| Paintball update |
[01 Jul 2009|01:26pm] |
NOT TAKING MORE BOOKINGS.
Cost is 12.99, which gets you a measly 100 paintballs. Jay has suggested a group buy in, we'll have to see what the site offers - They think an average of 500 for the day.
The kick off is at 9am on saturday at:
The Strines Wood
Mortimer Road
S.Yorks
S6 6JE
They say we finish at 4.30.
We will need to organise a few cars to get people there and arrange pick ups. I'm up to my arse in aliigators at work so it's fiddly for me to me the point man for this, but I will volunteer to take 3 others down.
If two other people can volunteer for transport duties then we're covered.
Questions and comments, mail me at this address - but I won't get to answer until friday probably.
I've paid for 9 folks, I will be extracting monies from people on the day. If you're a no show then I suspect I'm gonna lose the desposit so I will come after you with a pointy stick.
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| IT offshoring |
[29 Jun 2009|10:02am] |
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Designed by Cowboys, Built by Indians?
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| Adrian's Stag Do - update |
[23 Jun 2009|01:57pm] |
Just to let people know...
This saturday 27th, we're gonna be in the Devonshire Cat from about 2pm. We'll move to the seven spices around 7pm(tbc), and then we're sort of in the lap of the gods as to where we end up.
I would like to thank the volunteers that "will be making sure that [Adrian] needs the greasy spoon in the morning".
P.S. If anyone else you know of wants to come to the curry part, they really need to let us know sharpish!
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| Boardgaming reflection |
[22 Jun 2009|11:03am] |
Typically the board games that I play are about empire building in one form or another - conquering the med, building the wonders of the ancient world, conquering the galaxy, becoming the richest businessman.
All of theme have a theme - Dracula, BSG, Puerto Rico - and sometimes people like the games purely because of the theme (e.g. if BSG was the same mechanical game, but with roman senators - would it attract the same player base? Well maybe, cos I love republic of rome...)
However, it has to be said, after conquering the med, building the great pyramids, destroying the carthaginian hordes with Scipio, saving the human race - and occasionally destroying it... Well, it all pales next to building an Iron Works in Barrow-in-Furness.
(Last night we played "Brass" - a game set in Industrial Revolution Lancashire, where you build cotton mills in Burnley and Blackburn, and sell your cotton to the "exotic markets" of "Yorkshire" and "the Midlands" (!))
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| Digital Britain Report |
[16 Jun 2009|04:44pm] |
Okay, I've *NOT* read the report, just had the office banter about it, but, file sharing bans and telephone taxes aside...
DB recommends that... "online will become the primary means of access" for government services, albeit with some kind of "safety net" for those unable to access the service online.
and...
DAB's a bit of a disaster so far, so Digital Britain proposes making all our national broadcast radio stations digital-only by 2015.
[source: http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/digital-britain-7-things-you-need-to-know-608872]
Just thinking - last feb, when a few snowflakes caused the country to stop, the BBC and other websites became jammed with people trying to get travel info. Turning on the telly, peope were advised not to use the online services, but rather listen to their radios, in order to get travel information.
So - looks to me like the report is going to put us in a few years time to were Korea was a few years ago, and I don't want to think about what will happen when we get a small snow shower..
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| Magic / Games / etc |
[10 Jun 2009|04:05pm] |
I figure the exams are on atm - is anyone up for any mtg, boardgames etc tonight (weds)?
Am happy to host ...
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| Adrian's Stag Do(s) |
[02 Jun 2009|02:49pm] |
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Star Wars Theme |
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Hi all,
I'm in the process of organising Adrian's Stag Do for his forthcoming nuptials.
We're currently looking at a couple of dates:
Saturday 27th June - Pub, Seven Spices for Curry, Pub, Maybe a club ...
Sunday 28th June - Greasy spoon breakfast
Also...
Saturday or Sunday 4th/5th July, paintballing! (budget for 20-25 quids usually)
Please can you let me know if you are up for both/either as I need to book tables and transport and sites and shit. Comments here or mails to pjn.at.psydev.co.uk being the way to do this.
Females are welcome on both.
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| son of Chains of Steel |
[19 May 2009|10:28am] |
Right, this is now definately happening.
I am, at first, running a table top game for my regular gamers (with maybe some guest slots). I've started writing the major plot arcs, I know the beginning and middle of the story, I'm not totally sure yet about the end :-)
I'll run this TT game anyway - just need to finish off writing it - what I am considering is the wider world, and how much effort I want to put into that. One of the unfortunate things about my life now is that I don't work on someone else's time any more, and hence can't spend days reading mailing lists :-)
So, what I am looking for are some other refs (one to three?) that might have the time to help me with the writing, factional stuff, and pushing the agenda forward.
I am currently torn between a two/three faction game (PCs as princes/anarchs/etc of different cities a la COS 1), or making it much more 'local' two/three factions based in one geographical area - e.g. London, or Yorkshire).
So, if anyone is interested in any of this, please drop me a line. (If you just want to play, then watch this space and I'll pass on any news as it happens.
Gonna cross post this to noddosc in a slightly modified form.
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| Question Time: Blood up the walls |
[15 May 2009|12:44am] |
Oh man - the CEO of McDonald's was being applauded.
Each MP was savaged - I mean - brutally savaged.
I'm Soooooo glad my conference call was cancelled tonight, I wouldn't have wanted to have miss that for the world...
(and on "This Week" - Britain has finally become the Weimar Republic... and the fear is what might come next).
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| (today) was always going to be a good blog post day |
[11 Apr 2009|01:05am] |
Today (I've not quite gone to bed yet) - so Friday - was Good Friday - and was the day that I was off to London to see the Star Wars Musical Experience at the Millenium Dome (o2).
I spent the morning geeking (read, going in to work to try to set up a VPN), and then headed off to the railway station to come down here. Got to London, and the tube was broken in the couple of places I needed it to work (well, I knew this already, yesterday I arranged my alternative transport).
Managed to get to Canary Wharf, where I had spent some hotel points to get a room for the night, after various tube staff had given me wrong directions ("go to london bridge, get the replacement bus" - "no, yiu need to be at bank and get the DLR") etc.
Then was the slight issue of getting the boat down the Thames, as it was heaving (yep, you can get a boat up and down the Thames - what a cool way to travel, even if their website wouldn't let me buy more than a one way ticket!?).
But I did get there, and met up with Mr Dave Wade and his chums.
The music was specatcular. I had goose bumps for most of it. Royal Philharmonic, showing why they get to use the word "royal". Words can't do it justice. They opened with the Star Wars theme, and then with Anthony Daniels narrating, they were off into Duel of the Fates, and a general prequel thing which finished with the Imperial March. Interval. Straight back in to Music from the real movies, with the Asteroid Field, Yoda's Theme, Cantina Band ... and it all just climaxed beautifully with a powerful, breathtaking rendtion of "throne room and end credits".... Just, bloody awesome.
Getting back - for that was next was where my plan ended. No tube, so ummed and arred about a cab, but kind of got the impression it would cost more than the train tix here. So instead queued for a boat, before the sold out of tickets! Kind of drifted to a bus which reunited me with the DLR and it was back to base.
Things tonight I have re-learned:
John Williams can do no wrong
George Lucas can
Hayden Christiansen REALLY can't act
Han Solo is the coolest man in the galaxy
Killer heels are in
Building a venue that is dependent on one form of transport is a bad idea
Boating to a venue ROCKS.
If the SW musical experience comes up north - GO TO IT.
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| Gaming Meme: |
[07 Apr 2009|02:35pm] |
Ask any character I've written/played for advice, and they will provide it, advice columnist style. Your problems or fictional characters' problems both welcome:
Varpesh, Active Methesulah Power (Vampire: the Masquerade): An ancient, shrouded in secrecy, who was a major part in Albion's political struggles from 1000AD until his first death in 1665. Returned to prominence in Albion in the late 1990s before being finally slain at the hands of Anarchs in 2002.
Hida Masaaki, Crab Clan Champion (Legend of the Five Rings): Former sergeant on the wall, thrust into the wider world of Rokugan shortly before the second day of thunder. Founder of the Topaz legion, and unmasker of a major Crab conspiracy. Ronin for a time, before he helped unite the Thunders in the overthrow of Fu-Leng. Invited to lead the Crab Clan following the fall of Fu-Leng.
Oswulf, Banneret Knight of Newton (Pendragon): A loyal knight of Arthur, friend to Gawaine, and Saxon hero. Knight of the Round Table. Famed for his magical feating table. Quested with others and alone.
Clim, Mercenary (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons): Former soldier, former mercenary, now an adventruer in a small party of others, seeking his fortune in a dangerous world.
Other chains NPCs are available on request :-)
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| "Quantitative Easing" |
[05 Mar 2009|10:26am] |
When I was at school, we did Germany in the 20s and 30s. Apparently after WWI, Germany was bankrupt so they just printed more money, which lead to hyperinflation and all sorts of unpleasantness.
And now, they're going to start printing money here.
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| More sudden inspiration |
[02 Mar 2009|05:31pm] |
Walking through the corridors of the Great Castle, the messenger projected a facade of calm serenity, but in reality was excited; stopping at the doors to the throne room of the King, he merely nodded to the equerry stood patiently outside.
The doors were flung open, and he walked briskly into the presence of King and Court. The conversations ended. The room was silent. The King stood.
Stopping within a few paces of the throne, the messenger dropped to one knee and held out the scroll case towards the king. Bowing his head, the messenger announced, calmy, "news from the front, your Majesty". The scroll case was taken from him.
He heard the murmur from the courtiers; it was quickly silenced.
The King turned back towards the throne. The messenger took his cue, and whilst still bowed took six steps away from the throne.
"Wait".
A single word, spoken from the King's own mouth.
The messenger froze.
"After so long, our time is at hand. Inform the Grey Captain to attend to me."
His heart leapt. The court broke their silence; the same excitement he felt. This time, the King did not silence his people. This time, he let them cheer.
I will be looking for some prequel players soon... let me know if you are interested in a one off (maybe two off) Vampire: the Dark Ages table top game sometime soom....
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| virgin media... |
[02 Mar 2009|05:26pm] |
I am thinking of moving to virgin media for internet purposes.
I have heard that they might/do nail bittorrent, which I need for my weekly us sci fi show fix.
Can anyone confirm if this is the case?
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| Gran Torino |
[02 Mar 2009|11:36am] |
Went to see "Gran Torino" last night.
It was awesome.
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| Fred Goodwin |
[27 Feb 2009|03:46pm] |
Be hated and RICH, or hated and poor. I know which one I would go for.
Lots of people are upset that this bloke has got a big pension (and man, what a pension! 13 grand a week - and he doesn't even have to play football for it!), whilst his former employer just posted record losses (was it after ten years of record profits?).
You either think he deserves all that money, or you don't. That's it - it's emotive.
However, if the government can decide to reduce/cancel/withhold an individual's pension, then potentially every single one of us is in trouble. And as much as I think Fred hasn't done the honourable thing, I don't think I want to sign the right for the government to decide upon the maximum amounts of money that people should be allowed to have.
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| holidays |
[03 Feb 2009|02:26pm] |
As one or two people might know, Emily and I were due to fly to New York from Heathrow yesterday.
We got tp Sheffield station and then on to the train to StP. Made it 5 minutes late. London itself was in a state of shutdown, and we learned shortly afterwards that our flight was cancelled. We were rebooked onto a flight today (the 3.15pm).
We made it to Heathrow, and stood in a queue, and listed as loads and loads and loads of flights were cancelled. We checked in. We saw our bags disappear. We went through security.
Right now, we're still waiting, no idea if our flight is going or not. If we're cancelled now we're looking at another night in London and still no real guarantee that we'll be going out at all.
Oh well, chin up and all that.
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| Accents |
[30 Jan 2009|02:16pm] |
I love accents, and here's a BBC page on film rules for accents: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7860531.stm.
They don't cover the greats like Cockney Timothy Spall doing the mother of all accents in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, mind, but I suppose it is about Hollywood.
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| new phone number |
[20 Jan 2009|09:46am] |
I've got a new phone number :-)
Let me know if you want it.
Comments screened.
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