Video

The wonders of ‘Wonders of The Solar System’

Posted on by Duncan Toms

The Wonders of The Solar System is my favourite programme right now. It’s presented with a refreshing attitude of awe and wonder by the casual and relaxed Brian Cox who, believe it or not, was in D:ream. Things can only get better. Great locations, great imagery, well written and presented.

Among the things I learnt in Ep 1:

Take all the energy used in one year by one country, the USA.
The sun produces one million times this energy in a single second.

Clouds then clumps of hydrogen collapse under their own gravity, heating up, fusing into helium.
Hotter and hotter, this ignites forming a star, a sun.

The sun accounts for 99% of the solar system’s mass.

VLT stands for… erm, Very Large Telescope.

For those in the UK, the first two episodes can currently be seen here

Lyric Of The Day – Who’s Gonna Take The Weight? by Gang Starr

Posted on by Duncan Toms

In honour of MC Guru who is unwell, an absolute classic:

And just imagine if each one is teachin’ one
We’ll come together so that we become
A strong force, then we can stay on course
Find your direction through introspection
And for my people out there I got a question
Can we be the sole controllers of our fate?
Now who’s gonna take the weight?

Knowledge is power, and knowledge can be the difference between life
Or death…you should know the truth and the truth shall set you
Free.

Verse 1

I was raised like a muslim
Prayin’ to the east
Nature of my life relates rhymes I release
Like a cannon
’cause I been plannin’ to be rammin’ what I wrote
Straight on a plate down your throat
So digest as I suggest we take a good look
At who’s who while I’m readin’ from my good book
And let’s dig into every nook and every cranny
Set your mind free as I slam these thoughts
And just like a jammy goes pow [fx: gunshots]
You’re gonna see what I’m sayin’ now
You can’t be sleepin’
’cause things are gettin’ crazy
You better stop being lazy
There’s many people frontin’
And many brothers droppin’
All because of dumb things, let me tell you somethin’
I’ve been through so much that I’m such
A maniac, but I still act out of faith
That we can get the shit together so I break
On fools with no rhymes skills messin’ up the flow
And people with no sense who be movin’ much too slow
And so, you will know the meaning of the gang starr
Guru with the mic and premier raise the anchor
Swiftly, as we embark on a journey
I had to get an attorney
I needed someone to defend my position
Decisions I made, ’cause now it’s time to get paid
And ladies, these rhymes are like the keys to a dope car
Maybe a lexus or a jaguar
Still, all of that is just material
So won’t you dig the scenario
And just imagine if each one is teachin’ one
We’ll come together so that we become
A strong force, then we can stay on course
Find your direction through introspection
And for my people out there I got a question
Can we be the sole controllers of our fate?
Now who’s gonna take the weight?

Verse 2

The weight of the world is heavy on my mind
So as my feelings unwind I find
That some try to be down just ’cause it’s trendy
Others fall victim to envy
But I’ll take the road less travelled
So I can see all my hopes and my dreams unravel
Relievin’ your stress, expressin’ my interest
In the situation that you’re facin’
That’s why I’m down with the nation
Spirituality supports reality
We gotta fight with the right mentality
So we can gain what is rightfully ours
This is the meaning of the chain and the star
Land is power, so gimme forty acres
Let’s see how far I can take ya
Original invincible
That’s how I’m lookin’ at it
I use my rhymes like a glock automatic
Any means necessary, I’m goin’ all out
Before the rains bring the nuclear fallout
So let me ask you, is it too late?
Ayo, who’s gonna take the weight?

Weekend Walk 10 – South Downs Way – Cheriton to West Meon

Posted on by Duncan Toms

On Saturday I again walked some of the South Downs Way. I left the car at West Meon then took the bus to Cheriton for the starting point. It’s a couple of km from there back to the path, to the west. After crossing the A272, the path slowly rises back onto the downs at Millbarrow. I saw one of the burial mounds up there, near the Milbuty pub. Then it’s great views as I headed east, seeing Hinton Ampner House to the north and the Isle of Wight to the south. From Beacon Hill, there are great views to the north, east and south into the valley. The path then descends into the lush Meon valley to Exton. I then followed the Meon Valley Trail back to West Meon. All in all it took five hours, with 16 miles of the South Downs Way completed now. Here’s a video I made.

Stephen Fry on the Catholic Church

Posted on by Duncan Toms

I can understand the desire of anybody to seek spiritual rewards in a complex and difficult to understand world. We don’t know why we are here or where we are going. We want answers. We love the idea of answers – how marvellous it would be – but there are other choices.

Weekend Walk 9 – Winchester to Cheriton (South Downs Way)

Posted on by Duncan Toms

Today I walked the very western end of the South Downs Way. I parked at Cheriton then rode the bus into Winchester. From the city centre, the path crosses the M3 then through the hamlet of Chilcomb, up onto the downs. Then across to Cheesefoot Head and Gander Down. I left the SDW to get back to Cheriton, a mile or so off the path. It took 3.5 hours with a lunch stop. I aim to walk the full 100 miles before the end of the year. Here’s the video from today:

Michael Palin Meets The Dalai Lama

Posted on by Duncan Toms

From the television last night. Recorded in 2005.

Amazing how serious and joyful he is.

When I see the Dalai Lama I am always reminded of Hunter S Thompson. They are brothers with very different paths!

When I see the Dalai Lama I am always reminded of Hunter S Thompson. They are brothers with very different paths!

Lyric of the Day – A Sardine in a Hair Net, by Reeves & Mortimer

Posted on by Duncan Toms

Like a shrimp in a suitcase laying on a window ledge,
like a pair of tartan slippers and they’re underneath a hedge,
like a scout master at daybreak putting peanuts in his glove,
like a specially formed ice arch for climbing over doves,
like a sardine in a hair net and he’s staring at a priest.

These things you’ll find constantly irritate our minds.

Like a sugar unicycle that’s being ridden by a fork,
like a batten berg owned by Jesus that can miraculously talk,
like a lemon pip with sideboards fighting a bearded crab,
or Bono in a boob tube on the choir master’s lap,
like a elaborate heating system apparently in Kent.

These things you’ll find constantly irritate our minds.

Like a badger with an afro throwing sparklers at the Pope,
like a family of foxes and they’re glowering at some soap,
like a lump of Nazi nougat walking down an avenue,
like a Tudor vacuum cleaner saying “How do you do?”
like a kestrel having sex above a television set.

These things you’ll find constantly irritate our minds.

Top of the Rock

Posted on by Duncan Toms

21 October 2009

Top of the Rock is simply stunning. Oh my gosh! Views in every direction and the Empire State building to the south. Rockefeller built his complex bang in the centre of the city. The sun is out and Central Park looks great in it’s autumnal shades, hazy buildings framing it. I was one of the first people to come up this morning – at 8 – whisked up 67 floors in 45 seconds. Then up to the 70th for the viewing platforms. A glorious sunny day in America’s biggest city.  So many huge building rising up. How did this happen?

Two nights later I returned for the night view – amazing!

Later, I learnt that ‘skyscraper’ is a sailing term adopted by architects.

Here are some short videos I took from way up there: