From the Orient

Django | The Web framework for perfectionists with deadlines

bq. Django is a high-level Python Web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design

This is something I will certain look into using. a because it is a web framework written in Python, b because it is written my some clever people and c because it has a cool name.

I don’t know if it was named after the “Spaghetti Western Django”:http://www.plume-noire.com/movies/cult/django.html but if so, that would be cool. I used to live with the guy who had the rights to publishing Django in the UK (who just missed out on publishing Monkey and went off to work for the BBC instead). He had a cat called Django which was the meanest cat on the planet.

Doctor Who, fashion icon descibes the Doctor’s new look as “geek chic”. Can I just say that I used to dress in a resonable approximation of this 10 years ago. Sadly, my converse trainers fell apart.

The Indie Doctor? My life is complete (well, slightly more complete than before, but not much more complete really. If you were adding in values of completeness, this wouldn’t make it complete by much more. Maybe 3 points more.)

Thinking of Rose, maybe Common People becomes rarther apt.

Over on the BBC cycling is making a comeback [via Senji; for all your quality cycling links]

bq. But cycling is still very safe, says Mr Mason, because on average you would have to cycle non-stop for 96 years before you were killed.

Even Lance Armstrong might not be able to do that. Although, he is super human. During the Tour Du France, I converted my watch to report kilometres. I can get up to 35km/h and do an average of about 20km/h (mainly because of the poorly designed cycle paths; I have to keep stopping). On the Tour they came down the mountains at 60km/h. And those cobbles in Paris must really hurt!

Random thoughts about the London Bombings

* Even last night I thought it would only be a matter of time before this happened. I’m think a lot about death right now as my Nan is very ill. I visited her last night, and her 85th birthday is Saturday

* Live8, Olympics, bombings and G8. Busy times, but the internet coped in a way it never did during 9-11

* 7-7 works for both date formats

* “Flickr Hot Tags”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/ really gets you photos from the “scene” in a way that is impossible for anything but a major news network.

* It is a “terrorist” attack. The numbers dead (whilst in no way a help to anyone involved) are low (Sky are currently saying 45) compared to Africa, Tsunami. When it is remembered, what will be remembered is the courage of the people of London and how well they coped, how they lived their lives and how the terrorists actually failed to create terror, or change anything.

I’ve paused in my series of “what the children think of Doctor Who” mainly because my children didn’t watch the scary pair of “Empty Child” and “Doctor Dances”, but also because George rather lost interest in Boomtown half way through and wanted to watch “the dragon thingy episode” again. However, his interest has been re-ignited by the last two episodes.

Boomtown

George rather liked the first part of this episode, especially the Sitheen bits, and found parts quite funny such as the runaround trying to catch Margaret. However, the second half of Boomtown turned into a thoughtful, dialogue led discussed episode, something a completely different pace to other episodes in the series. Frankly, George lost interest completely.

My thoughts on Boomtown is that it was the weakest of the series, yet it was a valiant failed experiment. It was odd to compare it to the fast paced all-action Rose. Here they were sitting at a table in a restaurant having a discuss. Last time we had a restaurant, Rose got to sit down for about 5 seconds before Auton-Mickey smashed the place up. 3/10

Bad Wolf

George sat through this without much interest, but he never stopped watching. Until the trailer that is when next week’s episode was spoilt. George got really excited at that point.

This episode was far better than I was expecting, and was a great setup to the series finale. I have just realised that the reason I like Captain Jack so much is that he reminds me of Crighton from Farscape. 8/10

The Parting of the Ways

George clearly thought this was the best episode for a while, lots of action and monster fighting. A visual feast and a great ending to the series. He sat on my lap the whole time. Asked plenty of questions, so I missed the dialogue that got Rose into the TARDIS, so the great moment where Rose is sent away was a little confusing, but I got the point. The regeneration totally confused and upset him, especially as the Doctor said goodbye. However, the moment had been prepared for (by the 5 doctors DVD) and George knew that Tom Baker was the Doctor, Peter Davison was the Doctor, Christopher Ecclestone was the Doctor and Dave “Barcelona” Tennant is the Doctor.

I can’t do reviews. If I could do a review properly, I’d want to do a review like “Philip Purser-Hallard”:http://arcalian.blogspot.com/2005/06/worship-him-worship-him-worship-him.html. He says much want I want to say and more. 9/10

I’m currently watching Live 8 on the TV. Like Live Aid I missed the U2 set, but in the modern world, I’ve got Sky+ and will check it out later.

My, they’ve just repeat the McCartney U2 opening song and it produced the tingle of seeing something special again.

Its a real mixed bag of performers at Hyde Park, from Dido to Annie Lennox to Madonna, Snowpatrol to Keane and to the Killers.

The wonderful Mr Hg is doing another live blogging session. If you are watching Live8 in front of a computer, check out his comments, insightful and thoughtful as always.