Moderate Peril

Blaugust 2026 Group Project: Welcome to Blaugust. Reminiscences of my first blog, nearly 20 years ago.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/4/blaugust-2026-group-project-welcome-to-blaugust #blaugust2026

Farewell Belghast. The blogging community has lost a great friend, a peerless blogger and a good man. Namárië
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/3/farewell-belghast #blogging

Blog Directory and 20 Recently Published Posts. After several revisions, my version of a "blogroll" is finished. Hopefully it includes all Blaugust participants as of 6th August.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/7/blog-directory-and-20-recently-published-posts #blaugust2026

Preparing Your Blog For Blaugust 2026. Get any website fine tuning done before the end of July. August is for writing and not tinkering with your backend (Ooh er, missus etc.)
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/19/preparing-your-blog-for-blaugust-2026 #blaugust2026 #blogging

Yes.

Star Trek Axanar: The Controversy Continues. Despite a legal settlement allowing this series of "fan-films" to be completed, CBS file a copyright-removal request against the latest instalment recently posted on YouTube.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/3/star-trek-axanar-the-controversy-continues #startrek

My father would have been 97 today. He's been gone 6 years now. I miss our conversations. If you have a good relationship with your father or a father figure, value it and enjoy it while you can.

Not Having an Opinion. You don't have to express a view on everything. If you don't know about something or are undecided about it, that's fine. Broad agnosticism is a healthy default position. Bollocks to those who say otherwise.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/8/not-having-an-opinion #socialcommentary

Thoughts on “Finding an Internet Home”. I hanker after a single, designated place that becomes the centre of our online blogging community. Is this realistic or even desirable in 2026?
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/9/thoughts-on-finding-an-internet-home #blogging

Thinking Out Loud. IT nostalgia, my penchant for eavesdropping and why I keep skipping breakfast because I can't find anything I like. Plus other random thoughts.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/2/thinking-out-loud #blaugust2026

It's been an interesting week. Star Trek Strange New Worlds went all "Event Horizon". Now it would appear that LOTRO is going down the Stardew Valley road and also adding something akin to STO's Endeavour system, in its next expansion. What times we live in.

Thoughts on Work Part 4. A few thoughts on the things that I miss about work, now I'm retired.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/22/thoughts-on-work-part-4 #work

Space Cadet 3D Pinball. A simple game that came free with Windows 95 was a big deal 30 years ago. A few thoughts on re-installing it on a modern PC and the power of nostalgia.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/12/space-cadet-3d-pinball #technology

The UK Electorate. Contemporary politics is a mess but the public are part of the problem. A few thoughts on the "something must be done but it mustn't affect me" mentality.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/6/23/the-uk-electorate #politics

UK to Ban Social Media for Under-16s. A "something must be done" mindset has led to an ill conceived ban that will be easily bypassed and do more harm than good. A prime example of lazy politics and parents who need to do more themselves.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/6/15/uk-to-ban-social-media-for-under-16-year-olds #socialcommentary

The Fall of Númenor by J. R. R. Tolkien - Edited by Brian Sibley and Read by Samuel West. All the available lore of the Land of Gift, present chronologically in one coherent text. Beautiful and compelling.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/30/the-fall-of-nmenor-by-j-r-r-tolkien-edited-by-brian-sibley-and-read-by-samuel-west #book

Blimey, there are some historical battles on the Grenadier Guards Colours.

New LOTRO Expansion Announced: Wolves of Mordor. SSG explore First Age lore and Sauron's mastery over Werewolves. Plus two new game systems.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/5/lnew-lotro-expansion-announced-wolves-of-mordor #gaming #lotro

I got ChatGPT to create a map of Númenor. Has it missed anything? If so, let me now so it can be improved upon.

Giveaway: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set. Leave a blog comment for a chance to win this set of four paperback books.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/giveaways/2026/7/1/giveaway-the-hobbit-and-the-lord-of-the-rings-boxed-set #giveaway

Novelty Candidates in UK Elections. Why do we satirise our own political procedures? A few thoughts on the matter.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/6/19/novelty-candidates-in-uk-elections #politics

The Price of a Freddo as an Economic Indicator. Can the cost of a beloved UK chocolate bar provide any genuine insight into the UK economy?
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/6/the-price-of-a-freddo-as-an-economic-indicator #economics

Conversation. Benjamin Franklin argued conversation brings clarity. Elvis advocated "a little less conversation". A few thought on talking to others (but not idiots).
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2024/13/20/conversation #socialcommentary

2:22 A Ghost Story. Danny Robins play is more than just a supernatural tale but a musing upon the cultural significance of ghosts and what they mean to us as a society. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/6/17/222-a-ghost-story #theatre

Star Trek Axanar. The Gathering Storm is still available to watch online despite being taken down from YouTube by CBS. Visit https://beta.axanar.com

The Abominable Snowman (1957). Although marketed as a horror film, this Hammer production is a dialogue driven, somewhat cerebral piece of science fiction from writer Nigel Kneale. As ever, Peter Cushing is very watchable.
https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/11/the-abominable-snowman-1957 #movies

It's 3:45 AM and I'm still sodding about trying to solve a minor technical issue with my ageing Fire HD 10 tablet, because I'm like a dog with a bone. Google Gemini has proven too obtuse, so I'm now subbing to ChatGPT and it seems more intuitive. Shame I can't apply this level of focus and dedication with people, but hey, have you met them?