Wednesday 23 August 2006

Anti Tele-Marketing Tactics

Been getting alot of tele-marketers calling our place of late, their timing impeccable; always seems to be just as I've  started dinner, or sat on the toilet.  After frantically rushing across the apartment a few times to pick up the phone, I've now discovered the best technique to get rid of them is a blunt "Not interested." (within first few seconds), otherwise you get sucked in to their dialog.

If that happens, then maybe this will help stop the barrage of questions. Anti-telemarketer Martijn Engelbregt has created a counter script which involves you asking the salesperson questions instead of the other way around.



Seems like a good idea in theory, but can anyone really be bothered?  

 



This gem of a website lets you download all the Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant and Karl Pilkington XFM radio sessions which are the funniest thing you'll ever hear.

Anti Tele-Marketing Tactics

Been getting alot of tele-marketers calling our place of late, their timing impeccable; always seems to be just as I've  started dinner, or sat on the toilet.  After frantically rushing across the apartment a few times to pick up the phone, I've now discovered the best technique to get rid of them is a blunt "Not interested." (within first few seconds), otherwise you get sucked in to their dialog.

If that happens, then maybe this will help stop the barrage of questions. Anti-telemarketer Martijn Engelbregt has created a counter script which involves you asking the salesperson questions instead of the other way around.



Seems like a good idea in theory, but can anyone really be bothered?  

 



This gem of a website lets you download all the Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant and Karl Pilkington XFM radio sessions which are the funniest thing you'll ever hear.

Monday 21 August 2006

Why couldn't the Rhino find his records?

Because the Junglist Massive.



..  Boom-tsch ..

 

Why couldn't the Rhino find his records?

Because the Junglist Massive.



..  Boom-tsch ..

 

Thursday 17 August 2006

Blogging

Have been using the newly released  Windows Live Writer to publish text to this blog.  It's pretty handy, here are some thoughts.
  1. I love how it handles Drafts. You just close the window and it autosaves, You can keep a long list of draft items (I like to treat my drafts as todo's for blog posts). All the draft UI is handled seamlessly in the application.
  2. It's great to be able to preview your post using the CSS of your blog. Very innovative.
  3. Inserting Pictures is easy for a change. I like the border and drop shadow effects.
  4. Love the insert Map
  5. Come to think of it, I like the fact that there is an API. I've just finished writing a plugin  :-)
Whilst i'm on a nerd theme, the Visual Studio Service Pack 1 has been finally released, which can be downloaded  here

Doing the Sydney marathon again this year, my number is 191589 for anyone who is interested. It starts on Sunday 17th September , and this is the route it takes.  The race begins at 6.30am, so i reckon i'll be done by 10.30-11ish then off to the Opera Bar for a couple of beers.  It'd be good to see such a massive turnout of people (2) to come and cheer again, as last year.

Currently reading The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason; a damming critique of religion, and a great book for any of you fellow athiests.  Very well written too.

Currently listening to Keane : Under the Iron Sea - not bad, maybe abit whiney, and one of those albums I need to listen to about 3 times to get into.  And, The Verve : This is Music ; a collection of thier singles with some previously unreleased songs.

Ingunn and I are going for a holiday here soon.  Can't wait.

 



Blogging

Have been using the newly released  Windows Live Writer to publish text to this blog.  It's pretty handy, here are some thoughts.
  1. I love how it handles Drafts. You just close the window and it autosaves, You can keep a long list of draft items (I like to treat my drafts as todo's for blog posts). All the draft UI is handled seamlessly in the application.
  2. It's great to be able to preview your post using the CSS of your blog. Very innovative.
  3. Inserting Pictures is easy for a change. I like the border and drop shadow effects.
  4. Love the insert Map
  5. Come to think of it, I like the fact that there is an API. I've just finished writing a plugin  :-)
Whilst i'm on a nerd theme, the Visual Studio Service Pack 1 has been finally released, which can be downloaded  here

Doing the Sydney marathon again this year, my number is 191589 for anyone who is interested. It starts on Sunday 17th September , and this is the route it takes.  The race begins at 6.30am, so i reckon i'll be done by 10.30-11ish then off to the Opera Bar for a couple of beers.  It'd be good to see such a massive turnout of people (2) to come and cheer again, as last year.

Currently reading The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason; a damming critique of religion, and a great book for any of you fellow athiests.  Very well written too.

Currently listening to Keane : Under the Iron Sea - not bad, maybe abit whiney, and one of those albums I need to listen to about 3 times to get into.  And, The Verve : This is Music ; a collection of thier singles with some previously unreleased songs.

Ingunn and I are going for a holiday here soon.  Can't wait.

 



Wednesday 16 August 2006

Surge Protection

I think I want one of these. Finally, a place to put that rats nest of cables under my desk. Who would have thought you could still create a new formfactor for a surge protector? And why did it take 10 years to get to v3?

 

Surge Protection

I think I want one of these. Finally, a place to put that rats nest of cables under my desk. Who would have thought you could still create a new formfactor for a surge protector? And why did it take 10 years to get to v3?

 

Monday 14 August 2006

DHTML Lemmings : Productivity Killer

I 've mostly been spending my time playing DHTML Lemmings, a faithful javascript reproduction of the classic game Lemmings.

Lemmings is probably one of the most popular games I’ve never played until now. It is incredibly addictive, and mean I can't really get anything else done at all.

DHTML Lemmings : Productivity Killer

I 've mostly been spending my time playing DHTML Lemmings, a faithful javascript reproduction of the classic game Lemmings.

Lemmings is probably one of the most popular games I’ve never played until now. It is incredibly addictive, and mean I can't really get anything else done at all.

Friday 11 August 2006

This website is worth.


This website is worth
What is your website worth?
Whoopee. Interestingly, according to that website my old blogger blog, is worth $2,892, Ingunn's blog which has got cobwebs on it, is valued at $76! - maybe it's because she has updated it with her recent holiday pics though?

Actually, I think if your website is a subdomain of something like blogger, it gets skewed.  I mean, even Dec's is valued at $99...

This game is crazy. It's Dance Dance Revolution meets Tempests and it's so fast as to completely do your head in.

This website is worth.


This website is worth
What is your website worth?
Whoopee. Interestingly, according to that website my old blogger blog, is worth $2,892, Ingunn's blog which has got cobwebs on it, is valued at $76! - maybe it's because she has updated it with her recent holiday pics though?

Actually, I think if your website is a subdomain of something like blogger, it gets skewed.  I mean, even Dec's is valued at $99...

This game is crazy. It's Dance Dance Revolution meets Tempests and it's so fast as to completely do your head in.

Thursday 10 August 2006

Four Years and One Week Ago

I arrived in Sydney, and it has absolutely flown by.  I think everyone finds that - time passing quickly when you are enjoying it.  Maybe a nostaligic trip to the Wakeup Bar or 3 Wise Monkees is in order, anyone fancy it?

Feels like summer is getting much closer too.  

 

Four Years and One Week Ago

I arrived in Sydney, and it has absolutely flown by.  I think everyone finds that - time passing quickly when you are enjoying it.  Maybe a nostaligic trip to the Wakeup Bar or 3 Wise Monkees is in order, anyone fancy it?

Feels like summer is getting much closer too.  

 

Tuesday 1 August 2006

Snoreway

Work has been very busy recently, and eating into my evenings/weekends, so haven't really been up to a great deal.  Went to Bradley point again recently to try and catch some fish, good views, no fish though.  Must be the bait Iam using, or perhaps there just aren't many fish in the harbour..?  Bradley point is a pain to get to if you haven't got a car, but it has one of the best views of the harbour I think.

Ingunn has popped back to Snoreway for a small holiday, and seems to be having a great time, despite it raining there.  Her country has been voted best place to live by the United Nations for the 4th year in a row!

Have also been doing some reading last week. Just finished reading Irvine Welsh's The Bedroom Secrets of Masterchefs, another book based in Scotland very funny indeed; Interface by Neal Stephenson, not his best book but a good techno thriller; Hell's Gates by Paul Collin's, a fascinating true story of an escaped Tasmanian convict turning to cannibalism (read more about the story  here).

This is a useful guide if you haven't figured out how to eat with chopsticks.   I still prefer a fork & knife, easier to shovel food into your mouth.  And, after going down to the Moore Park driving range recently, and hardly hitting any of the 80 golf balls staright, i decided to consult the internet to diagnose the problem.  Here is a troubleshooting guide will tell you why the ball is moving in a certain flight path.   The golf coach, Nick Bradley, will tell you how to correct it. (Click through the links on the right hand side of the article)

View of the harbour from Bradley Point (would be good for the NYE fireworks, no?)


Snoreway

Work has been very busy recently, and eating into my evenings/weekends, so haven't really been up to a great deal.  Went to Bradley point again recently to try and catch some fish, good views, no fish though.  Must be the bait Iam using, or perhaps there just aren't many fish in the harbour..?  Bradley point is a pain to get to if you haven't got a car, but it has one of the best views of the harbour I think.

Ingunn has popped back to Snoreway for a small holiday, and seems to be having a great time, despite it raining there.  Her country has been voted best place to live by the United Nations for the 4th year in a row!

Have also been doing some reading last week. Just finished reading Irvine Welsh's The Bedroom Secrets of Masterchefs, another book based in Scotland very funny indeed; Interface by Neal Stephenson, not his best book but a good techno thriller; Hell's Gates by Paul Collin's, a fascinating true story of an escaped Tasmanian convict turning to cannibalism (read more about the story  here).

This is a useful guide if you haven't figured out how to eat with chopsticks.   I still prefer a fork & knife, easier to shovel food into your mouth.  And, after going down to the Moore Park driving range recently, and hardly hitting any of the 80 golf balls staright, i decided to consult the internet to diagnose the problem.  Here is a troubleshooting guide will tell you why the ball is moving in a certain flight path.   The golf coach, Nick Bradley, will tell you how to correct it. (Click through the links on the right hand side of the article)

View of the harbour from Bradley Point (would be good for the NYE fireworks, no?)