The Three Ninjas

The Unholy Trinity of Bloggers

Archives: January 2011

Public Service Announcement – What does NeeNaw NeeNaw + Flashing Blue Lights Mean?

Jan26

by GothNinja

Published on: January 26, 2011

Categories: Travel, Vehicles

Tags: Idiots, Travel

Comments: No Comments

Public Service Announcement

I feel that some assistance may be needed among my fellow drivers in identifying the strange flashing blue lights, often accompanied by a strange siren like noise that you occasionally spot while driving. And more importantly the correct way to react in these situations.

When you see the lights or hear the siren do not panic, you are not about to be attacked by aliens or some mythical creature. All that is happening is an emergency vehicle (Ambulance, Fire-engine, Police Car, etc.) has been called to an emergency and is passing close to you in its route. There is nothing to fear.

The correct response is to “Safely” pull over to the side of the road if needed to allow the vehicle past you. Remember time is of the essence, so they need to get to the emergency A.S.A.P. to possibly save lives. So as long as it is safe do what you can to allow the speedy process of the vehicle. Its as simple as that.

Here ends the Public Service Announcement.

And I will recount the instance that has prompted this post. It happened today on my way home from work. I was traveling along the road and had come to a crossroads. The lights were on for cars joining the road from a side road, only those turning right had come to a stop due to lights further down the road. It was at this point I heard the sirens of an Ambulance travelling towards me. As it got nearer and was about to pass the junction a large Van decided it was not waiting for space and pulled out to turn right even though there was no space, so it was on the “Yellow Box” which in UK road laws you are not allowed to enter unless your exit is clear. Worse than that, as it was a large van, and at an angle it completely blocked the junction forcing the Ambulance to come to a stop, and wait for all the other cars to move and mount pavements so the van could go on its way freeing up the junction for the Ambulance. Hopefully the delayed arrival time did not make the difference between life&death. It did make me wish a little maliciously that it was heading to the home of the van driver.

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FAQ: Will you Marry me?

Jan24

by GothNinja

Published on: January 24, 2011

Categories: FormSpring

Tags: FormSpring, question

Comments: 1 Comment

OK, the title of this post looks wrong. I do not mean that “Will you marry me?” is becoming a FAQ, In fact I think it’s only been asked once by a semi-anonymous person on Formspring. What is becoming a FAQ is the question “Why would you want to be asked `Will you marry me?`” so I figured to save me having to answer the question more than once (and twitter has a 140 character limit) I’d answer it here.

I should explain for anyone who missed the origin of this, that it all begins with a Formspring Question I was asked.

What is the one questions you would most like to be asked on here? Only the questions, not the answer or reason

To which I answered :-

“Would you like this iPad for free?” or “Will you marry me”

Now, since the original question said only the question, not the answer or reason, I left it at that. Or I would have if people were not confused by the “Will you marry me” part of the answer, and started asking why I would like to be asked that.

So I will point out now to quieten the questioners, I would like that question on formspring from someone I was in a long term serious relationship with. Since it would mean I was in a long term serious relationship . That is all it’s about. So my Answer is more about the person who would ask the question, rather than the question itself.

See, there is no big conspiracy, or mystery. So can normal service now resume?

1 Comment

Butterfly Tai Chi – Feel healthier & Calmer in 20 mins aday

Jan21

by MindNinja

Published on: January 21, 2011

Categories: Martial Arts, Medical, Mind Power, Spiritual

Tags: Butterfly Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Tai Chi

Comments: No Comments

I got back to the Ninja Temple last night to find an envelope waiting for me containing a copy of “Butterfly Tai Chi“. I had been wanting to watch this since I first saw the clips/info about it when it was being filmed. I should point out I have a slight background in BaGua, and have been interested in the concept of TaiChi for a while now. Since I have been meaning to get into it for a while, I was interested in the Butterfly TaiChi with its advertised “Take just twenty minutes out of your day to practice the seven simple elegant movements of Butterfly Tai Chi you will feel healthier happier and more energised“. Twenty minutes a day? I can find time for that, especially it it does not require much floor space.

I watched the DVD last night, It comes in three parts 1)A Warm-up, 2)The Basic Set, & 3) Advanced set. The techniques are simple to follow, and the instructor explains the moves well including any health benefits. Unlike some other DVD’s I have seen in this area the moves were explained simply for people without any previous training, and instructions were given on how to adapt the moves while you are learning, and that its better to get the feeling right than exactly mimic the instructor on the screen. Overall the feeling from watching the DVD was almost like having a one on one session with a trainer in a friendly atmosphere than a more technical manual of what you should be doing.

I did not try out the moves (err something to do with beer in the temple fridge) but I am looking forward to planning to set aside some time to start following the system. And I’ll post a practitioners review after I’ve spent a while trying the moves.

For those interested in more information on Butterfly Tai Chi, you can visit the website at http://butterflytaichi.co.uk/

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What Skill/Talent is most useful during the Zombie Apocalypse?

Jan19

by GothNinja

Published on: January 19, 2011

Categories: Media, Zombies

Tags: sociopathic, Survival, Zombies

Comments: 1 Comment

Zombies are a popular cultural theme at the moment, with a silly amount of computer games from all genres (Western, Army, Etc) having “Zombie SubGames”. And there’s the current hit show “The Walking Dead” not to mention the resurgence in Zombie Films.

They also hold a special place in the hearts of Geeks all over the world, and we here at the Insane Asylum are no different. In fact they have been a constant topic of conversation for years here, due to one of the Inmates having both a fascination and a fear of them. As such we often discuss methods of surviving the inevitable Apocalypse, and what they did wrong in different shows/films.

As such I have a carefully worked out survival plan in the back of my mind that is constantly being updated and added too. I also keep a mental subconscious tracking of where the nearest place to collect weapons is depending on where I am at the time of the outbreak. Now this random thinking while driving, working, etc. has recently brought up a question in my mind. “What is the most valuable Skill/Talent you need someone in your group to have to increase your chances of survival?” I have asked several people (See I do my research) and they all got the answer wrong, but in fairness I will post some of their suggestions.

(more…)

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In the Shadow of The Chair

Jan17

by GothNinja

Published on: January 17, 2011

Categories: Freemasonary

Tags: Fear, Freemasons

Comments: 2 Comments

In November I enter the Chair of KS, and as the shadow of that chair starts to fall on me, I am beginning to feel the nerves awaken. My original plan was to enjoy my year as SW and ignore the chair until half way through the year, and then start to worry. Alas this plan has gone the way of so many plans over time.

The Shadow first made its presence felt last December at our Christmas Social. Half way through the meal, our ADC who was sat opposite me started asking how I was doing looking at the bits to learn for Installation (And we had only just had the last Installation at our last meeting). I informed him that the event was not till next year so I had made no start yet. The Shadow slipped out of site for the rest of the meal, only to return at the end and grab me by the arm in the guise of the Treasurer. “I’m just going to pay the bill and was wondering. Do you want me to provisionally re-book the place for next year?”

On Saturday we had a rehearsal for our next meeting. As we were all greeting each other and wishing “Happy New Year” and catching up, the Shadow tapped me on the shoulder and took me to one side. “Happy New Year, so have you considered who you would like as Organist & Singer for Nov? you need to book them early” *MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP* and my answer of “It’s not till next year” is now invalid.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to my year in the Chair. It’s just that I am feeling the nerves of the responsibility (I’m a naturally shy person). And I will do the required planning/learning but I’d just wish the Shadow would let me at least have a few nights as SW before i have to worry.

2 Comments

Busby and the Tape of RED

Jan14

by CodeNinja

Published on: January 14, 2011

Categories: Work

Tags: Busby, Red Tape, Work

Comments: No Comments

I know “Red Tape” is often required, and there are sometimes valid reasons for having it, but the people with the tape should have the sense to spot when they fall into a recursive loop and have the ability to produce “The Scissors of Doom” to sort things out. Let me give you an example, and its a real life example. I know because it happened to me, earlier this week.

Phone Conversation over BETA testing some new Busby servers/systems

Busby: “Can you confirm you can connect to the server fine?“

CN: “Yes, I confirm that, and i sent in signed form saying so.“

Busby: “Good. Can you confirm you downloaded our test file ok?“

CN: “What’s the file name, I’ll grab it now. I’ve been using your new systems for other departments, so the server area is full of files.“

Busby: “Our systems team say since you are already using the system there is no test file.“

CN: “ok“

Busby: “So can you confirm you downloaded our test file?“

CN: “But there is no test file?“

Busby: “You need to download our test file to show you can connect OK then we can move on.”

CN: “Talk to you main sys.admin. I tested connection to your server when you first set it up. I helped with the speed tests with the different secure connections, and port ranges. I was one of the first non Busby people using the system.“

Busby: “So can you confirm you downloaded our test file?“

CN: “ARGGHHHHHH!”

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Vampiric Eye – Revisited

Jan07

by GothNinja

Published on: January 7, 2011

Categories: Illness

Tags: Illness

Comments: No Comments

This Christmas I was afflicted with “Vampiric Eye” again (Or iritis for those of you who like medical terms). Now there is nothing special about this, other than I am getting slowly fed up of the repeated outbreaks, and there will be vengeance on whatever is the cause (And there may be a new clue).

I only mention this outbreak now as I am reminded of the great “Bedside Manner” of the Doctors who treated me in A&E, and the great way they put my mind at rest, and alleviated worry.

I turned up at A&E since the eye outpatients was closed over the Christmas holidays. I signed myself in and waited upon Triage, I should have been tipped off it was not going to be a good day when I got Triaged twice by two different nurses. Eventually I made it into the examining rooms and was seen by a young Doctor, who was confused by the state of my eye, and just kept muttering to himself (Possibly a curse to ward off the evil eye?). After a while, he asks me to wait while he goes to find a senior Doctor since he admits to being clueless.

The Senior Doctor working in the A&E comes to see me, He looks at my eye and starts muttering to himself. He then calls the junior one over and they start talking to themselves.. “Have you seen the shape of the eye? why is it that shape?“, “Have you ever seen one bulging like that? its all swollen“, “Wow, its like the inside is all full of gray puss“. All the while I am sat there, in earshot, in pain, and getting worried.

The senior Doc returns to me and says with full confidence. “Could you go back and wait in the waiting room please, we don’t know whats going on so we are calling an eye specialist to come in to the hospital to look at you!“. Great, its Xmas time, and a Doctor is being phoned up at home, to travel through the snow to the local hospital to look at me, I sense painful eye prodding & drops in my future.

My eye is 90% fine as of Wednesday, So I feel I can poke fun at the events involved.

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Recap of PDSCEDFTROTY (YTIH)

Jan04

by GothNinja

Published on: January 4, 2011

Categories: PDSCEDFTROTY (YTIH)

Tags: Creativity, PDSCEDFTROTY (YTIH), Writing

Comments: 2 Comments

This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series PDSCEDFTROTY (YTIH)

Well December is now over, well the year 2010 is over, well technically the decade is over and this all means one thing. Yes the end of PDSCEDFTROTY (YTIH), this is a good thing since its not as easy to say as NaNoWriMo, and does not so much roll off the tongue as give you mouth strain. Anyway, Its time I posted an update of how I did in this challenge. So here it is.

I did quiet well, At the start of the challenge I failed only one day, and that was due to a 48 hour flu like bug that really wiped me out one day. And I refuse to accept gibbering insanely to myself as “creative”. After that one glitch I was doing well until Christmas time when I was hit with “Vampire eye” again, and a bad case which temporary blinded me in one eye for several days, and caused such unbelievable pain, that my only creative thoughts were based on ways to remove my eye and put an end to the pain . So all in all I failed five days out of a total thirty one. Which I am claiming as a triumph.

No I know that some of you will be thinking “Yes, of course you stuck to it!” in a tone of thought that implies you doubt me. To you I say “How can you doubt this face?”. I will also say I had help, help in the guise of a book. My sister got me a book for my birthday one creative writing, and training your mind to write and help get past blocks. It does this with instructions and a series of five minute creative challenges, which you are supposed to do one a day.

And that’s what I did, a challenge a day. And to prove to the unbelievers, I shall post some of the results on here.