Daily Post - Sunday

Well, it's a typical rainy bank holiday, so that means DVDs, and yesterday was the turn of Aliens and Alien in that order.

Two very different films, using the same basic elements, Cameron's take is pretty much a Vietnam war movie in space with a technologically superior force falling prey to overwhelming odds as well as their own overconfidence and corruption. In contrast, Ridley Scott's original is psychological body horror of the most visceral kind. It can be no coincidence that the womb like computer is called Mother and that the violence of the xenomorph itself is disturbingly sexual in nature. Giger's iconic designs blend technology and sinuous organic shapes to produce a creature that is truly alien. Well worth the re-watch, on both counts.

A bit of a disturbed night last night, thanks to a party somewhere in the audible vicinity that was still going at six o'clock this morning, and then my attempt to have an afternoon nap were stymied by the next door neighbour pressure washing his decking. Still, at least I've got a day off tomorrow for the bank hol, with no particular plans to go anywhere.

In games news, I seem to have rediscovered my enthusiasm for Sudoku after Stephanie posted an example over at The New Metaphysical Club. I've got a good version for my iPhone now which offers various levels of difficulty and keeps times for each puzzle so that you can track your progress. I also picked up a Japanese language tutorial at the same time, so I'm going to have a go with that as well.

Podcast of the day is the welcome return of Adam and Joe after their summer holidays, and a very speedy posting of the podcast (or Boggins as we must now call it) too - it doesn't usually show up in iTunes until Monday or Tuesday.