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Book 7/50 : The Lost Fleet Fearless

Courageous is the third book in Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet Series. It follows the first book Dauntless, and the second book Fearless. It continues the story of Captain ‘Black Jack’ Geary as he endeavours to get the alliance fleet home through enemy territory.

While the narrative continues on, it takes sometime to get going. Campbell continues with trying to flesh out the characters. While I understand why he’s doing this, part of the charm of the first book was the fact that apart from Geary the characters were paper thin. After all this is a military sci fi book you don’t need characters to be anything more than efficient/good/team-players , sloppy/insubordinate or just plain baddies. Sometimes the scenes between Geary and Victoria are rehashes of earlier scenes in this and the other books. Like he is trying to hammer home the format of their relationship so that everyone in the class fully understands. The fleshing out isn’t all negative the series does benefit from the view into fleet politics. Loyalties are shown not to be so black and white. It turns out those that support Geary aren’t all angels and those that don’t are not necessarily idiots.

The arc plot continues as Geary’s theory on a third party involvement in the hypernet is all but confirmed. Although the interesting nugget is added that maybe they aren’t alien rather they may be a third group of Humans, as there is very little evidence either way. While the impact of Geary’s previous victories on the syndicate worlds are shown. As its hinted that his good treatment of civilians is causing a softening of feeling towards the alliance and that this may lead to a revolution as syndic civilians seem to only be kept away from open revolt by their belief that there is no alternative.

I’m still really enjoying these books, I am however getting a little bit pissed at paying full price for each book. Lets not beat around the bush here, I’m on “book” 3 and while each "book" has a distinct start and finish its one story really. Add this to the fact you can easily read each book in a few hours and the only conclusion is that these books should have been published in omnibus form.

Looking Ahead to Glastonbury 2013

Just coming round from an amazing trip to Glastonbury Festival. This was my fifth time and can i dare say the best one so far. You may read people talking about it being too big, too corporate, too decadent. I can categorically say that anyone who has been knows none of this is true. Yes its come a long way from its humble beginnings and yes the hospitality/rich sections have grown somewhat, but the core of the festival is still as strong, beautiful and beguiling as ever. Also the Hospitality bits are just a way of squeezing money, for the worth while charities Glasto supports, out of the rich and stupid. The real festival is out with the people anyway, that's why so many of the bands venture out among us plebs.

So 2013. Glastonbury festival, and by extension worthy and its neighbouring farms, will be enjoying a fallow year next year. Strategically timed to coincide with the national portaloo shortage to be caused by the Olympic games. The festival will be returning, no doubt bigger and better in 2013. Gates are rumoured to open on Wednesday 26th June 2013.

Just the same as the last 5 years you will need to register your details to be able to buy a ticket. You can register now here. Why wait?

Tickets will be on sale...Well if they stick with current procedure tickets will go on sale sometime in late 2012 possibly the first weekend in October, and will cost around £200. Again if they stick with current procedure you will be charged a deposit of £50, you will than have to pay the rest of the price by a set date early in 2013 (around February). If you don't you will lose your ticket and be refunded your deposit minus an admin fee (£10 this year).

Glastonbury's a busy place so here is ...

A Considerate Guide to Glasto

1. Give priority on the paths to those lugging stuff. If your exploring the site once you've pitched camp, and your on the same path as someone lugging a ton of gear go round them. They are probably in no mood to go round you.
2. The paths are full of people trying to get from one place to another, if your on one and you need to stop step off them. Don't just stop and hold up several thousand people.
3. Do not wash wellies at the stand pipe. You don't need to wash wellies! Glasto festival itself had to tell people off about this. It is a wellies raison d'etre to be muddy, and anyway they will be just as muddy within 4 steps I promise you.
4. Do not wash your hair at the stand pipes. If you absolutely, positively, must wash your hair than do it at your tent with a jug. (As most others do.) Or get one of those fancy pants solar showers. I literally had to queue for 2 hours to fill a 5 litre water bottle(which takes about 2 minutes,) because lots of people were washing their hair (which can take between 10-20 mins each person.)
5. Don't wee anywhere but the toilets*. It really does put the festival at risk. It kills fish etc. Also its minging to step in mud that is a large percentage piss.
6. Love the Festival Love the farm. If you bring it take it home. In 5 festivals we have left nothing but the odd bag of rubbish.



* Comfort bottle or travel Johns are fine.

Glastonbury Forecast

This time next week I will hopefully be very drunk on strawberry brothers, maybe even trying to convince someone that their inflatable bed would be a much better place to sleep than the grass in front of the other stage.

So on with the Forecast.

The Weather

The scorcher of a June we were promised never turned up, and even though the long range weather does suggest the weather improving for next week. It shouldn't be as hot as last year. Long range weather is notoriously flakey so in no way is this a guarantee. They do suggest though more cloud with wind, meaning cold nights but hopefully cool mornings. (So we may get some sleep this year, should we choose to.)

The Park Special Guest

Jarvis Cocker, has all but confirmed one of the special guest to be Pulp.

Good money is on Arctic Monkeys filling the over slot as they now have previous with their surprise appearance at the Radio One Big Weekend, and they have suspicious gaps in their tour on both Friday and Saturday.

Both Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire have Saturday night Gaps in their European tours but as they aren't in country it might be asking to much. ( I really hope not.)

(Possibly Low Fat) Spicy Peanut chicken stir fry.

2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned etc diced
8 tbsp. peanut butter
8 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp.(or equivalent) sweetener (or sugar if not low fat).
2 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed chilli pepper or flakes
1 cup. Broccoli florets
2 peppers red or yellow sliced.
1 onion diced.
1 cup of sliced mushroom.

1. Mix the peanut butter, water, soy sauce and sweetener. This will take some doing, if you don't have a blender or something similar. I did it using a spoon and a fork.
. a. If you like soft vegetables place the broccoli and peppers in a microwavable dish with a half a cup of water. Microwave for 2 minutes stir than another 2 mins stir a final 2 mins.
2. In a wok heat oil over high heat. Add crushed garlic and the chilli pepper. Stir-fry 30 seconds.
3. Add the diced chicken. Stir fry for about 3 minutes.
4. Add onion. Stir fry for a further 3 mins
. a. If not microwaved add broccoli and peppers at the same time.
5. Add mushrooms. Stir fry for a further 2 mins. (or until chicken is cooked through which ever one is last)
. a. Add microwaved veg.
6. Stir in peanut butter mixture. Simmer stirring constantly until sauce is smooth it should take about 3 minutes.

Serve with steamed brown rice (or noodles if your not counting cals.)

Serves 2-4 (Bigger portions less low fat).

Tuesdays Ten "Interesting" Facts 10

1. Japan has around 200,000 missing elderly people.
2. This was brought to public light when officials went to congratulate Sogen Kato on his Eleventy first birthday (111th). Only to find his mummified remains.
3. The rather annoying trend to play music on mobile phones in public is called Sodcasting. Its described as "The act of playing music through the speaker on a mobile phone, usually on public transport. Commonly practised by young people wearing polyester, branded sportswear with dubious musical taste."
4. Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese's love of film started thanks to his asthma which meant he couldn't play sports as a child. Instead his parents would take him to the pictures.
5. Academy Award winning Actor Daniel Day-Lewis's first role was as a child vandal. He was paid £2 to vandalise cars, which he enjoyed very much.
6. The term rule of thumb comes from the old English law that men couldn't beat their wives with anything wider than their thumb.
7. All of the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction are stuck on 4:20.
8. In 1386, a pig was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child.
9. Uma Thurman's father was the first American to be ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
10. Creationists believe the earth was created in 4004 BC. This figure is "worked out" using dates in the bible and the ages of the people described in the old testament.

The Kat's Tech Part 1

Here for your viewing delights is the first instalment of my guides to Tech. I will endeavour to share only the very best of tech with you. Tried and tested* by yours truly and proved to be great products.

*Common testing involves day to day usage for an extended period and in some situations the dreaded tea test.

First up The iPod Classic.

I love my classic!! It has the audio power that you want from a music player. At 160GB it has the space you need if your one of the apparently strange people that want your entire music collection at your finger tips. (Like Me). I've listened to friend's iPhone and iTouch and I believe you can tell that those are designed as more than audio equipment. Not to do them a disservice but the classic mops the floor with them on audio quality. Saying that, the classic also handles movies superbly and has been a god send on long budget flights. (Details on ripping dvds to an iPod to follow.) Talk about battery life, I've had it for several months and only charged it once...... OK that's an exaggeration but charges are few and far between even with heavy use.

The Kat's rating : 9/10 If you haven't got an iPhone get a classic. Now!!!

TeckNet Battery for Apple iPod/iPhone.

I bought this product as my old iPod video had started to struggle to last a day (it was doing well it had been used for at least 8 hours a day for 5 years.) I basically got it as it had decent reviews and was rather cheap at about £10. It was a wonder the tecknet battery when fully charged will provide 3 to 4 full charges of an iPod classic or 2 charges of an iPhone. After the dubious imposition of a ban on attaching iPods to computers a work and the explosion in iPhone users. My battery has seen heavy uses by myself and my colleagues. It has even survived the dreaded tea test as it somehow ended up submerged in a steaming brew, and has continued on valiantly for another 9 months.

The Kat's rating : 9/10 If you have a power hungry iPhone, or you've got a classic and plan on being away from fresh electricity for some time. You need one of these babys.