The Official Nonsense Thread

[Caspin]

Yay I have successfully reached Portsmouth and have checked into a Fawlty Towers-style hotel for an authentic seaside experience. They have a wifi "cloud" that appears to work and is marginally faster than dial-up used to be.

[Ollie]

Is the wifi free?

[Caspin]

It is free. Slow, but free. Took a looooooooong time to download my emails this morning but I shouldn't complain so much, it's fine for my purposes.

Had a truly weird shower this morning. There are zero ways to angle the shower to avoid it hitting me directly in the face!

[Ollie]

http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/08/22/ha...-two-souls

Why is Hans Zimmer involved with (almost) everything that I love?

[Minty]

(23-08-2013 07:49 AM)Caspin Wrote:  It is free. Slow, but free. Took a looooooooong time to download my emails this morning but I shouldn't complain so much, it's fine for my purposes.

Had a truly weird shower this morning. There are zero ways to angle the shower to avoid it hitting me directly in the face!

I remember many years ago being stuck in the Marriott when we were doing the Royal Highland Show at Ingleston (now there's a source for a few tales!). The showers in there were more like French riot police water cannons, & the Travel Lodges used to be the same. You got used to them after a while & in high summer they were a Godsend after being out on a very hot day.

(23-08-2013 08:01 AM)Ollie Wrote:  http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/08/22/ha...-two-souls

Why is Hans Zimmer involved with (almost) everything that I love?

I have been tempted so many times to try out one of the Assassin's Creed games but never have, usually because I was already playing something I enjoyed a lot. Now it appears the series has jumped the shark (according to the reviews for that last game) so not sure I ever will.

[Caspin]

Ah, Assassin's Creed. It is something played in my house and my brother likes it too. The last game was a bit pants but the earlier ones set in Italy were quite pretty.

Today was a lot of fun. I went to the Historic Dockyard here in Portsmouth and saw the Mary Rose in its new museum and also went round the Victory. Really interesting, especially the Mary Rose. I was only about 5 when they finally managed to raise her from the seabed so I don't remember all the hype, but I have read a few books about it and am interested in the science involved in its conservation. They have been spraying the whole ship with polyethylene glycol for the last 20 years so that all the timber will be waxed and preserved. In the meantime they salvaged a lot of skeletons and artefacts and did conservation work on them too. Now there's a fantastic museum built around the whole lot. It will take the next four years for the timber to dry.

As usual I have a tonne of facts in my head right now but I will try to keep them contained. If you want to know more look here: http://www.maryrose.org

Also I had a go with a long bow and managed to not completely fudge it up, so I hope you're suitably proud of me!

Tomorrow I'll be getting the ferry to the Isle of Wight, where I hope the shower will be less aggressive!

[Caspin]

Greetings from the Isle of Wight! Am staying somewhere incredibly beautiful and blissfully quiet, but the house is so old that the plumbing is crazy so I am still struggling with totally bonkers showers. Also there is barely any phone reception never mind wifi. The good news for you guys is that I will be prohibited from bombarding you with too much chat.

[Minty]

(23-08-2013 05:53 PM)Caspin Wrote:  Ah, Assassin's Creed. It is something played in my house and my brother likes it too. The last game was a bit pants but the earlier ones set in Italy were quite pretty.

Today was a lot of fun. I went to the Historic Dockyard here in Portsmouth and saw the Mary Rose in its new museum and also went round the Victory. Really interesting, especially the Mary Rose. I was only about 5 when they finally managed to raise her from the seabed so I don't remember all the hype, but I have read a few books about it and am interested in the science involved in its conservation. They have been spraying the whole ship with polyethylene glycol for the last 20 years so that all the timber will be waxed and preserved. In the meantime they salvaged a lot of skeletons and artefacts and did conservation work on them too. Now there's a fantastic museum built around the whole lot. It will take the next four years for the timber to dry.

As usual I have a tonne of facts in my head right now but I will try to keep them contained. If you want to know more look here: http://www.maryrose.org

Also I had a go with a long bow and managed to not completely fudge it up, so I hope you're suitably proud of me!

Tomorrow I'll be getting the ferry to the Isle of Wight, where I hope the shower will be less aggressive!

If you ever get the chance to get a copy of the book "The Great Longbow", do so (be warned, the hardback edition is a beast in size - like one of Hermione Grainger's pieces of light bedtime reading!), Written by Robert Hardy (the actor & expert in just about everything) & his mate Professor Matthew Strickland (who's a dead ringer for Eric Idle, whom he was at Cambridge Uni with along with the rest of the Monty Python team!) - the latter was my old medieval history professor & all round utter genius.

He started a graduating for honours class in his first year as a uni tutor called "War, Chivalry & Lordship" that after only the first year became the most oversubscribed in the Medieval History department. I'd only done modern history up until that time & his class taught me how much the medieval world mattered. He was on telly for the recent Hundred Years War series on the BBC - really he ought to be on TV more often, but he always seemed to be up to his eyeballs researching & coming up with new research so I guess he only does it when interested.

Longbows are great fun. The professional archers in the English army could loose off six arrows in a minute - compare this to the 19th century armies with muskets who could only do three rounds a minute at best.

[Caspin]

Maybe I should do another degree, in History this time. So many wonderful stories. Actually no, I don't think I could afford to do a degree these days! Just have to stick to reading and going on educational holidays, which is really not so bad at all.

Today went to Carisbrook Castle, where Charlie I was imprisoned prior to having his head lopped off. His bedroom was rather nice - lovely views!

In the last few days I have walked up and down hundreds of old stone steps, over bridleways and over hills. My knees will never forgive me! Going to go and eat a ton of Spanish food now, with plenty of olive oil to lubricate my poor creaky joints.

[Caspin]

Yay I am home! Today I have used five methods of transport (if you include feet). Now I have a massive amount of laundry and an empty fridge to deal with. Oh yes, and the small matter of work. Urgh!

At least here the broadband is speedy and reliable and the shower is not totally insane!