Posted 2:43 PM by Adam
This weekend is very important as European leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss the proposed European constitution. In honour of which, here's a Europe quiz. One question for each of the fifteen member countries.

1. In which country is there a statue of Molly Malone?
2. In which country is Mannekin Piss (a staue of a urinating boy)?
3. In which country does a statue of a mermaid keep losing it's head?
4. In which country does a 'temporary' structure built in 1889 still stand?
5. In which country are they still building a nineteenth century cathedral?
6. In which country was the capital city not built in a day?
7. In which country did Hadrian build a wall?
8. In which country did some communists build a wall?
9. In which country do walls keep out the sea?
10. In which country could you find Port in a storm?
11. In which country is the capital city built on fourteen islands?
12. In which country are there over 2,000 islands?
13. In which country are there over 180,000 lakes?
14. In which country is there less than 500,000 people?
15. In which country is The Third Man?

Posted 2:29 PM by Adam
You know what I think? I think we should visit methinks and see what she thinks.

Posted 9:59 AM by Adam
Last night somebody stole our rubbish bins. Landlady Mary is not happy as we'll have to buy some new bins. I'm just curious as to why they also stole our rubbish.

Posted 3:37 PM by Adam
Alternative collective nouns.

1. a gang of geese
2. a pod of buses
3. a tide of pedestrians
4. a party of penguins
5. a drift of clouds
6. a feast of cannibals
7. a bunch of clowns
8. a symphony of songbirds
9. a vacuum of celebrities
10. a scrum of shoppers

Posted 11:25 AM by Adam
As I was making my third cup of coffee this morning I noticed the sugar bowl was empty. Being the civic minded person I am I decided to refill it. I got a packet of sugar from the cupboard, I opened it and then proceeded to pour the contents into my coffee cup instead of the sugar bowl which was next to it.

How everyone laughed.

Posted 9:56 AM by Adam
Wednesday night football report.

Lyon 3-2 Celtic

I am gutted. Downstairs Sally said it wasn't the end of the world but I'm not so sure.

Posted 3:48 PM by Adam
Novelty items in this year's Christmas lunch crackers.

1. skittles
2. speed boat
3. yo-yo
4. water pistol ring (with squirrel or sheep design)
5. racing car
6. spinning top

I received (1) but really wanted (2) or (4) - with squirrel design.

Posted 2:55 PM by Adam
Visitor number 3,500 arrived while I was at Christmas lunch. I can safely say it was the other Adam whose pivotal role in some of the major turning points in history appears to be greatly understated.

Posted 10:32 AM by Adam
Local newspaper headline.

History goes up in flames.

So that's it then.

Posted 9:26 AM by Adam
What the women behind me were talking about on the bus on the way to work.

1. Christmas plans
2. their mothers
3. charity donations
4. parking fines
5. the limits of car ownership
6. yoga classes
7. youth clubs
8. soft drinks
9. meeting for coffee
10. bus timetable

What I was thinking on the bus on the way to work.

Shake it, shake it
Shake it, shake it
Shake it, shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Posted 4:46 PM by Adam
Other things that rock.

1. cradles
2. ships
3. trains
4. earthquakes
5. rocks

Posted 3:07 PM by Adam
I'd like to thank Brian, Robin and Claire for their effusive fusion film efforts.

You all rock.

Posted 11:22 AM by Adam
The squirrels outside are putting on an impressive gymnastic display. Leaping from branch to branch, scurrying about and frolicking in the bright winter sun in an exhausting manner that makes me feel so very tired.

Posted 6:06 PM by Adam
Looks like there's trouble in Toytown as Noddy is attacked by Basil Brush.

Posted 2:18 PM by Adam
Five Fusion films.

Gone with the Wind in the Willows
Ratty and Mole's riverside life is turned upside down by civil war.

Maid in Manhattan Murder Mystery
Woody Allen and J. Lo. In New York.

Licence to Kill a Mockingbird
James Bond goes undercover to investigate the mysterious Boo Radley.

The Empire Strikes Back to the Future
Marty and Luke take on some storm troopers and get back in time for the school dance.

Independence Day of the Jackal
Aliens try to assassinate Charles de Gaulle.

Posted 1:29 PM by Adam
Stupid pub conversations. Part 3.

Airplanes use up a lot of fossil fuels to overcome the force of gravity. They burn fuel to go up, to stay up and to come down in some sort of controlled manner. So instead of using resources to counter gravity why not use gravity? If we could drill a parabolic tunnel between, say London and Tokyo, and drop a capsule it would accelerate at a rate up to the force of gravity. Friction and the angle of incline would reduce this acceleration but it would still be very fast. Once the capsule got to the bottom of the parabolic curve inertia would keep it going up the second half of the tunnel, like rolling a marble in a bath tub. Of course, some extra propulsion would be required to get up to or near the surface and you'd have to get the maths right otherwise the capsule would go back and forth and eventually settle at the bottom of the tunnel. Digging the tunnels and reducing friction are obviously very difficult, very problematic and very expensive - but then that's what they first said about building railways. But in principle, if not in reality, you may be able to travel long distances very fast by working with gravity rather than working against it.

Yes, I know this is very silly.

Posted 9:25 AM by Adam
The little black cat from next door came to visit this morning. It was meowing and pawing at the glass kitchen door as I ate breakfast. It was kind of cute, but I'm glad none of my other neighbours do that.