Voices From The Pulpit (Ramblings of an Inadequate Messiah)

I've mentioned this before but I really don't think that many people who weren't very old - or even born - in the early-mid 1980's in the Uk actually realise how much the nuclear threat affected people.

It was a major issue and the clock always felt very close to the proverbial 'midnight'.

I remember having nuclear drills at school, being taught what to do incase of a nuclear attack (like hiding beneath a table propped up against a wall would have really helped!) and seeing the 'public service' adverts on television all the time.

People took the threat of nuclear war between NATO and the Soviet Block very seriously as The Cold War was at it's height and everyone seemed to be on tenderhooks. I knew people whose families had nuclear shelters in their gardens FFS! I also remember me, and the rest of the class/school, being scared shitless when the local nuclear siren went off when we were in class completely unexpectedly. But three minutes later we were all still alive - albeit very shakey - and we never found out why the damn system had gone off!

Anyway, with this in mind I'd like to link to an article that mindcube found this evening.

Remember the Forgotten Hero Who Saved The World (ITPRO Blog; Tuesday 26th September 2006)

Thank heavens for a level head!

...and no, I haven't gone and thrown it down the toilet again or anything like that.

My current mobile (which is actually an older phone as my 'newest' mobile broke down earlier this year so I went to my back-up) is so on it's last legs it's not true. Nor is it funny. Whenever anyone sends me a long text I have to struggle to go to 'Reply including message' so I can read the end of it by deleting backwards. I can't scroll down texts, my address book or my auto word suggestion without spending about 5 minutes go back and forth trying to make it work. God help me if I miss my contact by one as I then have to start again.

Anyway, with this in mind if you are going to text me please can you make the texts fairly short - or send multiple short texts to me? Just until I sort out a new phone (which I'm aiming to order this afternoon as I'm due for a free upgrade so I have no excuses).

I hate modern bloody technology (well, most of the time.. obviously I'm addicted to this machine infront of me it seems...).

Right, back to work...

I first heard this song a year or two ago. Atsushi Sakurai is the lead singer of Japanese band Buck-Tick who formed in the mid 80's and whose early material was definetly in the new romantic vein of things.
This song, one of his solo offerings, really reminds me of The Mission in places. Mainly for it's guitar work as I'm sure you'll agree...

This year I discovered a series of novels by Jim Butcher called 'The Dresden Files'. I'm currently on book 5 and have loved every one of them. The lead character, Harry Dresden, is a PI in Chicago with a difference. The difference being he is a wizard. The books have everything - the occult, vampires, faeries, werewolves, gangsters, spirits, soldiers of God, demons, dark sorcerers and so much more. The books are most definetly aimed at an adult audience as some of the murder scenes and things that happen are definetly not suitbale for younger readers.
Plus each book, whilst stand alone, has a cast of returning characters and things that happened books ago can get rementioned or actually have an effect. Jim Butcher has created a really great mythology and you (or at least 'I') feel for the characters (even if a few of them are really dumb on occasions...).
Evil Hat are writing a RPG based upon the series - which I'm incredibly jealous about as it's a project I'd have loved to have worked on/published/playtested if I had the time/contacts/expertise. I believe it's due out next year and I can't wait as it's certainly a game I intend to play.
Anyway, during my YouTube fix a few nights ago I decided to type in 'Dresden Files' into the old search button thinking that some fans may have knocked something amusing up. Instead I turned up a trailer for a new TV series by the Sci-Fi Channel in the States based upon the books. I'm surprised I'd not heard of this. Has it actually come out over the pond? And, more importantly, was it really any good? The trailer has left me with mixed feelings (I'll admit to preferring movies to TV series in most cases anyway because of the usually better quality of acting and budget). I'm a little disappointed that they have changed Murphy's character by the looks of things 9female cop and head of Chicago's Special Investigations Unit).
nyway, here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure (and go and buy the books and the game when it comes out!)

EDIT: The series starts in January 2007 apparently. Just found the Sci Fi Channels webpage about it :p

Well I managed to order myself a new phone and get a cheaper tarriff whilst I was about it (1000 minutes free calls and 150 free texts!:p).

I ended up going through three customer service people before it got completed though and I think I may have inadvertantly got the first two into trouble as the third guy I spoke to put in a complaint against them (the first one for trying to sell me a different model and the second one for apparently hanging up on me - although I did say that I thought the line just cut out...? Although it was at a very opportune moment when I was confiming my model and I have a feeling O2 don't want my model to be sold for some reason...?).

Anyway, within the next three working days I will *alledgedly* have a brand new phone. It's the Sony Ericsson K800i and has lots of nice features in it. I decided I'd stick with Ericsson as they seem to last well beyond the yearly contract (even when you throw them down the toilet...) and my last Motorola phone packed up and died within about 8 months!!!!