Archive for October 2008
The American Future: A History
As part of my ongoing effort to become the world’s most boring person (I’m jesting) I have been watching Simon Schama’s The American Future: A History which has been on BBC2 on Friday’s at 9pm. Happily enough if you prefer to watch Little Britain and Have I Got News For You you can catch up on the first episode now on BBC’s iPlayer (it’ll only be there for another week or so.)
It’s been fascinating so far, to understand a bit more of the history of this relatively young nation and some of the forces within it that have been there from the outset of the founding of the republic through to this very day.
I understand that Schama is a donor to the Democrat party and the Obama campaign, but watching the programme anybody with a bit of thought process in their head would spot the leanings in the programme that seemingly favour the Democrat point of view, opposed to the Republican.
Anyway highly recommended all the same.
I’m off to walk to Chanctonbury Ring now 
Apple Apologists
Ok before you berate me:
- Points to iMac in bedroom
- Points to eMac in the living room
- Points out she likes OS X
Apple have released a new design to their popular MacBook and MacBook Pro series. I don’t think it’s the most exceptional design ever but then your asking someone who likes ThinkPads.
So I’m not anti-Apple, but what I am anti is some of the apologist remarks.
Way Out West – Killa
This a great tune from the excellent Don’t Look Now album. (2005) The start however is an awesome anthemic piece that really makes me listen with great interest.
An unsung success
In Britain we’re very good at being a a very miserable bunch I find. Some of the most vocal people in this country seem to be dead set on decrying anything and everything. I see things differently because I know things aren’t perfect, but they never will be. I always try to view things reasonably and with a view to improve them through a bit of graft and an open ear.
Local Government websites in the UK and particularly England (due to funding about 5 years ago) can comfortably say they are some of the best in the world. Now before hammer me with e-mails about this is rubbish, I hate my council, I hate council tax (we all do) — Local Government websites in the UK by proportion are more accessible than other governmental websites around the world and have pioneered delivery of services over the web. It’s still not perfect but I’m sure many people who work on these sites will agree that the heart is in the right place and that we don’t purposely sit at our desks working out how to wind people up.
I’ve tried myself to drive forward some pretty innovative things but remaining firmly within the the camp that information is king and everything has to be easy to find. However some of my crazy out of the box ideas are now coming to fruition…
Live Everyday Like It’s Your Last
American Beauty is a profound film that will always be with me, ever since I first watched it in 1999. If I find myself losing my way in life and the meaning of it, I only have to watch this to feel exactly what life should be….
This is the ending’s monologue. It’s absolutely tear-jerkingly brilliant:
Vista in Use – Day Two’ish
If I am honest I have had trouble writing this second part. Not because of time or computer issues, or even that near myth-worthy sentiment that Vista is unstable. To be honest this should be Vista in Use – Day Eight. The reason I think I have had trouble writing this second part is that for the most part I have been able to get on with things much as I have become accustomed to in Windows since Windows 2000 and then XP.
This may sound like code for, “It hasn’t changed much so why bother?” It isn’t. It’s more to do with being busy most of the week and to this point, Vista has not hindered me despite being a rather different beast. That is a very good thing.
So what have I noticed that is really a great improvement over Windows XP?
