Richard

Ah, you can't get away from Microsoft's promotion of their new search engine Bing, can you? According to Patrick Cox of PRI's The World in Words podcast, Microsoft's Chief Exec hoped the name would "verb up," presumably to become a verb much as Google has over the years.

They might not have chosen wisely, though. Cox continued to note that Bing has many different meanings in Chinese (presumably Mandarin), but the meaning of "the fourth tone . . . means 'sickness.'

"It actually gets worse," Cox continues. "If you add another character to it, du -- so it would be bing du -- that means virus."

Nice one, Redmond. Is this another example of subtle truth in advertising like Wall Mart's Assterisk, or a complete oversight boner? Either way, it's Puerto Rico's Chevy Nova all over again: It doesn't go.

The school has had a blitz on observations over the last three weeks. I have had three. One random drop in from the Deputy Head and Headmaster (doing a climate walk … go figure), one from my Head of Department and one from the English Advisor at the Essex LA.

The result from the Head: “Er, yeah, was good, oh yeah sorry I didn’t teach that lesson you set up for me. I forgot”

The result from HoD: “It was good, a few outstanding features.”

English Advisor: “You have an excellent rapport with them, I would rate it as good with features of outstanding.”

Remember I was "the crap one" of the group in teacher training (as quoted by one of the other trainees we didn't like very much who I have just found out has quit ahahahahaha) so Chibi of Pride (although she's very glad the advisor didn't see her with year 7 as it took 20 minutes to settle them after all the spazzy behaviour with all the "I haven't got a pen/homework diary/fish/my book/a brain" and "I have a music lesson/exam/rounders match/dentist/doctor/need a drink/going home/holiday". Drove me borderline psychopathic and I yelled at them, if they are this spazzy tomorrow I am detentioning them on the spot)

In other news the Year 11s were dispatched with the most boring ball ever (four hours of standing around, the year 10s have elected me to plan next years as I reckon  bouncy castle). Although several of the kids turned up in interesting ways including a Routemaster Bus, a tractor, a Buick car, several limos/stretch hummers and the Local Fire Engine.

Also a trip to Thorpe Park. Our coach turned up late and we had to endure the other two driving off with “nyahnyahnyahnyahnyah” signs only to turn up twenty minutes ahead of the others due to our driver believing that the straightest route was the best route, which was brilliant for the kids on the M25 as they got to rubberneck two accidents, sign-language lorry drivers and point and laugh at the bus of a “Special” school.

I only really went on Colossus, Tidal Wave (got soaked), Tea Cups and Zodiac. Didn’t really want to do anything else. Nothing to do with fear of the rides but I really didn’t fancy queuing for 90 minutes for a ride that lasted max of 30 secs, especially in the sun that was creeping up towards 32 degrees.

So now we start to build up for the end of term. To be honest I’m winding down already.

And in other news the company-who-must-not-be-named are sending K-chan to Korea for a week … in my last week of term … coming back a day before our holiday (meaning I drive the 500 miles) … going on a weekend … oh yeah and over my birthday. I am not a happy bunny because I now have to spend my birthday not only at school but alone. It’s official, my birthday sucks.

If anyone happens to be in Cambridge around the 13^th July let me know.

Skeptic magazine editor Michael Shermer (The guy from the Baloney Detection Kit video) lays down the skeptical, scientific approach in this Scientific American article:

The principle of positive evidence applies to all claims. Skeptics are from Missouri, the Show-Me state. Show me a Sasquatch body. Show me the archaeological artifacts from Atlantis. Show me a Ouija board that spells words with securely blindfolded participants. Show me a Nostradamus quatrain that predicted World War II or 9/11 before (not after) the fact (postdictions don’t count in science). Show me the evidence that alternative medicines work better than placebos. Show me an ET or take me to the Mothership. Show me the Intelligent Designer. Show me God. Show me, and I’ll believe.

OK, this weekend first.
I didn't really leave the flat much, but that's because I was being good and working on my cosplay ^_^ I have now patterned and cut pretty much everything involved in Ivy's bodice and skirt. There's still the dye issue to be resolved, but I just ordered some specialist polyester dye. Unfortunately it only comes in 8 shades, so I'll have to work out dilution, so I'm going to try 3 pots of multi-purpose first and hope that does it. If not, I have the option.

Phil has also been patterning. I should let people know that he has changed his Aya plans - he's got a LOT of work going on at the moment, not to mention the fact that our flat is not really of a size for large armour work, especially as we've no outside space for spraying etc. So he's given up the idea of Siegfried for now (and by the way, you were all very naughty for encouraging him, I'm the one who has to live with him stressing out over this stuff) and has switched to making player 1 Kilik from SCIV, because he fell in love with the design the moment he saw it. I'm being harsh and making him do it all himself, mwaha. No, seriously, he wants to improve his sewing skills and this is the project he's chosen, so I'm just advising. We do have Siegfried materials hanging around, so I don't know what'll happen to those.

Last weekend Nikki came over to visit, and muchos fun time were had. I was really happy that she came to see me ^_^ We had a nice time chatting on Friday, and on Saturday we went shopping - first for fabric, though a little unsuccessfully, then to Camden where I got some funky new clothes including a pretty peacock-print pencil skirt and an awesome German army cap. Nikki is a very good person to go clothes shopping with, she's got a great eye! We did, however, get stuck when the epic storm began, including hailstones the size of marbles after a very hot and sunny day O_o I got a little sunburnt on my shoulders where I'd missed with the suncream, but heyho. At least it proved the suncream works...
I felt so sorry for the stallholders, though. Some of them were getting flooded, including one poor Japanese lady whose handmade dresses were getting wrecked. Still, it is a risk one runs.
Nikki went home Sunday, and I pretty much crashed for the rest of the day. I'd done my exercise for the weekend on Saturday, plenty of healthy walking.

She also did me an artwork in exchange for the remainder of my Tira fabric, hopefully she'll post it somewhere so I can show people. It's awesome :D

Anyway, dinner awaits. Kitten feels pretty good at the moment.

went to see how my molds did today, so far they all look good. Only Orakeiros is eating silicone by the gallon. I am also a tad worried that the winged lion may not mold nicely, but if he doesnt then its just a matter of pouring in silicone again. We shall see tuesday.
I took pictures today, just incase if I encased them in a silicone grave, which I hopefully didnt.

I twisted my ankle. Badly. My foot has gone a very interesting colour and although I can put a little more weight on it than last night (and the swelling's gone down a bit), I still can't really walk, so I'm off work today.

I was under the impression that after about 25 years of doing it, I might have learnt how to walk >_>

Because I was walking in a straight line on a reasonably even pavement. I have no idea what I tripped on.

Stupid weak ankles.

Ivy fabric.

I managed to find multi-purpose dye online and bought a tin, and dyed the fabric. It dyed, but as it's polyester it came out a bit too light and it didn't dye too evenly as my dye pot isn't really big enough.

I got hand dye from Robert Dyas today, in Antique Grey, just to darken and even it out a bit. It's shit. It did jack to my fabric. It probably doesn't help that our sink kept leaking so half the dye probably went down the drain. To add to this, I spilt some of the dye on my (white) t-shirt, so that will probably need to be dyed itself to cover the stain. Yes, wearing white was stupid, I am aware of this. Heat slows down my brain function somewhat.

I took the afternoon off work for this bullshit ;_;

Ordered more multi-purpose, and this time I'll cut the pieces before dying so they'll dye more evenly.

Bigger update on the way, because winged_dark_elf came over this past weekend and it was awesome.

For now, before I forget. Finished LUX-PAIN. Y'know, if they'd tried just a little harder to translate consistently, and proofread, it would have been really, really good. But characters apparently spontaneously changing gender and occasionally spouting outright gibberish doesn't half detract from your enjoyment of a story. I know Japanese isn't an easy language to translate into English, but honestly, how long would it take to make sure that you're consistently referring to a female character as "she"?

Story-wise, though, it's very interesting. It has more than a slight flavour of Higurashi to it, and like said show/game isn't afraid to do some pretty nasty things to its characters. I was genuinely shocked and surprised at some of the events. There's a part with a Siamese cat which honestly affected me despite the translation issues.

Apparently there's a couple of different endings. I seem to have managed to get the "good" ending all by myself, so I'll replay after a while and see if I can get the others.

I can't say I recommend it due to the horrible translation, but if you can cope with that it's a great story.

tooth is a weeeee better. but only very wee. Still I am for the first time glad to see the dentist. Not according to my subconscience though which placed a lovely dream in my sleep: my normal dentist had been replaced by a stuttering and shaking long long time retired dentist that shoved his thick glasses in place (and nearly poked out his own eye) fetched a huge injection and took an aim for my face like tossing a spear. After I ran out I met the dentists wife who was like, totally green (nature freek). She had just given birth to a baby and wanted to baptize it in a barrel full of freshly cut grass. After she tossed (!) her baby in it started screaming and as she pulled it out cobra had draped itself around the baby and sunk its fangs into one of its arms.
Geez.
Then I woke up because some gardener had decided to cut those few sprouting scrubs and brushes infront of our bedroom window (asif the road wasnt lout enough) at 7 am with an electrical cutter that would never spring on right. After he tried a gadzillion times he gave up and fetched a scissor like every other sane non technical freak. thank you. Now I am waiting to catch the next train and fetch that GA signature from my director. Then I'll be off to purchase the GA with Dad  (I feel so ridiculous swallowing so much money) and then I'll see what the man with the hoked needle's got to say bout my tootsies.
Then I will be back to do a 6 mothermolds, seven if I get the Kirin done.
Ohyes, the Kirin, being backstabbed by my fork tool (that is of course removeable and only used so I wont squash the new done ribs)


ah yes, she's part horse, part deer and part gazelle. I'll be horsing her head more because I feel the audience would like that more. So dont look for any particular rules of a creature, this is fantasy. Or just my excuse that I cant sculpt horses.But I did not tell you that.
Also, people have actually placed orders on the lion already (I think 3 different persons), hey, he's not yet even casted!
Though atleast I know he isnt that unwanted. I am still contemplating to kick out one of the designs I want to cast, but I cant make up my mind. This morning I thought the most likely would be the baby Orakeiros, because she's just being repetitive. Doh, your opinions please?

According to the BBC, "Russia's energy giant Gazprom has signed a $2.5bn (£1.53bn) deal with Nigeria's state operated NNPC, to invest in a new joint venture."

What would call such a joint venture? Why, Nigaz, of course.

I shit you not.

foil for lions dignity



and from his sugar side

working on the winged Lion, I am trying to base him on the image of the Babylon lion which was said to be a fierce, winged lion with the heart of a man. Still quite a bit that needs to be done, you can see the sketch of him at the back. Aside from some head size problems I am though happy with him, compared to him this one is a cripple