----------- Kayle Garkut's Blog ----------- Allotment - Computing - Music & Misc.

I received my monthly newsletter from Google Earth this morning (The Sightseer) and in that newsletter there is always a competition called 'Where in the World'. A picture of somewhere on Earth is shown and the person that guesses the correct City and Country wins a prize.

Labels: Computing, Misc, Photos

I installed ClustrMaps 4 days ago to allow me to see where visitors to my blog come from.


(Click for larger view)

I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm Welsh welcome to the visitors from the following locations:

North America (East & West coast), UK, Germany (most by the looks of it!), France, Austria, Poland, Finland and Japan (Tokyo?)!

Feel free to leave a comment and don't forget to mention where your viewing from!

Labels: Computing, Misc

Well, I finally got it done!

A sixteen pointed Orb star tattoo that I have wanted for years, courtesy of Louise who knew I wanted it done - thanks babe!

I scanned the image from the back of a 12" Little Fluffy Clouds vinyl, then inverted it, cleaned it up a bit, modified the tips of the points of the stars then shrunk it. My tattoo is unique :-)

The picture below was taken 2 hours after the tattoo was finished, hence the redness, swelling, etc.


(Click for larger view)

Im very happy with it and would definately have another one (or two!)

Labels: Misc, Photos

Today is Saint Dwynwen's day (Jan 25th).

Saint Dwynwen's day is the Welsh equivilent of St. Valentines day.

Happy St. Dwynwen's Day!

Labels: Misc

Last Saturday saw Dischromatics Ltd's (the company that I work for) annual outing - this time to a medieval banquet at Caldicot Castle!

The night was fantastic with traditional food, drink and entertainment.

Here are some photos with brief descriptions:


This is Louise and me at the beginning of the night in the bar area just after the draw bridge entrance. We went into the guards room from here to finish off our drinks. Is that Henry VIII behind us?

(Click for larger view)

This was the guards room where we were entertained with traditional music. I cropped the picture wide to show the coat-of-arms that were decorating the walls.

(Click for larger view)

A close up of the musicians playing traditional instruments.

(Click for larger view)

More merriment! This time upstairs in the great hall where we dined.

(Click for larger view)

Me and Louise in the great hall. Louise is drinking mead from a small pottery goblet. The large jug contained red wine. Note the bibs we had to wear as we were going to have to use our fingers to eat the food and get messy!

(Click for larger view)

This wonderful looking Welsh dragon adorned the wall in the bar.

(Click for larger view)

Labels: Days Out, Photos

This find may be old but the site is still frequently updated and its an extremely intriguing read:

Strange Metal Orb found in Texas.




What do you think it could be?


An Alien sportball (like from Speedball I/II)?
A flux capacitor prototype?
A Jedi training sphere?


- answers on a postcard please.

Labels: Misc

I got bored with hearing the same incoming sms alert sound on my mobile so replaced it with some 'end of level' little sequences of music from the games Turrican I & II.

alert1.mp3 - From Turrican 1
alert2.mp3 - From Turrican 1
alert3.mp3 - From Turrican 2
alert4.mp3 - From Turrican 2
(Right Click and 'Save Target As...' to download)

Labels: Music

BBC NEWS Science/Nature Climate resets 'Doomsday Clock'

For further information on the Doomsday Clock click here.

Labels: News

Yesterday morning en-route to work, I scanned for Wi-Fi hotspots and was surprised by the results.

Statistics:

79 Wi-Fi locations were detected in total.
68 of these were ACCESS POINTS (AP).
3 were PEER To PEER/AD-HOC.
30 had WEP dis-abled!!!
49 had WEP enabled.

All these were found between 8:36am - 8:49am which also includes a 2 minute stop to drop the kids off to school.
Distance covered: 4.2 miles.

About half the journey is via a by-pass. If I took an alternative route to work there would be a lot more!

The scanning software I use is WiFiFoFum on my Dell Axim X50v.

TIP: Turn off the power saving features of your PDA/Laptop to eliminate possible shutdown/hibernation which could result in loss of Wi-Fi hotspot detection.

Labels: Computing, PDA

The rather excellent music on this advert is called 'Utopia' and is by 'Jackson and his computer band':



I wonder if anyone would notice the obscene word in the link if I did not mention it here?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZCUNTj_YJw

Labels: Music, Video

This time its the Prince of Wales's feathers on the flag of Saint David.


(Click to enlarge)

PS. Sorry about the crap quality.

Labels: Graphics

OK - enough is enough, this has to stop.

All the spam I receive lately seems to be focussed on one thing only - weight loss via magic pills!

Here is a list of genuine subject lines that I found mildly ammusing with my favourite 'top 5' at the bottom:

Achieve picture perfect weight and enjoy life.
A simple and safe way to weigh less.
Be leaner and slimmer by next week.
BE like a normal MAN.
Become fit and happy again.
Check out the wonders of pound melting.
Get rid of extra pounds and enjoy life.
Get rid of the pounds you hate.
Getting thinner can be enjoyable.
Get thinner, feel better.
Get more energy and get rid of fat.
Healthy living with less fat.
Join the thousands of people who got slim.
Keep weight off and enjoy life!
Less weight - more pleasure and joy.
Lean and mean is in.
Look in the mirror and enjoy the new you.
Melt away pounds with Anatrim.
Melt away fat easily.
Natural way to better weight.
Never be shy to take your shirt off again!
Not comfortable with your weight?
Obesity is dangerous, stop it.
Organic way to eat less and feel better.
Pounds down, mood up.
Reinvent yourself as being slim.
Say goodbye to extra pounds.
Seeking to stop your weight gains?
Shed weight now and enjoy the process.
Started buying bigger clothes recently?
Stop gaining weight before it is too late.
Stop being obese and unhappy.
Stop being a food addict!
Thinking you eat too much?
This blend will help you get thinner.
Try the new weight loss herb.
Watch your body change with Anatrim.
Women will love your new figure.
Your extra pounds are not in fact you.
Your food cravings can be combated.
You'll love the new, non-obese you.


Top 5:

1. Stop the painful craving for more food.
2. Make your fat friends envy you.
3. Get out of the obese crowd.
4. End the annoying obesity now.
5. One chin is enough - get rid of the rest!


It's a good job I'm not a gullible person with low self esteem. For if I were, I could be in danger of actually buying some of these placebo's.

Labels: Computing, Humour

Little Fluffy Clouds:

Perpetual Dawn:

Star 6 & 789:

U.F.Orb:

Blue Room:

Assassin:

Pomme Fritz:

Oxbow Lakes:

Toxygene:

Asylum:

Once More:

Cool Harbour:

Labels: Music, Video

I thought I would mix the two main flags of Wales to see what it would look like (Welsh Dragon and Saint David's cross).

This is the result:


(Click for large view in a new window)

Labels: Graphics