Guinea pigs: not just for Xmas any more

Although I’m a tad concerned as to just what Jerry Bruckheimer can do with them, this looks… well… interesting.

Darwin is a good name for a Guinea Pig, although I think “Cannon Fodder” is probably more in keeping with the whole ‘guinea pigs are expendable’ theme… Still, ours are called Lolly and Scramble so what do I know.

Scramble is fine but Lolly has grown two toenails to astonishing lengths without me noticing and now they curl round which is unpleasant. Poor wee thing – it’s off to the knackers yard vet with you. Possibly in between Xmas and New Year.

Ho Ho Ho.

Diefenbunkers

If you’re going to work in an ISP then this one is worth a look. I particularly like the NOC team.

NOC teams tend to work in rooms designed, well, for other people. Picture a NOC (network operations centre, not non-operation cover, thank you very much Mr Cruise). It’ll have ranks of staff at terminals/PCs and (wait for it) a big main screen or two (or more), probably plasma screens, somehow defining how the network is operating. There may be a map. Possibly some kind of graphical expression of network capability (red lights, green lights, you name it). There will be hushed tones.

In reality, most of the NOCs I’ve visited have these screens and not one of the NOC staffers ever so much as glance at them. They’re eye candy for the visitors. Much like security theatre at the airport, they’re not actually delivering what they say, they’re there for the look of the thing.

Favourite NOC story: a well-known telco CEO would visit the NOC at strange times of the day, unannounced. Convinced they were being assessed pending some kind of closure the staff would put their heads down and beaver away diligently at stuff (defragging hard drives, presumably) so as to appear busy. The CEO would lounge in the captain’s chair (another NOC theatre piece – there generally isn’t time for a NOC shift supervisor to sit in The Chair and survey all before him/her) and try to engage the staff in discussion … on their favourite science fiction movies. That’s right, he was bored and wanted someone to chat to.

Bonus points for working out the title

Cholesterol

It appears I have too much. My GP (gawd bless ‘is soul) has given me three months to reduce my levels or face going on The Pill. I presume he’s talking about statins but we’ll find out in time. Not for nothing is he known in certain circles as The Unprescriber.

And so, faced with three months of scoffing at least 25gms a day of a certain margarine, I read with interest about a low-cholesterol alternative for Christmas.

Enjoy.

Such a pleasant game

It’s not often you can say that, given the kinds of games I usually play, but this is lovely and not just because of the bunnies (nobody tell Anya). It’s the music I think.

Enjoy.

Hat tip: BisonBalls.

PS – I do like the new WordPress control panel and the quick post box is a great idea, but could we just add the “link” button to the list of controls that are available that way? Almost every post I put up has a link in it.

Just a thought.

Sweet ads, bro!

I Have Seen Dollhouse

Well, I haven’t, but that’s the title of the first online review I’ve seen (hattip: aintitcool.com).

First, the good news. The reviewer is a seasoned Joss fan.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like the premise stacks up.

Now the minus. Dollhouse as conceived (a heroine plays a different “person” every week) is less a series concept than an actress’ showcase, a sort of extreme version of an Alias undercover premise.

However, it ends well:

If it weren’t for Whedon’s pedigree, I’m not sure I’d be dying to see a second episode. But for me, the main draw now is not seeing Dushku become a different person every week, but getting to see Joss Whedon become a different writer every week.

So we’ll have to wait and see.

Everybody was…

OK, so it’s not kung fu, and I’m not even sure it’s real… but this

is bonza.

How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you

It’s all here.

It’s all true.

The epic journey comes to its conclusion

After four seasons we reach the final ten episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

This is the teaser trailer.

It won’t embed. Sit through the vodka ad and then…

There are no spoilers. But there are teasers.

Can’t believe we have to wait months for this. BisonBalls, do your thing.

Lowering the tone of the internet one search at a time

Yesterday someone find this blog by searching for “family first, blowjob later”.

I’m a little surprised, if not startled. I wonder just what Google thinks this blog is about.

Of course, I’m unsure myself.

However, in the interests of helping the reader, perhaps I can point you to this piece of original writing which appeared in the wonderful Spike Magazine.

quote:
My penis made me locally famous. I didn’t find out about it until I got to University. Before then my experience of women was nonexistent. I’d been at a boys’ school and anyway I was pretty spotty. I couldn’t believe when, all of a sudden, at the Fresher’s Ball, I was snogging.
quote.

And now I have “Still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by U2 rattling around in my head. Good one.