Category Archives: amusements

amusements, personal, photography, pleasures, topographical

Watch Our Backs, Mate


Watch Our Backs, Mate, originally uploaded by kcm76.

I’m still working through the photographs I took on holiday in German a few weeks ago. I’ve put the latest few online on Flickr. Some of the shots are pretty grainy (like this one) as they were taken in absolutely appalling light — in the case of this shot it was very grey and overcast and getting on towards dusk. Lots more to come which I intend to put up about 8-10 at a time over the next few weeks — and I’m keeping the best of the steam train shots ’til last (probably). I still have some 30% of the shots to look at in detail.

amusements, current affairs, thoughts

Camel Cavalry

This wonderful picture appeared in today’s Times, in their “Image of the Day” series.

It is captioned “Members of India’s Border Security Force rehearse … for the Republic Day parade in Delhi on Saturday”. This is the sort of pomp and fancy dress which only the British, and the Raj, do so brilliantly.

amusements, beliefs, memes, personal, photography, thoughts

Self-Portrait of a Foot with Thirteen Things


Self-Portrait of a Foot, originally uploaded by kcm76.

One of the groups I belong to on Flickr is called “Thirteen Things”. The idea is to post a self-portrait with a list of thirteen things about oneself. This photo and list are my first contribution, posted a couple of days ago.

Amazing the things one thinks to do when getting bored in an hotel room!

As this is my foot I thought I’d use this for my first “Thirteen Things” list. So here are 13 Personal Things About Me …

  1. I’m an only child
  2. I’ve changed a lot over the years; even my boss says I’ve mellowed! I used to be very angry and lose my temper a lot, I’ve learnt to let things wash over me and go with the flow; tho’ I do still get irritated and frustrated and swear a lot.
  3. I love the smell of grapefruit, coconut oil, bacon cooking, fresh bread, the sea, wood smoke, frying garlic & onions.
  4. I hardly ever drink coffee.
  5. I lost 20Kg between summer 2007 and New Year 2008, but i’m still obese.
  6. I was born with a deformed right index finger-nail; I’ve now had it permanently removed.
  7. I have a third nipple.
  8. My parents didn’t have me circumcised, for which I am very grateful.
  9. I wasn’t baptised as an infant. I took the plunge myself at 22 (eeek, that’s 35 years ago!) when I joined the Roman Catholic church. I’ve since converted to atheism.
  10. I’ve worn glasses since I was 14; it doesn’t bother me and I can’t imagine switching to contact lenses.
  11. I have never driven a car or a motorbike.
  12. I’m actually boring, shy and introverted, although many people find this hard to believe.
  13. I have type 2 diabetes.
amusements, current affairs, environment, medical, quotes, science, sexuality, thoughts

Dr Alice Roberts

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In the latest issue (January 2008) of BBC Focus magazine (science for the intelligent 10-year-old) there’s a mini-interview with one of the few females on TV who really do make my heart beat faster: Dr Alice Roberts, “clinical anatomist, archaeologist, TV presenter and author”, also a very talented artist and a qualified medic. Those of you in the UK who’ve watched either Time Team (Channel 4), Coast (BBC2) or Don’t Die Young (BBC2) will know Alice Roberts as the slightly off-the-wall girlie with the dyed red hair. The interview includes:

What’s the greatest threat to humanity?
Humanity.

Who would you clone?
I wouldn’t. Sexual reproduction is much more exciting.

What would your epitaph say?
Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni. And I’d be buried in a chariot just to fool future archaeologists.

Seriously Zen Mischief!

amusements, current affairs, pleasures, science

Fictional Flying Carpets

Magic carpets are GO! According to a report in the Daily Telegraph of 19 December magic carpets are no longer a flight of fancy confined to the realms of the Arabian Nights. Professor Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan of Harvard has shown that the flying carpet is possible under the laws of Physics, although to be useful a lot of work will have to be done on the power to weight ratio. Good news for those of us who hate wasting time travelling.