700 Uplifting followers

I reached a key milestone today,  with my 700th follower. 

Uplifting Daze

Pressed that follow button and made that leap to land on my planet,unknowingly making herself the 700th follower to my blog. Check her blog out, its as uplifting as it suggests with sime amazing posts, a fitting blog to be given this crown.

Thanks you uplifting daze and the other 700, you are what makes me want to blog. Some if yoy are friends, some of you i even met recently and i hope i will many times over. I wish i could know you all, but its simply not possible. I love you all as followers and everyone is welcome to say hi.

There’s more to come from here, old and new, funny and poetic.Enjoy my utopia! Lol

Have a good weekend all. 

Simon 🙂

Oblivion – What did I think?

I loved Oblivion it’s a story with twists and turns. Full of big, powerful imagery and the sound track was amazing, it’s a real SciFi gem in my opinion. The pictures I’ve put up on this post (found on google image search) show some of the start imagery the film uses, the broken moon, ruined cities all this adds so much to the film’s ‘personality’. This isn’t a film review as such, although you would be forgiven for thinking so – this isn’t to be a film review blog – I just wanted to write about it because I liked the film.

Oblivion is a story about a post apocalyptic Earth after an attempted alien invasion leads to war, where the humans win, but the Earth is said to be scorched and mostly uninhabitable. Jack and Victoria live and work together to maintain the drones and power stations that are going to help them return to the rest of the remaining human race at Titan. This turns out to not be true at all and the story is turned onto its head when Jack realises that they are clones and there are many of them all over the Earth and that Jack and Victoria are working for the invaders – sucking the Earth dry of all it’s resources.

Jack has dreams about another life and specifically about a woman who he thinks he remembers. Victoria is like a custodian, watching over him while on his missions and back at home, their relationship is shattered almost at once when he rescues the young woman from his dreams. Her arrival throws the whole story wide open, leading to Jack teaming up with those his thought were his enemy to finally destroy the TET – a pyramid like spacecraft that was the main vessel for the alien invasion.

While watching this I couldn’t help thinking that Victoria knows more about what is really happening than shes lets on. Nothing is said, it’s all in the acting and the mood they give the character. She’s there to please, inform and maybe even control Jack without him knowing it. This rapidly falls apart when the young woman from Jack’s dreams is suddenly thrown into the mix and Victoria’s mood changes to something beyond jealousy.  This is for made what made the film entertaining, they left gaps in the plot that they let you decide for yourself, it’s not all spelled out and I can imagine different people having different views on this.

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What I liked about this film was there was no lesson or something to be learned. Many SciFi stories do this, while it doesn’t ruin them I don’t always want a story to have a lesson. What this story was about though was living in a confined world and questioning what you’re told is your existence. This has been a popular topic in Scifi for many years, especially since the Matrix. But here we have Jack unknowingly trapped in a life which is a lie. It’s one of the most powerful parts of the story (and the ‘ah-ha’ moment when you’re watching it) when he finds out what there is beyond the radiation zone.

 

If you’re into SciFi and haven’t seen it – I would recommend it, it’s powerful, clever and well constructed. The music is powerful and adds yet more dimension to the story. I enjoyed so much I hope they don’t ruin it with a second film.

 

Simon 🙂

Dilbert – How to get your boss off of your back!

I loved this and I had to share it!

Simon 🙂

No ownership claimed on image – Credit Dilbert.com (Scott Adams)

Review of the LG Spirit and devices with curved screens

Last year I ‘upgraded’ to the LG Spirit phone which I still use and after a year of using it and putting it through it’s paces now is a good time for a review. This is a mid range smartphone which has no really ‘stand out’ selling points apart from one thing – it’s got a curved screen. This is literally one of those phone that is made for the budget user – someone like me.

The curved screen thing is something to get onto in later in the post, for now let’s cover the basic features:

Screen

The screen is a 4.7 inch screen which is clear and gives a good resolution. The  ‘pastel’ type colours that LG lose, take away something from the experience. For me I lose the the sense of size that it could bring and something else I can’t put my finger on. After having to use a Samsung for some months before starting to use this turning this on was disappointing. But it works and is clear and pictures are show up well.

Buttons

Most phones and tablets still have three buttons, on / off and volume up and down. What’s different here is that there are mounted on the back, under the camera, not on the side as is often the standard.

This is irritating at first and you can smear the camera lens, but I can see why it would make sense. It’s quite innovative I think and I’m used to it now. However, to turn the phone on you don’t have to use the on / off button – double tap the screen and it turns on or off, that’s another neat little feature I like.

Camera

This is where I think the budget was cut a bit – it’s crap! I mean sure, it takes a half decent pic, but it’s nowhere near as good as my old HTC or Samsung and it’s so slow to take a picture after the button is pressed. As with most phones it has a forward and back facing camera, so that selfies aren’t a problem (not that a guy takes selfies because that would be kinda weird right?).

The other thing, which is more about the camera app rather than the camera, (but I’m not sure) is it pixelates the picture badly when zooming in on a object. I’ve not really worked out if the pixelation actually translates to the picture that’s taken, but I’m sure it does affect it a bit.

 

Speed and Use

I like to leave things a while before judging them, because as we know straight out of the box, the phone is lightening quick. The Spirit doesn’t seem to suffer with clogging, speed and overheating as much as my old HTC used to. There are times though, when for no reason it becomes a pocket heater and the device slows down. The keyboard occasionally decides it’s going to hide while halfway through a tweet or WordPress post, which is annoying as it only comes back when it seems to want to.

Overall though, it responds well and app updates don’t seem to use up the 1gB of user phone storage. It’s got 8gB of storage in total, but I can only really access 1gB of that for apps and stuff it seems – so the option of adding an SD card is really a necessity.

The battery life of this is really good, one of the best things about it a full charge lasts pretty much a whole day with moderate use. I was surprised how good it is.

 

Curved Screen

This is where I get on my soapbox – why? Just seriously… why? I don’t get it, is it just a cool thing because there is no reason that I can think of why I want a curved screen for a hone, TV or anything. It’s just making it easier to break, except I guess if it’s in my pocket – maybe. This was a big selling point for this phone and it hasn’t added any value to it in my opinion.

In essence, this phone works well for the money. It’s not the best and never will be – but it does what it does well. If something better is needed – get a Nexus!

Simon 🙂

Looking out across the void

I sit there, at the end of what has been. The void seems so large, the task ahead so big even from a far .

I will not look back, I have to look ahead and cross this void. I have to climb this mountain. 

I know what’s behind me,  I’ve just come from there. Only by going forward can I hope to find what I’m looking for. 

Whatever that might be… 

Simon 🙂

ESA – Week In Images

There are some good pictures from ESa this week, I like this first one in particular, of the Dragon capsule chasing after ISS. Enjoy them and the rest in the link!

via Week In Images / Highlights / ESA

Simon 🙂

No Ownership claimed on images – Credit ESA

I did it!!!!!

The power of our own future really is in our mind, I wavered yesterday – I almost didn’t do it!

Then today I though -Fuck it! I got the letter and I handed it to my boss – I resigned. Now the path for my future is possibly clearer. We will see, it might not be bright or orange or any other colour, rosy or bleak. But I’ve actually changed something and I can work with this and maybe make a difference in my life for the better.

Watch this space…

Simon 🙂

 

 

Origins of Some Everyday Things

This of you that have been following a while may remember this post. That’s because you will – in order to refresh some of my past work and make it fresh I’m reposting it and maybe a dding a bit or two. Starting here :

I’m surprised about how much of our modern life and what we say is based in on life many years old. Some of it over 100 years old. It’s logical that this is the case – but how much do you realise comes from long forgotten traditions or crafts? Here’s a few examples:

Long Summer Holidays:

Enjoying the long summer holiday kids? This long summer break was originally meant so the kids could help bring in the harvest. So come on… get out there and work!

Bodger:

Fed up with being labelled a bodger? The origin of this word denoted a skilled craftsman that made wooden legs and spars, it nothing to do with being sloppy.

Upper / Lower Case:

In this modern world of computing we can easily make letters in CAPITALS or not. In Victorian times when printing was carried out there would be two cases of letters used at the printers. The capitals would be in the upper case and the small letters would be in the lower case. Now where have I heard that term before?

The Whole Nine Yards:

The whole nine yards refers to the Spitfire pilots firing off all their ammunition at once. There was 9 yards of this ammunition and it would last for only 14 seconds. I’ve also heard this saying has come from the American bomber gunners and other similar sources. But you get the point.

I’m hoping a few people will read this and have some suggestions or other things they’re heard of which could form another post on this (if you can tolerate it) I think it’s interesting where many of our terms come from and they’re not as modern as we would like to think.

Simon 🙂

Minecraft Steve and the Lost City – Part 3

The torch gave Steve a much needed but dim light, stepping forward he could only see a little way ahead. at first he could see nothing but darkness ahead, but after what seemed like forever he could finally see a shape ahead. Steve walked a few steps nearer and out of the darkness a pure white marble block appears, sculpted into an ornate head with a crown on it’s head.

“This must be the head of a king or ruler here!” Steve thought to himself. He looked back and the entry to the tunnel was now tiny and dimly lit.

“Have you found anything Steve?” he heard Preeta calling, his voice was faint but he could hear his question.

“Yes, I have!” Steve called back “I haven’t found the key yet!”

“Keep looking Steve- it’s there!”

Looking round the head Steve saw nothing, standing next it he looked round the room and thought  for a moment. He rested his hand on the crown. As he put his hand down the stone moved and Steve moved away quickly, looking at the statue head he saw the mouth drop open and inside was…

“The Key!” Steve shouted. “I have it Preeta!”

“Good! Bring it to me Steve!” Preeta shouted back. Turning to go back down the tunnel Steve stepped on something soft, in that instant he thought it was strange as he hadn’t felt it as he walked in. At that moment a huge stone door slid down and shut off the tunnel.

“I’m trapped!” Steve shouted out, really not certain why as Preeta probably couldn’t hear. After a few moment Steve was aware of another noise, then in each of the corners of the room water started flowing up and onto the floor. Steve was feeling as if this was going to be his last moments as the water rose higher and higher, over his knees the water rose and it showed no sign of slowing.

Steve was holding the torch up to keep the light as long as he could. With the water over his shoulders Steve was treading water and wondering why he ever started this trip.

“This has just gone from bad to worse!” he mumbled to himself as the torch finally dropped and the room was plunged into darkness.

“Great!” he said to himself. It was then that he could hear the sound of grinding, then a loud whoosh as water rushed from the room. He had no idea which direction he was going but Steve felt himself suddenly pulled down. Holding his breath he had no idea where he was or what was going on.

Sometime later Steve found himself laying on the floor of another chamber, some time must have passed – it was light outside, the light streaming through long slotted windows. As he went to get up he was aware of a figure in the corner of the room.

“You had to go exploring didn’t you?” The figure spoke to Steve in a calm tone, but he was obviously angry.

“You had to go and find this place didn’t you?” The figure spoke again.

“I don’t know what you mean?” Steve replied.

“No, that’s the problem isn’t it? You don’t know and you just keep going around, digging up things, trouble and getting into things you shouldn’t!” The figure stepped forward into the light, Steve was shocked.

“Mike? What are you doing here?” Steve asked.

“He’s here to take the key Steve – Don’t give it to him!” A voice from behind him said, Steve recognised it as Preeta’s.

“Why not?” Steve Asked, looking back at him.

“He’s the rogue crafter that has imprisoned the city!” Preeta replied. Looking back at Mike he had drawn his diamond sword and was walking towards Steve and Preeta.

To be continued…

©Simon Farnell 2016

No ownership claimed on images

Following my own path… or shall I?

 

I behave randomly… I will do my own thing and I will go my own way if that’s what I decide. But… maybe today I won’t. Maybe today I’ll walk with you to share the ride and see what it’s like. Don’t expect me to behave in the way that you think. I might, but it depends.

Don’t think that because you are following the masses that I will follow you. If you see my back while walking away, I’m not lost. I’m finding my own way. Maybe I think it’s shorter, or that it’s somehow better. But if I get halfway down and it’s not what I need… I’ll turn and follow you instead.

Am I awkward? Am I just contradicting the crowd? Perhaps I’m trying to find another way just because I can and it will be better doing it this way. If I don’t try I won’t know. Where’s the harm in doing what everyone else isn’t. Going the other way round means that I can see all your faces rather than your backs. Ask me why if you like, but there may not be an answer. The crowd moves in it’s own way and I move in mine. Am I sheep choosing to go it alone sometimes, or the wolf moving with the crowd when I want?

 

I’ve learned the opinions of others shouldn’t dictate my thinking, I’ve often found it doesn’t help and the people that dictate to you are no better or wiser. They certainly won’t stick by you if their way of thinking gets tough, I’ve watched as they have hidden away in any place they can. So if I agree with you, it because it’s what I think, but if I don’t it’s not personal. It’s a another part of my awkward way of thinking.

I slip up all the time, not physically although that has been known to happen. No, I make mistakes ALL – THE – TIME. But I will try not to make the same mistake twice. Many who have been educated to a higher degree than I have haven’t learned that one. They’ve been to their great universities, I’ve come from the university of hard knocks and it shows sometimes.

Some people look at me and either can’t or don’t want to work me out, they think I’m too soft or change my mind with the wind. To them I say this: We have but one life on this Earth. We weren’t put here to work all the time to pay bills or to live someone else’s way. We’re here to try and make the best of what we’ve been given, to love those around us as much as we can, to solve problems and not make more or make them worse. So often I see people wrapped up in their ways that they cannot see the other perspectives, they close their minds to other possibilities. No one is perfect – especially not me. But I have a gift, to be flexible, think about things another way to help or encourage. Sure, I’m no perfectionist, but I’ve met a few of those and I’ve never seen a more miserable person than the perfectionist.

So, take my imperfect, random and contradictory self as I am. I’m not going to change because you want, but I won’t stay the same either.

Simon 🙂