in playing the gravity-deifying man-eater Hortensia.
Tortilla Soup
'Retired Mexican-American chef Martin Naranjo shares an L.A. home with his three gorgeous, but single, adult daughters. Though he long ago lost his ability to taste, Martin still lives to cook incredibly lavish dinners for his loved ones and to serve them in a family-style ritual at traditional sit-down meals. Although the women humour their father's old-fashioned ways, each of them is searching for fulfilment outside the family circle. College student Maribel is growing increasingly frustrated with the singles scene and wants a steady man; gorgeous career woman Carmen is fed up with her boyfriend and his wandering eye; meanwhile, eldest daughter Letitia, who has suppressed her own romantic longings, senses something missing in her life. Things take a turn for the romantic when Dad, a widower, meets a vivacious divorcee on the lookout for a mate and each of his daughters, in turn, finds someone. But they'll all discover that the recipe for happiness may call for some unexpected ingredients
The film is based on Ang Lee's "Eat Drink Man Woman" that centred on a Chinese family with the same story line basically here transplanted as a Latino clan in Los Angeles and the cuisine Mexican.'
Tortilla Soup
'Retired Mexican-American chef Martin Naranjo shares an L.A. home with his three gorgeous, but single, adult daughters. Though he long ago lost his ability to taste, Martin still lives to cook incredibly lavish dinners for his loved ones and to serve them in a family-style ritual at traditional sit-down meals. Although the women humour their father's old-fashioned ways, each of them is searching for fulfilment outside the family circle. College student Maribel is growing increasingly frustrated with the singles scene and wants a steady man; gorgeous career woman Carmen is fed up with her boyfriend and his wandering eye; meanwhile, eldest daughter Letitia, who has suppressed her own romantic longings, senses something missing in her life. Things take a turn for the romantic when Dad, a widower, meets a vivacious divorcee on the lookout for a mate and each of his daughters, in turn, finds someone. But they'll all discover that the recipe for happiness may call for some unexpected ingredients
The film is based on Ang Lee's "Eat Drink Man Woman" that centred on a Chinese family with the same story line basically here transplanted as a Latino clan in Los Angeles and the cuisine Mexican.'
Sunday, October 03, 2004
The Terminal
Today Sue and I went to see Steven Spielberg’s film The Terminal that stars Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Stanley Tucci.
The story is about Viktor Navorski (Hanks) who is stranded at JFK Airport when his Eastern European home country is thrown into chaos during a revolution. I seem to recall that the story was inspired by true life story of a similarly stranded passenger who spent ages wandering around in duty-free limbo.
It is a good film with solid acting from the all of the cast although it is slow to get going at first. Once you are into it the film is quite absorbing, a little predictable, but nicely done with a sizable dose of good old fashioned American warm-and-cuddlies at the end.
The story is about Viktor Navorski (Hanks) who is stranded at JFK Airport when his Eastern European home country is thrown into chaos during a revolution. I seem to recall that the story was inspired by true life story of a similarly stranded passenger who spent ages wandering around in duty-free limbo.
It is a good film with solid acting from the all of the cast although it is slow to get going at first. Once you are into it the film is quite absorbing, a little predictable, but nicely done with a sizable dose of good old fashioned American warm-and-cuddlies at the end.
A day out in London…
Yesterday we took the opportunity to do a little site seeing in London. We first went to Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln Fields (Sue couldn’t make it when I visited before with some NZ friends earlier in the year). Soane’s was a well regarded architect of his time who will probably be best known for his work on the Bank of England. He was also an avid (almost kleptomaniac) collector of artefacts and it is necessary to walk sideways in some parts of the building to avoid touching the pieces on display. Unfortunately the Picture Room was closed to allow emergency building work to take place at the rear of the Museum, so the collection of Hogarth paintings was not on display.
Later we travelled over to Chelsea to visit Carlyle’s House . The Atmospheric home of the writer Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane.
'In a quiet and beautiful residential area of London, this Queen Anne house was the home of Thomas Carlyle, the ‘Sage of Chelsea’, for 47 years until his death in 1881. The skilful Scottish home-making of his wife Jane is much in evidence: the Victorian period decor, the furniture, pictures, portraits and books are all still in place. As a historian, social writer, ethical thinker and powerful public speaker, Thomas is honoured in the house, while Jane’s strong belief in his genius and her own brilliant wit and gift for writing are recognised in the many existing letters. Their academic and domestic lives can be experienced today in the evocative atmosphere of the house.'
Neither of us were aware of Carlyle’s work but the house has so much personality and charm that we didn’t feel that we had missed out from this obvious ignorance.
The weather started to close in later so we high-tailed it home with a bottle of NZ fizz to sit in front of the fire.
Later we travelled over to Chelsea to visit Carlyle’s House . The Atmospheric home of the writer Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane.
'In a quiet and beautiful residential area of London, this Queen Anne house was the home of Thomas Carlyle, the ‘Sage of Chelsea’, for 47 years until his death in 1881. The skilful Scottish home-making of his wife Jane is much in evidence: the Victorian period decor, the furniture, pictures, portraits and books are all still in place. As a historian, social writer, ethical thinker and powerful public speaker, Thomas is honoured in the house, while Jane’s strong belief in his genius and her own brilliant wit and gift for writing are recognised in the many existing letters. Their academic and domestic lives can be experienced today in the evocative atmosphere of the house.'
Neither of us were aware of Carlyle’s work but the house has so much personality and charm that we didn’t feel that we had missed out from this obvious ignorance.
The weather started to close in later so we high-tailed it home with a bottle of NZ fizz to sit in front of the fire.
More of wot I have heard…
I have just bought the latest double album from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, called ABATTOIR BLUES / THE LYRE OF ORPHEUS. It is very much for Nick Cave fans and those more accustomed to his particular sense of style. The two albums have a couple of ‘pop’ hits on them but the rest are ‘growers’ that demand concentration from the listener to get the most out of them.
The music of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is not for everybody but if you have an open mind, like your music on the intense side and are in a reflective mood, then give it a go.
The Irish band The Thrills latest album 'Let's Bottle Bohemia' is from the same mould as the first. The distinctive sound and vibe are little changed from the ‘So Much for the City’ album but where that tended to exhibit American West Coast Surfing tendencies, the new one reaches back towards their Irish roots.
It is a great collection of tracks to play as background music to a boisterous dinner party or equally to chill-out to when your guests have gone home.
The music of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is not for everybody but if you have an open mind, like your music on the intense side and are in a reflective mood, then give it a go.
The Irish band The Thrills latest album 'Let's Bottle Bohemia' is from the same mould as the first. The distinctive sound and vibe are little changed from the ‘So Much for the City’ album but where that tended to exhibit American West Coast Surfing tendencies, the new one reaches back towards their Irish roots.
It is a great collection of tracks to play as background music to a boisterous dinner party or equally to chill-out to when your guests have gone home.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
More of wot I have read...
The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown.
This is a very cool book that I found I couldn’t put down, but then I do have a thing for conspiracy theories especially on this subject (I won’t spoil it for you here). It is a very exciting ‘boys own’ type of yarn in a Robert Ludlum for today way. It could be good and fertile background work for all those who run modern RPG scenarios.
‘Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum.
Alongside the body, police have found a series of baffling codes.
As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, begin to sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci – and suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vaults of history.
Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever…’
PS - I have just read an article in the Sunday papers, where the Brown is being sued by a couple of academic authors for stealing the 'architecture' for this story.
This is a very cool book that I found I couldn’t put down, but then I do have a thing for conspiracy theories especially on this subject (I won’t spoil it for you here). It is a very exciting ‘boys own’ type of yarn in a Robert Ludlum for today way. It could be good and fertile background work for all those who run modern RPG scenarios.
‘Harvard professor Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum.
Alongside the body, police have found a series of baffling codes.
As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, begin to sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci – and suggests the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vaults of history.
Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever…’
PS - I have just read an article in the Sunday papers, where the Brown is being sued by a couple of academic authors for stealing the 'architecture' for this story.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
More of wot I have read...
A Very English Agent, by Julian Rathbone
This is a slightly odd story. Imagine James Bond - Licensed to Kill, but set in the 1800's. It is an interesting read but the constant references to historical events, twisted for the purposes of the story, is a little disturbing - but entertaining.
'December 1852. Shortly after the funeral of the Duke of Wellington, Charlie Boylan attempts to enter the Palace of Westminster with a loaded pistol in his pocket. He is owed, so he says, a substantial sum be the government department he has worked for over many years - an adjunct of the Home Office that specialises in subterfuge and espionage. Imprisoned in Pentonville, Charlie writes his extraordinary memoirs to prove has claims. In A Very English Agent, Julian Rathbone combines his uncanny talent for wit and adventure with a compelling portrait of an England that history often neglects: the dark embers of the ninteenth century, when repression was bloody, commonplace and orchestrated from on high.'
This is a slightly odd story. Imagine James Bond - Licensed to Kill, but set in the 1800's. It is an interesting read but the constant references to historical events, twisted for the purposes of the story, is a little disturbing - but entertaining.
'December 1852. Shortly after the funeral of the Duke of Wellington, Charlie Boylan attempts to enter the Palace of Westminster with a loaded pistol in his pocket. He is owed, so he says, a substantial sum be the government department he has worked for over many years - an adjunct of the Home Office that specialises in subterfuge and espionage. Imprisoned in Pentonville, Charlie writes his extraordinary memoirs to prove has claims. In A Very English Agent, Julian Rathbone combines his uncanny talent for wit and adventure with a compelling portrait of an England that history often neglects: the dark embers of the ninteenth century, when repression was bloody, commonplace and orchestrated from on high.'
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Edinburgh Festival Best (or worst) Jokes
The dodo died. Then Dodi died, Di died and Dando died... Dido must be shitting herself.
- Colin & Fergus at the Pleasance
My parents are from Glasgow which means they're incredibly hard, but I was never smacked as a child... well maybe one or two grams to get me to sleep at night.
- Susan Murray at the Underbelly
Is it fair to say that there'd be less litter in Britain if blind people were given pointed sticks?
- Adam Bloom at the Pleasance
My mum and dad are Scottish but they moved down to Wolverhampton when I was two, 'cause they wanted me to sound like a twat.
- Susan Murray at the Underbelly
Q: Who are the most decent people in the hospital?
A: The ultrasound people.
- David O'Doherty at the Gilded Balloon
I went to the airport to check in and they asked what I did because I looked like a terrorist. I said I was a comedian. They said, "Say something funny then." I told them I had just graduated from flying school.
- Ahmed Ahmed at C34
A lady with a clipboard stopped me in the street the other day. She said, "Can you spare a few minutes for cancer research?" I said, "All right, but we're not going to get much done."
- Jimmy Carr at the ICC
I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat.
- Marcus Brigstocke at the Assembly Rooms
Sleeping with prostitutes is like making your cat dance with you on its hind legs. You know it's wrong, but you try to convince yourself that they're enjoying it as well.
- Scott Capurro at the Pleasance
My dad's dying wish was to have his family around him. I can't help thinking he would have been better off with more oxygen.
- Jimmy Carr at the ICC
You have to remember all the trivia that your girlfriend tells you, because eventually you get tested. She'll go: "What's my favourite flower?" And you murmur to yourself: "Shit, I wasn't listening... self-raising?"
- Addy Van-Der-Borgh at the Assembly Rooms
The world is a dangerous place; only yesterday I went into Boots and punched someone in the face.
- Jeremy Limb, at the Trap
Cats have nine lives. Which makes them ideal for experimentation.
- Jimmy Carr
My friend said to me: "You must be more American," so I went to have botox. The surgeon said to me: "That's $8,000." I couldn't even look shocked.
- Shazia Mirza at the Pleasance
I saw that show, 50 Things To Do Before You Die. I would have thought the obvious one was "Shout For Help".
- Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert at the Tron
I went out with an Irish Catholic. Very frustrating. You can take the Girl out of Cork...
- Markus Birdman at the Pod Deco
Got a phone call today to do a gig at a fire station. Went along. Turned out it was a bloody hoax.
- Adrian Poynton at the Pleasance
A dog goes into a hardware store and says: "I'd like a job please". The hardware store owner says: "We don't hire dogs, why don't you go join The circus?" The dog replies: "Well, what would the circus want with a plumber".
- Steven Alan Green at C34
Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.
- Demetri Martin at the Assembly Rooms
An American girl hit on me in a club and asked me to make her an Egyptian princess. So I threw a sheet over her head and told her to be quiet.
- Ahmed Ahmed at C34
Walking down Princes Street, soaking up the atmosphere, I saw a big sign that said: "Bus tours, ten quid." So I thought I'd give it a try... what a rip off. Ten quid to have a look round a bus!
- Seymour Mace at Cafe Royal
I like to go into the Body Shop and shout out really loud "I've already got one!"
- Norman Lovett at The Stand
The right to bear arms is slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears.
- Chris Addison at the Pleasance
Ask people about God nowadays and they usually reply, "I'm not religious, but deep down, I'm a very spiritual person." What this phrase really means is: "I'm afraid of dying, but I can't be arsed going to church."
- Colin Ramone at The Stand
50 Cent, or as he's called over here, approximately 29p.
- Sarah Kendall at the Pleasance
I was walking the streets of Glasgow the other week and I saw this sign: "This door is alarmed." I said to myself: "How do you think I feel?"
- Arnold Brown at The Stand
'Schindler's List'... I got that out, thinking it was a porn movie. Well... the title's in German... and it did feature a shower scene.
- Ricky Gervais at The Playhouse
- Colin & Fergus at the Pleasance
My parents are from Glasgow which means they're incredibly hard, but I was never smacked as a child... well maybe one or two grams to get me to sleep at night.
- Susan Murray at the Underbelly
Is it fair to say that there'd be less litter in Britain if blind people were given pointed sticks?
- Adam Bloom at the Pleasance
My mum and dad are Scottish but they moved down to Wolverhampton when I was two, 'cause they wanted me to sound like a twat.
- Susan Murray at the Underbelly
Q: Who are the most decent people in the hospital?
A: The ultrasound people.
- David O'Doherty at the Gilded Balloon
I went to the airport to check in and they asked what I did because I looked like a terrorist. I said I was a comedian. They said, "Say something funny then." I told them I had just graduated from flying school.
- Ahmed Ahmed at C34
A lady with a clipboard stopped me in the street the other day. She said, "Can you spare a few minutes for cancer research?" I said, "All right, but we're not going to get much done."
- Jimmy Carr at the ICC
I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat.
- Marcus Brigstocke at the Assembly Rooms
Sleeping with prostitutes is like making your cat dance with you on its hind legs. You know it's wrong, but you try to convince yourself that they're enjoying it as well.
- Scott Capurro at the Pleasance
My dad's dying wish was to have his family around him. I can't help thinking he would have been better off with more oxygen.
- Jimmy Carr at the ICC
You have to remember all the trivia that your girlfriend tells you, because eventually you get tested. She'll go: "What's my favourite flower?" And you murmur to yourself: "Shit, I wasn't listening... self-raising?"
- Addy Van-Der-Borgh at the Assembly Rooms
The world is a dangerous place; only yesterday I went into Boots and punched someone in the face.
- Jeremy Limb, at the Trap
Cats have nine lives. Which makes them ideal for experimentation.
- Jimmy Carr
My friend said to me: "You must be more American," so I went to have botox. The surgeon said to me: "That's $8,000." I couldn't even look shocked.
- Shazia Mirza at the Pleasance
I saw that show, 50 Things To Do Before You Die. I would have thought the obvious one was "Shout For Help".
- Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert at the Tron
I went out with an Irish Catholic. Very frustrating. You can take the Girl out of Cork...
- Markus Birdman at the Pod Deco
Got a phone call today to do a gig at a fire station. Went along. Turned out it was a bloody hoax.
- Adrian Poynton at the Pleasance
A dog goes into a hardware store and says: "I'd like a job please". The hardware store owner says: "We don't hire dogs, why don't you go join The circus?" The dog replies: "Well, what would the circus want with a plumber".
- Steven Alan Green at C34
Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.
- Demetri Martin at the Assembly Rooms
An American girl hit on me in a club and asked me to make her an Egyptian princess. So I threw a sheet over her head and told her to be quiet.
- Ahmed Ahmed at C34
Walking down Princes Street, soaking up the atmosphere, I saw a big sign that said: "Bus tours, ten quid." So I thought I'd give it a try... what a rip off. Ten quid to have a look round a bus!
- Seymour Mace at Cafe Royal
I like to go into the Body Shop and shout out really loud "I've already got one!"
- Norman Lovett at The Stand
The right to bear arms is slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears.
- Chris Addison at the Pleasance
Ask people about God nowadays and they usually reply, "I'm not religious, but deep down, I'm a very spiritual person." What this phrase really means is: "I'm afraid of dying, but I can't be arsed going to church."
- Colin Ramone at The Stand
50 Cent, or as he's called over here, approximately 29p.
- Sarah Kendall at the Pleasance
I was walking the streets of Glasgow the other week and I saw this sign: "This door is alarmed." I said to myself: "How do you think I feel?"
- Arnold Brown at The Stand
'Schindler's List'... I got that out, thinking it was a porn movie. Well... the title's in German... and it did feature a shower scene.
- Ricky Gervais at The Playhouse
Virtually Writing...
I have decided to start adding my collection of stories to another 'blog' and so I have set up Virtually Writing...
http://virtuallywriting.blogspot.com/
http://virtuallywriting.blogspot.com/
Back down to earth…
It seems like ages since I last 'blogged'.
We successfully saw Jamie installed in his accommodation and he is very happy. He has lucked-out with the house he is in. He has the largest room in a decent house in a nice, tree lined, street convenient for the University, College and local amenities (bars, take-aways, discount booze shops etc.). There are 5 other first-year guys in the house and, apart from one; he is getting on well with them. He has found is way around to most places (the Student Union, Campus night-club 'Asylum'. Oh! And his classes).
We spent last week in France with my Aunt and Uncle at a hotel in a tiny hilltop village of Fox Amphoux in the Provence region.
As is usual for our holidays the main driving themes were food, wine and local culture. The first was easily achieved, as our expanded waistline can attest. Similarly there was no shortage of the second and we managed to sample quite a few of the local varieties, many of which are little known outside of Provence. The last was found in the many small villages and towns in the region (for those of you even remotely interested I will try and detail some of these in a separate blog).
I am back at work again plodding alone doing the same-old same old. I have moved to another area of the office where I can see out of a window now at the industrial estate and the trees, which are starting to yellow with the autumn leaves.
I had to get a new thermostat and water pump for the car the other day and I was very pleased to only pay £200 for the repairs. I was worried that the head gasket might have blown, and that could have been almost as expensive as the car itself.
Many of our summer crops are coming to an end at the allotment. Sue has frozen plenty of tomatoes, corn, blackberries and other bits and pieces, and she has made many sauces, chutneys and pickles too. The cucumbers, courgettes, and tomatoes are pretty much at an end now. Now that the weather has started to cool down we are looking at the greens and root vegetables for hot dishes. We have done really well with potatoes having about three big sacks to see us through next year. Unfortunately we didn't do well with the garlic, but we did pick a lovely bunch while we were in France (wonder what the sniffer dog thought of that - especially as we stuck it in the bag with the dirty washing!)
Sue is now busily clearing out Jamie's old room in preparation for redecoration (reconstruction more like). We are hoping to make into a study-computer-games room with a sofa bed for when Jamie is back during the holidays.
Our small gaming group has been playing tabletop 'war-games' for the last few weeks. We all have Games Workshop 40K armies and have been facing off against each other in quick games of Kill-Teams (small groups in hit and run type skirmishes). I play an Ork army and so far they are the only Kill-Team that has succeeded in its mission. James plays Tau and Kevin plays Dark Eldar, there are still a few different combinations to go so things are certain to change.
I am still doing my writing with the NZIBS on their student forum bulletin board and I am enjoying it very much. The other students and tutors are very supportive and are encouraging me to submit a few stories to publishers. I would love to have something turned into print, so I am certainly thinking about it.
We successfully saw Jamie installed in his accommodation and he is very happy. He has lucked-out with the house he is in. He has the largest room in a decent house in a nice, tree lined, street convenient for the University, College and local amenities (bars, take-aways, discount booze shops etc.). There are 5 other first-year guys in the house and, apart from one; he is getting on well with them. He has found is way around to most places (the Student Union, Campus night-club 'Asylum'. Oh! And his classes).
We spent last week in France with my Aunt and Uncle at a hotel in a tiny hilltop village of Fox Amphoux in the Provence region.
As is usual for our holidays the main driving themes were food, wine and local culture. The first was easily achieved, as our expanded waistline can attest. Similarly there was no shortage of the second and we managed to sample quite a few of the local varieties, many of which are little known outside of Provence. The last was found in the many small villages and towns in the region (for those of you even remotely interested I will try and detail some of these in a separate blog).
I am back at work again plodding alone doing the same-old same old. I have moved to another area of the office where I can see out of a window now at the industrial estate and the trees, which are starting to yellow with the autumn leaves.
I had to get a new thermostat and water pump for the car the other day and I was very pleased to only pay £200 for the repairs. I was worried that the head gasket might have blown, and that could have been almost as expensive as the car itself.
Many of our summer crops are coming to an end at the allotment. Sue has frozen plenty of tomatoes, corn, blackberries and other bits and pieces, and she has made many sauces, chutneys and pickles too. The cucumbers, courgettes, and tomatoes are pretty much at an end now. Now that the weather has started to cool down we are looking at the greens and root vegetables for hot dishes. We have done really well with potatoes having about three big sacks to see us through next year. Unfortunately we didn't do well with the garlic, but we did pick a lovely bunch while we were in France (wonder what the sniffer dog thought of that - especially as we stuck it in the bag with the dirty washing!)
Sue is now busily clearing out Jamie's old room in preparation for redecoration (reconstruction more like). We are hoping to make into a study-computer-games room with a sofa bed for when Jamie is back during the holidays.
Our small gaming group has been playing tabletop 'war-games' for the last few weeks. We all have Games Workshop 40K armies and have been facing off against each other in quick games of Kill-Teams (small groups in hit and run type skirmishes). I play an Ork army and so far they are the only Kill-Team that has succeeded in its mission. James plays Tau and Kevin plays Dark Eldar, there are still a few different combinations to go so things are certain to change.
I am still doing my writing with the NZIBS on their student forum bulletin board and I am enjoying it very much. The other students and tutors are very supportive and are encouraging me to submit a few stories to publishers. I would love to have something turned into print, so I am certainly thinking about it.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Flying the nest…
Well, Jamie's done it. He has been accepted to the University of Hull to do a Computer Science degree. Due to his slightly disappointing grades he had to go through the nerve wracking and incredibly bureaucratic Clearing process. His first choice of Oxford Brookes turned him down and his second choice, Greenwich, offered a lesser degree and pissed him about so much that he looked at other institutions. As it turned out he got offers from Bradford and Hull (both much better universities). He is having to do the four year course that includes a foundation year in a local collage, but he is in the degree course, so if he does well he goes on to do the next three years at the university.
Jamie went up for the day on Monday to look around and to try and finalise some details (like accommodation!). He didn't manage to find some where he really liked to stay so we are going up with him tonight so that we can spend all day Friday getting him somewhere to live.
Talk about last minute. Sue and I are off to France on Sunday with Joyce and Terry for a week, and Jamie starts his orientation and 'freshers' week on Monday.
Needless to say everyone is a little tense (much crying, wailing and gnashing of teeth).
It doesn’t get any easier as they get older - the problems just change.
Fingers crossed, touch wood, rabbits foot and any other good-luck charms welcomed.
Jamie went up for the day on Monday to look around and to try and finalise some details (like accommodation!). He didn't manage to find some where he really liked to stay so we are going up with him tonight so that we can spend all day Friday getting him somewhere to live.
Talk about last minute. Sue and I are off to France on Sunday with Joyce and Terry for a week, and Jamie starts his orientation and 'freshers' week on Monday.
Needless to say everyone is a little tense (much crying, wailing and gnashing of teeth).
It doesn’t get any easier as they get older - the problems just change.
Fingers crossed, touch wood, rabbits foot and any other good-luck charms welcomed.
Dean & Michelle's housewarming…
Last weekend we went up to celebrate Dean and Michelle's move into their new flat. Terry, Ross, Heather and several other friends of D&M were also there.
It was a lovely balmy summer evening and we had a great time drinking and eating and putting the world to rights.
Dean fired up his new shiny black gas BBQ and cooked up a mountain of meat. Michelle had put together some impressive salads and dips. Heather brought along a bottle of Pimms and made a summer punch which never strayed to far from her reach.
A selection of cheese and an impressive array of Port finished the evening off nicely.
It was a lovely balmy summer evening and we had a great time drinking and eating and putting the world to rights.
Dean fired up his new shiny black gas BBQ and cooked up a mountain of meat. Michelle had put together some impressive salads and dips. Heather brought along a bottle of Pimms and made a summer punch which never strayed to far from her reach.
A selection of cheese and an impressive array of Port finished the evening off nicely.
The Village
M. Night Shyamalan's movie is pretty much on a par with his previous film, Signs. That's to say it is no where near as good as Sixth Sense. It is however a fairly entertaining diversion if you have nothing better to do.
The Village web site
Let not the bad colour be seen. It attracts them.
Oh yeah! Also remember…
It is not wise to run screaming through a forest if you are a blind girl.
The Village web site
Let not the bad colour be seen. It attracts them.
Oh yeah! Also remember…
It is not wise to run screaming through a forest if you are a blind girl.
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