TurboHat

Untitled

2011-05-29T14:56:00.001+01:00

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Stormy Weather

2011-05-29T12:19:00.001+01:00

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Posterous v Tumblr

2011-05-29T12:05:00.001+01:00

Hmm, might give this a try too? Too much choice!

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Untitled

2010-11-07T11:03:00.001Z

test2

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Untitled

2010-11-07T11:01:00.001Z

test

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Untitled

2010-11-07T10:55:00.001Z

test disable

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Untitled

2010-11-07T10:52:00.001Z

test WP disable

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Untitled

2010-11-07T10:49:00.001Z

test wp plugin diabling

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Test

2010-11-06T16:44:00.001Z

Test

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Football

2009-10-10T20:30:00.000+01:00

Wales U21 2. Bosnia U21 0

Pageant of Power

2009-07-18T21:58:00.000+01:00

Surprisingly good. Lots old old F1 cars and also new supercars. The Bugatti Veyron was awesome close up with Koeniggseggs a close 2nd and 3rd

Prodigy baby

2009-06-29T20:32:00.002+01:00

Here's Keith of the Prodigy as a baby

-- Post From my iPhone

Madoff

2009-06-28T23:11:00.000+01:00

Did he ever think he could get way with $60 billion? Surely someone would have noticed eventually?

-- Post From my iPhone

Genius

2009-06-28T23:10:00.001+01:00

This is brilliant http://BillieTweets.com/

-- Post From my iPhone

Timelords involved in Jackson death

2009-06-28T22:47:00.001+01:00

-- Post From my iPhone

Scary kids masks

2009-06-28T22:11:00.001+01:00

Frightening

RSS readers

2009-06-28T22:06:00.001+01:00

Just trying to find a good RSS reader for iPhone. Rss pro promises google reader sync but LIES!!!!!!!!

-- Post From my iPhone

iPhone test

2009-06-28T21:22:00.001+01:00

Just testing blogging via iPhone

-- Post From my iPhone

Daytime TV Hell

2008-10-22T22:14:00.001+01:00

Okay, just how many shows per day is cheesy antiques dealer Paul "Mr Morecambe" Hayes on per day. It's at least 3 per day over the last 3 days.

Also, on the "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" show, what;s going on with the "Top Trumps" cards on the opening credits? How can I get the "Cheesy BBC antiques dealer presenter" set???

Nice photo effect

2008-10-17T23:45:00.001+01:00

Like this Polaroid plug-in in Windows Live Writer.

1 year anniversary......

2008-10-14T22:44:00.001+01:00

Since last proper post..... How shameful.

However, with a UMPC and Live Writer making things much simpler that should now change

Next test...

2008-10-14T22:41:00.001+01:00

Using Live writer for pics and video.

Test using Windows Live Writer

2008-10-14T22:21:00.001+01:00

Using Windows Live Writer as client application

Heroes - geekness

2007-10-14T10:12:00.000+01:00

Heroes is so good, but this moment was superb!

BSG Season 4

2007-10-14T08:59:00.001+01:00

How much longer to wait!!!

Driving Games

2007-10-13T18:45:00.001+01:00

Picking up PGR4 yesterday mad me think "how many driving games do I own?"
Well, here's the answer.... Too many (after putting them all away after taking this pic, I found another - SegaGT Xbox!)

Halo3

2007-10-10T23:11:00.000+01:00

I was weak. I bought it.
Single player is "Meh", but I was wrong. Multiplayer is much fun.
Halo3 this week, Sega Rally last, PGR4 on Friday. Too much, too much!

Using the Wii

2007-10-10T23:08:00.000+01:00

At last Nintendo have put keyboard support into the Wii Browser. (Using it now to post this via the Wii while sat on the sofa). Supposedly it works in the suggest a question part of Everybody Votes channel, but I can't seem to get that to work, either with this wireless keyboard or with my wired MS keyboard. An official wireless Wii keyboard (in glossy white of course!) would be luvverly!

Halo 3 - Pfft!

2007-09-28T18:54:00.000+01:00

Nope, not excited, not rushing out to buy.....

but....... Sega Rally for 360 is out today.

Step back in time for some Dreamcast styled excitement!

Sega Rally

2007-09-17T19:53:00.000+01:00

Eagerly waiting the demo of Sega Rally Revo (360) to download.
The excitement is the same as when I bought the Saturn and was waiting to get it home for Sega Rally. Also the same as when I bought a DreamCast and was waiting to get Sega Rally Championship home!

Nice ladder monkey

2007-09-01T19:10:00.000+01:00

Despite my Sky dish being over a pitched ground floor roof the guy doing my Sky to Sky+ upgrade did the job easily (without recourse to H&S as the original installer did)
I didn't have to (emply him privately)/(bribe) to get him to do the job!

Photos

2007-08-27T00:10:00.001+01:00

Been playing about mainly with hard contrast B&W (mainly industrial) this week while on my travels.
Had intened on putting the results here, but the uploader is giving me grief.
For latest pics, look at http://turbohat.smugmug.com
Latest B&W are in the Industrial gallery.
Some new pics in Architecture gallery too (was proud of my double shot pano of Beaumaris castle, taken minus the tripod)
Will try to upload via picassa albums later

Monger

2007-08-24T19:11:00.001+01:00

Fishmonger
Ironmonger

Why no other kind of monger?

% oxygen

2007-08-20T00:06:00.000+01:00

Seen some face cream on TV advertised as having the power of 15% oxygen. Surely you would be better with nothing at all as air is 21% oxygen!

Rob Stiles

2007-08-19T23:20:00.000+01:00

never before have I seen such an inept display of refereeing (inlcuding Graham Poll and his 3 cards at the World Cup)
The so-called penalty given against Steve Finnan was shocking, as Stiles was only 5 yards away at the time. Malouda jumped in Finnan without even making contact with the ball. At best it was a dummy, at worst a deliberate attempt to con the the ref.
To add to his ineptitude, Stiles showed a card at Essien, without booking him. Stiles utterly lost control of the match.
The conduct of John Terry was disgraceful, making two headbut getsures at Torres and the Chelsea habit of surrounding and berating the ref (Fifa guidlines state that touching the ref is a disciplinary offence, but Stiles again did nothing) As a club and international Captain his behaviour was a disgrace.
Video evidence must come into football to stop game-turning inept decisions like this.

Katamari!

2007-08-14T15:15:00.000+01:00

Good news: Beautiful Katamari demo is up for the 360
Bad news: US only.
Thankfully I have a silver US account (registered to the zip code of a Wallmart in Alabama, and a Japanese one registered to the address of the Tokyo Hilton) and it's downloading right now!
Time for some rolling fun!

Bioshock 360

2007-08-14T15:13:00.000+01:00

Wasn't at all interested in this....
until yesterday.
Downloaded the demo to see what all the 'hoopla' was about (thanks to the useless XBLA servers it took forever at 1.3Gb)
Played it last night and it has to be the most atmospheric and disturbing game I've played in a long time. The art deco visuals and the faintly disturbing music (somewhere beyond the sea) as a small girl stabs a victim in the eye lend it a 'unique' feel!

Ready to rumble

2007-08-14T15:04:00.000+01:00

I picked up an original DS 'chunky' Rumble Pak (why drop the c?) a long while ago with Metroid Pinbal import. It was a very strange experience, more of a noisy 'popping' than a rumble. I put the 'pak' away and proceeded to forget about it. This week I as tempted to try the Lite Rumble Pak (mainly with Ouendan2). The official one is only availble in Japan and black and rarer than hen's teeth. I picked up an unofficial Ewin one on ebay (£5.99). It fits fine (same dimensions as the Lite Slot 2 cover). It's not quite the same lovely glossy white as the DS but blends in well. The rumble is however much stronger and more like you would expect (like a mobile phone vibration). Apparently the Nintendo Pak uses a linear motor, hence the weird 'popping' effect, wheras the Ewin one uses a traditional weighted motor (like all rumble devices since time began)
Not sure it's suited to Picross at all (why impliment Rumble in a sedate puzzle game) but it suits Ouendan2.
Overal a recommended piece of kit and better than the official one

Better for the consumer - NOT (Rant)

2007-08-14T08:47:00.001+01:00

The monopoly that Sky had on broadcasting live Premier League matches was broken up last year because "a monopoly isn't good for the consumer" and "competition will be beneficial"
Last season, to get the full package of matches required a Sky Sports subscription plus a Premier Plus subscription. Prem+ cost £80 for the whole eason, or matches were available individually for £7 each.
This season, the matches which were PPV with Prem+ are now owned by Setanta. Plus they have some of the CL qualifiers. To see the same number of matches as last season requiresd a Sky Sports sub (slightly more expensive than last season) and a subscription to Setanta's package. This costs £10 per month and matches are not available individually. Setanta state that they have more coverage that Prem+ (but the SAME number of EPL matches) but this 'extra' coverage is SPL and Gaelic league amongst other things. As the vast majority of Satellite sport subscribers are interested solely in the EPL the supposed "beneficial" change results in paying far more for the same (or less) than last year.
As an added annoyance, tomorrows CL qualifier at Toulouse isn't on Sky (as they were last season) it's on Setanta. So not only are we being 'asked' to pay more for their packages (as opposed to Prem+) we are actually getting less on Sky (and they are charging MORE than last year). Sky's spin machine claims that they have 'more football than ever before' but as they are boosting their League1 and Conference coverage these hardly qualifies as "attractive" fixtures.
So have the changes benefitted consumers - No. Have they beneffited the broadcasters - Yes.
:-(

Feyenoord 1 : Liverpool 1

2007-08-06T13:11:00.000+01:00

Some appaling tackling and gamesmanship by the hosts, for a so called friendly. The referee was utterly spineless and let far too much go.
The incident regarding Gerrard is being blown up out of all proportion. Talk of a domestic ban is ridiculous as he didn't even make contact with Lucius.
The player at fault here is Drenthe, his tackle on Gerrard (watch the clip at about 0:54) was disgraceful. A full on studs up legbreaker. Absolutely shocking

It's A Small World - Disneyland Paris

2007-08-04T13:08:00.000+01:00

Here's my video taken on It's A Small World.
(resilution isn't great and the sound is a bit tinny, but I used my cheapo camera rather than the decent one or the videocamera itself)

New season same problems?

2007-07-27T22:05:00.000+01:00

Having watched the final of the Barclay's Asian Cup (It's only a pre-season invitational tournament and I'm loathe to read too much into it) I've got a horrible feeling that the problems of last season might repeat themselves.
Over 90 minutes Liverpool utterly dominated posession and Kuyt had at least 3 clear chances which he didn't put away. In the end Portsmouth won on penalties. Kuyt's workrate is absolutely without reproach but he isn't an out and out finisher and I would have liked to see Crouch come on. Torres looked promising, he had a few deft touches but obviously lacks match fitness (esp as his international clearnance didn't come through and he didn't expect to play - just how long can a fax from Spain take), his penalty strike was truly horrible though.
Hopefully Rafa can sort out his ideal strike pairing ready for the start of the season proper. On a positve not the much derided Voronin looked a handful in the semi, could be a good cheap deal?

Spocku!

2007-07-27T08:08:00.000+01:00

In the first minute.... yay!
Also shouting random things to Americans "Wassup, Britney Spears, Go Yankees"

Save the cheerleader, save the world

2007-07-27T07:57:00.000+01:00

I completely missed Heroes when it was on Sci-Fi and only saw it once it was on BBC2. So far the absolute stand-out character has to be Hiro. All the other characters are tortured and angst-ridden souls, whereas with Hiro there is joyful wonderment (so far) about his powers.
Putting in all the Star Trek references (I know know that Japanese for "Spock's Death Grip" seems to be "Spocku Dethu Gripu"!) then making his father George Takei is absolute genius. "Hey dad, has anyone ever told you that you look remarkably like Captain Sulu?"
Anyway, whilst looking for a clip of the "Spocku Dethu Gripu" moment, I came across this. Totally and unapologetially obvious but.....

Old news (maybe) but woot!

2007-07-26T18:18:00.001+01:00

This week I've learned two things which to everyone else in the universe are old news.
No 1 is that George Takei is gay. No 2 (this is the one that has got me very excited), imdb has a Fraggle Rock movie listed for 2009!
This probably explains why Boomerang has started showing the old series recently to whip up some interest in it.

Wee Jimmy Krankie...

2007-07-26T18:14:00.000+01:00

.. being escorted by security.

Actually it's Jean Todt of Ferarri. I know he's small but the combination of camera angle and the burly security men make him look weeee diddy!

More Wiijoy

2007-07-26T18:09:00.000+01:00

Big Brain Academy bought today. Cheap n'cheerful (although shamefully I paid full retail rather than online) fun. Cerys has had mucho fun with it this afternoon. The one game I just cannot do on it is the "find the hidden birds" one (it's a bit like find the lady in cards). A lot of the reviews of it are scathing and admittedly it's short in minigames but at £16-£19 you can't go wrong as it's barely the price of 2 cheapish DVDs

Exhaust

2007-07-26T16:39:00.000+01:00

The exhaust on my car has split into two parts.
How did I notice? It was when my car souned like a Challenger tank, but with considerably less accelleration.
Driving uphill was hilarious, small dogs were scared as I approached!

I giveth and then I taketh away

2007-07-26T16:38:00.000+01:00

I persuade someone to buy a DS-Lite...... then.....
I persuade them to get a R4DS cart....

Give to Nintendo with one hand, take with the other

James May - Legend! (NSFW)

2007-07-26T16:29:00.000+01:00

Stumbled upon this when looking for clips from the N.Pole Top Gear.
Have never watched Ramsay's embarrasing show, but this is excellent as May defeats the cocky chef, not once but twice.
May = Legend!

Best theme ever (possibly)

2007-07-25T13:54:00.001+01:00

From the 1972 TV move Baffled (intended as a pilot) with Leonard Nimoy as a race driver who becomes a psychic detective!

EA are the devil!

2007-07-25T11:48:00.000+01:00

we know this anyway but....
Wing Commander Arena on XBLA is truly, truly, truly horrible.
There was a real opportunity to do a "proper" space fighter combat game as one does not exist so far on the system. Instead they give us a space combat game where you can only move in 2 dimensions. What is the frakking point in that!!
A straight port of the still excellent PC version of WC2 would have been so so much better. That was an awesome game and the reason I bought a Soundblaster card for my 1st PC. The games went downhill once they went FMV mad though.
Thge space ombat game seems to have died a death since the awesome LucasArts X-Wing games and Microsoft's Freelancer (that was great with the Sidewinder Force Feedback stick!) SHAME!

New Kop

2007-07-25T11:31:00.000+01:00

New Anfield

2007-07-25T11:09:00.000+01:00

A big change on the original (pre Gillet and Hicks) design and much more striking.
Interestingly the plans include one end as a single tier with 18,000 capacity (to replicate the Kop)
Initial capacity is 60,000 with the capability to expand to 75,000+. Personally I think it's too small. It should be built initially at 75,000 at least (it would be full just with the season ticket waiting list), although 60,000 is an increase on Anfield's 45,000ish

Alan Dale is everywhere!

2007-07-25T11:05:00.001+01:00

Alan Dale set to appear in Torchwood (apparently)
Is there no end to his dominance of the 'slightly familiar cameo role genre'?
X-files, 24, Lost, CSI, West Wing Star Trek, what next?

Michael Bay - a guilty pleasure

2007-07-25T10:43:00.000+01:00

He makes Hollywood "by the numbers" summer blockbusters and is guilty of defying the laws of physics (Armageddon!) and his plots have more holes than a Swiss cheese but..... he is great at blowing stuff up and a master of the car chase and the 360 degree panning shot. With the exception of Pearl Harbour (I insist on the 'u') his films are a bit of a guilty pleasure

I'll buy it Bill!

2007-07-25T09:30:00.001+01:00

Love the beige pullover. I'm sold!

Intelligence?

2007-07-25T07:31:00.000+01:00

Now Sure are advertising a deodorant with "Intelligent Microcapsules"
So these tiny capsules actually posess intelligence do they?
(disengage sarcasm mode)

Bargain Hunt..

2007-07-24T19:36:00.001+01:00

Why are they shocked when they lose money!

They are buying RETAIL and then trying to sell to WHOLESALE!

The whole concept is fundamentally flawed and flouts the basic principles of economics!

You can't make this up...

2007-07-24T17:28:00.001+01:00

Liverpool playing the Barclay's Asia Cup againts South China (Pre-season tourney) who play normally in the.... (wait for it!)
Mongkok stadium...

Comedy God!

2007-07-24T17:15:00.000+01:00

Stumbled upon this.....
Shatner.....
Comedy God.....

I am a Time Lord!

2007-07-24T15:43:00.000+01:00

I built a Tardis!
The ultimate child's toy nightmare (from a parental point of view)....
Lots and lots of tape holding the thing together in the box and 52 cable ties holding various bits to the box etc!
A bit of a dsigrace in that all the floor panels and walls were cardboard (should be plastic)
3 hours to assemble but a big chunk of that was laminating the carboard so that it will last (the curved walls were a bit of a problem in that after laminating they were a bit too stiff to bend into the required curve, but they went in the end)
The sounds and motorised column are great but 3 main design flaws...
1) the thing needs a base that it all fits on to (moving it is a bit tricky)
2) cardboard panels are a disgrace, should be plasticised at least
3) it's impossible to change the batteries without dismantling most of the thing
(also it should really come with 3 railing sections as there are the holes there)

Cold Case (Sky One)

2007-07-23T07:52:00.000+01:00

Really is "Waking the Dead - Lite". Really should be called "Poorly investigated in the first place Case". It's absolutely completely obvious who did it! At the end though when they move the case file box from the "Open" shelf to the "Closed" shelf, there's always conveniently just one space in the Closed section. AND will the main character get outside and see some sun!

SaaaaaaaayGaaaaaaa

2007-07-17T22:23:00.000+01:00

Went game browsing today...
After Outrun 2006 Coast to Coast for the original huuuge Xbox (it is now on the BC list alongside Outrun 2). Already have it on the PSP, but fancied playing the OutrunSP levels on the big telly!
Spotted one lonely secondhand copy in Gamestation for £7.99 (or 4 for £20), also spotted the GC version of Crazy Taxi at the same price (gave it a go, since CT3 still isn't BC on the 360 and I can't be bothered getting the DC out). By the way how cool is it having BC, DC and GC as abbrevs in one sentence!
Anyway, I'm at an impasse now. £15.98 for 2 or £20 for 4. Might as well choose some more. They did have a few GC games like Killer7 and Ikaruga but at a ridiculous price, so it was mainly GC tat but I gave Sonic Heroes a try. As for the Xbox, I spotted Sega GT02 Online edition. It's on the July BC update list. It's identical to the 02 version which was bundled but with XBLA (no point now as noone will be playing this on Live), but as it's a new update it might be ebayable.
Problem with buying XB (another .B abbrev there!) titles is that you can't be sure if they are back compatible without having Major Nelson in your pocket. At leats with the GC/Wii you are 100% certain.
Anyway, SegaGT is 100% Ebay, as is Sonic (horribly over compicated controls & features and a dire camera) I'm ceryain that the last decent Sonic Game was Sonic Adventure on the DC.
Quite disappointed with GC Crazy Taxi. far, far more pop-up and far, far worse texture resolution that the DC version, how can that be!!!
Anyway, back to the point..... Kinda impluse bought 4 retro titles (well, 3 really as I went with one in mind) and all 4 turned out to be Sega titles!

Say hello, wave goodbye....

2007-07-17T22:17:00.000+01:00

Hello to Eledees (Wii)
Goodbye to FM2005 (PSP), Toca2 (PSP), Midway Treasures (PSP), Taito Legends (PSP), Polarium (DS), Another Code (DS).
What a load of tat to trade! Suprised I even got £1 for FM2005 (with it's 2004-2005 season stats!). Toca was always horrible on PSP. Taito legends was a real disappointment as the US version had Bubble Bobble (EU got stiffed!). Midway Legends I only bought for Gauntlet. Polarium cheap day release (not in a prisoner kinda way) for DS, never liked it. Another Code, swapped with a 6th former for Pac Pix!
Really low (not suprised) trade in prices, except for Another Code, very suprising!

July back-compatability update

2007-07-14T12:52:00.000+01:00

At last Outrun 2 is back-compatible on 360 (also PGR1 and 2, but with 3 and 4 no excitement there)
Still disappointed that Midtown Madness 3 and the SUPERB Crazy taxi 3 isn't compatible

Shatner's Bassoon!

2007-07-10T22:14:00.000+01:00

There is no denying the absolute sheer genius of the Shat-meister.
Here are two of his greatest...
At the '78 Sci-Fi awards doing the most insane version of Rocketman ever (there is a superb Family Guy Stewie parody of this) and his version of Pulp's Common People.
Enjoy the master at work......

Best fan video editing ever......

2007-07-07T22:45:00.001+01:00

No contest!

Bad Science Alert!!!

2007-07-05T20:46:00.000+01:00

Advert on TV for a toothpaste claims that it contains "liquid calcium"

Calcium is a reactive metal with a melting point of 1115 K (842 °C, 1548 °F)

Liquid Calcium?? I DON'T THINK SO !!

Too much time on their hands.......

2007-07-05T20:14:00.001+01:00

Seems like some people have too much time on their hands....
Another shameless YouTube clip, but as the new Master is so awesome it has to be done (and the legion of 'hardcore' Whovians who are up in arms should remember that it has never been a show for 45 year old fat men, it's family entertainment and so has to appeal from ages of 7 and up. Also and harping back to the 'good old days' of Who should remember how really, really dull some of the old 14 part stories were! It's so similar to the 'uproar' when TNG launched)

The Master's Soundtrack.....

2007-07-03T20:59:00.000+01:00

Loving RTD's re-imagining of the Master (the po-faced hardcore Whovians take off their rose tinted glasses should remember how dire the series was from Davidson to McGann)
He must return, he has the BEST soundtrack!

Bill Called!

2007-06-28T21:55:00.000+01:00

Forgot to say.....
One of Bill's minions phoned (the elusive supervisor)!!!!
A problem was the fact that the console hadn't been replaced by MS, but once I scanned and mailed the exchange receipt everything was fine.
I had spent 10,680 points which they refunded. 10,000 were done instantly but 680 didn't appear. A few days later (after 1 mail to the ultra secretive supervisor only email address) I receicved a call informing me that another 800 would be refunded.
So, all the content has been 'rebought' and works on all tags and off/online (slightly naughty as we have bought a couple of XBLA titles which weren't in the original purchases, at the expense of Billiards, the Lumines add-ons and the Gamerpics)
F

Still waiting...... for Bill to call

2007-06-21T19:54:00.000+01:00

I had a phone message on Monday (left at 11:30 AM).... Was this the mythical "supervisor".....? Well I'll never know. The message said they would call back "later".
My mistake, I assumed "later" to mean "later that day". Apparently later means "later in this geological epoch" if you work for Microsoft. Two days later, no call, so yesterday I tried to call. 20 minutes on hold listening to their truly terrible hold music (imagine the music from the ZX Spectrum "Chuckie Egg" but less tuneful and mixed with the "Manic Miner" theme, as performed by a series of musical doorbells which have flat batteries, and you aren't even halfway there!) I hung up when my ears began to bleed.
Today I managed to get through and despite insisting to speak to a "supervisor" I was told that I couldn't (they were presumably skipping with the fauns in the magical kingdom of Narnia). I managed to get the drone on the phone to understand that if they called my home phone between 7AM and 6PM that the whole enterprise would be in vain and that I wanted to change my contact number to my mobile. (Judging by how difficult this concept was to the poor person on the other end of the line I might as well have asked them to run from Mumbai to my house with some taught string and two tin cans).
I am "assured" that a supervisor will call in "24 hours"......... I'm quivering with antici..pation (!)

Pac Man proves Theory of Relativity!

2007-06-16T17:13:00.000+01:00

Stumped up the 800 points for Pac Man CE for the 360. When playing this today I accidentally proved Einsten right. I was playing the 10min challenge mode on Championship 2. In this level the Ghosts move insanely, insanely, insanely fast and the maze has a series of long straights. I looked up at the timer 7 min 15 seconds, I felt like I had been playing for at least 2 minutes, maybe more. I missed a powerpill and was eaten. I looked at the timer 6min 40seconds. Proof indeed that time is relativistic and passes slower according to the velocity of the observer!

Beautiful Katamari....

2007-06-16T12:42:00.000+01:00

Accoriding to Kotaku, this may be 360 exclusive! Tee-hee.
So, so looking forward to this....
I wish though that there was an easy way to play Katamari Damacy without having the faff of having the PS2 chipped.

MS Call-centre woes

2007-06-16T08:10:00.000+01:00

The promised call from the mythical creature known as a "supervisor" never materialised. Had to call MS's terrible call centre again, and apparently my case hadn't been "escalated correctly"
How on earth one of the planet's richest corporations and biggest IT company can justify having such a terrible call centre, obviously sub-contracted out to the lowest bidder on the sub-continent defies belief!
So, another 48 hour wait for the elusive "supervisor".....

Awesome controller

2007-06-16T07:59:00.000+01:00

Better than the FF wheel (although not a cool looking as the Steel Batallion controller)
This is for AC6 (shame it's not wireless though)

MS DRM update

2007-06-14T17:21:00.000+01:00

Well after a quick phone call to MS customer services they are going to refund me all of the points that I have spent on XBLA and DLC. The problem is that these can't be downloaded again on the same tag as previously (my Turbohat account). Their usual script is to make you create a new silver XBL account and put the points there. Insted of this they are going to put them on Karen's account (KayJay70) nstead so that if this 360 dies we can both access the content without the previously mentioned 'fix' on Karen's account (albeit with the proviso of being online). This seems like a good idea as it fixes Karen's access, also the content can be used on this console offline and on any future replacement (online only)
Apparently though the normal service drones can't do this and so I have to wait 48hrs for a mythical creature known as a "supervisor" to phone me......

Microsoft DRM woes.

2007-06-12T09:20:00.000+01:00

Seems there's a downside to a 360 exchange. Paid for content (DLC and XBLA) has the DRM tied in part to the gamertag which paid for it and part to the serial number of the box. On my original 360 I could play on and offline my paid-for content. Also Karen's account could play the games as the serial numbers tallied. Now with the new box, but the original HDD, only the tag tallies up. Re-downloading the content doesn't work. So I have to be online to play the XBLA and DLC that I have paid for. No big deal as I connect wirelessly and my hub is on 24/7 (except when my phone line blew down). Problem is with Karen's account the tag doesn't tally and neither does the serial. When she comes to play only the 'trial' game appears. One workaround we have is that she connects to live as normal, then I log in on the 2nd controller. If she then goes to the XBLA blade the games appear as full versions as my tag is now 'seen' by the system. Not a perfect solution and not elegant but it works. Now I can see why content has to be protected but there should be an easy way to deactivate content from one serial number and transfer to a second. Reading round the forums some people have managed to get MS to refund points to a second account (the one which didn't buy the content), which then repurcahses the content so that it is now 'tied' to the new serial. The problem would however come up again if (forbid) this box dies and I go a third one, and the points would have to be refunded again to a 3rd account and everything repurchased. However, some download content is only available for a,imited time period and has now gone. Also it seems that microsoft will only do this refund if they have a record of you returning a broken machine to them. Now this is annoying. The reason I exchanged my machine at the store I bought it from was to avoid waiting for a 'coffin' to be sent, then waiting for the privilege of a mnky refurb unit. It seems that MS likes doling out punishment to people who pay for their equipment, then have it die and don't want to use their useless customer service department. The MS person I dealt with (via email)said that the position with the old xbox was worse as the DRM is tied to the box only. The point is that the original xbox was built like a tank and never ever died. He aslo had the cheek to point out that the Wii content situation was the same (DRM tied to serial of box only), again has anyone ever heard of a Wii breaking?
I've two options now, use the workaround which to be honest isn't a major pain. Or spend many hours on the phone to some call centre drone trying to sort it. One annoying (according to Karen) part of my personality is that I can't abide it when things don't work perfectly and as they should. This workaround isn't perfect but I might have to force myself to let it go this time....

360 Exchange

2007-06-12T09:16:00.000+01:00

Exchanged my (poorly but not quite terminal) 360. The process was so, so easy. I went tooled up with my annotated copy of the sale of goods act as I really didn't want to be sending back to MS for a manky refurb (contract is between consumer and retailer, not manufacturer etc.) and Gamestation were so, so good. 360 was exchanged, no questions asked for a brand new unit complete with guarantee. At worst I have received 9 months extra guarantee for free.
Seems that the texture problem in Forza2 is still there. (No blocky lock ups though) so it must be a badly pressed disc (it's got nay a mark on it!)

Glitchy Nurburgring in Forza2

2007-06-10T16:51:00.001+01:00

Hope this isn't a pre-cursor to the RROD! In Forza 2 I have an issue where the drive appears to spin down and stop streaming textures. It does this everytime (with and without the HDD) in the same place at the Nurburgring (on the 2nd downhill) and so far only on this course.
A l;ot of reading around on the various forums has shown that I'm not alone in this, particularly with Xboxen made in mid to late 06 and with the Samsung DVD drives.
A really poor photo, will post something better (possible video) later

Joseph

2007-06-10T16:48:00.000+01:00

Glad to see Lee won. The surreal experience of seeing John Barrowman with his arms around Andrew Lloyd Webber singing the chorus will stay with me for a long time (!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb7foH6eE9g

Gawdblessgamestation!

2007-06-07T16:55:00.000+01:00

Forza2 is here ahead of release date!

Want to be CTU Director?

2007-06-04T19:38:00.000+01:00

Truly the poisoned chalice of career moves.
1st, Jack Bauer (wife dead, daughter chased by cougars before being estranged from him, heroin addict, imprisoned by Chinese, tortured, killed his own father)
2nd, George Mason (fatal dose of Plutonium)
3rd, Tony Almeida (blown up)
4th, Michelle Dessler (blown up eventually)
5th, Erin Driscoll (daughter had breakdown and tried to kill herself)
6th, Ryan Chapelle [was he in temporary charge at one time from "Division"?] (shot)
7th, [may be getting the chronology wrong here], Lynn McGill (nerve-gassed)
8th, Karen Hayes [was she briefly in charge before going to the NSA?] (survived but had to sack her husband, imprisoned briefly by Vice-President)
8th, Bill Buchanan (survived, but fired by his own wife)
9th, Nadia Yassir - she should be worried.

Also, for a counter terrorist unit they have terrible security guards who seems like fat mall guards (keep getting their systems hacked into, terrorists tunnelling in, nerve gassed etc) :-)

Coincidence

2007-06-03T20:35:00.000+01:00

According to our kitchen calendar, both Tony Curtis and Curtis Mayfield have their birthday today!

Damn wires

2007-05-31T09:23:00.000+01:00

After getting a bit bogged down with SM64, Cerys has been playing SM:Sunshine. It really grates having to plug in a WIRED controller and having to use a memory card after becomming acustomed to HD saves and wireless.
I would be nice to be able to create virtual GC memory cards on the Wii's internal memory. Also the option to use the Classic contoller for GC games (the layout is a bit different but all the buttons are there) or even an adaptor to plug a GC pad into the Wiimote, would be nice! It would save on the 'tripping over wire and bringing Wii crashing to it's death' paranoia!
Guess I should've bought a Wavebird!

Wii typing

2007-05-30T17:31:00.000+01:00

Using Wii remote to write this. Not easy at all. Shame you can't use a Usb keyboard. Shame too that the 360 doesnt have a web browser.

BSG DVDs

2007-05-30T14:35:00.001+01:00

Finally arrived from the US (with a big customs charge!). I've watched every episode but am looking forward to seeing them again, especially the extended cut of Pegasus. I know I could have downloaded all the episodes for free, but when a show is this good I almost feel duty bound to buy it (plus the boxes look very nice!)

Dalek biscuits

2007-05-30T14:30:00.000+01:00

I admit it! I had far too much fun decorating my Dalek biscuit!

Customs!

2007-05-30T11:02:00.000+01:00

8 years of importing DVDs and it's the 1st time I've been stung by customs.
About £55 worth of order got hit with a £17.63 fee!
:-(

Bargain!

2007-05-30T08:34:00.000+01:00

Decided to buy some Wii-points yesterday. I already had 1000 from the Nintendo website 789 test debacle, but was fed-up waiting for the promised trading of stars for points. Price was £7 for 1000 online, but as Tesco the price was £13.97 for 2000. A whole 3p cheaper! The bargain didn't end there though!

1) I received 1 clubcard point
2) I now have a Spare Wii box
3) I have a cardboard coaster in the shape of a Wii disc
4) The best bit!!!! The till had no pennies, so I got 2x2p as change!

Bargain-tastic (!)

Surface computer

2007-05-30T08:33:00.000+01:00

I want one of these! The whole manipulation bit has been seen before but the computer recognising the wireless devices placed on it is very, very cool!

New LFC kits

2007-05-28T19:53:00.000+01:00

Apparently the earlier post was incorrect. Seems that Adidas have posted some graphics on their website prior to the launch in 2 days time and were found.

> http://www.adidas.com/campaigns/liverpool/content/content/images/white_Gerrard.swf

> http://www.adidas.com/campaigns/liverpool/content/content/images/Black_carri.swf

Jobis

2007-05-26T13:22:00.000+01:00

If any more of those wet wannabe Joseph's start blubbing (like the extremely nauseating Lewis did last week) this week I may have to take an axe to my TV!

Colin McRae DiRT - 360

2007-05-26T13:08:00.000+01:00

Finally got the demo of this (after it being very broken on Wednesday). I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Since one of EA's conditions for supporting the 360 was that MS abandon their XSN Sports titles (and hence scupper any chances of Rallisport 3 ever seeing the light of day) this has been the only chance for a 360 Rallying title (I even went as far as buying RS1 to play via BC as RS2 was criminally not patched for BC).
As far as eye candy goes is it lovely. The front end is a superb piece of design. The tracks look awesome and the new Neon engine is superb (the added realism is the deformable track objects and barriers makes a difference). There are a few problems though. There is far too much HDR blooming going on and the track texture on the buggy track is horribly cartoony looking. The handing seems a bit unreal and light so far and the framerate does dip in a few places (also the buggies seems to 'mesh' into each other at times)
Fingers crossed it will all be fixed!

2007-2008 away or 3rd kit

2007-05-26T08:57:00.000+01:00

The site I spotted this on wasn't sure whether it was the away or the 3rd. Apparently a black with white detailing is also on the way.

76 days to go.....

2007-05-26T08:51:00.000+01:00

... to the new season

Blood boiling!

2007-05-26T08:22:00.000+01:00

Latest bit of barking mad policy from Alan Johnston...
Quite correctly private schools don't deserve their tax-avoiding charitable status. Insted of revoking it he is proposing that private schools do more for their communities, such as sharing resources etc. However his statement that "private schools could do this by sharing teaching "expertise" with the state sector" makes my blood boil.
How insulting and patronising is that! The assumption that teachers in the private sector are somehow better than those in the state system is ridiculous. Especially when there is no requirement for any type of professional teaching qulaification in order to work in a private school.
I've met quite a few teachers from private schools. They wouldn't last five minutes and get eaten alive in most inner-city comprehensives! They wouldn't survive the experience, let alone be able to 'share their expertise'.
GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

More DVDs I'm not going to watch!

2007-05-25T18:49:00.000+01:00

the most recent 'not-watched yet' DVD I have is Casino Royale. The oldest is the 4th DVD I ever bought (8 years ago!) LA Confidential. Bought that back when you had to ask at the counter in HMV for what DVDs they had.
Picked up the Animated Trek Series (finally!) today. I bought this on VHS in approximately 1991, and never got round to watching it then. So I'll probably still have epsidoes to watch on DVD in 2013.
Also got "An Inconvenient Truth" to use in work (for the new GCSE course which is more context and issues and less content - allegedly) I'm ready for the "It's just a bloke in a suit doing Powerpoint" comments.
Still waiting for Amazon.com to deliver my US box sets of BSG via their supposed "expedited international shipping" :-(

Dream Team

2007-05-24T19:42:00.000+01:00

No not the Sky soap....
Last night summed up the season. Created a lot of half chances with no-one to finish them off. What we need is a world class striker and a world class play-maker (at least a £40M shopping spree for Rafa)
Already apparently Zenden (was never good enough) and Gonzalez (waited 2 years for the work permit but didn't live up to the hype) are on their way out, along with Dudek and Fowler (and probably Bellamy, Hyppia, Crouch and Pennant if you believe the press) That said I thought that Pennant had a great game yesterday (and Alonso had a mare, as his whole season has been).
Anyway, the BBC have shown Rafa's dream 11 (who wouldn't pay money to see this team!) which would be many dreams come true (although Finnan deserves to be in the team)