In Search of Beauty - Diaries by Reggie Thomson
Saturday, July 26, 2003
To London and back - earning money
We drove down in the Mercedes to fetch Andrew's car. I drove from Stansted so that Andrew could make some phone calls. We stopped in Tilbury for a coffee before returning. I needed something after last night's disturbances - I'll write them in a separate blog.
I took a few snaps of another MGB in Girton. At some stage, I'll make a further ten cards for Andrew.
There is an IVC barbecue this evening, which Andrew says I could come to. I'm a bit reluctant to involve myself in activities that assume a level of income way above mine. I don't know how much it would cost, but even a fiver is a huge percentage of my £50 per month expenses allowance. Actually, I'm spending more than that, and the income from driving goes to pay for extras for the house, mostly, or items for my travels or photography, all of which could be considered "work".
I'm thinking about buying a replacement rucksack (£150), a sofa for Shan's room (£150), a wardrobe for the middle room if Razmik moves out (£100), PaintShop Pro 8 upgrade (maybe £70), steamer for healthy cooking (£40), proper mattress for me (£80). Of course, I really want a camera (£1000 for the body, £1000 for lenses), better laptop (£1500), Photoshop 8 (£600 or so).
Psycho
2003-07-25
I watched the movie in the evening - a modern version of the Hitchcock. I confess my heart jumped when the lady in the shower turned round to see the murderer. I usually distance my emotions from reacting to movie events. It probably means that I am conditioning myself not to empathise in real events, too.
Mercedes pick up
2003-07-25
Andrew has been busy again. He bought a Mercedes in London, leaving his car there. Then he drove to Gamlinigay and bought an MGB, leaving the Mercedes there. So, I received an email at 6.30p.m. asking if I could do a collection. I brought the camera. On the way, we passed through Eltisley, and I figured the cricket pavilion would make a good backdrop, if we got there in time. Unfortunately, the sun was just dipping into cloud as we drove up, and there was a group of village lads by the pavilion. I took the snaps.
Later, I called into the Bar Hill Tesco. I bought a hands-free set for the Nokia. I'm hoping I can make an adaptor for the Sony. It would be great to be able to telephone through the internet when I'm travelling.
Andrew wants another batch of namecards. They are proving popular.
Freeing up space
2003-07-25
I cleared up some space on my C: drive by backing up the WINNT uninstall directories, and my download files. I now have and extra 400Mbytes free. I note that there is about 280Mbytes in "WINNT/Internet Logs". I don't know if they are needed. Some of them are from ZoneAlarm.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Chasing a thief
About ten minutes from the end of Pale Rider, I heard a clatter outside. Someone was wheeling a shopping trolley with wood and cans of paint in it. It looked mighty suspicious, but I waited until the end of the movie, and then went out with my camera. There were two guys standing near a car in the parking space opposite. They didn't seem to be doing anything, which is suspicious in itself.
I walked round the block a couple of times, and then realised that the guy was returning, pushing an empty trolley. I trailed him to the back of Buchan house, preparing my camera as I went. "I'm just getting this stuff," he said, as I took the first snap. He covered his head and then ran off. I ran after him, dialling 999 as I went. I lost him by the bottom end of Aragon Close. I'm not sure it was an emergency, but they sent out an officer.
The photos were no good - I should have used flash and fixed focus, setting it up before I reached the scene.
I took the officer to Buchan court, giving a few brief details as I went. He just picked up the cans and replaced them in the shed. There was another broken tub in the grass playing fields. Perhaps there should be a neighbourhood watch in the area. Apparently, they are able to email incidents.
Pale rider
I can't work out what's wrong with the TV signal. I get a blue message in the middle saying that the service is about to expire on some channels, with a contact phone number - but only for channel 5. Perhaps I've wired the aerial into the wrong line in the attic. Perhaps I should get a decent attic aerial. So, I only watched two thirds of Pale Rider. When it got too bad, I flipped to channel 6 and a grainy version of the film.
Scores need to be settled - even for a preacher.
Updating software
I've updated Textpad to version 4.7, and signed onto their forum. I notice that I'm not the only person wanting editable macros, preferably Python. I'd also like to be able to put toolbar icons to the macros - though I think that may already be possible.
Microsoft now has SP4 for Windows 2000. I took the risk, and upgraded without making a backup first. My computer is approach hard disk capacity. Perhaps I'll backup all the Windows uninstall files.
More on the BT saga
I've just received copies of the BT bills for January and February of last year. The bills were for installation and line rental only. There were no phone calls made on the line.
This makes me think that perhaps the line wasn't installed properly. When I asked BT to install a line, I was given a date on which it would be reconnected. I tried the number and the line all day, but got no response. It was up to me to phone BT again to get them to look into the problem.
I will have to see if I can find any indication that the line was working. If it wasn't, I will need to get the £72.64 back from BT with interest.
Armada - missing information
There seemed to be one piece of information missing from the documentary on Channel 5 yesterday - or perhaps I missed it. Why did the Armada not know exactly where it was when trying to flee round Scotland and Ireland? Because, in 1588, there was no way to know your longitude. Latitude could be measured from the stars, but longitude was a guess. It wasn't until the invention of the chronometer in 1728 that the longitude could be determined with any accuracy. See this link.
I wonder why the documentary producers left out this vital fact?
Alexa up to 171,554, web transfer heading for 5Gbytes per month
My Alexa three month ratings are creeping up - now at 171,554. However, the daily ratings are between 30,000 and 100,000, so within a month or so I should be under the 100,000 barrier. See here for the graph and details.
You can download the alexa toolbar here. It gives interesting alternative links from the page you are on and allows you to block pop-ups, as well as showing the internet ratings. Of course, it watches where you go on the web.
My web statistics show that I am probably heading for 5Gbytes of transfer this month. Unique users are currently at 16,833 for July. My transfer limit is 9Gbytes, so I have a bit of slack. However, I really need to start generating some income from the website.
I found a few more links to reggie.net that weren't in my previous listing:
http://home.byu.net/~tlt34/
http://www.anglik.net/tefl.htm
http://www.keyworlds.com/e/english_as_a_second_language-teaching.htm
http://www.phs2.net/cwi/L3/o1708i.htm
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Razmik phoned, bank, UPS, Friend's, WW1, Armada
Razmik phoned several times during the day. I told him about the letter. "I could redirect it to London." He suggested I open it and tell him what's inside. "If I open it," I replied, "I'll have to put a stamp on it to forward it." Oops. Perhaps my Scottish roots are poking out from the undergrowth again.
I rushed down to the bank to pay in my cheque just before five, then to Parcelforce, to collect a UPS. I purchased a cable from PCWorld, but back at home, I discover there are cables provided with the unit.
Friend's was on in the evening, followed by a documentary about WW1 in colour (touched up b&w movies), and another on the Armada.
Driving, secretarial work, bump, crime of disheartening, time lying culture
I'm way too tired to write anything sensible.
I'll just record the events of the day in my usual diary style (a non-style).
Andrew called round at nine sharp. We were going to near Manchester, so I thought I should make use of the time. I packed my computer and the 100V converter.
However, since Andrew is paying for my time, he wanted me to call some of the people advertising in the Classic Car weekly. I was looking for Morris Minor Travellers, MGBs, Mercedes and others. Some weren't available. Others were too expensive, or needed body work.
I phoned one gentleman in Shropshire. The ad mentioned MOT, but he hasn't got one. He will get the MOT after he has sold the car. Another lady was unable to meet us that day.
I was able to do a bit of work - but it is mostly reading at present. I have to understand some of the workings of the phpBB2 software so that I can integrate it with my own database and code. I seemed to spend most of the time answering Andrew's phone.
At the gentleman's house, we looked at the car. The bodywork was fine, but the driver's seat is badly cut and the back seats are worn. After a test drive, Andrew made an offer, and we drove into town to pick up the cash.
I sat in the car while Andrew collected the money. I listened to Classic FM and ate my peanut butter sandwiches. A lady scraped the bumper of the car. I took her numberplate and she wrote down her address. The bumper was scratched a bit, and I said it probably wouldn't matter, but it isn't my car. "I don't think that was caused by me," she said. I had distinctly felt the bump of her car, the scratches were in the direction of movement, and there were corresponding marks on her car. I didn't check for paint on the bumper or plastic on her car. I could have taken photos. It wasn't necessary for such a minor blemish. Still, it's the culture of excuses in this country that interests me.
Andrew returned with the dosh, but had earlier discovered that the seats were more expensive to repair than he'd previously thought. We went back to the house, but drove away without the car.
Andrew found it hard to believe that it had only done the claimed 50,000 mileage, given the condition of the seats. Still, I wonder why he didn't make the initial deal conditional. The gentleman probably felt pleased that he had sold it, only to be told later on that the buyer wasn't interested. It is very disheartening. There is no sympathy for hearts in English culture, and no conditioning of the crime of disheartening. Therefore, it persists in the society.
I drove back from Knutsford. Andrew left the cash in the car while we were in the service area. Oops.
I think the Tesco sparkling spring water with hints of grape and blueberry (or someberry) makes me sleepy. It doesn't seem to have many calories, but perhaps it's that evil ingredient - aspartame (see www.aspartame.com for the bad guys, or www.aspartame.org for the good guys - or vice versa, depending on whether you are vice or versa).
We we by my door at 4.40. I suggested seven hours, allowing for leaving just after nine, and half an hour for a lunch break. Andrew seemed annoyed. "It was six, but we'll say seven." I don't know how he did his mathematics. Still, I got a cheque for £45.50. I have a suspicion that the English have the worst culture in the world for lying about time.
I've put way too much into this post. Perhaps I should keep one post per subject. I might even think about adding a vote at the bottom of each topic. You could vote on all the preposterous propositions I make.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Some relaxation by the box
Fawlty Towers was on - the health inspector and the Rat. Very enjoyable.
Before that, I watched a documentary about a seven-year-old with learning difficulties - or perhaps the parents had learning difficulties. The child was offered 30p a day, to be reduced by a penny for every time she misbehaved (provided a warning was given first). Can points really make such a difference to our behaviour? If you do X, I'll pay you Y, and you'll be happy. If you do X, I'll deduct Y from your salary of Z, and you'll soon learn to be cooperative.
Of course, it was more about changing the parents - stopping them from using rage and anger, and getting a more workable solution to problematic behaviour. Maybe even showing a bit of love.
I've stopped point seeking on Photosig and Photopoints. I no longer write my witty comments on people's photos. Yesterday, I looked at one of Oscar's photos of a plane landing. He had used a panning technique, and some folks commented on his shutter speed of 1/500. Actually, it is much more important to anticipate the background and see where you are going to press the shutter.
As it was, he had a car right underneath the wheel. It is a most dangerous way to land a plane. It is always important to check that the runway is clear. I remember once flying into Cambridge Airport and noticing some rabbits. "Should I call the tower?" I asked my instructor.
"No," he replied. "After all, it is a hare-field!" I think I had a bumpy landing!
My photography perspective changed in 1997 when I bought my first digital camera - a Konica equivalent of the Canon Powershot 350. Until then, I struggled thinking about depth of field and apertures. The mind was always on the technical.
This digital camera didn't have all these worries. It was fixed focus, and auto-everything else. I could adjust the exposure by up to two stops and see the results on the screen. Suddenly, I was free. The SLR was discarded as heavy, expensive and restrictive.
Hmm. This is a complete red herring, and I've probably written it before in my diaries.
I was trying to get round to saying that I still go for points. These days, it's website ratings. I've been slipping a bit on Alexa, as you can see here
Enough.
phpBB2 in UTF-8 for Japanese
I've managed to get the phpBB2 software working in UTF-8 for the Japanese. There's a lot more work to be done, though. I would like to merge the phpBB2 code with my own, so that I can make use of the user login, search and multi-lingual capabilities. I like the way the code is organised.
It's going to be quite a task, though. My software was written two years ago, and is very poor style. It got updated when I was in Korea last year to allow it to display English and Japanese, but it is shift-jis. This will all have to be converted into UTF-8 also.
Cards for Andrew
I've put some of the photos of Andrew's cars onto namecards for him. We may be going to Manchester, so I'll show them to him tomorrow. If he likes them, I'll sell them to him for £1.50 per ten for the first two hundred.
Bumps in the night
There is a Scottish prayer that goes:
From ghosties and ghoulies
And long-legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!"
I'm don't mind the long-legged beasties (there was a giant spider crawling behind my bookcase the other night which I didn't bother to catch), but it's the bumps in the night that I need deliverance from.
The neighbours don't seem to be capable of closing doors without making a bang.
Monday, July 21, 2003
From Russia with love
Tonight's evening entertainment was another James Bond movie. Plenty of interest right to the end.
I remember watching "Playboy of the Western World" at Friend's, Lisburn. Later, in English fifth year, Grade 1 class, Miss MacAloney asked me what I thought. I don't think. I don't know how to think. I wasn't taught the process of thinking. I had no ideas what to think about. I merely enjoy. It is the lowest form of life. To be satisfied, to be happy for a moment.
Taking photos, I have to think all the time - "What do I really like about this scene? What is its essence?" Everything that doesn't fit with the theme has to be manoeuvred out.
I never stopped to think what made the play good, what was its essence, what was likable about it? So, I now have no ideas about what to manoeuvre out. All I can say is, "I like it," much as the spammers on Photosig do. "See mine, too"
There are no textbooks "How to enjoy a good movie - And think." I'm on my own. I wouldn't have a clue where to start - the acting? the plot? the camera-work? A really good movie should keep me in ignorance about what "good" actually is.
Sorry if you were expecting my profound thoughts. I enjoyed it!
Sorting out new telephone
I contacted BT about their failure to show up this morning to install the telephone. Their engineers came round yesterday and have put an ugly mark on the pavement outside the house. I was told that there aren't enough lines to connect to my house, so they will have to put in another cable. Actually, the operator read out lots of gobbledygook from the engineer's report RB11s or something. In short, they will have to apply to the council to dig up the pavement and install the line. This could take up to twenty-eight days.
So, I then telephoned NTL. They can install the phone on Tuesday next week, and if I order the Anytime package for an extra £9, the installation is free. I can cancel the extra package after a month, so will only pay £18 for the installation. The new number should be: 01223 722668, but I can't guarantee this.
There was then another half hour on the phone to various BT departments, first holding for the engineer, who cancelled the installation order, then holding for the account manager, who wasn't able to deal with my account, then holding for the credit account manager, who will send me a cheque for the amount that I have already paid as a deposit.
In the previous conversation with BT, I requested the bills for January and February of 2002. I wonder if they actually provided me with a service then, given the level of problems I have had this time getting reconnected. If they didn't connect the line, it would be quite understandable that the lodger didn't pay the bills. If there is no evidence of her using the phone, then perhaps they had the same problem then. Maybe I will be able to reclaim the £79 of lodger's telephone bills.
Photos of MGB
Andrew asked me round to take some snaps of the MGB that he received in exchange last Saturday. I drove it to the village square, but the background was just trees and a distant house. I took my computer, so was able to process the photos straight away. For the three chosen photos, I charged £12 per hour, making £18 in total. However, door to door, it took up three hours of my time - including depositing the cheque in the bank afterwards and cycling. So, it's not much more than the £6.50 per hour he pays me for collecting or delivering cars.
Photosig and Artsig pining
I'm up early.
Photosig and Artisig have both sent me messages saying they are missing me.
A quick look on the photosig photos page, and I see that the issues of nudity haven't been addressed.
And the top forum when I logged in was this - about crude penis shots, and thumbs up spamming. The issues haven't changed. The solutions are still: "If you don't like it, don't look." (see posting by smjohns/Sam).
It's a poor philosophy, that influences the thinking in other areas, too: "If you don't like crime, hide inside your house and don't look outside." Nobody says this, but it is part of the same philosophy.
Photopoints allows people to block nudity (assuming the photographer correctly categorises the shot). I guess that's like saying you can live in a different part of the world (street, city, country) where the people have agreed to live peaceably together (provided no one decides to cross the borders with WMD.)
Diaries almost up to date, no Razmik
I've been plodding through the diaries. I'm almost up-to-date. I've just posted them. I'd like to convert them to blog format. However, I like having the information relate to the day of the event, rather than the date and time of posting. I'm not aiming to become a popular blog - I lack any clear focus and a good writing style.
The only reason for changing to a blog format is to allow replies, which this blogger doesn't allow. I might see if the PHPBB2 structures and code can be adapted for blogs.
Razmik hasn't returned. I hope he is OK.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
TV - Kim Jong Il
I watched a documentary on Kim Jong Il. The case against the Korean regime looks even more clear than it was against Saddam. What troubles lie ahead for the world? By their fruit you will recognise them.
Cooking for three days
Evening meal was my cheap Chinese - Tesco value chicken nuggets with Tesco value sweet and sour, carrots, pineapple, garlic, sultanas and Tesco value rice. It's enough for three days, served with my usual Eat me, Keep me twin pack salad and a dollop of Tesco value mayonnaise. The probable cost is around 80-90p per meal (I cook enough for three days.) It's a bit more expensive than the spaghetti bolognese or the tuna and pasta options.
