bookmark_borderFor those with a black and white TV…

Not yet got around to doing that book meme that is going round – been avoiding it all week until I’ve got something better than UML diagrams, or Security Model architectures as the nearest book.

I will mention a gem spotted in one of the papers today – it was an article about a hotel that had placed braille everywhere to ensure it’s blind patrons could navigate their way round the hotel, it extended to small braille stickers in the rooms denoting which plug was for what appliance etc etc – we particularly liked the fact that the lift not only had braille on the buttons but a small guide as to what was on each floor, including the ‘panoramic view’ available from the roof terrace.

bookmark_borderRoll up, roll up

Get your sensationalistic TV viewing here!!

First we heard that an abortion will be seen on TV for the first time, now we hear that Christopher Alder’s death will be shown tonight.

Christopher Alder, 37, died at Queens Gardens Police Station, Hull, in April 1998.
An inquest concluded Mr Alder, who had been arrested for breach of the peace, was unlawfully killed.
In the criminal trial that followed, all five officers were cleared of manslaughter and misconduct in a public office.

I don’t watch much TV to be honest, and no doubt I’ll miss this programme tonight but I fear that these kinds of programmes are leading us further down a path of… well I’m not sure ‘of’ what.

Sex sells, and we have it continually pushed down our throats. Graphic imagery is more widely available than before – just buy any ‘lads’ magazine like FHM or Loaded and not only do you get several pages of pneumatic blondes but frequently the latest ‘gross out’ pictures that are doing the email rounds. We seem to be developing into a society where even the most horrific images are no longer shocking.

Dulled by television and the internet, everything is fake and we can no longer tell the difference.

Yes, I’ll admit that I’ve fallen prey of this creeping phenomenon, and no doubt there are studies of it being conducted as I type, and no doubt that study will come up with a “No shit, Sherlock” conclusion. We’ll all laugh and point and forget instantly about it. However the mere fact that these types of studies are being conducted and are suggesting ‘cures’ that we all seem to know and agree on suggests to me that, whilst we KNOW what is best for us, we sure as hell ain’t DOING it.

I’m going to stop there as I’ve disappeared into the blackhole that is my own logical reasoning. If I emerge I’ll update this…

bookmark_borderDamn fool

Just doing a spot of surfing before I head off to kill some brain cells watching TV when I notice Peter mention that he’d been add to the UK Showcase on Kinja (I’m somewhat amazed that I am too…)

I clicked the link and spotted two flaws.
1. You can’t easily tell all the sites that are in a Kinja digest.
2. You can’t see who the digest belongs to – well you can but there is no link to the digest owner’s site.

But of course this is a BETA and has no doubt been considered.

bookmark_borderConnected

So the nice Telewest man came out, did something outside and now my phone works.

He also checked the digibox (TV) and my cable modem. Good idea that, I’d have hated it if he’d buggered them up whilst fixing the phone.

However he did something to the cable modem, not sure exactly what, something to do with the incoming voltage I think (“attenuated it”) so I’m off to figure out what he did… better not affect my connection speed.

Ohh and whilst I remember, thanks to Brian and Richard for their previous comments. It’s always good to know that there are people out there who know more about things than I do… ehhh… I think that’s a good thing…

bookmark_borderBees in Utopia

I’m not a big watcher of TV, the usual stuff leaves me cold, hence my request last week for some suggested watching. Needless to say that I only tried one new show last week (Jake 2.0 which was.. well not very stimulating). Being off work and having the TV completely to myself has it’s bonuses though, the documentary channels get hit quite hard, and I’ve been catching up on 24, and kicked off a few downloads of Angels in America (something I’d meant to watch but, once again, didn’t).

However tonight, on BBC at 7.30pm, I’ll try and remember to watch “Bee in your Bonnet”. Maybe. I dunno, the ideal behind it is good, but I get the feeling this will become yet another ‘reality-ish’ show, where ‘real’ people get a helping hand from an ‘expert and we see the before and after shot before heading down to B&Q to buy the paint and … crap, see what I mean, I’m confused already.

From the write up on the BBC News Magazine site, it starts off in a territory I’m familiar with (and one I’ll discuss here) before heading off into “Changing in the Jungle with a Celebrity” hell.

The interesting bit, for me, would be an exploration of the DKDC Party (Don’t Know, Don’t Care) which I have one foot in, and if I’m honest I’m completely part of. I just happen to be staring out the window to see what’s going on..

The political climate in the UK is full of apathy, and I doubt many people would be able to defend the view that a lot of politicians have no earthly idea what ‘everyday’ life is… although I’m sure some Scottish MPs would claim that they do (Rosie Kane is living proof that Scots will vote for ‘the wee lassie ta gie her a shot’). I could give you a first hand example of an incredibly smart guy I went to school with, was fairly friendly with and has recently become a Scottish MP or the Green party but I don’t want to name drop. I digress.

I vote. I’ve spoiled more papers than I care to remember, and have actually voted only a handful of times. Like most people around the country, I am only really concerned with the issues that concern me, that affect my neighbourhood, my commute to work, my bank balance. We are a very selfish society on the whole, and I see no signs of that changing any time soon, surely that should be a key issue for the politicians? Build a country again, not just a place that people inhabit. Some civic pride would help on so many fronts, but I guess that’s too hard, so lets just up the car tax, penalise those law abiding citizens who pay their bills and contribute to society…. aahhh spot the flaw in the argument.

Maybe WE need to build the society WE want.

Sheesh, it’s no wonder social networking is so popular. Utopia anyone?

(This post was brought to you by Douwe Egberts, and the letters C, A, F, E, I, and N)