Silence shall reign here for a few days as the annual ISTO (Irish Student Trampolining Open) trip is upon me. Some of us are flying out tonight for the competition on Saturday. Much fun shall it be. I shall keep a small journal while there to put up here.
I have put a big batch of pictures up on my Flickr page, including a couple of me. You can see them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lsnduck/
I watched The Incredibles last night. I should have been going to the theatre, but the performance was cancelled so the friend I was going with and I rented the aforementioned DVD instead. It was brilliant, good jokes, great story and cool ideas. There seemed to be lots of influences from the serious side of comics which added a nice balance to the light hearted kiddies romp aspect. Well recommended and another success for Pixar.
I promised some reasoning for my stepping down as LSN Alliance admin. There are a number of factors. Partly, after many long years, my interest in LSN in general is finally dropping away although I have no intention of leaving for good yet. Also, I wasn't really enjoying the admin side of things so much. Putting results in was becoming a chore and decisions about games was having less meaning for me. I had taken an unofficial break for a while and after coming back and doing some work again, there was no sparkle and if my committment isn't there, it isn't fair on the players for me to carry on. Also, in gobbo and Brootal, Alliance has a fine pair to run it now, so there was no issue on that score. Finally, things in other parts of my life are starting to take more inmportance for me, so I wanted to spend some more time there as well.
It was wonderful to have done it, I did enjoy helping both the great DocWorm and Quick Ben, and helping everyone enjoy the competition was brilliant. But it has sadly come to an end. Alliance is still the best though.
Time for me to go and back my bags and buy some Euros.
Quack!
31 March 2005
29 March 2005
Webless
Despite a brief period of connection last night, the broadband at home is still broken. Will this period on not having an always on internet connection be as liberating as suspect it may be? No more easy procrastinanting in front of the computer. No more ties to e-mail in a desperate desire for someone to talk to me. No more flickery lights under the desk at night. Dealing with the housemates may be interesting.
Now, as promised, a little more depth on yesterday's thoughts.
First of all, spillage itself. It was hardly an Exxon Valdex moment (that, in my opinion, was one of the best moments of Waterworld), no seabirds were killed and no beautiful coastline was destroyed, but it was a moment for panic. I dealt with the panic and emergency far better than I would ever think myself capable of. Admittedly, my first thought was 'is my precious tea-pot broken?' but very soon after that I had yanked out the power cable of my laptop and moved the computer to a place of safety. Next, I remembered to turn the power strip off before attempting to unplug things and in the unplugging I used common sense in what I held on to. Somehow I managed to avoid being electrocuted which can only be a good thing if only because one of my housemates won't have to whinge about standing on a chair to flick the trip switch back.
Anyway, all was safe. I still haven't had the nerve to try the strip plug again, something to try when nothing else is plugged in I think. And my teapot isn't broken.
As is typical, as soon as I may get the chance to exercise my long desired severing from the internet, I find a fun new toy. Flickr is brilliant. It is a website that allows you put your photos up, share them with the world and view and comment on everyone else's. It is wonderful, works well and seems to foster a real sense of community. The website design is a bit fussy and crowded though and I certainly wouldn't like to be a visually impaired user. The idea is good though, the features extensive and the possibilities endless. It is the perfect companion to my fun new digital camera.
Now, as promised, a little more depth on yesterday's thoughts.
First of all, spillage itself. It was hardly an Exxon Valdex moment (that, in my opinion, was one of the best moments of Waterworld), no seabirds were killed and no beautiful coastline was destroyed, but it was a moment for panic. I dealt with the panic and emergency far better than I would ever think myself capable of. Admittedly, my first thought was 'is my precious tea-pot broken?' but very soon after that I had yanked out the power cable of my laptop and moved the computer to a place of safety. Next, I remembered to turn the power strip off before attempting to unplug things and in the unplugging I used common sense in what I held on to. Somehow I managed to avoid being electrocuted which can only be a good thing if only because one of my housemates won't have to whinge about standing on a chair to flick the trip switch back.
Anyway, all was safe. I still haven't had the nerve to try the strip plug again, something to try when nothing else is plugged in I think. And my teapot isn't broken.
As is typical, as soon as I may get the chance to exercise my long desired severing from the internet, I find a fun new toy. Flickr is brilliant. It is a website that allows you put your photos up, share them with the world and view and comment on everyone else's. It is wonderful, works well and seems to foster a real sense of community. The website design is a bit fussy and crowded though and I certainly wouldn't like to be a visually impaired user. The idea is good though, the features extensive and the possibilities endless. It is the perfect companion to my fun new digital camera.
28 March 2005
Male Wigeon
Well, what an eventful day.
First of all though, my very first picture on flickr, a photo hosting and community site. This is one of the ducks that live on the campus lake. He is a Wigeon and is one of my all time favourite duckduck friends. Wigeon are much smaller than Mallard and very dumpy in shape. As you can see, the male is very birghtly coloured. His call is a loud, shrill whistle and is lovely. The female is dark brown on top and very light underneath with many speckles. You can see a picture of both this male and his female partner on flickr.
Anyway, today's events. I dropped my teapot on my desk and splashed tea everywhere. Vast quantities ran down onto the strip plug and my ironing pile got hit by tea leaves. I saved my laptop, but the strip plug is suspect.
Also, the broadband connection has been playing up, so I am posting this from one of the computer classrooms. I am not sure if it is an ISP problem, or whether my router got hit by tea as well.
Also, I have finally decided to step down as Alliance Admin.
I shall make further comments on all of this later on, hopefully from home by normal means, but I am getting jumpy and losing concentration at the moment. It will soon be time for tea as well.
First of all though, my very first picture on flickr, a photo hosting and community site. This is one of the ducks that live on the campus lake. He is a Wigeon and is one of my all time favourite duckduck friends. Wigeon are much smaller than Mallard and very dumpy in shape. As you can see, the male is very birghtly coloured. His call is a loud, shrill whistle and is lovely. The female is dark brown on top and very light underneath with many speckles. You can see a picture of both this male and his female partner on flickr.
Anyway, today's events. I dropped my teapot on my desk and splashed tea everywhere. Vast quantities ran down onto the strip plug and my ironing pile got hit by tea leaves. I saved my laptop, but the strip plug is suspect.
Also, the broadband connection has been playing up, so I am posting this from one of the computer classrooms. I am not sure if it is an ISP problem, or whether my router got hit by tea as well.
Also, I have finally decided to step down as Alliance Admin.
I shall make further comments on all of this later on, hopefully from home by normal means, but I am getting jumpy and losing concentration at the moment. It will soon be time for tea as well.
27 March 2005
Baby Kakapo
I am happy to have discovered that fellow cute, fluffy birds, the Kakapos have had three new chicks and are expecting five more this season. Kakapo are large flightless parrots that live on a very limited number of small islands in New Zealand. They are horribly endangered and eight new chicks are a massive boost to these lovely, if slightly stupid, birds. You can read the full report on the BBC website.
If such stories and concerns are your thing, I would recommend reading 'Last Chance To See' by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. It is a short guide to a half a dozen of the world's most endangered animals and enviroments but written with all of Douglas Adams' wit and skill. And it has pictures of cute animals.
The BBC article describes the great lengths that conservation workers are going to in order to protect the Kakapo. Should this be the case or would the resources be better spent doing other things?
I think that we should be looking after the Kakapo. Firstly, the reason they are near extinction is the introduction to New Zealand of foreign predators, cats for example, that the native eco-system was in no way prepared for. This is a minor reason in my mind, and I accept the argument that new predators can reach untouched land perfectly well of their own accord, albeit with far less frequency than with human help.
My main reason is my desire to keep this world as the utterly beautiful and wonderful place that it is. Kakapo are odd little creatures that are totally unique. If we abandon every endangered animal to their fate we will rapidly run out of variety and interest and be left with a planet full of humans, rats and ferral pigeons. And ducks of course, we aren't going anywhere. That doesn't appeal to me, especially when we have such an astounding place to start with.
Of course, destroying the natural balance of the world will make our own lives so much harder. I have no doubt that humans have the resources, both mental and physical, to ultimately survive any disasters that we unleash upon ourselves and are in fact currently unleashing on ourselves. But it would be so much easier, and thus productive in the long run, if we work in accord with the rest of the world.
Especially with the ducks and their friends the Kakapo.
If such stories and concerns are your thing, I would recommend reading 'Last Chance To See' by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. It is a short guide to a half a dozen of the world's most endangered animals and enviroments but written with all of Douglas Adams' wit and skill. And it has pictures of cute animals.
The BBC article describes the great lengths that conservation workers are going to in order to protect the Kakapo. Should this be the case or would the resources be better spent doing other things?
I think that we should be looking after the Kakapo. Firstly, the reason they are near extinction is the introduction to New Zealand of foreign predators, cats for example, that the native eco-system was in no way prepared for. This is a minor reason in my mind, and I accept the argument that new predators can reach untouched land perfectly well of their own accord, albeit with far less frequency than with human help.
My main reason is my desire to keep this world as the utterly beautiful and wonderful place that it is. Kakapo are odd little creatures that are totally unique. If we abandon every endangered animal to their fate we will rapidly run out of variety and interest and be left with a planet full of humans, rats and ferral pigeons. And ducks of course, we aren't going anywhere. That doesn't appeal to me, especially when we have such an astounding place to start with.
Of course, destroying the natural balance of the world will make our own lives so much harder. I have no doubt that humans have the resources, both mental and physical, to ultimately survive any disasters that we unleash upon ourselves and are in fact currently unleashing on ourselves. But it would be so much easier, and thus productive in the long run, if we work in accord with the rest of the world.
Especially with the ducks and their friends the Kakapo.
26 March 2005
Doctor Who
Doctor Who! or Doctor who?
For me, a definite !. It was brilliant; cheesy, horribly unfunny jokes, dodgy special effects, appaling acting, dreadful shooting, everything you could want from Doctor Who except K-9.
Christopher Ecclestone was great and and manages to be the first fit Doctor. Billie Piper was the latest in the long line of sidekicks, i.e. blonde and stupid.
Favourite lines included 'lots of planets have a north' and 'the breast implants'. The latter one could do with some context really.
Now I just need to arrange some people to video next week's for me as I shall be in Dublin.
For me, a definite !. It was brilliant; cheesy, horribly unfunny jokes, dodgy special effects, appaling acting, dreadful shooting, everything you could want from Doctor Who except K-9.
Christopher Ecclestone was great and and manages to be the first fit Doctor. Billie Piper was the latest in the long line of sidekicks, i.e. blonde and stupid.
Favourite lines included 'lots of planets have a north' and 'the breast implants'. The latter one could do with some context really.
Now I just need to arrange some people to video next week's for me as I shall be in Dublin.
The Duck Is Back
I have returned with an all new website and another attempt at The Duck Quacks!
Why the change in website?
There are all sorts of reasons for this.
I think Big Mad Drongo is slowly drifting away from me and being replaced in more and more places by the Duck. It is sad, bmd has been a faithful friend and face but life moves on.
During my recent work on the website for the *removed*, I learnt many new tricks that help good design and accessibility and decided that it was time to implement some of them on my own site.
Sailing Ship To Nowhere (bmd's old site) was full of empty pages and ideas as well as out of date and boring information. So, a new site means new things and a more trimmed approach, hopefully remaining interesting.
Of course this is a work in progress as everything seems to be, but we shall see how it goes.
Quack!
Why the change in website?
There are all sorts of reasons for this.
I think Big Mad Drongo is slowly drifting away from me and being replaced in more and more places by the Duck. It is sad, bmd has been a faithful friend and face but life moves on.
During my recent work on the website for the *removed*, I learnt many new tricks that help good design and accessibility and decided that it was time to implement some of them on my own site.
Sailing Ship To Nowhere (bmd's old site) was full of empty pages and ideas as well as out of date and boring information. So, a new site means new things and a more trimmed approach, hopefully remaining interesting.
Of course this is a work in progress as everything seems to be, but we shall see how it goes.
Quack!
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