tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76202340653253217962024-03-14T15:25:33.035+00:00Ina's BlogInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05007767016818163005noreply@blogger.comBlogger823125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-22683644256021312902010-11-05T03:01:00.002+00:002010-11-05T03:02:41.297+00:00New York Travel BlogOk, ok, I can't stay away from blogging forever. I now have a travel blog about my time in New York (by the way, I've just moved to New York.) It's called <a href="http://www.newyorkgeek.com">New York Geek</a> and you should go read it.<br /><br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-4330924277156337162010-09-19T17:02:00.003+01:002010-09-19T17:03:21.980+01:00HiThis is a blog. I used to write on it. I don't write on it any more. You can still find me on Twitter as <a href="http://www.twitter.com/tiedyeina">tiedyeina</a>, or elsewhere if you're lucky. <br /><br />Bye now.<br /><br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-3583421689061929452010-03-07T13:31:00.004+00:002010-03-07T15:13:43.303+00:00Skiiiing; a.k.a. A Week in 1984Going to Alpe d'Huez with 7 lads was an experience even if I discount the skiing...but we'll start with that.<br /><br />I'd never been skiing before, and hadn't realised one thing (which now seems painfully obvious); the only hard part is slowing down. Sure, there's a bit of technical skill in shifting your weight gracefully during a turn, or getting some good height on a jump; but the majority of my time was spent trying not to go too fast, and learning how not to die when that wasn't possible.<br /><br />My development was therefore aided greatly by my willingness to fall down a lot, and my decision to treat fear as excitement ("it's all the same hormones anyway", noted a psychology researcher I met out there). Unfortunately this resulted in what I can now confirm is a cracked rib and a collection of interesting bruises. The goggle-mark sunburn and chapped lips I have no such excuses for - that was just idiocy on my part.<br /><br />Skiing then, was fantastic - and I'm definitely going again, but when I do, I'll have all the proper gear. However, by gear, I don't mean a beautiful pair of skis or well-moulded ski boots. I mean clothes that were at the height of their appeal in 1984.<br /><br />Because, being on a ski resort really is like living in the 80's. The only songs that were playing (at all hours of the day) from post-1987 were ones that would still probably have hit the charts if that was when they were released. 80's sunglasses and headbands were in abundance and everyone on the slopes looked on in envy when someone in neon-green salopettes (with spiked hair of a perfectly matched colour) walked by. We even had little CB radios with our own call signs (and the obvious, endless Top Gun quotes).<br /><br />Now, to spend the rest of the weekend doing absolutely nothing ^^<br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-80731580961432815382010-02-21T19:27:00.006+00:002010-02-21T23:05:32.695+00:00SubjectivityI hate racism, sexism, ageism and basically all forms of discrimination. This is not because I'm a morally reputable, virtuous person; I'm not. It's because these discriminations fly in the face of science, logic and that which is <i>correct</i>.<br /><br />I care a lot about the <u>right</u> answer - be that to a scientific problem, an artistic ideal (the resolution to a suspended chord; the phrasing of a sentence) or even a societal interaction. There <i>is</i> always such an answer. <br /><br />Here's why.<br /><br /><u>Proposition 1 - All is Matter</u><br />Every single thing in existence is made up of quanta. I refer not only to physical objects, but also to abstract notions and concepts. The word 'concept', for example, physically exists in a multitude of places: my brain; yours; paper and digital publications - to name a few.<br /><br /><u>Proposition 2 - Reality is Stateful</u><br />Every single thing in existence has a state space. Quantum Field Theory (and specifically, Quantum Mechanics) tells us that the eigenstate of an observable is fixed only at the moment of observation. However, a correct answer requires full knowledge of all variables. This paradox may be resolved once one considers that as the decision involves processing these variables, they must first be observed in order to be utilised, and therefore have a fixed state at the point of decision.<br /><br /><u>Lemma I - Objectivity Exists</u><br /><i>Objective: adj; Of or relating to a material object, actual existence or reality; Not influenced by the emotions or prejudices; Based on observed facts.</i><br /><br />Given that all is matter (proposition 1) and that all matter has a defined eigenstate at the point of observation (proposition 2), any problem may have an objectively correct solution, given a means of reaching such a solution and full knowledge of all variables at the point of decision.<br /><br /><u>Proposition 3 - Context is Everything</u><br />All problems exist only within the scope of their context. The most basic, seemingly clear problem - "What is 2+2?" only exists within the implied context "according to classical mathematics and assuming no unstated interference". Likewise, "can I trust this man?" is a question only valid in further implied context - the answer may be "yes" for medical advice and "no" for mechanical.<br /><br /><u>Conclusion</u><br />All problems have a correct answer. Given that problems exist only in their context (proposition 3) and that this context is entirely made up of observable matter (lemma I), all that is lacking is a means to process these observed states. Formal Logic provides a true conclusion given true propositions (et al.).<br /><br />--<br /><br />The above, whilst interesting, is of little utility in the majority of scenarios. If nothing else, the Uncertainty Principle states it is physically impossible to measure all required variables in a problem in unity. <br /><br />This brings us to the area of subjective logic, for which I can only recommend the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjective_logic">Wikipedia article</a> (written nearly entirely by Jøsang, who defined the field). <br /><br />Subjective logic offers a means for obtaining the <i>correct</i> answer to a problem with uncertain or unknown inputs. It also allows for the representation of belief - however, if a problem is fully defined within its context this is already taken into consideration, so this aspect of subjective logic is of little interest to this thesis (though obviously may be used in formally defining a context).<br /><br />The answer to a problem with uncertain inputs is no longer a scalar, but a probability distribution. This distribution may be arbitrarily skewed, and of any dimensionality. The maximum value of the distribution, or the entire distribution itself, may then be used in taking a decision (cf. decision theory) but a correct answer has been ascertained.<br /><br />--<br /><br />We may now answer any question - from "what is 2x2?" to "is this art?" or "what brushstroke/chord/word should I use next?" <i>correctly</i>. Subjectivity does not imply an answer may not be found, just as objectivity does not imply that there is only one correct answer to any given problem. The objective reality of the full context of the problem both defines, and answers that problem.<br /><br />I'm still not going to iron my own shirts though.<br /><br />Xx<br /><br />--<br /><br />Finally, of potential interest, a lovely (if not quite so scientific) <a href="http://xkcdsucks.blogspot.com/2010/02/but-its-all-subjective.html">rant</a> on subjectivity in art criticism.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-45956677757608344152010-01-07T14:05:00.003+00:002010-01-08T14:11:52.232+00:00London Jazz Festival - HighlightsNaturally7 & Marcus Miller, hip-hop jazz fusion & intricate polyphonic free-jazz...and that's just some of the highlights from the fraction of the London Jazz Festival I managed to make it to in November last year. So that you don't shoot yourselves (or me) I won't review the lot, but here's some of the most fantastic stuff I simply have to share.<br /><br />Look these people up. Find out when they (or similar artists) are playing live next. Listen to new, innovative music and realise jazz is alive; it didn't die with Davis & Coltrane.<br /><br /><b><u>Naturally7</u></b><br />If you haven't heard Naturally7 yet then, firstly - welcome to this blog, and secondly - you'll want to check out this infamous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF-KagTq7qY">video</a>. Every show starts with the thrilling "every sound you are about to hear is produced by the human voice alone"...but it would be fantastic even if that weren't true.<br /><br />They're a vocal-play group from New York City, that started off singing in Church together and still show their evangelical roots in their shows; whilst also being complete rock-star showmen. Everything was perfectly choreographed, fantastically tight and still left room for improvisation and humour.<br /><br />After a medley of Rapper's Delight; Saturday Night; Billy Jean and; Startin' Something there was quite literally a full five minutes' applause which the band couldn't stop (I'm sure we missed a song thanks to that). It wasn't all covers, but the overriding memory I'll take from that gig is hearing The Sound Of Silence in 7 part vocal harmony...amazing.<br /><br />--<br /><br />Sorry, I went on a bit there, I'll try and trim it for the rest...<br /><br />--<br /><br /><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/Louise_Golbey.jpg/220px-Louise_Golbey.jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/Louise_Golbey.jpg/220px-Louise_Golbey.jpg" alt="Louise Golbey" /></a><br /><sub>Louise Golbey - the <b>nicest</b> person on the UK jazz scene</sub><br /><br /><b>Jay Phelps</b> - find this man playing live, go and listen to him. A gorgeous sound from an old and battered trumpet, simply and elegantly composed.<br /><br /><b>Rebirth of the cool</b> - an East London youth project. 2 DJ's, 2 rappers, 3 singers/choral backers and a jazz quartet from Trinity College playing together. I can't even begin to describe how fantastic this was; but this is a distinct, new sound I've heard fragments of elsewhere that I'm looking forward to hearing more of.<br /><br /><b>Louise Golbey</b> - a soul/jazz singer with just the right mixture of poppy joyfulness, musical intellect and technical skills to make it in both the jazz and pop worlds, I see great things for this girl. A fantastic voice and superb backing band - all that's wanting is a bit more confidence and maturity before we hear her on Radio 1. <a href="http://www.louisegolbey.com/">Go listen</a>.<br /><br />--<br /><br />There's more, much more, that I'd love to talk about. Buy me a drink sometime and I will - for now though, I'll leave you with a show where I thought I'd see one of my favourite musicians, and ended up finding a new favourite instead.<br /><br />--<br /><br /><a href="http://www.takurousui.com/Christian-Scott-portrait2.jpg"><img src="http://www.takurousui.com/Christian-Scott-portrait2.jpg" width="400" alt="Christian Scott Trumpeter" /></a><br /><br /><b><u>Marcus Miller (feat. Christian Scott)</u></b><br />The gig itself was actually just billed as 'Marcus Miller' (one of my favourite bassists), playing from the Tutu - the last album he wrote for Miles Davis. <br /><br /><i>"Miles never looked back, never played the old stuff"</i>, Marcus told us, <i>"so the only way I thought I could do this tribute is if we got a whole bunch of new young musicians together to play it"</i>.<br /><br />The support act (Gary Husband's Drive - also worth looking up) finished. Marcus walked on stage, and played an impossibly technical - but also beautiful - bass solo. A world-class drummer joined him, and a tenor sax player ran on to play a fantastically passionate and elaborate solo for at least a minute.<br /><br />Christian Scott swaggered onto the stage.<br /><br />There really is no other word for it, this was the most laid back entrance I've ever seen a musician make - of any standard and on any stage. The rest of the band looked at him, he waited. And waited. And played two notes. And paused.<br /><br />The standing ovation was so loud I have no idea what happened on stage for the next minute or so. This is <b>the best trumpet player I have ever heard, including any old recording</b>. He's 24 years old and he's going to be <i>massive</i> - keep your eyes out.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-33462075262605030122010-01-06T19:29:00.004+00:002010-01-06T20:54:37.169+00:00Tenses - Help MeI've been brushing up on my grammar recently (guys: I expect you to buy me a drink every time you successfully use that line on a girl in a bar), and I've come across a small annoyance I simply can't resolve.<br /><br />Normally these things are simply a lack of understanding on my part, rather than a <A href="http://xkcd.com/675/">fundamental crack in a system</a> - and any thoughts/comments would be appreciated:<br /><br />"I will sit" - Future simple<br />"I am sitting" - Present <strike>simple</strike> progressive <i>(whoops)</i><br />"I am going to Egypt in a couple of weeks" - ...?<br /><br />Looks like the present, but extremely commonly used to indicate future plans. I can't even see any potentially implied clauses that would help.<br /><br />So?Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-34331198487855215482010-01-05T14:22:00.002+00:002010-01-05T14:24:17.890+00:00AvatarDon't get me wrong, I thought Avatar was kinda fun, and had some nice 3D effects. The storyline, however, was a bit predictable - this is probably why:<br /><br /><a href="http://i.imgur.com/JmRmb.jpg"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/JmRmb.jpg" alt="Avatar vs Pocahontas" width="400" /></a><br /><sub><a href="http://i.imgur.com/JmRmb.jpg">Clicky clicky</a></sub>Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-59715821823049915012010-01-04T09:57:00.004+00:002010-01-04T10:02:19.024+00:00Here Be DragonsWhilst fiddling with some knobs I recently came across this gem in Firefox, that shows whenever you visit "about:config":<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LsIxsyEE01AzhFicroBGLYUHvu6GbZ3jfj3GcdSyv-Y5NMUwh65Y9jDvTXLoqeIv-EswU3mdOrfz0x5TCrLsTjeWN-aAXmeZHKMAle1484_e4lGmCgL1egXIh3rqEwBFkSJvc_Pcn7Q/s1600-h/dragons.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LsIxsyEE01AzhFicroBGLYUHvu6GbZ3jfj3GcdSyv-Y5NMUwh65Y9jDvTXLoqeIv-EswU3mdOrfz0x5TCrLsTjeWN-aAXmeZHKMAle1484_e4lGmCgL1egXIh3rqEwBFkSJvc_Pcn7Q/s320/dragons.JPG" border="0" alt="Here Be Dragons Firefox"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422821935895433346" /></a><br /><br />I'm also a fan of:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3739407411_519485ebbe.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3739407411_519485ebbe.jpg" alt="Well this is embarassing Firefox" /></a><br /><br />It's the little things...<br /><br />:)Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-58019438022776411712009-12-29T18:30:00.002+00:002009-12-29T18:44:14.194+00:00StatsWhen not focusing on the <b>important</b> and <b>shocking</b> fact that it's snowing outside, the news has recently been harping on about someone failing to blow up a plane. Hysteria has resulted and people are actually cancelling flights over this - despite it being <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5435954/the-true-odds-of-airborne-terror-chart">20 times more likely</a> you'll be struck by lightning, than be a victim of a terrorist plane-bombing (per flight).<br /><br />Another comparison drawn by that link (go on, click, there's a really pretty picture) is that there's one attack per 11.5 billion miles - which is the same distance as two round trips to Neptune. Which pretty much rules out any hope of gaining public confidence up for interstellar space travel. If you didn't like that joke, you'll hate this one:<br /><br /><i>"The odds of being on a plane with a bomb on it are 1/10,000,000. The odds of being on a plane with two bombs on it are 1/1,000,000,000. So I always take a bomb on a plane with me"</i>Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-38213000387897378152009-12-17T11:46:00.002+00:002009-12-18T11:52:55.742+00:00Accountants Can't CountEvery day, on my way into work, I see a giant poster on the tube wall advertising the Institute of Charted Accountants, which reads thus:<br /><br /><i>"Over 84% of FTSE 100 companies have an ACA on their board."</i><br /><br />- also available on <a href="http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm/route/147491/icaew_ga/en/Employers/Why_train_ACA_students/The_ACA__what_s_involved/Why_train_ACA_students">their site</a>. Now, whilst this may well be true, it seems an odd way to phrase things. There are, by definition, one hundred FTSE100 companies. As such, it surely shouldn't be too hard to come out with an exact percentage. <br /><br />I was tempted to believe that maybe this was just some clever marketer trying to make it seem like there were possible many more than just 85 FTSE100 companies with an ACA on their board. But, frankly, having seen the rest of the advert (a picture of a fairly shoddy leather chair), I don't really believe they hired a marketing consultant. I'm more inclined to believe it's just a rounding error..Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-65135719579085139052009-12-08T22:55:00.005+00:002009-12-08T22:59:12.319+00:00Möbius BagelOn Monday some new people moved into my office, to welcome them I went downstairs for 10 minutes, had a bit of a chat and ate some of their 'welcome' bagels. Because I'm a nice guy. However, being a nice guy will only get you so far, a real pro would have sliced and then linked the bagels to form a möbius strip.<br /><br />Like <a href="http://www.georgehart.com/bagel/bagel.html">this</a>.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.georgehart.com/bagel/bagel5.jpg"><img src="http://www.georgehart.com/bagel/bagel5.jpg" alt="Mobius bagel" width="400"/></a></center><br /><br />Even better is that this is actually practical - the increased surface area means you can fit more cream cheese onto the bagel. What a hero.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-25254948642762448522009-12-07T22:36:00.004+00:002009-12-08T22:52:37.995+00:00Holiday PlanningSome people book holidays well over a year in advance, and have every little detail of the holiday and every minute of their itinerary accounted for long before they set off. Those guys are no fun. Here's how I do it:<br /><br /><b><u>1. Find a destination</b></u><br />Contrary to what bad American movies tell you, turning up to an airport and trying to board the next available flight is not a good idea. Quite apart from the cost and the fact that most of the flights going anywhere nice are full, there's the sheer danger of turning up at an airport full of edgy, armed police with no plausible explanation as to what you're doing.<br /><br />My particular preference at this point is to find a hotel/hostel/b&b booking site - I like <a href="http://www.lateroom.com">Lateroom</a> - and abuse its search engine. Lateroom, for example, insists you search for a destination, but happily throws back nearly all of its database if you plug 'hotel' into its search engine. Other sites even allow wildcards, so a simple search for '*' gets the lot.<br /><br />From here, set a comfort/adventure threshold. I find randomly taking 10 places, and forcing myself to pick the best of these 10 and go there, works best for me. You may wish for the thrill of taking whatever's at the top of page 6 regardless, or the cowardly safety of giving yourself an entire three pages to pick from. One important rule here, <b>no more than a few minutes' research on any given place is allowed</b>.<br /><br /><b><u>2. Buy a phrasebook. Study it.</b></u><br />You'll thank me for this as we progress down the list..<br /><br /><b><u>3. Turn up and make friends</b></u><br />Seriously, you may be tempted to get guidebooks, or to search around the Internet trying to find out where the biggest museums and most tourist-friendly sights are before you leave. This is <i>boring</i>. If you want to know what's exciting in a new place, go and find some local people and ask them. If they don't speak English, <b>good</b>, you can try out your new vocab. If they do speak English, try their language first anyway; if they start responding in English then speak Welsh at them until they believe you don't know any English.<br /><br /><b><u>4. Explore</b></u><br />Walk down alleyways. Stop and see what's happening whenever large groups of people are heading in one direction; or standing around waiting; or gathered around some attraction. When on public transport, don't be afraid to get off before your stop, or continue past it, if things look like being interesting. When driving, allow yourself to get lost and see what happens.<br /><br /><b><u>5. Act blindly</b></u><br />In a restaurant? Pick something you can't pronounce or translate. See a door with no sign on it? Go through it and find out what's on the other side. A lack of understanding regarding the local culture or language is something to be treasured, there are so many things this will allow you to do that you might otherwise have avoided or been too scared to try.<br /><br />Enjoy. Let me know about your adventures.<br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-91526484268053763472009-12-04T10:15:00.000+00:002009-12-04T18:45:33.764+00:00Merry HoffmasAt some point in the distant past (presumably whilst drunk) I clearly found Facebook, Twitter et al. a touch bromidic and went hunting for alternatives. A wild night (again, I presume...I really have no recollection of signing up for and using this, but definitely did) later I was a fully fledged member of <a href="http://www.davidhasselhoff.com/">Hoffspace</a>. <br /><br /><center><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/gLbtJLaXsiN9j9zLsFPgUjKKjgj2S3xsTP2tTIa34DqHR5ljVtlGLwfX5-sJXV2Dgq6Lky8onxmPrc8802LN3loREY1c-Wtw/ningsig.png" alt="Hoff" style="border:0;"/></center><br /><br />Hoffspace is a bit like Myspace, or Facebook, or other similar social networking sites, but with much more of a focus on David Hasselhoff. This is a refreshing alternative to the aimless, meandering approach of traditional social networking sites, and also leads to a much more vibrant and open community, open to meeting strangers and making new friends to undertake Hoff-related activities with. <br /><br />I was only reminded of this by a couple of Christmas emails from HoffSpace (clearly David's just found out he <i>has</i> a mailing list, I've been on this site years and never got a mail before). In the festive spirit, I thought I'd share the benefits I'm reaping from my exclusive HoffSpace membership with you, enjoy!<br /><br /><b><u>1. 10% Off at the HoffShop</u></b><br />I think I know where I'm getting <i>all</i> my Christmas presents from this year. The <a href="http://hasselhoff.americommerce.com/">HoffShop</a> has <i>"everything from HoffBags to t-shirts"</i>. I think they could do with a marketing department to write better slogans though. Just enter 'hoffshop09' to get your discount.<br /><br /><b><u>2. A picture of The Hoff with your own personalised message in His handwriting!</u></b><br />Frankly I can't say it any better than The Hoff did in his mail so:<br /><br /><i>"Tis the season to be jolly, <br />Fa la la la la, la la la la.<br />Deck the halls with<br />Pics of Hoffy, <br />Fa la la la la, la la la la."<br /><br />Why not send your loved one a nice picture of me, you choose the name and write the message (nothing too naughty!) and it will appear in an exact replica of my handwriting and autograph on a unique personalised photo print. Check it out <a href="www.universalposter.com/the-hoff/">here</a>.</i>Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-14428851471775697652009-12-03T22:55:00.005+00:002009-12-03T23:13:14.995+00:00On ItalyI learned two key lessons on a recent holiday with Julie-oh to Bologna and Ravenna:<br /><br />1. The fact that I'm on holiday, in the sunshine, has no bearing whatsoever on the temperature of the sea in mid-October.<br /><br />2. Italians <i>really do</i> just sit around drinking espressos and wine all day.<br /><br />I particularly liked the concept of 'cocktail buffets' that pervaded most of the cafes and bars we visited: buy a single cocktail and help yourself to the range of oft-replenished, gorgeous little savoury & sweet delights placed around. Then, get another cocktail, rinse, wash and repeat.<br /><br />Although the aforementioned sun was a treat in October, I did manage to acquire a slight sunburn, about which I was inexplicably embarassed and self-conscious on my return to rainy London (I mean, <i>really</i>, sunburn in October? How pretentious). The looks we got from Italians as we walked down the beach were priceless (the sandals I inadvertently left there, unfortunately not).<br /><br />Finally, pro-tip: plenty of food in Bologna is labelled as "..alla Bolognese" and <b>none</b> of it is remotely like the Bolognese sauce we get over here. In fact, most of it is *way* better :)Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-32166360596373312912009-11-27T11:42:00.002+00:002009-11-27T11:44:49.472+00:00Yes, You Are On Google Street ViewIn lieu of having time to write up anything about my adventures, have some hookers:<br /><br /><center><a href="http://files1.isnichwahr.com/_yessasna/img/yesyouareonstreetview.jpg"><img src="http://files1.isnichwahr.com/_yessasna/img/yesyouareonstreetview.jpg" alt="Yes you are on google street view" width="200" /></a></center><br /><sub>Clicky to enlarge</sub>Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-75506609309224508812009-11-19T17:25:00.003+00:002009-11-19T22:14:38.536+00:00Wii PrayerA family shouldn't have to wait until Sunday to worship the Lord...especially if they have a Nintendo Wii, complete with special Cross controllers and a Kneeler (all the fun of kneeling and genuflecting...in your own home!).<br /><br />Yes, seriously, someone's making a game of this. Well, I think so anyway - if it's a spoof/hoax then it's being pretty thoroughly carried out. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nRMiRFJzIKA&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nRMiRFJzIKA&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />If the minigames are good enough, I'll almost certainly be buying a copy of this. After all, WarioWare barely has any storyline at all and that's still one of the most popular Wii games..Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-88915531339827680062009-11-19T10:38:00.003+00:002009-11-19T22:16:12.111+00:00Ina: AssItaliaSomewhat unfortunately, I appear to have a fantastically* handsome rear end. This makes it very difficult to walk backwards for any extended period of time before I am stopped by a well meaning stranger and have to spend five minutes bashfully accepting their compliments.<br /><br />Nowhere is this phenomenon more acute than in Italy. On a recent short visit to Bologna and Ravenna, the locals were particularly impressed. In particular, the Ryanair attendants were so thrilled they made me wait around for nearly an extra hour just so they could call up some more friends to stop and stare.<br /><br />This started off fairly innocently; someone would walk past animatedly chattering in Italian about (I presume) my posterior. We'd go into bars and the waiters would immediately comment on this (again, I presume - my Italian is a little flaky).<br /><br />However, things started to get a bit creepy when the artists and architects got involved. What started off as harmless stained glass graffiti:<br /><br /><a href="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316437980284_528095284_9648657_2996977_n.jpg"><img src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316437980284_528095284_9648657_2996977_n.jpg" width="400" alt="Ina Assitalia Glass" /></a><br /><br />Soon turned into the defacement of historic cultural buildings:<br /><br /><a href="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316437970284_528095284_9648655_6891588_n.jpg"><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316437970284_528095284_9648655_6891588_n.jpg" width="400" alt="Ina Assitalia Concrete" /></a><br /><br />Whilst I'm naturally flattered, this is a bit worrying and I'm not sure I'll be showing my face (or rear end) in Bologna again anytime soon. It was, however, nice to win the annual 'Ass of Italy' award - a moment I'll treasure and have on my CV for many many years to come:<br /><br /><a href="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316442460284_528095284_9648683_6244921_n.jpg"><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs099.snc3/16634_316442460284_528095284_9648683_6244921_n.jpg" alt="Ina, Ass of Italy, Assitalia" width="400" /></a><br /><br />More Italy pics/stories later :)<br />Xx<br /><br />--<br /><br />*<i> Understand that here I refer to both definitions of fantastic; 'great' and 'surprising'</i>.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-16577026615205081042009-11-18T13:42:00.003+00:002009-11-18T14:30:28.481+00:00MandelbulbsThe geekier (or artistic) amongst you will no doubt have seen the mathematically generated beauty of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set">Mandelbrot sets</a> such as the below:<br /><br /><a href="http://bradleymonton.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/mandelbrot.jpg"><img src="http://bradleymonton.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/mandelbrot.jpg?w=510&h=382" width="400"></a><br /><br />From a simple equation this wonderful pattern emerges again and again, no matter how far one zooms in to the image.<br /><br />That's not the cool bit.<br /><br />The cool bit is that a few fractal fanatics have recently been experimenting with 3D Mandelbrot sets - nicknamed <a href="http://www.skytopia.com/project/fractal/mandelbulb.html">Mandelbulbs</a>. They haven't quite got the <i>true</i> three dimensional formula worked out yet, but the various approximations in use are already producing some fantastic graphics.<br /><br />On with the pretty pictures, click for super-size (and I <u>do</u> mean super-size, one of these is 7000x7000px):<br /><br /><b>The basic form</b><br /><a href="http://www.skytopia.com/project/fractal/new/full/q30/Pow3hope1.jpg"><img src="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/q50/Pow3hope1-small.jpg" width="400" alt="Basic Mandelbulb" /></a><br /><br /><b>Gateaux</b><br /><a href="http://www.skytopia.com/project/fractal/new/full/q30/Gateau7500-i2.jpg"><img src="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/q50/Gateau7500-i2-small.jpg" width="400" alt="Red Cave Mandelbulb" /></a><br /><br /><b>Honeycomb Heaven</b><br /><a href="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/full/q50/honeycomb-heaven-med.jpg"><img src="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/q85/honeycomb-heaven-small.jpg"></a><br /><br /><b>Lost Ruins</b><br /><a href="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/q85/Power8side-cut-green-small.jpg"><img src="http://mandelbulb.s3.amazonaws.com/q85/Power8side-cut-green-small.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Cool or what? For those of you interested in the maths - using hypercomplex numbers - there's a bit more detail <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_Mandelbulb#3D_Mandelbulb">here</a> and some pseudo-code is provided <a href="http://www.skytopia.com/project/fractal/2mandelbulb.html#explore">here</a>.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-74063299303940820392009-11-17T11:30:00.000+00:002009-11-18T14:29:51.320+00:00Go See Some JazzAs anyone within range of my various streams of communication will know by now, this week is <a href="http://www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/">London Jazz Festival</a> - and it's fantastic. Unlike a traditional jazz festival, this is spread out all over the city and instead of catering to any kind of elitist crowd is happy to move between hip-hop, classic vocal tracks, poppy piano and experimentalism; in addition of course to the more standard contemporary jazz which is played at a superb standard by a range of up-and-coming stars and established legends.<br /><br />Personally, it's the former I've been a lot more excited about seeing - I <b>know</b> Sonny Rollins is great but I've heard so many of his albums, collaborations and live tracks already that I'm not going to get much new out of it. A 12-piece jazz/hip-hop youth collective last night, on the other hand, presented me with an entirely new sound; one that I've never come across before (presuming it even exists) and am really looking forward to hearing develop over the coming decade.<br /><br />I'll post up some reviews of the more special shows I've seen shortly, but if you're near London (or prepared to travel) then there's fantastic gigs on right up until the evening of Sunday 22<sup>nd</sup> November (when I'm hearing Marcus Miller play from Tutu - the album he wrote for/with Miles Davis). Get in touch if you want some recommendations/company.<br /><br />You don't need to know a lot about jazz to come, it's not that kind of crowd - and I've rarely brought a newbie friend along that hasn't enjoyed some part of the show. Give it a try :)Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-28752571880049809702009-11-06T12:39:00.000+00:002009-11-06T12:40:00.495+00:00Common SenseI've not blogged much about my new job - partly because I'm fantastically busy all the time and partly because when I'm not working I'd rather not think about work; fun though it often is.<br /><br />One thing that's really impressed me at Thomson Reuters is their <i>sensible</i> working attitude. I haven't seen much of people prioritising their tasks based on what will make them look good; endless internal meetings that have little point; and clock-watching managers that care more about the office dress code than the quality of work:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20081021.gif"><img src="http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20081021.gif" width="400" alt="SMBC First Sperm" /></a><br /><br />Take, for example, this line from a recent email around our flexible working policy:<br /><br /><center><i>"We will focus on output and on what needs to be achieved; inputs such as where work gets done, and the hours worked, are not as important."</i></center><br /><br />Perfect! Although, perhaps not so applicable in all cultures, as a German colleague pointed out:<br /><br /><center><i>"Send such an email in the German companies I've previously worked and you're fired before you can count to 3.</i></center><br /><br />Anyhow, back to work... <br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-17089507020149140652009-11-01T21:13:00.002+00:002009-11-01T21:16:44.833+00:00Time MachineI don't quite remember where I found this image, but it's utterly fantastic. I'm definitely going to do a copycat job sometime this week - I'll post up the results :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64kmIglDe_yHe8lDjPMnVajMzTgoU_msfWGyV3bWUZzs4K1h-wn3F77rtQuPTHForGj22xqGQafZVkwL1GhQwAMSDHJeGln8Xv0Uy1h6Zw2RrYpS48l4MdjhKqoPnRbfQLrjht7GS_9A/s1600-h/timemachine.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 78px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64kmIglDe_yHe8lDjPMnVajMzTgoU_msfWGyV3bWUZzs4K1h-wn3F77rtQuPTHForGj22xqGQafZVkwL1GhQwAMSDHJeGln8Xv0Uy1h6Zw2RrYpS48l4MdjhKqoPnRbfQLrjht7GS_9A/s320/timemachine.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399246987087237330" /></a><br /><sub>Click to enlarge. Right click -> Save As then view locally if you're having issues zooming.</sub>Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-49888461345871444292009-10-31T20:22:00.002+00:002009-11-01T20:46:00.907+00:00Grad Fair FunFor three years now I've been heading out to the various graduate recruitment fairs in the autumn to chat to students about where they should work: specifically, at Microsoft - or this year, Thomson Reuters. It's amazing how easily my loyalty can be bought with a bunch of cash (take note people).<br /><br />I love these things - it's fun chatting to some of the bright students but it's a lot more amusing to watch the dumb ones come up and make fools of themselves in front of the people who'll be recruiting them in future. Here's a few of this year's classic quotes:<br /><br /><br /><i>"I'm at University but I don't really like it so I'm thinking of something else, can you recommend anything?"</i><br />Yes, not going to a graduate recruitment fair. <br /><br /><i>"Are you guys French?"</i> No. <i>"Oh so you're posh then?"</i> ...<br /><br /><i>"I've got a lot of experience as a bakery assistant, and doing cake decorating"</i> I don't think we're the right company for you <i>"No no...look at my CV </i>[two pages of catering qualifications]".<br /><br /><i>"I've got a psychology degree."</i><br /><br /><br />It's also amusing to see different companies' approach to recruitment. Aldi go down the subtle route, with an Audi A4 parked in the middle of the fair and "£40k starting salary" - I think it would be a bit redundant to ask what kind of hours their grads can expect. It was also fun to see Royal Mail had a large stand at the fair (and their exhibitors turned up) - and to listen to the grads ribbing them.<br /><br />Finally, at the Birmingham fair I wandered over to the Aston University stand to say hi to the folks there, which ended up turning into a nice little meeting point for the various ex-grads who've managed to land themselves jobs now. I think I volunteered to have a profile of my [ahem] fantastic success in the new Undergraduate Prospectus.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-17306659427957209512009-10-22T17:59:00.006+01:002009-10-22T18:07:52.042+01:00Free MoneySomeone recently turned me on to <a href="http://www.quidco.com">QuidCo.com</a> - which offers varying levels of cashback on a superb range of online stores. I've seen similar offers before, but most involve selling your soul and/or buying lots of things you don't want. QuidCo is different, gives me lots of money, and isn't paying me in any way to say all of this.<br /><br />The way it works is quite fantastic. Traditionally, retailers would offer a commission to any advertising agency or publication that sent business their way. The agency would then spend money trying to persuade people to click-through, and pocket the takings.<br /><br />QuidCo on the other hand simply waits for users to come to it - and then hands over the majority of the commission. For very little work, they get their 10/20% cut, and their members keep coming back time and again for an 80/90% cut. It's really quite simple:<br /><br />1. Find something you want to buy online.<br />2. Search QuidCo for somewhere to buy it (often the original site you found).<br />3. <b>Clear all your cookies.</b> Most stores put a tracking cookie on your computer to see where you came from, if that doesn't say QuidCo you won't get your money.<br />4. Click through to the store.<br />5. Buy.<br />6. Profit.<br /><br />Here's my latest earnings:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKDc1_QlSNSpM5y40IjKVUJf0R637pmEvfPqIaz7ZpiggkvtcOF42UY4bS4DtXP2E8T4GRhM2izpXWi1gvCfR2z8SxdShlBB5u0kfiXwxXtGV3omODKeH1SkJiMokW7mRzfNuZyUCmNM/s1600-h/quidco.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKDc1_QlSNSpM5y40IjKVUJf0R637pmEvfPqIaz7ZpiggkvtcOF42UY4bS4DtXP2E8T4GRhM2izpXWi1gvCfR2z8SxdShlBB5u0kfiXwxXtGV3omODKeH1SkJiMokW7mRzfNuZyUCmNM/s320/quidco.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395471613924082978" /></a><br />Yep, that really is £100 from o2. All I had to do was re-order the very same 12 month, £20/month SIM only contract that I was just about to renew.<br /><br />Enjoy.<br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-47347722378789420102009-10-19T16:39:00.005+01:002009-10-19T17:01:03.580+01:00RyanairI just got back from a long weekend in Italy (and I'll gloat about how wonderful it was in a post replete with pictures shortly), bookended by flights from The Low Fares Airline.<br /><br />Somehow (and not <b>just</b> thanks to the Microsoft expenses account) I've always avoided Ryanair in the past. Apparently their foibles are well known but, despite recent claims that they were <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/poll/2009/jun/02/ryanair-theairlineindustry">considering charging for toilet access</a> or planning a super-budget model, whereby passengers <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Ryanair-Low-Cost-Airline-May-Allow-Passenger-To-Stand-Up-For-Cheaper-Fare/Article/200907115330054">stand for the journey</a> I still didn't quite appreciate what an experience it would be.<br /><br />Boarding was fun, with a <i>priority</i> aisle available for anyone who paid for it, or the very old & very young. I thought this a lovely idea, until it actually came to boarding and we found that the priority passengers simply got to stand around on some stairs for an extra 10 minutes whilst everyone else waited by the gate. After that it was all equality...everyone got to stand around in a stairwell. Why on earth don't they just assign seats? It can't cost any more (not even printer ink, given that everyone has to pay £5 to check in online).<br /><br />Onboard there was some beautiful classical music playing as we walked on (I later found this same 18 second file plays at the start of every flight, it's not an indication of their cultural aspirations). A soothing pre-recorded Irish voice talked us through everything and we were away with no extra charges..<br /><br />..but the voice continued, offering us scratchcards, hot food, cold food, perfumes, gifts - there's less advertising in American TV than on a Ryanair flight. The voice was occasionally interrupted for a J20 advert (which could naturally be bought on board). The flight attendants spent much more time trying to sell stuff than...anything really.<br /><br />It's not all negative - there was a little fanfare as the plane landed which prompted cheering from the passengers, and Ryanair are now giving away a <a href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/travel-news/ryanair-gives-away-a-million-free-seats-after-bbc-spat-20091015-gyoi.html">million free seats</a> (actually they're £4.99 and don't include taxes) after their recent tiff with the BBC. <br /><br />I still wouldn't recommend it though.<br /><br />XxInahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7620234065325321796.post-22704455264151552412009-10-14T15:57:00.002+01:002009-10-14T16:01:53.958+01:00Sniffer BeesInscentinel's <a href="http://www.inscentinel.com/InscentinelLtd/Pages/snifferbees.html">VASOR136</a> looks a bit like a hand-held hoover, but contains 36 specially trained honeybees that can alert a user to a whole range of dangerous or interesting compounds present in the environment.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.inscentinel.com/InscentinelLtd/inscentinel%20photo.jpg"><img src="http://www.panchromos.com/images/pv1_01.jpg" alt="VASOR136 bee sensor device" /></a><br /><br />Yes, seriously. <br /><br />One loads up their VASOR136 with cassettes of trained honeybees (36 in total) and takes it into some threatened/interesting location; airport security or a prospective mine perhaps. Through Pavlovian Conditioning (I can't wait to have children), when exposed to ambient air (by default the bees are only exposed to purified air within the <strike>hoover</strike> VASOR136) the bees will stick their tongues out if whatever substance they're trained to detect is in the air. This is then monitored, and a probabilistic result is displayed to the human overlord.<br /><br />For maximum accuracy, all 36 bees can be conditioned to one trigger, or for versatility the bees may be grouped into separate sensing groups. You can even bring along spare cassettes of bees to swap in and out as and when needed. Yes, seriously.<br /><br />And, finally, for those of you concerned about bee welfare, there's a whole section devoted to it <a href="http://www.inscentinel.com/InscentinelLtd/Pages/beewelfare.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Awesome.Inahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03946154287506120926noreply@blogger.com0