Is it not simple to pay for
something which lasts 12 months with 12 monthly payments? Apparently not. I’ve just
applied for a tv licence for my flat, which by agreeing to pay monthly, quoted me a first 4
payments of £30(ish) which will pay off this year’s licence after which I start paying
for next year’s licence. After that it’s set up so that for half the year you’re paying
for that year’s licence and the other half you’re paying for the next year’s.
Is
it just me that finds this silly?
On the
10th April, I wrote a mass email titled ‘The Day Before Responsibility’ in which I
described how I was about to start work and the life of a responsibly member of society.
Now we all know how that ended, yes, after 3 days I was back as a jobless wonder, searching
for my role in life.
Now, I’m doing it all again, only worse! On Monday, I start
my next job as a Virus Analyst for Sophos. Why is
this worse? Well the job is in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, so I’m writing this from the flat
that I’m renting. So, I’ve spent the last few days manically packing everything I’ll
need and now I’m sitting with it around me. If I’m lucky, I’ll get it sorted out before
I start work, so the place doesn’t start as a tip.
I’d also like to point out what
an expensive thing setting yourself up in your first home is (and my flat is already
furnished!). I’d like to outline it here, but I’d only depress myself!
Now, back
to the unpacking…
We all know that Pixar are the kings when it comes to cgi films. It is my belief that whenever Dreamworks ‘makes’ a film which is (purposely) similar to one from Pixar, then it’s generally rubbish (Ants != A Bugs Life, Robots != Monsters Inc, Shark Tale != Finding Nemo). I also believe, however, that when they do something original (Shrek) then it’s actually quite good.
It therefore follows that I’d like Madagascar, which is good, because I do.
It really is quite good (and not just because I’m a child at heart). The graphics are excellent (which you should expect with modern cgi), the plot hasn’t been put second behind gags and it’s got some great music in it. I do, however, feel that there may be one too many pop-culture references and ‘in-jokes’ and some of the characters are not really introduced or explained. I’m also not convinced by the mix of cartoon style cgi and the attempts at realism (to me the main characters looked like low polygon models with realistic hair).
The penguins are worth the watch alone, and are genuinely hilarious (even more so than some of the main characters).
If you go and see one cgi film this year, then you’re probably best to wait for Pixar’s ‘Cars’ at Christmas, but if you’ve got nothing better to do, then you could to worse than watch this.
It’s been three weeks since I got back, but
I’ve finally finished my New Zealand (Non) Diary. More photos will be added in time, but
until then you can access the pages (there are 7) by clicking the
href="http://www.timfry.co.uk/new-zealand-trip">here
.
If you bought a new iPod in the last two weeks then congratulations, you’ve bought a device which can handle photographs as well as music, has a colour screen and a battery life of 17 hours.
If you bought a new iPod 1-12 months ago, then for the same money you’d have bought a new 4th generation device which had a black and white screen and a battery life of only 12 hours. It’s just a shame you didn’t wait a bit.
If you bought a new iPod 1 year or more ago, then for slightly more money, you would have bought a 3rd generation model, with a black and white screen, older controls and software and a battery life of only 8 hours. You would also have to buy an additional cable to connect the thing to your pc via USB. Shame you didn’t wait until the 4th generation was released, but then Apple isn’t in the habit of telling people that the new model is being released tomorrow.
If, like me, you bought your new iPod 1½ years ago, then you would have paid almost 50% more than current prices for a device which has old controls, old software and a battery life of half what you can get today. But hey, like me, you’ll probably still be more than happy with it.
(Lets not mention that if you bought a 1Gb iPod Shuffle a month ago, then the price has dropped by 10% since!)
I, like millions in this country, suffer
from hay fever (I’m sure you know the symptoms). However, at the moment, with this heat
(it’s been about 28°C almost every day this week), it’s causing just a little problem.
Hayfever is at it’s worst in mid-morning and early evening, so in the morning I’m
sneezing my head off and my eyes run, in the afternoon I can’t stand the heat (and go
searching for some shade) and just as the heat starts to fade the pollen comes back with a
vengence. Rince and repeat day after day.
Thanks a lot world!
Christchurch 25th June: All
Blacks 21 - 3 Lions
Wellington 2nd July: All Blacks 48 - 18 Lions
Auckland 9th July:
All Blacks 38 - 19 Lions
Well done lads! If all of the performances were as good as
the second test, then you were rubbish.
At least we enjoyed being
there…
After the terrible events in London yesterday, our thoughts lie
with the families and friends of the victims, those still injured and the emergency
services who have been and still are trying to save lives.