The Captain's Cabin

QotW: Olympic Torch Protests

2008-04-01T23:04:53Z

The Olympic torch was lit in Beijing, China on Monday and will be taken on 130-day journey throughout the world. What is your reaction to the Tibet activist groups who plan to demonstrate in large cities as the torch passes through because of China's plans to take the torch through Tibet?

Forgive me for being a pedant but I think the protests might be to do with slightly more than the fact the torch will pass through Tibet. I think we should seriously consider boycotting the Olympics, so frankly the more people that protest the torch passing the better.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Life QotW: The Dirt on Gardening

2008-03-26T23:41:50Z

What's your favorite gardening tip for spring?

Hire someone.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Culture QotD: Work of Art

2008-03-11T20:27:53Z

What work of art do you find inspirational

Glowing like a Vermeer...

This may seem an odd choice for an inspiring work of art, and I must confess my first instinct on reading the question was to reach for one of my Caravaggio books and pluck out St Catherine of Alexandria or The Calling of St Matthew or something. But the truth is they don't inspire me in that sense - they amaze me, they're exceptional, magnificent, but the medium and the fact he's a great master give an aura of immortality, like gazing onwards instead of being proactive, if that makes sense.

The photograph above, however, inspires me, it inspires me because it shows how modern mediums can be used to exceptional effect without entirely breaking with what would be considered good art, it's style and structure seem to nod to the classical portrait. It seems that so much art made in modern mediums, particular digital ones, forsakes so much of what was learned from traditional art. It works as both a very beautiful portrait and also a challenge to any of us who work with modern tools that inspiration can be found from the history of art just as much when you're behind a lens or a computer as when you're behind and easel with a brush.

I'm not sure who the photographer is and have been unable to find out online, but the photo is of Cate Blanchett and was from Men's Vogue.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

News & Politics QotD: The Sunday Paper

2008-03-10T00:19:58Z

What part does the Sunday newspaper play in your life?

As I'm usually at Church on a Sunday morning I'm too busy running around getting ready and trying to find the varying sundry items I need to take. Then when I get back from Church in the early afternoon there's usually something else to do and I don't end up with a paper. (If I'm getting a paper on a Sunday, I much prefer to get it in the morning, for some reason.)

However, I really love the Sunday paper, so if I'm not at church for any reason, holidays, bubonic plague, failed alarm clocks, I'll meander down to the newsagents and buy a copy of The Sunday Times. I'll start with the main newspaper then work through the other broadsheet sections, Sports, News Review, etc. Then I move on to a skim through the property and the motoring before what is usually the highlight of the whole experience - the Culture section, that's usually really good, they have good interviews and music and book reviews always keep me occupied. Then it's the Sunday Times Magazine, which is sometimes really interesting and sometimes a total snooze, followed by Style - I'm probably not strictly speaking meant to read that section, but they have a habit of interviewing Gisele and Mrs Mills is surely the funniest advice column in the history of the printed press...

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Music QotD: I Like His Style

2008-03-06T14:03:52Z

Which musician's personal style do you admire?

Little wing (instrumental)

I'm not a huge Hendrix fan, to be honest, I've not listened to a whole lot of him as when I tried I didn't really think his vocals lived up to his playing, but on an Instrumental like this his playing seems second to none. I like the way he fuses lead with bits of rhythm, it's really something else.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Entertainment QotD: There's Nothing Sexier than Saluting a Woman

2008-03-04T14:32:16Z

Jack Nicholson used a You Tube video of clips from his movies to formally endorse Hillary Clinton for president. Does that change how you feel about any of the candidates?

Oh yes, because Jack Nicholson is obviously a highly influential and important figure in politics, I can't think of anything better to turn to for advice on the political and economic situation. I mean some people insist on getting the opinion of foreign policy experts, economists and wonks, but they're so naive, Jack Nicholson is clearly the most learned ambassador for any political candidate of our age.

Forget that Oba, Obum, Oba, oh, whatever his name is, - see I've already forgotten about change and hope and stuff. I'll definitely back Hillary now.

Thank you, Jack Nicholson for opening my eyes.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Entertainment QotD: Sweet Charity

2008-03-03T12:41:04Z

Scarlett Johannson is auctioning herself off for charity. If you could bid on an evening with any celebrity, who would it be and how much would you be willing to pay?

Apparently you can get Scarlett for $1.04 if you bid now. That's like what? 57 pence? I'm going to say Scarlett Johannson then, and I'd pay $1.08 cents, as who knows maybe some higher bids will come in as the auction progresses and I'd hate to miss out...

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Music QotD: Last Download

2008-03-01T20:25:44Z

What is the last song you downloaded? Bonus: Share it with us!

Okay, so it's been a while since I downloaded a song - my last downloads were some radio dramas with Errol Flynn (from when they used to do radio versions of the movies) and Russian Spectacular by London Symphony Orchestra. I'm not sure if Russian Spectacular really counts as songs as such, so I'll add one from that and one from the last pop album I downloaded which was Jukebox by Cat Power.

05 Aretha, Sing One For Me

This is the first Cat Power album I've had, but I really love her voice - it's so soulful and smoky. There are a few really good tracks on it but this is my favourite, the album's really laid back and enjoyable to listen to, brilliant record.

03 Lieutenant Kije_ Troika

Troika by Prokofiev. I love Russian Classical music, it's often brash, exciting and colourful. This piece is familiar, yet I can't quite place why beyond this CD, which also features the Sabre Dance and Spartacus.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

QotD: None.

2008-01-19T14:45:43Z

I'm not doing the QotD today, because it's in some obscure part of the page and I can't be bothered to scroll past the ads and go find it. Go figure, Vox.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

QotD: Saving For A Rainy Day

2008-01-09T00:29:23Z

What are you saving up for?
Submitted by Star.

I'm not actually saving right now because, well, let's face it I spend most of my money paying bills. When I do get extra money it goes in a specific account I have so I can use it if and when I go away. However, the next thing worth saving for that I'm hoping to get is...

Gallery-big-05

Pretty, isn't it? And it does everything I need. And OS X now comes with bootcamp so I can install Windows XP and still run my old windows programs until I get mac versions.

I have been after one of these things for ages, and nearly got one last time around but had to stick with Windows for work. Now that is not an issue, I can't wait to get an apple.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend