Michael Sheard Has Died

Actor Michael Sheard, best known for playing teacher Mr Bronson in long-running children's TV drama Grange Hill in the 1980s, has died aged 65. Sheard gained wider fame as Admiral Ozzel in 1980 Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back. His other films included Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - one of a string of appearances as Adolf Hitler - and he was a regular guest in Doctor Who. His agent said he had cancer and died at home on the Isle of Wight. [More]


I first came to know Michael's work in the many Doctor Who roles, including 'Pyramids of Mars' (above). As noted in the BBC story above he was Admiral Ozzel in SW Ep V: Empire Strikes Back, if you can't remember him, he was the one who received a promotion after Darth Vader force-chokes another Admiral over video phone. Sheard also had a small but memorable role as Adolf Hitler in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. His last Doctor Who appearance was as a Dalek controlled human (appointed at Coal Hill School) in 'Remembrance of the Daleks'. He will be missed...

...Watch 'Pyramids of Mars' on DVD tonight.

Wizard of Oz ruby slippers stolen

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz have been stolen from a museum in Minnesota. The pair, insured for $1m (£560,000), is one of four sets used in the film. The slippers were taken at the weekend when a thief entered the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids through a window and broke into a display case. [More]

10 Years is 87600 Minutes*

*(Or 10950 bytes if you are 1337)

Please ignore the above if you AREN'T a geek. Anyway, a little less than 3 weeks until my 10 year high school reunion. And while I've been one of the people helping out with arranging things, setting up a reunion website and posting pictures, I'm not entirely sure I'm THAT excited about going...I mean..I'd love to see some people..I could do without seeing others. I guess I'm being just my usual anti-social self in saying this...who knows. I will be nice to see a lot of these people...it's funny when I was calling some of them letting them know about it, it seemed some were not too fond of being reminded about how old they are getting..

'Hello, this is your wake-up call to remind you that you are no longer the youth generation, you are no longer considered hot, hip, trendy or cool. You may be getting fat, white hair (or losing it all together) and hair in odd places. Oh and yes, lets get together with other people from your youth to really bring home the fact that you are almost thirty...have a nice day'



Ah well, I'll quote from one of the best films on the subject Gross Pointe Blank.

'Everybody's coming back to take stock of their lives. You know what I say? Leave your livestock alone.'

Sold! Vendu!

So the sold sign is out on the house we bought this past week. It's a bit odd visiting a house you own but aren't really allowed into. The family currently living in it were away for the weekend, so they didn't think we were stalkers, but my mother in law still wanted to check the place out..so we snooped around just a little bit. Well...that's that :)

Home...Home on the Range....

Ok so my wife and I just bought a house..it's an odd feeling, the more 'adult' I become the more of a child I want to be.

Anyways...with the new house comes new expenses

Fridge
Stove
Dining Room Set
Couches
Carpets
etc..
etc...
etc....

Any donations would be most welcome :)

Digital Fortress

I just finished Dan Brown's 'Digital Fortress', one of the books he wrote prior to his hugely successful 'The Da Vinci Code'.


In most thrillers, "hardware" consists of big guns, airplanes, military vehicles, and weapons that make things explode. Dan Brown has written a thriller for those of us who like our hardware with disc drives and who rate our heroes by big brainpower rather than big firepower. It's an Internet user's spy novel where the good guys and bad guys struggle over secrets somewhat more intellectual than just where the secret formula is hidden--they have to gain understanding of what the secret formula actually is.

In this case, the secret formula is a new means of encryption, capable of changing the balance of international power. Part of the fun is that the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. You'll find yourself better understanding the political battles over such real-life technologies as the Clipper Chip and PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software even though the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction.

Although there's enough globehopping in this book for James Bond, the real battleground is cyberspace, because that's where the "bomb" (or rather, the new encryption algorithm) will explode. Yes, there are a few flaws in the plot if you look too closely, but the cleverness and the sheer fun of it all more than make up for them. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and a lot of high, gee-whiz-level information about encryption, code breaking, and the role they play in international politics. Set aside the whole afternoon and evening for it and have finger food on hand for supper--you may want to read this one straight through.

Ok I cheated...this is Amazon.com's review...but it's a good one!

Lordy Lordy..Look Who's 4

Click for more images

I went to my cousin's 4th birthday party...this little lady is one of the CUTEST kids I've ever seen. She is really something special...take a look at the pics above...kids parties rock.

Everything Is Illuminated Trailer

A young Jewish American man endeavors to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II in a Ukrainian village, that was ultimately razed by the Nazis, with the help of a local who speaks weirdly funny broken English. [More]


Leave Normal Behind

Ok...Where Have I Been?

I really need to update this blogsite. Problem is I update and maintain more websites that a hyperactive teenager on sugar...but still..I know..this is my only 'personal' site and I really should keep it more updated.

We finally have our wedding photos, or at least the proofs..I'll be scanning them in and adding them to the wedding section soon. They really came out quite nice...despite the 900C heat that day. The next step is the video...that is something I'm REALLY looking foreword to.

Besides that I got myself a new computer...but it hasn't arrived yet. When it's all said and done I'll be working off a massive server and workstation with 2 monitors, DVD capabilities, a laser printer, a scanner, VCR and TV input I'm invincible! Muhahahaha!!

I'm also working on (and I use that term loosely) the PCHS Class of 1995 10 year high school reunion. So far we've managed to get 50 or so of the grads contacted..but it is a tough thing to organize.

I'll try to keep you updated on what I've been reading/watching/listening to on one of the side links...because I know you're interested....laters!