GoodReads.com

Posted: 14th June 2010 by Dugie in Books

what is goodreads?
Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. We have more than 3,300,000 members who have added more than 98,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they’ve read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. Goodreads was launched in December 2006.

our mission
Goodreads’ mission is to get people excited about reading. Along the way, we plan to improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world.

why we do it
Let’s make reading fun again. Somehow, reading books seems to have gotten a bad rap. People are working too hard and not making time to read, people are watching TV because they can veg out and turn their brains off—hey, we feel it too! But every once in a while you run into a friend who tells you about this “great new book I’m reading.” And suddenly you’re excited to read it. It’s that kind of excitement that Goodreads is all about.

how we do it
Most book recommendation websites work by listing random people’s reviews. On Goodreads, when a person adds a book to the site, all their friends can see what they thought of it. It’s common sense. People are more likely to get excited about a book their friend recommends than a suggestion from a stranger. Our members also create trivia about books, lists of the best books, post their own writing and form groups and book clubs.

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To follow me on  goodreads and see what books i am currently reading or have read click here.

NIKE WRITE THE FUTURE – FULL LENGTH VERSION

Posted: 26th May 2010 by Dugie in Misc

England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise selections in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad.

Uncapped duo Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson are in, along with Dawson’s Tottenham team-mate Tom Huddlestone.

Jamie Carragher comes out of international retirement, while fellow defender Ledley King and the injured Gareth Barry have also been picked.

Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock and Darren Bent are chosen, with the final 23-man squad to be announced by 1 June.

Under Fifa regulations, Capello is permitted to bring players into his 23-man squad who were not included in the preliminary party.

But that would be an unusual move, meaning the squad he takes to this summer’s finals in South Africa is unlikely to look too dissimilar to that which he has already named.

England play Mexico at Wembley on 24 May and Japan in Austria six days later as part of a pre-tournament training camp.

That will provide Capello with time to work with a much-changed squad and put the finishing touches to his preparations.

The Italian has included 23-year-old Joe Hart among his three goalkeepers after the Manchester City player enjoyed an outstanding season on loan at Birmingham.

Like Hart, left-backs Leighton Baines of Everton and Warnock of Aston Villa have one senior cap to their names and are graduate of the England Under-21 side.
But the big news in defence surrounds the return of versatile Liverpool defender Carragher, who appeared at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup before retiring in the summer of 2007.

“The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems,” said the 32-year-old former England Under-21 captain who won his first senior cap in April 1999. ” I said I would make myself available.

“The World Cup and Champions League are the highest levels of football. I’m not getting any younger, we have no Champions League football (at Liverpool) next season and I am keen to work under Fabio Capello.”

Despite a chronic knee problem, King’s selection had been predicted in some quarters and it would appear the Tottenham captain’s form in helping his club finish fourth in the Premier League helped influence Capello.

“I am really happy because he played four games in 15 days,” the Italian said on Monday.

Dawson, King’s centre-half partner at White Hart Lane, has been rewarded for a tremendous season and will hope to now add some senior caps to his 13 Under-21 appearances.

There was plenty of speculation over whether Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole would be selected but the 28-year-old has bounced back impressively from cruciate knee ligament damage and a poor run of form.

Capello’s other midfield options include the fit-again Aaron Lennon of Tottenham, Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips of Manchester City.
More to follow.

England’s 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals:

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green.

Defenders: Leighton Baines, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock.

Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Forwards: Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.

kt tunstall – black horse and the cherry tree

Posted: 29th April 2010 by Dugie in Videos

One of the best performances i have seen for a long time. Lots of loops and live recording while she plays guitar and sings. This is a must watch.

Comments welcome :)

Sea Fever – BBC 4 Documentary

Posted: 28th April 2010 by Dugie in Documentary

The three programmes in the series – For Those In Peril, The Joy of the Sea and Gone Fishing – use home movies and amateur films, much of it never before seen on television, to tell the story of our relationship with the sea in the 20th century.

We experienced the sea in that century for either work or pleasure and when we got into trouble it was the men and women of the rescue services who helped us out. The three programmes encompass these themes; wonderful film archive of long-board surfing, shot in Cornwall in the 1920s by north London Jewish teenagers, the lives of a herring fishermen family from Peterhead in the 1950′s and the astonishing film record of a dramatic air sea rescue off the Cornish coast in the 1960′s are some of the highlights.

TV Schedule
Tuesday the 4th, 11th and 18th May – 9PM

Website
www.availablelight.tv

Avatar Yourself

Posted: 26th April 2010 by Dugie in Misc

Seen Avatar, the James Cameron movie? Can’t wait to become an avatar yourself and look like one of the blue-skinned, green-eyed humanoid species of the Na’vi tribe living on Pandora? Then here’s your chance. The official Avatarize Yourself generator allows you to upload your picture and get Avatarized. You can also choose between different Pandora-staged backgrounds, and even change your gender (yikes!).

Click here to avatar yourself !!

Or you can go to the extreme like this guy !!!!

PS: That is not me in the image ;)

Lady Gaga – Telephone (Official Explicit Version)

Posted: 23rd April 2010 by Dugie in Videos

Ok this women gets more and more wierd by the minute. How she comes out with the mad outfits and videos i will never know !

Happy St George’s Day

Posted: 23rd April 2010 by Dugie in Misc

Happy St Georges Day !!!!

Saint George (ca. 275/281 – 23 April 303) was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier and priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on 23 April, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints.
Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Fakiha, Bteghrine, Cáceres (Spain), Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Gozo, Milan, Pomorie, Preston, Salford, Qormi, Rio de Janeiro, Lod, Barcelona and Moscow, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations, and disease sufferers.

More information can be found here.

Just a quick reminder that the new season of the Deadliest catch starts tonight on the Discovery channel at 21:00.

Click here for my post about series 6.

Enjoy

Stalker Complete 2009

Posted: 8th April 2010 by Dugie in S.T.A.L.K.E.R Series

Hello again, after completing S.T.A.L.K.E.R Shadow of Chernobyl i stumbled upon a mod for the original game. In short this is the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. like you’ve never seen before, with updated graphics and added functionality that don’t change the original story or gameplay. The game hasn’t been changed beyond recognition, but rather enhanced while preserving the core elements that made it the unique experience is it.

What makes this mod different?
It was designed by professional graphic artists with rich experience in the field, following industry standards for creating interactive 3D environments. It features artistic works and modifications from many community members unified under one art direction. The game has been redesigned with new visual qualities, and is offered as one convenient, complete package to reach a user base beyond the modding community. This mod has been created with a thought of bringing the beautiful and immersive game of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl from the previous generation when it was created to an up-to-date experience you’d expect from games currently being developed.

The following list details the carefully chosen collection of technically advanced and aesthetically brilliant modifications that were created by talented modders, concept artists, and programmers over the past two years. They are meant to technically and artistically enhance the original feel and atmosphere the developers meant you to experience, without compromising it in the process. You’ll notice every single detail has been retouched and has a polished feel to it. This is ideal for first time players or people who finished the game in the past and now are coming back to replay it on newer, more powerful hardware on improved resolution and graphics.

There are many changes within this mod but my favourite has to be the weather. Here is a list of weather changes.

  • Natural multi-phase day and night transition, based on daily observations, photographs and studies by artists from Dolgov Studio.
  • Vast distant views, creating large open world around player.
  • New multi-phase moon design authored by our studio.
  • Proper sun travel according to date (01.05.2012) and geographic location (Ukraine).
  • Enhanced High Dynamic Range lighting and Sun effects (including realistic sunsets and sunrises).
  • Number of weather cycles multiplied.
  • Different types of storms, fast and slow.
  • Wet surfaces during rain.
  • High resolution star constellation map.
  • Improved water animations.

For a full rundown on all the changes/tweaks within the Complete 2009 mod or to download it click here.

Stalker Complete 2009 Images – Click images for a larger view.

Dozens more images can be found here.