Another damp day. But since this weekend it has been dry!
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Pudding Mill River, May 2007
This view has now disappeared. The Pudding Mill River was filled in as part of the construction of the London 2012 Olympics.
Monday, 19 November 2007
Pause
I have been listening to Led Zeppelin (Presence, "For Your Life") and the pauses in the soundscape. It appears that the gaps between the sounds of John Bohnham's fine drumwork are often much more important the actual noise of a stick on a skin.
John Cage did try to alert us to the power of the pause, but nearly five minutes of silence was probably too much, with or without a piano.
I have also been listening to Cage's prose, and marvel at his mastery of words. Cage had taken an interest in Zen and the Tao, using the "I Ching" for composition.
John Cage did try to alert us to the power of the pause, but nearly five minutes of silence was probably too much, with or without a piano.
I have also been listening to Cage's prose, and marvel at his mastery of words. Cage had taken an interest in Zen and the Tao, using the "I Ching" for composition.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Nike ID, No ID
This is an exquisite example of the false choices given to modern consumers. The colours of shoe design can chosen onlarge touch sensitive displays in the Nike shop at Oxford Circus. Or online: here
The Nike symbol is called a "swoosh". Go figure. I thought it was a classical reference.
The Nike symbol is called a "swoosh". Go figure. I thought it was a classical reference.
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Smoke and Mirrors
As we move in being at home with Web 2.0, why do the cracks appear? FLCKR has the nerve to add this to all the page of all the images on the site!
.... meta name="description" content="Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Show off your favorite photos to the world, securely and privately show photos to your friends and family, or blog the photos you take with a cameraphone."
No chance that that they could take the name or descripton of the image? Too hard?
.... meta name="description" content="Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Show off your favorite photos to the world, securely and privately show photos to your friends and family, or blog the photos you take with a cameraphone."
No chance that that they could take the name or descripton of the image? Too hard?
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
A sober tale
This is a former pub, or a former off licence. Or could it be both? A wonderful place to marvel at times past, at the slow pace of life.
Saturday, 28 July 2007
A tale of two off licences
A tale of two off licences. My local off licence, with the affection name "Open All Hours" has now closed. They were never much for actual staying open advertised hours. In fact, at 40 minutes before the evening closing time, they had pulled the shutters down. One Sunday afternoon, I ran into one of the staff who had decided not to show for work, saying that he couldn't be arsed.... and he was checking to see if anybody had opened up instead.
When challenged, staff report that they had to go home to eat. Fair enough. I was on my way home from work, I had not eaten, and I wished to pick up a few beers for the evening.
The other off licence was the branch of Oddbins at Canary Wharf (on the ground level of the DLR station concourse). Strange place Oddbins. I always get the feeling that I am not of the correct class to enter and buy some beer. Much like the first off licence, you get the feeling that you are doing them a big favour, so you had be good.
So, they have both gone. Call me old school, but I like service, a smile, conversation, a cheery goodbye, and stick to the advertised opening hours, and don't expect me to genuflect.
Friday, 22 June 2007
Outputs
I don't blog a great deal: that much is obvious! But I like to invite people to groups, so I either create the groups, or invite people to existing groups.
This week, three people have told me to stop sending them invites to groups, that is on Facebook, FLICKR or both.
I guess I don't understand the online community yet.
This week, three people have told me to stop sending them invites to groups, that is on Facebook, FLICKR or both.
I guess I don't understand the online community yet.
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Monday, 30 April 2007
Where is your locale
My friend Andrew Black asked a question which has been on my mind for years, on the back burner.
He asked me about locality: how do you localize services such as
http://www.twitter.com/
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/
etc etc?
My answer is multicast groups, but multicast has problems of its own:-)
FLICKR does this quite well, with tags and groups, methinks... but that is with a lot of work.
By locale, I don't mean just geographic locality. Social networks have notions of who is in your neighbourhood, who likes what you like.... don't they?
And best wishes for Beltane.
Gordo
He asked me about locality: how do you localize services such as
http://www.twitter.com/
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/
etc etc?
My answer is multicast groups, but multicast has problems of its own:-)
FLICKR does this quite well, with tags and groups, methinks... but that is with a lot of work.
By locale, I don't mean just geographic locality. Social networks have notions of who is in your neighbourhood, who likes what you like.... don't they?
And best wishes for Beltane.
Gordo
Warning! Armed Robbery
Warning! Armed Robbery
Gang Operating Here
Five Black Teenagers
16 - 19 - Average Height
One wears a white base-ball cap
They carry knives and knuckle dusters. They are stealing phones, bicycles and money
Warning! Armed Robbery
Gang Operating Here
Gang Operating Here
Five Black Teenagers
16 - 19 - Average Height
One wears a white base-ball cap
They carry knives and knuckle dusters. They are stealing phones, bicycles and money
Warning! Armed Robbery
Gang Operating Here
Saturday, 21 April 2007
Spaghetti with courgettes
A simple recipe. Cook the courgettes first, at the same time fry garlic and onions in olive oil. Add herbs, tomato paste and a tin of tomatoes, and the courgettes. Slow down the cooking speed. Cook the spaghetti.
Monday, 16 April 2007
Pink Martini, Alice Russell and Ysabella Brave
Pink Martini, Alice Russell and
Ysabella Brave are all very interesting. Alice Russell can be heard in the Quantic Soul Orchestra as well as a solo performer.
Change in tastes?
Ysabella Brave are all very interesting. Alice Russell can be heard in the Quantic Soul Orchestra as well as a solo performer.
Change in tastes?
Monday, 2 April 2007
The Pips
The pips on Radio 4 via DAB or the Internet streaming are more than a second late. The new time service (TIM or 123) is slightly delayed on your cell phone, but OK on your land line. This is a mark of the progress in the 21st Century.
Small speakers in mobile phones are popular with the youth of today and declining sound quality (iTunes will degrade your CDs to a lower quality when you import them).
Analogue good, digital bad?
Small speakers in mobile phones are popular with the youth of today and declining sound quality (iTunes will degrade your CDs to a lower quality when you import them).
Analogue good, digital bad?
Saturday, 17 March 2007
Ending the Tyranny of the Menu
FLICKR has menus. AJAX has given us more menus, that take longer to unfold. Can we please stop this madness?
Friday, 9 March 2007
The Robert Elms Chat Room - whither community?
The Robert Elms Chatroom is long gone, but the community continues. Wigan, Fordo and other still contribute to the daily Robery Elms programme on BBC Radio London, as if the chat room had not been removed. At a time when interactivity is still sought at every turn by Auntie, why not bring back the quality?
Friday, 23 February 2007
The Prescott Lock
British Waterways have started work on the lock on the Prescott Channel. A joint project with several other agencies, includin the Olympic Delivery Agency.
Check out the website
Check out the website
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Monday, 5 February 2007
On the river bed
The men who collect the lugworms (bait) will only be there for a few more months. The new lock and flood control structures mean that the area where they sift the silt will be a canal (probably by the begnning of 2008).
They may be able to work the river bed behind the House Mill, but this depends on several other factors.
All the narrow boats are to be moved as well. British Waterways are responsible for the moorings, and we assume that theses boats will be relocated.
Crocus and chard
We are moving to a new plot on the allotments. Louise and I were given a new plot at a committee meeting on Friday, and on Sunday we took the shed down and moved it along with most of the contents to our new plot, Number 3. We have left Number 28 behind, which Louise has had since 1993. Half of the plot 28 was "laid to lawn" as the estate agents say, and it was only during the past 12 months that we has started to turn the lawn into vegetable plots. The lawn was built for tai chi, but over the years it was used very little for tai chi. The main purpose was to reduce the work needed to keep up a whole plot. The new plot is slightly bigger and we hope to be in full production very soon!
Sunday, 4 February 2007
Thursday, 1 February 2007
The Tag Clouds
I see that tags are news in 2007.
The paper describes a search engine for use in the creation of object oriented software, in languages similar to C++ or C#, but the ideas could be extended. Tags are common now, with FLICKR using tags for grouping and sorting images and http://del.icio.us/ for social bookmarking.
Monday, 29 January 2007
The Renewability Exhibition
Spent all day yesterday at the Renewability Exhibit. Tim did a fine impersonation of Action Man. The exhibit continues until Sunday February 11th 2007.
The Renewability Exhibition Art Pavilion at Mile End Park, Ashcroft Rd off Grove Road, near Mile End Tube. Buses that pass the door 277, D6,339 with 323 25, D7 nearby) from 24th January to 11th February 2007. The Art Pavillion is a similar to
the ecology pavillion in Mile End Park, both being set back from the road towards the canal. The Art Pavillion is just South of the railway lines.
Free entry
Sunday, 21 January 2007
Vin de table
Sainsbury's sell 150 cl of red wine in a plastic bottle.
The price in £4.99, which is 5 quid in real money.... this has changed my life.
The price in £4.99, which is 5 quid in real money.... this has changed my life.
Storms sweep all of the UK
Stormy weather hit all of the UK on Thursday 18th January, 2007. A weather warning was issued on the day before for all parts of the UK. There were fatalities, a school in Hertfordshire had the roof blown off and transport was chaotic.
More at NowPublic.com
More at NowPublic.com
Saturday, 20 January 2007
Sunday, 14 January 2007
Work Space
The spring cleaning continues today. Since we are having Spring weather in January, Spring cleaning makes obvious sense! And what will we do in the months of March, April and May?
Friday, 12 January 2007
Monday, 8 January 2007
Sunday, 7 January 2007
Carnage
There is a penalty if you do not validate your Carnet ticket.
But you cannot use your Carnet ticket on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway).
This is Bank Station, one of the interchanges between the Tube system and the DLR system.
But you cannot use your Carnet ticket on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway).
This is Bank Station, one of the interchanges between the Tube system and the DLR system.
Friday, 5 January 2007
The Networking Club and the Pembury Tavern
The Networking Club grew from one meeting a year up to 2004, to about one meeting every two months or so. The Pembury Tavern is the spiritual home of the Networking Club. It is a non smoking pub with excellent beer, food and all the bar and board games you can handle.
The Pembury Tavern opened on 6th January 2006, so we wish them a happy birthday! The opening party was on February 18th 2006, and in 2007 this coincides with Chinese New Year.
Auspicous!
The Pembury Tavern opened on 6th January 2006, so we wish them a happy birthday! The opening party was on February 18th 2006, and in 2007 this coincides with Chinese New Year.
Auspicous!
Tuesday, 2 January 2007
The Automatic Traveller
The Docklands Light Railway in East London is a modern marvel. Trains stop at the same place, to an inch, on the platforms. Hence, passengers have learnt where to stand to gain access to the trains. Hence, when the doors open, passengers trying to get off are met with a plug of people, blocking the exit. Then, as you try to get on, some of the wedge of people don't move. Why? Well they are waiting for a later train, to a different destination. But they want to maintain their position in the "queue".
Fritz Laing's Metropolis (1927) has been realised in 2007. Man and machine, man becomes machine, and we all line up!
DLR is driven by machines. Computers on the train and computers in the central control. The doors are shut by "Train Captains", who have little regard for late running passengers. At Bank station, where trains start their journey, there are often heated words when the doors at shut in people's faces. The staff say "we have to maintain the timetable". Odd that. I have often seen DLR staff hold doors open when it suits them...
DLR is part of Transport for London. As such, it can accept Oystercards as a means of payment for travel. "Oystercard Pre pay" (also know as "pay as you go") and Travelcards can both exist an an Oystercard's ARPHID to be read by men and machines. But the DLR is an open platform system, so you have to remember to "touch in and touch out". Great. Just don't forget!
And aren't all tickets "pre pay"?
But if you go to a DLR start a journey, travel to a destination, and come back within two hours you may find yourself with a penalty fare, since the "touch out" at the destination is a registered as a "touch in", and hence you outward journey is not complete. Hence incomplete. Hence a fine, or a "full cash fare" deduction from your card.
Fritz Laing's Metropolis (1927) has been realised in 2007. Man and machine, man becomes machine, and we all line up!
DLR is driven by machines. Computers on the train and computers in the central control. The doors are shut by "Train Captains", who have little regard for late running passengers. At Bank station, where trains start their journey, there are often heated words when the doors at shut in people's faces. The staff say "we have to maintain the timetable". Odd that. I have often seen DLR staff hold doors open when it suits them...
DLR is part of Transport for London. As such, it can accept Oystercards as a means of payment for travel. "Oystercard Pre pay" (also know as "pay as you go") and Travelcards can both exist an an Oystercard's ARPHID to be read by men and machines. But the DLR is an open platform system, so you have to remember to "touch in and touch out". Great. Just don't forget!
And aren't all tickets "pre pay"?
But if you go to a DLR start a journey, travel to a destination, and come back within two hours you may find yourself with a penalty fare, since the "touch out" at the destination is a registered as a "touch in", and hence you outward journey is not complete. Hence incomplete. Hence a fine, or a "full cash fare" deduction from your card.
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