A test of your morality, if you will...

Imagine that we had advanced our technology to such an extent that travelling to distant habitable exo-planets within a few years was possible.

Now imagine that during such a mission a similar earth-like planet (with the same resources as ours) was found populated with humans who had reached a level of technology similar to our industrial revolution. As mission commander you would want to make contact with these people and, on making contact, there are a number of choices to make:

1. Be passive, study them, send your findings back to mission control

2. Be proactive, reveal your technological advantage to them to help them advance theirs

3. Be aggressive, use your technological advantage to bring them to their knees!

But before you decide you find out something... these people, whilst biologically the same as us, have one major advantage - they learn quickly, damned quickly. So much so that they've reached their industrial revolution in a fraction of the time it took us to get to ours and that, once they discover computers they will advance at a rate beyond anything like Moore's Law.

With this in mind your choices have some caveats:

• In being passive, you plan to study them in order to find out why they learn quickly with the intention of sending your findings back to mission control. However it takes time for you to do this, increasing the probability that our technological advantage could fall into their hands.
• In being proactive and sharing our technology with them you endanger us due to them advancing quickly to a level beyond ours so that they could reach earth and threaten us
• In being aggressive, in your attempts to conquer them, they fight back and your technological advantage fall into their hands thereby putting earth in danger of a revenge attack

So, which decision will you make?

And no, the mission hasn't got nukes on board.

And, again, no, the Prime Directive does not apply this isn't Star Trek.

And, yes, the odds of finding another planet full of humans is infinitesimally remote... fucking humour me!

World’s first anti-ageing drug could see humans live to 120

Now there's a contender for causing the zombie apocalypse, right here folks! :)

Abstract Art #7

aaand another abstract! Done from scratch using Illustrator and Photoshop, dunno why but an image of some rusty grating... fits my usual state of mind.

I wonder what's behind it?

Abstract Art #6

Here's my latest abstract, called 'fits of colour'... it represents small bits of joy floating against a sea of depression...

'No mates' Corbyn

This article shows just how much Labour MPs can't stand Jeremy Corbyn, here's the image:

With the power of Photoshop, I made it better:

Residents of Larkhall, I salute you!

The residents of Larkhall in Scotland have got the right idea in their response to the recent terrorist atrocities:

Absolutely fantastic, residents of Larkhall, take the rest of the day off!

Food, FTW!

Steak pie with baked beans then a couple of chocolate oatie biscuits with a cup of tea for pudding... I know how to live!

Of course I won't live long if I keep THAT kind of diet!

RIP Jonah Lomuh

You were an absolute powerhouse in world Rugby and few could stand in your way when you charged towards to touchline. A brilliant sportsman, you always had time for people off the field, a true Rugby statesman.

My most profound condolences to the Lomuh family and to all New Zealanders too, you have lost a great man.

Jonah Lomuh - the scourge of English Rugby

Photoshop CC 3D #101

Here's the latest two version of the 3D job I'm working on, the changes requested were for more wood textures with different angles on the grains and a version that looked more like plastic.

The plastic version

The wooden version

Using a master and then 5 Instances of the master for each face on the cubes really helps, particularly as I've had to do so many different versions. It means I can play with the texturing a lot more dynamically.

TV networks may cut back on ad breaks

Brilliant, I hope this really will be the case because I FUCKING HATE AD BREAKS...

This is all thanks to Netflix and others, long may their ad-free services continue :)

Abstract Art #5

Here's another one, I'm calling this one 'Orbital Shenanigans'... it could actually be a logo for some sort of space administration company in a movie ;)

Matthew McConaughey

What is it about Matthew McConaughey that makes me like him so much? He feels to me like a trusting older brother, or a brother's really cool friend who protects you from bullies at school.

Abstract Art #4

Yet more abstract art rendered from the dank recesses of my mind...

Although I don't know what the fuck I was thinking when I created this one?

Abstract Art #3

Ahh... the 80's decade in me is trying to get out!

I'm calling this one '80's Fibres' :)

Photoshop CC 3D #101

I've been toying with 3D in Photoshop CC again recently, this is for an actual job, it's part of a logo for a school...

You know I had to manually create all six sides for each cube in order to achieve the bevel effect I wanted? Pissed me right off as it took ages, Photoshop's modelling isn't as sophisticated as I first thought it was.

However the process was sped up somewhat by using the 'Instance' feature, all I needed to do was create one side, Instance it 5 times then move them into position to make the cube shape. Any changes made to the 'master' face was immediately applied to all the others.

Abstract Art #2

Here's another abstract, forged from my addled mind...

I call this one 'Breaking up the Rainbow'

Abstract Art #1

Thought I'd create a series of abstract art, stuff that reflects what's going on in my mind... this is the first one:

Fireworks at the Ricoh Arena

Went to the Wasps v Gloucester game today, which Wasps won 23-3... after the game they treated us to an awesome fireworks display:

RoK Personal Best :)

Yay, I have achieved a personal best in Reign of Kings - my building has remained untouched by the retarded actions of other players for one week! It's also a first that the server itself has stayed online long enough for me to be able to build and maintain my building for one week and that I have managed to avoid being kicked/banned through my own actions or the indirect actions of another player.

These are the things that rule the daily life of an RoK player... and it's only just beginning it's beta test period!

Scientists rule out presence of huge alien megastructure orbiting distant star

Bloody killjoys...

Article here

Staying the Course #8

Well I went to the party and rather naively thought it would be a boistrous piss-up, quite the opposite in fact. They hadn't finished their meal so I sat there chatting until they all finished then they went home!

And I gave up my pub crawl for that?!

So now I'm lying bed this morning with a massive hangover and nothing satisfying to justify it.

The moral of the story is this - avoid 40th birthday 'parent' parties unless you're one yourself!