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Happy Christmas!
Dec. 25th, 2008 04:05 pmHappy Christmas everyone.
I hope you all made it onto the "nice" list!
James
I hope you all made it onto the "nice" list!
James
Facebook Pet Peeves #1
Dec. 10th, 2008 08:34 pmOne thing that bugs me is getting invites to Facebook applications that duplicate existing "default" Facebook applications or widely used ones. I don't need three different apps for keeping track of people's birthdays, or five different walls or a dozen different types of "poke". And I only need one application to keep track of my library, and while Visual Bookshelf isn't from Facebook, it does seem to be the most widely used.
I think Facebook ought to have a more effective policing system for new applications, and part of that policing should include a refusal to allow new applications if they duplicate the functionality of an existing one.
Of course, a second requirement should be to show how they will guarantee that user data will be safeguarded, but that's a topic for an entirely different pet peeve.
I think Facebook ought to have a more effective policing system for new applications, and part of that policing should include a refusal to allow new applications if they duplicate the functionality of an existing one.
Of course, a second requirement should be to show how they will guarantee that user data will be safeguarded, but that's a topic for an entirely different pet peeve.
Lego Mem by Comic Artists
Nov. 25th, 2008 01:01 amMy collection of Lego Minifig Sketches went through a major growth spurt at the weekend. I'm uploading them over the next few days.
I'm particularly fond of Michael Lark's Daredevil:
But there are some even better ones still to come.
Enjoy!
I'm particularly fond of Michael Lark's Daredevil:
But there are some even better ones still to come.
Enjoy!
Eleventh Doctor Chosen?
Nov. 25th, 2008 12:55 amRumour mill is saying Paterson Joseph has been offered the role of the Eleventh Doctor, and has accepted. I met Rich Johnston at Dublin Comic Con and he said his sources were solid (but then, he would, wouldn't he?).
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18930
So it must be true!
I thought he was fantastic in Neverwhere, so if it's true, I won't be complaining.
James
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18930
So it must be true!
I thought he was fantastic in Neverwhere, so if it's true, I won't be complaining.
James
In the Paper!
Nov. 17th, 2008 12:48 amI got a mention in Saturday's Irish Times:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2008/1115/1226408678818.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2008/1115/1226408678818.html
Strange request...
Nov. 17th, 2008 12:02 amA friend has asked if I know if I know anyone who knows anything about edible freshwater plants. Of the top of my head, I can't think of anyone, but I thought I should put the word out in case someone is an expert and it's never come up. Or in case someone knows someone who knows someone...
If anyone can help, please let me know and I'll put you in contact.
I understand it's for a college project, before you ask.
If anyone can help, please let me know and I'll put you in contact.
I understand it's for a college project, before you ask.
Hello I'm an Advert
Nov. 14th, 2008 11:54 pmI'm catching up on the latest PC vs Mac ads on Youtube.
I think this one has to be my favourite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GWYaviIzCU&feature=related
"Ask not what Vista can do for you, ask what you can buy for Vista!"
This one about UAC is great too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuqZ8AqmLPY&feature=related
However, why should PCs and Macs have all the fun? Linux has joined the club (sponsored by Sun):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDgEdcFTquM&feature=related
Best of all have to be the South Park versions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-22EpQOm8c&feature=related
"Screw you guys, I gotta take a memory dump."
I think this one has to be my favourite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GWYaviIzCU&feature=related
"Ask not what Vista can do for you, ask what you can buy for Vista!"
This one about UAC is great too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuqZ8AqmLPY&feature=related
However, why should PCs and Macs have all the fun? Linux has joined the club (sponsored by Sun):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDgEdcFTquM&feature=related
Best of all have to be the South Park versions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-22EpQOm8c&feature=related
"Screw you guys, I gotta take a memory dump."
Hay Covers in Kerry
Nov. 6th, 2008 05:54 pm
Hay Covers in Kerry
Originally uploaded by LostCarPark.
Not my photo, a friend passed it on after finding it in a magazine. I think there must be a Lego fan among the Kerry farmers.
Vista :-( Linux :-)
Nov. 6th, 2008 12:12 amMy sister killed her old laptop in an unfortunate "spilt milk" accident. Fortunately it was covered by the extended warrenty/insurance she'd taken out. They collected it from her, checked it out, declared it deceased, then sent her vouchers for a new one.
She's left the replacement with me for the last few days to "set it up" for her. Of course it has Vista on it, I thought about putting XP on, but her dislike of Vista isn't as passionate as mine, so it didn't seem worth the effort, so I'm just trying to make it as bearable as possible. Nuked Norton trialware and installed AVG free. Nuked Internet Explorer (well hid - you can't uninstall it without breaking windows) and installed Firefox, nuked MS Works and installed OpenOffice. Nuked MS Live messenger and installed Pidgen. That covers the basics.
For some reason, I couldn't get it to copy any of the above from my network. It would connect to the network and browse for files, but as soon as I tried to copy anything, I got "permission denied". Go figure. Disabling UAC didn't help. As the only reason for connecting to the network was to copy those files, I abandoned it and stuck them on a USB drive.
Meanwhile I'm having much more fun with Linux. After experimenting with several alternative distros on the EeePC, I've gone back to the default Xandros. Everything else I've tried has had incomplete hardware support, and took much longer to boot. A shame, as Ubuntu in particular had some nice extra features. Even the Xandros "advanced desktop" mode (or for anyone familiar with Linux desktops, KDE) adds about five seconds to the boot time. So far I've found nothing that comes close to the ten seconds that the standard Xandros/IceWM manages, which I have to say is an impressive achievement on the part of the Asus developers.
Instead of a shiny new distro, I've been experimenting with customising the standard desktop, and have come up with a few useful scripts. I almost have a script working that sets the Eee clock speed to a battery saving 630Mhz when on battery power, but switches up to a speedy 900Mhz on mains power (the EeePC has a 900Mhz processor underclocked to 630Mhz to help it achieve a decent battery life). There's just one part of it that's giving trouble with file permissions that I think I just need to find the right start-up script to insert a fix.
Oh, and I've just finished making a wallpaper image of some milk bottles with a red "no" sign for Brenda's wallpaper.
Now I must get back to my novel...
She's left the replacement with me for the last few days to "set it up" for her. Of course it has Vista on it, I thought about putting XP on, but her dislike of Vista isn't as passionate as mine, so it didn't seem worth the effort, so I'm just trying to make it as bearable as possible. Nuked Norton trialware and installed AVG free. Nuked Internet Explorer (well hid - you can't uninstall it without breaking windows) and installed Firefox, nuked MS Works and installed OpenOffice. Nuked MS Live messenger and installed Pidgen. That covers the basics.
For some reason, I couldn't get it to copy any of the above from my network. It would connect to the network and browse for files, but as soon as I tried to copy anything, I got "permission denied". Go figure. Disabling UAC didn't help. As the only reason for connecting to the network was to copy those files, I abandoned it and stuck them on a USB drive.
Meanwhile I'm having much more fun with Linux. After experimenting with several alternative distros on the EeePC, I've gone back to the default Xandros. Everything else I've tried has had incomplete hardware support, and took much longer to boot. A shame, as Ubuntu in particular had some nice extra features. Even the Xandros "advanced desktop" mode (or for anyone familiar with Linux desktops, KDE) adds about five seconds to the boot time. So far I've found nothing that comes close to the ten seconds that the standard Xandros/IceWM manages, which I have to say is an impressive achievement on the part of the Asus developers.
Instead of a shiny new distro, I've been experimenting with customising the standard desktop, and have come up with a few useful scripts. I almost have a script working that sets the Eee clock speed to a battery saving 630Mhz when on battery power, but switches up to a speedy 900Mhz on mains power (the EeePC has a 900Mhz processor underclocked to 630Mhz to help it achieve a decent battery life). There's just one part of it that's giving trouble with file permissions that I think I just need to find the right start-up script to insert a fix.
Oh, and I've just finished making a wallpaper image of some milk bottles with a red "no" sign for Brenda's wallpaper.
Now I must get back to my novel...
Neil Gaiman
Nov. 1st, 2008 12:44 pm
Neil Gaiman
Originally uploaded by LostCarPark.
Neil Gaiman reads the Graveyard Book to an enthralled audience at his Dublin signing.
Neil Gaiman
Nov. 1st, 2008 12:41 pm
Neil Gaiman
Originally uploaded by LostCarPark.
Neil Gaiman reading from The Graveyard Book at Easons, Dublin.
Dead Set on Novel Writing
Oct. 31st, 2008 11:38 pmIn just over twenty minutes time I will embark on this year's novel effort. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to write about, and I'm looking forward to getting started on it. I have a definite beginning, bits of a middle, and some things that definitely have to happen at the end. I also have a pretty good idea of my back story and a reasonably clear picture of my universe in my head. I really think this has potential to become a real novel some day, though I don't expect this month to give me anything more than a first draft.
I just have to resist the urge to write a zombie novel! Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to watch the first part of Dead Set earlier...
I just have to resist the urge to write a zombie novel! Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to watch the first part of Dead Set earlier...
Neil Gaiman Signing
Oct. 31st, 2008 11:27 pmI went to Neil Gaiman's reading and signing of The Graveyard Book in Easons, Dublin last night, and as usual Neil was in excellent form. He read the first chapter of the book (which I'd already heard him read at Eastercon, but it still had me on the edge of my seat). I can't wait to read the rest of it (though I doubt I'll be reading much fiction for the next month). The Q&A part was equally engaging, with questions about his next books and various collabourations and movies that may or may not be in the pipeline.
Afterwards we queued to get our books signed. There was a friendly banter in the queue, and I enjoyed a brief chat with Neil. I was lucky enough to be fairly near the front, so didn't have to wait too long. The event had been ticketed, but there were at least as many people without tickets standing at the back, sides, and anywhere else they could get something that approximated for a view.
I suspect that Neil was signing books for quite a long time.
Afterwards we queued to get our books signed. There was a friendly banter in the queue, and I enjoyed a brief chat with Neil. I was lucky enough to be fairly near the front, so didn't have to wait too long. The event had been ticketed, but there were at least as many people without tickets standing at the back, sides, and anywhere else they could get something that approximated for a view.
I suspect that Neil was signing books for quite a long time.
Thrilling...
Oct. 31st, 2008 12:23 pmDamn! I wish I was in Nottingham today...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/7701359.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/7701359.stm
Pen ready...
Oct. 29th, 2008 11:19 pmA couple of days to the start of NaNoWriMo 2008 and I'm feeling a little nervous. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to write about. I even have a sort of a plot. What I really need is an ending. I've never managed to finish anything unless I know how it's supposed to end, but I haven't been able to figure it out for this one.
Still, I've got a couple of days to think of one. And maybe flesh out some of the outline.
I think the basic idea is a blinder, if I do say so myself, so I hope I can make it work.
Only fifty thousand words to go!
Still, I've got a couple of days to think of one. And maybe flesh out some of the outline.
I think the basic idea is a blinder, if I do say so myself, so I hope I can make it work.
Only fifty thousand words to go!
After many months of procrastination, and playing with numerous LiveCDs, I've finally nuked Windows off my main desktop PC. It's now running a shiny new Ubuntu Linux. I'm pretty happy with it so far. I've even managed to get it talking with my network connected external hard drive, which required a bit of command line fiddling, but nothing too scary.
I'm very pleased at how many things just worked. For example it detected my network connect all-in-one printer/scanner, without having to install 40MB of HP driver bloat.
One thing that's made the transition much easier is the amount of Open Source software I was already using under Windows, so that in many cases I'm just switching from the Windows version to the Linux version of the same program.
I'm looking forward to learning more about it.
What fun!
I'm very pleased at how many things just worked. For example it detected my network connect all-in-one printer/scanner, without having to install 40MB of HP driver bloat.
One thing that's made the transition much easier is the amount of Open Source software I was already using under Windows, so that in many cases I'm just switching from the Windows version to the Linux version of the same program.
I'm looking forward to learning more about it.
What fun!
Dell enter Eeespace
Oct. 27th, 2008 09:53 amI note with interest that Dell have launched their answer to the Asus Eee PC, the Inspiron Mini 9. Big deal - so's everyone. The bit I find interesting is the fact they offer Ubuntu Linux as one of the default OS choices. Shame they give it less SSD storage than the XP version.
My New Hobby
Oct. 15th, 2008 12:51 amI've mentioned to a few people that I have found a new pasttime that combines my existing interests of Lego with the slightly lesser one of comics.
It came about at Zombiecon, where there were a couple of comic artists that people were asking to draw sketches. I found out one of them, Charlie Adlard, was a bit of a Lego fan, and we got talking about Lego. He has all of the Star Wars sets. It then occurred to me to ask him to sketch a Lego Minifig Zombie.
I was so impressed by the results that I asked the other artist present, Al Davison to do the same:
I intend to keep this up when I meet other artists at events in the future, although the zombie theme will change to something appropriate to the event.
Who knows where it will end?
It came about at Zombiecon, where there were a couple of comic artists that people were asking to draw sketches. I found out one of them, Charlie Adlard, was a bit of a Lego fan, and we got talking about Lego. He has all of the Star Wars sets. It then occurred to me to ask him to sketch a Lego Minifig Zombie.
I was so impressed by the results that I asked the other artist present, Al Davison to do the same:
I intend to keep this up when I meet other artists at events in the future, although the zombie theme will change to something appropriate to the event.
Who knows where it will end?
Neil Gaiman Signing
Sep. 23rd, 2008 11:38 amNeil Gaiman will be signing The Graveyard Book in Easons in Dublin on 30th October. I will certainly be going to that!
Check out when there's a signing near you.
Check out when there's a signing near you.
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
Sep. 23rd, 2008 11:01 amAl, Helen and I spent a plesent Sunday afternoon exploring the world's largest miniature railway or is it the world's smallest public railway? We also took a trip up the old lighthouse at Dungeoness. However, we weren't able to visit the visitors' centre at the nuclear power plant because it's closed permanently.
The railways is quite cool. They have tiny steam locomotives running on 15" gauge track. However they are 1/3 scale representations of big locomotives and look really stunning.
Photos here.
The railways is quite cool. They have tiny steam locomotives running on 15" gauge track. However they are 1/3 scale representations of big locomotives and look really stunning.
Photos here.
