xset

No rest for the knackered

// June 30th, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

Back on Jersey once more and whilst I could really use a couple of days in bed it’s not going to happen.

You can tell a week is going to turn hectic when you spend three days of it hundreds of miles away, sleeping on a floor and drinking too much, then return home, touching down at 5 only to be on the water for 6, the next day sees you with over 500 unread RSS entries, moving a mate across parishes but not before launching a website and sorting out bike insurance, then a dinner on saturday evening, little sis home on saturday evening … erm doh.

Roll on Sunday and may you bless me with a lie in.

P.S. Photo’s are coming. Just need to sort out the RAW images and see about getting some of them printed.

Just in case you were wondering

// June 28th, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

I’m in the UK for three days (well two now) for my little sister’s graduation ceremony. Internet access is patchy at best but I’m back on Friday evening so expect many photo’s and a full update then.

One thing you should never say in the presence of a crab …

// June 25th, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

… well fuck me sideways

*scuttle scuttle*

Getting my Bond on

// June 25th, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

As you can probably tell by the number of posts today I’m meant to be working but this was just too good a post to pass up on. I’ve recently been dusting off some of my older CDs and getting them into MP4 format for use on the iPod and stumbled across an album I used to adore but then got bored of due to over play.

The Propellerheads Decksandrumsandrockandroll was one of my dance staplers of the 90’s and is now back into my good books.

The main reason for actually buying this CD (aside from the general coolness of the sound) is the 9 minute micro-epic “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” – a funktastic remix of a number of James Bond related themes.

Take a listen (you’ll need decent speakers and turn it up! and tell me that’s not the coolest film take off ever? I mean just check out the orchestral breakdown 5 minutes in (which I think is from You Only Live Twice but I’m not sure); wait for the bass to kick back in at 6′50“ … fucking awesome.

Of course the main reason I love this tune as much as I do is this: it was the primary theme to most of James and my Goldeneye games and those my friends, those were happy days indeed.

Signing off

// June 25th, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

No don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. This is by way of announcing to all who might be interested that all my emails are now digitally signed!

For those of you who don’t know what digital signing is (it’s a public private key encryption doodad that lets you know a message hasn’t been tampered with and is from the person it says it’s from) I’d suggest reading this introduction and then this one.

I’m currently using Thawte’s free email certificate service – sign up is easy and you should be good to go in about half an hour.

The main reason for adding digital sigs to my email accounts is that I am aware the .XSet.co.uk domain is used by a large number of spammers in the spoofed “sender” field. On the off chance you get a message from an XSet account the please check for the signature and if it ain’t there, it ain’t from me!

Blogathon … 2006!

// June 23rd, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

Scary Huh? How can it possibly be that time of the year again already? Well it is (almost). This year’s Blogathon kicks off on July 29th at 13:00 GMT (I think … flaming time-zones gave me no end of gip last year) and follows the usual format – 24 hours, 48 posts, sponsorship etc.

Last year I managed to raise over $100 for Durrell* thanks to you lovely people. This year I want to beat that total.

There are a couple of things I’d like help on:

• Sponsorship (obviously) – gotta make the money to make it worth while!
• A cause. I’m perfectly happy to repeat last year’s and raise money for Durrell but am open to suggestions if anybody can think of a cause that’s both local (to me) and more deserving
• A theme – would be helpful. Last year was a little disjointed and I feel a theme would help out on that front. I’ve got a couple of ideas below the fold.
• Company! – this is the biggy. Doing this kind of thing on your own is hard. Doing it with friends or family makes it easier. So here’s what I’m suggesting. The local (Jersey) bloggers and general website crowd get together and make a (full) day of it – nibbles and pizza and non-alcholic drinks and 24 hours with your mates raising money for charity … what do you reckon guys?

The Blogothon opens for registration on the 1st July so expect more info then including the bit where I demand money with menaces from you’se all

*Previously the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. They changed their name earlier this year.

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A breakdown of what I call life

// June 23rd, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

Spot on (except for the bit about tables although I’ve come pretty damn close in the last couple of projects).

This image is copyright Alan Foreman.

Breaking up is hard to do

// June 23rd, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

Especially if you’re trying to break up with AOL:

NBC11.com – News – You’ve Got Frustration: Breaking Up With AOL

The best bit is this sounds (click the video link to the left of the story for the recording) like it came straight out of a Tarantino movie.

Take a better picture

// June 23rd, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

Since having a decent digital camera I’ve been subscribed to a number of sites that provide photography tips.

I’m reasonably competent behind the lens but I thought I’d share some of the latest bits that have caught my attention:

Urban Photography from the Digital Photography School blog

For those of you stuck in the City (poor bastards) this 11 point guide covers some interesting tips for making urban shots stand out. I’ve been planning a city shoot for some time now and this may well be the excuse needed. Not sure about packing a tripod though – seems a little OTT.

Removing Red-Eye in Photoshop

Thanks to Greg for this one. It showed up in his del.icio.us feed. There are loads of methods for fixing Red-Eye in Photoshop but this yields the best results of any I’ve tried.

Composition Tips also from DPS blog (in fact just go and read their archives!)

A load of tips to rejuvenate your photos by making sure they are framed just so.

Incidentally, if anyone has any other tips or resources they’d like to share then please feel free to hit the comment box.

You see speed bumps

// June 21st, 2006 // No Comments » // Personal

I see a challenge!

Yeah I know it’s childish but my new run into work takes me over some lovely shallow speed bumps. Granted I can see how they would cause a problem for cars with all that nasty chassis nonsense but on the bike they become a simple suspension test.

Not that I condone reckless or overtly speedy driving but taking a couple of these beauties at 30 or so really makes my morning.