babycake insisted

"daddy, daddy, why don't you buy yourself an Apple TV? Daddy, daddy, go on you know you deserve one for being such a good daddy." I protested, but in the end had to agree with him. So, I've got us an Apple TV. First impressions are very, very favourable. Of course, I knew I would get one in the end, and I have been playing around with the best way to rip our movies in preparation for the great day. Last night, I ripped a copy of King Kong using Handbrake, now known as Mediafork. I followed a tutorial I found online. I ended up with a near perfect copy of the film that played beautifully. However, the whole process took about 9 hours to complete. The film looks fantastic played through Apple TV. I also ripped another copy in plain ol' MP4. It took an hour or so and it also looks great. Not as great, but certainly the compromise on quality, which is not a lot, is worth the mind-numbing amount of time that I saved. I can't wait to play with it some more.

our street once more

I haven't written about our street in a long time, but I don't know if you remember that Jen bought no. 83 (Will Self's old place) and had been living there quite happily until the rumours started that Brad 'n' Ange were going to move into the house that Brad 'n' Jen used to share. Anyway, Jen got very upset and made a few comments about what else 'that stupid slag' might want of hers and made plans to move out straight away. She told Gypsy Tart that much as she loves the neighbourhood, she doesn't want to hang around and see the 'happy family' parading round and showing off. We shall miss her, she's a nice girl and all the kids round here are very fond of her, as she never moans at them when their footballs hit her little Citroen C1.

Last Friday Jen moved on to a little flat in Hither Green (don't ask how she ended up buying a place there) and is very happy with it and the fact that she has her own off road allocated parking space. It is a nice place and she's not let her love of floral fabrics overwhelm the space. On Saturday, Brad, Ange, Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh and Pax moved in to his old two up two down. I have to say that we were all quite pleased to see Brad again as he's a nice chap and we have missed seeing him around. However, all the time he was chatting to us Ange didn't say a word, just pouted and clung to his arm while the kids ran riot.

So Sunday arrived and there's Brad out in the garden building some kind of altar. All Mr McMuffin could get out of him was that it was for Ange. When I said it was probably for practicing her dark arts, Mr McMuffin immediately sprang to her defence and went on about how misunderstood she is. And so it begins...next thing I know she'll have run off with him. Tart! So I did make some efforts to befriend her and spent half an hour listening to how great her 'rainbow' family are. When she found out that Babycake was born with a Mongolian blue spot and noticed his golden complexion, she obviously decided that he was sufficiently interesting and practically wrestled him off me.

By Sunday night, the neighbouring kids were calling her 'chitty chitty bang bang' as they said she was like the child snatcher. Monday morning we heard Ange calling the name 'Aleiki' and then noticed that there were five little kids with her in the garden. Next thing it's all gone crazy and there's Mrs Mhlanga slapping Ange stupid and grabbing little Mzili by the wrist and threatening to call the police. Brad smoothed things over and assured Mrs Mhlanga that he'd get Ange psychiatric help and took her inside and we heard them having a blazing row. I'd like to say that I offered help and support, but in reality I got straight on the phone to Jen and then the papers. Well what would you do?

apple TV

Apple TV was released into the wild a couple of days ago. I thought I wanted one, but now, having learned more about it, I NEED one. I have been following the clever exploits of the hackers, and it turns out this little machine is wide open, almost, to change. The hard drive has been already upgraded. It can now play Xvid, and a bunch of people are working on trying to get the finder.app working, although Apple have taken it out by design. It appears, to people much cleverer and skillful than me, that this is a proper little Mac computer with half-decent specs. I can't do any of this stuff myself but I can certainly follow in their footsteps. I want a sliver of a machine that is networked, plays HD movies, and allows me to browse the internet and send emails from my TV. That's all I am asking for. All that for £199. Now that seems like a bargain. I am trying to persuade Mrs McMuffin that I need to buy one today. I'll let you know how I get on.

When I first read about this little machine, it looked good, but a little underpowered. I now realise that this must be part of Apple's strategy. Produce something that the less techie people can use straight out of the box, and the more techie people can customise to their hearts content. Apple could easily have locked a lot of the features, but for some reason have decided not to. This appears to be one of the most hackable devices that has appeared in ages. It is clear from the forums that this little box is really going to hit Microsoft hard. All those people out their who have hacked their XBox will want to get one. What would you prefer: a 7"x7"x1" sliver of Apple goodness or a monolithic monster bit of plastic under your TV.

we went out

Yes, that's right, Mr McMuffin and I went to the cinema on Sunday afternoon. We watched 'Premonition' with Sandra Bullock and it entertaining right up until the last minute (and I really do mean the last 60 seconds) which transformed the film from quite good, to crap.

Ms Gypsy Tart looked exhausted from her couple of hours with the boy and pleased to hand him back, although they'd had a nice time and been to the park. For his part, Babycake just adores her and we think it might be because we are quite similar in voice and mannerisms. We'll test this out in a couple of weeks when big sister and brood come down south to visit and see if the boy responds to her in the same way.

NSPCC: are they trying to con us out of cash by dredging out tales of child abuse to direct us away from the fact that they run a help line and a few post abuse services, leaving it largely to Local Authorities to do all the work?

Just a question prompted by an unsolicited begging letter that arrived through my door this morning.

tourdefrance

In July, I shall be able to throw eggs at the competitors as they cycle past the end of my street, some twenty feet from McMuffin mansions. I shan't really throw eggs, but I could.

damn damn damn

Thank you very much Colin for letting the whole world know that I am a feeble minded idiot. Of course, it's a hoax. Any feeble minded idiot can see that. In fact, if I had only spent some time reading Donnie Davies' personal site then I would have worked that out. Damn.

babycake's first second day at playgroup

He was so excited about being around the other children, but poor soul didn't have a clue what to do with them. Although he did give a couple of them great big wet kisses, which was quite sweet.

babcake looking too cute

Not the best photo in the world, I'm afraid, but he just looks so deliciously cute in his little Jasper Conran pyjamas.

love gods way

Ms Ginger Cake drew our attention to a fantastic site called Love Gods Way. I thought it was a joke to start with, but it's for real. I particularly enjoyed the Changing Homosexuals into Ordinary People (C.H.O.P.S) section. Donnie Davies, who used to be Gay but is now ordinary, I think, helpfully lists Gay bands that we must ensure that our son never hears just in case he turns out to be Gay. I am most concerned by Mrs McMuffin's attempts to subvert this useful work by trying to create a Gay son, someone to take her shopping in her old age. She has been playing Gay music to him all day.