Too Many Ideas - the impworks Blog

Street Hawker

March 10th, 2010

I’ve been looking for an idea for a new article to send in for the SFSFW’s Ragnarok and I think I may just have found it a mashup of Steampunk and the short lived 80’s TV show Street Hawk…

This is the Honourable Jesse Macintosh, a former penny-farthing policeman, whose reputation was perilously injured whilst performing his lawful duties.  Now a Scotland Yard trouble shooter, he’s been recruited for an exceedingly secret government mission to ride Street Hawker – an all-cobbled surfaces attack bicycle designed to fight urbane criminality, capable of incredible speeds up to thirty miles an hour… immense firepower… and a really loud speaking horn. Only one man, Her Imperial Majesty The Queen-Empress Victoria’s confidant, Lord Axminster (the prominant inventor, industrialist and engineer Norman Tuttle-Herringbone-Smyth), knows the Honourable Jesse Macintosh’s true identity. The Man… The Machine… Street Hawker.

Miniatures shouldn’t be a problem with Eureka’s Pax Limpopo range including a variety of eminently suitable figures.  I’ve not settled on a rule set yet suggestions in the comments would be greatly appreciated.


Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-07

March 7th, 2010


Wellington’s Head

March 5th, 2010

Wellington's Column Liverpool

Wellington's Column Liverpool

Every work day I pass Wellington’s Column (or the Waterloo Memorial) on the corner of William Brown Street and Lime Street in Liverpool.

I think I may have spent too much time at work using Google Analytics and playing with numbers this week…

The following fact has absolutely no practical value I can think of…

On the first five days of March a seagull was stood on Wellington’s head four days out of five when I went past in the morning.


Fort Knox

March 3rd, 2010

I thought I’d post another satellite picture after last weeks picture of the boneyard. Being a fan of the old Bond film Goldfinger I thought Fort Knox and the United States Bullion Depository (the large building with nothing around it at the bottom of the map).


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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-01

February 28th, 2010


Solomon Kane

February 27th, 2010

Solomon Kane Poster

Just back from a night out with some friends for a meal and then on to see Solomon Kane at the Odeon in Liverpool 1.  Before I get to the film good to see that the Odeon seems to have improved since the last couple of times I’ve been there.  The cinema was clean and had enough staff.

Solomon Kane’s plot doesn’t stand out from other fantasy films.  Where it does stand out is setting and acting.  First the setting is unusual: early 17th century England with a mix of witchcraft, sorcery and puritans.  It’s not history but it is a lot of pulp fun.  I know some reviews have been upset by anachronisms.  Again this is pulp fiction not historic re-enactment.  Stop worrying about the flag being wrong – most of the audience don’t know and would have needed an explanation of who the ships belonged to if they’d flown a flag other than the union jack.  That explanation would have been far more grating and story destroying than a flag being flown early.

Solomon Kane’s cinematography and design is of the mud, rain and dirt school previously used for films like Bother Hood of the Wolf and Plunkett & Macleane.  The CGI is competent and doesn’t distract by being overly flashy.

The action is built up of small scale skirmishes but then, that is more in fitting with the setting.   Anyone worrying about the flag ought to be even more worried about explaining away a major uprising during the last years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign rather than a little local difficulty.  Sticking with small skirmishes also allows the action to remain personal, focussed on Kane.

As with the plot the dialogue is clichéd peppered with biblical quotes which could have been disastrous.  The quality acting which delivers the lines straight without slipping into camp manages to turn lines like “Hold you dogs!” into pulp gold.  Kane’s West Country accent was also a joy – forget songs about combine harvesters it added yet more flavour to the film.

Solomon Kane isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste.  Reading some reviewes its pulp sensibilities clearly upset some: it play fast and loose with history in a way that upsets those obsessed with the colour of epaulettes on uniforms; it upsets Robert E Howard purists; it upsets big spectacle fantasy fans by being small and personal.

Personally I thought it was a fun film and I’ll be picking up on DVD  and hoping for a sequel.


Aircraft Boneyard

February 23rd, 2010

I noticed that several newspapers had shots taken from Google Earth of the eleven square kilometer US Airforce 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group Aircraft Boneyard today so I thought I’d dig it up on Google maps to have a look myself.


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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-22

February 21st, 2010

  • @tadhgk I use self hosted WordPress for 3 sites and I'm very happy with it. in reply to tadhgk #
  • @qwghlm This has been going on since the 50s in offline sales but has really picked up in the last few years (not that I like it) in reply to qwghlm #
  • Amazon's Half Term Deals include In Bruge (Certificate 18) and Edge of Darkness. The kiddies are in for a shock… #
  • listening to "Jake Shimabukuro – Let's Dance" ♫ http://blip.fm/~l0oif #
  • @Tamsynjk Its is a great film. Colin Farrell proved he can act for the first time since Tigerland. Funny yet Traumatic as well as Tragic. in reply to Tamsynjk #
  • RT @jearle @sweena: Stats on what people download using Limewire http://bit.ly/9JQP7h lol #
  • @renderosity Should that be last day rather than latest? in reply to renderosity #
  • @KimKnox Gratz! in reply to KimKnox #
  • @jearle It's a secret vote. But she took my school milk and they'd have left me on the dole to keep inflation down in the 90s. Just saying. in reply to jearle #
  • 3 sites upgraded to WordPress 2.9.2 without a hitch #
  • WoadPress – the open source blogging platform of choice for the ancient Britanni #
  • @qwghlm What were you saying about mobs and fact checking the other day? lol in reply to qwghlm #
  • I need a head transplant for one without a cold. #
  • Famous lines John Wayne never said: "Get off your horse and drink your milk" for @jearle #
  • Pigeon Mafia take over birdbath http://bit.ly/aoFhft #
  • @KimKnox Is that better or worse than the Star Wars / Stargate impressions? in reply to KimKnox #
  • @MonteJCook Don't the press blame computer games for everything these days? Although having seen the trailer for The Wild Hunt earlier… in reply to MonteJCook #
  • Jar Jar Binks 1. Where Star Wars Went Wrong. 2. Strangely Not in the Star Wars burlesque… #
  • My last comment was a reply to @KimKnox and shouldn't be read out of context… #
  • listening to "Eric Clapton & Michael Kamen – theme from Edge of Darkness (1985)" ♫ http://blip.fm/~l3kjb #
  • WoadPress – RT @pookie_uk: @impworks Only available with blue ink. #
  • @jearle OMWF wouldn't work without the rest but is pure brilliance in its own wonderful way in reply to jearle #
  • @JustinBailey I don't but there used to be several places that ran BSL courses. You might ask them to see if they can help in reply to JustinBailey #
  • @jearle Yes. It pulls those threads together in a way that would otherwise have seemed heavy handed but the musical angle make it work. in reply to jearle #
  • Shrove: a British mammal, related to a shrew, that emerges from hibernation on a date that appears to be related to the phase of the moon. #
  • The Shrove was once seen as the European Groundhog but was later found to be drawn out by the smell of pancakes, sugar and lemon juice. #
  • And if you believe any of that you really need to check a reliable source like Wikipedia ;-) #
  • @JustinBailey Good Luck. 10 Years ago I could have put you in touch but everyone I knew who signed has left Liverpool. in reply to JustinBailey #
  • @KimKnox So they want sprouts:here's tonight's menu: a sprout aperitif, sprout soup, a big pile of sprouts finished with sprout blancmange in reply to KimKnox #
  • @KimKnox Isn't that a very expensive car? in reply to KimKnox #
  • @FACT_Liverpool Eh Are you Getting ahead of Yourself with that last Tweet? in reply to FACT_Liverpool #
  • @FACT_Liverpool Phew :-) Maybe you could schedule in the Back to the Future Trilogy for last week? in reply to FACT_Liverpool #
  • @jearle I mentioned them yesterday and now they're following me on Twitter lol in reply to jearle #
  • @sizemore Far better than bleeding edge gums. in reply to sizemore #
  • Couldn't find anything from the Tron soundtrack so this will have to do… ♫ http://blip.fm/~l5tnv #
  • Back from Tron @ FACT in Liverpool. I'd never seen first 5mins before! F/X dated & pacing slow great to see it on big screen. #
  • @Danacea I had one of those. On Monday it decided it was the time to strike – just in time for Tron at FACT L'pool last night in reply to Danacea #
  • @Danacea Thanks – its more annoying than anything else. Hope you feel better soon too and that it doesn't decide to get worse. in reply to Danacea #
  • @jearle Not sure you cunning plan to lure the assassin into the open by taunting her till she proves she is a woman will work in reply to jearle #
  • @jearle Already done that for WordPress – pretty straightforward in reply to jearle #
  • Now I understands the tweets of "Now I'm on a horse" http://bit.ly/buQrsH via @MonteJCook #
  • Unfortunately (like Guinness) no matter how cool the advert I still just don't like the smell of Old Stench #
  • RT @Paul_Cornell: I gather that Doctor Who fans should be watching BBC1 at 18.30 this Saturday, during the break between programmes. #
  • @very_true_thing Some might even suggest Civ on Facebook will be the end of Civilization… in reply to very_true_thing #
  • listening to "Eureka Theme( HQ sound)" ♫ http://blip.fm/~l8nes #
  • Knocked out 500 words of background in the last hour before my cold defeated me. #
  • I'd not have noticed my passing 1000 if you'd not mentioned your 15K @qwghlm #
  • @qwghlm There was the previous attempt on the twin towers in '93 which killed 6 and from memory destroyed a number of important computers. in reply to qwghlm #
  • Could someone tell BMW that rendered shinny balls is a sad cliche and suggest living in the past instead of innovation. #
  • @jearle @qwghlm Terrorist / Freedom Fighter / Criminal in the end it's largely semantics. History will decide. #
  • @jearle My comment wasn't about a specific instance. These terms tend to be kicked around and only time tends to result in a consensus. in reply to jearle #
  • @jearle I tend to agree with you. My point is that even for this specific case you won't find agreement for a long time. in reply to jearle #
  • @jearle I agree with you. That's how they're treating it. Again semantics. The White House has played in this name game for a long time. in reply to jearle #
  • @undeadbydawn Not about any specific act. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. in reply to undeadbydawn #
  • @undeadbydawn The word chosen tells you more about the commenter than the act. in reply to undeadbydawn #
  • Sometimes 140 characters just are not enough. #
  • @jearle lol Ok. We'll let you be. in reply to jearle #
  • @undeadbydawn Sorry went to lunch look like @jearle pointed you where I'd probably have in reply to undeadbydawn #
  • @Danacea Funnily I was writing about Mousetrap for work on Monday. What did you mean to Twitpic? in reply to Danacea #
  • Tip: If you tweet something rude about Online Marketing it may take days for the crowd of them that follow you to go away #
  • @KimKnox Time for #tea then? in reply to KimKnox #
  • RT @MonteJCook: This is a fun little site making use of the questionable nature of online translators. http://translationparty.com/#6586011 #
  • @KimKnox Congratulations on Painted Promise. in reply to KimKnox #
  • @Danacea Have you been completely misquoted yet too? in reply to Danacea #
  • @KimKnox Something just heard about your planning… in reply to KimKnox #
  • East Enders and Tiger Wood are skirmishing for control of the BBC homepage. Tiger has the left side but EE has retaken the right. #
  • @mdlachlan Congratulations. in reply to mdlachlan #
  • @lozzyjay 4 hours? Ow! in reply to lozzyjay #
  • listening to "Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton – Can't Find My Way Home" ♫ http://blip.fm/~lbh9r #
  • @pookie_uk Could we persuaded them to make Strictly When the Stars are Right? They'll be driven crazy by what the cultists' dances summon in reply to pookie_uk #
  • Doctor Who teaser was very meh not so much must see… #
  • @pookie_uk I've played Civ IV on vista van't remember if I had to run it as admin for it to work. in reply to pookie_uk #
  • @pookie_uk Its Strictly When the Stars are Right lets have a big hand for your hosts: Mr Shiny and Tess Daoloth in reply to pookie_uk #
  • @richeym Definitely crossing fingers. I'm guessing they made that independently from the shows. Completely independently… in reply to richeym #
  • @jearle Now you're just trolling for a reaction lol. Only way to be sure would be to nuke the planet and have done with it all anyway. in reply to jearle #
  • Wasn't expecting 2 inches of snow on the ground in Liverpool this morning #uksnow #
  • Firing up Vue 8. Firing up Idle. Time to put Beta version of star map script to bed and out to testers. #
  • @pookie_uk Right click on the desktop icon or Civilization4.exe in directory then select Run as Administrator in reply to pookie_uk #
  • @richeym Sounds about right. He's channeling Peter Jackson's ending to LotR. I've still not forgiven him for Why Don't You. in reply to richeym #
  • @Tamsynjk Yes quite odd. Nice and clear up your way then I take it? in reply to Tamsynjk #
  • Don't Panic: N.England covered in white undercoat in preparation for a Pollock inspired scheme to be applied by airships later. #
  • My Vue python scripts are usually pretty lightweight but this one weight in at 9MB. Thank goodness for broadband and free bandwidth. #
  • @Tamsynjk Well the snows gone here now – it was almost pleasant this afternoon but now its blood freezing cold here too. in reply to Tamsynjk #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-14

February 14th, 2010


10 Worst Valentines Albums in the World Ever!

February 11th, 2010

  1. Greatest Sickly Love Songs
  2. The One with Pink Roses on the Cover
  3. Twelve Songs You’d Forgotten and One You Still Sing in the Bath
  4. Last Years Valentines Album with a Different Cover on It
  5. Songs that Say I Hate You More than Words Ever Could (Double CD with Sleeve Notes)
  6. Some Random Album I Grabbed in a Hurry because I was Running Late for the Train
  7. Cheesy, Big Perm, 80s, Rock Love Songs (Including Genuine Lock of Rock Star Hair*)
  8. Songs Inspired by Roger Corman’s The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
  9. Last Years Halloween Album in the Wrong Box
  10. The One Next to the Charcoal Brickets because Flowers are Sold Out at the Petrol Station
  11. Twelve Songs You’d Forgotten and One You Hum (Badly) in the Bath because you’ve Forgotten all the Words Volume 2

* Artificial or animal hair may be substituted. Limit of one hair per album. Certificate of Authenticity available on Request.  Leaving the hair at a murder scene to frame a random 80s rock star may result in prosecution.


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