ZeFrank so popular...

he reached the limit on allowed connections... remember folks there is now less than a month left.

Are you a folder or a scruncher ?

This is a big issue... there are myspace and facebook groups all about it. Clearly though folders have technology on their side.

Did this Bike lock fail... I just can't tell

I've not posted about the security lecture yet, just trying to workout which bits I can responsibly disseminate. Needless to say it put me off writing another web app EVER again.

I was coming out of the dept. and this sight tickled me.

Keeping up with the Commodore

I found this video via Digg, made me reminisce.



I remember this computer with complete fondness. It was this machine that put all thoughts of being a Doctor out of my head. I learned basic on this machine. Saved thousands of lines of code to audio cassette and perilously reloaded them.

My older brother once bought me a box of 50+ games on cassette, only about 10 of them reliably worked. You'd spend 20+ minutes playing one into the computer to find that, some error inside that 20 minutes manifests itself with "Run Stop Error 21" I remember Ghost busters game, that was the worse because it's load about 20% of the time, and you were constantly rewinding to try again, but boy when it did you got to drive around the Ghost busters car (Which you could buy add ons for in the game) and under no circumstances ever cross the proton beams.

I had Top Gun, that was an excellent game, all you got was two radar like displays with which to control your F-14 and shoot the opponent out of the sky. That had the most ridiculous sound effects ever, but I spent hours of my youth on that game.

Sound effects akin to this...



With memory than the apple II...



I wonder what would have happened if my parents had bought me an Apple II when I was kid... maybe I'd have been as insufferable for longer.

"Hacking Web Applications: A Practical Demonstration"

Tomorrow I will be attending this lecture
"Hacking Web Applications: A Practical Demonstration"
by Martyn Ruks of MWR InfoSecurity (www.mwrinfosecurity.com)

I will take the laptop and try and blog from the lecture, I have no idea if I'll be able to. What with all the ridiculous censorship going on nowerdays who knows maybe it'll be a security risk.



What is this blurry image ? Well the other day when I was in London my coach station happened to be around the corner from Belgrave house. I thought, I'd pay a visit to the home of Google in Europe. So I approach the gorgeous building, wearing my geeky firefox hat. I walk through the automated spinning doors (So Cool) and head for the GIANT "Google" logo. I ask the present security personel, "Could I take a quick picture of the logo?" What for they ask, my blog I respond. Oh err after processing the word blog and coming up with nothing they decide to tell me "No" anyway.

Apparently it's a security risk. I am sick and tired of being stopped from doing normal basic stuff on the basis of security. This country is now so ridiculously tightly wound that everyone is so afraid to just let normal things happen.

The security guard even said that if I try to go in any public building in the capital now someone would stop me taking pictures. I nearly dragged his ass to Westminster Palace and photographed his useless self in the birth place of modern democracy, to remind him of exactly what it is all the "security" is protecting eroding. Check me out... Shami Chakrabarti would understand.

Can anyone explain how me taking a picture of the Google logo is a security risk, how is this shot taken from the other side of the glass before running away, any safer. It's not like I shiftily approached and asked for some blueprints. Google EU HQ is hardly a state secret, it was funnily only just in last months GQ with an interview of the UK Director, that article gave the road name and everything - scary shit.


I didn't want photos of anyone else's logo (BAA are in the same building... shhh....) nor of the security personnel guarding the reception desk, just a bleeding logo.

As you can tell all this pissed me right off, coming only a week on the heels of being asked to leave a shopping center for again taking pictures... I'm beginning to spot a patten. I don't even remember the country being this crazy at the height of the 80s mainland bombing campaign b our Irish friends, you know when all the litter bins were removed from train stations platforms because of a REAL security risk.

Fine, rant over. Enjoy the picture.

ps To cheer myself up I went and had another coffee on my Starbucks card, thanks everyone, and then bought 12 Krispy Kremes... and I ATE THEM ALL (Not in one night).


I also found when walking through the subway that, the English Get a Mac Campaign was EVERYWHERE

Several things at once... starting with Colorzilla

http://www.iosart.com/firefox/colorzilla/

This has been missing from my collection of web tools for too long. Finally after I re launched Firefox today the pop up appeared offering to install a new version of Colorzilla.

Colorzilla has been installable on mac firefox since the switch to Intel however the best bit... the colour picker didn't work. Well fabulous news, it now works.



About time.

Next item on the agenda:

The penultimate gift...
6) Whilst you are definately well on your way to this, some help from a little guy coudln't hurt!


This one I was especially looking forward to as I had no idea what it could be, other than books and I LOVE books.



Living like a poor student, I have discovered that the Chemistry dept. of Uni offer tours to prospective undergraduates every Thursday. Catering is provided, meaning if I hang around at the right time...

Daddy gets left over candy.

I win

An experiment in optics

Ok i admit it i forgot my camera however only having my telephone to take pictures with means it actually cuts down the time to publish. Let me know if you can read this motion shot.

Make your own birthday a public holiday in iCal

There are several calendars you can download for iCal to add alongside your personal calendar like Work and Home. Usually these calendars are not editable for obvious reasons.

I recently managed to edit a none writable calendar in iCal, I did it by accident when trying to add an event in Quicksilver.



Simply enter you text as plain text. Remember iCal / Quicksilver is clever enough to parse some natural language here like "on Saturday". Then press Tab type "iCal" tab again then pick the calendar of your choice, including protected downloaded calendars.

Ta Da... now you definitely don't have to go into work on your Birthday... it's a national holiday... like Washington's.

letvafly.com

I've known about this trouble since my own trip on Virgin Atlantic last year to visit London and San Francisco, then with a recent episode of diggnation on board one of their gorgeous A320s and revision3 making VA their official airline, I thought I might highlight some more anti competitive protectionist practices in free world of the United States industry...

http://www.letvafly.com/

So many places... so little time...

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Pogue on musingsonamac.com

After having the Rt. Honorable Pogue commenting on my blog in what appears to be a real comment I remembered seeing a video of him at TED and realized quite how lucky I am to have warranted a real life comment.



His last example at 19 minutes... makes me wonder how he wrote my comment. LOL

and at about 13 minutes... great song. Another at 16 minutes... and... ah screw it... it's all good stuff.

First phone with WiFi... what ?

Just recapping some podcasts from around the expo and found Your Mac Life with David Pogue, where he states that everyone is going gaga for the iPhone (true) because it's the first phone with WiFi, and he gos on to ground this conspiracy that the networks wouldn't allow it and it's because people would use skype not network minutes yada yada yada.

I just want to point out, albeit a month late, that the iPhone is not and won't be the first phone with WiFi, anyone familiar with O2 in the UK and their XDA model of handset PDAs know that these had GSM Sims for network usage and inbuilt WiFi and tri-band so it worked in the states.

When I owned one the only reason I HATED it was because of Windows CE. It was awful. Truly, the number of times I hung up on my boss by hitting the touch screen with my cheek (Hence my admiration for the iPhone sensor to stop that happening. The number of times I deafened myself because it was confused about speakers and volumes.

Rant over, quite chuffed I got to correct Mr. Pogue, slightly late sorry.

Update
There I was reading some rather, very, dull material on obstacle limitation surfaces in the EU and "ding" goes Mail.app. Both Growl and Notification provide previews of my new missive. I notice it's a comment on the blog, cynically I assume it's more comment spam (despite that appearing to have dropped off since I upgraded to the new blogger, I smell a rat). Anyway, I notice what appears to be intelligent text, ie a real comment. Upon reading it, I notice a significant amount of references to the first person. Then the signature at the end bowls me over to point of having to get some water. "--Pogue" I'm 1) Honored I showed up on his radar to comment 2) Hoping for a new subscriber 3) AMAZED at how dash quickly he found this, merely hours after my post.

Enough of this fawning. Back to disagreeing with the cove. David, Dave or Pogue as his friends call him ? Comments imply that he wouldn't say that the XDA in question (now discontinued and surpassed) is a phone in his definition and mentions "shirt-pocketable" as part of said definition. My shirt / suit breast pocket was exactly where I used to keep the XDA I suffered. Weigh it up for yourself though...
iPhone: 115x61x11.6mm
XDA: 130x69x19.9
Whilst certainly bigger, and quite a bit thicker (one of the things I look forward to on the iPhone is the slimmer form factor) it is easily within the dimensions of what I would call a smart phone.

None of this attempting to get out of it on a technicality with reference to cellular palmtops will do either. iPhone vs XDA = damned similar functions. Phone calls are a big telephone give away, Internet and e-mail and some contact bits and bobs. I'll trade you editing Excel documents for your google maps and raise you a Java maps program I had on a smart phone once.

Maybe it's this last little caveat "in the U.S." Nope not buying that either, e-bay easily offers me XDAs for sale Stateside. Incase that doesn't float your boat, I'll leave you with a review for the Siemens SX66 from 2005.
There is a sentence in the second paragraph that ends "sold here by importers." Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

To confirm I enjoy Mr. Pogue's appearances and I am well looking forward to the iPhone and will investigate carriers dependent which side of the Atlantic I'm on.

Finally, David, I hope our exchange is seen as good natured, and I'm honored once again to have such a learned readership.

Send supplies...

That is the last piece of Chocolate covered Oreo cookie... :-(

St. Valentine's day dinner... iPod longing for home

To start with, here is a picture out of my window today, the most money making of the Hallmark holidays.



Then on the walk down to campus, I took this lovely sunny shot from my camera phone, K800i, I thought the sky was beautiful.



Today I decided to use for the first time my George Foreman rip off grill from Walmart.


I had a chicken breast with some salad and a rather gorgeous red pepper dressing. I had to pop out and buy the salad and coke. I've decided to in future use single cans of coke in one sitting as a large 2L bottles tends to be flat when I drink merely one glass a day with dinner.


Cooking the dinner...


The beautiful finished product...


Just to keep the technical edge on this blog I thought I better chronicle this.

I've recently had some troubles with my iPod, none of my iPod totting colleagues had this or had heard of it. It was being a little bit strange when I'd try and sync and give a fairly uncommon error -48. Some people in the forums had found doing weird reset tricks helped. Other claimed it was because the iPod had been whoring itself on other computers... not mine, only used by me.

I then stumbled on this fairly obsqure Apple Doc, gotta be hands down one of the weirdest fixes I have ever seen to a computing problem... still I did this last night and got very confused for about an hour, I use the clock in the corner A LOT. Since then no probs... so fingers crossed.

Apple store opening, Hawaii

Now these guys have the right idea about an Apple store opening... bet no one bitched him out about filming.



Looks way better than...


don't ya think ?

Another day another gift from the magic gift box...

I'm now down to the last few gifts... I've saved the best till last, i.e. those that I couldn't work out / the gifts that were heavy. Yes that's right heavy gifts are better... they usually cost more. No I'm not really that shallow, I'm not bothered about weight really, no I'm all about the raw cost of a gift.

4) You think you are, you know I don't think so, but I always believe there is room for growth. A final word (or four) from your mentor, Never give up trying.



This weighed a lot, felt like a DVD collection but was way to heavy...



The book of cool... I don't know what the clue is trying to imply - I am as you all know exceedingly cool. However I have found a brilliant guide to pen spinning. I've always been jealous of kids who could do this. It always appeared to be the Oriental kids that managed this trick. I had a friend previously who tried to master pen spinning foo - I don't know how he got on in the long run. For any readers thinking... pen spinning WTF ? Check this out...

No I didn't search out an Asian video to full fill my racial stereo typing, I merely entered pen spinning into youtube and got that bad boy.

There are also sections on card, gun tricks, skating and whole host of others. There is included a book that complements the videos on the 3 DVDs. That box set could feasible keep me busy for hours... unfortunately I've got busy work to be getting along with.

I should check to see if I'm allowed to talk about my work on the blog actually... although that might make me a little too easy to track down and murder. Observant readers might have noticed the new jaxtr.com link in the side bar. Call me. Try it out, it's in beta so it's free for now (I think)

Photography in the UK

Thanks to all those who replied to my previous posting, someone has sent me a link to this great resource, thanks.

http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php

Magic box gift

1) Enjoy! Keep to one a night though, you might go blind otherwise !


It sounded like a packet of chocolates, so when I opened it I was well chuffed to find...



I do like oreos. Despite all the ridiculous health allegations, I do love 'em. These ones are even better because they are covered in milk chocolate. I'll admit some impropriety here, but I will ask for clemency as I'm ill. I was so horribly cold filled on Friday, I thinking these were chocolates might have opened them a bit prematurely and eaten more than I was supposed to according to the instructions...



They were delicious thanks, and those + my hot water bottle, made me feel mmm mmm good.

Gobblé gobblé

Second dish well i already have a cold so in for a penny in for a pound.

Southern england table football tournament

£2000 prize money with players from europe and afar competing in the Griffin pub Southampton. Todays competition will see the number one player in europe and number three in the world.

I am restricted media. Censorship in the UK

To cut to the chase I have just been ejected from the West Quay shopping center. After waiting in line for an hour getting into the new Apple store and collecting my nice new Apple Southampton tee-shirt. I mooched around, looked at some iPod cases, nearly succumbed to buying some LX90 headphones.

The store was crazy busy obviously, so I was happily snapping away, the Apple employees really getting the atmosphere going, posing for peoples picture etc. Then I decided it was too busy to buy anything, so I left with my tee shirt secured firmly in my bag.

On the way out the true magnitude of the queue became apparent, stretching right down to the doors of the shopping center. So I take some more pictures. Then some center drone comes up to me asking me if I had received permission.

Looking blankly, I replied that I didn't realise one need permission to take photographs of a public place in the United Kingdom. I was horrified by his response. "Yes you do in here" it was only when he reached for the camera I secreted on my person.

I then inquired as to why need permission. Who I could ask for it and query this issue with. I was then asked to leave the center. The chap in question wouldn't give me his name when asked, which I can't blame him for. I insisted on a customer service address and was told he would take me to security if I required. Fearing then for my pictures, I decide it would be politik to leave. I didn't wanna be banned from the center.

I was furious, absolutely livid. I have sought some legal advice on this. Apparently in this country an institution can ask me not to take photographs. I can't believe that these people can be so short sighted. The opening of an Apple store is a big event. The company relies on user generated media and buzz. I actually felt like I was in some communist block country in the 80s.

None the less intend to pen a strongly worded letter to both Apple Southampton and the West Quay management. Firstly asking why such a disproportionate reaction was taken when clearly the other thousand people were, and had been for over an hour, taking pictures of this big geek event. Secondly for future reference who I can seek this permission from.

The only avenue I'd have had according to my legal advice would have been if I was taking a picture of a particular feature such as a fountain or even a specific friend in the queue I could have argued some kind of personal usage.

At the end of the day, tourist visit my local shopping center all the time and film the entire trip and photograph to their hearts content. I have NEVER EVER seen anyone asked to stop taking pictures.

I am on all their CCTV cameras, the other people were filming and photographing - I'm not one to cry civil liberties often, indeed the other evening when the Rt Honorable Mr. Hain was discussing civil disobedience I was muttering, "Civil disobedience is still disobedience." However I thought such a reaction was silly and to be honest ruined what had been a fun morning. Bliar's Britain... gotta love it.

Now I've vented my spleen about the above. I will return to the "fun morning"

I went to be early last night, unusual on a Friday for me. I had a cold anyway so I got to nurse that with my hot water bottle. That meant I could get up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 0700. Everything ran a little late, so I couldn't manage breakfast before having to get the 0735 bus.



I arrived at the town center to find the Starbucks opening up, so I got to use my new international Starbucks card (The lady there didn't mind). It didn't work as planned and the barista lady had to enter the number into the computer when swiping it didn't work. A big thank you goes out to my colleagues for buying me a coffee this morning.



I arrived at the Nazi center, OK that might be libelous. So I will withdraw the comment. I arrived at West Quay.



When I was approaching the bright shining white light, at first I couldn't see early queuers. It was about 0807 with only 53 minutes to go, I was pretty impressed that I was about 30 back from the front. Not the best position I've had in an Apple store queue but far better than anticipated.



Then the wait was on, I'd taken my iPod so I queued up some Cranky Geeks, and a bit of music. Chatted to my fellow queuers. Took photos, waited in anticipation. Finally the opening activities began. The high fives the running up and down the queue. The shouting and whirling... all so exciting. Then the doors opened for the public... and we got to start going in, I love that as each customer enters they get a round of applause.




Everyone seemed cuffed, and here is a picture of my new tee shirt. Not bad for the hours wait.

And finally the picture that caused the ruckus... so incensing the man.

A new apple store

There is about 30-50 people ahead of me. This is my second store opening.

Weather, food and ANOTHER gift and new blogger.

Isn't it gorgeous, that was the sky yesterday.

I realized I hadn't posted any information recently about my diet. Two days ago I made curry with pasta, don't anyone comment on my weird pasta curry thing, I like it. I had that twice, as the jar makes several portions. I also was able to keep a small amount for use today after I went for a swim because I got back and was doubly knackered because I'm developing a cold.

Tonight however I snapped a frozen pizza in two and had half of that with some potatoes and vegetables... one of the ladies I'm sharing my flat with commented yesterday "M you have a really healthy diet." Only because added extra vegetables to my curry dish.



Finally todays gift... number 5,

"Duckie! I couldn't let you go without one."

This was obvious for me, the gift giver and myself are both addicted to ZeFrank. If you're a regular reader you know I comment on his shows sometimes and other times directly rip him off, I mean quote with legitimate references to the original source. Well Ze has this thing for Ducks, and as such the gift giver (MTP) and myself have inherited this fetish.

As such from the clue this gift was always going to be a...


I also just upgraded the blog to google's new blogger. I held off doing this for ages, I thought by maybe not linking the blog to my gmail account (ps gmail is now out of beta... anyone can join, no mobile number or invitation required.) I could maintain my anonymity. However I soon realized all it takes is a quick whois on my domain and my name pops right up.

I could have made a private registration when I bought the domain but I didn't wanna lay the green back down and to be honest my anonymity isn't that important. Not since I recently sent the address of this blog to our company's CFO - and I suppose as long as I don't defame the people paying my wages I've got nothing to worry about.

Speaking of defaming employers I found this quote on facebook today...

I made widgets! I put them on a conveyor, and then took them off again, and put them in big boxes. Read The Daily Star every day and pretended to hate minorities.

Worst. Job. Ever.

I love that. Just in case, I LOVE my job. That quote is not from me.

One of the first thing I notice on new blogger is a better writing interface and the ability to "Label" posts at the composition window. I assume these labels are analogous to tags, why are they not called tags ?

When you return to a post to edit it, if you had been using tags in composition they become the actual pictures you are planning to insert.

That was a fairly eclectic post... sorry.

Another present from my magic box...

7) 'Play with me!' - I will totally have this back if you don't want it!!! Hours of fun to be had on your own (make sure you read the tag, so you know what to do with it). Then again being a bloke you will probably have not even bothered to read that!

Bit of background... this was a call that went up in our office when we were already being unproductive, it's analogous to "Do you want a coffee" we also had a quick cricket ball and as a diversionary tactic would sometimes spend a healthy number of minutes throwing the ball around the office... as a replacement for my office based cricket shenanigans I now have this...



This is a screaming monkey with elasticated arms to perform catapult like stretch flying stunts with. When flying through the air... it makes this noise.
<BGSOUND src="http://musingsonamac.com/monkey.mp3">
Find out more here...

Magic box present...

The clue:

2) I am always listening. However, this should be kept for your ears only. Don't feel the need to bring it back...

I figured this one out before I opened it, the metal chain was rattling away in the package.



I am quite a fan of family guy, the gift was a keyring with 6 quotes from Stewie, including my absolutely faviorite.
<BGSOUND src="http://musingsonamac.com/stewie_2.mp3">

BBC clearly running their own agenda.

Yesterday I blogged about the whole DRM debacle caused by Steve Jobs' open letter, the BBC's cynical reporting claims that Apples current FairPlay is more restrictive than it is in reality.



Once I gain I reiterate iTunes music DOES NOT REQUIRE an iPod. I for over a year played downloaded iTunes music on my computer, other computers, via airport express devices, on CDs in my car, my father's car. Why does everyone want to make FairPlay seem less fair than the reality... and don't forget you can quite simply get the music off any CD into your iTunes library with only a negligible loss of bits.

The snow was a bit of a let down actually.

I got up this morning to go to the gym, expecting thick crunchy white snow everywhere, but in the South East it was too mild and even by the time I got up, what did I find... it was mainly sludge.



However despite the "mild" south, it was still a bit chilly so I was glad I'd stored my trousers on my radiator making them all toasty.

A new kind of cool

Oh yeah baby... I'd be cool wearing them to.

Magic Box II

Inside the box was a list of clues regarding each of the eight individually wrapped gifts.

Here are the clues, see if you can solve them. I will open one present each day and post a picture on the blog... see if you're correct as we go along. Maybe this secret box of presents opened daily might finally lead me to internet stardom and fame.

Clues...

1) Enjoy! Keep to one a night though, you might go blind otherwise !

2) I am always listening. However, this should be kept for your ears only. Don't feel the need to bring it back...

3) It was always going to be MY treat. 1-0 to me!

4) You think you are, you know I don't think so, but I always believe there is room for growth. A final word (or four) from your mentor, Never give up trying.

5) Duckie ! I couldn't let you go without one.

6) Whilst you are definately well on your way to this, some help from a little guy coudln't hurt!

7) 'Play with me!' - I will totally have this back if you don't want it!!! Hours of fun to be had on your own (make sure you read the tag, so you know what to do with it). Then again being a bloke you will probably have not even bothered to read that!

8) You won't find this in th box as it is the box - only the best. Closest thing I could get to Paul Smith stripes!!

Now some of the clues are instantly obvious to me, when I get to those gifts I will try to explain the back story. 8 doesn't count as it's trivial the rest are none trivial. Enjoy.

Explanation time.

OK First I offered you the weird magic box. Then came a sudden series of posts about Peter Hain, in Southampton University. Here is the skinny. I have left my job (Kind of). Moved back to my old University (Southampton) to do some research. Now I'm living like a student again I decide some good honest to god Union based activities were in order.

Now I've got that out of the way, I post some pictures of what I've been up to, in the UK. I attended Southampton as one of the worlds premiere Computing and Electronic Universities between 2001 and 2005. I was and am again based here.



Why the weird juxtaposed modern white (Needs a clean I know) and wooden finished lines. Well that's because shortly after I left, this happened.


Picture: John Bullas via flickr

Nothing to do with me, I followed the event via local news on the web. None the less, the bits that were left have had a new entrance, the burnt bits were knocked down and are now this...



And those working in those bits (Well most of them) are now working in places like this.



So that is where I am at the moment. I'm living back in halls again (told you the whole student experience) here is my room shortly after arrival.



Now it looks slightly more presentable,


This is where I'm cooking and eating.

Check out my very cool tri-pod speakers hooked up to my iPod (Which I now love)

Where am I staying ?

The entrance...

Some fairly tasteful modern art.

The view from my window, quite pleasant.


All up to date with that then. To return to my job. I didn't expect to leave so suddenly and I don't think my employers were too impressed. To be honest I hadn't anticipated to leave in such a hurried fashion, as such there was still plenty to do in respect of maintenance of my applications. I was very honest about this and said I didn't want to feel like I was abandoning them, which I would have felt guilty about. As such they very graciously agreed to see out the end of my contract, reduced to part time hours.

I certainly hope I will return after my absence. My employer can't guarantee this, as I was only ever on a part time contract. I think there is a fear I'll get a taste for this research lark and not want to go back. I understand where they're coming from, but I have done my best to allay their fears - come on. I've got a lovely office fairly prestigious title, and a fantastic coffee machine... to be fair any other offer is gonna have to offer all that and more.

This is in my opinion mutually beneficial, I need the money and they need the "support contract" as I have been referring to it. It's already been quite good fun only yesterday I was sat in the Union providing support via e-mail and instant messenger. I'm checking regularly with my old secretary via the wonders of the interweb and Skype.


Well enough of all that, must go and do some busy work. I will probably post in short pieces but more often. I had a blog when I was an undergraduate that some of my friends were privy to. Some of those still read this blog, and they claim it's recently lost some grit as such maybe it'll return now I'm back in the midst of academia.

And what of the magic box you ask...

Well since I was leaving work, kind of, I had a leaving do and there was a whip round and purchased me some gifts... pretty nice ones too.

I have a bit of a thing for this chap Paul Smith, makes some marvelous shirts of the finest quality. Whilst not raising enough for a new shirt, they did indeed manage to afford a Paul Smith coffee mug. Which is quite an achievement to combine two of my passions in such a way. I blogged about my coffee passion and I'm sure I've posted pictures of my in office coffee supplier before. So since I'll be living like a pauper for the next 6 months, they also bought me a Starbuck's international coffee card, which is extremely cool.

Finally... oh yes there is more... they also got me a beautiful pair of Paul Smith cufflinks.(There is that name again... oh wow I'm just imagining him and Sir J Ives, working on a project together).


That doesn't of course directly answer the question of the magic box. Before I left I was joking with my colleague, who shares the passion for fine dining and coffee, that I'd like UN style food parcels sent to me whilst I'm away. Bless her Maltese peasant goodness only went and bought me a going away gift package.

That is the magic box.

Who the hell is CSOR2000

Why, very recently, whenever I blog something, instantly is some bloody bot managing to post a devious little comment plug for some, probably virus ridden, Firefox rip off. I'm all for a little self promotion in blog comments, hell I've done it, but this takes the biscuit.



This is just spam though. What happened to the character verification before posting mechanism... or did I dream that on blogger. I know it's nothing to simply hit the little trash can and tick the box, but it's beyond the pale to have to do this for every blog post. Sometimes two or three times.



Rant over.

On Jobs' open letter to Norway

Here is some coverage of the open letter Steven has sent to the people accusing Apple of anti competitive practices in Northern Europe.

The piece of the commentary I want to pin point is this;


I disagree that iTunes customers are locked in to an iPod. I have only just as you know, bought my first iPod. Prior to this I was a perfectly happy iTunes customer on both my PC and since my switch to Apple some 18 months ago... all without an iPod. If this reasoning doesn't hold then it must also be the case that whilst you can buy several players that can play urge music, you are still by definition locked into Microsoft.

The most hopeful part of the article stems from the fact that Apple would abandon DRM tomorrow if the music mogals stopped acting like petulant children, or that big giant in his walled garden. That's a classical literature reference for those who don't know the story can be found here.... enjoy.

Frankly I'm more concerned right now about the blasted BBC and their will full ignorance of anything outside the Microsoft market. Closed mind ignorant practices if ever there was one, I am completely behind the OSC, here and seriously question whether this is full filling the role of a public service broadcaster that's supposed to serve an entire population. They wouldn't be allowed to get away with turning off the terrestrial transmitters early and leaving a bunch of people with no TV, why should a growing number of online users be punished by the BBC for not conforming ?

Update: More commentary here

Apple to Windows users... wait to upgrade to Vista.

Here is a story without a decently defined bad guy. Is it Apple being crap at writing software, or Microsoft being rubbish at writing operating systems.

Probably a bit of both. Microsoft has always been brilliant at legacy support. The size of their market share probably made that a necessity. However, first with SP2 for XP and now more recently Vista. They've begun breaking things, virus scanners, hardware drivers and apparently iTunes.

There is probably some portion of blame on both sides. Given that Microsoft allegedly contacted the likes of digg.com to ensure IE7 was compliant with these popular sites, was that just lip service ? Or have both sides just been silly and is there going to be a childish blame game now ?

Apple to Windows users... wait to upgrade to Vista.

Here is a story without a decently defined bad guy. Is it Apple being crap at writing software, or Microsoft being rubbish at writing operating systems.

Probably a bit of both. Microsoft has always been brilliant at legacy support. The size of their market share probably made that a necessity. However, first with SP2 for XP and now more recently Vista. They've begun breaking things, virus scanners, hardware drivers and apparently iTunes.

There is probably some portion of blame on both sides. Given that Microsoft allegedly contacted the likes of digg.com to ensure IE7 was compliant with these popular sites, was that just lip service ? Or have both sides just been silly and is there going to be a childish blame game now ?

Peter Hain Questions

"Welsh Plaid Cymru gaining votes because of media furor whereas it should be losing ?"

PH: It's a discussion on the future of the United Kingdom. David Cameron's tories are proposing a breakup of the United Kingdom, because he says English MPs should have their own parliament. Why do I think this is bad... English MPs are the dominant percentage, so I don't think it's an issue. It would create a whole load more of administration. It would make second class MPs of the Welsh and the Scottish, that would play into the hands of nationalists.

"I've been reading the new statesman, if a neo con won the US election, would he reconsider the special relationship ?"

PH: US & UK have worked together. We have many sister parties... that is the democrats in the US. The policies of Bush regieme are not our policies... but is that a reason to break the relationship. No. We need their help taking NI forward.

"If all the previous Northern Island secretaries were in the Big Brother house, obviously Mo would win... who'd get kicked out first ?"

PH: Everyone has brought their own talents, so I hopefully wouldn't be kicked out first. It is a lot to be said for the skills of the people involved that last year for the first time ever the members of the Orange Orders marched without a soldier on the streets and without any troubles, that is a sign of progress.

Other questions on Trident, he wants a replacement. Democracy he thinks voting should be mandatory and at 16. Gave a mini campaign speech... but tried to say Labour had done well over pensions, yeah OK then. That's like saying Thatcher helped the miners out.

TOO MANY QUESTIONERS READ FROM SCRIPTS... who fed them them... please don't feed the flipin' political students... surely they should be thinking for themselves now they're actually at degree level.

My thanks to Mr. Hain for an interesting and in some parts amusing discussion, I will post my riposte to his points later. He shook my hand, good firm shake... big hands... and even posed for my picture that you saw in part 1.

Peter Hain rhetoric

We're going now into an election campaign, due to be held on March the 7th, with a new devolved parliament maybe headed up by Ian Paisley with possibly martin mcguinness as deputy leader. OK I'll give him that that is an achievement.

Oh he's saying it's not just Labour, with help from other parties around the world. Paying tribute to Mo Mowlam's informal style, bless him.

"If it's possible to solve the Northern Island conflict, surely it's possible to resolve the Middle East conflict." - Yeah because they are the same.

The Iranian and other's want to "Extinguish" the area is unacceptable. Fair enough.

We should have a new foreign policy that puts human rights at the fore, that resolves conflict. Speaks of how some his own family and close friends differed from his and the cabinets view regarding the war in the Persian Gulf. Claims we should treble the World Poverty funds spending, in real terms.

We should lead the world in respect of trade justice. Break down protectionist barriers around the poorest countries.

We must never forget and place at the top of the international agenda... Climate change. That's why he's standing for the deputy leadership. "We shouldn't just be the reds of British politics... but the greens" Get out... who's written that for him.

It hack's me off that because David Cameron is doing the green thing, Hain poked simple fun at Hug a huskie and riding to work with your "limo" behind you. Yet despite that Hain iterates that he is going to do the green thing, and that it's so important to him. Look at his speaking record... he's never mentioned it before.

If we do all those things, be committed to social justice they are in a great position to beat the Tories. They must be worried.

Let's talk, Peter Hain

1754 hrs in the Southampton University Staff Club (More on that later) and in walks, Minister for State and Northern Ireland, Peter Hain MP.

He is here as a guest of the Labour Club (Don't ask) Southampton University. The Woman's officer for the labour club, introduces the speaker, covers briefly his ministerial career.

Peter lets us know he flew in to Southampton international from Belfast. Recalling his first time here in 1966, at 16 from South Africa and illustrates his personal opression at the hands of the regime wanting to ban the actions of those who campainged against the racist infrastructure.

Illustrating the actions against his family. He speaks in a very honest and succinct way of the "Orwellian days" of the old times in Pretoria. He talks of the actions and roles of young people in effecting change, citing the Stop the Tour campaign and whilst calling some actions "none violent" a rather humorous story of the Springbox tour in that period of History.

Peter hopes all those present will become members of the Labour Party, apparently that's the natural parliamentary arm of campaigners who support the likes of Make Poverty history, Fair trade etc.

Moving on to talking about his current role as Northern Island minister. The difficulty of the Good Friday agreement back in 1997. Meeting for the first time the political wings of the Republican parties in the region. "We've seen an incredible transformation in the past 18 months." That'll be after Mo Mowlam died then... harsh.

Another mac ad... and it's a winner

Cancel or allow ?

The secret gift box...

What is in this box...

DELETE IMAP Folders

Why do many posts... well I'm trying to clear up my desktop trying to get rid of all the damn screen shots I have taken recently. This last one I caught when I was parallelally tidying up my e-mails, when attempting to delete a folder via mail.app on a Microsoft Exchange server, I got this pretty cryptic (For Apple) message...



This turned out was because the folder in question had leaf nodes, other folders, in the tree of folders. I had to delete all these in turn before I could delete the parent... little tip for all you mac users forced to use god awful specification busting Exchange server.

Dirty dirty bootcamp II

Just to bring this up to date... XP did eventually finish installing on that MacBook...

Yes it still felt wrong watching it boot like that...

The time for updates...

After my Office 2007 install. I was mooching around with my new iPod...


Boy is there a story about the purchase about that. Anyway iTunes tells me I should update my iPod, before it moves my music over. What is this magical update gonna do... yes very succinctly "bug fixes". Some specific stuff.



Gotta say though, came down pretty fast. It was unusual watching iTunes download files that are not media based.

Office 2007 Trial setup...

Hot on the heels of the official Windows Vista launch, I finally got my parallels vista machine setup with my office trial...




I love the ribbon, makes using office an absolute dream, really puts the actual features and functions within easy reach. To be honest I might even prefer the fixed nature of the ribbon over the movable Inspector interface of many of the iLife and Apple apps.

Controversial... I know.

So close to the next box along...

Really beginning to feel my age...