One of the down-sides to working from home is the sever lack of blog material I encounter. Working at Leeds Uni was great as I used to commute via bus, train and foot every day. When I was at Nektar I had loads of time doing nothing (and getting paid for it) so blogging was easier. However, now I'm working at home I tend not to come across any peculiar folk that I can write about. Unless, that is, you're interested in the Jehovah's Witness who called round the other day; or the seemingly unendless cold callers telling me I'm entitled to a government grant for free cavity wall insulation - free if you're on benefits. Although I'm told they offer a 50% discount if you're not - hardly free though, is it? Twice they rang today! If you think that having regular phone calls asking if we sell the finest Indian spices is fun then let me know and I can blog about that for you too... I could tell you about Kia the cats smelly breath as she huddles up next to me on the couch, but it's hard to explain the smell with words - if you've ever done a dissection then I can tell you that her breath smells like the innards of a pig, actually, no, probably more like the innards of a chicken.
So, anyway, I'm babbling! Catch ya later!
MaFt
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
He's A Really Happy Man
Why does Postman Pat always wear his uniform? I know a guy who used to be a postman and outside of working hours he dressed like a normal person. What sort of impression does that give to children? Postman Pat is one big lie and it's about time something was done about it...
Postman Pat (in case you didn't know)
MaFt
Postman Pat (in case you didn't know)
MaFt
Monday, March 19, 2007
Walk, Fly, Fly, Fly, Drive, Sleep
Yesterday was our last day at CeBIT and involved, as the blog entry title suggests, walking, flying, flying, flying and eventually sleeping. After our final bit of reporting in the morning we got our stuff and waited for our taxi to start us off on our trip back to the UK. It was only a short taxi ride though as instead of getting the 40 minute taxi to the airport we got the 10 minute taxi to the heliport where we got a helicopter transfer to the airport - much more fun! We then flew, by plane, from Hanover to London Stansted and then I flew back from London to Manchester.
Three flights in one day - I have a feeling I'm not going to beat that personal record for some time...
MaFt
Three flights in one day - I have a feeling I'm not going to beat that personal record for some time...
MaFt
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Make Your Segway
Well, CeBIT is great so far. I've got a bit of spare time in the press office so after writing my reviews thought I'd show off by posting this picture of me on a Segway!
One thing that has annoyed me though is Google and Blogger picking up on the fact I have a German IP address and trying to be 'helpful' by making all the text German... Grr... Luckily I've used Blogger long enough to be able to guess what the links are for!
MaFt
One thing that has annoyed me though is Google and Blogger picking up on the fact I have a German IP address and trying to be 'helpful' by making all the text German... Grr... Luckily I've used Blogger long enough to be able to guess what the links are for!
MaFt
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
You're So Vain You Think This Blog Is About You
Is it just mine or do everyone's MSN conversations take bizarre twists and turns within a short time? Yesterday I was talking to Bli and what started off fairly normal (a broken car) soon turned a bit weird (poo-powered terrorists)...
Note that the colours have been changed to protect the innocent and the poor spelling left intact to protect our status as retards:
Bli says:
my car blew up on the way back to work the other day
MaFt says:
nasty
Bli says:
lot of smoke n stuff .. head gasket blew
MaFt says:
scary. did it go bang?
Bli says:
it did
MaFt says:
cool
Bli says:
on a very busy main road
Bli says:
with lotsa cars trying to go round me without getting too close
MaFt says:
you must smell...
Bli says:
nah .. prolly thought i was a suicide bomber
MaFt says:
wrong colour.
MaFt says:
but you DO have a beard...
MaFt says:
anyway, how can you be a suicide bomber if youve not killed yourself?
Bli says:
damn foiled again
MaFt says:
surel you would just be a potenial sicide bomber? in which case we all have that potential
Bli says:
a failed suicide bommber .. used the wrong fertilsier
MaFt says:
yeah, you can't just use your own poo... muppet!
Bli says:
oh rrreeeeaaalllly...?
Right, that's it for now, I'm off to Germany,
See ya!
MaFt
Note that the colours have been changed to protect the innocent and the poor spelling left intact to protect our status as retards:
Bli says:
my car blew up on the way back to work the other day
MaFt says:
nasty
Bli says:
lot of smoke n stuff .. head gasket blew
MaFt says:
scary. did it go bang?
Bli says:
it did
MaFt says:
cool
Bli says:
on a very busy main road
Bli says:
with lotsa cars trying to go round me without getting too close
MaFt says:
you must smell...
Bli says:
nah .. prolly thought i was a suicide bomber
MaFt says:
wrong colour.
MaFt says:
but you DO have a beard...
MaFt says:
anyway, how can you be a suicide bomber if youve not killed yourself?
Bli says:
damn foiled again
MaFt says:
surel you would just be a potenial sicide bomber? in which case we all have that potential
Bli says:
a failed suicide bommber .. used the wrong fertilsier
MaFt says:
yeah, you can't just use your own poo... muppet!
Bli says:
oh rrreeeeaaalllly...?
Right, that's it for now, I'm off to Germany,
See ya!
MaFt
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
MONKEY!
Monkey's are great, you can't beat 'em. So it was a great delight when I saw that PG Tips had stolen ITV Digital's advertising campaign of Johnny Vegas and Monkey to sell their bags of leaves.
The thing is, I only drink, on average, one cup of tea a month. I'm too lazy to put the kettle on, stick a tea bag in a cup, stir it, add milk etc etc. Then, when I do bother I nearly always forget and by the time I've remembered the kettle's gone cold again... A glass of water is much less work!
In order to get my free monkey I had to buy a box of 160 tea bags - remember: 1 tea bag per month. To get my 'free' monkey I have had to buy 13 years and 4 months worth of tea bags... Hardly 'free' is it?!
MaFt
The thing is, I only drink, on average, one cup of tea a month. I'm too lazy to put the kettle on, stick a tea bag in a cup, stir it, add milk etc etc. Then, when I do bother I nearly always forget and by the time I've remembered the kettle's gone cold again... A glass of water is much less work!
In order to get my free monkey I had to buy a box of 160 tea bags - remember: 1 tea bag per month. To get my 'free' monkey I have had to buy 13 years and 4 months worth of tea bags... Hardly 'free' is it?!
MaFt
Friday, March 09, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Brushes
A brush is a brush. It serves a very simple purpose: to brush things. And as such they were created as very simple, inelegant and pretty boring organisms. Take, for example a sweeping brush; It has a long pole with bristles on the end. The hair brush has a small handle with bristles on the end. The brush from a dust-pan and brush is a mid-point between these two - it has a medium sized handle with bristles on the end. Generally, the brush species each share the common traits of a handle with bristles on the end. Like I stated earlier, they are simple, boring creatures. They usually live hidden out of sight...
Why then do we put so much emphasis on the bog-brush? Why can't we just let them be a natural species? Why do we need to genetically modify them to produce fancy looking things? Take these examples:
Considering this species of brush is generally used for swishing around in wee and poo infested toilets, you'd think they'd be bred to be a bit plainer like the other brushes...
MaFt
Why then do we put so much emphasis on the bog-brush? Why can't we just let them be a natural species? Why do we need to genetically modify them to produce fancy looking things? Take these examples:
Considering this species of brush is generally used for swishing around in wee and poo infested toilets, you'd think they'd be bred to be a bit plainer like the other brushes...
MaFt
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Busy Busy Busy
Last night I was up until about 1am sorting out both Mini-MaFt's website and getting my head around setting up a Cron job and associated php script to automatically create a backup of a MySQL database...
It was fun, and we got there in the end with some help from the excellent Support guys at Blackfoot Hosting!
Having said that I'm only up to August 2006 for Mini-MaFt's site so there's still a bit more to do...
MaFt
It was fun, and we got there in the end with some help from the excellent Support guys at Blackfoot Hosting!
Having said that I'm only up to August 2006 for Mini-MaFt's site so there's still a bit more to do...
MaFt
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Changes
I've (rather reluctantly) moved my blog back onto the Blogger hosting to take advantage of some of the new features available which they don't let you use if you FTP to your own host...
Because of this you may need to change your link to the RSS feed, if you use it, to this: http://maftmaft.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Cheers
MaFt
Because of this you may need to change your link to the RSS feed, if you use it, to this: http://maftmaft.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Cheers
MaFt
Monday, February 26, 2007
Not Again...
Carrying on from yesterdays mis-adventure I nearly did the opposite earlier on... King of Shaves shaving gel nearly went in my hair...! Luckily I noticed (unlike yesterday) and didn't actually squeeze any out this time!
I blame a long night with little sleep (cheers Mini-MaFt!)
MaFt
I blame a long night with little sleep (cheers Mini-MaFt!)
MaFt
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Animal Farm
Received this the other day:
Go on, do it for the kids!
MaFt
Dear Reader
Petitioning the Prime Minister seems to be very much in vogue at present, with the media giving a great deal of coverage to Number 10's dedicated website. A new petition has been set up via that website in support of animal research, stating:
Animal research has enabled scientists to find treatments for cancer, vaccines and antibiotics. This does not advocate using animals unnecessarily but animal research is required because sometimes there are no other viable alternatives. In addition it is unrealistic to force animal research to stop by a certain date since nobody can predict future scientific progress in finding other methods that produce accurate results compared with those from animal research. It is for these reasons this petition calls for continued support for animal research.
If you would like to support this petition, it can be found at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/animalresearch/
Thanks again for your continuing support.
Yours
Jo
Jo Tanner
Chief Executive
Coalition for Medical Progress
Go on, do it for the kids!
MaFt
Monday, February 12, 2007
The Verdict.
Anyone else watching this? It seems pretty good so far actually but like most 'reality' TV there's a cynical part of me that thinks that it's not going to actually be that real...
The 12 jurors (some random 'celebrities') have to decide the outcome of a rape case. The case is fictional and is based on evidence taken form actors after an unscripted, ad-libbed 'event'. Because of this then surely the witnesses etc aren't going to be realistic as they know all along what happened and that none of it was real... Also, the jurors know none of it was real so they'll have to be very strict with themselves to treat it as such and not to just have fun with it.
Still, it's good telly and the first proper use of my DVD Recorder too! What would have topped it all off though was if they had got Judge Judy to preside over the case!
MaFt
The 12 jurors (some random 'celebrities') have to decide the outcome of a rape case. The case is fictional and is based on evidence taken form actors after an unscripted, ad-libbed 'event'. Because of this then surely the witnesses etc aren't going to be realistic as they know all along what happened and that none of it was real... Also, the jurors know none of it was real so they'll have to be very strict with themselves to treat it as such and not to just have fun with it.
Still, it's good telly and the first proper use of my DVD Recorder too! What would have topped it all off though was if they had got Judge Judy to preside over the case!
MaFt
Thursday, February 08, 2007
How Do The Canadians Do It?
Why does Britain come to a total standstill when there's the slightest bit of snow?!
However, the really annoying thing is that, with working from home, I can no longer phone up and say "My bus hasn't turned up because of the snow so I won't be in work today".
MaFt
However, the really annoying thing is that, with working from home, I can no longer phone up and say "My bus hasn't turned up because of the snow so I won't be in work today".
MaFt
Monday, February 05, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The Cupboard Conversion
In a bid to create some more space in the attic Mrs-MaFt had this crazy mental idea to convert a cupboard on the landing into a computer area. I had this crazy mental idea to agree and actually pull it off!
First task was to get everything out of there - a set of drawers and a bunch of coats and other random crap. I did find my Voice Of The Mysterons badge though! And once that was done I got measuring - ya know, to make sure it was feasible and so that I didn't have any nasty surprises later on...
Phase 1.5 was to drill a few holes and stick some cables in fr the power. Phase 2 was to stick up a load of brackets for the shelves to sit on:
Just look at the lovely aqua coloured walls...
To cut the shelves I hired a magical saw that cut them itself without any kind of human intervention. As you can see from the photo below, I'm not telling porkies - you can clearly see that there are no hands assisting the saw.
The magical 'self-cutting' saw.
With the drawers cut to size and their perfect fit(!) confirmed I went about painting over the garish aqua with a nice, plain white.
White wash!
The next step was obviously to fit the shelves and then get those painted too. For the keyboard tray I just robbed the rollers from my old computer desk and used those - no point reinventing the wheel eh?
Shelves in place...
...and painted in matching white.
It was then time to move in. All was going well until I tried to put the monitor in... Erm... My measuring clearly wasn't up to scratch as it didn't fit... Neither did the 15inch monitor I swapped it for with Nephew-J... Damn, I'm going to have to buy a nice 19" Widescren TFT monitor. What a shame that will be :D For the meantime I'm using TightVNC to control my PC via the laptop. Works well too!
Anyway, here it is in all it's glory (sans monitor):
Ta-Da!
MaFt
First task was to get everything out of there - a set of drawers and a bunch of coats and other random crap. I did find my Voice Of The Mysterons badge though! And once that was done I got measuring - ya know, to make sure it was feasible and so that I didn't have any nasty surprises later on...
Phase 1.5 was to drill a few holes and stick some cables in fr the power. Phase 2 was to stick up a load of brackets for the shelves to sit on:
Just look at the lovely aqua coloured walls...
To cut the shelves I hired a magical saw that cut them itself without any kind of human intervention. As you can see from the photo below, I'm not telling porkies - you can clearly see that there are no hands assisting the saw.
The magical 'self-cutting' saw.
With the drawers cut to size and their perfect fit(!) confirmed I went about painting over the garish aqua with a nice, plain white.
White wash!
The next step was obviously to fit the shelves and then get those painted too. For the keyboard tray I just robbed the rollers from my old computer desk and used those - no point reinventing the wheel eh?
Shelves in place...
...and painted in matching white.
It was then time to move in. All was going well until I tried to put the monitor in... Erm... My measuring clearly wasn't up to scratch as it didn't fit... Neither did the 15inch monitor I swapped it for with Nephew-J... Damn, I'm going to have to buy a nice 19" Widescren TFT monitor. What a shame that will be :D For the meantime I'm using TightVNC to control my PC via the laptop. Works well too!
Anyway, here it is in all it's glory (sans monitor):
Ta-Da!
MaFt
Friday, January 26, 2007
Update
I'm not ignoring you all, I've just been busy with trying to get stuff sorted at home! I've been busy converting an old cupboard into a computer hideout but my monitor doesn't fit in there so I can't really use it yet (hence the lack of updates).
So, once I'm sorted and can pull a load of pictures off my phone I'll get the blog updated!
Cheers
MaFt
So, once I'm sorted and can pull a load of pictures off my phone I'll get the blog updated!
Cheers
MaFt
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Steven Spiel-MaFt
Blimey, I've let a week slip by again without any posts... So, I'm not sitting here with a pint of Wells Banana Bread Beer bringing you up to speed.
So, basically I've been getting lots of work done - both paid work and unpaid work. I've been a busy bee getting a load of video editing done but have hit a potential stumbling block... Disc space, or rather the lack of it. Never the mind though as I've worked out a way around it - it took a lot longer to work this out than I believe it should have though... I'm just putting the finishing touches to the bonus disc of the Punk Worship DVD I'm doing so once that's burnt I can get rid of the raw footage which will free up enough space (about 30GB) so that I can finish off my wedding video and Brother-A's wedding video.
Once those are done I'll have enough free space to do the main disc of the Punk Worship DVD set, for which I'll need about 45GB just for the raw footage. Then when that's done I can get cracking on Mini-MaFt's First Year DVD and a tonne of other odd little recordings I need to sort out.
It's scary to think that I can happily sit and manipulate 20GB files when only 7 years ago my first computer had a (then) massive 6.4GB hard drive. Big Brother-T said at the time "you'll never need all that space but if you've got the money you may as well have it". Well, now I have 18GB free space out of the 320GB I have available - and I cleared about 10GB the other day just from odd video files knocking about...
Space, the final frontier - I'll never have enough...
MaFt
So, basically I've been getting lots of work done - both paid work and unpaid work. I've been a busy bee getting a load of video editing done but have hit a potential stumbling block... Disc space, or rather the lack of it. Never the mind though as I've worked out a way around it - it took a lot longer to work this out than I believe it should have though... I'm just putting the finishing touches to the bonus disc of the Punk Worship DVD I'm doing so once that's burnt I can get rid of the raw footage which will free up enough space (about 30GB) so that I can finish off my wedding video and Brother-A's wedding video.
Once those are done I'll have enough free space to do the main disc of the Punk Worship DVD set, for which I'll need about 45GB just for the raw footage. Then when that's done I can get cracking on Mini-MaFt's First Year DVD and a tonne of other odd little recordings I need to sort out.
It's scary to think that I can happily sit and manipulate 20GB files when only 7 years ago my first computer had a (then) massive 6.4GB hard drive. Big Brother-T said at the time "you'll never need all that space but if you've got the money you may as well have it". Well, now I have 18GB free space out of the 320GB I have available - and I cleared about 10GB the other day just from odd video files knocking about...
Space, the final frontier - I'll never have enough...
MaFt
Friday, January 05, 2007
Vegetarian Haggis
I'll try anything once. Well, maybe not anything, but most things. When Dougsy the Scottish Beast came down for PW2 last month he brought with him a gift. That gift was a Vegetarian Haggis made by Macsween of Edinburgh.
The other day I finally got around to cooking and eating it. After removing the outer packaging and inner packaging I was faced with this:
The instructions said I could either oven it for 45 minutes, boil it for 45 minutes or microwave it for 8 minutes. Being both a modern man and a lazy man I opted for the microwave approach. This involved having to cut the haggis up into slices:
...slapping it in the microwave...
...and, after 8 minutes, removing the now cooked haggis:
Then came the scary part. Actually eating it! It was quite nutty and stodgy although I think I only managed to finish one slice of it... Don't get me wrong Dougsy, I certainly appreciate the gesture but vegetarian haggis is one thing that is being put on my "I've tried it once, and only once" list. Cheers though!
MaFt
The other day I finally got around to cooking and eating it. After removing the outer packaging and inner packaging I was faced with this:
The instructions said I could either oven it for 45 minutes, boil it for 45 minutes or microwave it for 8 minutes. Being both a modern man and a lazy man I opted for the microwave approach. This involved having to cut the haggis up into slices:
...slapping it in the microwave...
...and, after 8 minutes, removing the now cooked haggis:
Then came the scary part. Actually eating it! It was quite nutty and stodgy although I think I only managed to finish one slice of it... Don't get me wrong Dougsy, I certainly appreciate the gesture but vegetarian haggis is one thing that is being put on my "I've tried it once, and only once" list. Cheers though!
MaFt
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
