Jul 2008
No longer Global Warming... so lets change the name
19/07/08 14:07 Filed in: Personal
You know, something that's really amused me over the last few months has to be the way the media has switched tact's on the whole 'Global Warming' thing.
Earlier this year we had a very mild winter, in which ALL (and I mean ALL) news reports and weather reports stated that it was global warming in action. However, since March, it's been one of the mildest and wettest Summers for a number of years. No anybody who can be bothered to look at the eleven year solar cycle could see that little number coming, but lets not get in the way of a good con.
No, it's no longer 'Global Warming'. Especially as the last six years have seen a steady decline to global temperatures. Where was THAT story reported? No, from now on it's going to be called 'Climate Change'.
Well, here is the thing. The climate is constantly changing. Sometimes it goes very, very hot. From 200 B.C. to A.D. 600 saw the Roman Warming period of 800 years; from 600 to 900 A.D. the cold period of the Dark Ages lasting 300 years; from 900 to 1300 was the Medieval warming period lasting 400 years; and 1300 to 1850, the Little Ice Age lasting over half a century.
There's something else. Despite what you hear on TV. THERE IS NOT A, NOR HAS THERE EVER BEEN, A SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT CO2 IS CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING. Sorry to shout, but being one and having spoken to many, many scientists on the subject, it drives me ABSOLUTELY LOOPY to keep hearing this phrase on TV. Pushed down our throats.
Comments welcome.
Earlier this year we had a very mild winter, in which ALL (and I mean ALL) news reports and weather reports stated that it was global warming in action. However, since March, it's been one of the mildest and wettest Summers for a number of years. No anybody who can be bothered to look at the eleven year solar cycle could see that little number coming, but lets not get in the way of a good con.
No, it's no longer 'Global Warming'. Especially as the last six years have seen a steady decline to global temperatures. Where was THAT story reported? No, from now on it's going to be called 'Climate Change'.
Well, here is the thing. The climate is constantly changing. Sometimes it goes very, very hot. From 200 B.C. to A.D. 600 saw the Roman Warming period of 800 years; from 600 to 900 A.D. the cold period of the Dark Ages lasting 300 years; from 900 to 1300 was the Medieval warming period lasting 400 years; and 1300 to 1850, the Little Ice Age lasting over half a century.
There's something else. Despite what you hear on TV. THERE IS NOT A, NOR HAS THERE EVER BEEN, A SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT CO2 IS CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING. Sorry to shout, but being one and having spoken to many, many scientists on the subject, it drives me ABSOLUTELY LOOPY to keep hearing this phrase on TV. Pushed down our throats.
Comments welcome.
Al Gore is a liar and a hypocrite.. there I said it
19/07/08 13:42 Filed in: Personal
Right now, nobody annoys me more than Al Gore.
Why? Surely this bastion of an eco-warrior should be above insults. Acquiring as he has a kind of saint like divinity, not to mention a Nobel prize. You know Nobel, invented Dynamite, Gelignite and more seriously Balistite; a mixture of soluble nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin specifically designed so that snipers could shoot people and their rifles wouldn't give them away with the telltale smoke of gunpowder. What a nice chap.
Back to Gore. Gore... I mean even his name has a nasty edge to it.
But get this, recently he's been telling the people of the US to use less gas (petrol) and so on and so forth. In the same way that Gordon Brown told us all to stop wasting food a matter of hours before tucking into a eight course meal during the G8 summit. I digress.
No, Al Gore's greatest crime in my mind is hypocrisy.
Here's a picture of Al Gore's house, or rather the front of it. Because it's far more extensive at the back than you might imagine. 
So I've included an image taken from satellite so you can see the true extent.
But that's not the story. No, the real story is that despite Al Gore bragging he'd made extensive changes to his own home to become more eco-friendly; it still manages to burn through 191,000kWh or electricity versus a average of 15,500kWh. Keith Olbermann, who's show Countdown I like (if not always agree with) points out that the majority of the electricity comes from renewably sources.
SO WHAT!!?! That's like saying it's OK to run a 3mpg car because it runs on Vegetable Oil. Are they seriously telling us that it's impossible to get the house more efficient that TWENTY TIMES THE LOCAL AVERAGE!!?!
My other question would have to be; What the hell is he running in their?! James Bond style laser beams?!
Wait... what if Al Gore is creating Global Warming by some kind of electrically powered 'death ray'!!!
Why? Surely this bastion of an eco-warrior should be above insults. Acquiring as he has a kind of saint like divinity, not to mention a Nobel prize. You know Nobel, invented Dynamite, Gelignite and more seriously Balistite; a mixture of soluble nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin specifically designed so that snipers could shoot people and their rifles wouldn't give them away with the telltale smoke of gunpowder. What a nice chap.
Back to Gore. Gore... I mean even his name has a nasty edge to it.
But get this, recently he's been telling the people of the US to use less gas (petrol) and so on and so forth. In the same way that Gordon Brown told us all to stop wasting food a matter of hours before tucking into a eight course meal during the G8 summit. I digress.
No, Al Gore's greatest crime in my mind is hypocrisy.
But that's not the story. No, the real story is that despite Al Gore bragging he'd made extensive changes to his own home to become more eco-friendly; it still manages to burn through 191,000kWh or electricity versus a average of 15,500kWh. Keith Olbermann, who's show Countdown I like (if not always agree with) points out that the majority of the electricity comes from renewably sources.
SO WHAT!!?! That's like saying it's OK to run a 3mpg car because it runs on Vegetable Oil. Are they seriously telling us that it's impossible to get the house more efficient that TWENTY TIMES THE LOCAL AVERAGE!!?!
My other question would have to be; What the hell is he running in their?! James Bond style laser beams?!
Wait... what if Al Gore is creating Global Warming by some kind of electrically powered 'death ray'!!!
Google Street View car spotted on M1.. heading NORTH!
11/07/08 15:02 Filed in: Personal
So I was driving home today on the M1 and just around Watford Gap I spotted the Google Street View car!
Luckily, my colleague was able to grab a few snaps using my camera phone. I was driving, obviously.
It looks like a lot of weight on top of an Vauxhall (Opel / GM) Astra. But there you go. Not sure what it must be like in a strong wind!
As you can see, it's not taking many images at present. Just as well, or there would be 20 miles of me following it. Which does make me wonder if anybody has started a game of trying to get their picture taken as often as possible. So you appear on the same road ten times or something.
Luckily, my colleague was able to grab a few snaps using my camera phone. I was driving, obviously.
It looks like a lot of weight on top of an Vauxhall (Opel / GM) Astra. But there you go. Not sure what it must be like in a strong wind!
As you can see, it's not taking many images at present. Just as well, or there would be 20 miles of me following it. Which does make me wonder if anybody has started a game of trying to get their picture taken as often as possible. So you appear on the same road ten times or something.
The return of Award Time!
10/07/08 20:11 Filed in: Personal
It's been a few months since I last ran the Bad Parking Awards.
To be honest, I've actually been quite fortunate to have been parking with some decent fellow parkers. But in the last two days, it's all gone to pot.
I need a BIGGER SPACE!
Despite the rather generous parking spaces on offer outside most Travelodges, why is it nearly impossible for this VW Passat to find in a space. I'm in the Punto and there is the same space on the right of the car as can be seen on the left.
Maybe he (it was a he, by the way) needs the white lines to guide him in.
I was lucky to be able to take this picture out of my hotel room window. So you can get the full effect. The Vauxhall (Open) Corsa's front wheels are actually over the white lines at the front.
I guess their other car is a stretch limo. That or an articulated lorry.
To be honest, I've actually been quite fortunate to have been parking with some decent fellow parkers. But in the last two days, it's all gone to pot.
I need a BIGGER SPACE!
Maybe he (it was a he, by the way) needs the white lines to guide him in.
I was lucky to be able to take this picture out of my hotel room window. So you can get the full effect. The Vauxhall (Open) Corsa's front wheels are actually over the white lines at the front.
I guess their other car is a stretch limo. That or an articulated lorry.
Clean skies means hotter climes
09/07/08 22:44 Filed in: Personal
I've been reading New Scientist from 5 July (2008) and all the way back on page sixteen is a article that I was so surprised to read I had to read it at least two more times.
Coincidentally I was having a conversation with the lady on reception about the weather and she said she'd NEVER had a Summer this wet. "Never?" I asked, "I'm sure that's not right." (It isn't, but I digress).
Anyway, it sparked a whole conversation about global warming, is it real, is it natural etc. etc.
So when I got to page sixteen and read this little story, it just compounded what I suspect was the case anyway. You'll realise that I grew up in the 1970's. Coal was extensively used for domestic heating back then, cars ran without catalysts and put out Carbon Monoxide and ALL aerosols operated using CFC laden gases.
The story reads;
Good-bye air pollution and smoky chimneys, hello brighter days. That's been the trend in Europe for the past three decades - but unfortunately cleaning up the skies has allowed more of the sun's rays to pierce the atmosphere, contributing to at least half the warming that has occurred.
Since 1980, average air temperatures in Europe have risen 1ºC: much more than expected from greenhouse-gas warming alone. Christian Ruckstuhl of the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science in Switzerland and colleagues took aerosol concentrations from six locations in northern Europe measured between 1986 and 2005, and compared them with solar-radiation measurements over the same period. Aerosol concentrations dropped by up to 60% over the 29 year period, while solar radiation rose by around 1 watt per square metre (Geophysical Reseach Letters, DOI: 10.1019/2008GLO34228), "The decrease in aerosols probably accounts for at least half of the warming over Europe in the last 30 years." says Rolf Philipona, a co-author of the study at Metroswiss, Switzerland's national weather service.
The latest climate models are build on the assumption that aerosols have their biggest influence by seeding natural clouds, which reflect sunlight. However, the team found that radiation dropped only slightly on cloudy days, suggesting that the main impact of aerosols is to block sunlight directly.
Now firstly, I'd like to comment that the later points with regards clouds not stopping solar radiation. I'm sorry, but these guys really should get out of the lab more often because this has been a known fact for years now. Anybody who has been sunburned in Florida on a cloudy day could have told them that.
But to find out that efforts to improve air pollution has resulted in doubling (or greater) the effects of 'global warming' is really something of a slap in the face.
I don't know what alarms me the most. I guess it has to be the admission that the computer models (those that Governments around the world are current basing increasingly aggressive and unbalanced taxation and legislation upon) is fundamentally flawed. Because how can you create a long term prediction on climate into the next century when you can't even model solar radiation correctly.
This story should have been on page one of the New Scientists. But instead, its way back on page sixteen. Odd, I wonder why that is.
Coincidentally I was having a conversation with the lady on reception about the weather and she said she'd NEVER had a Summer this wet. "Never?" I asked, "I'm sure that's not right." (It isn't, but I digress).
Anyway, it sparked a whole conversation about global warming, is it real, is it natural etc. etc.
So when I got to page sixteen and read this little story, it just compounded what I suspect was the case anyway. You'll realise that I grew up in the 1970's. Coal was extensively used for domestic heating back then, cars ran without catalysts and put out Carbon Monoxide and ALL aerosols operated using CFC laden gases.
The story reads;
Europe's clear air makes for brighter days but hotter climes
Good-bye air pollution and smoky chimneys, hello brighter days. That's been the trend in Europe for the past three decades - but unfortunately cleaning up the skies has allowed more of the sun's rays to pierce the atmosphere, contributing to at least half the warming that has occurred.
Since 1980, average air temperatures in Europe have risen 1ºC: much more than expected from greenhouse-gas warming alone. Christian Ruckstuhl of the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science in Switzerland and colleagues took aerosol concentrations from six locations in northern Europe measured between 1986 and 2005, and compared them with solar-radiation measurements over the same period. Aerosol concentrations dropped by up to 60% over the 29 year period, while solar radiation rose by around 1 watt per square metre (Geophysical Reseach Letters, DOI: 10.1019/2008GLO34228), "The decrease in aerosols probably accounts for at least half of the warming over Europe in the last 30 years." says Rolf Philipona, a co-author of the study at Metroswiss, Switzerland's national weather service.
The latest climate models are build on the assumption that aerosols have their biggest influence by seeding natural clouds, which reflect sunlight. However, the team found that radiation dropped only slightly on cloudy days, suggesting that the main impact of aerosols is to block sunlight directly.
Now firstly, I'd like to comment that the later points with regards clouds not stopping solar radiation. I'm sorry, but these guys really should get out of the lab more often because this has been a known fact for years now. Anybody who has been sunburned in Florida on a cloudy day could have told them that.
But to find out that efforts to improve air pollution has resulted in doubling (or greater) the effects of 'global warming' is really something of a slap in the face.
I don't know what alarms me the most. I guess it has to be the admission that the computer models (those that Governments around the world are current basing increasingly aggressive and unbalanced taxation and legislation upon) is fundamentally flawed. Because how can you create a long term prediction on climate into the next century when you can't even model solar radiation correctly.
This story should have been on page one of the New Scientists. But instead, its way back on page sixteen. Odd, I wonder why that is.
Family snaps get shared about
06/07/08 12:20 Filed in: Personal
I've got to say I'm ALWAYS surprised when somebody says they like a picture I've taken. I guess if you take as many pictures as I do, you're bound to get something OK.
So I was more than chuffed to find out today they another of my pictures has been shortlisted for somebody's website. Fantastic!
So far, my successes have been.....
Panoramio, which used to be in Google Earth but now the layer has gone. Ho hum. You can still find it on Panoramio.
It's my picture of Disney's Saratoga Spring Resort and Spa.
The original being here on Flickr.
Orlando Attractions Magazine published one of the panoramas I'd created from my trip on October 2007.
It's a series of combined images of the "Curious George Goes to Town" play area. One of they very best places in Orlando to take kids when it's hot. Water pours down from gigantic buckets onto their heads. Take spare clothes.
Now Schmap has shortlisted my image to be used to hold a picture for the Downtown Disney restaurant "The House of Blues".
Which is fantastic.... but... please, don't tell them that unlike the others in the short list, this isn't a 'professional' shot.
It was actually a snap shot taken over my daughter's head. Ooop.
Boy do I feel like a faker.
So I was more than chuffed to find out today they another of my pictures has been shortlisted for somebody's website. Fantastic!
So far, my successes have been.....
It's my picture of Disney's Saratoga Spring Resort and Spa.
The original being here on Flickr.
It's a series of combined images of the "Curious George Goes to Town" play area. One of they very best places in Orlando to take kids when it's hot. Water pours down from gigantic buckets onto their heads. Take spare clothes.
Which is fantastic.... but... please, don't tell them that unlike the others in the short list, this isn't a 'professional' shot.
It was actually a snap shot taken over my daughter's head. Ooop.
Boy do I feel like a faker.
UNBELIEVABLE!
06/07/08 10:24 Filed in: Personal
UNBELIEVABLE! Just watched the pseudo religious / eco show Sunday Life on BBC One.
They had an article about people growing their own food near Bristol. Which I think is great, I grew up on home grown vegetables as a child and quite frankly the taste is superior to anything you are likely to find in anything except the most local of farm shops. But that's my opinion.
Then they linked into a group of individuals who are living mostly without using cash. OK, I think that's possible, they grew their own food etc etc. But he did odd jobs to make cash for goods.
But then they went onto a scheme/society where they have 'totally eradicated money' because it made them a better community. Instead, what they do is sell goods or services and in exchange for paper cheques called LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) which can in turn be traded for goods or services.
IN WHAT WAY IS THIS NOT MONEY!!!!!
Just because it come from the Bank of England doesn't mean they aren't simply replacing one currency for another. They even 'trade' with local businesses (including the Co-Op), which is the principle of an exchange rate mechanism!
When asked by Colin (Jackson) if it was 'like' money a spokeswoman said "No, because this is just paper."
WHAT?!?!!
I found myself doing a combination of trying to mouth off at the TV and being totally speechless.
I applaud the ideals of trying to increase community relations - I'm with that.
But don't try and fool yourself into thinking you've beaten capitalism when you've merely exchanged one currency for another.
At some point somebody is going to start collecting LETS and then lending them with interest. Then they'll allow people to hand over their LETS to be lent out for a small commission. Then they'll start lending out more then they actually have in the vault and hey presto LETS fractional reserve banking. Oh, too late. Already done. Give me a break!
They had an article about people growing their own food near Bristol. Which I think is great, I grew up on home grown vegetables as a child and quite frankly the taste is superior to anything you are likely to find in anything except the most local of farm shops. But that's my opinion.
Then they linked into a group of individuals who are living mostly without using cash. OK, I think that's possible, they grew their own food etc etc. But he did odd jobs to make cash for goods.
But then they went onto a scheme/society where they have 'totally eradicated money' because it made them a better community. Instead, what they do is sell goods or services and in exchange for paper cheques called LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) which can in turn be traded for goods or services.
IN WHAT WAY IS THIS NOT MONEY!!!!!
Just because it come from the Bank of England doesn't mean they aren't simply replacing one currency for another. They even 'trade' with local businesses (including the Co-Op), which is the principle of an exchange rate mechanism!
When asked by Colin (Jackson) if it was 'like' money a spokeswoman said "No, because this is just paper."
WHAT?!?!!
I found myself doing a combination of trying to mouth off at the TV and being totally speechless.
I applaud the ideals of trying to increase community relations - I'm with that.
But don't try and fool yourself into thinking you've beaten capitalism when you've merely exchanged one currency for another.
At some point somebody is going to start collecting LETS and then lending them with interest. Then they'll allow people to hand over their LETS to be lent out for a small commission. Then they'll start lending out more then they actually have in the vault and hey presto LETS fractional reserve banking. Oh, too late. Already done. Give me a break!
Uncovered : The War On Iraq - Review
03/07/08 22:14 Filed in: Personal
Just wanted to drop out a quick recommendation for anybody looking for a good, well researched documentary then can I recommend "Uncovered : The War On Iraq".
It's an outstanding piece of journalism with some star interviews from people within the intelligence community and beyond.
What's more, it's irrefutable in it's damning evidence towards the decisions and misleading statements running up to the second Gulf war.
This is no insane, radical conspiracy theory film. It's cold hard facts and I heartily recommend it.
Or if you fancy something little different, why not.
Walmat : The high cost of low prices
or even
Enron : The smartest guys in the room
Both of which are superb.
It's an outstanding piece of journalism with some star interviews from people within the intelligence community and beyond.
What's more, it's irrefutable in it's damning evidence towards the decisions and misleading statements running up to the second Gulf war.
This is no insane, radical conspiracy theory film. It's cold hard facts and I heartily recommend it.
Or if you fancy something little different, why not.
Walmat : The high cost of low prices
or even
Enron : The smartest guys in the room
Both of which are superb.
Portsmouth University... wow.. time flies
02/07/08 21:23 Filed in: Personal
I was looking at my CV the other day. Nothing unusual in that, often tenders required CV of our staff to be sent and I don't mind mine going into the bundle.
The fact is, like I guess a lot of people, I only really read the last few entries and update them. Which results in a long CV but detailed CV.
Trouble is, it was getting too long so I went back and had a look at all my early jobs. But before I get all very nostalgic for the past, what shocked me most was the year I started at University.
I'll cut to the chase.... next year, it will be 20 years ago. TWENTY FRIKIN' YEARS!!
So, while I University I saw in transition to GUI operating systems. First by my work on the Commodore Amiga on which we studies 68000 assembler and then C. And boy... did we appreciate the move to C, I can tell you.
Then we did some DTP work on the MiniVax units.... then... heaven. We finally got our hands on the Macintosh machines in the Library and quite frankly.. it was the start of a love affair the remains with me. They just worked! OK!
I'm still in touch with a couple of those friends I met at University. I think I'll drop them an email to drop the bombshell. Why should it be just me feeling like an old git! Maybe I should claim I went while I was only 12. That would be ideal.
So many things have changed at Portsmouth University. But the library still looks absolutely cool.
This is how I remember it. Thanks to Bollops on Flickr for this wonderfully nostalgic picture (for me at least). Brings a very real tear to my eye. Why? I guess being a poor English kid, architecturally at least, it gave us a little feel of what Silicon Valley must be like. I still get that kind of feeling when I pass some buildings today. I must try and grab their picture more often.
The fact is, like I guess a lot of people, I only really read the last few entries and update them. Which results in a long CV but detailed CV.
Trouble is, it was getting too long so I went back and had a look at all my early jobs. But before I get all very nostalgic for the past, what shocked me most was the year I started at University.
I'll cut to the chase.... next year, it will be 20 years ago. TWENTY FRIKIN' YEARS!!
So, while I University I saw in transition to GUI operating systems. First by my work on the Commodore Amiga on which we studies 68000 assembler and then C. And boy... did we appreciate the move to C, I can tell you.
Then we did some DTP work on the MiniVax units.... then... heaven. We finally got our hands on the Macintosh machines in the Library and quite frankly.. it was the start of a love affair the remains with me. They just worked! OK!
I'm still in touch with a couple of those friends I met at University. I think I'll drop them an email to drop the bombshell. Why should it be just me feeling like an old git! Maybe I should claim I went while I was only 12. That would be ideal.
So many things have changed at Portsmouth University. But the library still looks absolutely cool.
This is how I remember it. Thanks to Bollops on Flickr for this wonderfully nostalgic picture (for me at least). Brings a very real tear to my eye. Why? I guess being a poor English kid, architecturally at least, it gave us a little feel of what Silicon Valley must be like. I still get that kind of feeling when I pass some buildings today. I must try and grab their picture more often.
Bold 2 in 1 with WHAT SMELLS EXACTLY!?!?!
01/07/08 21:03 Filed in: Personal
Could somebody tell me exactly what the hell "White Diamond" is meant to smell of? Really. I'm keen to know. Is it the same as Diamond White, which is a (not that good) cider available in 'cans' (would you believe). So you wash you clothes in cider.. I guess it must be apples.
Sadly, the best cider house I ever frequented has closed. It was the "Ram Cider House" in Godalming, Surrey.
When I was at the University of Portsmouth I had a good friend (still do) who lived in Godalming and we spent many a very happy and friendly weekend getting gently blitzed.
With ciders called GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm) and Half-Grenade. You know you were in for a potentially rough time. But I never once had a hangover with cider... despite my best efforts.