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Kemonozume   
08:33pm 13/11/2006
 

Ah. The increasingly hallucinogenic Kemonozume. This is my utter favourite - and if anyone knows anything similar PLEASE TELL. Total supernatural/sci-fi weirdness with an upbeat use of animation technique (live action tracing/CGI/freehand are all mixed). Shokujinki, the flesh eaters, terrorise mankind, but Toshihiko, a human of the Kifuuken, sworn to exterminate the shokujinki, falls in love with Yuka, a beautiful flesh eater. Little do they know of Ooba's evil conspiracy that threatens both races...

And it's got a fucking cool MONKEY in it.
 
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Nice bit of Romaji   
07:08pm 19/09/2006
 
mood: somewhat anime
music: NGE - Cruel Angel's Thesis
Angely i demony kruzhili nado mnoj
Rassekali ternii i mlechnye puti
Ne znaet schast'ya tol'ko tot,
Kto ego zova ponyat' ne smog...

I am Calling Calling now, Spirits rise and falling
Soboj ostat'sya dol'she...
Calling Calling, in the depth of longing
Soboj ostat'sya dol'she...

Stand alone... Where was life when it had a meaning...
Stand alone... Nothing's real anymore and...

...Beskonechnyj beg...
Poka zhiva ya mogu starat'sya na letu ne upast',
Ne razuchit'sya mechtat'...lyubit'...
...Beskonechnyj beg...

Calling Calling, For the place of knowing
There's more that what can be linked
Calling Calling, Never will I look away
For what life has left for me
Yearning Yearning, for what's left of loving

Soboj ostat'sya dol'she...
Calling Calling now, Spirits rise and falling
Soboj ostat'sya dol'she...
Calling Calling, in the depth of longing
Soboj ostat'sya dol'she...
 
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The amusement...   
04:51pm 17/08/2006
 
mood: facetious
...that is The Sanctuary. Or the menu at least. "Air-dried ham" - I suppose that's like Parma ham without the trademark? What about freeze-dried ham? blow-dried ham?

But best of all:

"tian of gravadlax"

Which is a horrendously grandiose way of saying "dish of smoked salmon". Well, supposedly Norwegian salmon cured in salt and dill etc. ...but this is Alnwick... it's gonna be smoked salmon.

A tian is a gratin dish anyway. Hope it's not gravadlax au gratin...

...oh and they spell pak choi a funny way... and juice... and they put the accent in sautéed but not "puree"... *mutter*
 
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Battlecry - Nujabes et Shing02   
12:12pm 16/07/2006
 
mood: apathetic
sharp like an edge of a samurai sword
the mental blade cut through flesh and bone
though my mind's at peace, the world out of order
missing the inner heat, life gets colder
oh yes, I have to find my path
no less, walk on earth, water, and fire
the elements compose a magnum opus
my modus operandi is amalgam
steel packed tight in microchip
on my arm a sign of all-pro
the ultimate reward is honor, not awards
at odds with the times in wars with no lords

a freelancer,
a battle cry of a hawk make a dove fly and a tear dry
wonder why the lone wolf don't run with a klan
only trust instincts and be one with the plan

some days, some nights
some live, some die
in the way of the samurai
some fight, some bleed
sun up to sun down
the sons of a battlecry

some days, some nights
some live, some die
in the name of the samurai
some fight, some bleed
sun up to sun down
the sons of a battlecry

look, just the air around him
an aura surrounding the heir apparent
he might be a peasant but shine like grand royalty
he to the people and land, loyalty
we witness above all to hear this,
sea sickness in the ocean of wickedness
set sail to the sun set no second guessing
far east style with the spirit of wild west
the "quote-unquote" code stands the test of
time for the chosen ones to find the best of
noble minds that ever graced the face of
a hemisphere with no fear, fly over

the blue yonder
where the sky meets the sea
and eye meets no eye
and boy meets world
and became a man to serve the world to
save the day, the night, and the girl too
 
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Drive woes again   
09:51pm 10/07/2006
 
mood: fuck
music: Seething noises
After burning a scant number of DVD+R DL's here and there (some DVDs and some data), my iomega DVDRW drive now refuses to recognise anything BUT DVDs. It used to run CDs CDROMs, blah fine, now it gives them a couple of weak spins and gives up. I haven't changed ANYTHING though admittedly haven't run a CDROM in a while... but why would that break the damn thing!? Updating the firmware (and resetting, uninstalling/reinstalling, unplugging, updating software etc.) hasn't changed the situation except it makes the drive try a bit harder (makes slightly more noise and more attempts). Still only DVDs working. Could this be some evil effect of DVD Decrypter?

I seem to be developing a knack for knackering relatively new drives :(
 
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Anubis the Anteater   
11:37pm 04/07/2006
 
mood: tiredy
music: Shhh
What's the story with Darkplace and Kingdom Hospital? Both brought out in the same year, but with very similar (whether spoofed or not) stuff in. I can't believe Darkplace ripped Kingdom because of the close release dates... wtf? Maybe it's the golf carts in the basement... this isn't a normal thing in UK hospitals; do all US hospitals have golf carts in their basements!? Is there a series both these shows are drawing from?

Was in Montpellier last week. Spoke French a bit, bought nice cheese and wine. Company travel again so not so much time for sightseeing but the Antigone was freakish.
 
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Phew!   
09:34pm 21/06/2006
 
mood: peeping
music: Psychic Lover - XTC
I did my first reaction for THREE MONTHS today. That's three months 'abstinence' from proper reaction chemistry, spent faffing around purifying, repurifying, watching stuff go off, then purifying (or at least trying to) again. And all the paperwork/telling disgruntled customers about all my problems. Yay me.

It was with 14C methyl iodide too. In the scary gas manifold. Hot stuff!
 
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Weekend   
11:36pm 19/06/2006
 
mood: bedtime
Had a very good weekend for the [info]okapi_j's birthday in Bucks.

Went into Londinium on Saturday for the Borough Market. A veritable festival of all foods good (even the meats looked nice!) and not-too-pricey. Especially liked the beer stall which was like the Tanners and John Bull's back catalogues combined, gorgeous olives, stuffed chilli peppers, cheese upon cheese upon cheese. Even the Northumbrian cheese co. was there! Bought a cylinder of french goats' cheese and a strange little round cheese for lunch which was to be had in Regent's Park, along with some foccacia type bread stuffed with peppers and olives, cherries, and some Pimms and Efes pils.

Then met with the [info]strangesam in The World's End in Camden (probably the largest pub in Britain, with the fewest places to sit) for beer and cider, and then failing finding a cheap Wetherspoon's for tea, fell into the Spread Eagle for ploughman's (Gawd more cheese...).

Sunday was spent roosting and then later flocking around the Tring reservoirs where a few common terns were still flapping around (must be a long long way from the sea...), grebes, greylags, barnacles etc.... much goosage. And eight goslings! I also spied several sedge and reed warblers through me binoclears, all the way from Africa (though not as far-travelled as the terns I suppose).

Skipped today as a result of travelling back. Made a nice bean salad for tomorrow, watched Ergo Proxy and downloaded xxxHolic. Happy days.
 
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*snicker*   
04:48pm 09/06/2006
 
mood: Alkaline
music: None
How do you pronounce that, exactly?

Arce Drilling Commences

*snicker*
 
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in with the old out with the new   
06:03pm 08/06/2006
 
mood: Phosphoric
music: SOAD - Chop Suey - v....ery l....oud
withered rope you hang what's empty can't remain to put it simply
in time cry the hollow words to sing with false disguise
smothered hope fly from sorrow for a new divine tomorrow
i just don't want to know anymore life shifts up and down
everybody knows it's wrong
why don't you care? now do it seem fair?
it's not in the rhyme or reason so it goes with every season
crawl to top fall through bottom first hand love is really rotten
slice of life find what's plenty inch towards a sanctuary
fight with me inside the womb
i know everyone everybody knows it's me
it's my voice my voice cries out obscenity
sightless eye regard my past sometimes it should
i just don't want to know anymore
 
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Pumptastic   
05:37pm 08/06/2006
 
mood: Arsenic
music: Sun O))) - My Wall (the bit about spunking)
There are two high vac pumps in our lab, referred to as "Pump A" and "Pump B".

It is well-circulated in this lab that Pump A is best, especially for difficult solvents.

So who spends hours with it trying to take down some water and then serendipitously finds he can do the same job in fifteen minutes with Pump B?

I wouldn't be surprised if the Pump A myth is intentional, a hermetic secret to keep newbies hands off the best kit...

Mushishi is back! YAYS.
 
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Bad Soden   
07:19pm 03/06/2006
 
mood: zzzz
music: None
Got back from Frankfurt late yesterday. Boy what a trip. Every minute was crammed with something to do whether it be the talks or the social stuff laid on, and the Germans tried to feed us to death. One of my work mates took to taking the morning half hour coffee break to go back to his room and sleep for 20 mins because we were technically getting up at 5-6am (Europe is +1h GMT) and sticking it out till midnight... and this isn't lazing in the hotel bar or anything, this is meals with your bosses!

There wasn't any time for sightseeing outside of the schedule, which is a bit sad because Bad Soden and Frankfurt looked somewhat interesting (Though Bad Soden did remind me of Eastbourne a little, retirement homes and a million OAPs, but no beach). There was a whirlwind bus tour of the city and a wine-tasting (tasting=drinking) trip to Eberbach Abbey where The Name of the Rose was filmed. Had a meal there (another buffet... is this a german thing, buffet meals?) and snatched some amusing wine corks with the monastery logo which is basically iron eagle minus swastika... but that was it by way of tourism really. The poster got a little interest, talks went down well. There was also a very good tour of the Frankfurt site (in the massive Hoescht industrial park).

Home now though, and still a bit tired. Woke up expecting a massive breakfast and disappointed there's no four-course lunch or dinner :( Or free Bitburger :D La-dee-daa.
 
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Lost - Season 2 - Ending   
07:50pm 26/05/2006
 
mood: honkshonkshonks
music: Noein outro music
Oh now please, with an ending like that you can fill the interim series with any kind of trash.

Oh whoops, they did...

Actual transcript of Steve watching last minute of Lost Se02 Ep24:

>Guh?
>SHreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!???
 
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David Shrigley's Dont's   
06:50pm 22/05/2006
 
mood: heh
music: FourTet - LateNightTales

Don’t stick your hand in the blender, don’t use the hairdryer while you’re in the bath. Unplug the electric saw before you try to fix it.Don’t point the crossbow at your friends, don’t trim your toenails with a carving knife. Don’t climb inside old freezers at the junkyard. Don’t put your nephew in the microwave. Don’t summon demons with the ouija board. Don’t try to make new holes in your belt while you are still wearing it. Don’t try to swim to the island. Don’t throw darts at people. There is no such thing as a metal frisbee. Don’t climb on the roof. Don’t throw stones at me to try to attract my attention. Don’t shut your eyes while you’re driving. Don’t drink the grey wine, don’t swallow pills that you find in the street. Don’t stab people with old syringes. Don’t make your own fireworks. Don’t drop slabs from motorway bridges. Don’t take the batteries out of the smoke alarm. Don’t throw grit at the driver. Don’t make your own flame thrower. Stay out of the chemistry labs when the supervisor is absent. Don’t throw ammunition on the campfire. Don’t play games with poisonous snakes. Don’t eat glass. Don’t smoke in the refueling depot. Be careful with the nail-gun, and the air rifle, and circular saw. Don’t glue razorblades onto things. Don’t pick fights with known psychopaths. Don’t touch the hot plate. Don’t hang-glide over the volcano. Don’t hang out of the window while the bullet train is in motion. Don’t put old car batteries in the furnace. Don’t play chicken. Don’t fly a kite beneath the electricity pylons. Don’t be dared to do dangerous things by people with missing limbs. Don’t make roadblocks on the bobsleigh run. Don’t pretend to be a doctor. Don’t tamper with the braking system. Don’t shout at old people. Don’t liberate zoo animals. Don’t use the lawnmower to trim the hedge. Don’t give bayonets to children. Don’t hide the fire extinguisher. Don’t run in the hospital. Don’t stick metal coathangers in the toaster while it’s still on. Don’t buy bomb making equipment. Don’t slash my tyres while i’m driving. Don’t play war in the electricity sub-station. Don’t stage mock executions. Stay away from the ski jump and the cable car and the funicular railway. Don’t volunteer for the drugs testing. Don’t go in hot air balloons. Don’t press the red buttons. Obey the stop signs, and the no entry sign, and the speed limit. Don’t jump over the barriers. Don’t try to perform surgery on yourself. Don’t stick kebab skewers up your nose. Don’t join the army. Keep your hands off the gas tap and the welding equipment and the railway signals. Don’t break into peoples houses and climb up their chimneys. Don’t park in the fast lane. Don’t steal police cars. Don’t pretend to be an acupuncturist or a pilot or a back specialist. Don’t try and grow biological weapons. Wash your hands after using pesticides. and attempting to grow biological weapons. And above all, don’t eat scorpions.

 
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Finns and Fireflies   
05:02pm 21/05/2006
 
mood: busy
music: Tujiko Noriko - Magpies and Mornings
Well that was... ahem... Interesting...

...Finnish Monsters Rock Eurovision

...And in fact a little bit of Soulseeking and their track "The Devil is a Loser" is roaringly funny, and much better than the Eurovision entry.

Just finished watching Grave of the Fireflies. Spoilers )
 
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I haven't really mentioned before...   
08:49pm 09/05/2006
 
mood: grrr
music: Mesh - Not Prepared
...But I am stressed out.

The department I'm in conventionally supplies 15 mCi of material on a first run hot synthesis. If Metabolism wanted more, they'd ask, surely. I finished my first hot synthesis yonks ago and I should be celebrating really. The guy (with ten years' experience) who started the work which I took over couldn't get the reactions I mastered to work at all. I made, admittedly, the borderline minimum 15 mCi. Doubly labelled compound so we are talking ~50 mg of substance. It's an ionic liquid. It's so hygroscopic it readily deliquesces [sic?]. It's a bitch to get pure.

So I am poised to dispense 12.5 mCi requested by Drug Met. (actually, it's 12.5 mCi "total" on the front of the form; if you add up all the seperate samples they want, it's 13.7 mCi, but no bother...)... and then I point out they are asking for "Base".

This is a quaternary ammonium salt. It has no "Base" per se - just a dicationic species.

Oh, in that case, they need to recalculate their requirements based on the mass of the "Base" (note: Still keep calling a nonexistant species "Base")... oh, that makes our request for 18 mCi...

WELLYOUAINTFUCKINGGETTINGIT!

Argh. Ensues an exchange of email with the head honcho in Metabolism. Funny though, while my boss tries to find ways to SOLVE THIS PROBLEM and get studies underway, they spend two emails repeatedly pointing blame at us for miscalculating. Blame? Eh? We're trying to do SCIENCE here, not make sure we're up for performance related pay. If I don't have 18 mCi YOU CAN'T HAVE IT ...let's work out what to do about it!
 
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Techies...?   
10:09pm 08/05/2006
 
mood: wtf
music: None. SHooShie!
I'm following my own data recovery research on this, but in case any techies out there can help...

jpeg files: corrupted, I suppose - they show up in XP folders as thumbnails fine, small thumbnail piccy is ok, but when I load them into PShop half the pic is missing/imageviewer just doesn't work.

Do jpegs carry a small thumbnail file portion that might evade corruption? I thought thumbnails were generated from the original image therefore these pics should be recoverable somehow.

I tried Photorescue but it just slowed to a halt...
 
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Aha! So that's where it came from...   
06:44pm 08/05/2006
 
mood: amused
music: Eric Serra - Dark Side of Time
It's an odd, good, feeling of realistaion when you encounter music/film that has been sampled into something you'd heard before, but till now, never knew where it came from.

Music (Dark Side of Time) and samples from Nikita (Luc Besson) ---> DJ Loftgroover, Big Nasty Dragon set.

This one I suppose isn't as embarassing as having heard samples from Videodrome ripped by Skinny Puppy before I'd actually got around to seeing the film...(?)
 
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A bit of Melancholy goes a long way   
11:29am 07/05/2006
 
mood: anxious
music: Current 93 - Butterfly Drops
You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.
You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.
You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.

Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.
You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.
Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.

At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.
You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.
You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.
 
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Banksy ain't muckle reet?   
08:01pm 30/04/2006
 
mood: Hehe
music: Castlevania noises
Inspired by [info]queersolitude's street art. Herein begins a catalogue of the street art of Alnwick.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

This amusing piece has appeared round the corner from my house in the adjoining flat's covered parking area...

Soon to come: The bloodstains on the pizza shop wall, and any random patches of vomit I can find.
 
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