Groo the Wanderer returns

I came across a few old comics during a clear-out and found good old Groo the Wanderer!

If you aren't familiar with Groo, well, he is a very stupid, very likeable barbarian/swordsman/protector created by the brilliant Sergio Aragones.

I only have a handful of the comics from issue 48 to 54, so I can't be considered a major fan or anthing, but the comics are great and worth checking out. My favourite character in the issues I have has to be Chakaal - there is just something about her ....

There is usually a moral and a poem somewhere in each comic too - just to give you a flavour:

"Once again, we have a fable-
Of a hero, most unstable-
Who's as smart as any table-
In the place.
He has truly found his calling-
Doing deeds that are appalling-
Always tripping, always falling-
On his face.
So sit back as we revile-
With a fable of his style-
This may take a little while-
'Till it's done.
There's no use in any pleading-
You've been warned, there's no misleading-
For you just have started reading-
Chapter One."


(PS these pics are copyright Sergio Aragones!)

Orsinal

Utterly awsome game design, totally original and very beautiful.
here

Epigenetic Robotics

Well, I finally managed to get my paper submitted to Epigenetic Robotics in Paris this year. I really hope it is accepted, I certainly put a lot of work into this one.

Last year was in the wonderfull location of Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, in one of the most gorgeous settings you can imagine. Here are some pics.

(BTW: go to Lars' home page to see some more (including a video of me doing Karaoke)

Gimeimages - dropped

Well, they let me down again - have decided to use my uni resources to host pics.
Also, am trying out a new look - that white background was way too bright for this time at night ;)

[EDIT] - I note that gimeimages' website has gone completely AWOL, so I don't think I am the only one with issues. A real pity as they were proposing a really good service. If anyone knows what's happened to them, let me know :)

Fear and loathing in Schipol Airport

Just back from an overnight in Holland (old-school me). Occasion was a RobotCub meeting in Nijmegen, but it was a great opportunity to visit Amsterdam for the fourth time. Each time has been different:

Purple Haze: Hippy days - 3 of us in a VW camper made Amsterdam our major stop over on the way to the newly freed East Berlin and to grab a bit of the wall. Main theme was of course the coffeshops. Many high-points and a massive low - the only time I've ever been mugged at knife-point (or indeed at all).
Stag Weekend: of one of the most crazed lunatics I have ever had the fortune to spend time with. His drug of choice was amphetamine sulphate, but that never stopped him sampling anything and anything on offer. The journey back through Schipol still wakes me up in a cold-sweat. Main theme - red lights at break-kneck speed.
Ooh, Amsterdams quite nice really: Museums, canal boat rides, flower markets - all with my lovely wife (pre-kids). Funniest moment - the wife collapsing in a heap outside a coffee shop and me not being able to stop laughing - "what was in that cake?"
Sensible business traveller: looking in disgust at the drunken lunatics at the back of the plane - not me, I'm here on business you know (speaking to my laptop). Whistle-stop tour in 2 hours, reminded me of all that I love and hate about one of the greatest cities in the world. Oh, and don't the ladies in the window look a hell of a lot uglier when you are stone cold sober.

Post-it Chickens

Savage Chickens

They are chickens, they are savage, they are drawn on post-its and they are extremely amusing.

WARNING: This site contains American Humour and refers to "football" as something played by big guys in armour over about 4 hours with long breaks for hot-dogs and gawping at cheerleaders.

Elwood Mirza

Silly pics time.

25% extra free

Thought I'd let you know where the name of the blog came from before I forget myself.

It was my wife saying that she had bought a pack of (rather nice) croissant's the other weekend and that it had 25% extra free (10 instead of 8 in a pack) and she remarked, that it was just like our family - there were 4 of us (for about 16 minutes) and then all of a sudden another popped out - our 25% extra free.

It may also be to do with the fact that I do tend to ramble ... you make your mind up.

Indiana Wants Me

(No not R. Dean Taylor's hit - although, I just can't get the damn tune out of my head now)

amazingly - I am going to Bloomington, Indiana in June.

My paper for the International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL2006) was accepted for publication!

At the time I didn't think that the paper was complete enough for a publication, but it turns out I was being over critical - I should have more confidence. Makes the hard work over Christmas seem worthwhile.

When I get around to sorting my downed homepage out, there will be a link to the paper there.

Focus, focus, focus

Noticed this article on the bbc website. Suggests that focusing on the muscle while exercising it can result in it becoming stronger ... wonder if that works on the muscle I think most about ...

gimeimages - please

Man, what's with gimeimages.com - only just joined, everything OK for a day, and then nothing: Loose them.

Great beer, shared saliva and some ska

One of the best things of living in St. Albans, and in England generally, is availability of some great pubs - a fact supported by the choice of St. Albans as the headquarters of CAMRA - the campaign for real ale.

Last night I joined a few friends in the Lower Red Lion for their mini beer festival celebrating the local Alehouse and Church End breweries. So many great beers, so little time ... we made sure we got through as many as possible by choosing 2 beers each getting a half of each, tasting and passing to the left. This resulted in us sampling many beers, along with, I suspect, a fair amount of communal saliva. Never mind - later we got jugs of our favourites

So, a quick summary of the best and worst. Definitely near the top was "Head Full of Cascade" (4.4% pale and hoppy) - evidenced by the barrel running out very early, "Ivor's Premature Swallow" (4.5% Copper coloured smooth hop flavour), "Willpower of a Moth" (4.6% pale with a sharp bitter after-taste) and "Sensation Ale" (4.9% pale with a big hop nose [their words, not mine!] and light finish).

The worst was definitely the "Robust Porter" (4.3% black with big dark roast flavours and a bitter hop edge) which just tasted of burnt nuts liberally sprinkled in dark soy sauce. Ugghh!

Other interesting facts about the night were: the second pump from the left in the small bar is reputed to be the second oldest in Hertforsdhire (the guy who told me this was pissed and probably is not to be taken too seriously) and Lars managed to wear his Japanese purchased bling - mock diamond encrusted silver pendant in a dollar motif - not really a good look with dark checked shirt and suede loafers.

Anyway, if you are in St. Albans, I'd highly recommend the Lower Red Lion.

So, having thoroughly enjoyed the evening some of us finished up in my shed drinking Bishops Finger, Spitfire and Whiskey to the sounds of some classic Ska (Skalites particularly notable - thanks Moritz!). The highlight though has to be two grown (and supposedly intelligent) guys wrestling on a damp lawn - the only rules being the first who cries "Mamma" looses. Priceless entertainment!