@rogeredwards@gamepad.club

Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3w ago

Thinking Out Loud: Tech Edition. Escalating project costs, the importance of financially supporting open-source software and why Steam OS is not a "straight out of the box" Windows replacement. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/9/14/thinking-out-loud-tech-edition #technology

Contains Moderate Peril

Thinking Out Loud: Tech Edition — Contains Moderate Peril

Thinking Out Loud is a recurring post where I write about thoughts and ideas that have recently occurred to me. As ever the intention is not to develop these ideas into full blown blog posts, although they often the could be. Instead I just collate a few sentences to express my point and leave it a

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Blaugust 2026: Q&A. Everything you need to know about how to participate in this year's "festival of blogging". https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/14/blaugust-2026-q-ampa #blogging #blaugust2026

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Farewell Belghast — Contains Moderate Peril

Everyday, once I’m up, I sit at my desk in my office, fire up my PC and log into Feedly. I have various RSS feeds grouped by category, which I slowly trawl through and read anything that catches my eye. I have one curated feed named “Blaugust” named after the yearly festival of blogging ev

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Blaugust 2026 Group Project: Welcome to Blaugust — Contains Moderate Peril

Today’s post is part of the Blaugust 2026 Group project , which features a series of writing prompts set for specific dates throughout the month. The idea being that everyone who wishes to participate can write about the same subject, riff off each other’s posts and enjoy a shared experience. In ma

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Nigel Farage, the Clacton By-election and Count Binface. That thing where you resign, call an election to avoid being investigated, then the other parties decide not to participate and the only person who stands against you is Count Binface. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/8/nigel-farage-the-clacton-by-election-and-count-binface #politics

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Exploring Tolkien’s Legendarium: The Defeat of Sauron. How exactly did Gil-galad, Elendil and Isildur defeat the Dark Lord on the slopes of Mount Doom. A theory derived from multiple texts, despite Tolkien's ambiguity. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/26/exploring-tolkiens-legendarium-the-defeat-of-sauron #lotro #lotr

Contains Moderate Peril

Exploring Tolkien’s Legendarium: The Defeat of Sauron — Contains Moderate Peril

At the start of the 2001 film, The Fellowship of the Rings, director Peter Jackson has crafted a compelling and visual stunning prologue. It distils a great deal of Tolkien’s text and conveys the essential history of the One Ring succinctly. Cinematically it works extremely well but it is sadly far

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Blog Directory and 20 Recently Published Posts — Contains Moderate Peril

A decade ago I wrote a post about blogrolls and the practical and social issues surrounding them. At the time, the version of Squarespace I was using didn’t easily support such things or at least wasn’t able to do so in a manner I liked, so I didn’t have one. Ten years later Squarespace as a hosting

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Preparing Your Blog For Blaugust 2026 — Contains Moderate Peril

Prior to last year’s Blaugust: Festival of Blogging , I upgraded Contains Moderate Peril to the latest version of Squarespace. There are still some aspects of the site that need fine tuning but overall, I am happy with the appearance of my blog and its respective functionality. With this year’s w

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Blaugust 2026: Let Writing Commence. Some motivational quotes to get you over that "first post" hurdle https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/1/blaugust-2026-let-writing-commence #blaugust2026

Contains Moderate Peril

Blaugust 2026: Let Writing Commence — Contains Moderate Peril

I have been writing online for nearly two decades. I don’t claim to be good or accomplished but what I can say with certainty is that the more often you write, the easier it becomes. For those who are new to writing a blog and the Blaugust Festival of Blogging , possibly the biggest hurdl

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Planning for Blaugust 2026. Sometimes it helps to have a plan. Or perhaps you prefer to make it up as you go along. Choose the best option for you. A few thoughts about getting your "ducks in a row" for this year's Festival of Blogging. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/28/planning-for-blaugust-2026 #blaugust2026

Contains Moderate Peril

Planning for Blaugust 2026 — Contains Moderate Peril

If you take a cursory look at a calendar you will see that the month of July is fast coming to an end. That means that Blaugust 2026 Festival of Blogging starts in a few days time! If you’re participating, or thinking of doing so, the next few days present a golden opportunity to do some practical

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Yes.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 1mo ago

More Projects. Installing Steam OS on my PC. Learning to draw again. Global Domination. So much to do, so little time. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/27/more-projects #projects

Contains Moderate Peril

More Projects — Contains Moderate Peril

I like learning new skills and starting projects. I regularly undertake such things with varying results. However, if they don’t work out that’s not a problem. You have to try something to see if you like it. I’ll add “within sensible parameters” as a caveat to the last statement. And it’s perfectly

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Star Trek Axanar: The Controversy Continues — Contains Moderate Peril

Star Trek Axanar is back in the news, twelve years on from the last controversy. For those unfamiliar with the original debacle, in 2014 Prelude to Axanar was released via YouTube. This Star Trek “fan-film” presented as a faux 21-minute, Starfleet documentary was very well received by fans and

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Replying to

@gamerlady@masto.ai This is one of the official logos for Blaugust and it is for public use. It was designed by @jaedia@wandering.shop So feel free to make use of it.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Thoughts on “Finding an Internet Home” — Contains Moderate Peril

I read a blog post by Void recently, about finding a new internet home. He wrote about how he and many others have had to pick up their “digital roots” and migrate multiple times over the years, from one platform to another. It is a position I can sympathise with as I have done likewise. Hence I lik

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

How Streaming Has Changed Pop Music. Song are now optimised for a 2 minute plus duration to minimise the risk of listeners skipping to another track. A few thoughts on this cultural shift. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/8/9/how-streaming-has-changed-pop-music #music

Contains Moderate Peril

How Streaming Has Changed Pop Music — Contains Moderate Peril

The transition from purchasing music on CDs, vinyl or via downloads, to on-demand streaming has fundamentally altered the music industry. Furthermore, the current dominance of on-demand streaming as a medium for providing music has actually reshaped how pop music is written, produced and released. B

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Not Having an Opinion — Contains Moderate Peril

If you visit the websites for such UK tabloid newspapers as the Daily Express or the Daily Mail you will no doubt encounter prominent stories about Megan Markle, Nigel Farage and “immigrants”. If these two august institutions are short of column inches, they’ll run a piece about how some former cele

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Replying to

@lovemakeshare@sunny.garden I suspect if you have the hubris to attempt to establish a production studio based upon using an IP that doesn't belong to you, it tells you something about the individual. Personally I don't care for either sides "moral position" but I will watch the finished short films.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Thoughts on Work Part 4 — Contains Moderate Peril

Over the last 10 years, I’ve written several blog posts about my personal working experiences and my career, such as it was. I touched upon working specifically in IT and how that industry changed over time, both technically and in the way that other people perceived it. I have also given my thought

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Imperial War Museum London. Filled with thought provoking and candid exhibitions, the IWM London explores the realities of war and avoids jingoism. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/718/imperial-war-museum-london #tourism #museum

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Time For a New Operating System. Fed up with Windows 11 not recognising my Fire HD 10 when attached via a USB cable, I installed Zorin OS and now have a dual boot PC. Let's see where this goes. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/16/time-for-a-new-operating-system #technology

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Castle Farm Lavender Fields. A picturesque photo opportunity belies a multimillion pound industry. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/10/castle-farm-lavender-fields #tourism

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@Tipa@gamepad.club Bravo. Totally correct.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Thoughts on Blogging Part 25. Generative AI summaries are becoming convenient "middlemen" for those searching for information. But they're effectively separating bloggers from their readers. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/6/30/thoughts-on-blogging-part-25 #blogging

Contains Moderate Peril

Thoughts on Blogging Part 25 — Contains Moderate Peril

On Friday 26th June, I had another random spike in internet traffic to Contains Moderate Peril . The statistical package that comes with my Squarespace account recorded over 13k visits in less than 24 hours, which is not typical (although I wish it was). However, all of these visits to my blog arri

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

The UK Electorate — Contains Moderate Peril

UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has resigned and intends to leave office before the parliamentary summer recess. By then Andy Burnham will more than likely be voted leader of the Labour Party and by default will become the new Prime Minister. Due to the current size of the incumbent Government’s

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@kevinbrill@gamepad.club Yes, the sad reality is that parents need to do more themselves. Sadly the phone or tablet as a babysitter is too convenient.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

New LOTRO Expansion Announced: Wolves of Mordor — Contains Moderate Peril

The next expansion for the MMORG, The Lord of the Rings Online , was announced on the 1st August, via the gaming website MMORPG . The Wolves of Mordor, which will launch later in the year, appears ambitious in scope as it will include two new game systems as well as the obligatory story updat

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

I am no longer taking beta blockers. My GP doesn't see any benefits to me being prescribed them. Plus they have made me feel constantly shitty for the last three years. Hoping to see some health gains within a week or two.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@AutokratDaily@mastodon.social The 2024 election only had a 58% turnout. Lots of scope for the politically disillusioned and unengaged to get behind a candidate that isn't a trad politician. This will potentially diminish his brand. Plus it is a uniquely British spectacle to revel in.

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Cold Storage (2026). Sardonic, squelchy and fun. Takes inspiration from The Andromeda Strain and Return of the Living Dead. Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville are great. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/24/cold-storage-2026 #movies #horror

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3w ago

The Financial Benefits of Having a Song Featured in GTA VI. Is having one of your songs featured in the biggest video game franchise around a sound business decision? https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/9/20/the-financial-benefits-of-having-a-song-featured-in-gta-vi #music

Contains Moderate Peril

The Financial Benefits of Having a Song Featured in GTA VI — Contains Moderate Peril

I find the concept of in-game radio stations fascinating. They’re an enjoyable aspect of open world video games and I have discovered several artists this way. They’re certainly a big deal as far as Rockstar Games are concerned, because the music selected for GTA VI is another important facet of the

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Axanar Productions

Axanar On Demand — Stream or Download for FREE – Proof we deliver. Your free home for the Four Years War saga — from Prelude to Axanar through the Axanar universe and beyond. Stream the award-winning…

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

The Abominable Snowman (1957) — Contains Moderate Peril

Despite being considered by many as an original story, The Abominable Snowman (1957) is in fact a remake of a made for television play, The Creature, that was originally broadcast in the UK in 1955. Hammer Films would often purchase the rights of popular TV programs and subsequently re-work th

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

Experimenting With AI. Google Gemini is good at collating and summarising "every day" information and creating images of regular things. But it has proven unintuitive in its "thinking" and requires micromanagement. ChatGPT seems far more creative in its problem solving and has more visual flair with its images. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/7/1/experimenting-with-ai #technology

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 4mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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?

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

Replying to

@scopique@gamepad.club It was a somewhat left field episode, wasn't it?. And to add to the strange week vibe, Star Trek Axanar finally released the second instalment of their three part films and then it was immediately taken down from YouTube after CBS complained. Despite the court ruling from 2014

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

containsmoderateperil.com

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3w ago

Sam & Ade Go Birding. Beautiful wildlife photography combined with the wise and thoughtful musings of two friends. Restful and uplifting television. https://www.containsmoderateperil.com/blog/2026/9/16/sam-amp-ade-go-birding #TV

Contains Moderate Peril

Sam & Ade Go Birding — Contains Moderate Peril

It has become a popular TV formula to find two celebrities or television personalities and put them into an informal documentary style show. While the pair nominally undertake the task at hand, the emergent banter between the two is the alleged television gold. Hence we had Mortimer and Whitehouse:

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 3mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

Giveaway: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set — Contains Moderate Peril

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Peter Jackson’s award-winning film trilogy, immerse yourself in Middle-earth with Tolkien’s classic literary masterpieces. These books have been reissued with special images from the films on the covers, telling the complete story of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Gandalf

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

The Price of a Freddo as an Economic Indicator — Contains Moderate Peril

Before we start, let me explain to those readers outside of the UK, the significance of a Dairy Milk Freddo chocolate bar and its relevance to this post. The “Freddo” is an 18g (0.63 oz) chocolate bar, in the shape of an anthropomorphic frog. When it was re-launched by Cadbury in 1990 (it had previo

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Moderate Peril @rogeredwards@gamepad.club

· 2mo ago

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

Contains Moderate Peril

The Fall of Númenor by J. R. R. Tolkien - Edited by Brian Sibley and Read by Samuel West — Contains Moderate Peril

For many years, Tolkien fans only had a tantalising glimpses of the Second Age of Middle-earth via the appendices found within The Lord of the Rings . It was only after The Silmarillion was posthumously published after Tolkien’s death, that a more comprehensive narrative could be presented. While

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