Life, not Politics,
is a Blood Sport

No One Ever Told This Guy, Get a Hair Cut

Louis XIV bust in bronze at Wallace Collection

February 22, 2012

They Might Be Giants at Koko

February 21, 2012

The Instruments of Music

All musical instruments are weapons made useless, as they way we kill each other changes, so does our desire not to. Musical instruments are the material manifestations of this desire. Every musical instrument can be traced back to a weapon, stopped.

The sublimation of fear of death of self and destruction of loved people, places and things finds its self in the creation of world of harmony, sound, distraction, pleasure, narrative and tone.

Chaos is muted and dismembered, twisted out of recognition.

February 20, 2012

Covent Garden

February 15, 2012

Photobombers

Friendlycat and Nicole

February 13, 2012

On the Way Home

Shandi was walking home when her trip was interupted by a trip that was intrupted

Photos by Shandi Best

Stamping

February 3, 2012

Prince George Bus Station

January 28, 2012

My Data Blobs

I have these blobs of data and am not sure what to do with them. They are on a hard drives right now, a redundant system that has been giving me troubles.

Shood I get a big, expensive tower computer and put all of the hard drives I have in this fabled tower?

Maybe get a small computer and a JBOD box for the hard drives, this has twice as much cables as the other choice, but is less costly.

January 27, 2012

On Life in the UK Test

I took the anxiety producing "Life in the UK" test, required for my application for "Indefinite Leave to Remain", what would be called "Permanent resident" in Canada and passed. I have been resident in the UK for 2 years now, the entire time I had the "Life in the UK" handbook with me, only paying attention to it recently.

When I first learned of the test, my view on it was negative and felt like a right wing concession, made years ago and formed into something for humans by bureaucrats, around my second anniversary on this windy rock here I started to view the test as a pub quiz and then it began to feel less onerous.

The procedure today in Lewisham, unfolded in humble cells, fluorescent lit, four of us gathered at a square table in the centre of one room to be tested, we had our ID checked after signing in at reception, were verbally informed of rules and requirements for the test. Then lead one more time for an ID check in the testing room and to the testing carrel with a simple screen for the practice and actual test. There are 24 questions and they do not tell you your score if you pass. Sixteen of my answers I was positive they were correct and guessed that the remaining I should get at least half of them. So on completing the test and waiting for my results, I was feeling ok. The pass on the test is 75%, 18 correct answers.

It was a relief to get the news I had passed and the form I need for my subsequent application for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Other news: Recently in the past, for a few days, this sight was lost. This terrible situation was due to an error on my part and sight was restored via heroic efforts of Dave at Xeropolis, the host for this sight. Many thanks for his help!

January 19, 2012