Tunnel vision

highlevelwalkway2, originally uploaded by moclaydon.

What's the world coming to, I ask you......this picture is 10 days old! (I really must get my act together, blame it on the bloody weather......or something!)......it's the High Level Bridge and that guy on the left was singing to himself......I moved out of the way sharpish.

OTHER STUFF

This one's for my Ma, sis and bro-in-law who actually 'lived the dream'

 

"Moscow-Vladivostok: virtual journey on Google Maps

The great Trans Siberian Railway, the pride of Russia, goes across two continents, 12 regions and 87 cities. The joint project of Google and the Russian Railways lets you take a trip along the famous route and see Baikal, Khekhtsirsky range, Barguzin mountains, Yenisei river and many other picturesque places of Russia without leaving your house. During the trip, you can enjoy Russian classic literature, brilliant images and fascinating stories about the most attractive sites on the route."

It's in real time......apparently 9 days worth, though I can't swear to it.....I recommend the Russian radio station or the 'rumble of wheels' as your traveling soundtrack.....
(you can join the train anywhere on the map, you don't have to do the full trip!)

Climb aboard here, don't forget your sandwiches!

And talking of timewasting.......

 

There's a nice point-and-click game here

Sunday already

Not sure where Saturday went to!

I'm not a huge fan of February.....it's neither nowt nor summat if you know what I mean, with winter hanging on by it's fingernails and spring not quite on the horizon. Plus, I've got sciatica so I'm feeling a bit grumpy (that would be an undestatement!) Having said that it was lovely down on the seafront this morning, still damned chilly though!

OTHER STUFF

Came across this site on Friday that looks like it might be fun for all you photographers out there.... "Noticings are interesting things that you stumble across when out and about. You play Noticings by uploading your photos to Flickr, tagged with 'noticings' and geotagged with where they were taken. Each turn is a day, and at 3pm GMT every day photos from the previous day are imported from Flickr and the scores calculated. Noticings aren't very transient things, like people, and you should only take one photo of each thing you spot."
Link to noticings

Another photography-based link for snappers on the move. I loved this because it's such a simple idea that actually works, a light tent made from 3 sheets of paper and some paper clips......

Find the instructions here

Then there's this online drawing application that runs in any browser.....really quite impressive, shame I can't draw!

Link to Sketchpad

Better get those dishes washed.........

Hooray it's Friday!!

At last.....it's the end of a long, busy week.....y'know I'm absolutely knackered (and that would be the polite, technical term).....I'm planning on a long, deep, steamy bath, a couple of glasses of port and an earlyish night tonight.....oh yes, I know how to live! Above is a tiny bit of a snatched shot on the way home.....that small person was absolutely engrossed by the window display, with nose and hands pressed up against the glass, kids still love Xmas....fact!

OTHER STUFF......

I'm not sure what you'd describe this as....game, artwork, poetry, social commentary?....

Evidence of Everything Exploding is probably all of these and more. And there's more of the same here if you feel the urge to explore.

Are We Alone says.....

"Could there be life-forms on worlds far beyond the bounds of Earth?

The search for life as we don’t know it begins with understanding life as we do.

From amoebas to androids to antimatter, Are We Alone? weaves together humor and compelling interviews into themed programs about the biggest ideas in evolutionary biology, genetics, paleontology, technology, and physics – as well as cosmology and astronomy.

Are you a doubting Thomas? You’ll have plenty of company as we separate science from pseudoscience and the facts from the phony in Skeptic Check, our monthly look at critical thinking."

You can find their podcast archive (and there's lots of them!) here

Have a great weekend folks.....I'm off to run that bath!

Fag break friends

Now I don't usually do straight-on, 'say-cheese-for-the-camera', portrait shots.....but I like this one for their lovely, smiley eyes! On the left we have N (one of the grounds staff who keep all the the green bits on campus in order and looking good), and on the right is P (an Ozzie project manager from the Estates Dept with a penchant for small cigars)

OTHER STUFF

You can read the stories behind iconic images at Iconic Photos, it's only been going a few months but there's some gems. Worth a click.

The Beatles Never Broke Up......apparently!
(listen online or zip download available)

And finally some 'point-and-clicky' action.....

You can play the free demo levels of Machinarium here ( from the makers of Samarost 1 and 2) Wonderful graphics as ever!

Oh come all ye faithful......

A sure sign that Xmas is on the horizon, Fenwicks, a local department store has unveiled their animated festive window display, this year complete with carols belting out from 8 in the morning until yawn time....I love Xmas but just not yet!

Just time for one link tonight (the boy in the attic is apparently downloading the internet tonight, he's magnanimously agreed to turn off his downloads for a few minutes to let me post!).....it's an online game with nice graphics and cool music that I haven't managed to play yet (for reasons see above!)

About....

"Little Wheel is the story of a world of self-sufficient robots. Everything runs like clockwork until one day when a mishap at the power core shuts down the entire civilization. After ten thousand years of rusting, a chance lightning strike restores power to one small hero, who sets out to start everything back up again.

Little Wheel is played entirely with the mouse, and the design could not be friendlier. There's no hunting for pixels or hot-spots, as things you can interact with are highlighted by a gray circle. Instead of collecting seemingly random items and rubbing them against everything to see if it advances the story, most puzzles in the game are solved simply by choosing to click these interactive areas in their correct order."

Play Little Wheel

Nintendo gurl

This one's been passed by the official censor.....apparently it's blurry enough to hide her freckles and she likes the minimal selective colour on the DS screen, but she'd like me to point out in no uncertain terms that the teddy bear in the background is absolutely nothing to do with her, it's the kittens 'cuddly bed'.

Haven't played this one since Episode 1, but now there's 3....
Deep Chalk
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
It's one of those point-and-clicky affairs
Maybe later.....if I don't fall asleep ......

Balancing act.......

....as in 'Life is a...', at least that how it feels at the moment. I've spent the day pecking away at the 6 or so current jobs on my desk trying to keep just that one step ahead of the next person to come through the door and ask for the finished article, it's life on the edge, I may have to throw a tantrum or three tomorrow! The screengrab above is from a VectorPark game I MUST have posted before....but, y'know, it's worth a revisit!

Tonight's job, if I can be arsed, is starting to sort out the mountain of cds/dvds stacked on spindles (2000 plus at a vague count) scattered around the house, a miscellany of radio plays/music/films/stuff that I've accumulated over the years....but maybe I'll just open a bottle of wine instead.....

It's the weekend!

....you read that right, I've got the day off tomorrow! But yes, it's coat-wearing weather, can't win 'em all I suppose.....

Found this today while looking for something completely different.....it raised a smile!



Seeing as I'm now officially in 'not-at-work' mode maybe a game later might be in order....

Found at Jayisgames
They say "It is difficult to describe the gameplay of The Glean of Glob. This is a surrealist dream, or perhaps a nightmare. There are no instructions, the player must figure out what to do while interacting with the characters on the screen. Everything can be accomplished by a click of the mouse, but after that, well, perhaps you'd better see for yourself. If you are looking for a linear experience, starting at A and progressing neatly to Z, this is not the place for you. But if you are up to the challenge, and would like to experience thought-provoking artwork, then dive into the world of The Glean of Glob"
Link straight to the game

The start of the surveying season....

....and a reason for personal celebration, a new academic year's worth of FREE, partly-charged (but definitely still usable) high-powered batteries ends up on my desk looking for a good home. That 'total station' in action up there only works with a set of 6 brand-new AA batteries, they get ditched after a single outing.....'waste not want not' I say!

Currently feeling 'a bit crap', the weekend's niggly sore throat is building up into something possibly worse....plus I'm in on my own at work (my left-hand man is on leave) so I haven't had a lunchtime so far this week. Although tomorrow I'm apparently 'on a promise' for a bit of cover, time unspecified, but not holding my breath!

A couple of silly links....

One of those point-and-click games, currently up to Episode 3
"You play the role of Kara, a spy in an alternate reality where World War I begins in 1901 and technology is much more advanced. Physicist Karl von Toten is on the verge of a great discovery and it's your task to uncover his secrets."
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
(NB...Episode 2 doesn't seem to have a 'play online' option.....but you can download the game to play offline)

Today's music choice
Shantel & Amsterdam Klezmer Band & Bucovina Club Orchester
 

Saturday.....the dark side

For which read 'SHOPPING', not that I did any...took this one last week in broad daylight then processed it until it squeeked, as is only right for a despised activity, it deserves nothing more nor less (especially when it's nearly a week until payday and the overtime claim won't be paid until the end of October) EDIT...I didn't notice the scary guy in the shop window until I clicked the publish button.....says it all really!

Possibly on the cards tonight.....

Watching a few episodes of 'The Avengers' (the Tara King ones....watched one last night, talk about surreal) No link, I got it from a pirate friend on his beam ends, best not to ask questions....

Listening to a bit of Flanders and Swann (we all have a cross to bear)

Or maybe a dip into a bit of online point-and-clickery, Alchemia....not tried it yet but I love the graphics (found at jayisgames)

 

Then again....I might just give it all a miss and go to bed early with a nice mug of Horlicks and an Agatha Christie audiobook......

Friday playtime

"rotate a set of blocks in the foreground to match the "hole" in the wall in the distance. Tap the [spacebar] to see if it fits through" via JayisGames

Play Through the Walls

Teetering......

Another one of those "physics games", balance the given bits on the pole....it only went to prove that I've got not one iota!

Play Perfect Balance

Play time....

Easy on the eye point-and-clickery
Play Treasure Box

Spin the black circle

Looks hard....as you can see from the screen grab I didn't try for long, maybe tonight!

Play Spin the Black Circle

Bottle tops

Beer cap matching game (age restrictions apply....not)

Play Beer Caps

Spot the differences

Spot the differences on the mirrored image to advance to the next screen, click wrong and you get docked points. Nice graphics....slightly irritating soundtrack, but you can switch it off.

Play Mad World Differences

Loops of Zen

"Restore harmony by clicking the tiles until no open end is left over"

Play Loops of Zen

Find the last 10 gnomes

Episode 12:the tank here

And all the rest here

Bye bye little guys!

Timewasting

Can't help you with any rules....I don't think there are any. It's a sort of pointandclicky thing.
Play BrownDyedHotel

Festive fun

Improve your mouse control (just in case you need an excuse!) by dragging Santa's sleigh around the track without hitting the sides....strangely addictive

Play Reindeer Racer