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March 29, 2003
Not The Best Of Weeks
I went into work on Monday (and ended up takeng another 2 1/2 days off) as I still wasn't well. I spent much of the time off working on I.T. Ep 00, which is almost ready, and sleeping again! Finally I got back to work on Thursday, but my plans went awry as my boss had an urgent job for me to do, so I couldn't go out to Barnoldswick to my first appointment.. and of course we didn't have a number so I couldn't let them know... Luckily they called later and actually gave me a number, so I called back and went out to see them at 5.30. Looking a the number of people I have to see, late appointments will become the norm for a while to come. And being a new boss she has noted the amount of referrals I get and is looking into how to cut the workload. Possibly by losing Hyndburn/Ribble Valley, which would cut out most of he area and about a 1/3 of the people, but leave me with industrial Burnley/Pendle & Rossendale while losing the countryside. sigh.
And I (nearly) ran into James in Colne who offered to give me a matching dent in Camille...
Oh, and yesterday I didn't eat as I think that bug is coming back... you don't know how much I hope not... next week HAS to be better!
Posted by Badgers at 05:37 AM | Comments (1)
March 24, 2003
I won't go into Sunday...
...'cos Jamius has pretty much covered it in his blog, and I've added to it with my comment below it! Still - I did get a chance last night to scan in all the art I had drawn Sunday AM and convert them all to Freehand graphics ready to import into Flash tonight... I.T. Episode 00 will be here by the end of next week, as long as my voice returns!
Anyway - I went into work this morning (I was going to be on leave) mainly to get out of the house for a while (mum was driving me crazier) and while I feel worse again (I'm now on leave until Thursday to try and shake this thing off), it was worth doing so that I could get an idea of what I had to do when I get back... which is about 34 referrals on top of the 20 I still have to do in my job. At least it means I won't get bored for the next few months! Sigh.
Some good news - The Day The Earth Stood Still has turned up on DVD finally. and the print looks superb - I look forward to watching that this week!
Finally, I realised that I've been reading like mad in the times between sleeping while off sick (and I read like mad anyway), and I think I should let people know about good books! I finished Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy and can only say that if it is made into a film, prepare for a great disappointment... Now I'm just finishing Alexander McCall Smith's first No.1 Ladies Detective Agency novel (which I only picked up because it was in a 3 for 2 offer at Waterstones!) - and I need to get the others (I have the second waiting...). Its set in contemporary Botswana which makes for a very different world to that which we know... and I love detective stories set in other times and places! For Roman times, I recommend Lindsey Davis' Falco novels - set in a well realised and living Rome, they are the thrilling (and funny) adventures of a private informer... Paul Doherty has also written a Roman detective, but I haven't read anything yet (might buy it when I next hit Manchester), though I can heartlily recommend his Amerotke stories, set in Ancient Egypt, again brought vividly to life. Hmm - perhaps I should start a page here with book reviews! I can add stuff on detectives, gothic horror and romance, sea-faring tales (Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin books are stunning!), and even some sci-fi. Hmm - I might just do that... watch this space!!!
Posted by Badgers at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2003
That Feels Soooooo Much Better!
It looks like the (first stage of the) virus/whatever has passed - I'm still a bit shaky (not surprising, according to mates) but much better - I've managed to keep some food down, and the runs have stopped, briefly. I still haven't got an appetite, but I can live with that (I did for 6 months 3 years ago, and all it did was make me very thin!).
What this has meant is that i've been well enough to watch some TV (finally I catch up with 24 and The Sopranos, not to mention the shocking season finale of Farscape - expect a rant on this soon!!!) along with getting back to being able to sit at the PC and animate!!! I haven't got a good enough voice just yet to do the dialogue I need for the end of the week, but I will soon when the croak goes away and I can breathe easier! Basically then, I spent much of yesterday (apart from a bit playing Freelancer and getting quite into the story now) working on the first I.T. Episode (Ep 00!!!) - things are moving around and I have discovered it is not so hard to draw on my Wacom pad so future I.T. will look much better... but this one IS meant to look a little dodgy - first real Flash animation and all that... It also has to look a little more like the old comics, so it looks a little rough (and I'm managing that quite easily.... Whether it'll be quite ready for the 1st, I'm not sure, but it is coming along very well!!!
Today I'll be at a mates with the other idiots, probably playing Freelancer in multiplayer and listening to James whinging about his flask and Yu-gi-oh cards... check out his 'blog for more info and whining...!
Posted by Badgers at 08:24 AM | Comments (1)
March 20, 2003
The Dixie Chicks
Okay, so it may not have been the cleverest things to say bad things about Bush Jr at the moment, so that lots of perfectly sane Americans* burn their CDs... but I have heard that the US Military was pushing their song 'Traveling Soldier' as a patriotic song... its about a soldier going off to Vietnam who doesn't come back... yeah, that'll give the lads a boost!
Expect much more stupidity to come!
* There must be some...
Posted by Badgers at 04:57 PM | Comments (1)
Like Command and Conquer - Only For Real
Well, the war has begun, as expected - at present the US have just opened up heavily on Southern Iraq in the start of the ground assault after this mornings' attack on the leadership... and it seems we have some burning oil wells again - plus ca change.
My personal biological attack continues, and I have been off work the past couple of days - I went in yesterday, and didn't make it very far before I started to throw up and got sent home (like they had a choice). Apparently this virus is hitting a number of people, and it comes back after going away for a week or so. What this means is that it is pretty much exactly the same bug that got me three years ago (about the same time of year too) which lead to me changing from a 17 1/2 stone man to just over 10 stone (thankfully I have worked to actually put some weight back on, though it is disappearing already...)
I can tell you one thing - it may not be the best choice available, but if you get this thing and you have been worrying about your weight, don't - you will lose your appetite (and it will take a little time to come back, so you probably won't eat much at all, if anything) and whatever you do eat won't stay down - it's like a natural bulemic state... you can guess how nice that is. It will make you very weak though - don't expect to be able to exercise much... I helped take the dogs out and got just up the road before going green and having to come back. Luckily I was walking Sadie, our oldest dog, and the walk was enough to keep her happy. So, I'll be off again tomorrow, and hoping to get back to work next week (mum & dad are much better, but not eating as much as normal - remember what I said about the appetite?) to do things, but I expect it to come back in another week or so - its pretty much what happened last time... but if it is, I don't want to lose another 7+ stone and end up collapsing and waking up in hospital.
Do you get the feeling I don't recommend this diet, no matter how effective it is?
Posted by Badgers at 04:39 PM | Comments (1)
March 18, 2003
And The Rainbow Warrior Was A Valid Threat To World Security?
So, here we go, then. Today Tony Blair did his big thing in the Commons, yesterday Bush told Saddam to bugger off in a couple of days or else duck and cover. France is vetoe-ing any UN resolution, Russia and China are a bit unhappy too (but apparently would change their mind if Saddam Hussein uses any bio or chemical weapons on troops), the UN is about as much use as a chocolate radiator (again). So basically, we're at war by Thursday night.
Now, I'm not pro- or anti-war per se - I realise quite well that Saddam Hussein has done bad stuff, lied, cheated, hidden naughty things under his bed, etc, and really the Middle East would be a better place without him (well, except for the civil war that would start once he leaves power). He must be dealt with. I just wish it didn't have to mean so many innocent lives on both sides (the military and the civilians). I just wish that the French would see that. I heard on the radio that someone is saying that the war will, in fact, all be France's fault. Sadly, I think this is close to the truth. By taking such a hard stance ("excuse-moi, pas a toute resolution!") that even China and Russia didn't want to take, it forces the UN Security Council into a stalemate from which it can't escape, even for diplomatic solutions (remember - Saddam isn't affected in any real way by embargoes - his people are), and so lets the US yell "YEE-HAW!!!" and go charging in with (or without, depending on how the vote in Parliament goes tonight) British forces to help/hold them back.
Of course, the French now say they will change their mind if chemical or biological weapons are used on troops - somehow I doubt if Saddam would use them, as it would turn everyone against him, something he doesn't want. Surely playing the martyr would be his best option, especially after the US have flattened every one of his palaces! But then, who knows? He is currently strutting around banging the drum to get his people roused and ready to fight to the death. Maybe this might not be the quick surgical strike that Afganistan was. Oh yeah, that was a bit messy, and not quite over yet...
What we have to do is involve France. They were happy to bugger up in Vietnam until the US came in to bugger it up even more, and they sank a Greenpeace ship in Australia just in case it managed to somehow do vital damage to, well, nothing at all, didn't they? Is it me, or are the French just itching for a fight they can win? They are great at blocking ferry ports and getting money from the EU and not paying fines for not importing British Beef (a call for military action if there ever was one!). Maybe its because they haven't actually won many wars. Especially against us. Again, I'm not anti-French - it's a wonderful language, I like French cinema (even those ones without lots of naked women!) and I have met some nice French people. But don't they need to get their heads screwed on right? What danger are Greenpeace and Pacific atols? To the French it seems, they are a threat, and a Middle Eastern Dictator that is currently sticking one finger up at the rest of the world (western and arab) isn't? Maybe they are pissed that its mainly US companies that will clean up on the oil and construction once the dust has settled? Perhaps they could apply to the EU for compensation...
My solution therefore to the problem of Iraq is simple, and needs no military intervention at all from any country. It will still involve an ultimatum of some sort, but it's one the French can go for. It relies on their strengths, after all.
First - paralyse the air above Iraq - a few french air traffic controllers should be able to cover this easily - they certainly manage to paralyse the whole of Europe on a regular basis. Next, send a load of French truck drivers down to the arab countries that border Iraq, and let them protest - again, this is always a successful tactic that Europe always gives in to, so Iraq will fall in short measure.
And if they need any more pursuading, you can tell them that once the country has been released from tyrrany the French military can test some more nukes in the middle of all that desert - after all, little atols in the middle of the Pacific are fun to blow up, but imagine the fun they can have turning large swathes of sand into glass?
And of course, if you really do want the French to join the fight, just tell them that Saddam Hussain is a tree-hugging hippy - they'll be in there with special weapons forces in no time...
Posted by Badgers at 05:28 PM | Comments (1)
March 17, 2003
Thats me done for the day, then
Well, after last night's entry I pretty much went to bed, and slept quite well until 11pm when I woke up and then spent a virtually sleepless night due to the runs, throwing up, and a mind that just wouldn't stop working... as you can imagine, I got up this morning a little shaky! My heart was doing its palpitation stuff, I was dizzy, I was tired, and I still had to go into work!
Luckily, I had this afternoon off to go over to Bacup to take part in the Emergency Planning exercise, but as you can imagine, the only way I would be of use would be as a real casualty! Whatever this thing is, it hit dad on Friday/Saturday (he felt better on Sunday), mum Saturday/Sunday (she feels better today) and me Sunday/today. Hopefully this means I will be feeling less shaky tomorrow and able to get on with my job again...
Oh - just to hack me off, I was coming back from an appointment in Worsthorne this morning when a truck decided it was coming down the lane regardless, and he wasn't going to move over that foot to let me past... I got out of his way, but scraped a wall in doing so, so I now have a bump and scratch on Camille... not the end of the world, but really annoying - it will wait until the weather is better in a few weeks, though.
Trucks. Probably worth a nice long rant in the near future...
Oh - and welcome to Badgers, Jamius - visit his Blog of Terror here!
Posted by Badgers at 12:54 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2003
Vomit Update
Well, Mum has definitely got it (she's in bed, apart from when she has to get up and run to the bathroom...) And the good news? I've started feeling sick now. Oh goody. Just what I needed... Stay tuned for reports live from the toilet bowl... if I make it there!
(PS - I know, but no matter how ill that makes you feel, I feel worse!)
6.00PM Update - Oh yeah, here we go..
Posted by Badgers at 01:46 PM | Comments (2)
A Ballads = Nice! -_^
Been a few days, but not much has happened since my birthday... well, apart from one of the dogs limping as an infection in it's toe has spread and swollen the joints (the antibiotics weren't working). And my dad finding out what it's like to have to constantly vomit due to illness (he's rough, but its been a couple of days and the puking has subsided... I had it for two months when I lost all my weight!!!). And moving a suite from one house to another (with an ill dad and a mum who was unable to actually lift or do anything other than grump and get in the way.)
Oh yes, my mother. She who yells at me in the morning for no reason at all (apparently I was shouting at her - I'd only just come in the door and hadn't even opened my mouth!), then says I'm taking her shopping, grumpily, before telling me she isn't ready (though a few minutes earlier it was a life and death situation). Believe me, moving sounds like a really good idea, but it'll never happen, sadly. Yep, I'm one of those 33 year olds that is still at home, though I don't want to be...*If* I ever get the money together... ah well, it's a dream to keep me going!
Gah - that was nearly a rant!!! Sigh. Oh, and the usual shooting-in-the-back session isn't on for today as Nick has inconveniently gone to Wales this weekend, so I get to make up for all the lost time yesterday and get down to some serious drawing (lots of art knocked up for the first I.T. Flash (00: The Story So Far) this morning, and I hope to have finished the RNP Intro by tonight (just have to add one voice and animate the mouth! No problem! Except that I'm not that good at voices... I know DT needs decent voices, but I think I.T. might benefit too... ah well - I can redo them easily enough...)
Oh - and finally - if you like Ayumi Hamasaki, the new A Ballads album is full of nice mixes of a number of her songs, like Appears, You, M, Seasons, etc, and has Voyage, and Rainbow on it - its a slight change from the AyuMix series!!!
And really finally, tomorrow is the emergency excercise in Bacup... it will be interesting to see what the disaster is, and what I get (apart from one of Barbara's cats for the day!). Expect a Meanwhile... later this week!
Posted by Badgers at 07:25 AM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2003
Happy Birthday To Me!
Thirty-three. It's almost the answer to the great question of life, the universe and everything. Its also my age now. I suppose I should settle down and wait for my hair to fall out. And for things to sag.
Not an image you're gonna want to think about, I'm sure, especially when it happens to you!
Ah well - The parents got me a silk kimono/dressing gown with a beautiful dragon embroidered on it... and two cuts that totally ruin the effect. They are hoping to get another, 'cos it was pretty cool... Hopefully MVC will get in the DVD of The Day The Earth Stood Still with no problems! Note - listen out for the soundtrack in I.T. Flash anims!!!
Still, the day hasn't been bad - no balloons, only a few cards, and only the usual hassle at work. Now I'm knackered, and I'm going to spend the night finishing the last chapter of Phil Pullman's The Subtle Knife before hitting Flash MX... lots of animation to sort out, and some samples to track down...
Oh - I notice Jamius is getting into this site as more than just the unpaid editor... lots of comments springing up... anyone else want to join in? I may be adding a chat area in the near future (probably once roguenoid.com is up and running) so be ready...
Posted by Badgers at 05:23 PM | Comments (1)
March 10, 2003
On Moving, Freelancing and Flashing...
What a day. At work we were told we were moving to a new office in the building at short notice, so we had to pack up and pretty much take everything up ourselves. By the time the removal men turned up all that was left was four filing cabinets (and we were *so* not taking those upstairs ourselves!!!). I messed an appointment because of it, and got no actual work done (sometimes a good thing, somethimes not!) Ah well - I am now on the ground floor looking out of the window at the people and traffic passing by. And in a noisy office (a boon in my job... NOT!) I fear I may be out of the office even more now!!!
Still, after a great weekend, what could I expect? The shopping was good on Saturday (retail therapy really does relax you...!) as I mentioned last time, and Sunday was basically watching Doof play Project IGI 2 (he gets so excited when he holds a gun in a game... it worries me) and then spending the rest of the afternoon playing Freelancer. For those not in the know, this is a game not unlike Elite, involving trading, fighting and lots of pretty spaceships. And a superb multiplayer mode where you join a server and simply fly around the Galaxy doing missions, trading etc alone or (and this is the good bit!) getting together in a group and going off on missions and trading etc! Excellent controls and good gameplay make this a really good game... of course, if doof is around, he manages to buy a gigantic ship bristling with weapons and manages to be able to tractor-beam all the good stuff in the wreckage (and then he whinges at us to get bigger ships when we can't afford it 'cos he's making the money!!! Hmmmm...). Good game. Especially when we are flying towards Planet Pittburgh in formation and he runs straight into the atmosphere of a planet on the way!!! Laugh - I nearly wet myself! As Jamius said, if only I'd had the recorder on for the soundbyte...!
Oh yes, and Flash. I spent all Sunday morning trying to get a bloody button to go to another frame and it wouldn't do it... it was quite happy to stop the animation (why I don't know - the action script said 'PLAY'!) but it wouldn't do what I wanted it to... it does now though... after fettling with it at 6.00 this morning! All because I want a nice intro for roguenoid.com... I must be mad!
Posted by Badgers at 06:45 PM | Comments (1)
March 08, 2003
Just Another Wet Saturday Afternoon
But despite the rain, I got out to Manchester to do a little shopping (comics mainly, but also some books (so - I'm a Waterstones junkie!) and a CD... not often I buy CDs for one reason or another... Still, as the album is a different version to the one I already have (Vanessa Amorosi - The Power) it was worth it!
On getting home I decided to keep Jamius happy by converting the Mates page to MT so that people (i.e. him) can add comments... I also added the soundbytes at last after taking a few minutes (!) to go through the recordings and select quick snippets... a few common phrases still missing, and James is conspicuous in his near silence, but they are done!
Tomorrow gets a bit busy as I build the RNP menu and then set to on the first main Flash project... plus shooting the idiots and hunting those illusive soundbytes! Wish me luck, 'cos i'll need it!
Posted by Badgers at 04:10 PM | Comments (0)
A Little Test
Received this in my email - its silly, but it seems to be true...
> Quick Eye Exam...
>
> This will blow your mind...!
> Just do it - don't cheat!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Try this its actually quite good.
>
> But don't cheat!
>
> Count the number of F's in the following text:
>
> FINISHED FILES ARE THE
> RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC
> STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
> EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
>
> Managed it?
>
> Scroll down only after you have counted them!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> OK?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> How many?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Three?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Wrong, there are six - no joke!
>
>
>
>
> Read again!
>
>
>
> FINISHED FILES ARE THE
> RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC
> STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
> EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
>
>
>
> The reasoning is further down...
>
> The brain cannot process the word "OF".
>
>
> Incredible or what?
>
> Anyone who counts all six F's on the first go is a genius
> Three is normal.
I'm guessing that its partly because 'of' is pronounced 'ov' (unless you have a bad german accent like Andy when he's playing Day Of Defeat or something involving Omaha beach!).
Posted by Badgers at 05:39 AM | Comments (0)
I'm Back!
Hmm - sorry about being away for a few days, but I've been quite busy on the website doing graphics, rebuilding the comic pages (should anyone want to strain their eyes trying to read I.T. Must Die!!! on screen instead of waitng a ouple of months or so!). I've also been busy at work and quite knackered at night. Still, things haven't gone badly really!
The books were picked up earlier this week (I still find it hard to believe it was worth the trip from Liverpool to collect them - about a minute is all - ding-dong - Hi - Steven? Yes - here you go - thanks - bye!) My other remaining set of books will just be going in the post today as the buyer has had some email problems themselves! Damned email!
At work yesterday I was at Accrington Blind Society showing the few people that made it due to the weather (including someone I'm seeing next Tuesday!) the various bits of equipment we can provide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Not many came, but it wasn't a wash-out!
Also at work, I found out that a move that has been on-off-on-off is now on for Monday afternoon. That should be fun...
In a week or so's time I will probably be lying on the ground with a broken arm or something... this is because I'll be taking part in a local emergency exercise in Bacup... that should generate a new Meanwhile... the first in since the partial eclipse! in August 1999! More on that as it happens!
I've also got an unpaid (!) editor who is combing the pages for spolling mistooks (he's found one, but I can't spot it!)... See the latest Baka to see why...
Posted by Badgers at 05:30 AM | Comments (1)
March 04, 2003
Well, It Saves On Postage, I Suppose...
Odd this, but I have someone coming over to collect some books he has won on eBay beacuse he lives nearby. Normally, this would be quite a normal thing to do, but then, it depends on how 'local' is defined. I'm in Burnley. He is coming from Liverpool. not quite popping out to pick up some books from someone in the next town, is it? Its a fair old round-trip, when all is said and done, and will probably cost as much in petrol. Still, it's his choice!
Ah well. Later, no doubt!
Posted by Badgers at 04:40 PM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2003
What A Lot Of Test Emails...
Well, it looks like those nice people at Digihosters have got my email running again - I had about 20 test emails I sent in the past week to see if anything got through. Lots of emails from people buying in my eBay auctions, and one from eBay to check on it. Sigh. Hopefully everything should be okay now, so fingers crossed!
Posted by Badgers at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2003
And So It Begins...
Outside, as I type, the community event is beginning, drums-a-drumming, local schoolgirls cheerleading, and the generator for the bouncy castle has finally started working.
And the idiots have arrived, (late, so they had to hike to get here!) but they did bring all their monitors and stuff... although they did forget that I don't have a hub for networking, so they had to traipse back home to pick it up... what idiots! And Nick has brought up his slow machine, so expect the soundbytes to have some serious whinging in them!!!
Ah well, the Mayor has been and gone, and things look quite busy down in the park (though the placing of some of the bariers is a bit thick!). As long as the rain holds off (its nice and sunny at the moment, so the bouncy castle shouldn't be turned into a bouncy paddling pool) and we can get by without a shooting or knifing, we should have a good day!
Course, I'll be able to let you know about that later in the day... until then...
Update: Well, the party in the park seems to have gone off quite well -the fire brigade brought up an engine that everyone could sit in (and set off the sirens). Some areas didn't seem to have anyone who came, so I'm told, but it looks to have given a lot of people somewhere to come for the afternoon. On the idiots front, they managed to whinge as I expected, and couldn't manage a lap in NASCAR before they just had to crash into everyone. Sigh. Still, got a good soundbyte from Nick... I'll try to get those online this week! Later!
Posted by Badgers at 12:17 PM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2003
Idiots!
Heres something that has appeared over at Newgrounds - a series of slideshows of silly signs, similar to the dreaded All Your Base... phenomenon, but many of the pictures (if not all - sorry but some do look a little doctored, but it might be the compression) are real, and quite funny! The author, egaMhcrA has called it a day at 5 episodes, but this, like AYB, may continue and grow a life of it's own... Heck, I'm doing a page about idiotic stuff somewhere round here, if only I could find where Moveable Type is putting it...!
See the First episode at Newgrounds - Go to the Portal and then search for 'idiots!'
Posted by Badgers at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)