Big Bang 2008 - Sunday

So Sunday arrived (much later this time, thanks to having the sun almost completely blocked) we cooked up some breakfast (discovering that the fridge was *still* freezing cold despite lacking power for about 36 hours by this stage), got "washed" (wet wipes) and dressed and then took a little walk around the show and shine (which was conveniently near to where we parked) -












- and then it was back to the strip, where we lurked for a while behind the start line (very unfortunately, thanks to "health and safety", the shed at the end of the strip has had to be torn down, and not only torn down, torn down and replaced by a huge concrete monstrosity, so it's now impossible for any spectator to enjoy the view down the quarter mile, this is about the best view you can get) -

- and to get that view you have to creep around the back of the hog roast van and find a space between their bags of rubbish -



- what a shame...no more chances to get decent shots like this (taken at Bug Jam) -

- but in retrospect, if things *had* gone horribly wrong, I probably wasn't in the *best* place when I took that shot...anyway, we went back to enjoy the track action, even climbing into the grandstand (my first time up there I think) -

- and you do get a much better perspective -




- and yes, they really do need those wheelie bars at the back!

Anyway, we popped back to the bus for a spot of lunch, then packed everything up, had a chance encounter with a beach buggy owning mate of ours who had also attended (finding us by spotting Colin all set up), then we set course for home, getting back at about 5pm (knackered but happy)...

Great weekend, will definitely consider doing this show again, maybe in preference to Bug Jam, as (in Flyingpops' words) "it's becoming a bit of a victim of it's own success, just too busy"... ;)

Fink's Links

Wow, and I thought it was foggy yesterday! Just a shame the sun takes nearly all day to burn it off, otherwise we'd be having some amazing weather at the moment!

Anyway, lets get on with some of the cool things I have spotted on the interweb over the last few days, starting with some amazingly cool aquarium designs by "Octopus Studios" similar to the hamster adventure playgrounds of old, created from connected spheres...the one on the bottom right is my favorite, but I have to say they look enormous... ;)

Dip into an delightful acid bath of the worst 25 cars Jeremy Clarkson has ever driven...

Can't afford *real* gold? It's now possible (using pulses of laser) to modify the surface of several cheaper metals (Aluminium for example) to make them indistinguishable from the real gold (and it's "pretty robust" - the end of gold plating perhaps?)...and want extra quirky? They can also modify the colour of Gold to make it look blue, pure black, or even a freaky shimmering butterfly-wing-type rainbow...but prepare to start having to bite bits of gold jewellery you buy in the market again...

A video showing how to do the COD4 tutorial stage (the one on the fake boat after the shooting range) in 13.1 seconds...*wow*...

A photographer managing a titter-worthy FAIL...(she definitely didn't shoot anything included in the next link)...

The most incredible collection of lightning bolt shots (some rather long exposure though, but none-the-less *very* impressive)...

Virgin Atlantic is ten months ahead of schedule with getting a 747-400 to fly on a blend of kerosene and biofuel (cue all airports smelling like a fish and chip shop)...

10 Sci-Fi dreams that are *technically* possible to build right now, if only someone would put up the cash...(although you should probably scratch a couple of them from the list as already kinda-done (railgun/laser) just need perfecting, minaturisation and better power sources)...

Did you hear that the BBC were made to blush by a black man's willy (according to the Mail anyway)? Inplausibly enough it happened on the popular Radio 4 show "Gardener's World"...!

Super detailed picture of the Shuttle, sitting and waiting for launch...some human forms are visible on the tower so you can acurately gauge it's size!

Some amazing pictures of the Feb 10th "Anonymous" protest against the Co$...included just for the great photography...it's funny to see the gooks and geeks of the internet band together in a common cause (in real life)...the London protest looked pretty amazing too...

Ever wondered what space smells like?

A fishy FAIL...

And an oldie, but a goldie (sound required), a young child's reaction when she hears that Tony Blair is stepping down as Prime Minister...

...and finally, may I offer you a delicious selection of the top 20 reasons that it's probably best I *don't* live in the USA...

More next week... ;)

Previous entries here...

Brighton Breeze 2006

So, just a few pics from today, set off super early this morning (accompanied by T&G) to witness the "Brighton Breeze" or what is effectively the VW version of the "London to Brighton" rally...We passed a few on the way -

- but the vast majority of the convoy were *way* behind us, managed to park right on the seafront, opposite a few cheeky non-payers who had probably done the same -

- and when we peered down to the venue, we had practically beaten the organisers -

- *e m p t y* but then, for the air-cooled lot, it's not a race, even though some of them can beat modern performance production cars down the 1/4 mile (with ease), the attitude is more one of rest and relaxation -

- so we walked down the front anyway, to find a bite to eat for breakfast passing one or two vehicles that could well have stayed the night -

- and witnessed the forced removal of anything that wasn't a Volkswagen from the front (hehe!)-

- so just a few of the early risers (I had set myself a little "Macro Mission" for this day, I've shot a lot of these buses before, so I was looking for some other way to approach the day, hope you approve ;) We'll get there in a sec, first, a great, and brave paint job which works really well-

-then a quirky T25 Herbie hybrid-

-and I love the bullet holes on de "Reservior Dubs" bus, not seen that in the scene before today, original (at least!)-

-So, we stopped at the "Madeira cafe" for breakfast, it's towards the "Sealife Centre" end of the strip-

- T&G kindly paid for the feast, and (had Flyingpops not been breakfast nosing, I would never had noticed, but the staff brought my plate out minus one sausage and one bacon strip(!)-
-compared to the others (that were eating meat brekkies) when I went to compain they were terribly nice though and brought it back to the table (with bonus double beans!), so, we sat and ate, and drank tea, and inhaled the exhaust fume as the quick ones started to chug onto the strip (interesting eyes!) -

- and, even before breakfast was done, the queue had really started to form -

- so, the Macro mission began -

- I took a lot of shots that weren't too (and they are all on the Flickr Steam), but it was the little touches, and the left of centre -

- and *mostly* close shots I was after today -

- a beautifully painted bug -

- an embroidered bra portion -

- (sorry, took about 90 pics today) the feel of being around the stalls, hey, every old bus needs some rubbers-

- some very funny t-shirts -

- and an absolutely classic photoshopper, I bought this piece, but he has other copies at various different sizes (on canvas etc.) being a London commuter this just struck a chord, find him here (awesome!)-

- an abstract macro (VW people will know what these are) -

- and, okay, not a macro, but *where* did all this tupperware come from...this stallholder must trawl the car boot sales... ;) -

- a "Big Trak"(!!!)...while I was framing the shot a guy behind me muttered "I remember them being a bit bigger than that", when I stood up (grinning) I said "Yeah, I know" (and motioned about the width of a door frame)..we parted grinning and shaking our heads... -

- Now, where did I spot this muddy little fellow? ;) -

- Not macro, a context shot (need a few!)-

-Hehe...very cool...-

-and thanks to whoever set this shot up for me ;)-

-Now, I wonder if a certain little cat was responsible for the mud in our "metallic pea" camper's eye -

-classic litho-

-couldn't resist this one-

-and this shot just begged to be taken-

-(zoom in to read, the occupants of the camper gave me a laugh and a wave when I finally managed to get my focus locked in! Felt like it took about 10 minutes!) -

- lovely reflection opportunity with all this perfect chrome -

- hilarious(!) -

- (hehe..) -

- (very cool) -

- By the time it came to leave the entire promenade was *full*, the queues were stretching the whole way up to the marina and we passed about 30 vans and bugs as we whipped up the road to Gatwick (on our way home!), I really think this event has outgrown Brighton, too much interest, far too much...-

- Oh and then we got home and it rained(!) lucky we missed it! -

In the breaks, during the late afternoon (lucky again!) we tidied up the front garden (my folks came round to help us out, bearing bedding plants and bulbs...yay!) and I paid them back by cooking up Thai for tea...

Chinese Grand Prix tomorrow...it's got to be a goodie! Tired now...might have to edit this entry in the morning... ;) Nite nite...

Oh, as I said, if you want to see all the other pictures from the Brighton Breeze 2006, just go here...