Sociable Geek

The originality of Avatar

2010-01-12T08:54:00.002Z

Always thought it was more like Dances With Wolves in space, but the Pocahontas claim is just funnier.

Source: http://failblog.org

River Lagan frozen over this morning

2010-01-09T11:54:00.001Z

Lough Fea frozen, part ii

2010-01-03T00:43:00.001Z

Snow on the Sperrins

2010-01-03T00:41:00.001Z

Lough Fea frozen over

2010-01-03T00:38:00.001Z

Apple sceptics cut to the core

2009-08-19T07:54:00.003+01:00

Discovered the article below this morning. Can't overlook some 'news' to balance out the usual clutter we get from the 'Cult of Apple'.

Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible To Most Loyal Of Customers
SAN FRANCISCO—In a move expected to revolutionize the mobile device industry, Apple launched its fastest and most powerful iPhone to date Tuesday, an innovative new model that can only be seen by the company's hippest and most dedicated customers.

"I am proud today to introduce to those who really, truly deserve it, our most incredible iPhone yet," announced Apple CEO Steve Jobs, extending his seemingly empty left palm toward the eagerly awaiting crowd. "Not only is this our lightest and slimmest model ever, but as any truly savvy Apple customer can clearly see, it's also the most handsome product we've ever designed."

The packed auditorium, which had been listening to Jobs in hushed reverence for several minutes, then erupted into applause, with hundreds of men and women suddenly jumping to their feet and shouting, "I can see it!" "Look, there it is!" and "God, it's so beautiful!"

Screams of "Of course, yes, I too can see the phone," were also heard at this time.

According to Apple, the new iPhone 3GI boasts significant hardware and software upgrades, superior processing speeds, and a multi-touch interface that provides those who are "cool enough" with a rich user experience. The wide-screen display reportedly also features the most brilliant colors and finest resolution ever imagined.

"The new 3GI is as light as air," said Apple senior vice president Philip Schiller, reaching inside an empty display case, apparently to remove the mobile device. "See how thin that is? It's like it's not even there."

"Those who really understand what we do here at Apple are going to love this new product," Schiller continued. "Unless, you know, they happen to be totally lame."

Retailing for $599, the iPhone 3GI offers only the most special Apple consumers—the ones who believe in the company more than anything else in the world, and who would never, ever dream of questioning it—the ability to open dozens of powerful applications at once. In addition, the new multimedia device will provide true Apple fans with a high-definition video camera, one-tap editing with Final Cut Pro, and cut and paste.

Like thousands of others, New York resident Kelly Delaney called in sick to work so that she could join the line outside the Apple Store's trendy SoHo location days before the 3GI went on sale.

"Oh my God, I can't believe how much faster you can get online with this," said Delaney, who exited the store holding a cupped hand up to her ear and yelling into her wrist about how wonderful the new phone was. "The reception is so clear, and you can pretty much get a signal no matter where you go."

"Hold on a sec," continued Delaney, suddenly shaking her hand up and down. "I think my battery is dying."

According to Apple, the new iPhone launched in 22 countries and sold a record-breaking 8 million units on its first day.

"The selection of colors is amazing," said Paul Conrad, a Fairfield, VA native who purchased phones in black, white, and silver. "Not only does it look awesome, but it can do pretty much anything you want as long as you believe in it."

"The AppleCare Plan doesn't cover dropping your phone, though, so I'd recommend buying one of these designer protective cases," Conrad added.

While the new iPhone has been greatly admired and widely touted for its impressive voice and data communication capabilities, some Americans remain skeptical.

"Daddy isn't talking into anything at all," said 4-year-old Ella Conrad, pointing at her father, Paul, who has been obsessively staring at, playing with, and customizing the invisible phone since purchasing it Monday. "Daddy's pretending to be on hold with an operator."

Capt Kirk is climbing a mountain. Why?

2009-08-11T07:58:00.002+01:00

Today's WTF moment comes courtesy of professional headcase William Shatner:

It is bloody catchy though!

GI JOE

2009-08-09T12:31:00.002+01:00

Fans of dumb action movies rejoice, the definitive no-brainer of 2009 has arrived.

GI JOE is by all accounts a bloody great big mess of a movie, but depending on your age and your take, it’ll either be the greatest car crash ever committed to celluloid or a depressing realisation that you’ve lost £5 and two hours of your day.

Had this 12A production been released 6 years ago you’d be forgiven for thinking that Team America was a virtual shot-for-shot parody. The fact GI JOE comes some 5 years after the puppet-driven comedy underlines just one of its big problems, its completely out of step with modern cinema.

Cartoon pantomime styling, gung-ho over the top action, lack of basic character, acting (amazingly) more wooden than Team America and a storyline declared MIA from the opening scenes; GI JOE’s entire mission could be condensed to a one line briefing ‘Blow shit up’.

And it does. Without panache, intelligence, heart, intrigue, drama or complexity. Shit gets blown up. A lot!

The fact that the audience doesn’t really know why seems to be exactly the point of the movie. The opening credit says it all ‘Based on Hasbro's G. I. Joe ® Characters'. The many big, prolonged action sequences have the feel of a five year old playing with his action figures dreaming up more creative ways to bash big bits of plastic off little bits of plastic – just because it’s cool.

If you find yourself in the mood for a movie that’s big, over the top, brain-dead and as noisy as hell – then you’ll love this. Likewise if you’re under 12 years of age.

Everyone else, get ready for 118 minutes of butt-numbing madness as the big toys hit the little toys and the merchandise lines get ready for deployment.

Newcastle United: administration's whatcha need!

2009-08-08T12:55:00.004+01:00

Ahh first day of the football season. Normally a day for unbridled optimism, excitement and the quiet belief that this year your team might just go one step beyond. That is, unless you're a Newcastle United fan.

These days heads ae buried in hands and the only surprises coming involve things somehow getting even worse. No manager, no new players, no sign of a new owner and ever increasing stagnation in the current set up. Call me a radical but at this stage I'd happily accept the club going into administration right now if it meant that the criminally incompetent regime now in charge were sent packing.

Ok, there's be a 10 point deduction and a fire sale of all the players to be accepted. But let's face it, under current management the club is only guaranteed relegation again. At least administration would wipe the slate clean and allow some progression. As it is, the club faces further rot and ruin before Mike Ashley cuts his loses and applies to be a priority creditor for a League One Club.

Still at least the club is providing some quality comedy fodder:

B-Roll

2009-07-05T14:40:00.002+01:00

Couldn't resist sharing these utterly trashy, but oh-so good trailers for late 70s early 80s grindhouse cinema.

Galaxina (1980)

Star Crash (1979)

And then we have TORSO! A shambolic slasher flick seemingly about confused Freudian terminology mixing with semi-naked ladies and the occasional hacksaw. Hilarious right down to the briming-with-positivity way of calling the movie's title in the trailer (listen to hear what I mean). TORSO! Be prepared to have your screen saturated with terror.

Torso (1973) (defintely not safe for work and surprising that its even on youtube!)

Some DVD Hardware

2009-07-05T14:17:00.003+01:00

No idea how I missed this the first time round, but shlock horror classic 'Hardware' is now whistling its way onto DVD this month. Following a review in Total Film, I've been digging around for more info on this chunk of 80s scifi-horror-action genius which (apparently) draws favourable comparision with 'A Clockwork Orange', 'Aliens' and 'The Terminator'.

Here's how Wikipedia describes the premiss:
The 21st century world is a radioactive wasteland as a result of a nuclear war. A travelling scavenger comes across the remains of a cyborg named Mark 13 in the desert, and salvages pieces of it. The cyborg head ends up with a metal sculptress, who is unaware of the cyborg's infamy as a governmental killing machine project that was scrapped due to its defects. Mark 13 reconstructs itself utilizing household appliances and metal parts, and goes amok.

Need more convincing of its simultaneous brilliant and dodgy appeal? Check out the trailer below:

Can't wait to get my hands on the dvd version of this!

S.

Potentially worst video game to movie adaption announced

2009-07-02T16:31:00.003+01:00

There have been quite a few stinkers so far (Mario Brothers, Dead or Alive , Doom , Alone in the Dark
Bloodrayne… in fact most films by Uwe Boll)

But this could top the lot. Universal has secured the film rights to the classic Atari video game "Asteroids”.

It’s the 30 year old game featuring the little triangle that fires missiles at 2D, um, asteroids. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that it’s being made at all or that Universal had to fight three other studios for the rights.
According to Comingsoon.net, Universal is also developing movies based on Hasbro board game properties such as "Battleship," "Candyland," "Ouija," "Monopoly" and "Clue."

Seriously! Sadly it seems Michael Jackson died just as unfathomable weirdness was becoming cool again.

B is for...

2009-06-27T14:53:00.001+01:00

Good to see the folks in Belfast have taken the new city logo to heart and truely made it their own. Great artistic subversion.

Death of a legend

2009-06-25T23:34:00.002+01:00

Enigmatic, flawed, outrageous, genius, troubled...
Just some of the words I imagine the press will use as people wake up tomorrow to reports of Michael Jackson's death:

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/michael-jackson-dead-4723/

Regardless of your opinion of the man, he was something of a cultural icon and his passing leaves three children without a father. Sad news indeed.

S.

Bike race in Belfast

2009-06-24T21:04:00.001+01:00

Stopped off on my way home to watch a host of bikes racing through Ormeau Park. Not really sure why they were there, but the crowds and weather made it a great spectacle.

Corporate Geek

2009-06-08T18:01:00.002+01:00

Today saw my first major venture into using Facebook as a corporate tool for a client. I’ve seen a few business pages online which pitch perfectly into the social media site’s demographic (Tourism Ireland being a good example) and was keen to try my hand at it.

Surprisingly it lacks the comfortable and user-friendly experience that you’d expect from setting up a personal profile. For a start you’ll need to install the latest version of Flash to do even the simplest of things. Not normally a big problem provided your IT admins allow you permission to download and install utilities.

The layout of the edit pages are cumbersome and awkward to navigate your way around, for instance trying to edit the name of the page is down right impossible even after navigating through a maze of similar looking pages with dead end links.

Most frustratingly of all, to upload images you can either install the ActiveX control (which I avoided given the need for more admin authority) or use the ironically named ‘Simple uploader’ perhaps ‘freeze every 5 minutes uploader’ is more wordy, but it says it like it is.

In the end perseverance paid off and I got the page finally online. The end product is pretty good and I’m impressed with the ease of putting said client into the reach of key audiences. But is it worth pulling your hair out as the edit page crashes again and again? …only just!

S.

WTF E3

2009-06-01T22:05:00.003+01:00

E3 is underway and with more than a passing interest in the big announcements I was expecting details of Metal Gear on the Xbox 360. But all is not as it seems, as Gamespot recounts...

LOS ANGELES--As a game developer, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima can usually be relied upon to do something unexpected. So with rumors flying that his PlayStation 3-exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots would be announced for the Xbox 360 at Microsoft's E3 2009 media briefing, the developer stayed true to form.

Appearing onstage at the media briefing, Kojima told the audience he was indeed bringing the Metal Gear Solid series to the Xbox 360, but in an all-new game. Titled Metal Gear Solid Rising, Kojima's new project won't star Solid Snake. Instead, it will apparently star another of the franchise's famous faces. According to the tagline, "Lightning bolt action… Raiden is back!" Unfortunately, details about Metal Gear Solid Rising will have to wait for another day.

"I can't say more now," Kojima said, "but I can promise you that it will be a completely new experience."

Damn if only my Xbox wasn't busted!

S.

Proof of light

2009-05-31T19:02:00.001+01:00

Following a gut-busting trek through Ormeau Park earlier this afternoon, I spent this evening unwinding in Botanic Gardens Belfast with an ipod and a big book of zombies. Thankfully no sign of the undead in the city and, better yet, the sunshine made for some nice photos. You might be able to spot the 'yella' cranes in the distance. They were once tree to build the titanic, but now spend most of their time just looking pretty damn cool.

It beeps, it freezes and it dies

2009-05-31T11:26:00.002+01:00

And that is how an Xbox 360 comes crashing down with the dreaded Red Rings of Death (RROD). It’s the second time my Xbox has been hit with this notoriously common hardware failure.

Looks like I better get on to Xbox support and arrange for them to collect the corpse and perform more surgery. I expect it’ll be some time before I get to run thorugh Beautiful Katamari, Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, Far Cry II and Pro Evo again.

Well, at least the weather is nice and last time the collect return process was fairly painless. Here’s hoping for a fast resolution.

Off now to soak up some beautifully rendered sunshine. In the real world!

What a twit

2009-05-29T17:12:00.002+01:00

See that thing there on the right? You could eitehr call it my Twitter-feed, or a badge saying I've succumbed to the latest Web2.0 novelty trend.

All I know is that when I send text messages to 'teh interweb" some magic works and they end up on the blog. See, now I can push my brain cheese onto the blog in an all new way (well new to me) and the three of you can read it.

Sociable nerd

2009-05-28T13:49:00.002+01:00

The line has officially been crossed.
Today I bought the Battlestar Galactica boxset for 30 quid.

Yeah, there goes my life, dignity and plausible deniability when people ask me what ‘frak’ means.

Crap bank rebrands itself

2009-05-27T12:18:00.001+01:00

The woeful Abbey is now to be renamed ‘Santander’ as its parent group realigns its individual brands within the UK.

For some reason they seemed to overlook my suggestions of:
“Don’t bank here”
“Worst bank in the UK”
And my favourite “The biggest threat to your money”. Maybe they’ll use that as a tagline.

Looks like the blogging community may have to rebrand some of their pages in response, like:
www.switchtoabbey.co.uk a great resources on why no one should bank with Abbey/Santander

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22902555060 a facebook forum for tired customers to vent their spleen

http://shabbey.blogspot.com/ a blog dedicated to Abbey’s crapness.

Hopefully Abbey will also change the logo to something more fitting like a big smoking turd, echoing their service. Let’s be honest it wouldn’t take much remodelling would it.

S

More gripes about Abbey Bank

2009-05-26T12:51:00.001+01:00

I’m not going to turn this blog into a corporate hate machine, but sometimes it feels like the bank won’t be happy until they’ve lost all their customers.

My much derided Abbey account now exists more for my own amusement than as a serious account – which is fortunate as their operations are nothing but shocking. So here’s today’s doesy:

Last night I missed a call from ‘Abbey’ allegedly concerning on issue on my account. The message left (seemingly a prerecord) advised that I rang this number – 08456016313 – which I did and heard another auto message telling me that it was Abbey’s fraud line. Interestingly the department is only open from 9am until 5pm – yet the call I received was at 7pm!

So I rang again today and got through to a call advisor called Louise who asked for my bank number and date of birth, neither of which I gave. You don’t have to be a genius to realise that you should never give your details to someone you don’t trust. So being a former employee I pushed for some proof of ID:
• When do Abbey staff get paid?
• Who is the head of Abbey in the UK?
• Where is the Abbey saving call centre?

‘Louise’ couldn’t answer a single question, claiming she was agency staff and has just started. Maintaining she was with Abbey, I set her a small challenge to find my account based on my postcode and nothing else. No big task as I am the only person at home with this joke of an bank. Guess what? Couldn't do that either!

If it is fraud, then be wary. If it’s not and you have an Abbey account, you should be terrified that you bank with an organisation that encourages you to give out personal details which can be used to access your account.

Off to the branch now for more fun and games with Shabbey employees I can look in the eye.

S.

Getting what you deserve

2009-05-24T22:00:00.002+01:00

As a fan of the club it’s tough to admit, but this season Newcastle United have gotten exactly what they deserve. Dreadful performances at all levels – board, management and players – have brought few points and ultimately relegation.

The press will pick over the bones in the next days/weeks but no one at the club can really escape the finger of blame. The club simply is not good enough for Premiership football.

Some fans are concerned that the big names will depart in the summer. I’m not. In fact the sooner they go the better. For too long the squad, admittedly threadbare, has struggled to put in a performance worthy of a top-flight team. If you want premier league wages then you need to put in premier league performances. A team of hungry young players and seasoned correctly-paid Championship players will lift the club more effectively than most of the current squad are capable of.

Hopefully the Toon gravy train has ended, with overpaid stars - Owen, Viduka, Barton, Coloccini, Duff, Nolan, Lovenkrands, Ameobi, Gutierrez, Smith - getting their marching orders sooner rather than later; relieving the financial burden they placed on a club with whom they still owe a debt of effort and commitment.

The development of a youth players, a wage cap and a decent transfer policy will not happen overnight but will go a long way to making the club viable and capable of generating a premier league return. But serious questions remain over the capability of the owner, chairman and board – those who brought in many of the expensive failures at the club and who:
- Sacked a manager for wanting a say in the players he was to manage
- Put the entire squad up for sale during the last transfer window
- Repeatedly tried to sell the club

Relegation won’t kill Newcastle, but I suspect its current owner may.

Don't be surprised if the club is stripped of all assets (stadium, training ground, etc) before the club is back up for sale or plunged into administration and financially writen-off as a play-boy's experiment gone wrong.

Conspiracy nuts point finger at Obama

2009-05-20T07:46:00.004+01:00

Stumbled across a YouTube video called The Obama Deception which aims to 'destroy the myth that Barack Obama is working for the best interests of the American people.'

Apparently he's really 'a hoax carefully crafted by the captains of the New World Order. He is being pushed as savior in an attempt to con the American people into accepting global slavery.'

Complete hocum of course illustrated by the fact it's directed by this highly rational professional:

The production is pretty dry but the passion of the nuts often gives rise to some comedy gold, like rapper KRS 1 comparing Obama to a Burger King manager (see below.

According to Mr 1, we need to see the franchise owner, appranently.

Love this image

2009-05-19T21:53:00.004+01:00

Spotted this graphic on the front on the Guardian Weekend Magazine a few weeks ago and have been looking for it ever since. It's designed by Thomas Fuchs and Felix Stockwell and is entitled Deconstructing the GOP.

The artwork led an indepth look at the challenges facing the Republican and is well worth a read here.

Tuesday night’s Italian night

2009-05-19T13:22:00.001+01:00

Hard to believe but it’s only a few weeks until good friends Emmett and Gail tie the knot in Italia. Having been generously invited along and with no command of any language (even my English is questionable most days) I’ve set aside Tuesday nights as an excuse to have a little fun with the Italian tongue.

Mostly an excuse to eat pizza and drink wine, I have actually taken some real steps to make sure I can chew out more than three phrases on command. The BBC has a useful, if limited, course here and I’ve downloaded the Rapid Italian audiobook to work on pronunciation. It all feels a bit like being 12 again and starting (and failing) French lessons in school – except most phrases now are about ordering wine and beer.

The audiobook is especially weird, with all dialogue set to a rhythm. Starting to think I should pack my maracas in case I need some help with recall. This week’s lessons online are all about sightseeing something I plan on doing plenty of during my stay in Lake Garda.

The only question now is what is on the menu to aid tonight’s learning? Vino de casa e pizza?

Va bene!

Let's hear it for Cleveland

2009-05-14T07:47:00.001+01:00

This made me laugh like a loon.

Tripping back

2009-05-08T15:54:00.001+01:00

Another whirlwind trip comes to a close as i set off home from Edinburgh. Its my second time here and really enjoy the cool vibe of the city and it's people. Since i last visited the city has begun a massive project to introduce tramlines. Its ambitious to say the least and many of the most iconic areas are closed to traffic as the roads are opened up. Really interested to see the finished result and will be part of my excuse to return as soon as possible.

Airport aesthetics

2009-05-07T07:40:00.001+01:00

Reading about the new facelift for Belfast International Airport while waiting for a plane out to Edinburgh. Anyone who has caught a flight from here recently will agree that proposed changes cannot come quickly enough. Apart from the bizarre name for the airport, which is some 25 miles from Belfast, the layout has been in massive need of an overhaul for sometime. At present most of the restaurants and bars remain on the 'land' side of the gate leaving passengers with little access to got food once done with check in. The 'air' side has is also has little to offer beyond limited and relatively small outlets. The developments here should go along way to addressing most of the obvious problems, but much more work is needed to make the north accessible and welcoming to our international visitors.

DO NOT BANK WITH ABBEY

2009-05-01T13:14:00.003+01:00

It’s the last Friday of the month – payday for millions – and the day before the bank holiday weekend. If you are a planning a weeekend getaway and hold an Abbey account, formerly Abbey National, you may want to revise your plans as their systems have taken yet another case of the sniffles.

This outage, which seems to happen on an almost weekly basis, means you cannot withdraw money, use your credit/debit card or even check your balance. The money you own is not available to you nor is critical account information.

A quick google for Abbey reveals the widespread feeling that ABBEY IS THE WORST BANK in Britain:

Abbey is easily the worst bank that I have ever dealt with in 45 years

Abbey – worst bank ever?

Abbey – worst bank ever!

Abbey just a pathetic pretend bank

Britain’s worst bank accounts

Abbey’s incompetence knows no bounds and outages are the tip of the iceberg. Last year a ‘system error’ froze my account leaving me stranded in Dublin without access to funds for bus home and all the call centre advisor could recommend was that I sleep rough until the nearest branch opened again! (nearest branch is some 60 miles away in Newry if you're wondering)

This year they’ve managed to accelerate their bungling: increasing an overdraft limit on my account without consultation and following up by gifting someone in England £500 from my account, over the counter. To top it all their fraud department implied that all fault was mine!

In my experience, Abbey is well on the way to being the worst bank in the history of banking. Avoid like them like the plague they are.

Swine flu - some thoughts

2009-04-30T22:51:00.003+01:00

I have a concern follwing reports of swine flu. My lack of panic about the virus simply doesn’t tally with the over-the-top, apocalyptic, doomsday scare-mongerings of normally reliable news sources and tabloid rags.

Sure there is a genuine threat here - as acknowledged by the World Health Organisation – and people are dying. But let’s put this in context:

- At the time of writing only seven people are confirmed of having died of the virus – all in Mexico.

- Mexico lags well behind other OECD countries in health status and health care availability

- Sixty million people, half the Mexican population, live in poverty

- Those living in less than adequate hygiene are most at risk

- Swine flu can be successfully treated with the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza

It seems fair to assume that those living in poverty and the developing world are most at risk due to poor living conditions and, crucially, because they cannot afford basic mediation to treat the symptoms.

The UK has publically stated it has over 30 million courses of the anti-viral drugs, enough for half the population and, according to the government, enough to cover a pandemic situation.

Should we be worried? I say no, though we should be concerned. But I also think we should be more concerned about:

- the 5,367 people were murdered in Mexico last year

- 12 million children are dying worldwide of curable diseases

- 2.5 million children are dying each day in developing nations because they can’t get water

None of this gets reported each day because it does not pose a threat and it doesn’t sell newspapers.

People may die of swine flu, but more people are already dying because of poverty-driven crime or they can’t access/afford common medication readily available in the West.

Rest assured, once the looming pandemic is over, the majority in developed nations will still be around to read over-sensationalist reports about an inconceivable number of people who died in remote countries of a largely treatable virus.

And I wonder: if the money we each spend on news for just one day was spent on medication in poor nations, could we prevent the oncoming horror that news editors are already sharpening their pencils for?

S.

Mapping the skies

2009-04-30T14:11:00.002+01:00

Living under a flight path makes you a little more aware of just how many flights come and go each day, even from a relatively small hub like George Best Belfast City Airport. The graphic below, created by a Swiss Engineering school, is a terrfic illustration of just how busy the skies have become and, considering the fuel used, supports the call for greener air-travel.

Meet zippy

2009-04-26T23:04:00.001+01:00

Today a new flesh eating beastie marked its territory as Zippy my new venus fly-trap arrived. Already house-broken and requiring almost no attention, feeding or maintenance, Zippy deMilo is the perfect pet. As an added bonus he also eats bugs that barge their way into my room and refuse to leave or pay rent. Its like having a mini guard dog to take care of mini trespassers.

Rodriguez targets Predator reboot

2009-04-23T23:17:00.004+01:00

Coming Soon is reporting that Robert 'Grindhouse' Rodriguez is working with 20th Century Fox on a Predator reboot entitled Predators.

Part of a volley of productions which includes "...'Machete', a sci-fi action film called 'Nerverackers'and a couple of smaller movies called 'Sin City 2' and 'The Jetsons"; Rodriguez looks set to become my cult director of choice for at least the next 10 years.

According to Coming Soon "Rodriguez penned a Predator 3 script some time ago that was discarded because it was too big."

For a recap of the man's work to date, here's a taster from the 2007 splatter-fest Planet Terror:

HBO plays 'A Game of Thrones' with NI

2009-04-21T15:54:00.003+01:00

Considering the track record of the assembly to date (failed sports stadium , catastrophic handling of education, flat-earth environment stances) it’s easy to believe Northern Ireland politicians are living in a fantasyland when they say they are doing a good job.

And now it seems US network HBO plans to bring real fantasy here with the filming of the pilot for 'A Game of Thrones' – a fantasy drama based on a book series by George R.R. Martin.

HBO acquired the TV adaptation rights to Martin's "Songs of Ice and Fire" book series nearly two years ago and the pilot is described as an exploration of "an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom." Hmm sounds just like home.

Notably First Minister Peter Robinson highlighted HBO’s track record of producing excellent programmes saying: “HBO has an enviable reputation for offering very high quality, original programming, receiving critical acclaim for its productions including Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, Band of Brothers and of course The Sopranos.”

…“and of course The Sopranos?!” Must be a personal favourite of the First Minister, which makes sense considering it deals with managing gangsters and keeping family members employed in your business.

Lick the interweb

2009-04-13T12:00:00.004+01:00

Against my better judgement I'm going to blog about a corporate website, not becasue of any affinity with the product, but because of the sheer ballsiness of what they are doing.

Skittles are, in my book, alright. Inoffensive little shelled fruit flavoured sweets that never really gave me much cause for thought. Until now. The web presence for the mini-teeth rotters hasn't so much turned the corporate-communications rule book on it's head as much as chewed it up and torn it a new rainbow spectrum.

The direction of skittles.com doesn't run on flashy code or feature incredibly creative content. BUT practically everything is run off social media servers not owned, controlled or even regulated by the product or its parent company.

For instance, the 'products' pages are Wikipedia entries. The photos are from Flickr and the videos are on Youtube. Best of all, if you post any entry into Twitter using the term Skittles, the up it pops on the 'Chatter' page (an aggregator of Tweets on the subject) whether it's positive or not!

It's a bold and exciting move that puts the website into the hands of those who identify with the product - the advocates.

Here's hoping more companies take the initiative and lower the top-down barriers.

S.

Give your mouse a wiggle

2009-04-12T12:33:00.004+01:00

Maricka put up a great link to a band of crack-internet artists on her Facebook page. In keeping with great arty stereotypes soytuaire labuat is as French as French can be. No bad thing when the results are as fun and interesting as this.

Go take your mouse for a walk across the screen and marvel at the simple beauty of the morphing lines. I'm sure a long detailed breakdown and analysis of the dynamic website code is floating around out there somewhere. But this time I'm happy to sit back and enjoy the view.

Happy Easter.

S.

Tunnel-vision in Belfast

2009-04-08T16:28:00.001+01:00

Some kind of monster is eating its through the city or rather under it. And it's leaving behind a gigantic tunnel. I call first dibs on an Italian Job remake!

Skyline in Belfast

2009-04-07T23:56:00.001+01:00

Caught this early morning skyline after a recent meeting in Belfast.

Blog seizes best coma ever award... bites judges!

2009-04-07T22:19:00.003+01:00

Like a shuffling fiend of the 'Z' variety, the Sociable Geek blog is making a come back from the dead space of the internet.

And just like the hoardes of the grey grabbing masses, no one is quite sure of the reason for the return or what it means - probably not much though.

To the blog-mobile!

David Lynch on iPhones

2008-11-23T14:01:00.000Z

A real fan then Dave?

Death Cab for Belfast

2008-11-13T13:18:00.002Z

Last night Death cab for Cutie took to the stage in St George’s Market for their first ever gig in Belfast.

I first got pointed in their direction by Katie and though they hail from Seattle, I’ve always associated them with LA. Last night was no different as they brought their distinctive sun-kissed style to a very cold city.

Lead-man Benjamin Gibbard’s voice was album perfect and the whole band played with an awareness that they may just be in the best form of their career.

Great gig all round and for those of you new to the band (don’t be put off by the name) here’s a flavour of what you missed out on:

Have you tried Iris’ Balls?

2008-11-12T14:22:00.004Z

What a turn up for the books. It seems entrenched MLA, Iris Robinson, may well have something in common with the late great Isaac Hayes (yes he of Shaft and South Park fame): Chocolate balls!

According to the BBC a new recipe book is being launched today featuring simple recipes submitted by the work-shy at Stormont. Alongside George Robinson's easy fruitcake and Jim Shannon's hedgehog cake you’ll find Ms Robinson’s delightful recipe for rounded cocoa cakes.

Having not read the rest of the recipes I can only assume that it includes:
- Orange Fruit Fool
- Steak and McGuinness pie
- (Peter) Robinson’s Fruit of the Barley
- Ruane and custard
- (Gregory) Campbell’s condensed soup

Now what odds can I get on Iris singing Chef’s famous lyric: “If you ever need a quick pick me up, just put my balls in your mouth”?

UPDATE
The Belfast Telegraph's cartoonist, the great documentarian that he is, reports the Sinn Fein and DUPs recipes to be all vegetarian. Apparently they say can't agree to 'meet'!

Any Comedy Left?

2008-11-11T13:21:00.002Z

Almost seven days since claiming victory in the White House, questions are being raised in comedy and satire circles about how to best tackle the seemingly untouchable Barack Obama.

Having an intelligent, highly charismatic and genuinely likable left wing leader might pose some series problems for script writers of Bush-baiting comedy fraternities such as The Daily Show. Good then to see The Onion has gotten ahead of the game by launching a broadside on the electorate who swept the New-Jesus to power.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Climbing to the top, 80s style

2008-11-09T14:27:00.002Z

Face it we’re living in the 1980s. Want proof, then consider this, in 2008 we had:
- Wispas on our shelves
- A Bush in the White House
- A massive economic slump
- Rocky and Rambo movies in the cinema
- A Terminator movie in production (Terminator IV)
- Tight jeans in fashion
- Ricky Astley in full swing
- A Guns N Roses album set for release
- Knight Rider on US TV screens

It’s high time we started giving something back to the decade that keeps on giving, starting with it’s biggest icon, the action hero. In 2009 Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mickey Rourke are set to make testosterone-packed returns to our screens in JCVD and The Wrestler respectively.

Having kicked, punched and grimaced onscreen for over 20 years – while uttering questionable dialogue and navigating a mass of plot holes – the time has come for these hulking dinosaurs to have their day in the sun.

The petition is on and so is the fight for Oscar glory. Let’s make 09 the year when we reach out to our best cinematic resource, the mindless action hero, and pass on a little sense of achievement to those who fight for our entertainment.

JCVD Official trailer

Mickey Rourke makes a heart-felt plea to his little girl (read: everyone)

Palin-lol-ogy V

2008-11-04T22:09:00.006Z

Sarah Palin, the Republican Party's answer to the question no one asked. The writing appears to be on the wall for the Alaskan Governor. We've had our fun times and... actually all of her quirky moments have been fun times for me. Rarely has politics been such stupid fun without the realistic threat of having a moron in charge of a global super-power (try telling me Bush wouldn't have been comedy gold if he lost).

It would be incredibly arrogant and presumptuous of me to say that Ms Palin's moment in the sun is up before the result is called. And I will! But before the Palin-lol meme fades into memory, as she gets a snowbike back to Alaska, let's take the time to reflect on her VP campaign in the form of song.

And now, the end is near;
And so I faced the big election.
My friend, I’ll say it clear,
I’ve lost the vote, of which I’m certain.

I’ve had a campaign thats full.
But not if you’re black or gay;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Highlights, I’ve had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And made a joke of this election.

I wrecked each charted course;
Put McCain’s career along the sideway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Palin-lol-ogy IV

2008-10-28T22:00:00.006Z

Sarah Palin + lolcat = Sarah Palin lol. You get the idea, same as before only moreso.

Damn she's a maverick, if only she'd point it out before the ievitable kthxbye

And one that's not mine but I really liked (found on google images)

Palin-lol-ogy III

2008-10-27T23:15:00.005Z

Like flogging a dead horse? You can put lipstick on it if you want.

Palin-lol-ogy II

2008-10-26T22:02:00.004Z

After a weekend and a bit away from my keyboard, the Sarah Palin Lol now continues. Celebrating the cutesy mannerisms of potentially the (second-)most powerful person on the planet with her intellectual equal, the lolcat!

God bless her comedy-drenched cotton socks.

Palin-lol-ogy

2008-10-21T22:31:00.009+01:00

Crunch time in the US Election is a matter of weeks away and the parody fails to cease, thank Jebus. Amongst the gems found so far are:

palinaspresident.us
nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live
palinfacts.com
politicalhumor.com
obamalol.com/blog

But where’s the meme? Well the last link has hope, but as we all know a good meme needs to be more than a little geeky (yeah, I know) and tap into the current stream of popular conscience.

I could be wrong (in fact I’d wager on it) but shouldn’t we introduce the elections biggest-ever comedy gold mine to which ever internet phenomena happens to be on the radar?

Operating under the excuse of ‘well it amused me’ I’m going to lead the charge. For the 4 of you still reading, I give you Palin-lology!

Live tonight from W5

2008-10-07T18:37:00.004+01:00

It's the Slugger Awards tonight, run of course by Slugger O'Toole, one of NI's leading politics sites. No awards for the geek but a great time lies ahead I'm sure. More to follow. Also, am I the first to blog live from the event?

Update

Awards have been handed out to the deserving and the bar has staved off several invasions from the thirsty and the workshy. There were more than a few very noticeable technical hiccups on the night which MC Tim McGarry polished over and publically pointed out in equal measure.

Overall an unusual event conducted in a very unique way. Not that unique is always a good thing. Staging and production values came across as very 'homemade', and some of the award categories were a little strange.

In many ways I think I expected a very different function with an emphasis on grass-roots blogging and consideration for the hard craft that the site contributors and commentators had put in over the last X amount of years. I was hoping for a focus on the Home-brew political blogging community, but ended up with Homemade mainstream.

But fair play to Mick and all who organised it though. I'll say one thing for them, by fortune or design they pull in an ecclectic audience.

The Mourne Supremacy

2008-09-17T21:11:00.001+01:00

On Saturday I scaled Ireland's tallest mountain, Slieve Donard, in aid of Marie Curie. A great but challenging day was had by all and along with a hangover from over celebrating, there was a few achey limbs the next day. But it was all for a good cause and there's even talk of next year's event already! Wish me luck.

Wednesday Chuckle

2008-09-17T07:54:00.000+01:00

This made me laugh this morning

That is all.

Palin Sailing

2008-09-16T21:33:00.002+01:00

Not sure where to start on the Sarah Palin debate. Like most American politicians its probably best to compare their highly constructed image with a Hollywood character.

So just which fictional protagonist do we have here?

My money is on a hybrid of:
Donnie Darko’s Kitty Farmer
And
The Mist’s Mrs Carmody

The latter of which is listed on IMDB as:
“Described as a "local nut" by townsfolk, Mrs. Carmody is an extreme woman of religious convictions, to the point of vanity and insanity. After her last scene in the movie the theatre audience cheered louder than in any Star Wars film or other hugely popular film scene.”

John Stewart’s take on Mrs Palin is worth a look… DON’T BLINK!

Prophets of doom prophecies doomed ...again

2008-09-10T23:12:00.003+01:00

So despite winding up and firing the LHC, the world didn't end today, which is nice and surely annoyed the fear-mongers.

Looks like I'll just have to go back to the sci-fi section of the geek files for my 'bad science gone wrong /killed the world' fix. Anyone seen my copy of Half-Life, I am Legend, 28 Days Later, The Terminator, Bioshock, An Inconvenient Truth...just kidding.

For a really quick guide to the LHC project have a look at the BBC's Q&A with Prof Brian Cox. Not only did he work on this brilliant project but he also scored a number one chart hit with 'Things can only get better' written and perfomed by D:ream, and toured with Jimmy Page.

Maybe this project is the work of evil genius after all, the song was the anthem for New Labour when Tony Blair first swept to power in 1997. And just look how that ended!

S.

Brand awareness

2008-09-08T21:52:00.003+01:00

The US seems to have awoken to the firebrand comic talents that is Russell Brand. Love him or loath him there’s no doubting the man knows how to make an impact and while taking a pop at the current US president might just seem a little redundant with November looming, it does none-the-less hint at the sharp genius lurking behind messy hair and a life or sex and drug addictions.

Brand first cropped up on my radar as what I like to term an ‘annoying-as-fuck’ Big Brother host. Actually anything big Brother related tends to get that title. Stand up shows failed to impress me and he bobbled around the telly to a chorus of ‘oh that wanker again’ until I started reading his column in The Guardian. His 300 words or so a week became like ‘Substance D’ to my fragile little mind and in a matter of weeks I was hooked. Football as a metaphor for life, Jose Mourinho illustrated (perfectly) as a girl’s fine arse and general musings on the beautiful game make it essential reading.

So his MTV performance? For those old enough to remember, it sings of MTV’s young rebellious days where it fought the man with counter-culture music videos and government baiting programmes such as Beavis and Butthead. Short-shelf-life political jokes and off the cuff remarks are pretty tame by comparison. The only difference between then and now… MTV is the established user-friendly safe channel.

Funny how the adage comes true again and again, you become the thing you hate the most. Well-done Brand for shaking it up a bit.

Here’s some choice cuts from the show:

“As a representative of the global community, a visitor from abroad, I don't want to come across a little bit biased, but could I please ask of you, people of America, please elect Barack Obama, please, on behalf of the world.

"Some people, I think they're called racists, say America is not ready for a black president.

"But I know America to be a forward thinking country because otherwise why would you have let that retard and cowboy fella be president for eight years.

"We were very impressed. We thought it was nice of you to let him have a go, because, in England, he wouldn't be trusted with a pair of scissors."

Brand also took a shot at Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Speaking of Palin's daughter's boyfriend, Levi Johnston, Brand said:

"That is the safe sex message of all time. Use a condom or become a Republican!"

Board Stupidity

2008-09-02T21:13:00.003+01:00

Football season getting tiring already? Fret not the ever-prolific Newcastle United Stupidity Bandwagon is back in action.

The club look like losing the fans choice of manager, Kevin Keegan, in the next day or so, and whereas there remains doubts about his departure, few who would find fault if he walked out in light of how things have been handled.

It’s a real shame for the fans, myself included, who’ve had to put up with ever increasing disappointment and mismanagement of the club. A large part of the blame must rest with the communications team at the club who reacted too slowly and too lightly to the whirlwind of rumours that circled the club from early this morning. By not reacting they failed to nullify the negative stories and as a result faced a mob of angry fans fearing the worst.

How the story broke is another story, but in each crisis communications must be proactive, sustained and clear. The club has long stated that it’s belief that it needs stability to generate success. Stability comes from consistency underpinned by clarity. Sadly like almost all else at the club since Mike Ashley took over, the communication of events, changes and developments has been inept and mishandled. The return of Kevin Keegan was the only positive in a turbulent time for the fans. Freddie Shepherd once said firing Bobby Robson was like shooting Bambi, Mike Ashley’s team will undoubtedly find it harder to justify why they shot the man the fans call 'messiah'.

-------------------

Also up for a stupidity award this week are.. the folks in North Belfast. Well done to all of you who don’t know the difference between a big man-eating cat and a stray domestic dog. Even Belfast Zoo got involved in the saga by counting all their lions, and even their tigers too. Obviously they understand the intelligence deficiency amongst the residents.

NI-ce cream

2008-09-01T23:56:00.001+01:00

Spotted this painting at the John Hewitt during another powerhouse open mic night featuring Neil and friend Jo. Here's hoping it leads the way for more confectionery pun-fun. How's about a little Tirami-sue ramsey,Apple Reg Em-pie,Caramel-sauce Hanna? I apologise for nothing!

Obamania

2008-08-26T14:02:00.002+01:00

The US Democrats have opened their National Convention with a stunning endorsement of their new leading man, Senator Barack Obama.

Not having Obama present was a stroke of stage-managing genius and led to third-party endorsements notably from Edward Kennedy and Obama’s partner Michelle who put on, what the BBC termed, ‘effortless political theatre’ singing the hero’s praising to the already converted masses.

While the messaging was laden with the usual ‘America: Fuck Yeah’ jingoism we expect from US politicians, it outlined a strong core to nullify the ‘Guns, God and Government’ mantra of the Republicans, namely ‘Hope, dream and change’.

Powerful stuff, but it will be interesting to see if the Obama script writers can neuter the feeling that the Obama character is more about style than substance or special effects than narrative. Change brings fear and if you promise dreams and raise hopes people will want to be secure with the knowledge that you can deliver.

Can the American public be convinced of Obama’s super powers? Will the red-carpet-premier of the new Premier be realised? Is John McCain really a villain that can unite the rebels?

Stay tuned to find out!

Key Change

2008-08-25T15:03:00.002+01:00

Whereas I'm sure you're already spinning in your seat with excitement at the new look and little tweeks thus far, it should be stated that a lot of time has been spent musing on the future of the blog, and to be frank, for a good while I was convinced that I should call time on the whole process.

It's been tough finding time to upload even the smallest post or photo and sadly Sociable Geek has declined as a result. Long hours at work and a new-found revelry in 'the real-world' has pushed the blog down the pecking list for my attention, and while I want to keep the blog rolling, some changes must be made to aid the process.

I expect this will include, but not be limited to:

A clearly defined direction/theme (the end of 'random' in the title?)
Shorter posts
More links and references to Syndicated news/links
A possible name change

Not massive changes in light of recent post activity, but I think it'll make the blog a little more consistent, focused and as such, easier to write. Wish me luck!

S.

My new hobby

2008-08-22T19:32:00.003+01:00

After a couple of weeks earlier this summer playing darts with Maricka,Paul and Katie, I finally hung a dartboard in the house. With a little practice I might even be able to kick an arse or two.

LA, the challenge is on!

Update: I've made some slight changes to this post. Evidently my new hobby is sending posts to the blog while in the bar. Oh and making lots of typos, definitely lots of typos!!

Rainy day blues?

2008-07-05T12:04:00.001+01:00

It's saturday morning and i'm sitting with a hot coffee, the new copy of Empire and a fairly open diary for the rest of the day. Perfect! There's something quite relaxing about watching other people getting soaked in the rain as you hide behind a cafe's glazing, a shiny magazine and an over sized mug of liquid caffeine. The thought of having going to trail myself out there soon barely registers. I'll sit here content, for now.

A gig in time

2008-06-30T22:06:00.001+01:00

Neil and Denise put the old Coleraine band back into full swing for the first time in nearly 10 years tonight. Performing to an eager crowd in the John Hewitt, they belted out some great acoustic renditions of pop from the last 15 years. Great gig, night out and fun. Here's hoping for a few more big performances from them soon. P.s. Good to see the Rock Band rehearsals came in useful guys!

Exploiting exploitation

2008-06-23T22:47:00.008+01:00

Robert the Zombie is back with a new movie (there just aren't enough blog posts that start like that!). In keeping with the Rodriguez and Tarantino inspired wave of more-is-more exploitation pastice, the artwork for the movie ticks quite a few boxes on the B-movie list of poster design:
Scantily clad woman with gun - check
Visible blood/soft gore - check
Psychadelic over the top use of colour - check
Big ominous monster - check
More guns than people - check
Seventies fashion - check
Trucks and/or cars - check and/or double check
Cheesy tagline - oh yeah!

Stand back fans of intellectual cinema, common values, decency and the Daily Mail, Tyrannosaurus Rex is a-coming... and I can't wait!

In another life (or maybe his original!), Mr Zombie made music and was damn good at it too... at times. Have a whirl on the vid below to see what I mean. It was in the soundtrack to at least two blockbusters. No prizes if you know them, only if you can keep a straight face watching the music video!

The new Spirit of cinema

2008-06-22T15:00:00.003+01:00

Good news on the comic book meets movie front with the release of the first trailer from Frank Miller’s new project The Spirit. Holding the ultra-heavy stylisation that characterised his previous works Sin City and 300, The Spirit is probably not going to be to everyone’s taste. But personally I can’t get enough of it

Rather than merely paying homage to his love of comic books ‘graphic novels’ Miller seems to be waging a one-man war on the status quo of cinema, in terms of both technological integration and aesthetics. Refusing to skimp on the digital manipulation, his movies may look more Xbox than box-office, but it’s a style that gives shot-perfect realisations of the comic books the movies are based on. And why not?

Comic books have suffered for years from the stigmatism of being nerdy and (gulp) geeky. But, just have a look at the current wave of ‘cool’ directors in Hollywood: Kevin Smith, Sam Raimi, Miller, Edgar Wright, Christopher Nolan and, of course, Quentin Tarantino. All confessed card-carrying members of the comic book fraternity. Movies and comics go hand in hand, that’s a fact. Want proof? Have a look at the graphic novel interpretation of any of the big Hollywood blockbuster, before it hit the shelves I guarantee you 90% of the material was pulled together from the movie’s original storyboards.

The fact is, modern cinema is undergoing a mini creative renaissance stemming from graphic novels, in the same way that the brat pack movies were products of B movies and Saturday morning TV serials (see Jaws, Star Wars and Indian Jones for reference).

I even have a collection of comics at home that I flick through now and again when I need to do a PR photocall for work. My advise for anyone wanting a greater appreciation of where cinema is heading, or even a little inspiration when it comes to visual creativity? Go put your prejudices aside and grab a comic book.

As I’ve said here before, The geek shall inherit the earth. Might as well make sure you’re one of them.

S.

WarCrack

2008-06-11T19:11:00.000+01:00

For those of you who love to game:

'Warcraft' Sequel Lets Gamers Play A Character Playing 'Warcraft'

Old life for sale

2008-06-08T14:44:00.008+01:00

I won't make any apologies if the next year's worth of blog posts (all five of them) start with the words 'When I was in LA'. Better still, if they end with the words 'then we all went and drunk'. And for the sake of keeping general interest, I might even chuck in the words 'then she took her clothes off' around the middle section.

The reason for the big LA-love-in is the incurable inability to shake the place from my mind. It's been less than a week since I left and having spent the last 6 days regaling the folks back home on everything from the consistency of fast food burgers to losing bodies in the Navaho desert; trying to re-adjust to the lack of sunlight and coping with settling back into the work routine. It's 3pm on Sunday and already I have cronic Monday-itis!

Despite having only spent about 16 days in California, I really miss the place, way of life, attitude and the people. Particularly those I spent most time with and were kindly enough to show me the pandora's box that is 'LA Living'.

What has surprised both me and people I talk with, is the speed of my response when asked if I would ever like to live in the States. I used to delay myself, almost weigh up the option and give some kind a balanced response along the lines of 'well maybe, but you know it's all so different, it would be tough to settle in'. Now I throw a definite answer back at them quicker than they can ask it. If they looked rich enough I'd probably badger them to buy me a ticket!

So if anyone out there has any suggestions on how to make the great escape I'd be grateful to hear them. Who knows, this time next year my blog could read something like this:

...I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I can say this cab is rare
But I thought 'Now forget it' - 'Yo homes to Bel Air'

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homes smell ya later'
I looked at my kingdom
I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air

Lila Vas Legas

2008-06-05T22:41:00.005+01:00

In spite of the gambling, the postitution and the constant associations with the mafia (note: I haven't watched Casino since I came back... but I want to) Vegas has more to offer than you would expect.

The people in Sin City represent a large cross section of (primarily) American tourists. Vegas acts as a one-stop tourist destination for the travel shy. Paris, Venice, Rome, New York rub shoulders while the bizarre worlds of the Flamingo and Circus Circus provide other-worldy escapism.

The very mention of the place interests people, no doubt keen to hear wild tales of debauchery and decadence. For sure those interested in these pursuits are more than well catered for, for everyone else there's the spectacle and adventure of the city. Glamorous, over the top and excess are modest superlatives to describe the area. The Skyline boasts an Eiffel Tower, Roman columns, a pyramid and much more. Like everything else in Vegas, this too comes alive at night as the illuminations make the main strip a must see destination in its own right.

I caught one of the biggest highlights of the strip on my camera, the Bellagio Fountains. Set to various pieces of music, the water moves with laser precision and stunning lighting. Stirring, swirling, bubbling, rising, curving and shooting high into the night; the coreography of the Fountains make a thrilling impact.

As for the real debauchery of Sin City? haven't you heard the phrase 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'? Now how do you get rid of the taste of hooker spit?

S.

P.S. Still want more LA and Vegas pics you greedy fools? Just click on the LA pics link to the left, who knows you might even see some pics of me in there!

Viva...

2008-06-04T23:33:00.004+01:00

Still ironing out the bugs with the upload of all the photos, I am but making progress.

On pretty much a whim during the adventure, Maricka, Paul and I set sail for Las Vegas. Spectacular hardly covers it, that place is in a world of its. A world where bigger, brighter, louder rule the roost. Maricka scored us a great hotel at a knock down price, it's great knowing an internet ninja!

This is where we stayed.

Expect more images and maybe a tale or two to trickle out once I get the Flickr account set up.

S.

Coast to post

2008-06-04T00:29:00.003+01:00

Sadly my LA adventure has come to an end and I'm back in Belfast again. Luckily I have a host of images from the trip, technical issues with my pc, router and camera have prevented posting so far. But plenty more will be revealed soon.

Still recovering from a touch of jetlag so I'll keep this short. Before sign off, a quick but sincere 'thank you' to Katie, Paul, Maricka, Sheena, Mike and everyone who I met during the course of my 2008 get-away. Planning for the next expedition is underway, here's hoping it is at least half as fun filled as this years. Watch this space for more pics in the next few days.

S.

Rock is a verb

2008-05-06T22:15:00.004+01:00

Off to LA in no less than 10 days to catch up with a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time.

With my own itinerary starting to take shape and promising to keep me busy, I was pleasantly surprised to see California’s favourite sons Deftones are well on the way to making a new album.

I found Deftones about 10 years ago and since then they’ve occupied both my media player and the position of my favourite band. If this blog were based solely on music, I could guarantee you that many of the posts would look like fanboy letters on this one band. They are that important!

In typical good humour keyboardist/turntablist Frank Delgado said:

"(We're) well into our first week of recording for the new record. Very exciting times, indeed. A lot of love, blood, sweat and tears has gone into our studio, which has been home for the last eight or so months. Along with the writing, major revamping has gone into The Spot, and from the sounds of it, it's definitely paying off. All of this work has allowed us to do what we've wanted for the longest time - record a record at our place, on our time, on our dime.'
'Feels so good to be back with Terry and Scotty. Spirits are high (and so is Stef).

'We're on our way to making the best Deftones record yet!"
So I’m off on holiday shortly, the band are back in the studio and the sun has been making longer appearances across Belfast. Everything is looking up.

The Deftones are hoping to have their new album on shelves by the end of this year.

UPDATE: Just realised the band have a blog!

Mantra / artnaM

2008-04-27T14:57:00.003+01:00

They say a cynic is just a disillusioned idealist. Time to roll back the disillusions

Discovered this video this morning:

S.

Days like this

2008-04-12T13:51:00.002+01:00

Hard to believe but it’s been 10 years since the Good Friday Agreement (Belfast Agreement) was signed in Northern Ireland. If you’re not too well versed on NI politics, this was the major political achievement of our generation which arose from several ceasefires, a few suspicious misgivings and a lot of brave decisions/actions. The resulting agreement set the path to the powersharing arrangement we have today, and more importantly the long term peace in NI.

You can read more about the agreement here. What has surprised me in the last few weeks has been the reaction to the Agreement 10 years on. There has been a lot of commentary on the positives, but there has also been a lot of sniping from disgruntled quarters who maintain that nothing has changed; we still live in a highly sectarian environment and that we’re merely cashing in on a troubles-economy. I wonder how deep the journalists have had to dig to find these people. Whereas there are still sectarian issues affecting the province, for me they are in no comparison to where we were 10 years ago.

I look from my Belfast windows and see vibrancy where once there was curfew, investment where there was dereliction and hope in the areas that were darkest during the troubles. I get the feeling that the nayasyers are harping from the same hardline hymn sheet that opposed the agreement to begin with.

I was driving home on Sunday night with Today FM on the radio covering the ‘Essential Van Morrison’ (there’s a contradiction terms!). I never cared much for Van but there are one or two tunes I know. The most striking one was ‘Days Like This’, not for its musical integrity, but for its role in the NI peace process.

Aiming to encourage a ‘yes’ vote for the peace process the song became the narration for a Northern Ireland Office advert which highlighted the benefits of political stability for the country’s children. Sadly I can’t find a copy of the video on Youtube but I suspect that 10 years on it will have dated quite a bit.

For anyone who needs reminding of just how far we’ve come in the last decade, you could do worse than look at some of the other NIO videos produced to highlight the RUC/PSNI confidential telephone line – where people could call to report suspicious activity. When done right the videos were powerful, harrowing and moving (even to a young Sociable Geek). The advert that lives longest in my memory used the song Cat’s in the Cradle as its narration. Even today it’s a little difficult to watch, underlining its powerful impact. If you want to know where NI came from start with the video below, essential viewing given the week that was.

Counter-cut culture

2008-04-01T22:10:00.001+01:00

Some movies just don’t match up to what they want to be. I don’t just mean they are badly produced, under budgeted and over acted, though many are, there is something more Shakespearean about this tragedy.

You see there are movies that just never became what THEY wanted to be. Crippled by the man, misunderstood by the layperson, these works of confused art never realised their dream of bringing a simple message to a world that won’t listen.

Overlooked and misfiled, many of them lay in dark dank corners of the video store, undone by the weight of their times. But save your sympathy for the minority of these misunderstood flicks. These movies became absorbed into the cultural psyche as a defining moment in a war they never knew or wanted to fight. Think the Shining was a thriller exploring the horror of inner destruction? Think again!

These movies are everywhere, and undoubtedly you’ll join me in wanting to reunite these art pieces with the lofty goals they once wanted to carry

Fear not, thanks to the internet, and a whole big bunch of nerds, the fight back is on. Blessed are the geek, taking one trailer at a time they are untying the knot of confusion and re-cutting these masterpieces into the works they should be.

Casual reader-person I give you the first wave:

The Shinning Recut

The Matrix Recut

Mary Poppins Recut

Top Gun Recut

The Ring Recut

Taxi Driver Recut

Silence of the Lambs Recut

The Lion King Recut

Willy Wonka Recut

Toy Story Recut

Let the real movies commence.

S.

This is Jenga!

2008-03-29T13:47:00.002Z

More 300 inspired madness. Just one more excuse I didn't need to toy around in photoshop.

Neil's been adding to the meme too, go have a looky

Appetite for perfection

2008-03-27T18:03:00.004Z

Probably the best example of corporate advocacy in the whole wide world of rawk! Giving a delicate kick up the arse to one of the biggest names in music, a well know soft drink producer has offered to give everyone in the US a free drink if Guns N' Roses ever release Chinese Democracy.

Easily the longest running joke in contemporary music, Axl Rose has delayed the release of the album by over 10 years. The punch line being, actual democracy in China will probably appear before the album does.

Long suffering, long starved GNR fans will no doubt be casting a wry smile at the promotion and promise of a free soft drink, especially as the only people not eligible for the US offer (rest of the world excluded) are the band's estranged guitarists Slash and Buckethead.

But before you shed any tears, Axl has offered to share his drink with Buckethead. I bet Slash is kicking himself. Turning down the chance to reform a troublesome band with an album that has a slim chance of being released, to go play in Velvet Revolver (one of the biggest rock bands of the moment) and endorse a multi-million pound deal with a best selling video game. Silly man. No Doctor Pooper for you!

This! Is! Sociable Geek!

2008-03-26T22:24:00.010Z

God love the internet movie meme. Taking what would otherwise be a individually geeky tradition of quoting movie lines and transforming it into entire geeky communities capable of inane laughter. Imagine a big in-joke for bored film fans and you’re half way there.

Good friend Maricka has set her MSN profile pic as a ‘This is Sparta’ image and Neil has been spouting about someone/thing/place being Sparta, with genius comic effect. For the unfamiliar, this is in reference to 300, the comic book (100 geek points) turned movie (300 geek points) turned internet meme (infinity points). In the film Gerard Butler spits out the line ‘This is Sparta’ before turfing a baddie down a well, as such:

So now the internet has turned it’s massive attention away from pornography, spam and well more pornography, to create 300 geek-baiting wonders. And I am obsessed!

Tonight I almost had to call for fresh undies thanks to the gems below. These probably say more about my sense of nerdy sense of humour than I ever could, enjoy.

Next on the to-do-list - sift through the infinite amount of 300 tribute videos on YouTube.

S.

Further tales from the bar

2008-03-22T22:28:00.001Z

Like most religious dates, in ireland, the best place to grab a moment for contemplation on easter is the bar. Nothing provides a better back drop for christian thoughts on death and resurrection that jaffa's in Cookstown. Complete with R&B, drunken teenagers and frosty beer. Thank god i have my chocolate egg at home to remind me what the season is really about. Hmm chocolate.

Catholic Electricians

2008-03-19T23:39:00.003Z

This made me laugh like a botard late this evening.

I've been a bit delirious from attempting to convert a huge DWF file into a PDF with not at all much joy. Also I'm still reeling from the government's decision to cancel the co-ownership scheme in NI. Will blog up on this once I've progressed my opinion along the 'NI Government are shortsighted twats' line of thinking. Also feeling aggrieved that £200m is being ploughed into social housing at the same time as this scheme is being cancelled.

Yeah good thinking Stormont, keep the benefit scammers comfy while making property inaccessible for those who actually want to buy their house and pay you the taxes that go with it.

Sometimes I wonder why society rewards stupidity, then I remember who we have in power. There'll be more on this after I spend some time in my angry chair...

S.

Happy st Paddy's day

2008-03-17T21:25:00.001Z

Been out literally drowning the shamrock with Gail, Emmett and Neil. Nothing new in that, and i'm really thrilled to catch up with all the guys. Still can't help but laugh at getting asked for ID going into one of the bars. Boy o'boy does that take me back! No ID on me but i did offer a business card. Eventually the doorman saw sense, and my grey hair, and let us all in. Wow, haven't felt that young in years!

Moving forward 24 frames per second

2008-03-13T21:18:00.003Z

Change, as they say, is inevitable. In nearly 10 years NI has become the epitome of this, moving from a well-worn path of tradition into modernity.

For those with an eye on cinema, the measure of the success can be measured in the boom of the creative economy. Opportunities are opening for our local talents like never before, and foreign filmmakers are being attracted to come and share their experience and skills to a new generation. The Tom Hanks based City of Embers was shot on location on Belfast, as was Dickie Attenborough’s Closing the Ring and Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto. This is a major achievement for a landscape that had almost solely survived on thrillers based on the troubles and well-intentioned but under performing comedies. Congrats are certainly in order for the bodies in the arts sector that have worked hard to convince production houses of the benefits of the emerging North.

Being an exceptional movie Geek, I’ve been following the shooting schedules on an almost religious basis. Charting the movements of Bill Murray, J C. McGinley and (the next ex-mrs McGrathty) Heather Graham had become something of an obsession. I even proposed a Bill Murray hunt to my unimpressed housemates on more than one occasion – damn it I just want a signed copy of Ghostbusters.

The latest potential celluloid gem rumoured to include NI is HellBoy II: The Golden Army. For those not familiar with the title it follows the further adventures of Ron Pearlman as a big red devil-spawn fighting off baddies from hell. But it’s much more stylish than it first sounds, I promise.

Under the watchful eye of Oscar –nominated director Guilermo del Toro, Hellboy II focuses on mythological creatures from days of yor coming back to life to mess things up for the cappuccino generation. Here’s the skinny from comingsoon.net:

‘After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it's up to the planet's toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it's time to call in Hellboy’

Expect a cameo from one Mr Finn McCool, who (I’m led to believe) will try to create a bigger mess in the Northwest than the DUP and Seymor Sweeney et al ever could,

Trailer for Hellboy II is below, the finished movie is due for a July 11th release.

Awesome right, and did I mention Rammstein are on the soundtrack?!!

George Z Bush

2008-03-02T12:23:00.004Z

If there is one thing that's guaranteed to get my attention it's the 'Z' word. Add Zombie to any phrase you like and you'll have my undivided attention: Zombie jam, Zombie housework, Zombie TCP reports. I have no idea why the idea of Zombies holds such a fascination for me, but I even have regular dreams about the shambling undead, such is my interest. And I gotta tell you, I really enjoy the Zombie dreams. There is nothing more fun than having to push past the shambling walking corpse of your PE teacher from 1985 armed with nothing more than a keyboard. As per usual with my dreams the objectives are a little skewed, so the Zombie outbreak will take place whilst I'm on holiday or doing some menial task. For the record it is exceptionally difficult to take pictures of the pyramids or build a shed with undead baying for blood and brains.

So after all the dreams and hypothetical musings of where to go during a Z-outbreak (Boucher Road, is the safest place in Belfast by the way*), I found this clip with the leader of the free world outlining the next biggest threat to global survival. Stock up on tinned food now!

*Low population, lots of hardware stores, clothing stores, supermarket dispatch warehouse stocked with non-perishable food, petrol station nearby, new car showrooms, lots of egress points, low flat areas for helicopter evac, etc, etc.

I think too much about this stuff!

Love that joker

2008-03-01T20:45:00.002Z

One final note on the Clinton Vs Obama race, and this one comes from Jack. Keep an ear out for that killer line from A Few Good Men., but why oh why take out the second prophetic line "You see my problem is, of course, that I'm a Colonel. I'll Just have to keep taking cold showers 'til they elect some gal President"?

More Chuck than a woodchuck

2008-03-01T14:41:00.002Z

The Chuck Norris facts have been a regular cause of amusement. I think I've referred to them on the blog before, and they've been updated since. Here's today's top eight:

If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars, Chuck Norris has more money than you.
There is no 'ctrl' button on Chuck Norris's computer. Chuck Norris is always in control.
Apple pays Chuck Norris 99 cents every time he listens to a song.
Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open.
Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay's potato chip.
Chuck Norris is suing Myspace for taking the name of what he calls everything around you.
Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.

Also worth a look is Garfield Minus Garfield. As the site itself says:

Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolor disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against lonliness in a quiet American suburb.

Political Football

2008-03-01T14:19:00.002Z

Must admit I am starting to tire of the Clinton versus Obama debate. Yes both are unique and have distinctive qualities, and yes they are both pioneering new ways of engaging with the electorate and rallying interest in politics (see Obama's myspace for proof). But surely it can't have escaped everyone's attention that they are two puppets with the same master, the Democrats. That's not a slight on the party by the way, if I was American and capable of voting that's who I'd plum for. Despite the fact the Republicans have Chuck Norris, and I'd spend the rest of my days fearing a roundhouse kick for my insolence.

For the record if I had to choose between Hilary and Barack I'd go for the Clinton. There's something about Obama that doesn't sit quite right with me. He's slick, on message and talks a great game. But he doesn't actually play the game. He has been labelled as a “hope merchant”, an “idealist” and “soundbite machine”. All of which I find hard to disagree with. He may not offer practical solutions but he says very positive things. I found this parody on a BBC webpage on this weekend's football. Kinda sums up Obama for me:

Reporter: "Is it true Obama supports West Ham United?"
Obama campaigner: "Truth be told, while Senator Obama has praised the Hammers, he sees potential in all Premier League clubs and admires their determination and professionalism. He is a champion of fitness and health at all levels."

How does he balance himself on so many fences without getting a splinter in his ass?

Does Obama like Sociable Geek?
"Sociable Geek uses words, and Senator Obama is hero of words and valued advocate of the sentences they make. Senator Obama knows the strength that words have and sees a lot of opportunities for Sociable Geek if he uses words wisely".

S.

Coffee in Belfast

2008-02-25T20:32:00.003Z

Just been for coffee with Jenny in Arizona. Good times catching up with one of Queens' finest lecturers and personal career counsellors.

Extension

Ahh aren't the wonders of mobile blogging great, especially when you can show off in front of other bloggers.

Arizona has to be one of my favourite cafes in Belfast. Its one of the few places where I can happily ignore the dangers of high caffeine intake and go for at least one or two refils. For anyone with a passing interest in the roasted bean, you should make a point of trying the Americano. Simple, smooth and incredibly moreish (is that even a word?).

It's also great for a relaxed conversation and putting the world to rights. But for all the excellence of the establishments, it's the banter of the people in the cafes that make them so worthwhile. Quarter-life crises, the murky swamp of NI politics and the general idiocy of the modern world are all subjects of my, lately infrequent, coffee meets with Jenny. I must make an effort to see my friends more often!

Speaking of which, I managed to meet up with some of the old University crowd in Portstewart on Saturday night. Without doubt one of the most fun weekends I've had in a very long time. Cheers to all who came along (I know at least some of you will be reading this). Here's hoping the next session isn't too far away.

Another saturday in Cookstown

2008-02-16T16:31:00.001Z

Plenty to do in Cookstown as ever. When i used to work here i always loved rounding off a saturday shift with a relaxed pint in one of the many watering holes. Things have changed a lot since then and even this bar is a new addition in the last few moths. Good to see the home town continue to develop. Now i'm off to drink that golden pint in shot. Oh and in an update to the previous post, last night one of my holy rolling relatives told me she's praying each day for me to meet 'a nice woman'. Having people pray for your love life? Yup, i guess i may have officially slipped into the Desperate Drawer.

Not Forget-me-nots

2008-02-13T20:34:00.001Z

It’s something of an annual occurrence, so I’ll break my blogging hiatus with my two cents cynical view on Valentine’s Day. No wait that’s not really right. This year it’s not so much of a cynical view as one of apathy, similar to how a vegetarian might view burger bun convention, or how the Amish might feel about new wide screen tvs.

See I have a core opinion on this, its one you really don’t hear often enough, which is unfortunate as a lot of people could help themselves if they could subscribe to the thought. It goes something like this:

I really enjoy being single.

There, said it, and I’ll validate it. My belief enables me to declare cornflakes to be a main course, to not have an opinion on colours no one needs to know about, and to see IKEA as just another store that’s like Argos but with a lot of walking. I’m happy not to fuss about what I need to wear to make a great impression with a potential ‘someone’ whenever I go out on the town.

I’m not saying being single is perfect or that I’ll die a bachelor but being single and being happy to remain single has its benefits.

That’s not something people like to hear. Especially people rotting in a cold relationship, or even worse, those who are trying to claw themselves out of the ‘desperate drawer’. And let me take the chance to clear up how this drawer looks. You are safe to be placed in this category if:
· You find yourself drawn to spam dating emails
· A friend suggests a blind date and at no point does the voice in your head say ‘wait a minute’
· You have/are placing a personal ad
· You are building a dvd collection based on what you’d like to watch with ‘that special someone’
· Romcoms are how you wish life really was
· You seek work colleagues assistance in finding a victim
· You keep a bottle of alcohol you would never drink (wine/beer) ‘just in case’
· Internet dating appears to be a risk free investment
· The surly teen from the grocery store begins to look appealing
· You see potential partners as having ‘a few small flaws’ rather than the deep-seated mental unbalance that makes their friends call them Charley Manson
· You claim ‘character’ and ‘a nice personality' are your fave features of your potential partner

That’s pretty much the tip of the iceberg. I’m sorry if you are one of the people who fall into the drawer. I’m not sorry if I have offended you, I’m just sorry for you. And yes that does sound a little condescending and arrogant, but is it really any more or less than the people who say things to you like ‘I/we really gotta find you a girl/boy’?

Thought not. Enjoy your Thursday wherever, whatever or whoever it takes you too.

S.

A plan?

2008-01-29T19:07:00.001Z

Thoughts are brewing at the ass end of a long tuesday.

Pre-thawed slush

2008-01-03T23:49:00.000Z

There’s a lot to be said for living with highly creative people, whether it’s having a ninja-like ability to manipulate web-code, or the skills to capture living imagery, it means I’m never stuck for some inspiration and engaging insights into the creative mind.

Tonight it snowed in Belfast, heavily. It’s the first big fall in a few years, though the forecast doesn’t give it much hope for lasting into the weekend. Regardless, the housemates and I set out in earnest to make the most of the white stuff and chill out fingers to the bone. Luckily Kaz was on hand to capture the rare sight of three grown men acting like boys in the snow as well as the natural beauty of the crisp light fall.

Kaz has quickly established herself as a photographer of great talent and great potential. Anyone interested in the visual arts could do much worse that take a peep at her portfolio online (expertly designed by Neil of course). And I would be doing her a great disservice if I didn’t 'Kaz-ually' mention that prints of the pics are available to buy.

Right free advert over. Off to get some sleep and hope the snow lasts just long enough so I’m not trudging through slush tomorrow.

S.

Retailed Therapy?

2008-01-01T22:10:00.000Z

For the last few years I’ve felt as though I’ve been living a little off-centre to the driving economic shifts. Man that sounds pretentious, all I mean to say is I feel like I’ve been constantly broke. From finishing school and uni I’ve always been one step behind my bank account, attempting to be frugal, pay off the overdrafts and making a lot of sacrifices for it.

There’s something to be said for not being an active participant in the consumer culture. Abandoned nights out cost friends, insufficient fashion funds cost style and cheap high-fat food has cost me my Mr Universe perfectly sculpted body (something must be to blame!). Don’t get me wrong I’ve never been living hand to mouth but I’ve never been the position of having a disposable income either. Most of my finances are pre-planned well ahead of payday which, let me tell you, takes the fun out of any spending you then do. It sucks, and it makes you resent the overwhelming drive for an ultra-consumer society.

There is a danger in being this resentful. I’ve noticed myself feeling a buzz in talking myself out of buying something as opposed to getting it. It’s a little like reverse shopping addiction. Example: I’ll walk into a shop knowing I need to get a new shirt. I’ll see one I like, then I’ll start to think of all the reasons I don’t need it. It will become illogical to get it, I won’t need it – despite what I initially thought – and I’ll leave the store feeling like I’ve just earned £30 as opposed to losing it. It’s a bit melodramatic to say it’s existentialist, but at the same time I do find myself asking what exactly is the overall point in buying whatever I’m interested in. Where does it fit in with bigger needs? Heavy, non?

So what’s brought all this on? Well two things, actually three.
1. I’ve been thinking about the idea of anti-citizenship and the ability to opt out of consumerism seems to me to be the epitome of this.
2. I got a pay raise which will enable me to start saving/spending (sadly probably the former)
3. I went to IKEA for the first time ever today

IKEA is a weird phenomena. I never really understood the joys of shopping, pretty much in general, but specifically for DIY/home furnishings. And this is probably because I neither own my home nor will be in a financial position to get one anytime soon. So IKEA shopping for me is as redundant as going shopping for a third leg.

The “experience” was ok, nothing mind blowing but not uncomfortable. The layout is very clever, although quite labyrinth like and I couldn’t help but imagine that the walls change orientation every thirty minutes to trap shoppers. The most noticeable thing about the store is that despite the numbers attending it never feels crowded – I suspect this is owed to the floor plan, which makes shoppers follow a distinctive path around. Note: on your way in look at the people who arrive with you, I guarantee you’ll see them with you at least four or five times as you make your way around the DIY themepark.

I wonder has anyone pitched the idea of organising a mass blind date at an IKEA store. Think about it, you get 30 single guys, 30 single girls and let them all in at the same time. Within half an hour they’ll be amazed to find that they have so much in common, like a love of credit, cheap furnishings and a colour made up by a designer called Nike. They could even install an express wedding till if this catches on.

Ok cynicism aside, the store is grand and I think I would probably pick up a few “affordable” things, if only I could find such a thing as an affordable house in Belfast first.

S.

New Belfast at night

2007-12-29T17:10:00.001Z

City hall, on my way home from the shops.

You'll tide

2007-12-27T17:38:00.000Z

A lack of snow, mobs of angry consumers, a severe dose of the flu and enough wrapping paper to patch up the Titanic. Yup it can all mean only one thing, Christmas has come and gone, leaving its sticky yuletide goodness for all to smirk upon.

In addition to the mounds of food, clothing and smelly things which define the season, I've been looking forward to this holiday break for two reasons:
1. Working like a botard means i deserve a wee break
2. I haven't seen most of my Cookstown friends in a really long time

And it's all been great fun so far, even the Lemsips taste better than I recall. With the spirit of Christmas (read consumerism) working hard on me, I took myslef into town and finally got something I've needed for a long time. Something that will make a huge difference to my general well-being, my ability to relate to my fellow man, and something which will massively increase my appeal to the opposite sex. Yup, I went gadget shopping! The fruit of today's labour is a sexy (read affordable) Sony Ericsson mobile phone. It has the full complement of bells and whistles which I have no need for or will ever use beyond the first three days of use, but it has a really nifty little feature befitting a blog called Sociable Geek:

With the push of few buttons (no less than 4) I can take a pic with my phones mighty 2.0 mega pixel camera and upload it directly to this very blog. No fussing no fighting and no propositions from weird looking people in internet cafes...

2008 may yet become the year of the photo blog!

S.

Coffee at home

2007-12-27T17:09:00.001Z

First picture blog from my new phone

Huh?

2007-12-01T16:01:00.000Z

Word on the street interviews, or vox pops, are notoriously problematic to use as a measure of consensus, and even more so when judging collective intelligence. People usually freeze up when the mere mention or sight of camera is presented to them. I've been on both sides of the camera for voz pops and know just how difficult it can be. I've yet to give an on the spot statement where I don't sound really goofy, stumble over my words or completely articulate my point. Not that they have been completely dreadful, I like being critical of how I appear.

The other problem with vox pops is that they are subject to hi-jack by would be pranksters or smartarses hoping to attract a comedy talent scout, impress their mates or just simply embarrass the interviewer. And finally there is the possibility that interviews are conducted with stooges or actors to fulfil a particular agenda.

So it's no surprise that I take compilations of vox pops with a large pinch of salt, especially when the show using them is satirical in format.

I found the video below via the ever-great Sonic Forum (big hat tip guys). Have a peep and see if any of the above dangers of 'word on the street' interviews stick out. Heaven help us if it's a genuine reflection of the country 'that rules the world'.

Nooooooo!!

2007-11-30T21:51:00.000Z

Just when you think there aren't enough heroes in the world, the stupid planet goes and loses another one!

Is it wrong to start thinking about jumping over his grave? Something tells me he'd like that, in fact I'd wager that he has a line in his will demanding a run up ramp to the headstone.

Go Evel!

S.

Twittering

2007-11-27T23:01:00.000Z

None related thoughts from this foul day of our lord:

Amy Winehouse has cancelled all her gigs this year. The search is now on to find anyone remotely surprised.

November days are most like beer: cold and wet with warm colours. Fun for a while but not after thirty of them.

Baking buns does not diminish your manliness, but only as long as you listen/watch the football while doing it! (cookie anyone?)

I got into a conversation recently, which reminded me of career I once thought I really wanted: voice over artist. Damn you puberty!

People don’t tell enough stories anymore. The art of storytelling used to bind people together and formulate consensus. It’s all about getting to the nitty gritty now. No time for small talk. Whatever happened to building context, drama. We need more stories. Try to tell at least one story every day.

Sleeping is the only cure for tiredness.

Scatterbrainedness is not yet a word

Ballhead and swamp-donkey are good insults.

I'm hooked on Freebird

...if I leave here tomorrow...

What I did tonight

2007-11-27T22:36:00.000Z

1. Take 15 digestive biscuits and crumble them up so they are completely broken down – no big bits!
2. Add a tin of condensed milk to the digestive crumble and fold in.
3. Throw in 15 marshmallows and stir it all up
4. (you can add 15 cherries at this point, but seeing as they are horrible I left them out)
5. Roll the dough into a big sausage and roll the sausage across desiccated coconut
6. Leave in the fridge for 2 hours
7. Slice into 2 discs 2cm thick
8. Eat and be the envy of everyone in the room

Nothing can be stolen when men love their bikes

2007-11-14T20:50:00.000Z

Like some sort of decrepit prophecy from a really bad 1980s horror movie, the BBC have been throwing up ‘news’ stories which seem to indicate that all is not entirely well in the world of logic, decency and common sense.

First off we have a story of a Dutch teenager who has been sent to chokey for stealing over £2000 worth of goods that don’t actually exist! The brain defyingly daft theft happened in a hotel which also doesn’t exist… except on a big PC server somewhere in the states. According to the BEEB, six teenagers have taken to taking things from a social networking site called Habbo Hotel. Seeing as the socially challenged users of this site pay for items in their online room with real hard-earned cash, the stealing of virtual items constitutes real hard-earned time in a prison for anyone convicted. Just as it would for taking real furniture! Gotta wonder if there is an online black market for this bounty.

Next up Bonny Scotland gives us a man who loves cycling, but not as you would expect. In fact it’s not the cycling part he loves, it’s the bike loving he loves. And loves too much by any reasonable judgement. The physics of how a man-bike interaction would work aren’t with in my cognitive abilities but I think its fair to say that it’s a one-way relationship, and I’d imagine it’s one that hurts quite a bit too!

So there you have it, normality and all measured sanity have run their course and now its time for the madness to win out. Expect marshmallow men to roam the streets and rubber masked goons to be on the edge of every street corner waiting for some opportune moment to scare the bejesus out of passers by.

Truly the end of society is upon us all… 80s style!