“File this under “wish we had this when we were kids”: LEGO is starting a new program called LEGO Factory where you can download a desktop application that allows you to create a custom brick design. You can take the designs you create using the LEGO Digital Designer software, upload them to the LEGO website, and actually order a kit of LEGO bricks that will make the design you specd out. Sweeeeet!” Design your own LEGO kit – Engadget

Top boming! (as Jacques has been constantly saying since the event) The photos are up from Sunday…

Click hither>>

The Day after the day after FIRE and what an event it was. Top music, top people top of the range night. Chris B I thought could be man of the match along with Ali G, the guest percussionist over from Mint Club.

This was Cloudbass and I giving my expanded percussion rig some licks..

More photos to follow.

Prior to FIRE, in complete contrast, we had been camping out at one of the most spectacular places in Britain. Gordale Scar. This was the view form our back door..

And this was just around the corner..

Mad as cheese…



It’s incredible what some poeple spend their time doing. Like building the above car (or is it a production model?). The blog where the pic came from “hooptyrides” reports on projects like this. An interesting bit of bloggage.

T-MINUS 25 mins to the 4th test at Trent Bridge. McGrath is not playing

T-MINUS 82 hours till the next FIRE at ‘gate. Everyone is playing

The internet’s churned out some stuff over the years…

Check out this alternative life the universe and everything theory.
It’s worth a look – it’s got statements like “the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster” and “But what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results with His Noodly Appendage” and it goes on to state that there is a “significant inverse relationship between pirates and global temperature.”

Click this for the full story>>

Perhaps one of the more unusual sights from the last couple of weeks holiday in Wales / Ireland (Dinosaur park, Dan-Y-Ogof Caves in Wales). Top time was had by all and the Underworld & Basement Jaxx gig was ace. The hilight of the night was a stunning ‘hair stick up on the back of your neck’ cover/remix that Basement Jaxx did of Apache (originally “The Incredible Bongo Band” I think but Sugar Hill Gang & Fat Boy Slim also had a hack at it).

Back in Harrogate now. Just hacking through the durge of 500+ emails, mostly spam. Dear Homeowner, have you tried paypal software? etc.

Got sent a link to a guy who’s uni project, he decided would be to use bongos as a communication protocol. The bongo project

We’re in Dublin, Ireland. Got blaggs for a concert featuring Underworld and Basement Jaxx here tomorrow night in a park 5 mins walk from Eirene’s dads house. Should be ace.

Had a great couple of weeks touring Wales in the van. Lots of driving (and listening to test match special) Started out in Snowdonia. Spent a few days in a top spot called Shell Island before trucking south to Pembrokeshire via the Centre for Alternative Technology. Hung out at Newgale for a few days – a superb surfers paradise of a beach (although the surf wasn’t that great when we were there). Really unspoiled massive beach. Had some good kite action and beachlife was all to easy to get used to. Reading lots, chilling and playing lots.
From there we went to Tenby (last blog) and round the Gower Peninsular before heading towards Brecon and the place voted “Britain’s finest natural wonder 2005″ – the Dan-Y-Ogof caves. Spectacular cave systems with a dinosaur park, iron age park, loads of stuff for the kids and a top camp site. Met some Danes, endured the 4-1 footy defete and smug Denmark family.
After there we hurtled up to Hollyhead and got the HSS super fast ferry to Dublin and here we are now. Just eaten an Irish Breakfast sans Guinness. (same as an English breakfast but with the addition of white pudding).. well – may try and get a few photos up later.

Were in Tenby in South Wales. Arrived in Wales a week or so ago after a super wedding of Mark n Vic. It’s been beaches, camping, trucking about.. a right nice time. Popped into a tinterweb cafe to catch up on emails and do some emergency work. Arrgh! I’ll blog more later if I get chance.

If your on broadband – and it’s now ish – check this out – LIVE steam from space. The astronaughts have just left the lock and are begining their chores.Right – must get on with some work.Human Space Flight (HSF) – Realtime Data

Every man and his blog… BBC NEWS | Technology | One blog created ‘every second’: “In its latest State of the Blogosphere report, it said the number of blogs it was tracking now stood at more than 14.2m blogs, up from 7.8m in March.”

V

I’m a big fan of a good cuppa. Tea that is – coffee is OK but tea is the drink of champions. went out for a couple of beers last night and the conversation got onto tea. It’s a good subject. Remember I made it last ? The ultimate tea rota engine.. Have you seen Nice cup of tea and a sit down? (lead story over there is ‘It’s suitable spoon month’ by the way)

I digress…

We drink Yorkshire tea nowadays. My drinking buddies drink Ringtons Kenya Gold. I drink tea strong, 2 sugars, plenty milk (for your future reference). Whilst we agreed on most issues, like warming the pot (if pot methodology is employed) stew instead of mash (time permitting), as well as the “easy way to spot an amateur” milk before tea bag removal being a big no no. As is water that has been off the boil for more than a couple of seconds. So a lot in common apart from preferred brand.

We decided to put it to the test. We went back to my office, assembled all the pre-requisite equipment and ingredients. I made identical cuppers (using different tea). The result, according to our test subject was a preference for Ringtons Kenya Gold. Hmm. He went on to say that Yorkshire Tea had a slightly earthy fishy taste to it! No idea what he was on about. I tried a cup of Kenya and although found it very nice thought Yorkshire tea had the edge.

According to Google Wars, Yorkshire Tea is a clear winner

according to google image search, Kenya gold is a fish.

As well as that, it’s got Yorkshire in the title. Unbeatable. Ringtons is from Northumbria I think – so still a Northern brand (therefore know what they are doing in the ways of tea) – Cat amongst? anyone care? What tea do you drink?

Here are some pics from

FIRE 22
at ‘gate, 31st july 05

What a night. Not having FIRE at Bar Med seemed to work. ‘gate proved to be a superb venue. The 2 floors thing worked. Upstairs, the laid back chilled out bit, lounge vibe with loads of sofas and the massive leather bed, trippy lights chilled out choons. Downstairs in the front window we errected a bizarre contraption out of ship sails. Projected stuff onto these – worked really well again. It felt a bit like a dance tent. Literally behind us was a patch of pavement with fire breathing, poi and staff activity in full effect. So there was me (percussion), Len Bassey (sax) and Jimmy Jones (trumplehorn) alongside firstly Johnnie Frederics. Great set, tried out a couple of JFK Experience numbers sounded sweet. Lots of stuff I’ve never heard before. Next up, Cloudbass. Superb set. Daft Punk mashed up, breaksy in places beats. Uber basslines. Following the Swedish Chef was Mike H – deep deep tribaly house gear with a bit of cross over into things like a dirty white stripes house mix. Nice stuff. Ace to play drums to.. Upstairs a completely different almost dare I say ‘The Late Lounge’ kinda vibe was going on with Johnnie Frederics. The time flew by, I took some pictures, played some drums did some nattering had a really top night. Up at 9am this morning as well! Blue Bar full English breakfast and a pint of Guinness sorted everyting right out.

random pic… What a night – got to scoot off now and put our toys away more words and pics to follow.