tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71625431933293763422024-02-18T19:01:20.783-08:00Steve ParkerSteve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-20402058008299076422011-09-10T18:52:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:59:18.517-07:00Booyah<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRsmVS4dfHbMnom2qb8sH7Y7XSo_2I47JRsPsFmHe6TG5vpk5CifO5sPz38B0XjQ4Za-d_blIlL1XVb87KMdTraMZX3CoTq1G7RrfsA9hCcGzDAdIhmRvhnamv3y_X6Pyg7PWKe_pWB8/s1600/10-09-11_1346.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRsmVS4dfHbMnom2qb8sH7Y7XSo_2I47JRsPsFmHe6TG5vpk5CifO5sPz38B0XjQ4Za-d_blIlL1XVb87KMdTraMZX3CoTq1G7RrfsA9hCcGzDAdIhmRvhnamv3y_X6Pyg7PWKe_pWB8/s320/10-09-11_1346.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650914844715979090" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i>Ah.... Finally.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >The radio has begun! Very soon, new GSS will turn up from the radio studio thanks to the glorious <a href="http://radio.adelaide.edu.au/">Radio Adelaide</a>, and we are hoping to bring something a little special for the first episode back.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >As well as that, James and I have a new film planned, yes a film, not just another skit, and we're pretty excited about it! I am directing, James is acting alongside a couple of other actors I greatly enjoy, and I have a decent crew to back me up as Director. It's pretty cool. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >So things may have seemed to slow down from the outside, but believe me that's only because it's sped up so much on the inside! We are cranking it hard, and hope to have some awesome content for you soon. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Have a good one folks, all the best. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >-Steve</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-57461977801676586742011-06-30T20:38:00.001-07:002011-07-03T17:38:20.596-07:00New Age<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQs4jenFfbvUVCOF4VPbQnGod6OOndi9kfV_sNL1luR36ApfXurbIQe_LD332-9uvOlJxlrRJS-eR5Roc4gAhuJ-gdzqsmxq9HEkaOSc1bdJvUUOKwOpcRqysa5o1fPyDxJHmHKEqcyBY/s1600/Loving+it.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQs4jenFfbvUVCOF4VPbQnGod6OOndi9kfV_sNL1luR36ApfXurbIQe_LD332-9uvOlJxlrRJS-eR5Roc4gAhuJ-gdzqsmxq9HEkaOSc1bdJvUUOKwOpcRqysa5o1fPyDxJHmHKEqcyBY/s320/Loving+it.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624225099002819074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Alli loving the greenscreen getup used in </i></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXfS7rMtjic&feature=channel_video_title"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>our last vide</i></span>o</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I'm a bit excited, in a reserved and hesitant kinda way.<div><br /></div><div>Dropping the torrent sharing of my episodes has indeed resulted in a few more people <a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/">on the site.</a> Not many, but a few. And I am happy for any!</div><div>Also, the video work has started to ramp up. I've been desperately worried that I'm not funny, basically because the video views are so low, and it's only just dawned that there may be other options.</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgB9fRkKDW8&feature=channel_video_title">The rat video</a> I wrote and which <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/soulstonepictures">James and Alli</a> made is going quite well, and drawing quite a bit of attention from people who want ads made for their own little businesses.</div><div>This is kinda cool.</div><div>Who knew actual money could be made by creativity!?</div><div><br /></div><div>As well as all that, my radio course starts up pretty soon, and I am excited about that too. At the very least, the quality of these <a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/">podcasts</a> should ramp RIGHT up, since I believe I am allowed to use the studio to record my own stuff as long as I credit the station, which I am more than happy to do!</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, there's always the chance everything will utterly fail and come crashing down around my ears, thus the hesitant and cautious optimism.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things are looking up, that's pretty new to me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have a bloody good one folks, </div><div>Steve Parker</div><div><a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/">Great Southern Stand<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></a></div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-77691081705728882732011-05-29T18:57:00.001-07:002011-05-29T19:01:01.181-07:00Ridiculous<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavp1oEcpB6bYcY5NHI589jCdgeScYFzyTgtthVU9o0kPbKRgemjwwlDU5iDG_XUNSezk6p44dcS7ZxtpoppGVVuqHdNPo_foDOF6ZI5JQFmFjDRaPVBa1pyLVst6JhdDXWrSoqw1iEDw/s1600/4394c9837b5a96952569727bafc95189.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 86px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavp1oEcpB6bYcY5NHI589jCdgeScYFzyTgtthVU9o0kPbKRgemjwwlDU5iDG_XUNSezk6p44dcS7ZxtpoppGVVuqHdNPo_foDOF6ZI5JQFmFjDRaPVBa1pyLVst6JhdDXWrSoqw1iEDw/s320/4394c9837b5a96952569727bafc95189.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612322567412797954" /></a>I'm sure you've seen ads like this all the time, I know I have, but there's something extra crappy about this one, and it drew my eye.<div><br /></div><div>In 4 weeks the fat bastard in the top pic became the photoshopped roid freak in the bottom pic?</div><div><br /></div><div>Firstly, I don't think so.</div><div>Secondly, I would expect that man to DIE any minute.</div><div><br /></div><div>Quick fix solutions are not the way when it comes to weight loss. Slow and steady, that's the way.</div><div>Quick loss means quick gains as soon as you slack off a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>I myself lost 30 kg in a matter of weeks, I managed to keep off about 10 of it.</div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-51696151165259784982011-05-29T18:56:00.000-07:002011-05-29T18:57:14.274-07:00As of Monday 30th May 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per country:</h2>Your torrents have been downloaded 252731 times in 158 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:100075,23049,21560,13556,12802,9463,7697,4960,4846,4747,49976&chds=0,100075&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(39.6%)|Canada+(9.1%)|United+Kingdom+(8.5%)|France+(5.4%)|Australia+(5.1%)|Netherlands+(3.7%)|Spain+(3%)|Switzerland+(2%)|Italy+(1.9%)|Japan+(1.9%)|Other%20countries+(19.8%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHITJPBERUNODESEKRUABRMXPTDKPLFINZAEATTRIEGRCNCOINHUHKHRCZSGROCLKYBALUILSAZATHTWLVSK&chd=t:100075,23049,21560,13556,12802,9463,7697,4960,4846,4747,4479,3850,3707,3208,3047,3021,1885,1718,1645,1337,1099,927,911,859,839,711,633,595,554,529,524,519,513,501,479,469,454,438,419,389,343,342,334,314,297,297,274,271,257&chds=0,100075" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,1794&chxr=1,0,1794&chd=t:1183,963,479,1048,1194,875,1520,1169,989,865,1013,1465,1408,1325,1733,990,802,1000,1794,1632,1125,1412,1469,1171,1084,1558,1085,1378,1765,131&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||3+May+2011|||||||10+May+2011|||||||17+May+2011|||||||24+May+2011|||||||31+May+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-72392816103335661012011-05-21T08:06:00.000-07:002011-05-21T08:12:50.267-07:00Kill the Irishman - A GSS review by Steve parker<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWcXrCFT42l4BzBxl-BwFCyCe8e8ZOTwUB5ZXNizNUmhTDi91DZzGQ4YiFgtOZofNjW2QMfHF9QgxbjmyRQzk7TmldPzsprfmzPOkSCGjcnTGtD46x1vb8NPmqaSv4chXJpphm2Fxc4g/s320/Kill-the-Irishman.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609186220384808482" /><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2180401606724619830" style="width: 478px; position: relative; "><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">I have never watched a movie so full of actors I admire, and yet miss the point so very badly.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">And that's an important point about this film.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">We have some real veterans on the screen here, guys who know their work.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">The script is... not terrible. Not great, but not terrible. and yet the film as a whole seems completely devoid of content.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">Some of the blame can be laid at the feet of the main actor, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0829032/">Ray Stevenson</a>. I hate to speak ill of a thespian, but I suspect this guy got the job based almost solely on his appearance and his work on some of the writer's previous projects.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">He's big, he's a semi-convincing redhead, but I suspect his acting skills lie elsewhere, and I was not surprised at all to see him cheesing it up big time in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800369/">Thor</a>, and appearing to have a blast doing it.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">I suspect The main blame lies with the director, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0378144/">Jonathan Hensleigh.</a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">A prolific writer, he has only taken to direction 3 times. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330793/">The punisher</a> in 2004, which was a huge flop by all accounts; a horror called '<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1090360/">welcome to the jungle</a>' which went straight to video in 2007, and then this second rate attempt at blue collar crime story in 2011.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">I would say he should probably stick with writing. his written credits aren't great films, but they certainly made a lot of money.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">In short, don't bother seeing this film, even if you are a fan of his big written credits, (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120591/">Armageddon</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113497/">Jumanji</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112864/">Die Hard with a Vengeance</a>) or anything else directed by this guy. He seems to be the evil, media based cousin of King Midas;</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; ">Everything he directs turns to crap.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; "><a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Steve Parker</span></a></div></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-38456603290026672262011-05-19T21:22:00.001-07:002011-05-19T21:23:13.433-07:00VideoVery excited!<div>James and I are launching a new project this weekend, and it should be kinda cool.</div><div>Every month we hope to have one out, presuming that this one goes well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's hoping.</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-47869203972005412162011-05-19T21:21:00.000-07:002011-05-19T21:22:09.632-07:00As of Friday May 20 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per country:</h2>Your torrents have been downloaded 239500 times in 155 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:97267,21970,20382,13062,11524,9072,7591,4483,3932,3864,46353&chds=0,97267&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(40.6%)|Canada+(9.2%)|United+Kingdom+(8.5%)|France+(5.5%)|Australia+(4.8%)|Netherlands+(3.8%)|Spain+(3.2%)|Switzerland+(1.9%)|Belgium+(1.6%)|Japan+(1.6%)|Other%20countries+(19.4%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHBEJPRUITNODEKRSEUAMXBRPTDKPLAEFINZATIEGRCOHUHKTRHRINCZCNROSGCLLUILKYSALVTWTHSKBAPH&chd=t:97267,21970,20382,13062,11524,9072,7591,4483,3932,3864,3741,3456,3420,3064,3006,2918,1703,1593,1570,1312,1094,831,829,800,760,706,562,534,511,503,500,495,477,476,453,431,429,388,381,339,327,297,280,264,264,259,257,231,220&chds=0,97267" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,1794&chxr=1,0,1794&chd=t:1279,1399,1324,613,1134,921,859,1206,1483,1378,1183,963,479,1048,1194,875,1520,1169,989,865,1013,1465,1408,1325,1733,990,802,1000,1794,300&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||23+Apr+2011|||||||30+Apr+2011|||||||7+May+2011|||||||14+May+2011|||||||21+May+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-26369669833233865352011-05-05T19:06:00.000-07:002011-05-05T19:10:04.621-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="340" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pXnLBj7eoUE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><br />The Medieval Fair is over again for another year, and a good time was had by all.<div>Mostly.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a little odd filling time slots half the length we are used to, 30 minutes gives us just enough time to warm up usually, but it came off ok nonetheless. </div><div><br /></div><div>Back to training now, hopefully I'll be a bit fitter and faster by this time next year, though my body type precludes true speed. Big muscles aren't particularly useful in re-enactment combat, it just makes pulling your blows more difficult.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I love it! Win or lose, there is NOTHING in this world as satisfying as fighting in front of a crowd, and that includes performing on stage, being in films, and winning awards. Fighting trumps them all.</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-85826235714643043822011-05-05T19:03:00.000-07:002011-05-05T19:04:02.049-07:00As of Friday 6th May 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per country:</h2>Your torrents have been downloaded 222367 times in 152 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:93060,20207,18549,12236,10472,8149,6906,3939,3590,3244,42015&chds=0,93060&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(41.8%)|Canada+(9.1%)|United+Kingdom+(8.3%)|France+(5.5%)|Australia+(4.7%)|Netherlands+(3.7%)|Spain+(3.1%)|Switzerland+(1.8%)|Russian+Federation+(1.6%)|Belgium+(1.5%)|Other%20countries+(18.9%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHRUBEJPNODESEITKRUABRMXPTDKPLAEFINZATIEGRHKHUCOHRTRCZINCNROCLSGLUILLVSKTHTWSAKYPHSN&chd=t:93060,20207,18549,12236,10472,8149,6906,3939,3590,3244,3059,2990,2869,2851,2698,2685,1656,1476,1428,1070,1003,824,801,772,732,698,537,510,497,490,490,472,465,418,412,409,409,339,334,328,319,261,256,247,240,235,210,198,193&chds=0,93060" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,1639&chxr=1,0,1639&chd=t:1246,1582,1639,1537,1283,1238,1313,1040,1157,1498,1550,1202,1265,1224,1279,1399,1324,613,1134,921,859,1206,1483,1378,1183,963,479,1048,1194,44&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||9+Apr+2011|||||||16+Apr+2011|||||||23+Apr+2011|||||||30+Apr+2011|||||||7+May+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-85085603239825204412011-04-27T00:39:00.000-07:002011-04-27T01:03:54.883-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnwh3Wx4lNDi-YcpJo4U297mOg-J2tcMwY5K15FFP8nmY4MEv8M5jMnyqUc0g3HkgdMjBvdwu-x-11_dTDi4RsILu2I1JTdqcKjwvSw6J8c0Jjp6DRT_Q2KLuE3BYGzQ9kpf3CFhFTPo/s1600/yngwie-trainer.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnwh3Wx4lNDi-YcpJo4U297mOg-J2tcMwY5K15FFP8nmY4MEv8M5jMnyqUc0g3HkgdMjBvdwu-x-11_dTDi4RsILu2I1JTdqcKjwvSw6J8c0Jjp6DRT_Q2KLuE3BYGzQ9kpf3CFhFTPo/s320/yngwie-trainer.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600165041351988066" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Oooh, he's so hard core..!</i></div></span><div><br /></div><div>Yes, oh yes, OH YES! This weekend marks the 2011 <a href="http://www.medievalsa.org/">Gumeracha Medieval Fair</a>, and I am taking part! Yay! No longer confined to entertaining the great unwashed from behind a mic and faux-hawk, this year I will be on the field with <a href="http://handakas.nvg.org.au/calendar/events/?event=16">Handakas!</a></div><div>magnificent.</div><div>I should have some new footage for you soon, but in the mean time <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLPML__o8v0&feature=channel_video_title">here's a clip</a> of me on the mic while the boys play killing games at the last one I attended.</div><div><br /></div><div>BOOYAH!</div><div><br /></div><div>Your humble servant, </div><div>Steve Parker</div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-20741747108328325232011-04-27T00:38:00.000-07:002011-04-27T00:39:09.214-07:00As of Wed 27th April 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per country:</h2>Your torrents have been downloaded 212879 times in 152 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:90732,19302,17531,11605,9197,7778,6635,3769,3529,2898,39903&chds=0,90732&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(42.6%)|Canada+(9.1%)|United+Kingdom+(8.2%)|France+(5.5%)|Australia+(4.3%)|Netherlands+(3.7%)|Spain+(3.1%)|Switzerland+(1.8%)|Russian+Federation+(1.7%)|Belgium+(1.4%)|Other%20countries+(18.7%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHRUBENOJPDESEKRITUAMXBRPTDKPLAEFINZATIEHKGRCOHUHRTRCZINCNROLUSGILCLLVSKTHTWSAKYPHSN&chd=t:90732,19302,17531,11605,9197,7778,6635,3769,3529,2898,2869,2746,2620,2609,2532,2425,1650,1418,1411,1035,999,817,797,737,692,688,529,496,496,482,470,469,460,412,410,405,401,328,318,318,311,259,256,241,236,222,210,194,193&chds=0,90732" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,1651&chxr=1,0,1651&chd=t:1060,1249,1108,1651,1592,1196,1151,1324,951,1246,1582,1639,1537,1283,1238,1313,1040,1157,1498,1550,1202,1265,1224,1279,1399,1324,613,1134,921,369&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||31+Mar+2011|||||||7+Apr+2011|||||||14+Apr+2011|||||||21+Apr+2011|||||||28+Apr+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-58989961998741909912011-04-21T19:39:00.000-07:002011-04-21T19:52:24.379-07:00Oops, my Steve is showing....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgXOX0RVRmRxUYLDzji5b8743F5olbibY4cCPwy07bggnr5YatB58FAkuikSuNfNKO5sBZ5ipTK7FigPyz_AiFaw3QDhUhHxbulT_SiDBFfd_nIsBlsGwEZnSKMR_X0u15Ah8w869ajs/s1600/Stv+new.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgXOX0RVRmRxUYLDzji5b8743F5olbibY4cCPwy07bggnr5YatB58FAkuikSuNfNKO5sBZ5ipTK7FigPyz_AiFaw3QDhUhHxbulT_SiDBFfd_nIsBlsGwEZnSKMR_X0u15Ah8w869ajs/s320/Stv+new.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598234760362439970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Is this the face of fascism?</span></i></div><div><br /></div>Ah, yet again I have erred.<div>I seem cursed to continually build up an audience only to decimate it with one little rant.</div><div>On this occasion it was my French rant from last week. It HALVED the visitors to the site.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ouch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apparently I am the ONLY person IN THE WORLD who came out in support of France banning the Burqas, and the audience didn't like it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I understand a lot of my viewpoints are hard to take, and also that they are somewhat tainted by my hatred of ALL religious institutions, but I must admit I'm a little disappointed that so many would flee the show over one rant.</div><div><br /></div><div>In future, I'll stick to fluffy cat stories, how's that? Would that make you more comfortable? </div><div><br /></div><div>"Today our benevolent, wise and intelligent world leaders made another brilliant decision which will benefit us all universally"....</div><div><br /></div><div>Better?</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think so.</div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily, I don't actually care for fame or wealth. If I was one of those 'ambitious' types I'd probably go to any length to make sure it never happened again.</div><div>If anyone thinks I am going to change my show to better suit a wider audience, well... </div><div><br /></div><div>...they don't know me too good, do they.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your humble servant, </div><div>Steve Parker</div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-472586466569391392011-04-21T19:24:00.000-07:002011-04-21T19:25:00.511-07:00Fri April 22<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Your torrents have been downloaded 207218 times in 151 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:89241,18964,16851,11033,8730,7512,6459,3658,3484,2845,38441&chds=0,89241&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(43.1%)|Canada+(9.2%)|United+Kingdom+(8.1%)|France+(5.3%)|Australia+(4.2%)|Netherlands+(3.6%)|Spain+(3.1%)|Switzerland+(1.8%)|Russian+Federation+(1.7%)|Belgium+(1.4%)|Other%20countries+(18.6%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHRUBENOSEDEKRITJPUAMXBRPTDKPLAEFIATNZIEHKGRCOHUTRCNCZINROHRILSGCLLULVSKTHTWSAKYSNPH&chd=t:89241,18964,16851,11033,8730,7512,6459,3658,3484,2845,2793,2594,2529,2461,2375,2307,1642,1340,1304,1017,988,814,794,721,687,622,521,495,491,478,468,457,404,404,397,390,335,311,310,301,262,259,256,237,236,219,207,190,186&chds=0,89241" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,2239&chxr=1,0,2239&chd=t:1509,1416,1913,2239,1484,1060,1249,1108,1651,1592,1196,1151,1324,951,1246,1582,1639,1537,1283,1238,1313,1040,1157,1498,1550,1202,1265,1224,1279,83&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||26+Mar+2011|||||||2+Apr+2011|||||||9+Apr+2011|||||||16+Apr+2011|||||||23+Apr+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-16251441483046763542011-04-18T19:06:00.000-07:002011-04-18T19:14:04.301-07:00French Fascist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSl9InZRnPK0WfcGX6njZJCSKRqFchQy1BhnqK7krCYQo2hxypxDCoIPBSiBJZcNdf3FQ49Oco0qzWUCWcP1bEPUBJ1B9i_QAUxmSXlMfYU74ZTVdUEhAJZdLRFA-lxn6Jpr0CFtMoP4/s1600/Facepalm.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSl9InZRnPK0WfcGX6njZJCSKRqFchQy1BhnqK7krCYQo2hxypxDCoIPBSiBJZcNdf3FQ49Oco0qzWUCWcP1bEPUBJ1B9i_QAUxmSXlMfYU74ZTVdUEhAJZdLRFA-lxn6Jpr0CFtMoP4/s200/Facepalm.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597112136625214706" /></a><div><br /></div>It finally happened. I guess I shouldn't be surprised given some of my ranting material, but I still feel dirty.<div>I have caught Nazis.</div><div>Eeew.</div><div><br /></div><div>I received a comment last week from a French Fascist lauding my rant against Islam in his nation, giving me links to sites and friends who wanted to speak to me and all sorts of other nasties.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, I ranted back at him. How could I not?</div><div><br /></div><div>I have no time for small minded bigoted racists. My objections to religion are PURELY because they are evil institutions. The followers of these wicked institutions are victims, not enemies, and certainly not lesser beings.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Neo-Nazi was not happy with my rant, and asked if I was a Jew.</div><div>Typical.</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-34430975675070472772011-04-14T16:19:00.001-07:002011-04-14T16:19:54.628-07:00As of Friday 15th April 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Your torrents have been downloaded 197934 times in 150 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:85684,18600,16209,10417,7653,7246,6264,3507,3419,2727,36208&chds=0,85684&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(43.3%)|Canada+(9.4%)|United+Kingdom+(8.2%)|France+(5.3%)|Australia+(3.9%)|Netherlands+(3.7%)|Spain+(3.2%)|Switzerland+(1.8%)|Russian+Federation+(1.7%)|Belgium+(1.4%)|Other%20countries+(18.3%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHRUBENOSEITKRDEJPUABRMXPTDKPLAEFIATNZIEHKCOGRHUTRCNCZINROHRSGCLLUSKILTHTWSAKYLVSNZA&chd=t:85684,18600,16209,10417,7653,7246,6264,3507,3419,2727,2576,2449,2314,2310,2258,1995,1633,1271,1206,938,845,808,729,720,674,614,515,494,475,473,463,450,398,396,386,385,331,308,290,262,251,242,234,231,211,207,196,190,175&chds=0,85684" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,2239&chxr=1,0,2239&chd=t:1347,1463,1447,1726,1927,1011,1576,1096,1509,1416,1913,2239,1484,1060,1249,1108,1651,1592,1196,1151,1324,951,1246,1582,1639,1537,1283,1238,1313,1032&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||18+Mar+2011|||||||25+Mar+2011|||||||1+Apr+2011|||||||8+Apr+2011|||||||15+Apr+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-34422738422038157622011-04-14T05:55:00.000-07:002011-04-14T06:03:13.729-07:00Hobo with a shotgun : A GSS review by Steve Parker<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z_0pJvgCfeVVx-zpC8tmJmgPRCps0WOkmKJejcKolQa4SK9PVyXV9ry33Is-gGKhNEQU73jisIVuIhQFHmEZLQ8LpKJdgJuQ_2xsJJurGEPbmW9MaL1bYfwp14f-Xg0Xmw5IkMo9bq0/s1600/hobo-with-a-shotgun-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z_0pJvgCfeVVx-zpC8tmJmgPRCps0WOkmKJejcKolQa4SK9PVyXV9ry33Is-gGKhNEQU73jisIVuIhQFHmEZLQ8LpKJdgJuQ_2xsJJurGEPbmW9MaL1bYfwp14f-Xg0Xmw5IkMo9bq0/s320/hobo-with-a-shotgun-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595423804621385074" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" >Rutger can act, that's the real tragedy here.</span></i></span></div></i><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I should have known. <div>With a title like that, and starring Rutger Haur, it couldn't be anything but B grade crap.<div>And it was! Start to finish. </div><div><br /></div><div>The plot, if you can call it that, is simplistic in the extreme, and really only exists to give an excuse for all the splatter gore. That said, if you like splatter gore and imaginative deaths, you may enjoy this a little.</div><div>Some of the ideas were moderately interesting as well, if extremely poorly executed.</div><div><br /></div><div>In conclusion I'd have to say: I saw this film for free, it still wasn't worth the price.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a side note, the makers of the film got down on the Torrent sharing community for 'stealing' their film. I would humbly suggest that if this is the pinnacle of ones film making talents, one should be happy for any audience at all.</div></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-5657973771379692502011-04-08T07:29:00.001-07:002011-04-08T07:34:22.015-07:00Ah, mininovaI love that my show is downloadable on a legal torrent site.<div>I love that on a bad day around 700 people download some GSS.</div><div>I love that <a href="http://www.mininova.org/user/Southern_Stand">Mininova </a>tells me <a href="http://szparker.blogspot.com/2011/04/as-of-friday-8th-april-2011.html">which countries</a> people are downloading from.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yet, I REALLY wish I could get some of these folks to <a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/">visit the website</a> instead. </div><div>I don't ask for donations or have a bunch of banner ads, because the thought sickens me.</div><div>But I do eventually hope to get enough traffic that someone might decide to sponsor the show. </div><div>Of course, they would have to be the right kind of people but still, even an offer from the GVS would be flattering, if impossible to accept.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ah well. </div><div>The important thing is that there are enough mad people in the world who think that listening to me is entertaining, to keep me going indefinitely.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love <a href="http://southernstand.blogspot.com/">this show</a>.</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-56249831566195999592011-04-08T07:25:00.000-07:002011-04-08T07:27:07.457-07:00As of Friday 8th April 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; ">Statistics from <a href="http://www.mininova.org/user/Southern_Stand">Mininova</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; "><br /></span></div>Your torrents have been downloaded 189108 times in 150 different countries <abbr title="Since April 2008, updated hourly" style="font: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(221, 34, 0); border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; ">*</abbr><div id="country-charts" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 40px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><a id="piebutton" class="selected" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View pie chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/piebutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><a id="barbutton" href="http://www.mininova.org/my/statistics" title="View bar chart" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 221); text-decoration: underline; float: left; width: 20px; height: 20px; margin-right: 3px; background-image: url(http://mnstat.com/images/barbutton.png); background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; "></a><img id="piechart" height="220" width="480" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=p&chs=480x220&chd=t:81834,17715,15804,9904,7167,7009,6154,3415,3367,2575,34164&chds=0,81834&chco=6f4df9,695af9,6268f9,5c76f8,5683f8,5091f7,6a9fef,6a9fef,9fbbdf,b9c9d7,d3d7cf&chl=United+States+(43.3%)|Canada+(9.4%)|United+Kingdom+(8.4%)|France+(5.2%)|Australia+(3.8%)|Netherlands+(3.7%)|Spain+(3.3%)|Switzerland+(1.8%)|Russian+Federation+(1.8%)|Belgium+(1.4%)|Other%20countries+(18.1%)" alt="Downloads per country" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; float: left; clear: left; margin-top: 3px; " /></div><map name="imgmap" id="imgmap"></map><div id="country-map" style="float: left; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; "><div id="zoomtext" style="height: 20px; font-size: 10px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); ">Click on the map to zoom in</div><img id="map" height="220" width="440" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=t&chtm=world&chs=440x220&chco=ffffff,d3e3fb,94a2fa,7986f9,5360f9&chld=USCAGBFRAUNLESCHRUBENOSEITDEKRJPUAMXBRPTDKPLATAEFINZIEHKCOGRHUTRCZCNROSGCLHRSKINILTHTWKYSALULVSNZA&chd=t:81834,17715,15804,9904,7167,7009,6154,3415,3367,2575,2493,2302,2224,2119,2060,1797,1611,1202,1174,926,776,689,667,661,661,547,512,493,472,467,459,441,390,390,385,306,273,271,251,241,235,230,227,207,206,198,195,190,173&chds=0,81834" alt="Country map" usemap="#imgmap" style="border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-right-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-bottom-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); border-left-color: rgb(187, 187, 187); " /></div><div class="clear-left" style="clear: left; "></div><h2 style="font: normal normal bold 150%/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; ">Downloads per day:</h2><img id="daily" width="860" height="200" src="http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?cht=bvs&chs=860x200&chco=4488ee&chds=0,2239&chxr=1,0,2239&chd=t:838,1284,1349,1584,1298,1274,1347,1463,1447,1726,1927,1011,1576,1096,1509,1416,1913,2239,1484,1060,1249,1108,1651,1592,1196,1151,1324,951,1246,779&chxt=x,y&chxl=0:||12+Mar+2011|||||||19+Mar+2011|||||||26+Mar+2011|||||||2+Apr+2011|||||||9+Apr+2011|" alt="Downloads per day" style="border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; margin-top: 20px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; " /></span>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-43497235088056949332011-04-03T19:09:00.000-07:002011-04-03T19:16:06.462-07:00From yawn to yawning yawn. But then, suddenly...<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="340" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SSK9Cdr3FFk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div style="background-color: transparent; "><br /></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I want to talk about American sports for a bit, one in particular. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Now as you know for the most part I have little time for American sports, or indeed any sport which doesn’t involve swords. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Baseball? Well you have weapons at least, I like that, but baseball’s greatest achievment was taking a mind numbingly dull game like Cricket and made it EVEN MORE BORING! I mean, that takes skill, dedication and a real commitment to being long, slow and dull. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Football, again! You’ve got armour, which is cool, but then you took a fast, hard game and stopped it every few seconds to talk for a few minutes. Plus you touch a football with your hands, that’s just wierd. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">But basketball, ah basketball I think you might be onto a winner here. I have recently been playing NBA2k11, (And incidentally, if I may wax street for a moment: I am money, wid da rock), and it led me to hunt down some youtube b-ball and I have seen some amazing stuff, in particular; Michael Jordan. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Wow. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I mean... wow. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I am a fighter, and I’ve always thought the old tales of warrior demi gods were kinda cute and quaint and mainly the result of ignorant, impresionable peasants. And then I saw Michael Jordan play and all of the sudden I could totally understand people watching someone like him and thinking, “that man is surely the son of a god”. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Incredible. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">So there you go, a good American sport. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Now if you can just make some music which doesn’t make me puke, I will seriously consider visiting your fine nation. </span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3580422287341207" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">...once the gun permits have cleared.</span></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-18596661643476365422011-02-26T02:59:00.000-08:002011-02-26T03:18:29.703-08:00Patient Zero - Screen Saviour : A Great Southern Stand Review by Steve Parker<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6inyyr0RQk8ByE3SB9UuY_zeK_aF3cywNVwiyPjvklifdNIJ7u1Ql9YaYw1XciVcyHsxoMksVYJ2HbzqAsPH1sjt8Z1oDglL9t2Ed-kMpuaTiXJlMb6M_4xpT42YN_s4JZAQxitFwWB8/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6inyyr0RQk8ByE3SB9UuY_zeK_aF3cywNVwiyPjvklifdNIJ7u1Ql9YaYw1XciVcyHsxoMksVYJ2HbzqAsPH1sjt8Z1oDglL9t2Ed-kMpuaTiXJlMb6M_4xpT42YN_s4JZAQxitFwWB8/s320/cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577955807267986562" /></a><div><br /></div><div>Screen Saviour is the soon-to-be latest release from British industrial musician '<a href="http://patientzero.bandcamp.com/">Patient Zero</a>', and my first response is:</div><div><br /></div><div>Wow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Zero has always been prolific and professional, but this latest release shows a real growth in the skills and feel of the artist which result in an album universally superior to all previous releases. </div><div>Though the album for the most part is flavoured by a recent emotional break down, something for everyone can be found in this varied and entertaining release. </div><div>For those of us who want a good laugh, I can suggest critical stop, which has perhaps the best ending for a song I have ever heard. </div><div>For those who want a beautiful instrumental ballad, Tanz Mit Ubernachtung is the place to go. </div><div>And for those who want an honest an uncompramising view of a soul in the process of dissintergration I can suggest the entirety of the rest of the album. </div><div>I have not heard a more open and up front, savagely honest introspective tour of a writers psyche since The Who's 1973 release, Quadrophenia. The writer pulls no punches and bars no gates for his listeners, and we appreciate every opened door. </div><div><br /></div><div>A wonderful album, well worth a listen. </div><div><br /></div><div>-Steve Parker</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Tracks:</span></b></u></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Waiting for a funeral</b>: Lyrically powerful and evocative, this song is an excellent introduction to the feel of this new album. Prepare yourselves, it seems to say, this is going to be a dark journey!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Another option</b>: A harsh jolt, dragging the listener out of the dark reverie of track one. It's central plea however, is no less powerful for that and this chaotic track reflects a soul in turmoil almost scarily well. It's not hard to imagine a dance floor filled with dissociated youth surging to the beat of a musician producing with a feel they understand all too well. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Screen Saviour</b>: The title track of the album. A heavy bestial introduction makes way for a beautifully crafted melody in this third track, and despite fitting nicely into the dark theme of this album, seems built on a foundation of hope for a better future within the confines of the writers vision. A yearning for a dystopian cybernetic future which may seem bleak to some, but to others an alternate nirvana where the confines of emotion no longer hold sway over our hearts </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Paragon</b>: The bouncing, dancy feel of this track came as somewhat a surprise in track four, but may be indicative of the continuing maturation of Patient Zero as a momentary respite from unyielding darkness felt very well timed indeed. But beware! This track has hidden assaults, lashing and slicing with precision and pain. A beautifully crafted track of mass destruction. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Absurdity</b>: Loud, savage, and angry. Patient Zero decided our break had been long enough and throws us headlong into the core of his pain and disappointment at the failings of our human frailties. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Democracy/Philosophy</b>: From humans to humanity, track six exposes the weaknesses of, you guessed it: democracy Or more specifically, democratic capitalism, and our seemingly irreparable problem with confusing democracy for a philosophy, rather than a simple process of selection. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mirror</b>: Self loathing drips from every word in this beautifully crafted track. We are invited into the very heart of the writer with no truths occluded or areas refused as he tries in vain to figure why a lover left. Savage, uncompromising and melancholy in content if not in feel. This may be a good candidate for hit single for this album. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Princess</b>: A thumping bass beat backs this solid track, packed to the brim with all the bitterness of the recently dumped. Honest in it's darkness, this track makes no bones about the personal evils unleashed after a painful separation. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Take</b>: Wild, loud and desperate, track nine is a slap in the face of spiritual vampires the world over. Ever had someone who just took everything and gave nothing back? Play this track and you will enter the brotherhood of pain. Just make sure there are no weapons nearby. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I am everythin</b>g: We all know this feeling. Track 10 continues the uncompromising introspection with a feeling we know all too well: After the fall, comes the pride. Self deification forms guards and barriers immune to the assaults of the outside world, but it is as always mixed with the bitter taint of self doubt and loathing. A contradictory song evoking the idea of an intensely localised and isolated omnipresence. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mercurio</b>: The eyes of the storm, this is an expertly crafted suicide song. With a surprising softness the writer attempts to bid farewell to his love, remembering the bittersweet moments of an ended passion.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Modern Noise</b>: The writers cup is full, and yet the world continues it's never ending stream: it's all getting a bit too much for the writer. Spitting venom at modern society and it's continual self corruption. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Violent Ride</b>: A throwback to older Patient Zero tracks, the writer updates some of his older sounds with his new fury. For loyal listeners it's a bit of Patient retro, for new listeners a look back into where he has come from. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>More than you</b>: With the first sounds this song evokes what you are sure is going to be a dark and twisted ride through the writers mind, and it doesn't disappoint. Filled with self mutilation, suicidal thoughts and self loathing, 'I loved you more than you loved me" is the central cry. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Suffragette</b>: This track evoked painful longings and a feeling of deep betrayal. The listener gets the feeling of being played with, discarded for no good reason by someone who feels the relationship far less deeply than the writer. It's never easy to hear a grown man pleading, but as painful as it is to listen to, it must have been agony to write. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tanz Mit Ubernachtung</b>: A wonderfully crafted instrumental track, 'dancing with the Over night" is a truly beautiful piece, worthy of any heavily emotional film score. It seems filled with not only a resignation, but a sort of growth, and almost a hope for a new future and a better tomorrow. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Necromantic</b>: Track 17 asks the question, "is God dead?" and goes on to explore the ramifications of the answer. An obvious core of piety, (though probably long lapsed), fills this track, along with a terror and dispossession known only to those who truly believe, and then lose that belief, in a deity. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Headroom</b>: Welcome Sir or Madame, to track 18, and how would you like your insanity served today? The cook has whipped us up a treat, and we are sure you'll enjoy your stay in the mad world of Max Headroom as visited by Patient Zero. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pure Decking</b>: Modern day hackers as well as old school fans of Shadowrun and Cyberpunk will know full well the theme of this song. The thrill of hacking firewalls, bypassing security and warping files, this track may be the anthem of a new generation of cyber thrill seekers. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Critical Stop</b>: If the writer had tried to write a more universally relatable song, he couldn't. DAMNED COMPUTERS!</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-19338282270314056612011-01-19T18:28:00.000-08:002011-01-19T18:42:39.112-08:00Jan 20 2011Today I went and spoke to a shrink, who assisted me in my constant introspection. <div><br /></div><div>I always find it easy to talk to shrinks, which makes sense on a number of levels. </div><div>Firstly, I can treat it as an academic exercise; getting together with an expert to study the brain of this being designated 'Steve'. </div><div>Secondly, it's all about me, and who's ego wouldn't want that sort of focus?</div><div>That's not a major part of it, (At least I hope it's not), but it'd be deceitful not to mention it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was completely honest, (to do otherwise seems counter-productive), about all facets of my mind and past, Something you're unlikely to experience during my <a href="http://www.onlineradioaustralia.com/">podcast</a> or on my blog. Certain truths we keep to ourselves, certain others we share with the world. In between are the truths we only reveal to shrinks or other experts, in my case at least. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not that I didn't try! Many times as a younger man I can recall attempting a deeper level of conversation with my peer group only to be rebuffed in various ways. Other people don't seem interested in discussing relative morality or philosophical outlooks. </div><div><br /></div><div>I discovered today, or had it pointed out to me rather, that what I seem to lack is 'blinkers'. Those little flaps on a horses face which limit their view to the track ahead. What this does for the horse is remove the sight of other horses nearby. If it saw the horses it may be tempted to baulk, defer, fight, or otherwise react to the other horses which it perceives as above or below it in the pack hierarchy. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my case the lack of blinkers means that I cannot simple 'put my head down and focus on my job'. I am barraged by the facts of what is happening in our world, and most of those facts are not good. </div><div>Normal folks develop walls or blinkers to allow them to cope. </div><div>I don't have that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Every day I am slammed in the face with reality, and reality is cold and ignorant and dark and brutal and ignorant and selfish and ignorant and violent and above all, IGNORANT. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think I'm going to be working on my blinkers for awhile. </div><div><br /></div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-85067262368789799172011-01-11T15:30:00.000-08:002011-01-11T15:32:10.764-08:00A note to the rich<div>When I look at your wealth and your houses and pools and fancy cars, I don't get jealous of your success, I don't even see the sucess that you see. </div><div>I see a complicity in evil. </div><div>A willful self ignorance to rival the most pig headed of lowly beasts. You think you are commiting no evil by going to work, earning the money, climbing the ladders, but you are wrong. </div><div>In my eyes at least. </div><div>Take the possesions, the freedoms and the well being of the poorest human; everything we own over that is greed, pure and simple. Taking more than your fair share of the net wealth of the world. </div><div>Try as you might to convince yourself that you have earned your wealth, I can most likely prove otherwise. There are very few actually necessary jobs in the world. Engineers, educators, health carers, scientists, certain buerocrats and farmers. That's about it. The vast majority of other jobs are little more than work creation, and many of them take an extremely unfair slice of the global pie. </div><div>The ones who dissapoint me most are the really smart, talented ones who choose to sell out as a concious effort of will. </div><div>I know a few. </div><div>Some I even count as friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>-Steve</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-10901459766903573742010-12-14T16:44:00.000-08:002010-12-14T16:50:07.744-08:00And reality comes crashing inIt's not you, it's me. <div><br /></div><div>Cliché, oh yes, but still true. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are many folks out there for whom this sort of work comes easily, I am not one of them. Because of this, I think sometimes I try too hard. </div><div>Next year, whatever else happens, I will continue doing the podcast. I wont worry about audience feedback, numbers or income, I'll just do it as well I can. </div><div>It wont be what we've had so far, but when has it ever been? GSS has changed it's face so many times since it's birth I've lost count. </div><div>I want to thank everyone who has supported the show, don't feel the need to write in or anything unless you want to, same with the ad clicking and other stuff. </div><div>2011 will be the year of freedom. </div><div>Coz I'm free. </div><div>To do what I want. </div><div>Any old time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Much love. </div><div>-Steve</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-35798407037810459602010-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:002010-12-01T19:56:53.719-08:00GSS days gone bye byeThe days of the old podcast may soon be coming to a close. <div>It's a tough decision, I've loved doing it, but the rewards are just not there. </div><div><br /></div><div>James, Ali and I put in a lot of work around the place, writing, filming, producing and advertising many other people's creations and a few of our own, and most of them make a profit in some way. </div><div>All except for GSS.</div><div>GSS was a labour of love, which we hoped to be able to keep on doing forever, but to do so, it had to make enough money to at least make it not just a black hole sucking in time and energy.</div><div><br /></div><div>We asked for donations, and never got a single one. I understand that, I rarely donate online myself. So we came up with another plan; the ads on the website. </div><div>A click a day was what we asked for, and that would have easily been enough for us to at least continue doing what we are doing. </div><div>Alas, most of our audience is via torrents rather than our website, and none of them could be bothered to even click on the site, though hundreds, sometimes thousands listened to the show every day. </div><div>What are we to do in the face of such apathy?</div><div>The audience appears willing to enjoy the product, but not do a single thing to support it, even when it costs them nothing. </div><div>People usually pay us thousands of dollars for our work, literally, and we are used to being paid what we are worth. </div><div>For me, this is not a huge issue. Money is unimportant to me. To James and Ali who are buying a house, paying alimony and running a small business, money is a little more important. </div><div>So we may be forced to say goodbye pretty soon, at least in this form. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's been fun for the most part, and I'll be sorry to see it go, but that's life. </div><div>You get what you pay for. </div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7162543193329376342.post-53410478818858695092010-11-02T09:14:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:19:34.844-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEyChpUZYQRQAaEMG6QgZHmpNoEKMaoeNZPAzKLELs4EbFV0h_Btfdu-2S87gFBnadP_3oT4tLTMrP1FI9LYRvbAaDj3U8DvCtb0rcVD_K7DmOsN8w5biweLsAB6yFEtCxPqoNyd-j1o/s1600/Stevil.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEyChpUZYQRQAaEMG6QgZHmpNoEKMaoeNZPAzKLELs4EbFV0h_Btfdu-2S87gFBnadP_3oT4tLTMrP1FI9LYRvbAaDj3U8DvCtb0rcVD_K7DmOsN8w5biweLsAB6yFEtCxPqoNyd-j1o/s400/Stevil.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534987578107443938" /></a><br />I am having an awesome night!<div>It's 2:30am, the moon is high, the hills are clouded in fog and my madness sings loud. </div><div>I love this frame of mind. It's the manic part of manic depression, and it is beautiful, and powerful, and utterly utterly dark. </div><div>Glorious fluidity of mind and an utterly unhinged logic circuit makes for interesting leaps!</div><div>To sum up my frame of mind, I will leave you with the following quote, and the fact that I think it is hillarious. </div><div><br /></div><div>"A legless octopus, that's the saddest thing..." - Eddie Morrison</div>Steve Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17268082009912417415noreply@blogger.com0