James Pond 2: Robocod

This game is annoying, but I love it. It’s a very colourful platformer to the point that its background screens make you wonder if you’re having a psychotic episode. It’s a basic platformer set in Santa’s workshop and each level contains a variety of toy-themed rooms. There’s random objects to collect which gives you random points; though there’s little purpose in these other than high score bragging rights. The levels are deviously fiendish and you really have to watch your step, but there’s tons of hidden bonus features. There’s also some inte3resting music which can be toe-tapping at times and annoying if you’re struggling to climb to the top of the screen for the umpteenth time. I do miss the Amiga version where one burst from the disk drive would load the game in its entirety and in tune to the music as well. There’s also the little mermaid cheat where you can summon vehicles to your will.

The Fifth Beatle

I had absolutely no idea that there was an original drummer in the fab four. In modern day bands people come and go to the point that the original members have been replaced completely. I first thought that it must have been a bit of a shock to George Martin that he was being replaced, and perhaps a sense of jealousy would occur or a case put forward regarding copyright. But to be fair to him, he did recognise when he was bested, and it was great to see him carry on as a producer. Had he remained in the band, the group’s vocals would have been much more humourous albeit at a slower pace in keeping in their mainstream music of the sixties. But I’m surprised that there’s no publicity of this former Beatle or more emphasis on which recordings are his and which belong to Ringo. I suppose that today the entire repertoire has been replaced and owning a George Martin track is very rare.

City of the Future #dreamdiary 55

I’m in future Warwick! I’ve been helping to set up a new store, and the people are friendly here. Every morning I’ve called into the local police station which is based at the top of a multi-storey car park; and they’ve dropped me off outside the store. Today it’s my day off and my parents have come to see me, so we’ve decided to visit the castle. It’s hard to find as the city has been submerged by a gigantic shopping centre; but eventually we ascend a huge staircase. At the top is a stone wall which has collapsed into the moat. We watch as a bald man with tufts of brown hair in a green sweater vest gets too close to the slope and tumbles into the water. Later on, we cut across a field in the grounds and discover that we’ve somehow managed to exit the castle premises. We need to return to watch a live outdoor show that we’ve paid extra for; but we can’t work out how we’ve exited or how to get back in without paying again to get through the turnstile. The gateman just said no. Eventually we ascend a series of staircases into the grounds, but there’s only ten minutes before the show starts and my parents are getting tired.

Down in the Docks

It’s great that these working docks have been preserved. There’s not much industry to observe nowadays apart from the opportunities created by tourism but you can still picture a world of trade taking place across the harbour. The warehouse has now been converted into retail units, a hotel, and many museums, some of which have free admission; but within them the original fixtures such as the iron girders, pulleys and bulkhead doors have been preserved. It also retains its original archways and walkways. It’s very picturesque to walk around and there’s always something happening within the grounds. It’s also a shame that they got rid of the floating weather map used for ITV’s This Morning. The Liverpool arena is just on the other side alongside the Liverpool wheel; and across the river modern continues on on a bigger scale as modern warships are constructed in an area which has much more room for its purpose. It’s all very peaceful. I wonder if they get any skinny dippers in the summer?

The risk-taker

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

It’s time to try new things. For too long, I’ve been putting things off and each day I face the same old story. I need to change drastically. I will become very stuck if I let things continue. Every day I let too many tasks get unaccomplished. Am I pushing myself too much? Or am I afraid of not doing enough by avoiding conflict and not taking enough risks? I think that the discover phase is over apart from my personal life; I just need to buckle down and get on with my to-do list rather than sit indoors and do the same old things. After all, I’m used to being let down by now. They say that life is more surprising if you don’t plan so that more exciting things will happen to you. Well, it’s not working out so far, so I need to devise a better plan and stick to it. That way, I won’t be disappointed.

Holiday Inn Express on Albert Docks, Liverpool

This hotel is one of the most interesting places that I’ve stayed at and I’d definitely stay again. It’s hidden away on the corner and it’s almost cave-like in the ground lobby. A nice large reception is on the first floor, and there’s a bar overlooking the docks, while on the other side of the room is a breakfast area looking out onto the Mersey. We had to wait for our room to be ready as they were behind schedule but they gave us vouchers for a complimentary drink while we waited. We had a lovely clean plush room and there was plenty of tea and coffee. There wasn’t much of a wait for the lift, but there’s also stairs for busier periods. Breakfast was fantastic; a great selection of freshly cooked items and you could help yourself as much as you wanted. The hotel is a five-minute walk to the inner centre; and there’s hardly any noise from the adjacent busy road.

Is LinkedIn any good?

At first glance, LinkedIn seems to be a Facebook for business people. You add the few colleagues that you know, and maybe read a few articles that it sends you via email. There’s some occasional interesting insights; though many focus on companies that I’ve never heard of and their strategies and stock results. Occasionally you find out that a friend of yours has made a new business connection; though what it has to do with you I’ve no idea. Maybe it’s through you, or maybe there’s an opportunity that you can exploit. There’s also a hidden section on taking courses to improve your skills. Many of these courses require a monthly fee; though there’s the occasional freebie if you’re quick. But it may as well be a job advertising site; though most employers prefer to use it as a link to their own job site so that they have more control over searching for the attributes that they’re looking for.