Glen Feron is was I suppose you'd call a professional Photoshopper - he retouches photographs profeessionally. Interestingly, his site (The Art of Retouching) has a gallery that shows you before and after pics of some of his work. It's facinating, in a slightly scary way.

Ever wondered exactly where Apple gets their product ideas from? I think this guy has hit the nail on the head...

I don't usually quote other people's stuff here, especially stuff off Slashdot, but this was far too amusing to not point out to people:

Top 10 things we want to hear Samuel L. Jackson say in the Star Wars prequel

10.You don't need to see my goddamn identification, 'cause these ain't the motherfuckin' droids you're looking for.

9. Womp rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know, 'cause I'd never touch the filthy motherfucker.

8. This is your father's lightsaber. When you absolutely, positively, have to kill every motherfuckin' stormtrooper in the room... accept no substitutes.

7. If Obi-wan ain't home then I don't know what the fuck we're gonna do. I ain't got no other connections on Tatooine.

6. Feel the Force, Motherfucker.

5. What ain't no planet I've ever heard of! Do they speak Bocce on What?

4. You sendin' the Fett? Shit, Hutt, that's all you had to say!

3. Yeah, Chewie's got a hair problem. What the brother gonna do? He's a Wookie.

2. Does Jabba the Hutt look like a bitch? Then why are you tryin' to fuck him like one?

1. Hand me my lightsaber... it's the one that says, Bad Mother Fucker.

I've been off work for the last week and a half, party due to me taking some holidays, and party due to a training course entitled People and Peformance from the 1^st to the 3^rd. However, due to the wonders of holidays running from April to April, I had a further 5 days to use up by the end of the month! (See how hard I must work?) So I've been 'forced' to take it off soon, and soon means next week. Instead of sitting around at home as I did the other week, I thought a holiday would be a fine thing to spend 'holiday' time on, so Sarah and myself are off for a weekend break to France, Paris to be more exact :-)

And just to make everyone a touch more jealous, I promise to put up some photos when I get back :-)

P.S. Mike - well done! - you're finally got your website up and running again!

If you haven't been following the various SCO we own Linux v.s. The World + dog lawsuits, then this post will mean absolutely nothing to you. For the remaining 1%, here's the /. crowd's latest attempt at Google bombing...

From LitigiousBastards.com:

SCO: Litigious Bastards

This is the campaign to Google bomb SCO with the phrase litigious bastards. Want to participate? Simply post a link to http://www.sco.com using the link text "litigious bastards".

For the HTML illiterate, here's the HTML code for the link:

<a href="http://www.sco.com">litigious bastards</a>

I've just got in from work. Yep, at 10pm. We were doing a full system test today on the new software build, and although we were told in advance that it might go on into the evening, I didn't think it'd take until 9:40! Fortunately I didn't start until 11am (due to the advance warning), but even still it's been a long day <yawn>!

So we've got this big software release out at the end of the month, which means it's pretty busy at work at the moment (as adam) had mentioned - I've been back since last monday, and I'm already up of my flexi by 6 hours 40 minutes, and that's including an early friday finish...... Oh, the joys of working for a living!

A tip for any current students :- stay that way for as long as you can afford - it's much easier, and you get so much more free time...

So it's a New Year, and I'm back to work tomorrow :-( However, I got a few toys (of various forms) for christmas, whcih have been occupying my time until I return to my cubicle.

The first of these is a deviously diffucult puzzle game called Superplexus, which is basically a more complex, 3D version of that classic game Screwball Scramble. Unfortuantely I've yet to master it: it walks a fine line between geniusly addictive and maddingly annoying.

The next 'toy' I've been wasting time with is one I bought myself, after spotting it in Selridges. It's called GeoMag, and basically is magnetic lego. In fact, There's a couple of photos up in the gallery of some of the stuff I've made! I think I may be going through some kind of childhood regression - now I've got a 'proper' job, car etc I don't want to turn into some kind of middle-aged old person - hence the toys ;-)

(BTW, my christmas presents did include three ties, one smart work shirt and mats for my car, so I think I was justified in buying slightly more fun things for myself...)

Just got back from a three day long teamwork in action training course. Had loads of fun. Very tired. Some photos were taken, so hopefully they will appear here soon.

Seeing as I'm going to see Radiohead this coming weekend, I'd thought I'd check out some unofficial merchandise...

History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it - Sir Winston Churchill

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, my wrists have been pretty painful, due to too much typing at work and at home. However, I have some cool news - my matrix reloaded teaser poster has arrived. (IMHO) it's very cool, and stems from the days when much excitement and expectation swirled around the matrix sequels, as opposed to the dissapointment and hollywood shite we have now. Anyways, I'll put up a picture or two when I get it framed and up on the wall...

Update: The there's a couple of photos up in the Gallery

So Apple announced (or people figured out) that they're gonna launch iTunes for Windows next thursday. Excellent! - My iPod has had to put up with the wonders (?!) of MusicMatch Jukebox, or the unstable but not bad Ephpod, and having the proper software for it to work with will surely make it a happy bunny. Of course I still need to get a car kit for the damn thing so I can use it on my way to work, but hey - isn't that what payday's for?

Not that any of this detracts me from wanting a new 15" PowerBook, but having read about some of the teething problems Apple seem to be having with their new model, I think I can wait for a bit...

OK, so here's a random fact for you:

Ever heard the expression At sixes and sevens? Well, the origin of this comes from the mid 14^th century, and releates to the Guilds of Tradesmen in the city of London.

The Merchant Taylors and the Skinners were the sixth and seventh guilds, founded within a few days of each other, five other guilds having already received their charters. The age of each guild dictated its position in the Lord Mayor's procession. The Merchant Taylors and the Skinners argued for fifty years as to which should go sixth in the procession. In the end, in 1494, Sir Robert Billesden, the Lord Mayor of the time, decreed that they should take it in turns to go sixth and seventh.

Hence at sixes and sevens, when one is unsure about something.

Source: The Bedtime Browser