The place that is

The FINAL Weekly Quote

2010-11-09T18:53:00.002Z

Yes it is!

I think it's time to call it a day with The Place That Is. Over the past few weeks I've been struggling to come up with stuff to write and to justify this blog's place on the bloggosphere. I've had the odd bust of inspiration here and there, which I'm proud of, but of late I've found there just isn't anything to write about.

I'm not really a tell-all kind of guy I don't feel the need to Tweet away my life's minutae or go on at length about my opinions on matters of importance, as many bloggers are skilled at doing. But rather this was just a place for me to hang out and post a few thoughts here and there. But increasingly I've been posting for the sake of keeping the blog going, rather than enjoying it - as Joss Whedon said, there's a point when it stops being rescussitation and turns into necrophilia...

...of course he was talking about the excellent TV show firefly which he did manage to resurrect as the movie Serenity and is still ongoing as a comic book series. Anyway, this blog didn't quite seem worthy of those efforts.

I think I might have a few loose ends to tie off before I close down completely, but for now...

"Jack Firebrace lay forty-five feet underground with several hundred thousand tons of France above his face. He could hear the wooden wheezing of the feed that pumped air through the tunnel. Most of it was exhausted by the time it reached him." - Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks

Weekly Quote - W/E 25/09/10

2010-09-25T09:52:00.002Z

"Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident." - Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 6

2010-09-11T10:30:00.004Z

As I continue my imaginary world tour we've actually completed the first game with a large chunk of the action taking place in Myanmar and Georgia. They were great locations to play in, and I'm sure fantastic ones to visit. Pandora Tomorrow, the second game gives a wealth of settings to visit, which adds to the fun.

I do like the world travel side of the early Splinter Cell games, the latter ones, including the superb Conviction have excellent levels to play through, but largely take place on Sam's home turf. But not to worry, there's another video game series that features a lot of roaming around so the imaginary world tour will continue!!

Dili
Country: East Timor
Area: 14,874 km2 (East Timor)
Population: 150,000
Language: Tetum

Sam undertakes a mission in Dili, East Timor in response to a terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy there. The mission is rife with opportunities for Sam to show off his split-jumping, pipe-shimmying and shadow lurking as he gets closer to the threat and his target. Being an Embassy, this adds to the stealth action as Sam is restricted from using lethal force or leaving any sign of his presence.

Dili is the capital, an independent country in the Indonesian archipelago, half of the landmass of the island it occupies is taken up by West Timor, an Indonesian province. It was once a province of Portugal and carries that influence to this day, with Portugese being a primary language spoken. It was also occupied by Indonesia, but became an independant state in 1999.

However the violence has resulted in a large portion of Dili's buildings being severely damaged or destroyed. But a few significant buildings from the Portugese era remain, such as the Portugese Governor's office, which now houses the Prime Minister and also statues such as the Cristo Rei of Dili which is a major tourist attraction (pictured below)

It looks a fascinating place and like all the other locations it has the appeal of being a far away place. The appeal of Splinter Cell for me is that it doesn't rely on set-pieces in America (though it has some great ones) or show 'the world' with a few shots of Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower - it really takes you around the world. I'll finish off with something I've neglected - putting Dili on the world map.

More content soon.

Word of the post: Reconsider –verb (used with object)

to consider again, esp. with a view to change of decision or action: to reconsider a refusal.

Late Weekly Quote

2010-09-03T08:35:00.002Z

sorry about the lack of content, I blame the summer holiday which, while bringing more free time, also brings a lack of structure which interrupted by blogging schedule.

"Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle." - Catch 22, Joseph Heller

Weekly Quote - W/E 31/7/10

2010-07-31T12:45:00.002Z

"I'm tired of saying, 'how wonderful you are! To fool men who haven't got one half the sense I've got, and I'm tired of pretending I don't know anything so men can tell me things and feel important while they're doing it." - Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell

Funnier at the time...

2010-07-30T09:09:00.004Z

On a trip to the Manchester Science Museum a friend and I came across this, an occurrence which is probably quite common, but at the time seemed hilarious.

A man polishing a bin - hah!!! What next people cleaning toilets?!!

Also funny is this weird piece of architecture.

OK so it ain't the leaning tower of Pisa, but the Manchester Hilton still looks like a precariously balanced child's Lego brick construction to me.

And soon after this I ran out of battery so I have nothing really to show you of the Museum, but it is well worth a look.

Word of the post: Welcome –verb (used with object)

to greet the arrival of (a person, guests, etc.) with pleasure or kindly courtesy.

to receive or accept with pleasure; regard as pleasant or good: to welcome a change.

Weekly Quote Late Double

2010-07-21T14:29:00.002Z

falling behind again...

"Harry dived. Defore the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding towards the ground as fast as he could go...he had taken his hands off the firebolt - he had seized the golden egg." - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling

"It was now too late and too far to go back and I went on. And the mist had all solemnly risen now and the world lay spread before me." - Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

back on track now.

Birthday Music

2010-07-13T16:27:00.003Z

It's been ages since my birthday, but I thought I'd share with you some of the music I got for my birthday because I've bought a few other CDs since and I'd like to post about them too. I',m not going to bother 'reviewing them - I'm simply going to share what I got, and let you listen for yourselves.

G-Sides: Gorillaz

Gorillaz have quickly migrated to favourite band status and with the gift of this album they equaled the top spot for 'most albums owned' with 4 albums by the same artist. Buying G-Sides (an album of B-Sides for their first release) was something I'd always planned on getting around to so it was a great gift.

This is 'Ghost Train' - my favourite track on the album.

Through the Windowpane - Guillemots

I was aware of the band, but didn't know a lot about them so this gift was an attempt to broaden my horizons I think. It took me a while to get into them, but one song in particular stuck in my head and captured my interest, which is how I think music should work.

This is 'Made Up Love Song #43'

More soon.

Word of the post: Unwillingly –adjective

1. not willing; reluctant; loath; averse: an unwilling partner in the crime.

2. opposed; offering resistance; stubborn or obstinate; refractory: an unwilling captive

weekly Quote - W/E 03/07/10

2010-07-05T17:27:00.002Z

"Somewhere out there is the origin of all the dust, all the death, the sin, the misery, the destructiveness in the world. Human being's can't see anything without wanting to destroy it, Lyra. That's original sin. And I'm going to destroy it. Death is going to die." - His Dark Materials, Phillip Pullman

Maybe you don't understand how this works...

2010-06-28T10:26:00.002Z

I don't really follow the football, not when there's E3 and Glastonbury to more fully occupy the TV. But I did stay behind with some guys from work to watch the England game - the one they won, not the most recent one!!!

One of the teacher related a great conversation they'd had with a pupil

Teacher: What's the score now?

Pupil: 1-0 to England!

Teacher: Great! Who scored?

Pupil: Err....England?!!!

Guess it was kinda obvious really!!! Oh and Defoe scored the goal (I think) if you're wondering.

Word of the post: Verbal –adjective

1 of or pertaining to words: verbal ability.

2. consisting of or in the form of words: verbal imagery.

3. expressed in spoken words; oral rather than written: verbal communication; verbal agreement.

Weekly Quote - W/E 26/6/10

2010-06-26T13:00:00.002Z

"In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri." - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, Douglas Adams

Systems

2010-06-23T17:46:00.002Z

I thought I might share with you some of my systems for web posting in various formats. Most of us like to put things on our blog, Facebook pages and computers. I got bored with waiting around with the same picture or words so I took to regularly updating by web output and this has slowly turned into a rigid system which I now stick to rigidly.

Monday

Facebook status update: Unless there's something tremendously interesting going on in my life I stick to my game of posting up song lyrics as updates.

Blogga's Wall: My newest venture; on Blogga the Hutt I now post up a picture every week showing what I'm up to. My reviews and updates are rarely on time and reviewing everything I did would be tedious so it's a quick way of showing what's new - be it movies, games or as we see this week: comics.

Wednesday

Facebook status update. Continuing the system. I work through an album song by song, picking any song line that fits with the 'is' status line of the original Facebook bar, the results when taken out of context are often amusing. I'm currently working through a Led Zeppelin album and am on 'Immigrant Song' currently.

Friday

Facebook status update: Yes, that's three a week, the Monday, Weds + Fri system works quite well and is used by more prolific bloggers like XKCD and Penny Arcade, ones who have real content to add!!

Saturday

Weekly Quote: You should be familiar with this, I try and get 'em in once a week, mostly I succeed. I've used a variety of sources but for a while I've been using quotes from novels listed in the 'Big Read' survey done by the BBC a while back.

Wallpaper: I like to keep my desktop looking fresh so I change my wallpaper every week. Again I use a variety of sources, I'm currently using a nice set of Mass Effect 2 wallpapers e-mailed to me by a friend.

And that's it - interesting or a sign of madness - maybe you can tell?

Word of the post: Questionable –adjective

of doubtful propriety, honesty, morality, respectability, etc.: questionable activities; in questionable taste.

open to question or dispute; doubtful or uncertain: a statement of questionable accuracy.

Weekly Quote Double - W/E 19/6/10

2010-06-21T17:26:00.002Z

"I am no bird and no net ensnares me. I am a free human being with an independent will." - Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte

I saw the Leonardo DiCaprio movie recently, this has always stuck in my head

"Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word.
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee." - Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare

Nowhere near as funny but...

2010-06-18T09:54:00.002Z

I've been getting into XKCD recently and I was bored and stuck for ideas on what to post so...

and I'm aware that it may not be funny at all, but a boy can dream right?

Word of the post: –Manoeuvre noun

1 a planned and regulated movement or evolution of troops, warships, etc.

Weekly Quote - W/E 05/05/10

2010-06-07T09:57:00.001Z

"I don't think it will be any good trying to go back through the wardrobe door... you won't get into Narnia again by that route... yes, of course you'll get back to Narnia again some day... but don't go trying to use the same route twice. Indeed, don't try to get there at all. It'll happen when you're not looking for it." - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis

Somewhat unfortunate...

2010-06-01T15:36:00.002Z

From the inside cover, of 'The Pacific' - the book that accompanies the new Series. I don't have the exact words so I'm paraphrasing, but I don't think any meaning is lost.

'This is the tale of those men who fought on to the closing days of the war. Standing together they continued to the end, though there was a heavy price to pay, a price paid by all...

£20.

*wince*

Weekly Quote - W/E 29/5/10

2010-05-31T13:59:00.002Z

"I hate to think I've got to grow up and be Miss March and wear long gowns...it's bad enough to be a girl, anyway, when I like boy's games and work and manners!" - Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Some Trips Out

2010-05-29T09:26:00.007Z

I haven't used my camera in a while. I keep forgetting to take it out, perhaps I'm subconsciously used to having a massive delay before the flash goes off and so not being able to capture the action I'd like. Still I've managed to take some reasonably decent photos with it so maybe I should be more forgiving.

I can't quite remember where I took this but I love these plants, they're fantastically weird, I think they could pass for the next Doctor Who villain or something.

Near where I live there is a farm park, which hosts a fairly impressive collection of animals these days including peacocks...

Highland cattle...

And the advantage to being local is you can walk around the perimeter and sometimes be greeted by the odd curious Ostrich!

The place also hosts what is quite possible the creepiest fairground ride ever!

That's it for now - I'll dig some more stuff out of the random cupboard soon.

Word of the post: Yardstick –noun

1.a stick a yard long, commonly marked with subdivisions, used for measuring.

2.any standard of measurement or judgment: Test scores are not the only yardstick of academic achievement.

Some Weekly Quotes I missed

2010-05-27T17:45:00.002Z

Sorry about the delay, lots of extra work, which is great, but keeping me away from the computer a bit too much!!

Ooh - one of my favourites! This book's vivid description of life in totalitarian rule was so captivating I was ill by the end of the book!!

"The horrible thing about the teo minutes hate was not that one was oblidged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in." - Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell

And another favourite!!

"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." - The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R.Tolkien

Thanks for your patience, I'll try and knock up some more content soon.

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 5

2010-05-26T18:02:00.002Z

I've nabbed the demo for the fifth game and I'm hoping to get my hands on the full version soon. In the meantime let's have a look at where Fisher heads next in his first mission.

Myanmar
Country: Myanmar aka Burma
Area: 676,578 km2
Population: 50,020,000
Language: Burmese

After infiltrating the CIA headquarters and investigating a corrupt software manufacturer based also in Langley, Sam's trail takes him to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. This is an even tougher assignment than Langley as discovery could cause an international incident, so Sam must remain completely undetected throughout.

I know little about Myanmar other than that it is 'near China' so I'll have a quick dig to find out what might appeal to a novice tourist on his way over there. Seemingly one of the most interesting things to see over there are the massive Buddhist temples seen above, with the lush jungle surrounding it fit for exploring. There are also plenty of beaches as a third of the perimeter is an uninterrupted coastline all the way down.

Myanmar is also a hotbed of controversy with human rights abuses causing strains with the Western States. The country is very deprived, and with tensions with the regime diminishing foreign investment it means that there are signs of the lack of development around, such as the Sakura Tower, depicted below, which is almost empty due to lack of investment. Despite these controversies and difficulties it still looks to be a lush and diverse nation and well worth a visit.

Word of the post: Far-fetched–adjective

improbable; not naturally pertinent; being only remotely connected; forced; strained:

Weekly Quote - W/E 30/04/10

2010-05-03T08:40:00.000Z

"Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies, do divert me...but these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without." - Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Having a laugh in P.E....

2010-05-01T15:39:00.004Z

I recently took a class down for some track and field P.E. at a local College where they generously let us make good use of their track and erm...field. We had a good session doing relay, long jump in the sandpit etc.

The pupils also have the opportunity to train in throwing events, namely shot and javelin. Now not being healthy or particularly safe when it comes to these matters we felt it best that I not teach the students with the real deal so we set out to get the foam javelins used for practice and some lightweight balls.

While there I found something fantastic - a lightweight, safe, practice version of...

The Hammer Throw!! It was brilliant. My attempt at 'proper techniqu' was rubbish, but then we just got around to flinging the thing and it went miles - everyone enjoyed it and we had a great time.

I don't know where you get them from and I know they're not toys, but it was just fantastic. I do wanna be fair to the guy in the picture and state that he is using a proper hammer so if it looks like that and weighs a tonne - don't use it!!!

Word of the post: Puzzlement - noun

1.the state of being puzzled; perplexity.

2.something puzzling.

Weekly Quote - W/E 24/4/10

2010-04-24T09:36:00.001Z

"I pictured them all down there in the bay, and the little dark hull of the boat rising slowly to the surface, sodden, dripping, the grass-green seaweed and shells clinging to her sides." - Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier

Water resistant to 30 degrees

2010-04-23T09:36:00.002Z

I'm quite impressed.

My watch has done me proud. It is not the watch seen above, my watch is a cheap watch and therefore not covered in branding and logos so I couldn't actually Google the make and model so what you see above is the result of a search for 'watch'

Nonetheless, through misfortune my watch had been placed in the washing machine at work. I caught the mistake early on, but the washing machine we have is a clever one which won't let you do a silly thing like stop the cycle and open the door when it's halfway through a wash, physically jamming the door for the duration. I was forced to leave it and pick it up at the end of the day.

And, you've already worked it out, it still works!! Despite a thorough soaking and being rattled around for the better part of an hour it's chronological functions are not impaired. The only difference being that it's somewhat cleaner and more fragrant.

Good eh?

Word of the post: Extrapolate –verb (used with object)

1.to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; conjecture.

2.Statistics. to estimate (the value of a variable) outside the tabulated or observed range.

3.Mathematics. to estimate (a function that is known over a range of values of its independent variable) to values outside the known range.

Weekly Quote - W/E17/04/10

2010-04-19T14:21:00.002Z

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." - To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Map I made

2010-04-17T10:23:00.002Z

This a map I made to show a friend how to use the trains and get round Liverpool

we still got lost!!!

Word of the post: Plethora –noun

1. overabundance; excess: a plethora of advice and a paucity of assistance.

Weekjly Quote - W/E 10/4/10

2010-04-12T11:16:00.002Z

"In historical events great men - so-called - are but labels serving to give a name to the event, and like labels they have the least possible conexion with the event itself." - War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy

More Music for Me - Magnificent!!

2010-04-10T09:23:00.002Z

Yes I've managed to actually lay hands on some more music of late. I've been to the shop and bought some CDs and even managed to complete one of my letter quest things. I'm still struggling on 'I', but I've managed to get an M, as you may have guessed from the terribly subtle alliteration in the title!

OK, the first album isn't an M - it's a G, by my favourite G in the whole world - Gorillaz!! Their new album Plastic Beach has been released and I was out like a shot on the day of release to lay my hands on it. I've always been a fan of this band since hearing the 'refix' of Clint Eastwood back in my early High School years and they improved on that with the release of 'Demon Days'. I'd heard rumours that the band were finishing so to hear that they were bringing a new studio album out was incredible!

The album is a great mix of distorted electronic sound, with new single 'Stylo' leading the way. It's a bit of a diversion from the style of Demon Days so it took a bit of getting used to, but I love it, with 'Rhinestone Eyes' being a contender for all time favourite Gorillaz track. There are some great supporting artists, including Snoop Dog, Lou Reed and band Little Dragon which create some great collaborative track. My only downside is there is perhaps too much of this, with supporting artists taking over some tracks - this works well in some places, like Bobby Womack's solo 'Cloud of Unknowing' but fails in others, such as 'White Flag' featuring some rappers and no 2-D.

The next album is 'Conditions' by Temper Trap. I got into this band through the iTunes single of the week which gave me their excellent track 'Sweet Disposition'. I really like this band, their vocal style sticks out from the crowd. I guess that what I'm after these days. I'm no musical expert, and I'm far more mainstream than I might confess to being, but I can't stand stuff that just sounds the same as all the other stuff it needs to call to me, it needs me to listen to it, enjoy it a bit, then find myself singing the words subconsciously a week later - this album does that with great success.

Next and finally my 'M' is Massive Attack. I got their best of as a '2 for £10' along with Temper Trap and it hasn't disappointed. I can't remember what the genre is called - 'trip hop' or something, but I really like it, it's a break from my usual listening, but a welcome one. A highlight for me was rediscovering 'Teardrop' which had been rattling around the noggin' for a while and it was fantastic to finally have it on CD.

More music momentarily.

Word of the post: Impertinent –adjective

1.intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil: a brash, impertinent youth.

2.not pertinent or relevant; irrelevant: an impertinent detail.

Weekly Quote - Birthday special

2010-04-03T09:46:00.002Z

Yes I missed it last week, sorry completely passed my by. Oh well, I'm now older than I was before and I've a few quotes to commemorate this, but first last week's quote:

"They recalled the languorous siesta of hot mid day, deep in green undergrowth, the sun striking through in tiny golden shafts and spots; the boating and bathing of the afternoon, the rambles along dusty lanes and through yellow cornfields; and the long cool evening at last, when so many threads were gathered up, so many friendships rounded, and so many adventures planned for the morrow." - The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

The following come from a famous TV show which indicates my age, try and figure it out.

"Damn it! There just isn't time!"

"I'm sorry Mr President"

"Save my daughter!"

Ok, maybe I'm paraphrasing a little...

Weekly Quote - W/E 20/3/10

2010-03-20T10:39:00.003Z

"Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! Only do not leave me in the abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!" - Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

We're into the top 21 books now!!

And so it goes on...

2010-03-13T16:28:00.003Z

OK so my hopeful prediction of Zombie-Love didn't come true...yet, but they're cranking out another twilight film and apparently there's a fourth book out too.

The trailer for Eclipse has been released and here's the promo poster.

What will the saga hold in store next? To be fair you can probably make a decent guess.

Word of the post: Penchant –noun

a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.

Weekly Quote - W/E 6/3/10

2010-03-08T18:30:00.002Z

"Dear Mr Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress." - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling

Virtual Insanity

2010-03-02T13:16:00.003Z

More random reflection on life in the digital age. It's interesting how different my generation is to that of, say, my parents. Now of course all young folk follow different trend to that of their forebears, and maybe my perception is no different to previous generation's but I do feel that technology is widening the gap in how people of different ages approach the world.

One thing that has brought about significant change is automated checkouts. As Bill Bailey said 'you know, the one with two extra members of staff!' And this highlights the problem. Our local ASDA is well equipped with this stuff, sporting automated purchasing points for both goods and petrol.

Some older folks will avoid these and fear them - it is not part of their understanding and they would rather deal with a person. I tend to regard this as irrational and I'm easily irritated by the cautious pace people take with these devices and how they have to keep asking questions. 'It's obvious' I think, ;just read what it says on the screen'.

I think this is another generational element. People of my age, and tech savvy nerds who grew up on 'super calculators' in the seventies, are used to developing, changing technology and to adapting to it on the fly. We will readily fiddle, change, turn off and on again and keep going until it works while others are left browsing the instruction manual. That's not to say I can do everything, nor am I acquainted with even half the tech that's out there, and yeah it was confusing the first time I used the auto pump - but heck, it's a chip and pin device with a touch screen - I can use both of those, why not do it together!

Conversely though I guess I am afraid of something in the same scenario - I prefer to avoid the checkout now there's the option. If I mess something up I won't get embarrassed in front of a computer, a computer won't say something weird and expect a conversational reply, a computer won't judge me for my food purchases. Again, I have to admit I do sometimes enjoy conversations with people at the tills, but buying petrol from a person is something I will always avoid when I have the opportunity.

I might be better equipped for the modern world, but I do wonder which disposition is ultimately better or worse?

Word of the post: Pedagogy–noun,plural-gies.

1. the function or work of a teacher; teaching.

2. the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.

Weekly Quote - W/E 27/2/10

2010-02-27T11:52:00.002Z

"At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing below. It was as though freezing water was rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again...someone was screaming, screaming inside his head." - Harry Potter and the Pris0ner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling

The evolution of the hammock

2010-02-25T19:40:00.003Z

Digging through my old pictures again and I found this gem of teenage prankery, again taken on the youth camp in 2005.

I don't think anyone actually sat on it mind.

As we said at the time: 'It was the Badgers'

Word of the post: Gallimaufry –noun,plural-fries. Chiefly Literary.

a hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley.

a ragout or hash.

Origin:
1545–55; < class="ital-inline">galimafree kind of sauce or stew, prob. a conflation of galer to amuse oneself (see gallant) and Picard dial. mafrer to gorge oneself

Stuff I've read recently - 8

2010-02-23T10:17:00.002Z

OK not too bad a length of time since my last post, I actually bombed through one of my books because it was on loan from the library but got a bit slowed down on the others due to additional work commitments. But I got there and a long train journey helped me finish them off so here's a look at the books I've been reading since I last talked about reading books.

The Bible - God

I finished off Revelation. I've always loved that book. I still haven't got my head around half of it, but I don't think it's as big a stumbling block as we sometimes see it to be, it is after all a revelation - not a mystery! Revelation also gives you a grand scale of what's going on and of God's plans. You see that there is a war between good and evil, but also that the war has been won and that God will and does reign supreme - something important to remember. I've also done a two week overview on the life of Jesus, seeing how God achieved ultimate victory.

The Sovereignty of God - A.W. Pink

A very helpful book dealing with a central issue and it's impact on our lives. God is supreme ruler of all the universe, not one centimetre of it can escape him or is out of his control. All events are forseen and controlled by God and nothing is outside of His power. Do we accept that, and what does that mean for us? While slightkly dated the book has lost none of it's relevance or clarity on this and it has been helpful to think through the scope of God's sovereign power and what it changes for me.

Wolverine: Origin - Paul Jenkins

One of the most loved comic book characters gets his beginnings explored in this great graphic novel. The film differs significantly from this story, only the opening few scenes are similar. It travels far back in time, showing the real age of the character and how long he has lived due to his restorative mutation. There are a number of twists and turns as 'Logan' finds who he is and accepts his mutation. If you're a Marvel fan well worth a read.

Star Trek: Countdown - Roberto Orci et al

The prequel to the new Star Trek movie takes place long after the events of the film - of yeah it's typical head-bendy Sci-Fi stuff here. The novel deals with the events that kick start the film, namely the destruction of the Romulan homeworld and the catapulting of Spock and Nero back to before the time of the first Enterprise. The book follows Spock and the crew of a certain famous vessel-E as they attempt to save Romulus and stop the tragic events that follow. I got mine with my copy of the DVD, good read.

Halo: The Fall of Reach - Eric Nylund

I bought this book because of the upcoming game, though the plots will likely have little in common it seems from recent interviews. Nonetheless it is good to have already a sense of what the planet Reach is about and what it cost humanity when it fell. The book largely centres around the Spartans as they are trained and augmented from childhood to be the best hope for humanity. In terms of the eponymous battle the book centres largely on naval engagements, showing how outclassed the UNSC are in space, something you don't see much of in the games.

OK more onto my 'main' books now.

Stardust - Neil Gaiman

This was lent to me by a friend. I will say now that if you liked the film and are thinking of getting the book for your kids - don't! It is a good book and a great fairy tale, but it is for grownups most definitely. Having said that it is a fun, heartwarming tale with equal parts humour and action. The faerie world is superbly described and the narrative flows so well that you soon finish the book, not because you couldn't put it down, but rather because you hadn't realised that you didn't put it down!

God Emperor of Dune - Frank Herbert

The next in the Dune series is a chunky old book, but I still got it read thanks to the impending library deadline. It is a break in style from the previous books, not least of all because Dune has been transformed into a lush garden world with only a hint of the desert and the Fremen tradition remaining. Leto II has reigned for millenia unchallenged, genetically engineering and shaping humanity into a path that it struggles to escape, but one that will keep it from extinction. And in training his allies he also trains his deadliest enemies all to his purposes. A convoluted, but still interesting and exciting read.

The Men Who Stare At Goats - Jon Ronson

A superb book. I got this on offer after seeing the film. The book is the result of the author investigating the psychic spying agencies in America. Not only are they real, but they were authorised (though not publicised) by the highest levels in the military. After the depressing end to Vietnam, different approaches were needed, some of those approaches involved training men to psychically locate targets, walk through walls and kill a goat just by staring at it. It's all true, though how successful they were is up for debate, and what's more this is a driving force behind psychological operations used extensively in the present Iraq War - incredible but (at least partly) true!!

Well that's it for now, I've nearly finished another book so you may hear from me soon, but I've also got some classics to read, which may slow me down!

Word of the post: Hodgepodge –noun

a heterogeneous mixture; jumble.

Weekly Quote W/E 20/02/10

2010-02-20T09:00:00.001Z

"All alone it rose and looked across the marshes to the forest. The lonely mountain! Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it in the least." - The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien

Today's post is brought to you by...the letter D!

2010-02-18T11:06:00.004Z

That's right kids, this post is all about the letter D and also my blind fumbling into the world of music and bands and actually paying for music as opposed to streaming (not illegally downloading!!!) music from the web.

A while back I bough albums based on Red Hot Chilli Pepper's recommendations of 1. Buy bands your favourite bands like 2. by albums your friends like and 3. buy an album just 'cause you like the cover, and I accomplished all those goals. My music buying is still incredibly sporadic, though iTunes free single of the week has gotten me into new music such as Gaslight Anthem, Airborne Toxic Event and the XX, I'm also considering getting Temper Trap.

But now a new way has arisen to get me into more music, both new and old - alphabet CD buying!! My goals is to have one artist for each letter of the alphabet in my CD collection, and yes that does just show how limited my collection is. The first missing letter is, you guessed it...D!! I already have albums will the preceding letters,

A - Arcade Fire
B - Basement Jaxx
C - Coldplay

I considered a number of options, consulting with friends and browsing shelves. Contenders included Deep Purple and also contemporary electro bands Delphic and Does it Offend You Yeah? But in the end there was only one winner...

Dire Straits!

I've nodded along to so many of their songs at friend's houses and parties that I was, I think, always going to end up getting this band. I won't attempt to do their music justice by describing it other than to say it's great with many an iconic guitar riff found within.

The Album I got was a 'best of' - always a safe bet with a classic band. While my listening has largely consisted of playing 'Sultans of Swing' on repeat I have enjoyed the album and getting into less familiar (to me) songs such as 'Tunnel of Love'.

So there we go, where will my musical travels take me next...to HMV I'd imagine! I think the next missing letter is 'I' so chip in with suggestions.

Word of the post: Sentinel –noun

1.	a person or thing that watches or stands as if watching.

2.	a soldier stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack: to stand sentinel.

Weekly Quote - W/E 13/2/10

2010-02-16T13:43:00.002Z

"Women were expected to have weak opinions; but the great safeguard of society and of domestic life was, that opinions were not acted on. Sane people did what their neighbours did, so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them." - Middlemarch, George Eliot

Weekly Quote - W/E 06/02/10

2010-02-06T11:31:00.002Z

"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice - not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God, I am a Christian because of Owen Meaney." - A Prayer For Owen Meaney, John Irving

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 4

2010-02-05T18:06:00.002Z

With the fifth game now near to release I'm continuing my imaginary travels based on Sam Fisher's exploits in the first game of the series, after visiting Georgia the journey now takes him back to American soil.

Langley, Virginia

Country: U.S.A.
Area: 47.9 km2
Population: 38, 929
Language: English

Sam's next mission takes him to very dangerous ground, infiltrating the very headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency to gain information on the conspiracy going on within the government. The stealth element really ramps up in this mission as you are not supposed to be there at all, meaning you can't leave a trail of bodies behing, no matter how silently you dispatch them.

The name Langley is one I'm very familiar with from all the U.S. spy games and TV I've absorbed over the years, but I've very little other ideas about the place. For all intents and purposes the CIA HQ is the town's claim to fame. However it would still be great to go just to see the place and maybe get a tour of the ground floor or something. To be where secrets are held and important decisions are made would be an exciting thing I'm sure.

Other than that the town seems to be built up but fairly quiet and probably a pleasant place to visit. It is big enough to hold the publishing offices of USA Today, but from the scant information I've seen it's otherwise a leafy part of town which is good for a stroll after my exciting visit to CIA.

More soon.

Weekly Quote - W/E 30/1/10

2010-01-30T13:25:00.001Z

"You're not buying only junk, you're buying junked lives. And more - you'll see - you're buying bitterness. Buying a plow to plow your own children under, buying the arms and spirits that might have saved you." - The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck

Weekly Quote - W/E 23/1/10

2010-01-25T17:28:00.002Z

" ' But I don't want to go among mad people', Alice remarked.
'Oh you can't help that' said the cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice
'You must be' said the cat 'or you wouldn't have come here' " Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Cambridge 2005

2010-01-23T16:04:00.007Z

More random pics, these were taken on a visit to Cambridge in 2005 on a youth camp - I think it was the first time I'd been.

Weekly Quote - W/E 16/01/10

2010-01-16T11:34:00.001Z

"I've gone past my sell-by date already. It gets hopeless when you get older than five or six. You've stopped being a cute little toddler and started to be difficult. And I'm not pretty either." - The Story of Tracy Beaker, Jaqueline Wilson

White death from above!

2010-01-13T16:29:00.002Z

Aaaaaaah! It's still snowing, what are we going to do, how will we live...

oh wait, snow is actually quite fun, apparently you can build snowmen - even go sledging. Plus you get to stay off work (which is slightly less fun if you don't get paid I can say firsthand!) and be at home.

But oh no - it's a disaster according to the news as always, rather than five minutes of snowball fight footage and creating igloos we get the danger statistics, and if you're utterly cruel like ITV news, footage of a woman falling painfully after slipping on ice repeated in between every news item.

What I really hate is the bit where they do show the kiddies enjoying themselves and end with a pessimistic line like 'it might be fun for these youngsters, but many of us will be finding it hard to laugh this winter. Back to the studio." Euugh, leave 'em to their fun don't drag the innocent into your fearmongering!

Well these are unusual circumstances in that it has snowed on more than two consecutive occasions within the same month so that's panic stations for us, and a normal day for many many places in the world. But should the situation continue the BBC have issued some guidance.

The situation does give rise to some cool stuff like this classic image of what is now known as 'Frozen Britain'

Have fun out there everyone, and above all stay safe.

Word of the post: snow –noun

1.	Meteorology. a precipitation in the form of ice crystals, mainly of intricately branched, hexagonal form and often agglomerated into snowflakes, formed directly from the freezing of the water vapor in the air.

2.	these flakes as forming a layer on the ground or other surface.

3.	the fall of these flakes or a storm during which these flakes fall.

Weekly Quote W/E 09/01/10

2010-01-09T12:37:00.002Z

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buenida was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice." - One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A Christmas treat

2010-01-08T16:14:00.002Z

Another great moment from working with kids - this one during a Christmas concert - the reading is taken (phonetically) from the book of Matthew

'After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Maggie from the east came to Jerusalem'

Dontcha just love it?!!

Word of the post: Objective –noun

1.	something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target: the objective of a military attack; the objective of a fund-raising drive.

Weekly Quote W/E 02/02/10

2010-01-02T10:06:00.002Z

The first of 2010!

"I am become death" - Robert J. Oppenheimer

Had this one in my head for a while - fun one to start the year eh?

Merry New Year!

2010-01-01T12:36:00.002Z

OK so Christmas has been and stuff - I'm not good with the whole punctuality, Christmas for me is a time of year where I'm actually too busy to be on the internet and I regard that as healthy and a worthy goal.

I really enjoyed Christmas - a traditional family affair as always, though my inner five year old is always disappointed at the dwindling stack of presents you get as an adult, that and the lack of a LEGO moonbase or somesuch! But it was a really good time spent with friends and family.

The highlight was of course getting a white Christmas, something we hadn't had in a while. This was made all the more fun for me because of a South African family who have moved into our area and who hadn't seen snowfall before - so introducing them to snowball fights, sledging etc. made it all the more magical.

New year was ok, hung out with a mate and played a long game of poker - New Year's things are difficult for me generally as I'm not too fond of drunk people or fireworks so there aren't many events that I can access - but nonetheless we had a good time.

Right as always it's time to reflect and look back - so let's pick out some highlights of my year's blogging!

My first 'random picture post' - I've really enjoyed digging around the 'My Pictures' folder and posting stuff this year.

Splinter Cell World Tour - my imaginary travels around the world started here.

My 200th post landmark

Some Political Commentary

Digital Kid - one of my first posts to get some attention of Facebook

Blog Action Day - I kinds missed it this year, but it's an important event on the bloggosphere

OK enough of that - how about some reolutions - please bear in mind that I'm making these up right now so salt at the ready folks.

1. Blog more - duh!

2. I will not buy Xbox games for more than £30 unless it's a must buy now title like Halo: Reach

3. Be more organised, not losing bills and important paperwork like my driving license

4. Get a full-time job

5. Keep on top of my Coke[tm] addiction

That'll do - have a good decade folks!

Word of the post: Elongated

Made longer; extended.
Having more length than width; slender.

Weekly Quote - W/E 19/12/09

2009-12-21T09:57:00.002Z

"Tom had been offered the post of builder to the Exeter Castellan, repairing and improving the city's fortifications. It would have been a lifetime job, barring accidents, but Tom had turned it down, for he wanted to build another cathedral...once he had tasted that wine, Tom was never satisfied with anything else." - The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett

Weekly Quote - W/E 12/12/09

2009-12-12T09:47:00.002Z

"And I was going to sea myself, to sea in a schooner, with a piping boatswain and pig-tailed singing seamen, to sea, bound for an unknown island, and to seek for buried treasure." - Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

Snow through the ages - 2006

2009-12-10T18:07:00.005Z

Hmm, I thought I had more pictures than this, but either the snow's been unimpressive recently or I keep forgetting to take pictures - actually yeah - I think we made a snow bear in 2007 but I don't have photos on my computer so maybe that didn't happen - but anyway, in 2006 we got very creative with our snow.

Behold snowhenge!! This was meant to be a snowman, but after my sister and her friend used up all the snow in the garden, then make the 'body' by rolling snow down the entire length of our street resulting in a snowball about six feet tall and wide, there was no hope of moving the thing, let alone lifting it, so we cut the beast up and created snowhenge!!

We had had a coating several inches thick of snow, after this escapade -all that remained was...

Later on there was more snowfall and again opportunities for creativity - with my sister again heading up the creation - this was produced.

Mr Head - as he is affectionately known. Well that's it, if some white powdery snowball fodder falls this year I'll be sure to take a few pictures - word out people.

Word of the post: Quarantine –noun

1.	a strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

Word of the post:

2009-12-07T14:27:00.002Z

Abject

Thought I'd type it into Google images as well as Dictionary.com - see what I'd come up with, I was stuck for time!! Makes for a quick post when you've nothing else you can think of I guess.

–adjective

1.	utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched: abject poverty.

2.	contemptible; despicable; base-spirited: an abject coward.

3.	shamelessly servile; slavish.

4.	Obsolete. cast aside.

Weekly Quote - W/E 5/12/09

2009-12-05T09:44:00.001Z

"It's a grand country for a man to live and work in, and good money, too. But it's a crook place for a woman." - A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute

XX

2009-12-03T15:41:00.002Z

...is the name of a band.

I've no idea how it's meant to be said - 'ex-ex', 'double x', 'twenty'...

But they are pretty great as a band if you're after something a bit different. With quiet chilled-out songs and simple melodies they are easy to listen-to, but not easy-listening as you soon find yourself humming the songs, then remembering the words, then in a shop buying the album!

I'd definitely recommend them - here's the album cover for you to look out for and one of their songs to listen to as I'm not good at describing music.

Word of the post: Elegant –adjective

1. tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.
2. gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style: an elegant young gentleman; an elegant prosodist.
3. graceful in form or movement: an elegant wave of the hand.
4. appropriate to refined taste: a man devoted to elegant pursuits.
5. excellent; fine; superior: an absolutely elegant wine.
6. (of scientific, technical, or mathematical theories, solutions, etc.) gracefully concise and simple; admirably succinct.

Stuf I've read recently 7

2009-12-01T10:56:00.005Z

It has been a long time, even longer than usual since I did one of these, so long I barely remember writing about stuff I've read. It is mere weeks short of a whole year since I last posted so I'd better get cracking. In my defence I was on a very full-on teacher training course which barely left time to think, let alone read and I'm only just getting back into my already lax reading habits.

If you're my friend on Facebook you probably already know what I've been reading but on the off chance there's someone else reading here goes.

The Bible - God

My reading as taken me right through the rest of the New Testament up to Revelation, which I've just started reading. The letters of Paul, John and Peter are full of marvelous instruction and exploration of the truths told in the Gospel. To read the words of great Christian leaders to the real Christians of the day, all the while knowing that God is breathing his Scripture through them, intending it to be read by us is humbling and inspiring.

Holy Sonnets of the Twentieth Century - Don Carson

A collection of poems in the aforementioned form expounding on a number of topics from the Bible, each accompanied with relevant verses. A useful way to dip into the truths of scripture in an interesting and accessible form

Neverwhere (Graphic Novel adaptation) - Neil Gaiman

I really enjoyed this rather loopy tale of one man's journey into London's 'underworld' where the strangest characters dwell, unseen by the masses, and where there really are sheperds at sheperds bush and a key player in the world is an Angel called Islington. The idea of this fantasy world that is just beyong our own is magnificently portrayed and the characters are appropriately 'different' while also recognizable as heroes, villains etc. The story is also a clever exposition of homelessness as it discusses the people who live on the streets of London who we simply do not see.

Star Wars Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika - Mike Kennedy

A short side story about a quest by the Rebels, the Empire and a trio of rival Hutt lords, manipulated and controlled by their 'slaves' for a rare and powerful item called the Yavin Vassilika. Various hunters and smugglers are called in, including the notorious Boba Fett, and a pre-New Hope Han Solo - you can guess who wins but the story does have plenty of twists and surprises in the running.

Planetary Vol 1 and 2 - Warren Ellis

Planetary is a superb series which manages to merge many classic Sci-Fi elements into a completely original story. Expertly drawn by Jon Cassaday the story is about a group of supehero arhceologists who don't fight crime, battle supervillains or alien threats, though they have their fair share of action don't worry! They investigate the hidden world, all the thing that have gone on behind the scenes, the cover ups, the truth behind ghost stories, digging up interdimensional devises and travelling to monster filled islands all the while uncovering a larger consiparacy. Well worth reading for the intrigue, superb characters and giant space ants!!

The End League vol 1: The Ballad of Big Nothing - Rick Rememder

Another new take on the superhero genre, this time set in a post-apocalyptic world where millions of people have abilities and their human nature has made the vast majority cowards and villains who serve despotic leaders like Dead Lexington or the Smiling Man. Yet one band of heroes remains, hiding for the most part but striking against the darkness when they can - they are the End League. When the characters make one desperate attempt to do good they lose more than they can imagine, yet discover one thing that could give them hope - the hammer of Thor. The characters are familiar such as flying super-strength 'Astonishman' or spider based 'Arachnakid' but their setting is a far darker world and their story is new and powerful.

Call for the Dead - John Le Carre

I caught this in a John le Carre series on BBC radio with dramatisations and readings. I really enjoyed this first one, though I unfortunately lost track of the other broadcasts. The spy George Gently is very interesting as he is an older man, not attractive (he is referred to as frog in an interior dialogue with his ex-wife) and his main background was as a trainer of other agents. Yet this makes him more real in ways and the danger to him more potent. The story was well-written and captivating and worth a look at.

Doctor Who Short Trips: Indefinable Magic - Caleb Woodbridge et al

My first purchasing venture into Doctor Who fiction, I have picked up some free audio dramas but that's about it. I bought this because my friend Caleb is the author of one of the short stories collected in this volume. I really enjoyed this collection of stories with the various Doctor incarnations and companions with a wide variety of stories and adventures as well as different writing styles. If you want to 'dip in' to Doctor Who fiction, a collection of original adventures like this is a great way to start.

OK those are the books I picked up during the past almost year, here are the 'main books' I was reading, in addition to the Christian stuff.

Strange Places, Questionable People - John Simpson

The autobiography of one of the foremost foreign reporters in the world and of his tumultuous love affair with the BBC. The story goes from how he audaciously applied for a job he didn't believe he'd get and from then on carved a career in some of the most exciting and diverse aspects of news reporting. Through planning and large amount of luck he has found himself in the front line of many key conflicts and global events and his story provides as much insight into the changing world as does his broadcasting.

Children of Dune - Frank Herbet

The third book in the Dune series detailing the political and religious machinations of the desert world of Arrakis where giant worms produce the spice that is central to the economy of an Empire spanning many worlds. There has been ecological transformation on Dune, starting the transformation of it into a lush world, but this is slowly killing the worms and threatening the whole of the Empire. Leto and Ghanima, heirs tot he throne and born with all the memories of their anscestors hatch a desperate plan to move against the rulers and move the Empire on a new path. The Dune books are notoriously heavy, but once you get into them the detail and minutiae build up a remarkable world and an exciting story.

OK - that is actually it, my next post should come sooner because two of the books I'm reading are on loan!!

Word of the post: Fray –noun

1.	a fight, battle, or skirmish.

2.	a competition or contest, esp. in sports.

3.	a noisy quarrel or brawl.

Weekly Quote - W/E 28/11/09

2009-11-28T10:41:00.002Z

"It sometimes happens that a woman is handsomer at twenty-nine that she was ten years before; and, generally speaking, if there has been neither ill health nor anxiety, it is a time of life at which scarcely any charm is lost." - Persuasion, Jane Austen

What is it?

2009-11-24T10:20:00.005Z

It's a grass grater!!

One of the joys of working in a school is that the pupils say silly things - they say them because they're silly and don't known stuff, which is great fun! Unfortunately we have to teach them the right stuff, which is less fun sometimes!

Word of the post: Quizzical –adjective

1.	odd, queer, or comical.

2.	questioning or puzzled: a quizzical expression on her face.

3.	derisively questioning, ridiculing, or chaffing.

Weekly Quote - W/E 21/11/09

2009-11-21T17:04:00.002Z

"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." - Dune, Frank Herbert

Good book - I'm reading the sequels now.

Snow through the ages - 2004

2009-11-20T09:24:00.004Z

More in my epic series of 'pictures I've got lying around on my computer' posts, this time some pictures of the British joy of snow, we start off in 2004, where we had a fairly mild smattering of now, according to my pictures, though bear in mind these pictures were taken in the winter and we tend to get snow from March to April these days!!

November 04

A light smattering of snow on the ground - as I recall I took this to send on MSN to a friend as were were competing as to who had the biggest snow, while it was building up.

December 04

A slightly heavier shower of the white stuff descended on a car, but all in all '04 wasn't a fantastic year for snow, or at least the scant documentary evidence I have would suggest this - more snow and picture posts coming up - they get better honest!!

Word of the post: Quiz –noun

1.	an informal test or examination of a student or class.

2.	a questioning.

3.	a practical joke; a hoax.

Weekly Quote - W/E 14/11/09

2009-11-16T18:11:00.002Z

"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existance; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her." - Emma, Jane Austen

The Backwards Olympics

2009-11-12T20:53:00.002Z

I decided to test whether it is possible to find anything that pops into your head on YouTube - the evidence is fairly conclusive.

Word of the post: Noon –noun

midday.

2.	twelve o'clock in the daytime.

3.	the highest, brightest, or finest point or part: the noon of one's career.

4.	Archaic. midnight: the noon of night.

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 3

2009-11-10T11:06:00.002Z

To recap, the plan is to visit new and exciting locations in the world based on missions that appear in the award winning Splinter Cell video game series. I have no intention of repeating Sam Fisher's antics, but if carried out I would take a more leisurely approach to visiting these locations, especially this next one.

The Caspian Sea

Country: None
Area: 371,000 km²
Population: No fixed population
Language: N/A

Sam travels to the sea to infiltrate a meeting taking place on an oil rig by the nefarious parties uncovered in the Georgian missions. After clambering over, hanging under and crawling through an array of pipes he finally gets the proof he needs and after a short firefight escapes back to base. Not quite what I plan to do though meeting the oil industry in some form is likely as most of the neighbouring countries have significant interests in it's mineral wealth with full towns being built around mining operations.

Again this is a location I'd like to visit because I know very little about it, I knew about it, but mainly because it shares it's name with a certain Narnian prince! The landlocked mass would also be a fascinating place to visit due to the number of cross-cultural links it creates and the diversity of it's ecology.

The sea is home to a numbers of sub-species unique to it's location such as sturgeon, which are in danger because of overfishing for caviar and it's other species such as the Caspian seal are also in danger from overfishing and environmental changes.

The areas surrounding the sea also have a diverse range of environments such as the mining towns, scrub land and even dense forests which would be fascinating to explore. I can't tell you much more as the main interests in the area seem to be mining, but I'm sure there would be plenty to explore!!

Well, that's it for now - where will I go next I wonder?

Word of the post: Frenetic –adjective

frantic; frenzied.

Weekly Quote - W/E 07/11/09

2009-11-07T17:08:00.002Z

" 'You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair', said Anne reproachfully. 'People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble it is. Mrs Thomas told me that God made my red hair on purpose, and I've never cared about him since' " - Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

A Bad Day at Work

2009-11-07T11:57:00.001Z

Possibly the ultimate bad day at work captured in this video, it seems that no one was hurt otherwise National Accident Helpline would be having an early Christmas party!!

The video also features a cool baseketball goal and a prank on Taylor swift, enjoy or ignore the commentary as you will.

Word of the post: Blasé –adjective

indifferent to or bored with life; unimpressed, as or as if from an excess of worldly pleasures.

Weekly Quote W/E 31/10/09

2009-11-02T16:52:00.002Z

"Fiver sat trembling and crying among the nettles az Hazel tried to reassure him. If he was terrified, why did he not run for safety, as any sensible rabbit would?But Fiver could not explain and only grew more and more distressed." - Watership Down, Richard Adams

Weekly Quote - W/E 24/10/09

2009-10-26T10:29:00.002Z

"And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of daisy's dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He di not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night." - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Blog Action Day 09

2009-10-17T13:14:00.002Z

OK completely missed this one - a sign of my hardened heart and less caring about the world or a portent of my making less use of my hotmail account - you be the judge!!

For those not in the know Blog Action Day is an annual event where bloggers all over the world post on a single topic, a different issue is picked each year, always something that has a global impact, such as poverty.

This year's topic was Climate Change, and from all accounts the day was a success - I'll hopefully be up for it next year, but I'll spare you the half-hearted posting that I could make and instead link you to some of the posts highlighted by the team.

Some of the bloggers included

Gordon Brown

The White House

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Have fun reading!!

Word of the post: August –adjective

1.	inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity or grandeur; majestic: an august performance of a religious drama.

2.	venerable; eminent: an august personage.

Weekly Quote W/E 17/10/09

2009-10-17T11:28:00.002Z

"I would fight a duel for a trifle, for an insult, for a blow; and the more so that, thanks to my skill in all bodily exercises, and the indifference to danger I have gradually acquired, I should be almost certain to kill my man.' - The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexander Dumas

Gandalf - no, not that one.

2009-10-13T14:28:00.017Z

Here are a few images of my snake, who I had for many years. He was a Garter Snake from America and I had him because he was the only reptile my Mum would allow because he didn't eat dead mice or chicks as most lizards and snakes seem to do!!

As most snakes are he was quite solitary but it was fun to watch him slide gracefully around his tank and we got to do some fun things to - here are some pictures of him enjoying his favourite hobby, swimming in the bath!

One real advantage to having a snake was that you got to see cool things happen, like the flickering tongue as he prowled around. Another cool thing was that they shed their skin, leaving behind a fun memento for you to keep as an owner. Snakes usually use something to help them 'slough' as it is called, in this case a rock and a toilet role tube we used to add a bit of environment and variety to his tank, we also used palm trees from an old 'Tracy Island' set!!

Incidentally I named him Gandalf before the films came out, so definitely a case of 'before it was cool!' for the ol' snake.

Word of the post: Vapid –adjective

1.	lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat: vapid tea.

2.	without liveliness or spirit; dull or tedious: a vapid party; vapid conversation.

Weekly Quote W/E 10/10/09

2009-10-12T09:44:00.002Z

" 'It is required of every man,' the ghost returned, 'that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death.' " - A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

Unlimited Bowling

2009-10-09T11:40:00.002Z

Yesterday I rediscovered the joy of unlimited bowling. I hadn't hit the lanes for quite a while, partly because of business and partly because the prices have skyrocketed over the past year or so to make a game of bowling a rare occasion if at all attempted.

Now having time (and fortuntely money) on my hands I decided to hit the lanes with a friend during the day time and see how much we could get out of the Unlimited bowling.

For those unfamiliar with the concept it runs like this: you pay a set price and for that you get three games of bowling, but if the lanes are still available (and if you go just after lunch like I did they usually are!) you can keep on playing until the bowl gets busy.

We expected to pay around the usual price for three games (an extortionate £13!!) but actually got the deal for £9, which was quite good we felt. We carried on for a record 18 games straight, giving us a value of 50p per game!! It was great fun and after a shaky start we managed to recover form and averaged about 100 points a game with my top score being 130, still shy of my personal best 170!

Anyway, if you're free in the day time it might be worth checking out - there are also discounts for booking online which I hadn't noticed before, which also give pretty good prices.

Well better go now - my hand and arm are really achy!!

Weekly Quote W/E 03/10/09

2009-10-03T09:49:00.001Z

"A resolution to avoid an evil is seldom framed till the evil is so far advanced as to make avoidance impossible." - Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

Dreamscape

2009-10-02T08:46:00.002Z

Well on my degree we did look at dreams and how they can inspire and reveal stuff about your psyche and all that. I don't often dream, or at least I don't often remember my dreams, and usually they're just nightmares about having to repeat my teacher training or somesuch. Anyhoo I have had one or two more interesting REM sessions of late and I thought I might share some with you to fill the void between quotes - so here's one I had recently: I've added my own thoughts as to the mystic interpretation.

I was starting a new job, which I didn't really know anything about (1), nor did my colleagues, who seemed to be mostly made up of old school friends of mine. It was hard to keep up with the talk and demands of our boss who seemed to be, for all intents and purposes, Ricky Gervais. (2)

We were all sent to meet up at a location to start work, but I wasn't really paying attention when the directions were given out and everyone scattered before I could ask for a lift. I got into my car, trying to remember where to go. I drove off and in a guess I entered STOKE into my Sat Nav - which also activated the Hyperdrive in my car, transporting me there instantly (3)

Once I arrived in Stoke it was clear this was not the place, I drove around to check, then phoned one of my friends to get directions. It actually turned out that we were on some kind of farm in an obscure Welsh village (one beginning with 'Llan') and I tried to hide my lateness, but of course with hyperdrive technology even being slightly late was big trouble with the boss.

Soon after I woke up!

Interpretations:

(1) I am currently unemployed
(2) I watched The Office and Night at the Museum recently
(3) Star Wars and Mass Effect have a lot to answer for!

Word of the post: Facet –noun

1.	one of the small, polished plane surfaces of a cut gem.

2.	a similar surface cut on a fragment of rock by the action of water, windblown sand, etc.

3.	aspect; phase: They carefully examined every facet of the argument.

Weekly Quote W/E 26/9/09

2009-09-26T10:14:00.001Z

"Outside, the garden was drowned in a blue light, heavy with the scent of stock. An eyelash of a moon hung in the sky. Far below, on the beach, the sea whispered." - The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher

iStuff

2009-09-24T19:01:00.004Z

OK so I'm having fun with this iGoogle business after I decided to get myself a brand spanking new Gmail account, mostly because my other e-mail addresses are very random an not the most suitable for contacting prospective employers with!

The iGoogle page you can get with your account is pretty fun too. I can now read blogs, while checking my mail, and look at the weather while deciding whether the 'word of the day' is suitable for a blog post. Having all these things together makes it much easier and it's quickly become my homepage.

One thing I like is having 'themes' to the page, you can decorate your homepage with themes on a range of topics, from comic books to TV shows to gardening. These things go across the top and bottom of your page and look something like this.

What I like is having 'Theme of the Day' which changes and features a new, often famous, designer. I've mostly had bands and female fashion feature as themes, but it is a fun way to discover new things.

One thing I have discovered and enjoyed is Scott Draves, a software artist who uses 'fractals' and computer algorithms to create art. An ongoing project is 'Electric Sheep' where home computers network together in a type of SETI project to create branching and developing algorithms to propogate and continue the artwork, creating new and exciting pieces. I don't quite understand how it works, but the results are stunning.

Word of the post: Taciturn- adjective saying little, especially usually

Weekly Quote W/E 19/09/09

2009-09-22T08:57:00.003Z

"She...pushed back the door which opened slowly...then she slipped through it, and shut it behind her, and stood with her back against it, looking about her and breathing quite fast with excitement, and wonder, and delight." - The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

Under Water

2009-09-21T11:04:00.006Z

Struggling for ideas so I'll resort to pictures. These are some pictures I took in the Blue Planet Aquarium on my 22nd Birthday. They're not great (Tim!) But they are interesting and show off the cool underwater tunnel which features a moving floor so you can observe the ocean life while being carried along.

Hope you enjoyed!

Word of the post: Defunct –adjective

1.	no longer in effect or use; not operating or functioning: a defunct law; a defunct organization.

2.	no longer in existence; dead; extinct: a defunct person; a defunct tribe of Indians.

Weekly Quote W/E 12/09/08

2009-09-12T17:09:00.002Z

"Life was such a wheel that no man could stand upon it for long. And it always, at the end, came round to the same place again." - The Stand, Stephen King

Digital Kid

2009-09-12T09:31:00.002Z

I've become aware over time that I really am a product of the digital age; blogging, e-mail and the internet are the norm for me and are more present in my lifestyle. One factor in particular has made this clear...

I'm rubbish at sending letters!!

I can write them OK, though I rarely do - it's the posting them part I get stuck on and when there's a parcel, letter or document that needs Royal delivery I have to ask for help! I'm not a complete ignoramus - I do know how to get envelopes and seal them and can find my local post office fine and even use the red box!

But where the address goes, what corner to put the stamp in - no idea whatsoever. I know they both need to go on the envelope, but each time I try to put pen to paper I know it's in the wrongf place and eventually I have to give up and get help, usually from a family member, but hey there might be some online!!

Yes there is!

But it does worry me about our progress as a nation. I'd say I was one of the first generation of the digital age. The internet, e-mail and all the rest of it were invented during my childhood and teenage years so I grew up and adapted to this technology as it came out. Children are now growing up with e-mail and internet as the norm before they were even born, they are taught to use e-mail in primary school and half of the year 5 class I was working with recently had Facebook accounts. What will posting a letter mean to these people, who won't even have contact with a post office unless they buy sweets there?

strange times huh?

Word of the post: Redundant –adjective

1.	characterized by verbosity or unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas; prolix: a redundant style.

2.	being in excess; exceeding what is usual or natural: a redundant part.

3.	having some unusual or extra part or feature.

Single of the Week

2009-09-09T11:14:00.004Z

I've posted before about my hesitancy to spend money on music, especially music that's not already familiar to me and that I'm comfortable with. I've also mentioned Single of the Week when I stated that I'd bought an album by The Gaslight Anthem after downloading a free single through iTunes.

I'm really getting into this iTunes business and I'm enjoying being able to download new music at no cost or damage to myself. Bands I encountered first through this medium are starting to make a name for themselves in the charts, bands such as Friendly Fires being notable, and chart topping debuts such as Empire of the Sun have also featured.

I'd really recommend it as a way to explore new music, you may download a song and hate it - so what, delete it then, it cost you nothing. I've got a stack of songs I never listen to because they don't appeal. I've also got several I like listening to, but wouldn't stretch to buying, that's the beauty of the system, not to mention it's 100% legal and promoted by the bands themselves. You downloading their free song raises their profile and makes them more money, so you aren't harming the muic industryt at all - in fact the reverse.

And once in a while you come across something that you realise you just have to get your hands on. I find this quite an organic process. I download all these songs and leave them on iTunes, I listen to iTunes and over time a song will stick out, one that I want to play over again each time I log on, eventually becoming a favourite, after this I start keeping my eyes open for it on the shelves and CD racks (I'm a purist).

You guessed the fact that I found a band - the group I like are The Airborne Toxic Event. I liked the single 'Sometime Around Midnight' for a while, but unfortunately couldn't get the album in HMV or my usual haunts. I eventually dug it up in an indie music shop in Cambridge and it's fast becoming a favourite.

I won't attempt a review, instead I'll let you hear for yourselves.

Another single that's growing on me is 'Crystalized' by The XX. I'm finding I flick to that song every time I open iTunes, I suspect it will be bought as I can see it on the shelves more commonly and as soon as money comes in as well as out I'd imagine I'll pounce on it quick! Another band I'm enjoying are Solid Gold. I might post up some songs, but I don't want to clog things up so I'll leave it there for now - check them out online.

Word of the post: Heuristic –adjective

1. serving to indicate or point out; stimulating interest as a means of furthering investigation.
2. encouraging a person to learn, discover, understand, or solve problems on his or her own, as by experimenting, evaluating possible answers or solutions, or by trial and error: a heuristic teaching method.
3. of, pertaining to, or based on experimentation, evaluation, or trial-and-error methods.

Weekly Quote W/E 05/09/09

2009-09-05T10:33:00.000Z

"Are we not all flung into the world only to hate each other, and therefore to torment ourselves and others?" - Ana Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

Another Souvenir

2009-08-31T15:50:00.002Z

Jus' fillin' the spaces with some imagery y'know?

This is a train ticket from a trip to Liverpool, I like these 'cause they remind me of my student days there, and even though it's rubbish (my last journey had a 40 minute delay!) the train journey is enjoyable and gets me all nostalgic so every now and again I like to keep a ticket, or even photograph it to remind me of the time I had - and it's nice to share so what the hey. What do your train tickets look like, is this standard for you - post a comment or a blog post.

Word of the post: Frugal –adjective

1.	economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.

2.	entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

Weekly Quote W/E 22/08/09

2009-08-22T11:42:00.002Z

That time again already?!!

" 'How much do Giants sleep?' Sophie asked.
'They is never wasting much time sozzling,' the BFG said, 'two or three hours is enough.'
'When do you sleep?' Sophie asked.
'Even less' the BFG answered. 'I is sleeping only once in a blue baboon.' " - The BFG, Roald Dahl

Weekly Quote W/E 15/08/09

2009-08-15T08:41:00.002Z

Finally found my quote book - in a pile as expected! I'm not gonna bother trying to catch up on the ones I've missed, but I'll just carry on with the next quote in the book.

"But with a lake as big as a small sea, a fourteen-foot dinghy with a brown sail waiting in the boathouse, and the little wooded island waiting for explorers, nothing but a sailing voyage of discovery seemed worth thinking about." - Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome

This man should not be in parliament!!

2009-08-14T10:26:00.004Z

Oh dear! I hear you say, with a weary sigh, what is it now?

More obscene expenses?

Another parliamentary sex scandal?

Quasi-racist policies?

No, I recently came across a report featuring a Lib Dem MP and immediately decide that parliament was not the place for him.

Why? Well because he has the coolest freakin' name ever!! A name that should only be reserved for elite military operatives or members of a superhuman rescue team. And so I believe this man should reign his commision as MP for Twickenham because he is the one, the only...

What a guy!! With Vince Cable as a driving force for the Libs, who knows, maybe Kal-El will rise up to be Conservative leader!!

Word of the post: Formative –adjective

1.	giving form or shape; forming; shaping; fashioning; molding: a formative process in manufacturing.

2.	pertaining to formation or development: a child's most formative years.

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 2

2009-07-30T11:24:00.004Z

OK so I've got this idea of visiting the world through the medium of Splinter Cell...actually I've already done that, but I mean using the missions in Splinter Cell as a way of choosing which places in the world I could visit - for more details read my first post, which isn't too far down the page.

After evading Agents with Magnums in one hand and curiously large syringes in the other in Maryland it would make sense to stay in America and visit more locations, and if this thing ever happens that's what I would do, but for now I'll stick to the order they come in the game.

With the fifth game announced and looking incredible this idea is even more exciting, but for now I'll continue with the journey of the Stealth Action game that wowed us all.

Tbilisi

Country: Georgia
Area: 726 km2
Population: 1,480,000
Language: Georgian

In Sam Fisher's first mission for Third Echelon he is sent to Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. A covert operative within the government has gone dark and Sam is sent to investigate, the trail leads to dead bodies and a lot of suspicion that opens the doorway into a wider conspiracy.

You tour the city, keeping to the shadows and taking down guards and enemies silently. After the initial investigation you go to the Georgian Defense Ministry in the city to investigate the connection between the country's president and a Russian mercenary. The ministry is an impressive building and possibly worth a visit, but I think I'd settle for the guided tour rather than entering by the roof!

Tbilisi is a city I'd be particularly interested in visiting as it's one that gave me this idea. I would probably not even have heard of Tbilisi if it wasn't for Splinter Cell, and it's the way that it's widened my understanding of the world that would make me very interested in visiting Georgia and it's capital.

Aside from that I know little about Tbilisi, other than the South Ossetia war with Russia of last year. I've briefly learned that it has a democratic government due to one of the largest and most successful non-military coups of recent times in 2003. It also boasts a large amount of architecture some unsanctioned, it will soon host two of the largest skyscrapers in the region and already holds some fascinating buildings like the Roads Ministry Building, which I'd love to see.

And there we are - the second stop on my Splinter Cell tour; where will we go next?

Word of the post: Curry —Idiom

curry favor, to seek to advance oneself through flattery or fawning: His fellow workers despised him for currying favor with the boss.

curry (v.)

c.1290, "to rub down a horse," from Anglo-Fr. curreier "to curry-comb a horse," from O.Fr. correier "put in order, prepare, curry," from con- intens. prefix + reier "arrange," from a Gmc. source. The surviving sense of curry favor is c.1510, altered by folk etymology from curry favel (c.1400) from O.Fr. correier fauvel "to be false, hypocritical," lit. "to curry the chestnut ('fawn-colored') horse," which in medieval Fr. allegories was a symbol of cunning and deceit.

I can't find my quote book!

2009-07-21T15:06:00.003Z

Right, I am now in possession of both time and a life so expect my return to semi-frequent posting on the blog, as opposed to the very much infrequent posting there has been of late.

I hope all readers are well and I courteously extend an invitation for you all to turn your eyes this way once more and I'll share a thing or two with you.

I don't have anything in particular to relate at this moment, rather I simply announce that I am back on the scene. I don't even have my book do my weekly wuotes, but at the very least I can at least post for you my

Word of the post: Boring –adjective

causing or marked by boredom: a boring discussion; to have a boring time.

She lives!

2009-07-02T15:57:00.002Z

You might be excused for thinking that this blog is dead but honestly she's not and I have been tapping into the bloggosphere every now and again to read the words of friends and fellow bloggers.

I am at an extremely busy and stressful time in my life, more so than I have ever experienced before. I have a few more weeks and then I will be free to enjoy the sunshine...and when the inevitable thunderstorm breaks I'll be right back to fill your otherwise empty lives with my words and thoughts.

I can't find my quotey book at the moment so I can't even give you one of the quotes, but I'll state some of the things I've been enjoying in the scant free moments that I have:

Halo Wars/ Mass Effect/ Prototype, these video games are great fun and provide that challenge and enjoyment that can fill that half an hour slot when I'm just too tired to do anything else.

The return of Ugly Betty: one of the best shows ever is back on channel 4, why o why do I have to work?!!!

Glastonbury: I checked out the Pendulum gig, which was off the hook, and also got treated to Gaslight Anthem being supported by Bruce Springstein, legendary!! If you can access iPlayer check it out now!!

See you soon I hope

Another Relic

2009-05-25T18:13:00.000Z

I thought I'd already posted this, but I couldn't see it so I thought I'd share this old time container for media goods from a certain outlet that is sadly no longer with us, leaving one dog based giant controlling the media market. Their stores seem for the moment, untouched, as if no one wants to remove the relic or disturb the memory of happier times. I'm going to hold on to this bag in case the day comes when the signs are torn down and we can no longer reminisce about price comparisons or, if you are old enough, about how Virgin stores used to occupy that space - lamentable times, lamentable times indeed.

I'll commemorate this with a weekly quote

"It's no use; men are the strongest, and if they are cruel and have no feeling, there is nothing that we can do, but just bear it in and on to the end. I wish the end would come." - Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

And for good measure:

Word of the post: Cognizant –adjective
1.
having cognizance; aware (usually fol. by of): He was cognizant of the difficulty.

Another Weekly Quote Double

2009-05-16T10:13:00.003Z

There may be some free time on the horizon, keep a weather eye...

"It wasn't a person but a principle that I killed! I killed the principle, but I didn't step over it, I remained on this side of it...all I was able to do was to kill. And the way it's turning out, it seems I didn't even manage to do that...the principle?!"

"The more cunning a man is, the simpler the trap he must be caught in" - Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

200

2009-05-04T13:52:00.002Z

Well I've made it - a landmark in my blogging - 200 posts! For some of my compadres it may be a distant landmark, noting a time so far back on the horizon it's barely worth noting - but it is a landmark nonetheless and one of which I'm proud. I'm impressed that the blog has stayed on this long and has actually grown and developed a bit since I started the project. Weekly Quotes have managed to pad out the content and I hope provided some interesting posts and I have managed to vary the content a bit and not just have sparsely populated long ranty things as I did in the early days.

Well I wasn't sure what to do to commemorate this occasion, I've done a recap of favourite things before and I felt something new was needed, so I decided to let Google do the talking and see what happened when I typed in '200' - here are some of the results I found.

Wikipedia - the year 200 A.D.

Wikipedia - the number 200

WiseGeek - What does 200 calories look like?

The Register - Minnesota want to ban access to 200 gambling sites

Brunel200 - Celebrating 200 years since the birth of Isenbard Kingdom Brunel

Actually some pretty interesting stuff eh?

I'll finish with an apology for lack of content, life is particularly busy at the moment and blogging is unfortunately one thing I don't have much time for I'm afraid to say so you won't hear much from me for the next few weeks. I'm glad we managed to reach this milestone, but I'm not sure how much further we'll progress until life returns to normal - I'll try and keep up with weekly quotes, though I may have to do some double posts like this one...

"We don't become Geisha so our lives will be satisfying. We become Geisha because we have no other choice." - Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden.

"Maybe if things would be different for them, better... Maggie forced herself to believe that things would be better for the children, otherwise what was the point of it all?" - Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Blackman.

And I'll finish with a traditional...

Word of the post: Infinity –noun, plural -ties.

1.	the quality or state of being infinite.

2.	something that is infinite.

3.	infinite space, time, or quantity.

4.	an infinite extent, amount, or number.

5.	an indefinitely great amount or number.

Mathematics.

a.	the assumed limit of a sequence, series, etc., that increases without bound.

b.	infinite distance or an infinitely distant part of space.

Photography.

a.	a distance between a subject and the camera so great that rays of light reflected from the subject may be regarded as parallel.

b.	a distance setting of the camera lens beyond which everything is in focus.

Weekly Quote - W/E 11/04/09

2009-04-11T11:21:00.002Z

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known." - A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens.

Splinter Cell World Tour, part 1

2009-04-10T16:04:00.003Z

I had this kinda random idea of going on a world tour, visiting the locations that come up in the Splinter Cell games. For those that don't know Splinter Cell is a game based on very advanced counter terrorism, particularly in the area of cyber terrorism that takes the her around the world using gadgets, stealth and a good ol' fashioned hunting knife to stop the bad guys and save the world in the very near future. The game features a wide variety of locations, some fictional, but all grounded in realism and I thought it might be fun to visit some of these places that I've only heard of from the game and others I already know about but would like to visit anyway.

It'll probably never happen - certainly not soon so I thought I'd post about them in the meantime, so here's the first one:

Fort Meade, Maryland.

I don't think the location of the training missions is explicitly revealed, and I don't think I'd ever be able to get into whatever top secret techno-bunker they used to train Sam Fisher if it ever did exist so I think going to the National Security Agency Headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland would be the closest thing to that since Third Echelon (the fictional agency Sam works for) are a department of that organization.

I don't know if they give guided tours there or if it's even possible to get past the car park without being shot by spy satellites, but it'd be worth going just to see the place from which one of the most powerful and well equipped agencies in the world runs it's operations. I've always quite fancied a trek to America, but there's a ton of locations to visit on the vast nation it'd be hard to think of which to visit - but this one wouldn't be a bad one to put on the list so I'm thinking this tour might be a good idea, as long as I could squeeze in Central Park and maybe San Diego Comic Con.

There's also a few other American spy based locations on the first game's list and realistically I'd visit them before setting off to anywhere else, but as we're going about this trip virtually so I'll stick to going in chronological order and set out to somewhere interesting next time, but for now I'll leave you with a map of all Fisher's visits so far to give you a hint of where this journey might take us.

Word of the post: Exponential –adjective

1.	of or pertaining to an exponent or exponents.

Mathematics.

a.	of or pertaining to the constant e.

b.	(of an equation) having one or more unknown variables in one or more exponents.

–noun

Mathematics.

a.	the constant e raised to the power equal to a given expression, as e³ ^x, which is the exponential of 3x.

b.	any positive constant raised to a power.

Weekly Quote W/E 04/04/09

2009-04-04T20:31:00.001Z

"I did it all to myself, I have no one else to blame. And I cannot regret one single moment of it." - The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough

Weekly Quote W/E 28/03/09

2009-03-28T20:57:00.002Z

"Only one creature could have duplicated the expressions on their faces and that would be a pidgeon who has heard not only that Lord Nelson has got down off his column but has also been seen buying a 12-bore repeater and a box of cartridges." - Mort, Terry Pratchett

Say hello to my leedle friend

2009-03-25T19:17:00.001Z

This is a tale of love and friendship.

Buying Christmas presents for people is always awkward, but not quite as awkward as recieving them. When you've sadly passed the stage where a pile of Lego will no longer cut it you have to start thinking of what people might get you that you want, don't already have and is within reasonable price paramaters.

My friend and I were at such a loss last Christmas and in a desperation fueled stupour I decided I wanted a green Elephant which feasted on Jelly Babies...but only the green ones (obviously). Many more such jokey requests were made over the course of the evening with no real solution in sight.

But a few weeks later we had a party and a 'Secret Santa' where we had to buy a cheap novelty present for a random friend. I bought a giant (functional) pen as I recall - and my friend bought/made me this:

In't that brilliant! I'm liking this random photo with a story behind it stuff - watch out for more

Word of the post: Shuffle - –verb (used without object)

1.
to walk without lifting the feet or with clumsy steps and a shambling gait.

Weekly Quote W/E 14/03/09

2009-03-14T21:05:00.001Z

"The children jumped over the ditch and walked through the wood, down the paths they knew so well. The wood was full of fairy folk going about their buisness. They took no notice of the children." - The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton

Weekly Quote - W/E 07/03/09

2009-03-10T16:48:00.002Z

"Think what it would be like if you got back to your island and there was no old man, no girl any more. No mysterious fun and games. The whole place locked up forever. It's finished. Finished. Finished." - The Magus, John Fowles