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Last update:22nd October 2008
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Out of Context Quotes
While watching an episode of 'Gatchaman':
Me: "Ah, Jun obviously put a timing device on the Bird Missile to unduddify it."
SWMBO: "'unduddify'?"
Me: "Yeah - unduddify. You know - make it ert."
SWMBO: "'ert?'"
Me: "Yeah, you know - ert. Opposite of 'inert'".
SWMBO: (looking suspiciously at whisky cabinet) "What the hell are you drinking?"
Me: (small voice) "Tea?"
This is why Gatchaman rocks and Battle of the Planets sucks - they would never have shown this on BotP:
Due to SWMBO having a Significant Birthday on Sunday, we've decided to book tomorrow (Friday) and Monday off work. We plan on spending the days thusly:
Tonight (start of holiday): Start to watch 'Star Fleet'. Drink.
Friday: take photographs of computers to be donated to Bletchley Park. Watch more 'Star Fleet'. Drink.
Saturday: Drive to Bletchley Park with a boot-load of old computers and a hangover. Have fun. Come home. Drink.
Sunday: Watch all four 'Indiana Jones' films back-to-back and drink. A lot. There may even be ice cream.
Monday: Alka Seltzer day.
As plans go it lacks a certain complexity but, hey, it works for us.
Bletchley Park is a remarkable place. Known by many as the place where people like Alan Turing worked to help crack the Enigma code during WWII, it was (and is) home to the world's first digital electronic computer, Colussus. It contains many fine examples of Enigma machines, as well as other, less well known cypher equipment such as the Lorenz machine.
Bletchley Park is also home to The National Museum of Computing which, amongst other things, contains a wide variety of computers dating from the late 70's onwards.
It also contains many other WWII era items and displays including a Churchill collection.
It's an absolute gem of a place.
Trouble is, it's being horribly neglected by the government. You see, Bletchley has to rely on third-party funding because the government won't fund it, neither will the National Lottery. It relies on donations from organisations such as English Heritage and the general public - and there's limits to how far that can go.
"How can I help?" I hear you ask. Or I hope I do. Simple - head on over to Dr. Sue Black's Saving Bletchley Park site which contains a link to an online petition that you can sign. This is to try to coax the government into doing the right thing and fund Bletchley. It's open to UK residents and ex.pats, and is valid until 28th May this year.
Bletchley Park itself can be found here.