Friday, August 27, 2010

More map fun

So I reserved a thing at the Argos store nearest to where I work, which is the Old Kent Road (£60) branch. In London.

This map appeared, purportedly to help me find it:


Perhaps I'm a new, crap X-Man or something.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

You are here


Earth and Moon, bottom left, from the vicinity of Mercury, 114 million miles away.

The Big Picture
"We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you look at it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, every inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species, lived there on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.
The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us. It's been said that astronomy is a humbling, and I might add, a character-building experience. To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."
-- Dr. Carl Sagan
This is a new picture, rather than the one Dr Sagan was talking about, which you can see here.
Big version of this photo available here. Text taken from here, though this in turn is copied from somewhere else.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Harold Lloyd and friends

Harold Lloyd and friends: "201008202206


From F*** Yeah Harold Lloyd!
8 foot 7-inch-tall George Auger, 29-inch-tall Princess Wee Wee and an unidentified three-legged performer, all of the Ringling Brothers Circus, pose with 5 foot 9-inch-tall Harold Lloyd on the set of Safety Last. C. 1923.


Via BoingBoing



"

Friday, August 20, 2010

David Copperfield

Beacuse it's great. Shout me down all you like.

'I suppose you are quite a great lawyer?' I said, after looking at him
for some time.

'Me, Master Copperfield?' said Uriah. 'Oh, no! I'm a very umble person.'

It was no fancy of mine about his hands, I observed; for he frequently ground the palms against each other as if to squeeze them dry and warm, besides often wiping them, in a stealthy way, on his pocket-handkerchief.

'I am well aware that I am the umblest person going,' said Uriah Heep, modestly; 'let the other be where he may. My mother is likewise a very umble person. We live in a numble abode, Master Copperfield, but have much to be thankful for. My father's former calling was umble. He was a sexton.'

'What is he now?' I asked.

'He is a partaker of glory at present, Master Copperfield,' said Uriah
Heep. 'But we have much to be thankful for'.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Panda


Via Reddit for your pleasure.

How to walk from Luton To Hull


Having identified a small itch to travel from lovely Luton to the undoubtedly equally lovely environs of Kingston Upon Hull, I put the question to the maps department pertaining to Mr & Mrs Google. Having receive a rational response to my request for driving instructions, just for fun I asked for a walking route. 
It wasn't altogether what I expected:













Walking directions are in beta.
Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.

Walking directions to University of Hull

455 mi – about 1 day 22 hours

Suggested routes

Kingston upon Hull - Rotterdam

455 mi 1 day 22 hours


This route includes a ferry.- more info »
This route includes a border crossing.- more info »


Luton Lxx xxx UK


1. Head north on xxxxxx xxxxxx toward Stockingstone Rd/A5228
2. Turn right at Stockingstone Rd/A5228 0.7 mi
3. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Ramridge Rd 299 ft
4. Turn right to stay on Ramridge Rd 443 ft
5. Turn left at Turners Rd S 0.1 mi
6. Continue onto Saywell Rd 0.4 mi
7. Turn left at Crawley Green Rd
Go through 1 roundabout 0.7 mi
8. At Wigmore Ln, take the 1st exit onto Wigmore Ln
Go through 2 roundabouts 0.3 mi
9. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Eaton Green Rd

Go through 1 roundabout 1.1 mi
10. Continue onto Darley Rd 0.8 mi
11. Continue onto Windmill Rd 194 ft
12. Sharp left at Brownings Ln 0.5 mi
13. Turn right at Lilley Bottom Rd 1.1 mi
14. Continue onto Lilly Bottom Rd 0.5 mi

15. Continue onto Lilley Bottom Rd 0.8 mi

16. Continue straight onto High St/B651 0.4 mi

17. Continue onto Codicote Rd 0.2 mi

18. Turn left at Norton St Ln 1.0 mi

19. Turn right toward Three Houses Ln 1.1 mi

20. Turn left at Three Houses Ln 0.4 mi

21. Turn right at B656 0.1 mi

22. Turn left 240 ft

23. Turn left 0.6 mi

24. Sharp right toward Park Ln 0.4 mi

25. Turn left at Park Ln 1.2 mi

26. Continue onto Station Approach 289 ft

27. Turn left at Station Rd 0.1 mi
28. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Watton Rd 1.0 mi
29. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Hertford Rd 0.3 mi
30. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto A602 305 ft

31. Slight left to stay on A602 1.6 mi

32. Slight left to stay on A602

Go through 1 roundabout 0.9 mi

33. Turn left at Mill Ln 0.7 mi
34. Turn right at Whempstead Ln 1.5 mi
35. Turn left at Munden Rd 0.6 mi

36. Turn right toward Beggarman's Ln 1.7 mi
37. Continue straight onto Beggarman's Ln 1.1 mi
38. Turn left toward Standon Hill/A120 0.3 mi

39. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Standon Hill/A120
Continue to follow A120 5.8 mi
40. Slight right at Hadham Rd/A120
Continue to follow Hadham Rd
Go through 1 roundabout 1.2 mi
41. Turn right at North St/B1004 0.1 mi
42. Turn left at Bridge St 0.1 mi
43. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto The Causeway/A1250 492 ft
44. Slight left to stay on The Causeway/A1250
Continue to follow A1250
Go through 2 roundabouts 1.6 mi
45. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A120 0.4 mi
46. Turn left at Dunmow Rd/B1256
Continue to follow B1256 5.2 mi
47. Slight left at Stortford Rd/B1256
Continue to follow B1256

Go through 1 roundabout 0.2 mi
48. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Stortford Rd/B1256
Continue to follow B1256

Go through 2 roundabouts 1.4 mi
49. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Stortford Rd 0.5 mi
50. Continue onto High St/B184 0.3 mi
51. Turn left at Braintree Rd 0.5 mi
52. Turn left at Braintree Rd/B1256
Continue to follow B1256 4.9 mi
53. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Dunmow Rd 0.5 mi

54. Continue onto The St 0.7 mi

55. Continue onto Rayne Rd 0.9 mi

56. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Rayne Rd/B1256

Continue to follow B1256 1.0 mi

57. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Coggeshall Rd/B1256

Continue to follow Coggeshall Rd

Go through 3 roundabouts 2.3 mi

58. Slight right at Coggeshall Rd/A120 1.0 mi
59. Slight right to stay on Coggeshall Rd/A120

Continue to follow A120 1.4 mi
60. Turn right at West St 0.9 mi
61. Continue straight onto Market End/B1024
Continue to follow B1024 443 ft
62. Continue onto East St 0.5 mi
63. Continue onto Colchester Rd 0.3 mi
64. Turn right to stay on Colchester Rd 0.1 mi
65. Turn right at Colchester Rd/A120
Continue to follow A120
Go through 1 roundabout 3.5 mi
66. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto London Rd/B1408
Go through 1 roundabout 2.1 mi
67. Slight right to stay on London Rd/B1408 259 ft
68. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto London Rd/A1124
Continue to follow A1124 2.5 mi
69. Slight left at Southway/A1124
Continue to follow Southway
Go through 1 roundabout 0.6 mi
70. At St Botolph's Circus, take the 4th exit onto Magdalen St/A134
Continue to follow A134 0.9 mi
71. Continue onto Hythe Hill 495 ft
72. Turn left at Hythe Quay 210 ft
73. Turn right at Hythe Station Rd 0.2 mi
74. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Greenstead Rd 0.2 mi
75. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto St Andrew's Ave/A133
Continue to follow A133
Go through 2 roundabouts 2.9 mi
76. Turn left at Bromley Rd 0.7 mi
77. Continue onto Harwich Rd 2.1 mi
78. Turn right to stay on Harwich Rd 0.8 mi
79. Turn left at Little Bromley Rd 0.1 mi
80. Turn right at A120 0.8 mi
81. Slight right to stay on A120
Go through 1 roundabout 6.0 mi
82. Slight left at Tinker St/A120
Continue to follow A120
Go through 2 roundabouts 2.6 mi
83. Turn right at Foster Rd/A120 66 ft
84. Turn right at W Dock Rd/A120
Continue to follow A120 0.2 mi

85. Turn left to stay on A120 0.1 mi
86. Take the Harwich - Hook of Holland ferry to Rotterdam

Entering Netherlands 124 mi
87. Continue straight onto Harwichweg 0.1 mi
88. Turn left at Stationsweg/N211

Continue to follow N211 0.1 mi
89. Turn right at Harwichweg 62 ft
90. Turn right at Prins Hendrikstraat 0.6 mi
91. Continue onto Prins Hendrikweg 0.5 mi
92. Turn right at Slachthuisweg 197 ft
93. Slight left to stay on Slachthuisweg 0.1 mi
94. Turn left to stay on Slachthuisweg 0.1 mi
95. Turn right at Deflandsedijk 1.4 mi
96. Turn right at Poortershaven 2.2 mi

97. Continue onto Schenkeldijk 0.4 mi
98. Turn right to stay on Schenkeldijk 0.6 mi

99. Turn right at Maasdijk 335 ft
100. Turn right at Coldenhovelaan 0.1 mi

101. Slight left at Maasdijk 0.4 mi
102. Slight left to stay on Maasdijk 269 ft
103. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Westlandseweg

Go through 3 roundabouts 1.2 mi

104. Turn right at Noorddijk 0.4 mi
105. Turn right at Stadhuiskade 318 ft
106. Turn right at Haven 0.2 mi

107. Turn left at Havenplein 92 ft
108. Turn right at Deltaweg 0.2 mi
109. Slight right to stay on Deltaweg 0.1 mi
110. Turn right to stay on Deltaweg 33 ft
111. Turn left to stay on Deltaweg 108 ft
112. Take the Maassluis - Rozenburg ferry to Rozenburg 0.4 mi
113. Continue straight onto Nieuwe Weg 371 ft
114. Slight left to stay on Nieuwe Weg 0.3 mi
115. Turn left at Boulevard Rozenburg 0.4 mi
116. Slight right to stay on Boulevard Rozenburg 1.0 mi
117. Slight left to stay on Boulevard Rozenburg 0.2 mi
118. Continue onto Botlekweg 489 ft
119. Slight right to stay on Botlekweg 187 ft
120. Turn right to stay on Botlekweg 1.2 mi

121. Turn right at Theemsweg 1.3 mi
122. Turn left to stay on Theemsweg 36 ft

123. Turn right to stay on Theemsweg 0.2 mi
124. Continue onto Rozenburgsesluis 161 ft
125. Continue onto Neckarweg 0.8 mi
126. Turn left to stay on Neckarweg 79 ft
127. Slight right to stay on Neckarweg 0.3 mi
128. Continue onto Moezelweg 1.3 mi
129. Slight left to stay on Moezelweg 0.1 mi

130. Continue straight to stay on Moezelweg 3.0 mi
131. Slight right to stay on Moezelweg 0.2 mi
132. Continue onto Elbeweg 0.2 mi
133. Slight left to stay on Elbeweg 302 ft
134. Turn right at Sureweg 0.1 mi
135. Turn right 0.6 mi
136. Take the Rotterdam - Hull ferry to Hull
Entering United Kingdom (England) 224 mi
137. Continue straight 0.4 mi
138. Turn left toward Northern Gateway 0.3 mi
139. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Northern Gateway 0.1 mi
140. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Hedon Rd/A1033 heading to M62/Leeds/Humber Bridge/A63 0.4 mi
141. Turn right to stay on Hedon Rd/A1033 39 ft

142. Turn left to stay on Hedon Rd/A1033
Go through 1 roundabout 0.8 mi
143. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Mount Pleasant/A1033 0.7 mi
144. Turn left at Mount Pleasant 469 ft
145. Turn right at Chapman St
Go through 1 roundabout 0.3 mi
146. Turn right at Wincolmlee 0.6 mi
147. Turn left at Air St 0.1 mi
148. Air St turns slightly right and becomes Sculcoates Ln 0.4 mi
149. Turn right to stay on Sculcoates Ln 0.1 mi
150. Turn right at Beverley Rd/A1079 0.5 mi
151. Turn left at Cottingham Rd/B1233 0.6 mi
152. Turn right 236 ft


University of Hull


We'll need a cup of tea after that I should think.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Nothing here

...lately.

Some music links for you to ignore & "What I Did On My Holidays" soon.

Manhole Covers

All those years ago I tried to tell you that manhole covers were interesting. I was Japanese at heart it seems. See?