26 January, 2009
Microsoft OneNote
At the risk of sounding like an MS Fanboi, I thought I’d bring up Microsoft Office OneNote. I’ve been using this package for general note-taking for some time now, and I’m finding it to be an incredibly useful piece of software. Thing is – it’s quite hard to explain. It’s a freeform note taking application, […]
16 January, 2009
10 Things That Will Make No Difference Whatsoever To Your Blog’s Success
Blah blah blah fascinating introduction blah blah read this blah blah simple list, should only take a few minutes blah blah oh come ON you swines… just click on the link, OK?!
13 January, 2009
New Year’s Resolutions for Greater Productivity
I don’t talk much about business on this blog, but I’ve decided to share what I’m doing to increase my productivity at work. So far these changes are making a great deal of difference.
7 January, 2009
Health & Safety – They’re Rational, Could You Be Too?
The UK Health & Safety Executive is run by largely sensible, clear minded folk that want to help us to keep doing what we do, but ideally without losing fingers, testicles or lives. So why do they get so much flack? Why do we keep hearing tales of children not being allowed to play in […]
6 January, 2009
Barriers that Punish
Automatic Rising Bollards – in my opinion a dangerous hazard that can cause serious damage to property and injury to car occupants. Come on guys – you can think of better ways to keep traffic out….
Pros & Cons of Software as a Service
SaaS rocks, but it’s not the be all and end all. But it is hot right now (again) and will continue to be so for quite some time. However, Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) driven by the likes of Flex and Silverlight could be returning us to a Client Server paradigm and is probably the way forward – bringing SaaS and local processing benefits to users.
4 January, 2009
Using Hysteria and Useful Idiots to Drive Law-making
Inflate a problem, lie about it, redefine some words, and hey presto! You have a way to make a new law that will probably cause a lot of harm but will tick the boxes of certain voters whilst not alienating others.
31 December, 2008
Speed Limiting in Cars
As part one of my campaign to introduce the concept of actually thinking to UK media, pundits and government, I’m covering the nasty little idea of automatic speed limiters being introduced to cars – so that people can, basically, stop thinking about the speed they drive at. That’ll work…
About the Campaign for Thinking
Introducing my personal, one man mini-crusade – the Campaign for Thinking. It’s going to be a scattered stream of consciousness thing. It might be good therapy for me. Who knows?
28 December, 2008
Wardrobe For Sale
Yes really – feel the excitement of this slimline, 200x100x40 wardrobe. Oooh!
9 December, 2008
Data Visualisation – and Me
I’ve always loved charts.
Yes. I know.
But well drawn charts are always fascinating. Now, combine a chart with what is sometimes my favourite subject, me, and maybe I could do something?
7 December, 2008
Barcamp Liverpool 2008
I attended Barcamp Liverpool 2008 to join fellow geeks in a spot of technology appreciation at this ‘unconference’ at the CUC. Great venue, and great to be able to give an ad-hoc presentation on WordPress for News Sites in the Café
4 December, 2008
Butterflies in Liverpool
Sometimes you see something so cute, cutting through the dreary, cold wetness, that you have to stop and take a few quick snaps. There was nothing to say who did it, or why – but this is the kind of art I appreciate sometimes. I hope it lasts.
2 December, 2008
Now That’s Clever… The Riddle on an Oscilloscope
Ok – so I admit – I’m not only impressed by animation, I’m impressed by tech toys. And oscilloscopes have always been a source of fascination to geeks. Throw in a bit of nostalgia and look what I find…
1 December, 2008
Spectacu.la, the New Design, and Why I’ve Been So Quiet…
Some of you may have noticed that this blog hasn’t been updated properly of late. Not much fresh content, no motorsport reports… in fact, not much at all. Here’s why…
12 November, 2008
Cuzco by Night
Cuzco is one of those places – full of foreigners who got there and thought “hey… let’s stop a while longer” and then don’t leave for years. It’s vibrant, beautiful, friendly and prosperous. See it while it’s still relatively unspoilt. If you like this shot, you may wish to check out my photoblog, which I’m […]
17 October, 2008
CIA?
So I see some smart suits entering a door around the corner and that just drew my attention to the small nameplate…
22 July, 2008
iPhone Blogging and WordPress
As anyone who knows me can confirm, I’m always interested in the latest tech and software. So at the WordCamp UK at the weekend I was interested to learn about a new iPhone client for WordPress. And this is the result.. I’m blogging by phone. Ok, so it’s not perfect…formatting is limited and the picture […]
5 June, 2008
Rise of the Bland Statement
I was reading a BBC News article about a teenager who was stabbed and nearly killed. Horrific enough in its own right, but it was the following comment by the Metropolitan Police that annoyed me: “We take any crime reported to us seriously and we will investigate everything fully.” Here was a young man, nearly […]
31 May, 2008
Very Cool Camera Tracking Technology
The chaps at Cam-Trax have come up with a rather nifty bit of software that can turn practically any easily visible object and a cheap webcam into a game or PC controller. I wish I could code that sort of stuff…. Now I’ll get back to working on SQL queries when I should actually be […]
22 May, 2008
21 Years In IT
I chanced upon a site listing the first 100 .com registrations ever made – and it rather startled me. I started my IT career in 1987, first working as a printer operator on the mainframes at ICI, before moving to systems operations in at the beginning of 1988. Later in 1988 I became a trainee […]