Twitter

I use twitter via google talk to set my facebook status. For those that can't follow the last sentence, apologies; I'll talk about something else in a minutes. Since last week, it hasn't been working. I finally gave up and logged onto the twitter site, and in small text it told me that the functionality was switched off. This, aparently, was due to a bug in the jabber api, was now resolved, and the services were slowly being returned to operational. That message was from Friday. It's now Wednesday and it still doesn't work. No more official updates, no eta, it just doesn't work.

When so many people rely on a system, even if that system is free, shouldn't there be a duty of care to ensure that the system is available? A service level agreement between the user and the developers. We'll continue to use this great service, tell our friends, drive traffic, you just keep it running. Ok?

Or, does the fact that it's free mean that we have no say in this, it's stuffed, it'll be back when we can be bothered, just wait patiently and shut up?

Just letting the user know what's wrong, and a rough idea of when it'll be fixed would be a start.

In other news, my daughter learnt, at the weekend, how to go from sitting to standing without pulling herself up with external aids. Walking also continues to improve. Whilst wobbly, she can move around the house quite easily.

We finished staining our trellis at the weekend, now all we need to do is re-stains the screening trellis ash black instead of green. A fun job for the weekend. As long as it's dry.

Slowly we are tidying, sorting and cleaning the house after our decorating epic. It's good to be able to walk into a room, and see things as they should be.

Finally, I'm feeling the hostile stares of the people around me (not really, everyone is too engrossed with blackberries, papers, and books). I got onto the jubilee line, and, amazingly, there was a seat. I headed straight for it, and got there first. As I was about to sit down a woman approached, we made brief eye contact, and then I sat down. She looks as fit and active as me, certainly not old or pregnant. So, tough. My feet hurt, and I'm having a seat. She got her own at the next stop anyway.

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Why?

Why must the flipping trains only run every 30 minutes.

Why must they shut their doors and leave the platform seconds before they are due to arrive?

Why must I forget to move the car seat until the morning when I'm in a hurry?

Why am I stood on a platform at 06:45?

Why?

All I wanted was to get in early to catch up on a few things.

Give myself a fighting chance on the rest of the day.

Why did I bother?

Why?
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Deep questions

In answer to a request, today we ponder 2 of the trickiest questions ever asked:

Are Bert and Ernie more than just friends?
Why does bungle go to be in pyjamas, but walks around naked all day?

Where to start on these thorny issues? Bert and Ernie, 2 likely lads having some fun, the bed sharing a sign of the poverty they live in. Always dressed in the same clothes (always clean, the pride is there), rarely leaving the house, these two make the best of their situation. Government hand outs for muppets don't meet the needs of the individual, and employment opportunities are scarce, but they do the best they can.

Bungle, and his pyjamas, is an easier question. Bungle is a bear, they don't require clothes, they carry their own fur coat with them at all times. He chooses to wear pyjamas simply for the comfort factor. Cotton next to fur in between cotton sheets. Lovely.

Hope that helped clear these issues up. Any more difficult questions, drop me a note, or leave them in the comments.

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A bit like my mind!

So far the only topics I have come up with are:

Water butts, and the amount of water we are using every evening to water the garden (about 50 litres)

Me, sleeping in the spare room last night, and my daughter NOT waking us at 5am for once.

A rant over immigration / emmigration. Apparently, 1.2 million people have become citizens of the UK since labour came to power. Some quarters are picking this up as a shocking statistic, and going through the usual hyperbole. Seperatly reported is the statement that 2 million people have emmigrated in the last 10 years. Now, combine the 2 stories in any number of interesting combinations to back up the arguement of your choice. Isn't news paper writing fun.

So, given that those are less than stellar thoughts, I reckon I'll leave them out.

Along with another complaint about the mis-representation of the bill to change the law around IVF. Apparently "Fathers are no longer important". Hmm, nice shock headline, but complete rubbish. The wording of the guidlines given to clinics has been modified to ask them to consider the child's environment when couples go for IVF, and to ensure there is a stable family unit to provide for them. All this does is make it simpler for same sex couples to have children (specifically lesbian couples, as gay couples weren't exactly short of a father!) Arguement against this bill comes down to a single point. You don't believe that 2 women can raise a child without a man. Well I'm not going into that one, but I do know some traditional couples that aren't doing that well with one!

As you can see, I'm not going to write anything today. Maybe I'll come up with something tomorrow.

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At a loss

So much got cleared up and resolved yesterday that I'm at a loss today on what to write about.

There was the guy on the train this morning playing his music so loud, whilst studiously reading the paper, that he couldn't hear, or see, the several people asking him, politely, to get out of the way.

Or there is my daughter's built in alarm clock that seems to have got stuck at 5am.

My health update:
Chcoclate - nil
Coke - nil
Exercise - 1 mile run

Erm, other than that... Hmm, not much. I'll try and do something interesting today.

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Slow running - a metaphor?

Line side equipment failure caused our train to switch to the relief line where we were stuck behind 2 stopping services. There we were a fast train, built for 100+ mph running through stations at crawling speed.

Is this a reflection of my life? A fast track system shunted into the slow lane, stuck behind those who dither and stop?

Probably not.

My poor, long suffering wife has to endure me tossing, turning, twitching, squeaking and snoring at night. She invariably drags herself off to the guest room to get some kip, but this causes problems of its own. The room doesn't get very dark, and by 05:30 is often too bright to sleep.

I do what I can. I slept in the guest room Friday and Saturday nights, and had the yawns to prove it. However, during the week I need the shower room, so waking is inevitable (however, thinking about it now, that's no different to us sharing a room).

All of this addresses the symptoms however, not the cause. Essentially, I've grown a gut, turned into a slob, and got myself a stressful life.

Self help books say that identifying and recognising a problem is the biggest part of solving said problem. Good, job done!

So, what can I really do? Well, this weekend I only had one can of coke per day. So far today (because so much has passed!) I haven't had any. The plan is to not have any all day, nor tomorrow, etc. Gut solved. Everything else eaten is fairly balanced, the occasional choccy bar goes hand in hand with the coke, so stop one, you stop both.

Next step is exercise. I used to run. Now I pro-nate, have bad knees, and get out of breath running upstairs. Solve the gut, solve some of these other problems. I have the shoes for the pro-nateing, I have the support for the knee. Out of breath is just out of shape, hard work fixes that. That's the easy bit!

Now to find the time. Do I get up earlier (current alarm is 06:23)? Not without going to bed much earlier! Can I fit it in in the evening? Maybe. That's what I think needs to be done. If I get home, change into running kit whilst running the bath, bathe my daughter, cuddles and drying, nappy, dressed, teeth cleaned, hand off and out it might work. If I hand off earlier in the process it might work better. Worries here are down to tea time for my daughter being over early enough to ensure bath time at an early hour. Also, preperation and cooking time for dinner needs to be factored in.

I don't know how it'll work until we start I guess. Only thing I can guarantee is that something needs to change. Stay tuned and I'm bound to update.

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My Mother was a taylor, my Father was a smith

When I was a younger man, I played the guitar. Not so much these days, the closest I came recently was the one and only go I've had on guitar hero! However, my youth say much guitar playing. Those were the days of the mighty Ph7!

It started in school, I was talking to a friend one day (I believe we were queueing to watch a school "talent show"), and he mentioned his guitar playing, and before long we were talking about forming a band. We knew a drummer (without a drumkit), and I got a bass. We were away. Over time I traded the bass for a guitar, passing the bass duties to another friend making us a 4 piece.

We started on covers, "Highway to Hell", "Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)", amongst others, before moving into writing are own. Some of the greatest unheard songs of our time were created! Our grand finale was at a birthday of a friend of ours. His house had a large cellar into which a large number of us piled, and 2 or 3 of our year's bands played. Our version of "The Ace of Spades" is still talked about today.

As for the titleof this post, one of the songs we used to play was "House of the rising sun", and whilst transcribing the line "My Mother was a tailor" I spelt it wrong. This, obviously, led to the version above and much hilarity.

Upon leaving school, I tried a couple of times to form a band at uni, but nothing came of it. Not living on campus, and therefore not having access to a drumkit put a hold on things. I still played a lot, but only to taped recordings, or straight off sheet music.

It was a couple of years later, at work, I got talking to one of the helpdesk girls on a night out, and she mentioned that she sang, and was interested in performing. We got together, with another friend of hers who also sang, and I started transcribing music for just an acoustic guitar and singer. We were pretty good. We played a couple of bars at open mike nights, and generally had a good time.

Fast forward another couple of years, and I've moved to St. Albans, met up with another singer, transcribed a couple of her songs, and am playing a mixture of covers and original songs at the various pubs and open mike nights around Hertfordshire.

Then I moved to Newcastle, met my wife, and became far too busy to find the time to play.

I was driving to the station this morning, and "Save Tonight" came on the radio. As this was one of the songs we performed, and a personal favourite that I haven't heard for a while, it brought a smile to my face. I now have a hankering to do our version of "(Hit me) Baby, One More Time" just once more!

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Canary wharf

I went out yesterday evening on a scavenger hunt. Walking 3.5 miles around where I work answering various trivia questions about the area.

It was an absolutely perfect evening, and we partook of a couple of bars on the way; sitting in the sun, watching the world go by.

At the end, we all met in a pub on the very outskirts of the wharf and enjoyed a BBQ, drinks, and some socialising. All very enjoyable.

Unfortunately, due to my travel constraints, I couldn't stay late, and left around 9:20. As I walked back to the tube it was early twilight, all the lights were on, and it was reasonably quiet (as quiet as I've seen the wharf get). I passed through a park at the west end of the wharf, and it struck me. This is a really great place. It's tidy, clean, well laid out, well maintained. Clearly someone thought about these things when designing it. As I walked through the park, 1 canada square was framed perfectly in front of me, the other buildings framing that. Everything was carefully lit, and clearly set to look good. I exited onto a tree lined boulevard before making my way past limestone buildings and on down to the tube. The open spaces in front of the tube allowing a great view of all the surrounding towering buildings. All of the buildings are distinctive in some way, colours, frosting, shape and style all come together to create this place I work in.

I believe I'm quite lucky.

The mood was kind of ruined when I got back to Reading and found no train, and a delay of 57 minutes. I gave up, got a bus part way, and walked the rest. Finally got to bed at 12:30. Strangely, I'm a bit tired today.

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Trains and hayfever

I could rant about trains that don't arrive on time causing you to miss your interchange and forcing you to sit around for 25 minutes as a result. But I won't. There isn't much point. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's annoying when it happens, but I rarely think about it when it doesn't.

Also, hayfever. Annoying. You would have thought that by now, as a species, we would have evolved away the sneezing attacks we get from pollen. It happens every year, there must be some form of immunity we could have built up over generations and passed along.

Thankfully it seems to be subsiding as the week progresses.

Speaking of which, I had Monday off, did a 14.5 hour day yesterday, and am now knackered. It's only Wednesday. Roll on the weekend. Oh, and cooler nights so I can shut the window and not get woken by birdsong at 04:00!

Oh well, another day, another set of meetings.

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New visitors

I sent out an e-mail yesterday evening to a reasonably large amount of people pointing them here. Only now is that decision registering. Some of them may actually read this!

Until now only 9 distinct people have read this. 3 of them are me, 2 are my wife, 2 are at work, which only leaves 2 people really reading this thing. That's such a small number it had really registered. I was only really writing for my own benefit, as it was something that seemed to need doing. I think that I shall just set aside the numbers and carry on oblivious. (At least until the number of comments goes up! (Doube bracket! Apologies about the comments, you need a gmail account to leave one. Stops me getting loads of spam))

I'm up and travelling particularly early today. I was sent an agenda yesterday for a cross department meeting today, only to find out that I'm speaking. It's at 10, so I'm going in for 8 to get some slides together and prepare a presentation. Fun.

I had an enjoyable 3 day weekend, cracking off a few jobs. The new trellis was stained front and back on Saturday, and the last of our current plants potted last night. So, for the time being at least, the garden is complete. I got the table and chairs out for the first time, and we enjoyed breakfasts and lunches on the patio. Our one tree providing some nice cover in the morning, the parasol doing the job the rest of the day.

Our daughter continues to be cute, wandering around the garden with her trolley, occassionally stopping to wave goodbye before heading off to another part of the garden.

The computer hardly got turned on this weekend, but I did use the new micro keyboard at one point. It worked great, and the extra desk space sparkled whilst I used it! (I know, it's a keyboard, I'll shut up about it one day.)

Other than that, 05:59 is far too early to get up, but the tube is a little emptier 30 minutes early; so maybe it's not all bad.

Now, a day avoiding google analytics so I don't see the one off blip in visits!

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Another 3 day weekend

I've took Monday off, so I have another long weekend to look forward to. Hopefully this one will be slightly quieter than the last, and there will be a little bit of downtime.

There are still jobs to do; we're having some trellis put up at the moment, so we're hoping to put some protection on that. We've got a stone bench to put in place, and the usual housework to get done. All in all, busy, but hopefully do-able with some r+r.

Other than that, it's too hot for a suit on the tube, so I'm just going to read the paper and hope the journey ends soon.

One final note, I've been asked (yes, someone reads this thing!) To post the link to the daily dilbert without all that flash rubbish. http://www.dilbert.com/fast Hope that helps.

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Aid to Burma

There is obviously a large amount of news at the moment about Burma, and the aftermath of the cyclone. When there were reports of the tsunami on boxing day a couple of years ago I didn't think twice about giving some money. When it comes to Burma, I'm pausing.

It's not that I don't think they need it, nor that I'm hard hearted; it's down to the fact that I'm not sure they'll get it.

Burma is ruled by a military junta, a corrupt and self-serving regime who have, so far, denied access to all western aid organisations. The call, so far, is, "Send us money, and we'll make sure it goes to the right place." Now, call my cynical, but that doesn't fill me with confidence. The military junta have already shown, in recent, and not so recent, history, that they prefer a contolled population over a happy one. They have also been known not to invest in the people, and to divert public funds for their own purposes.

So, the moral and right thing to do is help, but if you can't be sure (I realise you can never be *sure* your money is going to the right place, but in this instance, I believe it is more likely not to) that your donation will be used to help people, what should you do?

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So many half formed posts, so little to write

I have to give an important presentation today which is kind of overwhelming my mind. So every time I try to think of something to write, it kind of forms, and is then moved aside by the thought of presenting again.

I'm not worried per se, I know my subject matter, and it's only 10 minutes. It's an update on a situation, not a request nor a radical new idea. However, the audience is made up of fairly important people, and the update is not terribly good news!

I suppose I'm lucky in a way. Coming up through the realms of support I was always the one to attend to the director level problems, providing support for various business systems to the MD and others. The one thing this taught me is that they are just human too. Also, they never know as much as me when it comes to technology. Their job is budgets, stats, finances, mine is technology. I'll just need to bear in mind that I'm right, the data is right, and I know what I'm talking about.

So, that out the way, my little keyboard will arrive today, and another piece of valuable real estate on the desk will be cleared. I'm excited in the way only a geek could be!

Four day week, 50% through (counting get ups), with another 3 day weekend to look forward to (I've took Monday off). Doing ok so far with the getting up, but it's beginning to hurt again.

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Busy bank holiday weekend

Short of listing the huge amount of jobs done over the weekend I don't think I can convey just how much was done. However, lists are boring, so I won't.

Our garden is looking much better, everything that currently needed planting has been planted, the lawn is edged with wooden borders, and cut too! It all looks very good. I can hold my head up amongst the other neighbourhood men, and scowl at those with inferior gardens!

I also managed to clear the majority of junk out of my garage, so negotiating from the front to the back is no longer a treacherous death trap. Still some tidying work to be done here, but the overall effect is good so far. 2 of the bookcases in the garage got moved to the shed allowing for more storage options in there, and a clearer floor space in the garage.

Also achieved was a complete re-arrangement of the study, the old server monitor is gone, the 2 widescreen monitors setup properly, all the other electrical stuff tidyied up, and all the paperwork sorted out and filed. The end result is an area much more condusive to work. There are still 3 crates to sort out, and the bookshelves need going through and clearing, but all in all it was a worthwhile exercise.

I've also ordered a mini keyboard for the server. I only use the keyboard for startup and shutdown, and when it's broke (rarely), so having a whole keyboard sitting on the desk seemed wasteful. Out it goes, and a little USB keyboard can sit on top of the server for those rare occasions when it's needed. One more bit of desk real estate reclaimed.

Plenty other jobs have been achieved, but those are the major items. I've taken next Monday off too, so hopefully a few more jobs can get knocked off, and I can have a little time to enjoy the fruits of my labours!

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Techie update 2 (last one, promise)

It's all finally fixed. Turns out that the aspect ratio is calculated using tcprobe which is part of transcode. Transcode is compiled to use imagemagick libraries for speed, and was dependant on libMagick9. When I upgraded to imagemagick 6.4.0 the library became libMagick10 and the dependancy failed. One quick recompile later and the problem was resolved.

As a bonus, the -e errors I was getting were down to variables not being grepped from the tcprobe output, so the recompile fixed those too and the whole script is back to full function.

I now promise to blog about something else!

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Techie update

(As I know my wife can hardly wait!)

I finally solved the problem I wrote about yesterday. Turned out to be a catalogue of errors.

First, the configure script for imagemagick hard codes the line 'result_ghostscript_font_dir='none'.

It was also missing some double quotes around the point where it sets the variable to display on the next line. Turns out it was working anyway, just not telling me it had found the right directory.

The script I use to convert files into DVDs was still telling me that I had no ghostscript font support. Turns out it uses 'convert -list type' to determine fonts, in 6.4.0 this functionality has been moved to 'convert -list font'.

One final correction was needed, once the output of 'convert -list font' has been read it gets the locations of an xml file, the format of this has changed (I guess), so an awk was needed to get the correct output from the file.

I still have problems with the script not inputting aspect ratio into the final xml sheet, and a number of -e errors relating to echo statements, but things work enough to allow me to create DVDs again.

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2 monitors

I've bought myself a second monitor for home. I now have 2 20 inch widescreen displays sat next to each other (rather messily at the minute) on my desk.

The plan now is to remove my small 17 inch monitor, and plug the server into one of the spare ports on the 20 inch ones. I can then tidy up the various router, switches, and other bits of various stuff, and ultimately claim some space back on the desk itself.

Even I was surprised at how easy it was to setup. I plugged the monitor in whilst booted up and logged on, opened 'Monitor and display', ticked the box to indicate a 2nd monitor, selected the drop down to choose I wanted 2 desktops, not one stretched across the screen, chose my monitor type from the drop down (it was listed, something that has *never* happened under windows), clicked ok, logged out, chose restart x sever (not the box, just the window manager), eh voila! It all worked. I'd made a minor error by plugging the left one into the right socket and vice versa, but rather than fix that I just entered 'Monitor and display' again and dragged the second screen to the left of the first. Another logoff, restart, logon, and the problem was resolved.

I've done 2nd monitors for a while at work, and to acheive the same functionality I've always had to install manufacturers software. On linux all of this was built into the OS. There was no command line hacking of config files (I've done that in the past, but there was no need this time), nothing to install, it just worked. As it's meant to.

Now I just need the weekend to tidy up and get everything in its new place.

Seperately, and to show the flip side of linux, I'm struggling with a piece of software called imagemagick. I've had problems with this software before, but managed to get it sorted (although I can't remember how). I have a script that executes a number of tasks to automate turning media files into DVDs. One of the things it does is create the menus, for which it needs imagemagick to input the text. When I upgraded the other day to kubuntu 8.04 my version of imagemagick was overwritten with one not compiled to use ghostscript fonts (key for creating text). Not a problem I thought, so I downloaded the code for imagemagick, made sure the ghostscript fonts were where it expected them to be, and ran configure. It comes back with ghostscript fonts - none.

It doesn't matter what I do here, I can add a parameter to the program specifically telling it where the fonts are, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. The code always comes back with ghostscript fonts - none. I've even stepped through the relevant bit of configure line by line, and it works! However, somewhere between finding the fonts and getting to the end it breaks, and will not compile with ghostscript fonts. This is not making me happy. There has to be a bug somewhere, but I can't find it, and until I have a moment of brilliance, I can't make any new DVDs.

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Not much happening

I haven't got much to write about today. Uneventful journies and too many meetings have sapped my creative process.

One things that I do have to put down is how brilliant my wife has been recently. Running around to garden centres, digging, planting, re-potting. At the weekend, I may have dug the trench and removed the earth, but it was my wife who humped the top soil into place and did the planting. Since then she has re-potted a number of our existing plants, and yesterday helped our hired gardener dig 2 new beds, and transplant a bush from pot to earth. I look forward to getting home every evening just to see what new garden features we'll have today.

I'm off to physio this evening for a second session on my foot. Ever since I got orthotics to correct my pro-nateing the muscle at the back of my arch won't stop hurting. I'm sure it's something to do with the inserts rucking up my sock, but as long as they can get it to stop hurting I'll be happy.

Right, that's it. My life is uninteresting at the moment; no commuter rage, no rants at the world, just a desire for sleep.

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First steps

My little daughter took her first proper steps at the weekend. Recently we have been able to support her whilst she is walking and then gently let go; she has then tottered a few steps before sitting down with a big grin. She knows what she's done, and she loves it.

This weekend I was putting her shoes on so we could go out, and she was wanting to stand up and lean against me. We started playing a game where she would stand up, let go, hold for a few seconds, and then fall forward onto me. Big grins and giggles all round. After a few goes I moved back a little, as it is the fall forward as much as the standing she loves. A couple more moves, a couple more falls, then she took a step! I shuffled back a little more, she took another. More shuffling, more steps, then I hit the wall, and she caught up.

She was sooo happy with herself. Smiles, giggles, clapping. My wife had come through half way through, so she watched as I moved her back and we did it again. More smiles and clapping. I then turned her round, and she walked to mummy. Then back to daddy. The she was a bit tired, so lots of hugs and praise and we went out.

We've repeated things since, but she still needs confidence before embarking on her own.

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Something for the weekend

I worked from home on Friday which meant 2 things. No post on here, and the weekend started that little bit earlier. Strange thing about working from home though; although the night at home starts earlier for me, it never starts as early as it could. Although I start working at the same time I always do, I find myself still working over an hour after I would usually have left to go home. With my daft commute this means I still start relaxing earlier, but theoretically it could be even earlier.

We did *stuff* this weekend. We haven't stopped. Saturday I got up, went and had my hair cut (which has been done really badly, it's far too short, and completely un manageable now), straight to a garden centre to pick up another water butt (our current one, like the new one, is a space saving one and doesn't have enough capacity), off then to Mothercare to buy some locks for the higher kitchen drawers, then another garden centre to pick up 24 pots of lavender. We then went to the pub for lunch. Once we got back it was into the garden. I removed a foot and a bit wide strip of grass all the way around our front, and then dug out a trench down to just under a foot deep. I loaded up the car with the grass and called it a day.

Sunday saw us up fairly early, and me off to the tip. Once rid of the grass it was back home, and out to garden centres again, this time for farm shops, edging, and top soil. At home, after lunch, I loaded up all the soil from the trench into the car (plastic sheeting providing much needed protection), then off to the final garden centre of the weekend for more top soil, home to drop that off, and then the tip to fnally get rid of the trench earth. When I got back my fantastic wife had just about finished the planting of the lavender, and my beautiful daughter was having a great time on the lawn playing. I picked up the little one, and we went for a stroll as the planting was finished.

On return, I tidied up outside, then vacuuming, bath cleaning, more vacuuming, more vacuuming, shower cleaning (whilst I had a shower!), sink cleaning, toilet cleaning. After that was dinner (cottage pie,yum), washing up, clean and polish kitchen benches, clean oven, put up coat hook for little one's coats, sort out washing, and then, finally, collapse into bed.

I come to work for a rest!

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Not urgent

I'm tired. For a change. For some reason it feels like Friday too, so tomorrow will be a disappointment!

Today, however, my tiredness is due to more than the usual reasons. Although they still apply too. Todays tiredness stems from working until 20:40 last night.

I left work late yesterday as things had overrun a little, but I'd had a good day. A number of things I had been trying to get done were released, and I was feeling ok. When I finally exited the tube, my phone had 6 e-mails, 2 missed calls, and a voicemail. I settled myself onto the train and started to listen to the voicemail.

Half way through the voicemail the call was interrupted by an incoming call. So I dropped one call and answered the other. What everyone was trying to tell me was that one of my systems, that feeds a number of other systems, may have lost some data. As a result, all those downstream systems may have lost their data.

I then spent the rest of my journey home writing mails and taking phonecalls trying to trace down what could have happened. Speculation was rife. Imagined scenarios getting more dire with each new iteration.

Finally I got home. I remotely connected to work, and started to look through the system whilst responding to more e-mails as they came in. It should be noted that I didn't build the system, and don't know that much about its internal workings. However, after a while I sent a note off saying I couldn't see the problem, we'd have to wait for a developer in the morning, I also couldn't see evidence of the problem, and was there anything else anyone wanted me to do.

The reply came back: tomorrow will be fine, thanks for your efforts. By the way, this isn't urgent. !!!

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Aargh

50 metre walk from one tube line to the other. As our train gets in, the other line is just arriving. Easily made if you move at a reasonable pace (not running, just walking with purpose). The woman in front of me insists on strolling, in the middle of our side of the passage way, with handbag over one out stretched arm, and coffee cup thrust out in the other. No urgency, no purpose. The doors close as I reach them.

Bitch.

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Boring conversations

The guys standing next to me on the train this morning have blathered on for the entire journey about cars. This wouldn't be too bad except they haven't a clue!

Apparently buying a mini is a waste of money, but a BMW Z3 is a "really good motor". Of course you want to look at the MX-5 as they just go and go.

They've discussed whether cars they've never driven have 16 or 17 inch alloys like it makes a difference (although one of them finally decided, with authority, that it had 17, and you should check them out on etires.com.

The various merits of Z3s, TTs, and MX-5s have all been argued. Even though they admitted (at various points) that they have never driven any of them.

Going back to the mini, it will apparently depriciate from day 1, so is a stupid investment (because a BMW is a smart one), and you should get a fiesta! Or a yaris!!

Thankfully I've now escaped to the tube. Peace and quiet has returned.

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Tuesday morning blues

Probably a short one today as I fell asleep on the train! I haven't fallen asleep on a train for well over 6 months. I don't, usually, get a seat, and when I do the journey is only 25-30 minutes, so by the time I've read my feeds (and obviously started writing a blog entry) the journey is over.

Just couldn't keep focussed today though. Felt myself dropping off in the middle of a post, and decided to get a few minutes shut eye. I don't even know why I'm that tired; we've had 2 reasonable nights kip, and last night we even got the light off before 11! However, this morning my eyes feel so heavy, and I can't stop yawning. Probably down to lack of coke, but that's another post!

I'm off, this evening, to the physio. Something is wrong with my foot. Actually, there's plenty wrong with my foot. I pro-nate which means my foot turns too much on my arch side when I put my foot down. I wear various inserts in my shoes to correct this. Recently though I've started to get pain in my arch that seems unrelated to whatever I'm doing. I can walk all day with no problem, or I can cross the office shuffling like a hunchback zombie. I can also be fine until I put my feet up, walking around, doing jobs, once I sit down and relax, pain!

So I'm off to see someone (else) about the problem. No doubt there will be more exercises and inserts of torture. Fun.

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Good morning London

So the bakerloo line is stuffed. Again. Time to get the circle line, change, walk, and arrive a little later. Thankfully I got up on time this morning, so I won't be late for that 9am meeting!

A constructive weekend was enjoyed. We ordered a hedge (that's now next weekend's job), bought some pots, re-potted some plants (and a tree!!), picked all the leaves off the grass, made a casserole, fixed a curtain rail, watched a couple of films, and did the ironing. It's an exciting life.

Swapped trains and lines now. Hopefully no more problems between here and work.

A reasonable week ahead at the minute. Not too many meetings (yet!), but one at 08:30 on Wednesday which I think is rather cruel.

Not much else to say at the moment. Too much Monday morning, not enough brain power!

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2 posts (part 2)

The following is a taken from an article on slashdot:

Over the past few weeks Chinese bloggers and people on Internet forums have been reacting to events in Tibet and the protests disrupting the torch relay. The BBC and Global Voices have interesting insights on the recent happenings on the Net. A western commentator says, 'Lots of Chinese people now view the Western media, human rights groups, and Western leaders' criticisms of their country as part of the Racist Western Conspiracy to Stop China From Being Successful.' One of the most vocal appeals by the Chinese blogs, forums, and text-messages has been to boycott French goods in response to the protests that accompanied the torch relay in Paris. One response post reads, 'Who is abusing human rights? Who is bringing violence to this world?' There also are two versions of music video of the song Don't Be Too CNN, and its lyric has assumed the status of a cult catch-phrase. Sina.com has a popular page: 'Don't be too CNN, fire to the Western media.' Many analysts believe that the protests over Tibet have only served to strengthen Chinese nationalism rather than evoke sympathy for the Tibetan cause. Sina.com has a petition against the Western media which has reportedly accumulated millions of signatures. There is also Mutant Palm, a blog by an expatriate in China who has been watching and commenting on the fallout from Tibet and torch protests online.

And so, at the risk of saying "Told you so", that is what happens when you protest to a nation with no free media. Hands up anyone who thinks they get the full story? The reason behind the protests? The history, the full facts? Now hands up those who think they got an edited version, heavy on violence towards chinese, big on over zealous security forces with a cross reference bit on guantanamo, iraq torture, and anything else that can be pulled up and edited to show human rights violations perpetrated by the west?

Why do all those who think they are doing the 'right thing' fail to see the big picture and the obvious outcome and consequences? Protest by all means, but do it in the right way to the right audience.


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2 posts

For once I have too much to blog (rant) about! So, here is 2 rants in one. The first is new, the second is a follow up to a previous post.

My wife received a letter today from a collection agency. They were asking for over £300 in unpaid vodafone bills. My wife doesn't have a vodafone contract, she has an O2 one. Before that she had t-mobile, and before that orange. She hasn't had a vodafone contract in 7 years, when she had a different name, and an address nowhere near our current one. The previous vodafone contract is all paid up long ago.

She had received a phone call about 2 weeks ago; a cold call asking if she was the resident of 'not our address' or 'also not our address'. She said no, was thanked and thought no more of it.

Then today's letter arrived, threatening CCJs, balifs, repossessions. This is the first of these letters, there hasn't been a simple request to pay, just this one letter. She phoned them up, and was asked to confirm if her birthday was 'not her birthday / month / year', on saying no she was asked if it was similar in any way (not clutching at straws or anything), she replied no. They then asked what her birthday was! Strangely she declined to tell them. The matter is now, apparently, closed. Mistaken identity! Yeah, right!

In this day and age of identity theft how are you supposed to prove who you are without handing enough details over to pose a problem to your identity? Also, why should you have to prove who you aren't? Shouldn't they be working better to find the right person without bothering you? I'm willing to bet their due dilligence in this matter went as far as ringing all those in the county with the right sort of name, and then, on getting no where with that, sending all of them a letter hoping to bully / flush out the guilty party.

Now to write them a nice letter requesting they purge all my wife's details from their database in accordance with the data protection act. I wonder what the response will be.

2nd post to follow once I get the web browser on this phone to work properly!

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Another week ...

Here's a ponder; waiting for the train in the morning, 2 arrive pretty much together. For some reason the station announces the later train first. Everyone who has read the depatures board is waiting for the earlier train. When the late train is announced the early train is visible, and about to start moving down the platform (as is the late train). Even though people can see the train, they move platform. Why? There is no delay. Neither train is packed (although you'll get a seat on neither). Both trains will arrive on the platform at the same time, and chances are the earlier train will leave first.

Ok, so today is interesting so far... It's not yet 8 and I've already spent over £4000! Such is the cost of commuting for a year. The marks another point in my conversion to permanent. I have never bought a long term ticket as a contractor because you can never guarantee your employment for the life of the ticket. Going permanent hopefully offers a bit more security. Also, my company offers you a loan for the cost of travel repayed from your salary over 12 months before tax is calculated. So at least the money is tax free. Now all I have to hope is that my paperwork gets processed properly, and the loan arrives early next week!

In other news, we bought an olive tree last weekend, and it arrived yesterday. It looks good sat on the patio, and will look even better once I've re-potted it this weekend. After a pause around Easter and beyond, our internal painting has restarted and entered the final stage. Almost everything is primed, undercoat and gloss to follow. Then carpets and flooring. Then we're done! All that remains is the planting in the garden.

Sleep continues to be patchy. Managed about 6 hours last night, not enough really. We need to work on getting little one to bed earlier so we can do the same. Easier said than done of course. Bed time is set by nap time which is set by meal times which are set by my daughter! We have very little say in the matter!

Techie thing. Why is my linux box capable of playing a movie out of the box while my windows machine requires me to faff around downloading codecs and apps, (blindly as it gave me no clue as to what I needed) and re-booting before it will finally play (with an average cpu load of 70%!) All those who ask when linux will be ready for the desktop; I ask, when will windows! It's not even a new format of video either, the codec I finally got to work was released in 2004. Surely windows media player 11 could have had it built in.

Oh well, I digress. The tube whips me ever nearer to work, and the end of another week. Here's to a good weekend.

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Portishead

A place towards the end of the M4 (possibly). Also, one of the best bands around.

I 'discovered' Portishead, like most people my age, at uni. 'Dummy' was one of the soundtrack albums to my year in dorm, and a constant companion thereafter. Listening to 'Roads' at high volume after I dislocated my shoulder and ruined the summer of canoeing and windsurfing I had planned is probably partly responsible for making me who I am today! The album still sounds fresh today, and even after all this time, and more listens than I can recall, there are no tracks that get skipped.

The second album came along, the first track a huge dissonant noise, the rest an assault on all the senses. Poinant lyrics set against looped samples and distorted guitars. It was fantastic. It's never had as many listens as 'Dummy', but it is a staple of my collection.

It was followed by the live album. A fantastic collection of there 'best' songs delivered with a huge string section, and a lot of effort put into the production. If you haven't heard any Portishead, this is probably the place to start. The only annoyance is the audience starting to cheer before 'Roads' is finished, interupting a clearly heart felt song with their applause.

Then, nothing. For years.

Now, the third album is due (named 'Third'). Finally. It says something about Portishead that even after all these years, and my dwindling interest in music in general, this can still get me excited.

I have managed to get an advance copy of the album, and have nearly finished the first listen. I won't, however, offer an opinion at this point. One listen, on a crowded train, does not do it justice. I can say that I have heard enough to look forward to the next time I have a free evening, when I can turn the volume up, get a glass of wine, and lose myself once again in Portishead.

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Spaced

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to write something this week. In a morning I seem to be a spectator to the life going on in front of my eyes. Decisions and cognitive thoughts take time to arrive, moving through my brain like icebergs! (I mean, just look at that analogy!)

I should be getting enough sleep; although we have been a bit late getting to bed. My daughter has been sleeping through, and there have been no disruptions (more or less) until the alarm goes off. However, this week has been incredibly tough so far.

Things are coming together nicely at work. There are still deadlines, and stresses, but nothing like last weeks emergencies.

All in all, I think more good nights are called for. An attempt to get to bed earlier. And some sort of lie-in (8am!) At the weekend would be nice.

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Not liking trains

On reflection, I probably dislkie those people and circumstances that make me late for a train. However, the fact that they only run every 30 minutes is useless. If I arrive at the same time as the train, I've had it. 30 minutes of radio 2 in the carpark. It's a useless service.

Also, why is the train always late when I'm early, but never when I'm late?

I was rather pissed this morning. A few choice words. Starting with the stupid woman at the roundabout who wouldn't accelerate, and stopped at an orange light. It's a very good job she couldn't hear me. Then as I turned the corner and the train pulled in, Terry was rather drowned out for a while.

When I've got up, made the effort, and done everything I should need to do to get there on time; then events conspire against me, the world seems rather an annoying place to be.

Oh well, on my way now (have been for a while). It'll all be forgotten by lunchtime.
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Quick one

Haven't got long this mornng. 21 posts to read after the weekend have carried me almost to work.

It's Monday, I'm tired (for a change), but this week *should* be easier than last.

Maybe I'll write a bigger post on the return journey.

I usually find it easier to write in the morning (despite the knackeredness!), I guess the day hasn't yet dulled the brain. (Although if this morning is anything to go on, my brain will have shut down completely by the time it's done a whole day!) Oh well, I'll see if I can come up with something.

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How the ....?

I shouldn't be here. I should be cold and shivering on a platform in deepest Berkshire. Instead, I'm on a warm train heading towards work.



I didn't get up this morning. Tough night (following the foreseen tough day) meant the alarm got snoozed, then turned off and ignored. Somehow I managed to wake again at 06:41, 10 minutes late at best. I dragged myself from bed, showered, cleaned my teeth, dressed, put the bins out, and got to the station in time for the 07:02 train. My usual. How? I don't know. I didn't speed (other traffic in suburban areas sees to that). Everything else takes a finite, and usually fixed, amount of time. And yet I made it.



The majority of me wishes I hadn't bothered. Caffeine (sorry hunny) tastes acidic; a sure sign that my body is too tired to accept a stimulant. I know I have another tough day ahead of me. All I really want to do is roll over and sleep a dreamless sleep.



Which reminds me. (Warning, this is a very sad reflection of my life) My dreams last night were all about SQL, statistics, and spreadsheets. Everything was about numbers, pivots, data. I have recollection of it being stressful too! What has my life become?! Unfortunately, it was a fairly accurate prediction of what my day will be like.



Roll on Friday evening. Bring on the duvet.

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Tough day

Inspiration has left for the day. Motivation is lacking too. I know I have a day with almost back to back meetings ahead of me. I also have an operational crisis to avert. Doing both in the same day may be tricky to say the least!



Even with all that ahead of me, the temptation to roll over and hide under the duvet was fairly easily ignored. I guess they DO pay me enough to get out of bed in a morning!



Thankfully my daughter slept through last night, and went down fairly early too, so I got to lights out at 10:40. Still, the weeks (months) of disturbed nights, including a couple this week, don't disappear after one nights kip (especially when you have to get up at 06:23!) so I'm still on the knackered side. It's bearable though, like an annoying itch, not a missing limb!



People issues are going to make today extra special. No details, suffice to say politics and incompetence (or possibly laziness) will come into play at various stages.



On reflection, maybe the duvet was a better option after all.



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Loud mouthed muppets

Commuting this morning (for a change), waiting for a train. There is the usual game, working for position in the approximate place where the door will stop. Nothing is guaranteed, so there is always some jostling for position as the train arrives. A couple of people are doing the doorway shuffle when a voice is heard; high, mighty, definitely Daily Mail reader, "He certainly wants to be on first doesn't he." I look across, as I'm not the one jostling, and personally couldn't care less about getting on first (more on that in a month), and there is a rather large, older bloke looking all high and mighty. Carrying a copy of the Daily Mail. Who's he talking to? A companion? A workmate? Nope, just the world in general. Wally.

We all get on, and I head for the buffet. Experience has taught me that the passenger cars can be a dangerous route. Head in and you may get a seat, but if you don't, you're trapped. There is nowhere more uncomfortable to spend the journey than trapped in the aisle. You have nowhere to lean, nowhere to go. The next option is to wait in the vestibules. If you're on quick, you can lean against the door, in the corner supported on 2 sides. It's not bad, and better than what usually happens; being stuck in the central area of the vestibule with only a bit of partition to lean on.

Option 3 is the one I go for. Head for the buffet. If you're quick, which I usually am, you can get to the counter, a proper place to lean, with arms crossed, and legs extended. As the corridor is a bit cramped at this point it discourages over crowding, affording you a little space. I make myself comfortable, at the end away from the till, out of the way of where people get served. A couple of other people are at the bar, one's been there a while, has the paper out, and a coffee on the go, the other is ordering coffee. Another person turns up, and also orders coffee. There is, it should be noted, room for at least 2 more people at the bar.

I become aware of a presence at my right shoulder. Someone standing off the bar, to my side. I'm oblivious really, I start reading my blackberry once I get to the bar, and I'm used to people queueing around me as they wait for their turn to order. Then that voice again, "Are you ordering?" I look up. Daily Mail reader is talking to me. I look at the buffet staff, indicate negative, and go back to reading. There is room for 2 people next to me, and plenty of room to get round. "Well would you mind moving so the queue can get served?" A tone of indignation. I look up again. There is a look of expectation on large man's face. I look round him, there is no queue, only him. I look to my side, at the obvious space (closer to the staff and till I should point out), shrug, and move over. Fat man gets his coffee. He then moves slightly round the corner, vacating the space. No one takes his place. No one else wants to order anything. " Not much of a queue then was there?", I say, quietly, to no one in particular. Quiet, but I know he heard me.

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Olympic Torch

2 posts in one day! What's going on? Not much really. This mornings post was a bit mediocre, and I thought I'd post on the farce that is the global journey of the olympic torch.

As far as I can gather, from paying next to no attention, the olympic torch is lit in Greece, by sunlight no less (symbolises purity apparently), and then paraded round the world being extinguished and relit many times by the same 'flame' kept safe in the modern day equivalents of miner's lamps.

This year, China are hosting the olympics. China have made a few dodgy foreign and internal policy decisions in the past. Some people think that protesting during the torch ceremony will change those policies.

There, for me anyway, is the disconnect. Exactly how do those protesting think this affects the Chinese government? How is a banner, or a bit of pointless violence, 15 minutes of (in)fame(y), going to influence Chinese policy? Internally the Chinese control all the media; television, internet, newspapers, all controlled. There may be some activists that get some external access; but for 99.9% of people, they have no idea what's going on except for what the government tells them. Externally, why do the Chinese care? Their market and economy go from strength to strength whilst the western ones crumble. They make and export a huge percentage of goods the western world wants, they import very little.

Given that we, both as a people, country, nation, and demographic, can't influence the Chinese government as we have nothing to influence them with (are we ALL going to stop buying Chinese goods?), and the only people who can influence the Chinese government, the Chinese people, can't hear our message, what is the point of disrupting an event that is meant to symolise world unity?

I feel it's important, at this point, to state that I disagree with Chinese policies both foreign and internal. The attrocities in Tibet shouldn't be allowed to go unpunished, and the human rights violations the Chinese are reported to have committed demand reproach. I just don't believe that hanging some banners, argueing with policemen, and disrupting the passing of the Olympic flame will achieve anything.

Change can only come from within. External factors, especially when backed by nothing more than empty threats, won't do anything at all. Throughout history it has been shown that the ordinary people of a nation won't stand by and let attrocities be carried out in their name. Information is the only weapon the west has, and in these days of all pervasive access we forget that not everyone has access to that information.

I don't have a total solution, nor an answer, but I do know that running encrypted proxies and gateway servers, investing the time and energy to create as many holes in the wall of misinformation, allowing ordinary people access to the same information we have will achieve far more than hanging a banner from a bridge.


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If life gives you lemons...

...learn how to trade them for something nicer.

Can't think of much to write today. Same old, same old. Broken sleep at 12:30, nothing major, but it seems to have knocked me a bit. It's probably Sunday night catching up with me.

Up early (on time), and commuting again. Another day, another early night. (I can hope can't I?!)

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White Monday

Why is it that the further south you go in this country, the more likely it is to grind to a halt at the first sign of white on the ground?

Train signals freeze, roads are gridlocked, small animals are sacrificed to the sun gods.

Up north, 3 foot of snow? Chuck a spade in the boot and head off.

Down south (like this morning) 3 mm of snow? Stop everything, grind to a halt, roll out all the excuses about cold / freezing conditions / snow.

Anyway. That wasn't what I was going to write about this morning, but as I am currently 45 minutes behind schedule due to it being a bit fresh I'm a little pre-occupied!

Variable sleep over the weekend, fairly good Friday and Saturday, but last night was a non-starter. The usual indicators; not enough food eaten at tea-time, and a bit of a sniffle. Little one went to sleep easy enough, but definitely didn't stay there. Cue Daddy walking up and down stairs at 03:30 for rice cakes and beakers of water. My poor wife had already been up once at just before 1, and hadn't had the best of sleep anyway.

Earlier in the day we had gone to Next to exchange a pair of jeans (I know! How I get through all the excitement I'll never know), and I'd wandered around the shop with little one toddling beside me holding only one hand. Later we went to the park, and after palying on the swings, she walked most of the way home pushing her little trolley. Fatherly prediction: she'll be walking in weeks (not months).

Other than that, I got my wife's voicemail working on her iPhone, cut the lawn (first cut its ever had!), and finally indexed all the photos taken this year. So a reasonably productive weekend.

Hope you all had a good one.

Good luck to Abi in her new job too.

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Films

My Mother-in-Law is visiting, so my wife and I got to go the cinema last night.

A quick rant! Why do cinemas insist on playing films at about 19:30 and 21:30? Very little starts between those times. 19:30 is an impossibility for us, and 21:30 is really a bit late.

We ended up seeing (and what a poor choice of films there is at the minute) 'The Spiderwick Chronicles'. A film, admittedly, for children. It was, however, good fun, and reasonably scary in parts. Given the PG rating, it was surprising to see children in peril, legs getting bitten, and some out of left field shocks that make you jump. It was nice to get out of the house and do something a bit different.

We rarely get to watch a film these days. By the time little one is finally asleep, and we've cooked any of the time critical ingredients for dinner, sat down, and started to eat, the most we can usually manage is an episode of a TV program. I get entire series of programs, either on DVD, or saved on the Sky+, and we work through them. Torchwood at the moment, Heroes before that. The chance to watch a whole movie is rare. The last time we tried was with 'Ratatouillie', and that ended up taking us 3 nights to watch!

Even more of a luxury, we are off to lunch tomorrow. Just the 2 of us. Looking forward to it!

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Feeling groovy

I'm feeling a little strange actually. I got some sleep last night. Uninterrupted sleep.

It wasn't the earliest of nights. My daughter woke just after 10, and was very snuffly. We fed her some calpol, and I left her getting Mummy cuddles whilst I did the washing up. After finishing up downstairs, I went and checked on them, and then got ready for bed. My wife appeared a short while later, and off to sleep we went. It must have been about 23:20. Next thing I knew the alarm was going off.

It's amazing the difference a nights sleep can make. Especially one where you aren't woken at 1 in the morning. The headache that has become a constant companion is dulled this morning (I had hoped, initially, that it might be gone. No such luck), I feel capable of more than one thought at a time. Things are generally better.

Still feel a little weird though, not quite right. I can't put my finger on it. I feel slightly warm, but internally; I also feel as though the humidity level is high; and a feeling of having eaten well (not too much) which is strange as I didn't have a big dinner, and haven't eaten since.

I can put up with this though as I definitely feel better overall. Another night like the last one, and I feel I can face a weekend!

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In other news

Shocked to read, this morning, about a new breed of fish found in the toxic outflow near one of the local factories. The water is so dense and unpleasant, the fish has evolved without eyes.

They're calling it a fsh.

Oh dear.

Seperatly, what do you call a three eyed fish?

Fi-i-ish.

I may need help.

UPDATE: Google has updated their software syncing outlook with google calendar. It finally works. With my already working method of syncing google calendar with the blackberry, I have acheived sync heaven!

If they could work on contact sync next, that would be great.

The red arrows flew over our office block yesterday. Something to do with the RAF turning 90. Impressive looking, but it was over quickly, and disappeared from view behind another building.

Right, that's it for today. Less tired than I have been, and content too; but a bit spaced and achy. More tomorrow.

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Inspiration

Writing a blog regularly is sometimes harder than I thought it would be. I do pretty much the same thing day after day, and I'm fairly sure it would get boring if I blogged about it continually.

As I only write in the morning, anything interesting that happens during the day has to be interesting enough to be remebered overnight. Things that interesting don't happen very often!

An example (that has happened this morning, so it's fresh). We left the station on the way into London a minute or so before another train. 5 minutes into the journey, there was the sound of a horn, and the train was overtaken. That was strange enough, but less than 10 minutes later, our train overtook that one. (See how exciting my life is!)

The journey into London takes about 25 minutes and there are no other stops for us. There are 2 lines in, a fast line, and a local line. We were on the fast line, the other train on the local. When it overtook, I assumed it was going to change lane further down onto the fast track and that would be it. When we overtook it was still local. At some point it would need to transfer or it will be stuck behind local traffic all the way to London.

Hopefully I'll be able to find something more interesting to talk about tomorrow!

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Changing time

Why do we insist on messing around with the clocks twice a year? It doesn't give us any more daylight. It doesn't help farmers (they still get up with the sun no matter what the clock says). It doesn't do anything useful at all. It gives me a headache, and it causes a 1 year old to get completely out of sync.

I know that the story is about a man riding on a horse thinking that everyone should be enjoying the daylight, so he proposed moving the clocks. Sounds like rubbish to me. If you want to enjoy more light, get up earlier.

Every year, for as long as I can remember, I've had a headache at the end of March when the government plays around with the clocks and my internal one can't cope. I don't know why 1 hour has such an effect. Personally I think it's a sub-concious issue with mid-day not co-inciding with the sun being at it's highest. Whatever the cause, I always feel a great sense of relief come October when things get back to normal.

I'm finding it doubly difficult this year. As an adult, you can set the clocks the night before, get up the next morning, swear, and then adjust. Babies don't work like that. My daughter wakes with her body clock, needs a certain amount of time before her nap, a certain amount of time before tea and bath, and then bed time. She isn't going to get up an hour earlier, she certainly isn't going to go to bed any earlier. So, we're stuck. For the next how ever long it takes, we're going to have to chip away at her rising, nap, and bed time until we're back where we were before someone decided to mess with the time.

Grr, back to going to work pre dawn.

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Short one

Nothing really grabs me today. End of the week, and my last day as a contractor. Just looking forward to the weekend. A chance to 'relax'. Big week next week. The first in a month always is, but this month has a huge number of changes happening early on which will make things interesting.

My daughter slept through last night. I still had to take her out for a drive to get her to sleep, but I put her in her cot at 20;50 and we didn't hear another thing until 07:15. Bliss. I hope it lasts.

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The need for sleep

There are occasions when I think this blog must be marking one mans slow decline towards madness following limited and disturbed sleep. Then I remember that my wife gets less than I do and start feeling guilty. Then I remember we're both knackered and just feel sorry for us both.

Whether it's seperation anxiety, a growing awareness of the dark, or just the loss of the ability to soothe herself back to sleep, my daughter is not sleeping through. Not even nearly. 3 weeks ago we could get her down for 8 in the evening, and not hear a peep until 8 the next morning. Now, it takes a huge effort to get her down for 9ish (last night it was 21:30 after a drive around Berkshire) and she's up again at around 01:45. What happens then is down to the fates. Placating may be possible. Feeding may be required. Worst case (usual case) is to bring her into bed in the spare room, feed her to sleep, and soothing strokes if she stirs.

In all cases, a broken nights sleep is guaranteed.

My wife is fantastic. During the week, she will be the one who gets up, and retires to the spare room with the distressed little bundle. This allows me to roll over and go back to sleep; stiring at each squeak, but generally getting some rest. At weekends, I do what I can. Fetching, carrying, soothing. I'm not really adding anything, just relieving a little of the burden.

It's now Thursday, of a short week, and I'm tired beyond belief. I have another day of meetings ahead, and somehow I'll get through. I always do. Something kicks in during the commute, keeps me going, and drops off later in the evening. The crash! I'm good for nothing then. Last night I couldn't stand properly; everything needs breaking down into small tasks. I'm surprised me wife doesn't give up on me, but she doesn't. She understands. She's great!

Ever onward. Another day, my penultimate one as a contractor. Just don't tell me "It's just a phase". It doesn't help.

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Reading blogs

Wow! Four day weekend, and a day working from home. No wonder I'm knackered!

Back on the train now, and pondering blog reading. Late last week, one of the blogs I read moved to a redesigned site. Now, I'm sure it is a picture of well designed lovelyness; with css this and ajax that, but all of that is irrelevant to me. I read blogs using an RSS reader, on a blackberry, whilst commuting (underground for half the time). Browsing to a website is a visual nightmare on a blackberry at the best of times; and a technical impossibility underground.

I have a program that connects to the internet at regular intervals, checks all the sites I'm interested in, and downloads the text of any new articles from those sites, storing them for me to read at a later date. I get news and technical information from the usual sources, but the majority of what I read is blogs. Normal people, writing about their stuff.

The problem with feeds is truncation. Most blog sites have 3 options when it comes to packaging your content. The default is usually to send out the post whole. Another option is to send out just the title (useless really). The third is to send out the first paragraph with a link at the bottom to "Read more". This is the one I hate. Just enough text to get you interested, and then bam! A link I can't follow. This is a deal breaker for me.

As someone with a wife, and small baby, and a job that gives me no chance to catch breath; the only place and time I have to read blogs is whilst commuting. Which means the blackberry. Which means RSS only.

So, why do people choose the truncation option? I can understand it for the magazine blogs. The ones from infoworld or the register. RSS feeds get just text. Some pictures (although they don't work underground as they are downloaded at read time), but no ads. So, for blogs that are there to draw in readers in the hope of moving them to other content, and getting a few ad impressions past them I can understand. (The fact that deep linking via google, and ad blocking programs make this method of getting money useless is irrelevant)

However, for personal blogs I don't get it. Surely all you want is for people to read your text? Who cares if I don't see your selection of font, and your beautiful backdrop. I certainly don't. This leads us to where I came in. A blog I have been reading for a long time has had a redesign, and in the process has moved from full posts to truncated ones. I wrote to the blogger pointing out the problem (I've done this twice before and the blogger wasn't even aware of it. In those cases, their new site had given a default of truncate), and was told that it was by design. They believe RSS feeds are there to alert you to a new post which you will then go direct to the website to read. They hoped I would catch up on the post once I got back online, and hoped I would continue to read. Well I can't. My life doesn't allow for blog reading at a computer (it's everything I can do just to get the daily dibert some days!), so their blog has gone. The really annoying part of this is that the blog in question was one of the best; well written, funny, one of the ones I scanned down the list for in the hope that it had updated. And now it's gone. Oh well.

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Why is it so flipping hard to sync?

Ooo a tech post. I haven't done one of these in a while!

It's a bit of a rant actually, but hey, what's new.

I have a blackberry. It's great. All these posts are written on it. I can read rss feed offline. It accesses facebook, google talk, automatically gets my e-mail, and has a calendar and contacts system. And it's these last two I have a problem with. The calendar on the phone is not my main one, the contacts system is not my only one. They can't be. The phone can't deal with meeting invites from various systems, and doesn't have the integration of outlook or gmail / google calendar; and because it's sometimes easier to send mail from a pc, or look up an address, my contacts need to be elsewhere.

My setup cannot be that unique. I have outlook integrated with exchange at work, gmail and google calendar at home, and a blackberry everywhere else. On google I have my calendar shared with my wife, my wife's calendar shared with me, and a personal one to remind me of anniversaries or the need to buy presents. For the purposes of syncing, I'd be happy with just my calendar syncing. On outlook, there is just outlook. I want those meetings available elsewhere.

Blackberry comes with some sync software. Connect your blackberry to a pc, and it will sync the calendar with outlook, and the address book. It's the connect bit I have a problem with. I get up to 10 meeting invites a day (some of them updates, not all new!), and keeping things in sync is a major pain. However, I can live with this.

Syncing to google is another matter. First, I thought I'd try using the blackberry as the "man in the middle". I can already sync with outlook, so all I need to do is get those changes pushed to google. At the same time, pull anything new from google, and next time I sync with outlook, I'd be back in sync.

It doesn't work. I paid real money for some nexthaus software, and an account with goosync, and set everything up (this was after 2 other abbortive attempts with other rubbish software). The software gets all changes from google, and pushes all events from the blackberry IF I created them ON the blackberry. If I sync from outlook, these events are missed unless I initiate a slow sync. Also, if an event is updated to a new time, the old event is not deleted. This is especially fun with recurring events.

Then cames google sync for the blackberry. Finally, I thought, google have stepped up. If anyone can fix this, the guys who own the api must be able to. Nope. Worse problems. Intermittent syncing (if I was not the originator of the meeting it wouldn't sync), and duplications. I tidyed up the system and went back to nexthaus.

Then, a new solution google sync for outlook. I don't have problems syncing with google using nexthaus, just syncing outlook events via the blackberry to google; so if I sync all the outlook events to google, the system will then pull them from google to the blackberry. Great? No. Doesn't work. If the meeting is addressed to me internal username (as all internal meetings are) the program won't sync it because it is looking for my full e-mail address. This begs the question, why? If a meeting is in my calendar, I want it synced. I don't care WHO it is addressed to, it's my calendar, only mine, and I want it synced.

So, I'm stuck. Stuck waiting for one of the tools to get updated and fix the problems. Then, finally, I might know where I'm going, and when, no matter which system I look at.
All of that hasn't even touched on the address book! This one is simpler though. It doesn't work. I can't get either outlook, nor the blackberry, to sync with my google contacts. Useless.

Add into the mix my wife's iPhone. The google calendar interface on that is rubbish. You can't add or change an entry. There still is no way to sync contacts, and the whoe thing is a mess.

Is it really so difficult to have a synced up address book and calendar across a few devices? It's really beyond belief that I can't sync a couple of hand held devices, devices that live and breathe on the net, with a web platform and a desktop system that the majority of the corporate world use.

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What a beautiful morning

So, here I am. On less than a perfect nights sleep (although only broken once for half an hour, it was at 04:55 which just seems to hurt more), and heading in for a day of meetings with some tricky responses to some overnight mails to write. However, isn't it a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky, that crisp, fresh feeling in the air, the sun casting its glow over the world. Makes you feel good to be alive. Which is just as well.

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The daddy drive

My daughter is unwell. Thankfully, not seriously unwell. She has an infected finger from over sucking, and badly aimed teeth!

I washed her hand after breakfast, and there was no sign. By 16:00 there was a large yellow lump right in the middle of her favourite suckling finger. This causes major problems.

My daughter soothes herself to sleep by sucking her fingers. Bedtime routine involves a bath, a cuddle, a feed, and a longer cuddle while she drops off enough to be put in her cot. With no fingers, the frustration levels means she doesn't drop off. She also complains bitterly if you put her in the cot awake. The problem is worsened if she wakes during the night. In those twilight moments, she can put her hand in her mouth and drift back to sleep without waking Mummy or Daddy. No hand, no drift.

To say that Saturday was a bad night would be something of an understatement! I had put a makeshift bandage on, and covered her hand with a mitten. She was not happy. We finally got her to sleep at about 01:00 she woke at 01:42! About 04:00 was when we started to try to get to sleep ourselves, but the wired state my wife and I were in meant a delay until the small hours. We were back up before 08:00.

The infection had doubled in size overnight, so, given it was Sunday, we went off to casualty. 3 hours later my daughter had a lanced, dressed and bandaged finger, and a course of antibiotics. (getting antibiotics into someone who can't rationalise the awful colour and taste with feeling better is not a fun experience!) Now all we had to do was get some sleep!

We tried cuddling, soothing, easing her into her cot, but nothing was working. In the end we bundled her into her duvet, and headed for the car.

I've done this before, and it's fairly common knowledge that babies fall asleep in cars. Lulled by the motion. I headed off, M4, M25, M3, and back up to complete the loop. She woke up as soon as the car stopped! She was, however, relaxed now, so a couple of cuddles, and we got her into her cot. Late, but she slept through (guess she was almost as tired as my wife and I).

Yesterday was a failed dental appointment for me, and a new dressing for her. Also, 3 lots of antibiotics. Yuck. (I worked from home hence no post.) Last night, another drive. Another loop. This time via Basingstoke. Another rested baby. Not such a good night though. She woke at 03:42 (it's amazing how you remember the exact time), and there was no rest for us until after 05:00. We've been told to expect a large improvement for Wednesday when the dressing is changed again, and we are hopeful that the finger will be back in action for the weekend. Until then, Daddy will be out driving the wilds of Berkshire every night until she drops off.


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Working from home

No post yesterday because there was no commuting. It took me less than a minute to get to work and start working. I was doing the working from home thing.

The reason behind it all was the need to look after my daughter for an hour at lunch time as my wife needed to go out, and, in this particular instance, taking a baby with her wasn't really an option.

So how does it work? Well, I roll out of bed, pull some jeans on, and sign into works network through the internet. Whilst the external system logs me in and runs its logon scripts I finish getting ready, grab a drink, and enter the study properly. Shutting the door. I now have a version of windows running inside a web browser on my PC. This version of wndows is connected to my work's network, and allows me to appear like I'm just logged on there.

Actually, the system I get access to is to basic to do anything other than chat and e-mail, so I run a further connection program to get access to my personal desktop. This is exactly the same one I use every day at work, left in exactly the state I left it in the previous day. Now it's like being there.

Except it isn't. In the past working from home was much like working from the office except there were fewer interruptions. I worked largely alone, and the privacy, comfortable atmosphere, and instant commute made working from home more productive (in most cases) than working from the office. Now, I have staff, I have meetings, those interruptions are important as they are usually to ask me for a decision. This doesn't mean working from home doesn't work for me anymore. Far from it. Everything that used to make working there a bonus still stands. I got more paperwork done, and filing sorted yesterday than I've managed in weeks. It's just that I couldn't do it every day anymore.

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Why write?

I can't put my finger on it. For some reason I get on the train / tube every morning (ok, only recently) and I tap some words into my blackberry, mail it off, and hopefully someone reads it. Although, that last bit doesn't have any influence over the effort it takes to write in the first place.

For over a year I have travelled on this train reading the news, and generally not doing much. I hope this is a more worthwhile use of my time, but I'm not sure it is.

So, it started last week. I have got incredibly bad at replying to mail. I get so much of it that I can't track it all, and things get forgotten. Except they don't. I have a reasonably good filing system, and that takes care of most of the dross and informational mails, so the ones I need to reply to still sit in my inbox. Hounding me. Taunting me with their unreplyedness. Last week I answered a couple!

It didn't take long, but I did write quite a bit. And I enjoyed it. The chance to put my thoughts in order, to write something down. My life has changed so much in the last couple of years, and so much of what I do is transient. I flit from one thing to another like a humingbird, carrying huge amounts of stuff around in my head, or quickly scribbled notes in my notepad. I move from one agenda to another; each one wanting to know what I'm doing for them. Balancing priorities and deliverables. Somehow it all works; things get done, most of the people I deliver to are happy most of the time. My mind is a mess though.

I've always had the ability to context switch. Order my thoughts, file them, and recall them instantly. Even if I was working on something completely different. Just file, save, recall, go! That ability is being pushed to its limit now. Some things are slipping. The recall is flaky, or partial. I'm learning to cope. To rely on other people to take their bit of responsibility. It's difficult. It's a large change for me. Fixing computers, then servers, or even delivering large tech projects was easy. Finite variables that could be made firm, and delivered to. Life is now shades of grey. Variables stay variable. I can't control everything.

So this blog let's me put something down. To crystalise a thought (although not very well as this post demonstrates!). For the moment, that's enough. A small amount of control in my otherwise uncontrollable day.
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Bloody-mindedness and the British reserve

Another transport tale of woe! My train was delayed today. This is the station that only has one train every 30 minutes, and all those trains were held up due to animals on the line (polite way of saying horse jam). No woe on this score, these things happen; at least we have a nice warm station building to stand out of the elements in. Also, the guy who runs the station is a really nice bloke, who gave us all regular updates from his console and phone calls to control.

One of these updates was to let us know the other company that uses the track was going to stop for us. Usually they shoot through at 50 mph, but today, for the first time anyone can remember, they were going to stop. Hurrah!

Out we all trooped into the cold morning light where we watched the sun peak above the industrial units, and presently the train turned up. Here's where the problems began.

The people who regularly use the train all have their favourite places to stand, their little talking circles, and they weren't happy about interlopers. The doors opened, and there was a corridor of people into the vestibule area, and enough room for 2 people. There were 6 of us, and I knew we'd be stopping at the next station which has the ticket office opposite the door that I was using. This wasn't going to work.

I got on the train, and looked into the carriage itself. There were 2 people standing. Right by the exit. Not showing the slightest inclination to look up, acknowledge the problem, nor move down to create more space. At this point, the crowd shuffled a little, the guy in front of me decided he could stand over his briefcase, and maybe it didn't need a space of its own, and we managed to get on.

The complaining now started. "We can't stop at the next station, how will everyone fit?", "We're going to be stuck waiting for a platform", and then my favourite, "Why do we have to stop to let all these other people on?". Pillocks. I calmly explained that there were no other trains, and we wouldn't be stuck waiting for a platform as there were no other trains, and we couldn't have got anywhere without this train as there were no other trains. The reply? "Hummph"!

Just the we arrived at the next stop. The doors opened. 10 people. Did any of the regulars finally move? Give a little bit of space? Move into the practically empty first class section? Finally move into the aisle of the carriage? Not a hope. It was all just one big inconvienience for them.

Just a little aside, it only takes 9 minutes from my station to the final destination when everyone gets off. We're not talking about a serious issue here!

Finally, myself and the bloke who'd got on behind me snapped. The reserve was broken. He pushed his way into first class, opening that route up, and I pointedly asked the people in the aisle to move up. The response? A raised eyebrow, and a shuffle of maybe 1mm. Twit. I allowed the crush behind me to move me into the aisle forcing the moron to finally move up. Amazingly (note the sarcasm) we all fit. With room to spare. Who'd have thought it!?

Gits.

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On commuting

Where to start? There are so many facets to this topic that I'm sure I'll return to it from time to time. Today, though, it is delays that are top of my mind.

It was a bit windy last night. Today, all the trains are delayed. Anyone see the connection? I was late traveling today, well past the morning rush. Well into the working day. The trains were running, so there weren't blockages. The wind had died down, so there weren't worries of more blockages, and yet my train was 28 minutes late (the trains run every 30 minutes), and when it did arrive, it didn't stop! I had to wait another 10 minutes for the second trains; itself now 8 minutes late.

Once I changed train the departure boards at my interchange were full of delays. However, there are so many trains at that point I just caught a delayed train at the right time! We then set off to London.

The journey to London is not exactly stimulating. Lots of warehouse and industrial type buildings, and not much scenery. So why did they put a 50 mph speed limit on? This speed limit started at my station, all trains were fast until then. There was no wind, nothing to get blown over anyway, the train are diesel, so no problems with overhead wires, so why the speed limit?

Once I hit London, there are sever and minor delays all over the board. Most of thse trains are underground! What exactly causes a weather related delay underground? The staff couldn't give me an answer either.

Every week there is a broken train, or a faulty point, an intermittent signal, and what do we all do? Work around the problem. Try to find other routes. I caught 2 trains I wouldn't usually get to work around the severe delays this morning. I did it automatically. I just switched into avoidance mode and off I went. The fact that I am even more delayed as a result didn't enter the mind. It rarely does.

Resistance is futile? Acceptance is depressing!
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Marking the occasion

Today I turn 30 something for the first time. 30 didn't bother me that much; I was sick of my 20s and ready to move on. 30 something on the other hand, that's tweaking the old sub-conscious.

Part of it, I'm sure, is down to signing away some perceived freedom yesterday, and agreeing to go permanent in my job. I thought it would be a bit of a gesture. An end of era moment. It was. Doesn't change the fact that it is a fairly significant event.

I decided, right back in 2004, that I was done with office politics, the career long haul. I was extremely lucky when I started work to get a fantastic bunch of colleagues, and a good working environment. Challenges were there, but so was the comradery. Out-sourcing, mergers, and life changed things over time, and eventually I just had to accept that those times were over.

I moved around a bit in the organisation, looking for the right dynamics, the right team. I couldn't find it. I found what most people complain about when they whinge about work. I found a bunch of people who happened to share a job. Having come from an environment where colleagues became friends, this was something of a shock!

I also found office politics. People out entirely for their benefit. I'd come from somewhere where people moved up and around because of an open desire to do so, and their proven ability. The idea of fighting for position by putting your colleagues down was one I still can't understand today. Those people you push away today are the ones you need to support you tomorrow. One upmanship is, in my view, the reason most people don't have the working environment they should have.

So, thanks to some spectacular mis-management, and general dis-gruntledness with office politics. I left. I went contacting. The life of the constant visitor. I could turn up, do the job, not become a threat, and therefore not be affected by the background noise that blights the office environment. And now I've signed it away.

Have I rediscovered the good old days? No. However, I have discovered the next set of good days. Once again I have found people who will talk about their lives, share lunch, do favours. In time it may be as good as my early working days. It won't be the same, but it should be good.

It's still a significant event!
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How life changes

I often find myself contemplating the huge changes that have taken place in my life. Seemingly simple things at the time compound each other, so that looking back on the course of things I often wonder how I managed to cope.

A simple 5 years ago I was about to turn 26. Life was good, if a little predictable. I had my job, my house, my friends and my routine. Ok, so I was pulling massive amounts of overtime, coping with huge amounts of stress (I thought!), and falling into a comfortable rut, but I was happy.

Within a year I had changed job within the organisation, moved 200 miles, and was living in rented accomodation with a new set of friends, a new predictable routine, and the ability to go back home and find most of my old rut waiting for me.

3 months later I had ditched it all. Thanks to some spectacular mis-management I decided to go contracting. This co-incided with some changes around my friends lives which dissapated my comfortable cushions and forced me to strike out afresh.

I moved to a new city, set myself up in a shared house with a bunch of strangers, and started working as an infrastructure architect to a group of developers. I'd always previously worked with other techies. This was very different. This was fun.

3 years ago at this time I was engaged. That's what leaving your comfort zone does for you! I was also in the process of moving again. This time about 450 miles to yet another city (a BIG one this time), a new contract, and a new set of challenges.

Just 2 years ago I was a few weeks away from being married, we'd moved again (our last for a while I hope), I'd changed job again (the life of a contractor!), and we were slowly establishing a cushion of our own. One that has a bit more permenance about it.

(You never realise when you're living in it, but the warm envelope of familiarity we wrap ourselves in is made up of so many elements we have no control over.)

Just last year, my daughter was less then 2 months old, I had changed job yet again, and life was chaos! Comfortable familiarity and predictable routine? With a baby? Not a chance! I'd love to say life was fantastic, but at that point, life was lived (although some days, life was survived!). I was certainly happy somewhere underneath it all though.

So, here we are, today. I haven't moved, I haven't changed job (although I am about to go permanent which is yet another huge change that seems small and logical at the moment), but life has changed yet again. My daughter changes every week. There is always a new discovery, a new facial expression, a new noise. Some predictability has returned; the morning and evening commutes anchor my day. My family is there to return to, my safe, warm cushion. And I'm certainly happy. Which is all that matters really.

So, that was 5 years. As I lived it, it was just life. Looking back, however, what a huge change! Here's to the next 5!
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On changing times

When I started this blog, it was only because I wanted somewhere to say how bad I thought the new microsoft search was. It was then somewhere it could talk about google calendar, and then other facets of my technological life.

Things have changed. Not that anyone reads this, but you may have noticed a lack of entries recently! This is because I don't have anything special to write about. I have changed tack. I no longer work in a purely technical environment, and I no longer have time for cutting edge technology. I haven't bothered to install Vista since RC2, the first MS OS that I haven't been completely up to date with since windows 3.0.

I may run kubuntu at home as my main system, but everything is installed via apt, and the system is now about the work it can do, not the shiny technology. I first installed Linux in 1995 (ish) and at that time I compiled a new kernel almost every week (day!), built all the apps from source code, completely tailored the system. Apart from providing a platform to write code, the system was a learning tool. Now, the work is the important thing, the OS and window manager are just the means.

So, what does this mean? Basically, I'm getting old! I still read slashdot, I still look at the shiny, but it doesn't consume me the way it used to. The man who queued up at midnight to get an x-box is only just about to get a wii! I still don't own an HD TV, and I have sat out the HD-DVD / Blueray wars safe in the knowledge that I don't care.

So, the blog has to change, if I don't write, what's the point in having somewhere to write? If tech doesn't give me something else has to. I commute for 3.5 hours a day, and whilst I spend some of that time reading RSS feeds, the rest of it is wasted doing sudoku puzzles that I always complete. Hardly a challenge. So, the plan is to drop the sudoku, and pick up the writing. Topics are, well, anything really. Whatever is on my mind. I'll see where this gets me.

If anyone is still there, thanks.
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Blogging from Google Docs and Spreadsheets

Up until now, all my blogs have been done in gmail and then sent to my blog account via e-mail. A further trip is then necessary to check the formatting, fix any broken links and generally check things over.

This posting is different. I am using Google Docs and Spreadsheets to write this and then publish it directly to the blog. Hopefully this will allow me to sort out the formatting and the links in situ, and have the completed post arrive without need of further assistance.

I have used the spreadsheet side of Docs and Spreadsheets before with much success. The collaboration aspect is fantastic for myself and my accountant to work out my tax finances together, on the same doc, at the same time. As changes are made, they are visible to the other person immediately. This makes pointing things out and working through problems remotely as easy as working next to each other.

I can see how companies have taken the Google application suite on-board. Combine the collaboration aspects of this tool with the functionality it offers, and the integration with mail and calendar, and I really can't see a compelling reason to use Office in 80% of scenarios. There will always be a need for complex macros in Excel, but the vast majority of the stuff I do is already available in Google's offering.

Now, to publish and see if this works...

Some command line shortcuts

I know it's been a while, and this is only a short one, but I wanted to get these down.

I've been experimenting with the command line strengths of Linux, combining commands to perform powerful statements. The first is:

find -name "*.JPG" -exec rename 's/\.JPG$/\.jpg/' {} \;

This command will find every file within a tree structure from the point the command is run that has .JPG as it's extension and then rename it to .jpg. Linux automatically recognises .jpg to be a picture but not .JPG. For someone like me with over 3000 pictures in numerous subdirectories this was a huge productivity help. It is simple to modify it for other file types too. Obvious ones spring to mind like .AVI, .BMP, .MPG etc.

Another thing I wanted to do was increase the rights on a tree structure for all files whilst removing execute. I know from painful past experience that chmod -R 0664 * has disastrous results with directories! However, combining find and chmod allowed me to produce these 2 commands:

find -type f -exec chmod 0664 {} \;
find -type d -exec chmod 2775 {} \;

The first only finds files and then changes the permissions to give the user and group read and write, allow everyone read, and removes execute across the board.

The second finds directories and changes the permissions as above (whilst allowing execute because they are directories), and also changes the permissions on the directory to ensure that every new file is given the group ownership of the directory, and not the user creating it.

As I continue to play with regular expressions and the command line I'm sure I'll find more of these gems. I'll probably put them here too.

For now, one more:

find -name "*.zip" -exec unzip -o {} \;

OK, one more:

rename 's/^\d+_//' *

This will remove the leading number and underscore from files or directories such as those that have been downloaded using .nzb files from newsgroups. Useful for tidying up your downloaded directory structure. (Or at least useful for tidying up mine!)