Nabaztag 2

He listens with his Belly Button

His Ears are way to busy doing other stuff...

Nabaztag/tag

Rayman

Last Minute Christmas Shopping Deals

You'd better get your skates on if you want to register your interest in a rare copy of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" which is expected to sell for £7,000 next Thursday. The sale at Sotheby's in London will be only the second time in the last twenty years that this particular trade edition has been offered. It was at the last auction by Christie's in New York that one of the original two hundred and fifty privately printed editions sold for £48,773.

Lights Please!

With lights blazing, the cars take to the track...

The racing is fantastic with over 90 feet of bends, chicanes and flyovers.

Pitstops are compulsory thanks to the race management software

Fireworks

What Do You Call A Group of Rabbits?

Maybe we could discuss it using Google Groups.

Get a google account and get posting!

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/mywarren

What are you looking at?

Mommy, Where's Fluffy?

Animal rights activists who broke into a circus to liberate a rare white tiger changed their minds after seeing it - and took a bunny rabbit instead. Campaigners from the Swiss faction of the Animal Liberation Front had earlier told Circus Royal director Oliver Skreinig they planned to steal the Siberian tiger and hand him to a zoo. But when they broke into the circus enclosure and saw the animal they changed their minds - and stole a rabbit instead.

The liberationists then posted pictures of themselves online wearing black army uniforms and balaclavas and holding the rabbit. Skreinig said: "The pet rabbit was not even in the show, it belonged to our clown's six-year-old daughter."

Number 92 Pits to Repair Rear Wing

Scalextric Digital is so much fun. Even more so when you decide to get creative with a bandsaw and create your own track. Against all the odds, the bespoke pit lane actually works! Now we just need to work out why the rest of the track is so temperamental. When it does all work, the racing is great, especially with five lane changes and five crossovers all adding to the realism. Perhaps Schumacher was right to retire; this must be almost as good as the real thing.

I am Bugs Bunny

"You are Bugs Bunny! You are fun, friendly, and popular. You are a real crowd pleaser. You have probably been out on the town your share of times, yet you come home with the values that your mother taught you. Don't let the people you please influence you to stray."

Honestly I did not cheat.

To find out which cartoon character you are most like, answer the following questions with the answer that most describes you!

DVD War

If you've got more money than sense, maybe you can make sense of it all

Alternatively you could hold out for a Protein Coated Disc that could be capable of holding the entire British Library Collection on one 5" disc

Psycho Knitting

What we seem have here is another insight into the twisted meanderings of Robin's mind.

They say that genius and madness are but a hair's breadth apart. These creations are surely proof.

Zombie Rabbit Yells at his Friends

Catch up with Lago, the undead rabbit, and chums at Abnormal.

See all his adventures with sidekick Oris (a plucked outgrowth of the brain who can talk and eat through his pupil, while seeing through it at the same time) and Mrew (a politically correct feline owned by Lago).

Check out issue 8 for a quick taster.

The Shebo Story

Thanks to PicasaWeb I can now bring you The Shebo Story in pictures. Its great for easy uploads of pictures straight from Picasa. 250MB of free storage and easy downloads mean they can also be shared quickly. So far so good. Let me know if you like it too!

Googlefight

Ludlow Marches Food & Drink Festival 2006

We had a very pleasant day out in Ludlow (along with about 5,000 others) and visit the 12 Annual Food & Drink Festival. In general it was the largest farmer's market you could imagine with huge quantities of sausages on offer. In truth there were scores of organic local producers offering everything from beer, wine, cider and gin to olives, cheese, scotch eggs and crisps.
Ludlow Castle was the centre of [the] attraction[s], although the town itself has some fantastic architecture and shops; it's probably worth a second visit to fully appreciate what it has to offer.

Here's Johnny!

Just to avoid any confusion that may have arisen, I would like to point out that any similarities between an earlier post and the image of Jack Torrance in Kubrick's version of 'The Shining' are purely coincidental.

UPDATE I've finished the ballustrades and re-located the water butt! Picture here

Shebo - Part II

Well, it's been a few weeks since Shebo was born. In that time I have painted (and repainted) it, and with my Dad's help, fitted the windows and door, and put up the handrail. Since the project is so near completion it seemed appropriate to put up the fairy lights. (Sorry - pictures in the dark didn't come out; the only true way to appreciate fairy lights is in person!)
All I need to do now is finish the balustrades and find a weather vane for the top. Roll on next Summer, when we may actually get some use out of it, as it seems that this one is determined to meet Autumn as swiftly as possible.

Oldlyweds

Congratulations on 40 years of mariage to my Mum & Dad and Mike & Liz. The joint Ruby wedding anniversary party was a great success, but this was no surprise given the generous amounts of Pimm's, wine, great food, puddings and fizz - not to mention Carol's fantastic cake.
Same again in ten years time everyone?

Newlyweds

Congratulations to Jon and Hetty on their marriage (19th August 2006). It was a fantastic day and, considering the storms earlier in the week, they were incredibly lucky with the weather too. My duties as best man were a breeze, mostly thanks to the efforts of the bride and groom and Jon's parents in making preparations. In fact, the entire day passed without any problems and despite my nervousness about public speaking, I managed to enjoy every part of the build up, ceremony and reception. I will remember the day as a true celebration of their partnership and I wish them the very best for the future.

"Something bunny going on"

Posters for the Wallace and Gromit film in Portland, Dorset will not feature the word "rabbit" because of a local superstition. Residents instead call the creatures underground mutton or furry things. Posters for the new film, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, on Portland do not use the word, to respect local folklore. Instead they simply say "Something bunny is going on".

Mayor Les Ames told BBC News that the animals could cause dangerous landslips in the quarries the isle is famous for. "If the word rabbit is used in company in Portland there is generally a bit of a hush," he said. "In the olden days when quarrying was done by hand, if one of these animals was seen in the area, the quarryman would pack up and go home for the day - until the safety of the area had been reconnoitred. It is an unwritten rule in Portland that you do not use the word rabbit."
A spokesman for Aardman Animations said they were happy to respect local folklore.

BBC News "Wallace & Gromit Spook an Island"

Shebo is born

Finally the pavilion has risen from the sketchbook and is now becoming reality. Thanks (in enormous huge lumps) to Dad who helped achieve my vision.
Although not finished, the main structure is largely complete; only the final cladding, balustrade, doors & windows and paintwork are to be finished.

The design is part shed and part gazebo - hence Shebo - with an octagonal roof (closed at the back and open at the front) sitting on the nine posts which frame the heptagonal shape.
Confused? Imagine what it's like trying to calculate the angles!

Hopefully the pictures will help you visualise the overall design, although I will post some more once everything is finished.

Episode 3.5

Whatstandwell - July 2006

Had a great three days in Derbyshire with Jon. Camping never used to be like this! The days of trecking up mountains to pitch tents on a rock fall in the dark have certainly been good preparation for driving to the campsite, putting up a 6-man 'Palacio' tent, and relaxing on the riverbank with a beer.

Although the River Derwent was perfect for canoeing we were foiled by the shallows and a couple of weirs about a mile in each direction from our site. We were hoping to explore the Cromford Canal as well, however we found that the majority of it cannot be navigated. We'll definitely need to research some more waterways if we ever plan go far by boat.

Having picnicked at Black Rock and visited the incredible Scarthin bookshop in Cromford we decided to head home before the weather turned against us. This was obviously a sensible decision because our leisurely drive through the Peak District (via Poole's Cavern in Buxton) soon turned into a wet journey all the way home.

Dorset - July 2006

Just back from a terrific few days in Dorset. Although the drive down was wet and miserable the sun came out for the rest of the week.

When it comes to beautiful coastlines, Dorset can be proud; Durdle Dor, St Oswald's Bay and Lulworth Cove are all fantastic beaches. The only thing they lack is golden sand rather than pebbles.

We managed to visit a selection of neolithic sites such as Maiden Castle and Hellstone Dolmen near Dorchester. Also, Corfe and Lulworth castles (which are both ruinous for very different reasons) were each impressive. When you add our trips to Brownsea Island and the Stourhead Estate on the way home I think we must have walked a hundred miles between us.

We need another holiday now just to recuperate!

They're Red Hot

Gone are the days when I crowd surfed at 'The Institute' (1992) whilst Flea belted out "Nobody weird like me", but the Chilis did manage to blow away my headache which had dogged me all day long.

The support band, !!! [pronounced 'chk-chk-chk'], were impressive however 'Dirty Pretty Things' failed to inspire. I found the RHCP set list surprising with only one track from BSSM featuring as an encore and obvious crowd pleasers like "Readymade" and "Especially in Michigan" (from the new album) noticeable only by their absence.

Overall they gave a good performance, however I feel that their passion for their music never quite works with these large scale shows and that if you want to Taste the Pain you need to get up close and personal with these guys.

Summer Holidays

Keeping the kids amusing during the Summer Holidays can be tiresome. It may seem like you've exhausted all the obvious options: "Ride your bike", "Play Football", etc.
Only with hindsight is the request to "Go paint something" seen as a foolish one...

Oolong Blog

Hironori Akutagawa is my new hero. Follow his day-to-day life through the exploits of his rabbit, Oolong. Although the rabbit died in 2003, Oolong's legacy lives on through his owner's website.

Alternate English version here

Wiki

/'wI.ki/ or /'wi.ki/
vs. (From Hawaiian) To hurry, hasten; quick, fast, swift.

Happy 3rd Birthday to the Wikimedia Foundation and well done for providing the fastest resource on the World Wide Web

Coaster Birthday

The First American Roller Coaster appeared in Coney Island 122 years ago today. Gone are the days when fair-goers had to hoist their own cars in order to make the return journey. Even familiar chain lift mechanisms have given way to hydraulic launch and frictionless brake systems: Kingda Ka at Six Flags stands head and shoulders above most.

The Mechanical Contrivium

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Bunnies!

1. Bunnies have a memory span of three seconds!
2. Antarctica is the only continent without bunnies.
3. A thimbleful of bunnies would weigh over 100 million tons.
4. Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of bunnies in a day.
5. While performing her duties as queen, Cleopatra sometimes dressed up as bunnies!
6. Bunnies are 984 feet tall.
7. Bunnies have often been found swimming miles from shore in the Indian Ocean.
8. The Australian billygoat plum contains a hundred times more Vitamin C than bunnies!
9. 99 percent of the pumpkins sold in the US end up as bunnies!
10. Twenty-eight percent of Microsoft's employees are bunnies.

I am interested in - do tell me aboutherhimitthem

"It's not rocket science, you know"

For anyone who has ever considered launching their own 'home made' rocket it is advisable to take several precautions. Not least is "Start with a very big open space"......

It's good to talk

Huzzah! Now you can contact me by mail at mywarren@googlemail.com

My, What Big Ears You Have!

No words necessary (or available)

Just click the picture on the left

Humans

Can you save the bunny?

Apparently not according to this short film from 3 Legged Legs

Incoming

"Tower to KLM 311.....You are cleared to land, runway Nine West"

"Thankyou ATC.....Acknowledged clearance to land, runway Nine West"

Have a nice day

3 lessons learned this weekend

Photoshop 7 .0 is great

Graphic design is easy

Time = k / Fun *


*Each of these variables is directly proportional with the multiplicative inverse of the other (i.e. 'Time Flies when you're having Fun')

Fire Your Imagination

Check out Melanie's site for some beautiful ceramics.

Better still, get up close and personal at Castle View Studio in Horsley, Northumberland.

Bash Crash Flash

Two flash games that kept me occupied for a few minutes. (Whilst the temptation to crash into things deliberately may be great, your will must be stronger, else the game will be short).

NinjaMan

He may not be Snowball or Usagi Yojimbo, but NinjaMan is still fun to play.

Rabbit Golf

Volkswagen of America, Inc. has announced that its all-new fifth generation Golf is going back to its roots with the original Rabbit nameplate for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The Rabbit will hop into the market in early summer, after its official introduction at the New York International Auto Show.

Waste Your Time

Author of the Timewaster Letters, Robin Cooper is my new hero. His website is possibly as bizarre as the workings of his mind, but I get the impression that maybe it only just scratches the surface. Whether it is a letter to the King of Belgium or a question for Parmaynu, this site truly has everything you never wanted to know. And yet it will make you cry with laughter.

They're Made Out Of Meat

Winner of the First Annual Science Fiction Short Film Festival, "They're made out of Meat" is based on a short story from writer Terry Bisson. Starring Tom Noonan (X-Files; Manhunter) and Ben Bailey, the strange conversation is directed by Stephen O'Regan.

Go Bunny! Go Bunny!

Ever wanted your own personal cheerleaders? Here's you chance.

Nothing Lasts Forever

Can I help you?

PARTICIPATION: You must arrive adhering to a very specific dress code:
1) Blue Polo Shirt. Short sleeved. Any brand. Preferably with no logo. As Close to Royal Blue as possible.
2) Khaki Pants. Any shade of khaki is fine. No shorts.

MISSION: "We're heading up to the Best Buy on 23rd Street. We'll enter the store one by one. Once inside, spread out and stand near the end of an aisle, facing away from the merchandise. Don't shop, but don't work either. If a customer comes up to you and asks you a question, be polite and help them if you know the answer. If anyone asks you if you work there, say no. If an employee asks you what you're doing, respond 'I'm waiting for my girlfriend/boyfriend who is shopping elsewhere in the store.' If they question you about your clothing, just explain that it's what you put on when you woke up this morning and you don't know any of the other people dressed like you."

Rabbits are Mean and Nasty

Something Blue

This image caught my eye. A lot of this stuff is a bit too self indulgent but occasionally the odd one stands out. Fluorescence [6] is quite nice too.

Pipetree R.I.P.

Today seemed like a good day to get out in the garden and finally get rid of the old tree that once grew up behind the shed. Having hacked down the branches last year with the help of Siân's parents we were left with the tree stump and root system that would inevitably extend beneath the garden wall.

So, after digging down a couple of feet all round the stump I decided to move in towards the trunk only to find that the roots were going straight down a 7" earthenware pipe that someone had buried upright. This led me to 'phone a friend' and get confirmation that I wasn't about to discover an ancient sewer system that would require an emergency plumber on a Bank Holiday Monday (thanks, Dad!)

After further excavation Siân found the bottom of the pipe and we managed to finally cut the whole thing out. The monster was finally slain and would mock us no more. Rest in Peace - Pipetree - 1/5/06.

Let's get this settled once and for all

Had a good night playing Settlers of Catan. Two games with the standard expansion set and one monster game with the Cities & Knights expansion. (Apologies to all for ruining any plans they may have had for Sunday but it was never my intention to play till 3am!)

The game has lost none of it's appeal. In fact, it possibly becomes more appealing because, like Scrabble, you just want to finish the current game and start a new one. I'm sure the next time we play there will be less comradeship and a little more rivalry. That may also give one person a clear advantage rather than allowing three or four of us to nearly get to the end.

Thanks to Simon for expanding the game and thanks to Jemma and Tony for bringing carrot cake.

Life's Not Always A Bowl Of Radicchio

Thanks for the link Craig.

It is important to remember that there are always others less fortunate than ourselves and that humility is something we should all aspire to.

It is also good to laugh a bunny rabbits doing funny things.

What's Your Poison?

Inspired by this scene of devastation, I'm expecting this one to be quite tough, but then I'm not a big drinker. Have fun, but only in moderation.

Here comes the sun

This evening was possibly the best weather we've had for outdoor shooting. Many people thought the same and at times we managed to have upwards of 12 people shooting. I hope to spend some more time tuning my bow next time (and eliminate the chance of stripping more fletches) but I was quite happy with my overall performance at 50 yds.

Blur the Technicolor

Managed to rise and shine quite early to make the most of an overcast but very still morning. Simon was especially eager to get out and try his new longbow and I wanted to try the clicker on my recurve bow. It's amazing how much 'feel' the longbow has compared to a modern recurve. Not surprising really when you bear in mind it's one piece of wood rather than various layers of composite materials bolted together. Our success rate in hitting the target at 60 yards with the longbow probably peaked at 50%.


I'm not sure Simon will let me play again though after I shattered an arrow on the target stand. This was all the more upsetting because it happened to be the one that he had spent 3 hours making, rather than one of the 'bought' practice arrows. Makes you wonder though why knights went to the trouble of wearing metal suits of armour. Apparently wood is equally effective at repelling arrows! It is also worth noting that without a traditional full arm bracer, the bowstring can be a painful reminder of the kinetic energy in a 40lb bow. Given that this bow has the ability to shoot well over 100 metres it is difficult to imagine how 16th century bowmen could ever draw and aim a 160lb bow.