Archive for the ‘Life Stuff’ Category

Why do I write what I call reviews?

The short answer: Because it helps me think about my own writing.

The long answer:

I used to write what I’ll call proper reviews, they’d appear in Valkyrie and Ragnarok.  My review of 7th Sea produced at short notice got me the writing gig with Valkyrie so even though reviewing wasn’t what I’d set out to do I thought it was important to carry on and do the best job at it I could.  I’d think long and hard about them.  I’d spend hours carefully reading a product (and if possible playing it).  I’d consider the presentation, the content, the quality of the writing, the cost, its originality, production issues and a hundred and one other factors.  I’d try and give a balanced and fair assessment.

Then I had a run of what I will call issue reviews.  A publisher wasn’t happy with a review because I wasn’t their target market so I couldn’t apparently understand their product.  A book I reviewed that was ok but not exceptional and had a flaw won an award after sending high value goodie bags to the voting panel.  Having been asked to review a product for a magazine I’d not written for before I was told the review wouldn’t be used as they’d just signed a big advertising deal with the publisher and they didn’t think it was favorable enough.  Which was funny because I’d really worked hard to find good things in a product that I know retailers couldn’t sell.  It stank and it sat on game shop shelves.

So I stopped writing serious reviews.

I’ve been asked to occasionally for magazines and websites.  It might be good self promotion and get me some writing opportunities but I’m just not interested in running into the political side of  it again.

Now what I label as reviews here are more after action reports.  I try not to spend too long on them (although some still take a couple of hours to write).  I try to keep them personal – they are after all just my personal opinion.  I use the review label as a convenient way of lumping them all together to make them easier to find.  Maybe someone will be saved from wasting a turkey or will enjoy my insight.  I hope so because they do get a reasonable number of visits and visitors seem to spend time reading them.

Still that doesn’t explain why I write them.  I don’t see them as a great self promotion tool.  I write them to help me think about my own writing and game design.  By thinking about a Doctor Who episode or a film sometimes I see how to improve my own work.  I wrote about Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire and I knew where the script I’d written had gone wrong (using silly names and anachronism).  I’ve still not worked out what to put in their place but I think the script is tighter and funnier now without them (although one character is still called Snot because it just fits).

Sometimes the best thing happens.  I’ll get a good idea.  Not a simple rip off of someone else’s concept but a genuine tangential idea.  That moment when you’re watching something and you think you know what’s going to happen and then something else happens.  Sometimes those original ideas can take on a life of their own.  For example recently I had watched a Doctor Who episode and was writing up my thoughts.  That’s when I had a Good Idea^TM.   I’ve had a bad guy (originally a Darklord for a Ravenloft domain) floating around for a long time that I could never find a way to spin a story around and while I’ve been writing that review I now know how to make them work.  The only problem I have is they’d be fun for a Ravenloft adventure but they also fit in with a Dirk Dangerous story I’d got floating around.  I don’t suppose I can get away with using the same idea twice

I’ve walked past this sign several times but the other day a thought popped into my head “How do you check the gender of a sunbed?”.  Enquiring minds need to know.

Pick any one of Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman or John Malkovich and you’d have my attention for RED.

Brian Cox or Ernest Borgnine would push this into my want to see list.

Helen Mirren flower arranging is a bit a bit Calendar Girls. Helen Mirren with a machine gun? Helen Mirren with a Machine Gun! Ok I’m buying this. Heading into not just the danger zone but Hot Fuzz territory.  I don’t care about the reviews.

Then they ice a rather fruit looking cake with Mary-Louise Parker who was both funny and smart in the West Wing.  Tasty.

Looks like REDs at least one must see film in October.

• Today's Question: If someone going on the bus to court loudly admits a crime to their solicitor is the conversation confidential? #
• @Mainframe So if I was in the US the idiot on the bus this morning would have a bus load of witnesses to a confession & need a new lawyer in reply to Mainframe #
• @SteveHills twunfollow.com is good too – daily emails and rss feeds. in reply to SteveHills #
• @Mainframe We don't have those here. Given he said no Judge or Jury would tell him what to do I think he's in for a disappointing day… in reply to Mainframe #
• @JamesWallis Check the sewers – if there are giant ones it could be a Them! London! in reply to JamesWallis #
• @KadrinaLage You don't like Ponies? Go Straight To Jail. Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect £200. in reply to KadrinaLage #
• @KadrinaLage I wasn't mocking your example, I was mocking you. If you'd said you didn't like puppies or kittens I'd have mocked more in reply to KadrinaLage #
• @GameCouch I'm introducing Hobbit Weekends: 1st Weekend, 2nd Weekend, Tuesdayses, Wed, Thr Nap and Long Weekend… in reply to GameCouch #
• @nerdlunch Yoda. Batman loses because he is having a fit of laughter at Yoda. Yoda trips him up and lands him on his backside. Fight over. in reply to nerdlunch #
• @WritingAgain As I understand it it just means lots more paperwork to fill out unfortunately in reply to WritingAgain #
• A spoof of last weeks meme to find out who you allegedly write like http://bit.ly/a5iVEU via @disquietmuse @blackwellbooks #
• @WritingAgain lol. I'm told those are fun except for the red tape. in reply to WritingAgain #
• @thedeadone Very cool in reply to thedeadone #
• Second pass at Rag article done. Will give it another look tomorrow before sending it in. #
• @greywulf A Jung approach Flash Gordon = Hero. Han Solo = The Outlaw. So Flash Gordon != Han Solo in reply to greywulf #
• @jearle I'd say http://flic.kr/p/8k5Ct5 – its slightly more dramatic and I prefer the proportions of the picture. in reply to jearle #
• @FACT_Liverpool I didn't notice anything over-zealous. Now I feel like I missed out in reply to FACT_Liverpool #
• Create 3D like a Superhero by @chippwalters is out now… http://bit.ly/arU7rF #
• @KimKnox You'll need more than an ark if it keeps going like it is now. in reply to KimKnox #
• @LeahPetersen 16 from 400 so I'll let you off just this once in reply to LeahPetersen #
• @sciamannata From memory of a Jewish friend carefully cleaning a lettuce I don't think they are. in reply to sciamannata #
• @sciamannata The memory is of talking about looking specifically for slugs and caterpillars but it was a long time ago so I could be wrong in reply to sciamannata #
• A few more fiddles on my site tonight. Too tired to add some new CSS & write a blog post about them. Time for bed said Zebedee. #
• @KimKnox So you'll be as productive as we mortal writers for six weeks then in reply to KimKnox #
• @jearle Used to go past the Raleigh factory on my way to & from school. Bit sad to go past the site now its gone. in reply to jearle #
• @NEONCON I like that definition but several of the types of games you mention can be played solo. Its more a large subset of hobby games. in reply to NEONCON #
• Today's Blog Post: Liverpool's Rotating Yates’s Wine Lodge – Putting the installation into art http://bit.ly/bb3nxQ #
• @simplychrista You're having soap for lunch? in reply to simplychrista #
• If you've got a problem & no one else can fix it & your website looks broken maybe you can try upgrading from IE6 #
• @thedeadone I think they'd argue it's humorous / tongue in cheek in reply to thedeadone #
• @thedeadone Not really. Especially if you accept that its a joke even if you don't think its funny. There is a lot worse in the world. in reply to thedeadone #
• Finished editing an article for Ragnarok… #
• @pookie_uk The ongoing hazards of writing for magazines that take their themes from Norse myth. lol. in reply to pookie_uk #
• @daneofwar Its just because your not part of MrTweet's in crowd. If you were one of the cool kids it would let you post right now in reply to daneofwar #
• Writing bug reports can be really hard. I want to use smileys to make them friendlier even when it would be unprofessional to do so. #
• Create your Self-Font with Pilot Handwriting http://bit.ly/9r1L85 (via @pulsepad @wavianarts @Transluscent_Eye) #
• Lunch time wander with camera mostly succesful but the Oriel Chambers is hidden behind scaffolding so I'll have to snap it another day. #
• @ehlanakovas Mine too but with this you can put your best glyphs down. I'm wondering if it can be tricked into making other thing into fonts in reply to ehlanakovas #
• @nerdlunch Did the brochure say Sun, Sand and Stargate? I can see that selling. Apart from the System Lord guides. in reply to nerdlunch #
• @lumpleygames Diplomacy would be nothing without the social side. in reply to lumpleygames #
• @nerdlunch Probably safer than the QuantumLeap travel bureau as their only customer Sam never returned home in reply to nerdlunch #
• Buskers, a Barbra Streisand cover singer and now a drum troop – working in the city centre is so much more distracting than out Edge Lane #
• @lumpleygames The lack of any random element in the mechanical side of the game allows the social side to shine. in reply to lumpleygames #
• @LesterSmith Congratulations in reply to LesterSmith #
• @Level30yinzer If you want the gothic / scary version the 2nd ed Ravenloft The Nightmare Lands might be helpful in reply to Level30yinzer #
• @greywulf Penny Lane in Liverpool has been painted on the wall for just the same reason for years now. in reply to greywulf #
• I've got polls working on my blog tonight. Adding the poll 60s config 60s fiddling with CSS 3600s… #
• I've improved the display of my python scripts for Vue. If you're a user I'd like your opinion of how the new look http://bit.ly/9tEgYX #
• @GargoylePhan To misquote the old BBC show Why Don't You: Why Don't You Just Switch Off Twitter and Go and Do Something Less Boring Instead? in reply to GargoylePhan #
• @MoonWolf95 Thanks for the comment. I've put some longer code snippets up. What do you think? http://bit.ly/9tEgYX in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• @cha0tic lol. I think your A-frame tent beats my humble poll any day of the week. in reply to cha0tic #
• @darkdwarf The crusty jugglers I can cope with. Its the living statues I can't deal with. in reply to darkdwarf #
• I've been playing CMS Bingo this week. Joomla ✔ Umbraco ✔ WordPress ✔ Immediacy ✔ In House System ✔ One more and I get a complete line #
• My head may explode by the end of today due to a massive influx of information… #
• Bingo! A complete line on my CMS bingo card with today's training. My head hasn't exploded. Yet. I'll defuse it over the weekend. Gently. #
• @travellindaze Thanks for the #ff in reply to travellindaze #
• @Chris68005 Thanks for the #ff in reply to Chris68005 #
• @simplychrista Thanks for the #ff in reply to simplychrista #
• @MoonWolf95 Thanks for looking again. Glad you like it – the consensus is 100% for the new way so far. in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• @GDR2404 Thanks for following back in reply to GDR2404 #
• There was a time that on a Friday I could do a days lectures, crew a gig till 4AM & write an RPG scenario while the gig was on… #
• … today I did a 6 hour course and all I feel like doing is going to bed at 9PM #
• @madbrewlabs Do you mean the python script stuff or something else? (sorry barely in the land of the awake) in reply to madbrewlabs #
• @madbrewlabs lol. No definitely a render. And all those views are a bit OTT. I just liked the aesthetic. It looks really uncomfortable too. #
• @ehlanakovas Entropy is slowly but surely overtaking us. in reply to ehlanakovas #
• @buffybot85 It shouldn't do – excellent cast, well structured stories and excellent production values. Its rather good too in reply to buffybot85 #
• 9 hours sleep and I almost feel human. #
• @Danacea Have fun in reply to Danacea #
• I had a cunning plan. Unfortunately Baldrick also had a cunning plans that stop mine working. #
• @KimKnox Entertainment Inertia in reply to KimKnox #
• Finally I get to see Wallander – I've been waiting for it a) to start at the beginning again b) for me to notice it started before ep 3 lol #
• @Danacea Will there be a comic? TescoMan with the power of the Delivery Slot & his sidekick SimilarItemSubstitution guy? in reply to Danacea #
• @DanDiplo Doh! There ought to be a rating system for that. Somehow I got the impression Wallander was more serial than series. #
• And so it begins… (another week nothing portentous or otherwise specifically important) #
• @pookie_uk I taped it and ought to turn off the computer and watch it. What are the odds of that happening in reply to pookie_uk #
• @sciamannata Hamburger in a Can? Whole chicken in a Can? Celery? Why?? in reply to sciamannata #
• @sciamannata Saddly: Burger http://bit.ly/9WKvRS Chicken http://bit.ly/bi0d3S in reply to sciamannata #
• Enjoyed Wallander. New Sherlock Holmes later. For now time to do an hour on my #WiP #RPG #
• Chores Done. Back into the #WiP before dinner time. #
• Hmm. Replaced a simple but none standard game mechanic with a more complex but standard one… #RPG #WiP #
• There is a lot to be said for good, clear documentation preferably written for humans. Or at least some docs written in a human tongue. #
• So #sherlock is a bit of a geek #
• @daneofwar One of the usual mistakes is to try and cram too many ideas rather than running with one or two good ones in reply to daneofwar #
• Is this going to be Mycroft Holmes? #
• @gjfaux Moriarty just seems too obvious in reply to gjfaux #
• Yes! I was right. Sorry if I get to be a bit smug for the next five minutes #
• @pookie_uk Enjoyed it but too many things were heavily foreshadowed – Holmes should be smarter than the audience #sherlock in reply to pookie_uk #

• How is it commentators talking about Google, Apple and other tech companies manage to make 2+2=6.0221418E23 ? #
• @daneofwar Morning from a dull, grey Liverpool. in reply to daneofwar #
• @cimota Spam accounts would be even more of a problem… in reply to cimota #
• @cimota Ok. My suspicion is that the dynamic would be very different – The unfollow button would be very popular. in reply to cimota #
• RT @mersipan: New blog post! The adventures of Tiny Cthulhu (courtesy of @ruthbeingruth) http://bit.ly/c5NyjG #
• @KimKnox Hope its less scary than my black eyed beans that decided to sprout while being soaked at the weekend. in reply to KimKnox #
• @KimKnox Ah an actual DNA experiment not something described as one. I had visions of a dinner that went very wrong lol in reply to KimKnox #
• @KimKnox You can get Them! on DVD from HMV at the moment if you want to put them off that idea in reply to KimKnox #
• The only good thing about the delay on the bus today was the wicked idea for some writing I had. I just really don't need another project… #
• @TheRealGelfie Both probably in reply to TheRealGelfie #
• Reading Michael Palin Diaries Halfway To Hollywood earlier I was left wondering what Monty Python's Top Gun would have been like #
• @symatt Made it? I'd say more likely Lost it in reply to symatt #
• @symatt A friend who used to run popular games using her own system with just a Farthing, pencil & paper. The Farthing was optional. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt The risk with a rules heavy system is that some players will turn whole sessions into arguments about minutia. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt Yeh it does look interesting. in reply to symatt #
• @TheRealGelfie I keep thinking they'd be wearing cardboard wings and using catapults but have the real sound effects for jets and missiles. in reply to TheRealGelfie #
• @symatt I wish I had time. I'm struggling to find time for my own alpha playtests at the moment & finish a draft to go out for beta in reply to symatt #
• @symatt When she really thought she needed to add some randomness to the story. Dice or any other randomizer could be substituted. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt I've a system, a setting and a provisional agreement for (small press) publication. I just need to finish the edit and testing. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt I can understand that I like dice and a bit more structure as a safety net. in reply to symatt #
• Its grey outside but I need a walk… #
• @symatt Its a fun exercise. The biggest problem is knowing when to stop and leave holes for other people to fill themselves. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt I hope to be able to tell more soon. Like 2015 or 2032 or sometime when I've finished a draft in reply to symatt #
• @symatt The writing will all be mine, I suspect all the art will be too. Fortunately I've editors I can call on to fix my idiocy. in reply to symatt #
• @symatt Mine was originally an idea for an article no one liked in 2004. Then last year suddenly everyone loved – I was just too early in reply to symatt #
• @symatt Doing it yourself gives you control & with epub the £10K risk of getting a game on sale is gone. Playtesting is a lot of work in reply to symatt #
• I really wish Serif Software could get that I buy one thing from them and I don't want to be called about anything else #fail #
• @Danacea I watched it again a few months back and its still excellent. Enjoy #
• @ghostwoods A Valkyrie article & a Dirk Dangerous stories gave different answers. I try to write with different voices so thats good right? in reply to ghostwoods #
• @ghostwoods So we got the same two authors lol in reply to ghostwoods #
• @gjfaux I had to track back to your earlier tweet – I was wondering if you were playing scrabble with your cat in reply to gjfaux #
• The ≈ 4yr old girl on the bus very insistent that The wheels on the bus go round and round…The man on the bus says tit-tits please #
• @gjfaux You'll know its all over when the first word the cat plays is quartzy for 82 points in reply to gjfaux #
• By and large I don't follow celebrities but I'll add @steven_moffat to the short list via @grekwood @Heresy_Andy @benjamin_cook #
• Last Night's Blog Post: Monty Python’s Top Gun http://bit.ly/979Z1u What film would you reimagine as a Python production? #
• @BlackpuddleRock Funny I was just about to ask if it had been humming the Great Escape before it made a break for freedom on a motorbike… in reply to BlackpuddleRock #
• @very_true_thing Ow. I hope none of those are glued to the layer below (especially the bottom one). in reply to very_true_thing #
• @thedeadone Wish it would get on and start raining here in Liverpool – it just keeps spitting #
• I Write Like http://bit.ly/aYfo4d coverage pushed James Joyce into trending topics. But now, like Keyser Söze, poof. He's gone. #
• @thedeadone I tried two of my pieces: one got George Orwell the other Nabokov. Apparently it doesn't even get the actual writers right lol in reply to thedeadone #
• @thedeadone Looks that way. Hope they didn't spend a lot of time and thought on creating the algorithms in reply to thedeadone #
• @GeekyClean Not because of the current fuss. Just bored of WoW. Not playing so no point in paying. in reply to GeekyClean #
• There are dark clouds on the horizon and a chill in the air. Not metaphors. Big. Dark. Grey. Clouds. Sudden Chill. #
• On a plus the busker who only knows 2 Beatles, 1 Dylan and 1 Oasis track has been driven away by the torrential downpour. #
• @KadrinaLage Big stones or small ones? We managed a 10 minute torrential downpour. in reply to KadrinaLage #
• So cool its approaching absolute zero RT @Danacea: From @boingboing (where else?) Mr Potato Head goes Steampunk… http://bit.ly/dbBmrD #
• @NeilCFord Saw them do that for Doctor Who shoot. A really clever way of avoiding having to lay track for lots of shots. in reply to NeilCFord #
• @Danacea I suspect steampunk will breakout when someone get Steampunk+Vampire right. If Van Helsing had been better it might have done it in reply to Danacea #
• How is it one little fiddle on a website quickly turns into 2.5 hours of CSS, PHP, HTML and graphics editing? #
• @SteveHills I am preparing to deploy The Birdy Song as a counterstrike if you persist in deploying Manilow lyrics in Cuba. in reply to SteveHills #
• In a horrible case of being too efficient I've done my work for today several weeks ago without the aid of a TARDIS #
• Almost as cool as the Steampunk Mr Potato Head RT @3DWorldMag: Iron Baby gets real! http://bit.ly/bHJvmr #
• @ghostfinder Did they ask if they could help you first? Repeatedly? Makes me walk past Game's shops instead of going in. in reply to ghostfinder #
• @KimKnox Your not changing tense mid sentence and multiple times in each paragraph are you because we know what madness lies there in reply to KimKnox #
• Yesterday's Blog Post: Wellington’s Column http://bit.ly/c3BYJE #
• @SarahDarkmagic I had a group miss for 6 weeks every clue that the magic box they were carrying was the artifact they were looking for. in reply to SarahDarkmagic #
• @daneofwar I use both. You might want to consider self hosted WordPress. Personally I think it beats either hosted solution. in reply to daneofwar #
• @daneofwar Recently? I'm not saying its for everyone but comparing Blogger to WP with its arm tied behind its back is a bit unfair. in reply to daneofwar #
• @daneofwar Before they added the one click update feature then. I completely understand the appeal of hassle free hosted services. in reply to daneofwar #
• Anyone know a rain dance? The bad 5 song busker is back near our office this afternoon. He's scared off the seagulls with an Oasis track… #
• @realsimjoy I can see the appeal of that. I'm thinking of training the seagulls to attack on sight in reply to realsimjoy #
• @SarahDarkmagic IRL they found it funny. In character less so since it was why two Ravenloft Darklords had minions hunting them in reply to SarahDarkmagic #
• @SarahDarkmagic That one could have been tough. Make up a ritual for the key & say they have 24 hours to escape and get the key back? in reply to SarahDarkmagic #
• @richard_iorio Congratulations in reply to richard_iorio #
• @symatt How are you defining failure? QL ran for 5 seasons which isn't bad going… in reply to symatt #
• @symatt While I think it can have an impact I wouldn't say it was the main factor… in reply to symatt #
• @symatt For example I now like Firefly but I first saw a couple of episodes at random and I thought it was awful. in reply to symatt #
• @ruperthowe Marketing: many hardbacks are to get reviews, awards & HB best seller lists before profitable paperback release later. in reply to ruperthowe #
• @NeilCFord Hopefully he'll see my (potted) reply based on what I've been told on a writing course by someone in the trade for 40+ years. in reply to NeilCFord #
• @TheAngryDM How about realising the spaceship your on will run into the sun because of the mistake? in reply to TheAngryDM #
• Responding to formal invitations feels so like a minefield… #
• @symatt I think it needed a bit more time to really get going but post Buffy and Angel there was a lot more pressure for an instant hit… in reply to symatt #
• @johnmcc Ah the X-large, delux, giant size church candle then in reply to johnmcc #
• What food can I deep fry for maximum press coverage? How about a Christmas pudding http://bit.ly/cGLk3k via @johnlambshead #
• There are candle bots on twitter. Suppose that's slightly less archaic than blacksmith bots… #
• @johnmcc lol. Hope not for your sake. I know lighthouse keepers used to eat the candles but I don't think they're a delicacy in reply to johnmcc #
• Back from a really good weekend away. Shattered. Forgot memory stick with #WiPs on: wrote a Rag article from scratch on train instead #
• @GirliePirate Hi – bit of a random follow – thought @GirliePirate was a cool id in reply to GirliePirate #

• The Sound system in the Tuebrook Co-op has developed an interesting fault – everything sounds like Daleks! #
• @KimKnox Right is the side with the close cross on your applications. Hang on you use a Mac so that probably wont help… in reply to KimKnox #
• @DanDiplo @jearle Great news that six music has been saved – I can continue to forget I mean to listen to it but be glad it exists. #
• Think this Ragnarok article is turning into two issues worth of articles… #
• Oops. Started Vue to do an hours Python and only just escaped 10 hours later… #
• These dark clouds don't bode well for a day of gardening… #
• @ghostwoods Prince brainstorming session "You need free PR. You could claim grass is purple or say something stupid about the Internet?" in reply to ghostwoods #
• @sciamannata But do they tell you to warm the pot first? in reply to sciamannata #
• Wow. The rain held off (we had about 5min of sun). Thanks to a friend with chainsaws I have seen part of my garden I'd never seen before. #
• @sciamannata Typical M&S picking a fight in their instructions. I've a set on my fridge door that are impossible to complete… in reply to sciamannata #
• @MoonWolf95 lol. Someone elses peculiar collection of rubbish was overgrown by Ivy that was several feet thick in places. in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• An ultra cool spoon http://bit.ly/9AbGI9 #
• Last Night's Blog Post: Municipal Buildings Tower, Liverpool http://bit.ly/drqBLJ #
• I just got a real life "Bank Error in your Favor" but I doubt the recalculated interest will be worth $100. #
• This autumn on BBC1 How do you solve a problem like Conan the Cimmerian? http://youtu.be/OBGOQ7SsJrw via @xtamsynx @empiremagazine #
• @KimKnox Not just dark skies but also a cloying heat and humidity. I choose the wrong week to have off… in reply to KimKnox #
• @Kdark74 Thanks for the #FF in reply to Kdark74 #
• @KimKnox Seems to be bringing out the worst in people 3 arguments in progress as I did my shopping in reply to KimKnox #
• @pookie_uk Its bad of me but I now have a mental image of you peddling really hard… in reply to pookie_uk #
• @SarahDotK Have a good break and we will miss you in reply to SarahDotK #
• @KimKnox That would liven proceedings up. Stay away from spires, Am-Dram and the plant stand. in reply to KimKnox #
• @simplychrista Thanks for not quite #ff in reply to simplychrista #
• Just out of curiosity seeing if I can do a 32 page version of #WiP #rpg #
• The answer is yes I can make a 32 page version but the #WiP is utterly brutalized in the process #

The tower on the Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool.

Another photograph taken on one of my lunchtime wanderings round Liverpool with my camera.  This one is of the  tower on the Municipal Buildings, Dale Street. The building was begun in 1860 by John Weightman and completed in 1866 by E.R. Robson. It’s Italian and French Renaissance influenced Northern Renaissance style are quite a contrast to the art deco structures of the Mersey Road Tunnel I posted last week. The central tower with balconies, clocks and five bells has a pyramidal spire. The spire has a wrought-iron balcony half-way down.

• @Danacea So how many sample Fez's are being ordered from your office today (or will you wait for the DW branded Fez)? in reply to Danacea #
• @Danacea lol Are you claiming a certain blue logo as your own too? in reply to Danacea #
• @greywulf Have you tried Combat Mission Beyond Overlord? Its a bit old and the controls take a bit of figuring out but its pretty good. in reply to greywulf #
• @greywulf There are two others in the series but I've not played them myself. Reports were they were ok. in reply to greywulf #
• Far too hot for XSLT if I was a larger drinker this would be the weather for an XXXXslt #
• @DanDiplo Like the new site in reply to DanDiplo #
• The rain is a wonderful relief from the heat but I'm struggling to find my way into the #WiP #
• @DanDiplo So I might have missed something using Mosaic then Seriously though looked good in Firefox & yes content is the killer… in reply to DanDiplo #
• @KimKnox You slept through the thunder then? in reply to KimKnox #
• Thunderstorm in the night woke me when it set off all the alarms near me but otherwise sounded very distant #
• With all the spy stuff in the US I'd really like to watch the brilliant BBC drama / comedy Sleepers again but still no UK DVD… #
• @Ian_Austin Have you checked down the back of the sofa for them? in reply to Ian_Austin #
• World Fez Cup ~ Semi Final Draw: Dr Who v Peter Lorre | The Shop Keeper (Mr Ben) v Tommy Cooper. Who are you backing? #
• @RowanLarke You can read how to make atom bombs at the library. Silent, soft, self closing devices are classified way above top secret in reply to RowanLarke #
• @Level30yinzer A Wand of Wander: those affected feel they need to go for a walk sometime when it's convenient #
• @Level30yinzer A vegetarian weapon of wounding that has a moral crisis whenever it causes damage #
• @Level30yinzer An Adam-Ant-Teen suit of armour that makes the wearer become a gushing teen fan of the 80s pop star #
• @jearle Next you'll be using it to build a better mouse trap in reply to jearle #
• @richeym 95% The cricket team tried to run interference for him earlier by crying "But we got a series wind on Sunday. Hello! Hello?" in reply to richeym #
• @NeilCFord Morning? Yes. Well at least in my timezone. Hard to tell on twitter. Think we ought to get a local time display under tweets. in reply to NeilCFord #
• @DanDiplo I'm not an ethicist but I suspect Schrodinger's Sportsperson experiments might be unethical. in reply to DanDiplo #
• The lead singer of the Beetles cover band playing on the hotel next door sounds drunk or he could be a bad Elvis impersonator… #
• The lead singer of the Beatles cover band playing on the hotel next door sounds drunk or he could be a bad Elvis impersonator… #
• Last Night's Blog Post: Speed – the Modern Mercury http://bit.ly/bbdhPR #
• @SarahDotK I've unfollowed people for flooding twitter but you're not in their league of 20+ tweets a minute so I'd not worry about it… in reply to SarahDotK #
• An hour wandering round the commercial bits of Liverpool with my camera. Should be at least one or two pictures for my blog. #
• @NeilCFord Not yet: I got a friendly nod & smile from 2 mounted officers & I think the same police car went by twice trying to get in shot in reply to NeilCFord #
• @SarahDarkmagic The only cursed item I've ever seen players like came with a big benefit so it was more of a moral dilemma in reply to SarahDarkmagic #
• @ghostwoods That would be one way to spice up a Halloween party in reply to ghostwoods #
• Just finished going through my photo from lunch time. Got some good shots. A few spoilt by lens flare. I'll go back when there are clouds. #
• New City Engine Indie price a lot more attractive. I think I'll wait for a better exchange rate http://bit.ly/dowbyG #
• New CityEngine Indie price a lot more attractive. I think I'll wait for a better exchange rate http://bit.ly/dowbyG #
• @BlackpuddleRock I believe those are lesser green wiggles. Oh you want there real name? Sorry can't help with that… in reply to BlackpuddleRock #
• @DanDiplo It put me somewhere completely wrong although at least it got the country right in reply to DanDiplo #
• @DanDiplo At least it didn't put me in Holand which used to happen when I was on Orange… in reply to DanDiplo #
• @grekwood When Ant and Deck present the early evening talent show version will it be the X-your-heart Factor? in reply to grekwood #
• Long line waiting for (I guess) iPhone 4 in Liverpool 1. #
• RT @deadorcs This is why Americans can't have nice things (note: I'm American): http://bit.ly/9Fw1Wx #
• @daneofwar As a one off with its tongue firmly in its cheek it could work. It would miss the DW's originality & it wouldn't last 50ish years in reply to daneofwar #
• @GeekyClean You tease in reply to GeekyClean #
• @thedeadone It was Americanizedish but I'd say they were quite restrained compared to how far they could have gone… in reply to thedeadone #
• @thedeadone Definitely. Although I have a soft spot for the '60s DW movies. I'm not for or against it really. I just liked the cartoon in reply to thedeadone #
• @thedeadone The one at the top of http://bit.ly/9Fw1Wx I meant to say Love the cartoon RT @deadorcs but lost my way in fitting it to 140 lol in reply to thedeadone #
• @simplychrista Thanks for the #ff #
• @garymurning Thanks for the #ff #
• @DanDiplo Does that make him the observer in the Schrodinger's sports event experiment? in reply to DanDiplo #
• @DanDiplo I'm sure a quick collection could get a nice spacious shipping container – the smallest box to hold his ego in reply to DanDiplo #
• A few different #ff for a change @Dicecreator @Thisangelbites @cimota @acrobatic_flea @garymurning @Ian_Austin @Chris68005 #
• Suddenly struck by inspiration for part of a short story I started awhile ago about an unusual pair of hit men… #
• @6violet9 Thanks for the #ff in reply to 6violet9 #
• Inspiration worth 1000ish words on hit men story. It's Friday night & I need to step away from the PC before it eats my soul. Goodnight. #
• @BlackpuddleRock I dumped lots of celebs & glorified news feeds to a list in January – real people are so much more interesting in reply to BlackpuddleRock #
• Lunch and then to watch Them on DVD as research for a Ragnarok article #
• Good progress today on article for Ragnarok but I'm running out of steam. #

Above the main door into the Georges Dock Ventilation Tower and Central Station is this statue: Speed – the Modern Mercury.  The relief in Portland Stone (one of my favourite construction materials) is seven meters tall including the base.  It was designed by Herbert J. Rowse and the sculptor was Edmund C. Thompson assisted by George T. Capstick.

It is just one of the details on the art deco structures of the Mersey Road Tunnel that show the egyptian styling Sir Basil Mott, J. A. Brodie and Herbert J. Rowse included in the designs.  For example each of the ventilation shafts takes the form of a stylised obelisk.  The tunnel was constructed between 1925 and 1934 during the Egyptian craze following Howard Carter’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

I have an incomplete Planet of Danger short story Dirk Dangerous and the Mummy that features a climax in the tunnel.

• @KimKnox Yeh! Gratz! in reply to KimKnox #
• Who do I need to bribe to get the common cold locked up in the Pandorica? #doctorwho #
• Hello Tweety RT @ghostwoods: GENIUS. Every Doctor re-imagined as owls: http://afx.cc/hoo #doctorhoo :: RG @nerdist RG @tavey #
• @xtamsynx lol I was just hunting for that tweet having seen it last night. If I'd waited 5 minutes you'd have saved me looking for it. Doh! in reply to xtamsynx #
• @KimKnox I can see them each on a T-shirt & a game at conventions being to get a line of people wearing them in the right order… in reply to KimKnox #
• That was supposed to be tonight's blog post. My clever idea of scheduling all the posts got tangled in a redirect that broke my site #
• @symatt That's like my need for gardening gloves. Somehow I can't persuade myself. in reply to symatt #
• @SarahDotK Disney were working on the twitter musical to add the lyric "Some Day My Tweets will Come" but its been postponed now… in reply to SarahDotK #
• @jearle Excellent. An hour wouldn't have been long enough to visit the butterfly house at Williamson Park. in reply to jearle #
• @chooseadventure Its a good day for vampires that like a long lie in in reply to chooseadventure #
• 60 spam comments to my blog today (none made it) 30 push links on green terms to an oil slick screen scraped news site with lots of ads #
• @6d6Fireball That must be going round. I was struggling for ideas for posts then last week I suddenly got a list of 5 I want to do… in reply to 6d6Fireball #
• @antallan Na. The Valeyard is going to turn up and insist on a proper trial before they lock The Doctor up in reply to antallan #
• RT @mistygirlph: Sexy Skeletons in High Heels – Photography Inspiration http://ow.ly/21CCw #
• @deadorcs No: roll on the table. If I was going to use one I'd be tempted to build one myself as I've some excellent plans for marble towers in reply to deadorcs #
• Checking a set of standards for web sites I realised the site that holds them doesn't meet their own requirement for friendly urls… #
• @revlazaro Probably the safest set of pin up images you could use for a desktop in reply to revlazaro #
• Tonight I will mostly be experimenting with Texture Convertor 2 for the first time. #
• @MoonWolf95 Thanks for the warning – I think I've got it figured out. Seems best not to watch it too closely in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• New Picture Post: Georges Dock Ventilation Tower art deco Liver Bird
  http://bit.ly/bWRfBK #
• @simplychrista At least its nice and easy to do the update in reply to simplychrista #
• @call_me_salome Are you listening to Pink Floyd's comfortably numb? in reply to call_me_salome #
• @greywulf I'd put it up there with Fly me off the Handel… http://bit.ly/boPg29 in reply to greywulf #
• @call_me_salome Just thought I'd check in reply to call_me_salome #
• @jearle Does that rate a congratulations or a sorry to hear that? in reply to jearle #
• @richard_iorio I'd swap you this heat for a bit of your rain – a light drizzle nothing heavy in reply to richard_iorio #
• @richard_iorio We have the heat and the humidity without the rain but its gone very close the last couple of hours in reply to richard_iorio #
• @Danacea That could be very useful for my alt history novel too thanks in reply to Danacea #
• @buffybot85 As long as the team don't lie down during it you should be OK in reply to buffybot85 #
• @joannastar There ought to be a hash tag for doing our bit for the economy instead of the football in reply to joannastar #
• If Kafka wrote @chooseadventure books ~ Turn to page 101: You are a Cockroach #
• Was that echoing rumble a goal? #
• @GeekyLyndsay It is struggling a bit although I'd not say 56K except for the images… in reply to GeekyLyndsay #
• Don't need to listen to the game on the radio I can hear it echoing from all the pubs near our office when exciting things happen #
• @GeekyLyndsay If I was making suggestions without knowing how the site works I'd suggest combining CSS files, reducing redirections… in reply to GeekyLyndsay #
• @GeekyLyndsay … Use the new asynchronous Google Analytics code and minify CSS, JS and HTML … #
• @GeekyLyndsay …. most importantly not scaling images with html could save 4.5MB on your homepage. #
• @GeekyLyndsay My appologies I scanned too quickly your GA code is the asynchronous version so thats good in reply to GeekyLyndsay #
• @GeekyLyndsay That's the big one to fix so if you sort that out it should be a lot better. The other things are tiny by comparison. in reply to GeekyLyndsay #
• @GeekyLyndsay Just checked in on a computer it wasn't cached on and it seems very good now in reply to GeekyLyndsay #
• Too hot and full of cold to face #WiP #
• And today I will mostly be working with… Umbraco / XSLT #
• Newly released GCHQ files: UKUSA Agreement & Cold War intelligence http://bit.ly/b9GjeP #
• @PenguinBooks Calm down or teacher will send you for to lie down for a bit of quiet time on the reading mat in reply to PenguinBooks #
• @KimKnox 1 iRing to rule them all, 1 iRing to find them, 1 iRing to bring them all & in the darkness (contractually) bind them in reply to KimKnox #
• RIP Alan Plater – A Very British Coup is one of my favourite adaptions http://bit.ly/bz1OWw #
• Picture Post: Georges Dock Ventilation Tower art deco Liver Bird http://bit.ly/bWRfBK #
• @grahamwalmsley Is it a constant hiss or only when you speak? And I'm not being rude although that could sound rude #
• @GeekyClean Morning. in reply to GeekyClean #
• @grahamwalmsley Sorry I don't know Cakewalk I use Audacity. I'd been going to say check for mains buzz or fan noise if it was constant. in reply to grahamwalmsley #
• @grahamwalmsley Cool. What was it? in reply to grahamwalmsley #
• Really nice Lapwing photographs taken by a friend of mine… http://bit.ly/d0FV4R #
• @Chris68005 Thanks for the #ff in reply to Chris68005 #
• @ghostwoods Thanks for the #ff in reply to ghostwoods #
• @6violet9 Thanks for the #ff in reply to 6violet9 #
• @call_me_salome Thanks for the #ff it wasn't me the imps escape sometimes: I've had words with the guards. in reply to call_me_salome #
• @simplychrista Thanks for the #ff in reply to simplychrista #
• Sharp and blunt implements applied to garden mostly by brute force. Time to exercise my brain a bit now… #
• Daleks in a museum love it #
• Dom da dom. Dom da dom… #DoctorWho #
• What is Matt Smith wearing in NY on confidential? Anyone who hates the bow tie should be glad he doesn't pick his own costume #
• @MoonWolf95 lol in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• Feel (almost) human today so opening the #RPG #WiP #
• @TrapCast_Jenn Is the other one Western? in reply to TrapCast_Jenn #
• @call_me_salome Unfortunately he'd be playing for Wales #worldcup in reply to call_me_salome #
• If we don't get goal mouth cameras now… #
• @richeym They should go for Sepp Blatter and FIFA first in reply to richeym #
• A couple of tweaks to my website. Might recode it into HTML5 this summer. #
• At least we can win at cricket… #
• @deadorcs 140 chars won't be enough for me to explain it. Look at it this way: its an excellent backdrop to a 1 to 5 days of drinking in reply to deadorcs #
• @deadorcs Three pints might be just enough to explain it lol in reply to deadorcs #
• @greywulf Is the Guardian not fact checking on Sunday? Comment is free: research & editing cost. Are they still in the pub after the game? in reply to greywulf #
• @MoonWolf95 To misquote Jim Steinman's lyrics for Meat Loaf "One Out Of Three Ain’t Bad" in reply to MoonWolf95 #
• @richeym The two guys who have to operate the cameras suspended above the goals are not so keen but everyone else wants goal line tech in reply to richeym #
• Started and finished a 3 page chapter for the #WiP #rpg today. The list keeps getting shorter. Yeh! #