Jun 2009
Kodachrome is dead!
28/06/09 10:54 Filed in: Personal
Probably the most famous colour film in the world is now no longer going to be made.
Kodak’s legendary Kodachrome film, in production for over 73 years, is no longer going to be made.
Kodak blames lack of demand and in a world of digital, it’s not hard to see why. But you can’t help but think that something is going to be lost after its demise. For one, who is going to sponsor the Canadian theme park “Marineland”. Actually... that’s probably a good thing.
Kodak’s legendary Kodachrome film, in production for over 73 years, is no longer going to be made.
Kodak blames lack of demand and in a world of digital, it’s not hard to see why. But you can’t help but think that something is going to be lost after its demise. For one, who is going to sponsor the Canadian theme park “Marineland”. Actually... that’s probably a good thing.
Always check the settings!
25/06/09 11:31 Filed in: Technology | Personal
Got dragged off some very complicated and necessary development work in order to resolve a problem with a test server.
“Nothing is working”, was the cry,
“We think that either .NET doesn’t work on Windows Server 2008”
“Session management is faulty.”
“We might need to rebuild the server.”
The problem....
Well, the SQL connections used SQL username and password and the server was configured to just use NT authentication.
It’s funny how quickly people panic and look for the obscure rather than look at the more obvious causes.
“Nothing is working”, was the cry,
“We think that either .NET doesn’t work on Windows Server 2008”
“Session management is faulty.”
“We might need to rebuild the server.”
The problem....
Well, the SQL connections used SQL username and password and the server was configured to just use NT authentication.
It’s funny how quickly people panic and look for the obscure rather than look at the more obvious causes.
Raining on HALF the motorway
24/06/09 22:48 Filed in: Personal
It was pretty odd weather to start with. The entire drive home was a heady mix of super humid climate mixed with sudden cold spells, as though it was GOING to rain, followed by no rain and more heat.
Before anyone suggests it was “extreme weather”, I should point out it’s happened before, but not for many years.
What did strike me as odd was how everybody in the oncoming lanes had dipped headlights on and windscreen wipers on max. Meanwhle, our north bound carriageway remained dry.
I tried to capture the event with my sat nav camera, but unfortunately by this time the water was being thrown over the central reservation. However, hopefully you’ll note the carriageway IS dry and nobody is having to use either lights or wipers.
This is very reminiscent of another journey a couple of weeks back when I was in Derby and drove into the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It was like somebody had just turned a shower on! Then we came out of the tremendous downpour to a totally dry patch of the A50... only to see a wall of rain coming up in front of us.
Thomas Cook to drop Florida flights from Manchester (?)
24/06/09 15:15 Filed in: Personal
In case you are not aware, Fly Thomas Cook is the airline only wing (pardon the pun) of Thomas Cook holidays.
Since early this year (or was it last year) they own MyTravel. All of which was pretty bad news for anybody looking to fly to Orlando Florida from Manchester. Why so?
Well, in the flight schedule for 2010 it shows that every Thursday is a SCHEDULED flight to Sanford (SFB) leaving Manchester. However, if you try and book the flight you are told that it is unavailable.
It should be noted that MyTravel’s flight enquiry system also produces the same results.
So I contacted Fly Thomas Cook via email to enquire why it’s the case that a flight is schedule and yet doesn’t appear to fly and they offered up this explanation.
Dear XXXXX XXXXXX
Thank you for contacting flythomascook.com
Flythomascook.com are not able to advise on flight availability, seat cost and route information due to the constant changes that occur on our live system, please though, feel free to search for all availability via our search facility on our website www.flythomascook.com.
.....
Yours sincerely
flythomascook.com
So Fly Thomas Cook is unable to advise me if/when Thomas Cook flights might happen? That doesn’t exactly sound encouraging does it.
But what I’ve since found out that following the summer, there is a “great likelihood” that Thomas Cook will no longer be providing a winter scheduled service to Florida. Which is a total pain in the a**e for anybody who
Since early this year (or was it last year) they own MyTravel. All of which was pretty bad news for anybody looking to fly to Orlando Florida from Manchester. Why so?
Well, in the flight schedule for 2010 it shows that every Thursday is a SCHEDULED flight to Sanford (SFB) leaving Manchester. However, if you try and book the flight you are told that it is unavailable.
It should be noted that MyTravel’s flight enquiry system also produces the same results.
So I contacted Fly Thomas Cook via email to enquire why it’s the case that a flight is schedule and yet doesn’t appear to fly and they offered up this explanation.
Dear XXXXX XXXXXX
Thank you for contacting flythomascook.com
Flythomascook.com are not able to advise on flight availability, seat cost and route information due to the constant changes that occur on our live system, please though, feel free to search for all availability via our search facility on our website www.flythomascook.com.
.....
Yours sincerely
flythomascook.com
So Fly Thomas Cook is unable to advise me if/when Thomas Cook flights might happen? That doesn’t exactly sound encouraging does it.
But what I’ve since found out that following the summer, there is a “great likelihood” that Thomas Cook will no longer be providing a winter scheduled service to Florida. Which is a total pain in the a**e for anybody who
Not a flattering picture
16/06/09 10:35 Filed in: Personal
In a 100% switch around from my previous email with a badly selected picture, here is BT’s Katrina Ames.
Oddly, she looks like that tall prat of Dragon’s Den, sorry “Dragons Den”. What was it Jeremy Hardy said, “Isn’t it lions that life in a den, dragons live in a lair”.
Anyway, here’s my other question. If they are so utterly fantastic at ideas/business etc.... why do they need to try and make money off other people? I mean, isn’t it the case that this level of mentoring for a state of 20%, 30% or even up 60% is a clear indicator that they are more interested in take somebody else’s idea and capitalising it than actually ‘mentoring them’.
I mean, isn’t mentoring meant to be a voluntary thing?
As you can tell, I’m not a big fan of “Dragons/Dragon’s Den”. Although I do enjoy it when you hear of somebody they laughed at, who subsequently went onto make a few bob from their idea.
Oddly, she looks like that tall prat of Dragon’s Den, sorry “Dragons Den”. What was it Jeremy Hardy said, “Isn’t it lions that life in a den, dragons live in a lair”.
Anyway, here’s my other question. If they are so utterly fantastic at ideas/business etc.... why do they need to try and make money off other people? I mean, isn’t it the case that this level of mentoring for a state of 20%, 30% or even up 60% is a clear indicator that they are more interested in take somebody else’s idea and capitalising it than actually ‘mentoring them’.
I mean, isn’t mentoring meant to be a voluntary thing?
As you can tell, I’m not a big fan of “Dragons/Dragon’s Den”. Although I do enjoy it when you hear of somebody they laughed at, who subsequently went onto make a few bob from their idea.
Too tall for a Toyota
12/06/09 10:27 Filed in: Personal
Last night I sent an email to James Ruppert of Autocar fame, asking advice on what car I should get - it’s not as simply an answer as you might imagine.
For example, you’ll have to take into account the following factors:
*1 To all greener members of society who believe that nobody needs a car. Let me point out that some of the places I work don’t even have a bus service, let alone a train. What’s the suggestion? A horse?
*2 I’ve always been of the opinion that driving a fast car at the speed limit is safer than driving a car where it’s near the limit of its performance. 70 mph is nothing to a car that’s capable of double and comes with brakes, suspension etc to match its capability. A car capable of 90mph is designed for town, and comes with brakes and suspension to match.
Case in point, during particularly bad weather on the M6 both I and a Smart car had to carry out an emergency braking manoeuvre because an articulated lorry took a side swipe out of the Golf in front of us. Although I’ve only got a slightly sport Saab, I managed to outbrake him by about two car lengths. Leaving him dangerously close to the incident and me some way back (hazards on).
VW driver and passenger were both fine, by the way.
*3 Here is the story I relayed to James Ruppert.
... at a Toyota dealer.
I was about 18 and my Mum was looking at Corolla or a Carina or something like that. Anyway, a very ambitious salesman tried to flog me a Mk1 Toyota MR2, one with a panel roof. I have to say, it was more funny because he was just SO into the idea of demonstrating to all around us the levels of comfort in the compact mid-engined sports car as the dealership was actually very busy (remember those days?
).
So, I guess seeing a young single guy, he must have figured he'd got an odds on sale. But when I politely declined, pointing out my height issue, I think he took it as a challenge to his salesmanship skills.
To be fair, we we're practically the same height. But he was long legs, short back.
"No mate, it's really roomy inside", he insisted.
"No, really. I know I'll be too tall.".
"No, YOU TRY IT." he rebuked, and with that opened the door, pushed me towards the seat and looked at the other (now bemused) customers in pre-emptive glory of a lesson told.
So in I got. Plenty of leg room (short legs), controls in easy reach. Comfy seats even. It was a pretty cool car at the time.
Only one tiny issue. My chin was at least two or three inches above the top of the windscreen. Imagine "Noddy goes Tokyo drifting", if you will. At which point my Mum wanders over and asks in a loud voice "Does it come with a brolly?".
I'd all but forgotten about the incident until last year when a Daihatsu salesman did EXACTLY the same thing, only with a Daihatsu Copen. Where upon my ten year old daughter laughed "NODDY!" at me. I'm assuming she meant because of my height issue..... I hope.
For example, you’ll have to take into account the following factors:
- I do approximately 15-20,000 miles a year due to work *1
- I’d like something safe on the motorways (that is to say, capable of doing 70 mph easily, with brakes, handling to match) *2
- I’m 6’ 2” ... but have proportionally short legs and a very long torso.*3
*1 To all greener members of society who believe that nobody needs a car. Let me point out that some of the places I work don’t even have a bus service, let alone a train. What’s the suggestion? A horse?
*2 I’ve always been of the opinion that driving a fast car at the speed limit is safer than driving a car where it’s near the limit of its performance. 70 mph is nothing to a car that’s capable of double and comes with brakes, suspension etc to match its capability. A car capable of 90mph is designed for town, and comes with brakes and suspension to match.
Case in point, during particularly bad weather on the M6 both I and a Smart car had to carry out an emergency braking manoeuvre because an articulated lorry took a side swipe out of the Golf in front of us. Although I’ve only got a slightly sport Saab, I managed to outbrake him by about two car lengths. Leaving him dangerously close to the incident and me some way back (hazards on).
VW driver and passenger were both fine, by the way.
*3 Here is the story I relayed to James Ruppert.
... at a Toyota dealer.
I was about 18 and my Mum was looking at Corolla or a Carina or something like that. Anyway, a very ambitious salesman tried to flog me a Mk1 Toyota MR2, one with a panel roof. I have to say, it was more funny because he was just SO into the idea of demonstrating to all around us the levels of comfort in the compact mid-engined sports car as the dealership was actually very busy (remember those days?
).So, I guess seeing a young single guy, he must have figured he'd got an odds on sale. But when I politely declined, pointing out my height issue, I think he took it as a challenge to his salesmanship skills.
To be fair, we we're practically the same height. But he was long legs, short back.
"No mate, it's really roomy inside", he insisted.
"No, really. I know I'll be too tall.".
"No, YOU TRY IT." he rebuked, and with that opened the door, pushed me towards the seat and looked at the other (now bemused) customers in pre-emptive glory of a lesson told.
So in I got. Plenty of leg room (short legs), controls in easy reach. Comfy seats even. It was a pretty cool car at the time.
I'd all but forgotten about the incident until last year when a Daihatsu salesman did EXACTLY the same thing, only with a Daihatsu Copen. Where upon my ten year old daughter laughed "NODDY!" at me. I'm assuming she meant because of my height issue..... I hope.