The third and final satellite forming part of a new high bandwidth military communications network will be launched into orbit. It will have coverage in all areas where British forces operate, it will be very secure, able to block attempts to "jam" the communications and has cost close to £3.6bn.
It will, however, fail miserably. Why? Because they called it the dumbest and potentially most provocative name possible for a military project. Skynet.
Some of you will be lost, others will realise immediately that the British military has learned nothing whatsoever from James Cameron's Terminator. What are you doing, you fools!? You are playing with fire, it won't be long before this satellite communications network becomes self aware and turns against the human race. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!
Friday, 30 May 2008
What's meant to be is meant to be...
I hope this title has lulled the fatalists amongst you in to a false sense of security because Chris T is about to tear you a new one! Apologies for referring to myself in the third person, it was for dramatic effect.
OK, so say something doesn't go your way, say, for example, that you interview for a job you really want, but you don't get it, what do you say to yourself? Do you say, "Damn, should have tried harder" or do you say "what's meant to be is meant to be!" (or some other such nonsense, devolving your self of any responsibility whatsoever).
Fatalism, for the record, is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate or inevitable predetermination. Please enjoy this cartoon I found that sums it up quite nicely (it's not great quality, sorry).
I'm getting to my point, I promise. It's pretty simple, perhaps it is because I'm somewhat of a control freak, but I like to think that we as human beings contribute somewhat to the direction of our lives and any attempt to disregard events (positive or negative) as preconceived is a stupid one.
OK, so say something doesn't go your way, say, for example, that you interview for a job you really want, but you don't get it, what do you say to yourself? Do you say, "Damn, should have tried harder" or do you say "what's meant to be is meant to be!" (or some other such nonsense, devolving your self of any responsibility whatsoever).
Fatalism, for the record, is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate or inevitable predetermination. Please enjoy this cartoon I found that sums it up quite nicely (it's not great quality, sorry).
I'm getting to my point, I promise. It's pretty simple, perhaps it is because I'm somewhat of a control freak, but I like to think that we as human beings contribute somewhat to the direction of our lives and any attempt to disregard events (positive or negative) as preconceived is a stupid one.I am by no means suggesting that everything is within our control; you had some control in that interview (your attitude and responses etc), however, it's obvious the interviewer has more, after all it is they who have the final say. The same goes for a surgeon who is going to operate on you; you're out cold and he has a scalpel in his hands! I'm suggesting that outcome of any given situation can be attributed to the degree of control associated parties have.
Consider the surgeon, assume he's on your side, has performed the surgery many many times before and wants you to live; you stand a reasonably good chance of surviving. Other less significant outcome stakeholders may include the nurses at your operating table or the cleaner who failed to wipe all the surfaces of C.Diff before your surgery. Add to this a third uncontrollable factor (the weather or plain old luck for example) and you have your outcome. Good, hey?
Now if only I was more mathematically minded, I could put that into some sort of equation and I'd potentially never have to work again (unforeseen circumstances allowing of course!).
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Reality TV ain't reality (but you already knew that)
I have to admit, I don't watch that much reality TV anymore. I think the last time I watched Big Brother was the first UK series and that was 2001 or something -while it was still billed as a 'psychological experiment'. Well before I continue, let me just say, 'psychological experiment' my arse! It became apparent pretty early on that the whole concept behind Big Brother (and a good many other reality TV programs) was the exploitation of its contestants.
However, reality TV contestants are either desperate for fame, dumb or both (*enter third disagreeable quality here*). Do these delinquents, these dregs of society deserve my (or even your) sympathy, or is part of the fun watching them eek out their 15 minutes by leaving their pride and self respect at the door? I honestly don't know, I'm afraid to answer for fear of self-incrimination.
Consider this; could it be possible, conceivable, feasible or even practicable (courtesy of thesaurus.com) that these scum-sucking mollusks are actually nice people? Well, anything is possible. Consider what the United States of America has done for the art of reality television editing, weaving sound and pictures, not to tell the story, but to tell a story. Check out Charlie Brooker below for his insights (the only man in the world more cynical than me!).
See what I mean? Well, most of you are familiar with British reality TV, but the American stuff is much much worse, to the point where Britain considers it unwatchable (you only have to look at how Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares USA was re-edited to cater to the tastes of British audiences to see this).
Over the last couple of years (perhaps even longer) the trend in the UK seems to be mirroring that seen in the US. Keep an eye out for it, I think you'll be horrified at how dumb some TV execs think we are as attempts at viewer manipulation spiral out of all control.
*sounds of my echoed screams as i fall into the abyss*
However, reality TV contestants are either desperate for fame, dumb or both (*enter third disagreeable quality here*). Do these delinquents, these dregs of society deserve my (or even your) sympathy, or is part of the fun watching them eek out their 15 minutes by leaving their pride and self respect at the door? I honestly don't know, I'm afraid to answer for fear of self-incrimination.
Consider this; could it be possible, conceivable, feasible or even practicable (courtesy of thesaurus.com) that these scum-sucking mollusks are actually nice people? Well, anything is possible. Consider what the United States of America has done for the art of reality television editing, weaving sound and pictures, not to tell the story, but to tell a story. Check out Charlie Brooker below for his insights (the only man in the world more cynical than me!).
See what I mean? Well, most of you are familiar with British reality TV, but the American stuff is much much worse, to the point where Britain considers it unwatchable (you only have to look at how Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmares USA was re-edited to cater to the tastes of British audiences to see this).
Over the last couple of years (perhaps even longer) the trend in the UK seems to be mirroring that seen in the US. Keep an eye out for it, I think you'll be horrified at how dumb some TV execs think we are as attempts at viewer manipulation spiral out of all control.
*sounds of my echoed screams as i fall into the abyss*
Monday, 26 May 2008
The MTV Cribs generation
Watching Cribs, for me at least, is like eating fast food. Good at the time but altogether somewhat regrettable. Seeing 50 Cent take us on a tour of his 19 bedroom Connecticut mansion with the help of his G-Unit buddies may be visually stimulating but I also find it somewhat sickening. A Gucci pool table? A strip club?? In your house??? It's things like that which aggravate me. I don't think anyone deserves that much materialistic shit. The level of indulgence and ostentation fills me with a deep sense of injustice (and I'm not going to deny it, but perhaps a little envy to - I've learned to accept my humanity - but I still don't want a Gucci pool table!).
All this bling culture is eroding our society from the inside out. Mainstream (and probably only mainstream) Rap/R'n'B/Hip-Hop and to some extent Pop all serve as a conduit to brainwash our youth into the mindset that success lies in excess. It is also always the poor who are most susceptible to this way of thinking. You combine this bling culture and a pro-violent ghetto one and I think we have a lot to answer for as a society. I don't want to get started on the violent stuff too much, that's just going to lead into a debate about computer games like GTA IV and Manhunt and that's worthy of a whole other post.
I'm talking about two different things here, the first is actual wealth and the second is the perception of wealth. There are the wealthy that do good - look at Bill Gates' humanitarian efforts and others like Angelina Jolie (who although they may rub their efforts in our faces a little for publicity) potentially give more than they take.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a long way from donning a shirt made from burlap and attending pro-communist rallies but think, if we could find a system whereby the distribution of wealth benefited those who helped other people then the world would surely be a better place. If every one of us operated in a world like that I think we would all be the richer for it. I'm going to call it Altruistic Capitalism, a capitalist mentality directed towards the helping of those less fortunate.
And who says all MBAs are cutthroat money hungry bastards?!
All this bling culture is eroding our society from the inside out. Mainstream (and probably only mainstream) Rap/R'n'B/Hip-Hop and to some extent Pop all serve as a conduit to brainwash our youth into the mindset that success lies in excess. It is also always the poor who are most susceptible to this way of thinking. You combine this bling culture and a pro-violent ghetto one and I think we have a lot to answer for as a society. I don't want to get started on the violent stuff too much, that's just going to lead into a debate about computer games like GTA IV and Manhunt and that's worthy of a whole other post.
I'm talking about two different things here, the first is actual wealth and the second is the perception of wealth. There are the wealthy that do good - look at Bill Gates' humanitarian efforts and others like Angelina Jolie (who although they may rub their efforts in our faces a little for publicity) potentially give more than they take.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a long way from donning a shirt made from burlap and attending pro-communist rallies but think, if we could find a system whereby the distribution of wealth benefited those who helped other people then the world would surely be a better place. If every one of us operated in a world like that I think we would all be the richer for it. I'm going to call it Altruistic Capitalism, a capitalist mentality directed towards the helping of those less fortunate.
And who says all MBAs are cutthroat money hungry bastards?!
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Girls who dig sci-fi are hot
I've loved sci-fi for years and when I really think about it I can probably trace backward far enough to determine the catalyst for this love of mine. It was the first movie I ever truly loved, Back to the Future. Ah yes, the adventures of that fresh-faced scallywag Marty McFly and his eccentric - bordering on senile - doctor friend, um I forget his name, I just remember him as Doc. Oh wait, Doc Emmet Brown. What kind of fucking name is Emmet?
It was Christmas 1988 and BTTF (as it shall be referred to from now on) was premiering on terrestrial television. The idea that someone could actually time travel set my mind into overdrive. As the years past I leaned more towards hard sci-fi, Arthur C Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama being a particular favourite novel of mine. I was also attracted to series like the X-Files and hung on for about 4 or 5 series (I basically got up to the movie) and then just watched the finale (even avid fans have to admit the show lost its way a bit towards the end).
Then you've got a series like Stargate, which is a little less believeable, but fuck it, MacGuyver's in it. I'm also probably drawn to it because it uses real world mythology as the show's premise, the same goes for Stargate Atlantis.
So what does all this have to do with girls you may ask. Nothing much, I guess I was hoping some of them would crawl their way out of the woodwork, or just have some people recommend some other sci-fi that might be worth reading or watching.
Right, I'm off to conduct a weather experiment.
It was Christmas 1988 and BTTF (as it shall be referred to from now on) was premiering on terrestrial television. The idea that someone could actually time travel set my mind into overdrive. As the years past I leaned more towards hard sci-fi, Arthur C Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama being a particular favourite novel of mine. I was also attracted to series like the X-Files and hung on for about 4 or 5 series (I basically got up to the movie) and then just watched the finale (even avid fans have to admit the show lost its way a bit towards the end).
Then you've got a series like Stargate, which is a little less believeable, but fuck it, MacGuyver's in it. I'm also probably drawn to it because it uses real world mythology as the show's premise, the same goes for Stargate Atlantis.
So what does all this have to do with girls you may ask. Nothing much, I guess I was hoping some of them would crawl their way out of the woodwork, or just have some people recommend some other sci-fi that might be worth reading or watching.
Right, I'm off to conduct a weather experiment.
Saturday, 24 May 2008
Saturday night...
Oh scrotum sacs! I wanted to go out tonight but I thought I'd give all this drinking lark a rest for a bit, the last couple of days have seen excessive consumption and I'm skint enough as it is. Still I don't want to be at home writing this (sorry peeps, it's the truth). Saturday-fucking-night. Marvelous.
So I'm reading this book at the moment called The Double by Jose Saramago, I think I may have mentioned that a couple of posts ago but anyway. It raises some interesting questions. Imagine if you were watching a movie and some guy/girl in the movie looked exactly like you. In our protagonist's case the person has a moustache and looks slightly thinner, but only when he looks at some photographs taken of himself at around the time of the movie's making does he realise that he also had a moustache and was slightly thinner.
What frightens me here is not the idea that by some stretch of the imagination there is someone out there who looks like me (becuase lets face it, the idea that one has a doppleganger is a common one - can anyone say 'evil twin'), it is that there could be someone out there changing synchronously with me. If I were to cut myself shaving would he also do the same, if I was to get side swiped by a car and injure my leg would he have the same happen to him? Weird, proper fucking strange. I'm sure there's some kind of proof for string theory in all this but it's a little hard for me to conceptualise. So I won't bother, I'm pleased enough if I have provoked some thought in you. Either way, you should get the book.
The last book I finished reading was the Gene Wilder autobiography, "Kiss me like a stranger". I have since revisited all of Gene's movies (or at least those I could get hold of). He really is a trumendous comic actor, it's a shame he hasnt been in much since the late 80's. Of course he's an old man now (in his 70s) but I recommend YouTubing him for interviews to get a flavour for the mild mannered temperament of the man. He really is quite endearing.
'Til next time...
So I'm reading this book at the moment called The Double by Jose Saramago, I think I may have mentioned that a couple of posts ago but anyway. It raises some interesting questions. Imagine if you were watching a movie and some guy/girl in the movie looked exactly like you. In our protagonist's case the person has a moustache and looks slightly thinner, but only when he looks at some photographs taken of himself at around the time of the movie's making does he realise that he also had a moustache and was slightly thinner.
What frightens me here is not the idea that by some stretch of the imagination there is someone out there who looks like me (becuase lets face it, the idea that one has a doppleganger is a common one - can anyone say 'evil twin'), it is that there could be someone out there changing synchronously with me. If I were to cut myself shaving would he also do the same, if I was to get side swiped by a car and injure my leg would he have the same happen to him? Weird, proper fucking strange. I'm sure there's some kind of proof for string theory in all this but it's a little hard for me to conceptualise. So I won't bother, I'm pleased enough if I have provoked some thought in you. Either way, you should get the book.
The last book I finished reading was the Gene Wilder autobiography, "Kiss me like a stranger". I have since revisited all of Gene's movies (or at least those I could get hold of). He really is a trumendous comic actor, it's a shame he hasnt been in much since the late 80's. Of course he's an old man now (in his 70s) but I recommend YouTubing him for interviews to get a flavour for the mild mannered temperament of the man. He really is quite endearing.
'Til next time...
Sat here while the toilet level rises...
I'm sat here, three quarters of a bottle of Gordon's gin down, watching motherfucking Greys Anatomy of all things. I'm nicely, nay, beautifully wasted. Everything is dulled to the point where I can feel, where I can know how I feel, without being affected by how I feel.
Do you see what I mean?
At this moment in time, or at least up until about 10 minutes ago, my friend of German origin is being violently ill in my toilet. Some people just can't take their alcohol, hey? For dinner I cooked a beautiful sirloin steak, roasted new potatoes with garlic and rosemary and some steamed broccolli. All I have to say to that is... HELLZ YEAH. It was a lovely meal, yet here I am, typing, while my German friend, my guest, with whom I shared this beautiful meal, is expelling the fruits of my labour with unwavering conviction into my toilet bowl. But I'm not ill, so it can't be the food, he just can't handle his rum.
Alcohol has a funny way of bringing memories to the surface, not necessarily memories that want to be buried, but memories that have their place, and all memories have their place. I guess it's important for me to accept that some things from the past resonate into the present and will continue to do so until, like ripples in the water, consequences dissapate into nothing more than a smile, cast upon memories that have shaped me into who I have become. I like who I have become. Mostly.
Memories have shaped me and continue to do so. I guess that's what makes it so hard to let them go, because I equate myself so completely with the way I felt at that time...
So who you going to live for?
Who you going to die for?
Who's going to make it all ok?
And I'm not the kind of person that wants the answer to be "me" for all three of those questions, I'm just selfless that way!
Apologies for my rambling!
Do you see what I mean?
At this moment in time, or at least up until about 10 minutes ago, my friend of German origin is being violently ill in my toilet. Some people just can't take their alcohol, hey? For dinner I cooked a beautiful sirloin steak, roasted new potatoes with garlic and rosemary and some steamed broccolli. All I have to say to that is... HELLZ YEAH. It was a lovely meal, yet here I am, typing, while my German friend, my guest, with whom I shared this beautiful meal, is expelling the fruits of my labour with unwavering conviction into my toilet bowl. But I'm not ill, so it can't be the food, he just can't handle his rum.
Alcohol has a funny way of bringing memories to the surface, not necessarily memories that want to be buried, but memories that have their place, and all memories have their place. I guess it's important for me to accept that some things from the past resonate into the present and will continue to do so until, like ripples in the water, consequences dissapate into nothing more than a smile, cast upon memories that have shaped me into who I have become. I like who I have become. Mostly.
Memories have shaped me and continue to do so. I guess that's what makes it so hard to let them go, because I equate myself so completely with the way I felt at that time...
So who you going to live for?
Who you going to die for?
Who's going to make it all ok?
And I'm not the kind of person that wants the answer to be "me" for all three of those questions, I'm just selfless that way!
Apologies for my rambling!
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
A Geek That Hates Computers
Ok, well hate is a strong word. It's a love-hate relationship really. I recently spent shitloads of money on a new desktop PC because I was fed up of the piece of crap I was using going wrong every other week... Within two months my new PC wouldn't boot up. Absolutely fucking typical right?
Having worked in the IT industry really didn't help to nurture my love for this technology, in fact PCs became the bane of my very existence. Ask anyone in IT support the same thing, PCs become less a tool for getting things done and more a tool that needs constant care and attention and repair.
One thing becoming more mainstream that I really think is going to change the reliability of computing the world over is solid state hard drives. Hard drives are the last critical component in PCs/laptops that have moving parts and are often the first components to go. Anyone who has lost data due to a failed hard drive can know just how annoying this is.
In the next few years we can hopefully see solid state drives being introduces into servers too and assuming costs go down in line with mechanical drives cost saving should be seen both from sides of client and service relationships.
Another interesting discovery made recently is the fan with no moving parts which we should see making its way into our home pcs and laptop soon.
Altogether there's a lot of interesting things happening.
I can't believe this post started so hateful. Like I said... Love-Hate relationship...
OK, so assuming our PCs are kitted out with these fancy solid state drives and that their capacity is something close to useful, what's next.
Having worked in the IT industry really didn't help to nurture my love for this technology, in fact PCs became the bane of my very existence. Ask anyone in IT support the same thing, PCs become less a tool for getting things done and more a tool that needs constant care and attention and repair.
One thing becoming more mainstream that I really think is going to change the reliability of computing the world over is solid state hard drives. Hard drives are the last critical component in PCs/laptops that have moving parts and are often the first components to go. Anyone who has lost data due to a failed hard drive can know just how annoying this is.
In the next few years we can hopefully see solid state drives being introduces into servers too and assuming costs go down in line with mechanical drives cost saving should be seen both from sides of client and service relationships.
Another interesting discovery made recently is the fan with no moving parts which we should see making its way into our home pcs and laptop soon.
Altogether there's a lot of interesting things happening.
I can't believe this post started so hateful. Like I said... Love-Hate relationship...
OK, so assuming our PCs are kitted out with these fancy solid state drives and that their capacity is something close to useful, what's next.
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Reading for Pleasure
It's been an absolute age since my last post but I figured this writing thing has got something to it because I always manage to get drawn back into it. You lucky, lucky people...
I've recently finished reading Nikki Sixx's The Heroin Diaries. Nikki Sixx was the bass player (and cheif songwriter) for Motley Crue, and the whole tale is one of drink, drugs and debauchery. Some of it is really shocking stuff.I guess the honesty in them struck a chord with me, the writing wasn't great but it's a bunch of diary entries written over 20 years ago that the guy never had any intention of publishing so I'll let it slide.
I've always been a big fan of autobiographies, I read Michael J Fox's one a couple of years ago and that was fantastic, it told of his private battle with Parkinsons disease and it blew me away.
It had been a while since I read anything for pleasure but my weekend trip to Dublin seemed like the perfect opportunity to put down all these unreadable books on economics and entrepreneurship and pick up something with some actual emotion in it.
When I got back from Dublin I ended up going to the book shop and I bought three novels, two of which are autobiographies. The fiction novel is The Double by Jose Saramago, he also wrote Blindness which I read a few years ago. I was browsing the Apple trailer site like I often do and I found a trailer for Blindness. This kinda pissed me off as it seemed like some big Hollywood production but Julianne Moore's involvement may do something for it. It just seemed to me like a typical Hollywood thing to do, ignoring the fact that the epidemic is actually a metaphor and not real. Oh well...
I've recently finished reading Nikki Sixx's The Heroin Diaries. Nikki Sixx was the bass player (and cheif songwriter) for Motley Crue, and the whole tale is one of drink, drugs and debauchery. Some of it is really shocking stuff.I guess the honesty in them struck a chord with me, the writing wasn't great but it's a bunch of diary entries written over 20 years ago that the guy never had any intention of publishing so I'll let it slide.
I've always been a big fan of autobiographies, I read Michael J Fox's one a couple of years ago and that was fantastic, it told of his private battle with Parkinsons disease and it blew me away.
It had been a while since I read anything for pleasure but my weekend trip to Dublin seemed like the perfect opportunity to put down all these unreadable books on economics and entrepreneurship and pick up something with some actual emotion in it.
When I got back from Dublin I ended up going to the book shop and I bought three novels, two of which are autobiographies. The fiction novel is The Double by Jose Saramago, he also wrote Blindness which I read a few years ago. I was browsing the Apple trailer site like I often do and I found a trailer for Blindness. This kinda pissed me off as it seemed like some big Hollywood production but Julianne Moore's involvement may do something for it. It just seemed to me like a typical Hollywood thing to do, ignoring the fact that the epidemic is actually a metaphor and not real. Oh well...
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