Mmm ... Twinkies

Mmm ... Twinkies 

"We are the Knights who say... NI"

Does the Holy Grail exist and could the secret to its hidden location be in a Staffordshire garden? Find out more by reading this interesting article on BBC online.

Once you've read that, check out these other sources of 'further research':

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

God's Toast

A 10-year old toasted sandwich that allegedly features face of the Virgin Mary has sold for $28,000 at auction. Money well spent? Decide for yourself...


image from BBC Online

Personaly, I think it looks like Gillian Anderson.

Cityscape

I drew this! 

Can you tell I didn't do art at school?

HOW TO BE ANNOYING.

HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.
HOW TO BE ANNOYING.

Incarcerated Irony

The daily work of prisoners in New Hampshire penitentiaries is pressing license plates like the one below. At the bottom of each plate is the state motto. Check it out...



I wonder what the mortality rate in their prisons are?

Never make a decision again!

Just type your two options into Google Battle and let the global internet community show you which is the most popular choice.

Google Battle

The last words you ever want to read

Front Toward Enemy

While the cat's away...

There will be a 3-week break in transmission while I go on a trip to America for my 30th birthday. You can follow my travels at my holiday Blog:

My 2 Grand Adventure

While I'm away I'll leave you in the hands of some of fellow Bloggers and regular Internet haunts. As you may (or may not) have noticed I've expanded on the links on the right-hand side of the page. Here's the low-down on what's recommended:

Blogs:
Bri's MaxPower Blog - My friend's Blog, to be honest I'll be very surprised if he updates it before I get back...

Cinema 24 - A couple in America who are setting up their own Art House cinema. Very detailed Blog and fascinating for fellow movie buffs.

Die Puny Humans - The personal Blog for Warren Ellis, one of my favourite comicbook writers. Be warned though, Mr Ellis has some 'unique' tastes.

Wil Wheaton dot Net - Also known as Wesley Crusher of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame. It turns out there is more to him than the uniformed space nerd, he's actual a poker playing, super-Blogging, celebrity Geek.

Dailies:
BBC News Magazine - The homepage for BBC news online.

Dork Tower - Comic strip from John Kovalik, it covers all the important stuff like, Star Wars, roleplay and computer games. Updated thrice weekly.

Empire Online - The web page for the Empire Film Magazine. Daily news, weekly features and all the latest movie reviews.

Metro Cafe - The web page for the best daily newspaper in the world (because it's free!) the Metro. Be sure to check out the 60-Second Interview archive.

Off The Mark - Topical cartoons, updated daily.

Word of the Day - Dictionary.com's word of the day, go and learn some new works to befuddle your friends with...

See you when I get back,
Mark

The Death of Superman

We interrupt the regular happy posting to bring you some sad news:

Christopher Reeve Dies at 52

He played a hero in film and was a hero in real life; R.I.P.


Tribute image by Scott Kurtz

Support his memory by making a donation to his paralysis research foundation.

Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

Mark

Song

I heard a song today,
I’d heard it before she went away.
It had words it didn’t have before,
Now she won’t be around anymore.
Now I understand what they say
And hear the song everyday.

Pop Goes the Weasel

A half a pound of tupenny rice,
A half a pound of treacle...

All without leaving the comfort of your PC:

A Quarter Of...

Deeply Dippy

Some people think a lot,
some people think very little
and some people just think wrong...

Jack Handy is one of those people and these are some of his thoughts:

Deep Thoughts

The future is here, the future is Virgin!

SpaceShipOne has successfully won the Ansai $10m X-Prize, by reaching high orbit twice within a week. So start saving up for your Virgin Space ticket, you'll need £100k by the time the first one takes-off in 2007.

SpaceShipOne rockets to success

Are you sitting comfortably?

Go and search for all those programs from your square-eyed youth...


TV Tome 

The World of Tomorrow

The 25 Best Futurama Moments Ever

Pretty self explanatory.

Off the Mark

A daily dose of cartoon humour.

More Grave News

In a previous post I told you about Spike Milligan's grave stone. Well, it turns out he isn't the only famous name to use his wit to pen his own epitaph. Here are some others:

That's All Folks! - Mel Blanc
Do not walk on the grass - Peter Ustinov
Quoth the Rave, 'Nevermore' - Edgar Alan Poe
Don't cry for me - Eva Peron
I told you, you damned fools - HG Wells

Mine will be 'He wore a white hat'.

Had a rear shunt, luv?

Sporty Edition? 

Pop quiz, hotshot!

Think you know your music?

Then take the BBC Test The Nation Popular Music Quiz - 70 questions on music throughout the decades.

Test The Nation

My score is 41/70. Think you can do better?

TWINS?

One member of a pair of twins is known as a TWIN.
The pair together are known are TWINS.
But what is the correct collective term for several pairs of twins?
Remember the word TWINS can only apply a pair, i.e. two beings/items.

Answers on a postcard to ...

Once You Pop...

Bubble Wrap online 

Warning Team, Terrorist Disruption Approaches!

If you believe everything they say on TV, then the world we live in today is becoming increasingly dangerous. Suicide bombers hide around every corner and the only thing your likely to get for Christmas is an Ice Age.

Hopefully we will all live happy and peaceful lives, but just in case check out the UK and US governments advice on what to do when things do go wrong via the links below.

Preparing for Emergencies (UK)

Be Ready (US)

Who knows, it might even help save your life one day. Or even better, help you save mine.

Monumental Motors

An ancient monument of a civilization long gone?

A mysterious folly whose purpose has been lost in history?

Carhenge, NA a modern re-creation of our own ancient Stonehenge or a pile of knakered old cars? You decide...

Carhenge vs Stonehenge

A Musical Interlude

Ever wondered what was number one in the hit parade the day you were born?

Alright, probably not but just play along OK?

Find out via the link below:

ThisDayinMusic.com

Or if you're stuck with one line of a song and are tired of just DE-DUM-DE-DUMing through the rest of the song, visit the site below and find out all the lyrics:

LetsSingIt.com

Enjoy, and I'll see you at the karaoke machine...

Manchester, my Manchester

I recently bought a digital camera, the very capable and easy to use Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P72.

The main reason for buying it was to record my trip to America later this year (more on this to come). To help justify the expense (a very reasonable £150 for a camera with 3.2 MegaPixels and a 3x optical zoom) I decided I should try do some creative projects with the camera.

I've always had a passing interest in architecture, so I decided to photograph some of my favourite places and the interesting buildings in and around Manchester. Below is a link to my online album of these photos, take a look and I hope you like them.

Manchester Photos

Searching

I keep looking, looking in a sea of faces.
In a crowded room and along a quiet street.
Searching by day, searching by night.
Out of the corner of my eye and in the reflection of a windowpane.
Ever vigilant and ever anticipant.
Looking for the face of love.

Window on the World

Pint of Bitter

Normal Transmissions Now Resumes

Apologies for the break in communications and the lack of recent posts. Fingers crossed there will at least be weekly updates from now on...

Mark

Well, you have to have a laugh don't you?

Find out how the professionals do it.

Please note this is NOT a party political broadcast by George W Bush or the Labour Party

Clown Ministry

Gibberish.

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht
frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl
mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do
not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Writing on the Wall 2

Lass O' Gowrie, Manchester 

I'll name that film in one ...

Empire Magazine are doing their 2nd annual movie quote quiz:



Three sets of 30 question: easy, moderate and hard. See how may you can get correct - you can record your score in the comments below.

And remember - cheats never prosper. So no looking the answers up on the Internet.

Son of Quote Quiz @ Empire Online

Writing on the wall

Printworks, Manchester 

Accrue metritorous vernacular eloquence?

Or you could increase you word power. Visit Dictionary.com's Word of the Day site below to learn a new word today...and tomorrow...and the day after...and the day after that...

Who knows, it might win you a pint in the pub quiz some time.

Word of the Day

I told you I was ill!

This is what the late comedian Spike Milligan wanted on his grave stone.
Unfortunately the local parish where his grave was situated didn't share his sense of humour and objections were raised.
His estate managed to solve this problem by having the quote written in Welsh.

Clever.

So everyone after three ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ...

"Duirt me leat go raibh me breoite!"

Is there anybody there?

Is there anybody there? 

This is a picture of my Niece.
This is what happens when you buy a five-year-old a camera.
Whitney Houston sang Children are our future ... God help us all!

Oh Er, your Honour!

Two young men were arrested for doing unmentionable things together in a public place.
The traditionally conservative judge was disgusted by their actions and fined them to the full extent of his power.
In his closing statements he said "I hope that the two of you are fully appreciative of the contempt that this court hold your actions in and will reform your ways. Now, both of you go away and pull yourselves together"

Joke courtesy of John Humphrys

WARNING! It's catching!

As you may, or may not have noticed (you know who you are), I've added a link to the right-hand column for my mate Bri's own Blog (he of the running fame).

Check it out. Now. GO! But make sure you come back...

Mark

Note: the owner of this Blog accepts no responsibility for the contents or quality of the blogs of others.

Where's the Pigeon!?!

Where's the Pigeon!?! 

Perfect Rain

It rained perfectly.
The tears of Heaven hiding my mortal own.
Nobody saw my sad face as they hung theirs.
Not so easily could I avoid my own sad rain.
Its rivulets carving scars on my face that may never heal.

DVD Gold?

Do you like getting more for your money than you expected? Do you like secrets?

If the answer is yes then give this a try.

Everyone knows that most DVDs come with extra features; commentary, documentary, bios, etc. But have you discovered everything your DVD has to offer? DVD Angle has a webpage containing a list of hidden extras on DVDs, also known as Easter Eggs.

So, go take a look at the list and check out your DVDs. If you find any hidden gold let everyone into the secret by leaving a comment bellow.

Happy Hunting!

www.dvdangle.com

What did you say?

Did you know you can leave comments about the various mini-articles on this page?

All you do is click on the comments link at the bottom of any article and you can leave your feedback, comments and questions. You will need to register first, but don't worry its spam free.

Plus, once you've registered you can create your own Blog.

So, what are you waiting for? Get typing and let me know what you think.

Mark

Running Man

My friend Brian took part in the Manchester Run this morning on behalf of Manchester Children's Hospital. His finish time was 1hour 9mins for the 6mile/10k course.

Now, that's pretty damn good in my eyes!

Congrats big man.

www.greatrun.org

Nighthawks

OK, so I don't know anything about art. Well about as much as I know about football or music, anyway. But I do know what I like. Recognize the picture below?



It's by an American artist called Edward Hopper. This is probably his most famous picture and has been parodied countless times. I was reading an article about him in the Sunday Times supplement a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I only bought it for the free gift.

The article talks about how his works is voyeuristic and focuses on isolation and depression, but I like it. It has a quiet quality, like those few hours after midnight when most of the world is asleep, and a simplicity that matches its period.

To find out more about Hopper, follow the link below:
Hopper @ The Art Institute of Chicago

Manchester? Where?

Did you know there are 15 towns called Manchester in the US? And they are all in the NE area. Odd. Maybe our ancestors were too lazy to travel any further?

There's even one in Pando, Bolivia!

So next time someone asks you where you're from, remember to be a little more specific.

www.multimap.com

p.s. There's also an Oldham in South Dakota, USA

Hail to the undead King, baby!

Bruce Campbell ... Elvis ... and a rampaging Mummy!

Everyone knows that Elvis isn't really dead, but that might be about to change. Truth is he's spending his twilight years in a Texas retirement home. Trouble starts when an ancient Egyptian terror targets the home with its own personal brand of euthanasia. Elvis (Bruce Campbell) must team up with fellow resident Jack (Ossie Davis), who thinks he's JFK despite being a blackman, to kick some undead, bandaged ass!

Could this be the greatest film ever made? Probably not, but there's a good chance it will be a damn site more entertaining than Van Helsing or LoEG.

www.bubbahotep.com

First of all ...

The reason for doing this blog .. well truthfully there isn't one.

Not a good one anyway.

As Oscar Wilde (may have) said - "A man should have an opinion on all things, no matter how ill-founded."

This page is just a place where I can deposit some of the stuff that floats round my head and make room for some more (or less) important stuff.

Enjoy...

Mark