Mod for rocket day

Mod for rocket day, originally uploaded by epredator.

Here is my rocket mod for rocket day. A radio controlled disk propeller, no steering, but with the cardboard rocket bolted on top.
It flew ok in the field :-) Though home testing afterward broke it.


Without the weight it flys much better :-)

Rocket - Check those production values

Rocket, originally uploaded by epredator.

We are having the second (not quite so annual as it was about 4 years ago) rocket launching work event with the Hursley Emerging Tech crew.
I am going for the most unusual category, not the most technically accomplished.
I had to do a last minute bit of changing the way I was approaching this bit of fun. The rocket I bought and was going to custom up turned out to be one that needed solid fuel motors. It was a cheap rocket, but clearly not in the rules of this particular event.
So it was poster paint, stickers and a toilet roll insert to the ready.
This is a component of the top secret approach that will be revealed this afternoon.

GTAIV Special Edition

GTAIV Special Edition, originally uploaded by epredator.

Its here, its good. can't type need to explore.
Yes alright its just a game, but having been a game player since the late 70's they have to be very special events to get this excited about.
This one is an event, it is a very very impressive piece of work, but it is also a very expressive environment to explore.
The early parts are really training missions, you have to do those to get the thing to open up even more.
For all the swearing and violence its the carry on style innendo that gets me laughing. The adverts and the tv stations in the apartment. Priceless, well written and completely tongue in cheek.
Not one for the predlets though not too shocking for regular adults I would say :-)

We7 regional lockout

I was happy to see that we7.com seems to have started to break some of the insane restrictive practice of many of the record companies. Having a mix of buy the track or get the track for free plus an advert, in non DRM mp3 format makes sense to me. Downloading tracks is a bit like radio but with choice. Even the non somercial radios spend a while advertizing their gigs and shows.
The minor problem (that they do admit) is the stupid things of "this song is not avaulable in you region). The restrictive practice plagues the games industry. Trying to force some element of zoning on the world to maximize a fake revenue stream at the expense of the customer. When product was physical and had to be manufactured and shipped it made sense that there was a limit to how many units of x, y or z you could deliver. In the long tail of digital content it makes no difference. All it does is annoy customers (in a bad way not a generation of demand way).
If I was an artists I woudl be saying, hell no just let anyone buy my stuff wherever they are.
Still I am sure the powers that be have a much better handle on this than me.
I hope we7 are succesful as they (backed by peter garbriel) seem to be on the side of the conten creators, the artists. They are the ones I want to pay, and I am happy to pay for good stuff.