All Subjects Covered

The world of the train commuter

2012-01-25T23:16:00.001Z

When I was young I barely ever took the train, let alone on a regular basis. Since starting a new job this has now become part of my everyday routine. I have quickly come to realise that it is a bizarre world, the world of the commuter. A world in which there are so many people rushing to get from A to B yet very little interaction between one person and the next. It makes for an unnerving experience.

Looking around the station and on the train, a good ninety percent of people have their heads down either in a magazine or are using some technological device of some kind.

I'm glad my journey is only a couple of stops because it is rather oppressing. I'm not the most social person in the world but it strikes me the way everyone is their own little island. Usually whenever there is a large gathering of people one large group is made up of lots of little social groups as opposed to individuals. However in this weird state of transition between destinations people are alone, in unknown neutral territory.

A wider issue that may be a contributory factor to this inhuman atmosphere is that within modern society it is less socially acceptable to bother someone else (in my eyes). Contributory factors could include news bulletins constantly telling us of all the evil people out there, the Internet and technology replacing face to face communication or maybe it is because UK has become much more diverse in the number of languages that are spoken.

Is there something that could be done about this lack of interactivity? I can't see anything happening, the layout of train seats (around here anyway) aren't exactly anti-social nor are the coffee bars spread around train stations. I would like to think that meaningful conversation between strangers is a common occurrence, however I can't remember the last time I spent more than two minutes speaking to someone who I did not arrange to meet with.

Minecraft: Pixel Lego

2012-01-12T22:52:00.001Z

Over Christmas I was introduced to Minecraft, a game based around 'building stuff' in a retro 8-bit style world. It is instantly addicting, very simple to use and control. I love games which allow you to exercise creativity so this game seemed like my perfect gaming experience.

However after having spent a few hours on it I find myself being left feeling rather empty inside. Possibly because I haven't really spent much time gaming over the past three years, and I might be past my game-mad faze. Every so often I would think of better (more useful) things that I could be doing with my time. It won't stop me logging on every now and again but I am adamant that I will not buy the pro version. This allows you to save your creations and gives you all the extra options. I fear on upgrading I will be sucked in spending every spare minute of the day just aimlessly placing and removing blocks.

Minecraft just saps time like anything, every time I look at the clock anther hour has gone. It isn't like other games that give a high excitement level, it is just plain mind numbingly addictive, it is like few other games I have played. It begs the question that does it lose it's purpose as a game when it provides so little excitement? What it does provide is a momentary sense of satisfaction, satisfaction of having built something cool, like Lego really, only you don't have to put Minecraft blocks back in the box.

Welcome to 2012

2012-01-01T13:23:00.001Z

2012. It has a futuristic sound to it. Like something out of a science fiction novel. Whether it turns out anything like the film '2012' or if it all ends on December 21st is yet to be seen.

Without trying to sound as though I'm giving a church sermon; the new year provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the previous 12 months and look forward to what the new year may hold. I've mentioned it before about how beneficial taking a step back to look at our lives can be. The question I ask myself is am I getting everything from life that I want? In the grand scale of things our lives are a tiny time slice from the 4.5 billion year history of the earth amongst which now contains over 7 billion human inhabitants. This year I aim to conquer obstacles that block my path and not hesitate to try something different.

Good luck to all this year in the never ending pursuit of happiness.

Questions that not even science can answer

2011-11-30T20:48:00.001Z

Today human understanding continues to push boundaries at a seemingly ever-increasing rate. This post asks if religion is still able to provide answers to the really big questions in modern western life.

As somebody who has spent years studying logic and mathematics for most things in life I believe there is a logical explanation behind any ambiguous topic. The last time I went into a church for something other than a wedding or funeral was when I was in junior school.

Despite this, belief is something I believe is an essential tool in life to answer the questions are beyond the reach of science. Such questions best answered through religion include how did life on earth start or what happens to us when we die. Religious teachings offer a solution to these impossible questions that would otherwise drive us insane trying to answer.

Spiritual answers also help us through some of lives tough occurrences such as the passing of a loved one. Without the concept of a higher being death can be something that we struggle to come to terms with. Scientific reasoning doesn’t always provide comforting answers.

What is the point in life?

Perhaps the biggest question that science will never be able to answer is why are we even here in the first place, what is the point in out lives. There are many different answers to this question. Unlike science where everything needs rigorous proof, religious writings need no proof: they are proof in themselves.

This is a point that causes much dispute in the world, people believing different truths will lead to disagreement. Many a war has been fought, and continues to be fought over these differing beliefs. Interestingly the fighting contradicts teachings (at least in the bible) that violence is a sin.

None of these religious texts are right or wrong, there is no concrete answer here. Anyone’s justification for life is as valid as the next persons. A concept which in itself permits the ability to give answers for those unanswerable questions.

It is useful to be able to answer to this question, without knowing, how could we ever get fulfilment from our lives if the purpose is not known in the first place? I hope this post has provided as many questions than answers.

Bogus Competitions

2011-11-23T18:42:00.001Z

Occasionally when browsing the web I come across somethingeye opening and today was one of them days. This 'competition' is to win aniPhone, with profit making competitions you expect for there to be a goodprofit margin for the competition holders (like the phone-in competitions onTV). But this one takes the biscuit…

I initially came across it as it completely blocked meout of this website and I was unable to get rid of the message. It is the first time I have ever been fully blocked from a website by what is effectively an advert. It asks you tofill out a survey about the iPhone, which is fair enough. First thoughts werethat maybe they are being paid to collect data in return for the content theyprovide.

Alarm bells always ring when brand names like “iPhone 4S” but I clicked anyway to see what it was all about. It takes you to the start of this quiz (not survey as it stated earlier) and asks “Is it possible to video call with the 4S?” after you answer it asks you to fill out your phone number to receive more of these rubbish questions.

Looking in the small print you notice that to do this it will cost you £3 per question on top of which is a £3 ‘sign up fee’. This competition runs until March next year when the top 50 people who have wasted the most amount of money answering these questions will be entered into the next stage.

If you are unfortunate enough to make the next stage, this consists of an additional open-ended question. Again they charge you an extra £3 for the question plus another £3 sign up fee. If you then guess closest then you win the iPhone (assuming it actually exists), worth about £300.

Given that to even be with a chance of winning it must take at least 15 texts to get past round one you are effectively gambling £50/£60 that your answer will be closer than 49 others just to win an iPhone. Insanity.

I can’t believe people would really play these things; it’s just day light robbery. Clearly somebody does as else why would they still exist? Maybe they might trick a few people into entering their phone number without reading the terms. Never go near these in a million years. You have much better chances down the bookies!

(Luckily I could still get to the website with a simple modification to the source code!)

Snow Patrol – Fallen Empires album in review

2011-11-19T14:29:00.001Z

Now on their 6th album Snow Patrol is one of the biggest Indie bands in the UK of the past decade. So the question: does Fallen Empires live up to expectations?

As big fan of Snow Patrol it does concern me that they may have released career best albums with Final Straw and Eyes Open. Their last album A Hundred Million Suns didn’t really take back the city though still being a thoroughly listenable album. It didn’t really have any songs that really stuck out.

Fallen Empires has an electronic edge and the band used choirs as backing throughout the album. The electro-Indie-rock area is one that many bands have explored so it is a difficult area to stand out from the rest. The album is a departure from their previous but still retains that Snow Patrol magic; more time was spent on this album than their entire discography put together.

Songs that stick out for me are: The Garden Rules, with a smooth bass line and backing from Lissie it is a song that makes your heart melt. Lissie, an artist previously unknown to me, also contributes to several other songs on the album. Her input definitely adds to the Snow Patrol sound.

The title track Fallen Empires is the catchiest song on the album with a long gradual build up to the climax of the song. The second half of the song repeatedly repeats ‘we are the light’ giving a sense of empowerment and reaches out to the listener.

Overall I would give the album 8.5 / 10. All round a very powerful album but perhaps not a future classic in this fast paced music industry right now. Only time will tell.

Listen to clips from the Fallen Empires album on the official Snow Patrol YouTube channel.

Google Insights – A window into the mind of the web surfer

2011-11-15T19:35:00.001Z

Ever wondered what people are searching for and when? Google Insights shows search trends from 2004 onwards. It also allows you to compare different search terms as well as seeing the popularity in different areas. This post shows a few features and what you can interpret from the results.

Something to note is that the actual number of searches isn’t given it is all a relative thing so the highest data point is given a rank of 100 and then everything else is based around that point (or that’s how I understand it).

Depression
Apologies for the less-than-cheery term but I think the search results brings a surprise

Seasonal Pattern
What the above chart shows is that more people search for ‘depression’ in March/ April and November and less during June and July. Interesting how the seasons apparently affect mood. Notice also that the volume of searches is higher in 2004 than in 2011. Also the seasonal trends appear to have less significance as time goes on.

From this graph it does give the impression that less people are searching for depression in more recent years. However caution has to be taken when reading too much into the graphs, I believe that each point is made up from the percentage of total searches. So for example in 2004 if 0.05% of all Google searches were for the term ‘depression’ and if in 2010 it was 0.03%. It may be the case that the overall search proportion is lower however the number of actual searches could still be greater or equal to that in 2004.

England Supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys)

Another key feature is the ability to compare things; here I will use supermarkets. The four supermarkets compared (England only) show a similar pattern. Again like depression supermarkets show a seasonal trend; November and December have a particularly high interest level. (Clearly people look to supermarkets for their Christmas shopping as much as anywhere else) A clear order of Tesco out front followed by Asda, Sainsburys and then Morrisons.

Apple Vs Microsoft

It is surprising how many insights search results can give; take the rise of Apple as an example. The comparison with Microsoft is an interesting one. Again this is England only but the graph for the world looks similar. In 2004 Microsoft was clearly a much more popular search however today the tables have been turned.

I could go on but I think in the end it is just one of those things in which it is best to try out, after all it’s free.

Go play…
http://www.google.com/insights/search/

Return to happiness (original poem)

2011-10-19T19:18:00.000+01:00

Here's something I wrote a couple of years ago, It sort of reminds me of Grace Nichols - Island Man from which was included in the anthology that I studied for my GCSE English exam. Island man is about a man living away from where he truly feels at home. I wrote this completely blind to any 'rules' their might be for writing poems but I like it nonetheless.

Computer screens full of useless information
Worries over tomorrows rising inflation
Dreaming of the day I can go back
In search of everything I left behind
Endlessly tied down by the chains in my mind.

I remember the gentle breeze swaying through the trees
As it rushed over my boney knees
No money, not even a pound
But where happiness I found
No deadlines and daily grinds in sight.

Hours spent by the lake I sat fishing
'Til the day I met the girl who I couldn't stop kissing
Maybe someday i will receive the call
So I can return back to where my heart desires
Move far away from these creeps and liars.

More Money Saving Ideas

2011-10-11T20:38:00.001+01:00

In times when there isn’t as much money coming in each month as we might like then saving a few pounds can’t be a bad thing. This post gives tips for saving money on food shopping, energy & water bills, transport and several other tricks to save a few pounds.

General

Don’t buy bin bags; use plastic shopping bags. As well as being free they are often stronger than the cheapest bin liners. If you are concerned with saving the environment you may feel that paying for biodegradable bags is worth the money. That said many shops do give you recyclable bags.
Look after the pennies. Keep any small change; it can be swapped for more practical currency later.
Ditch the designer labels and browse charity shops for ‘new’ clothes.
Keep an eye out for deals and coupons. Coca cola did a handy promotion which gave out a total of £4 phone credit for example.

Food Costs

Look in smaller, local shops such as Costcutter, Spar, Nisa, Lidl and Aldi. Many of those have better special offers than the supermarkets. Take advantage of these offers before shopping at the big supermarkets.
Buy now save later. Take advantage of items that are available in value packs; it will probably save you money in the long run.
Alternatively only buy things that are reduced because they have a best before date that is near expiry.
Take a packed lunch to work rather than buying fast food/ ready to eat sandwiches.
Give supermarket own brand products a go. Most value products aren’t that inferior (if at all) in quality to their branded counterparts.

Energy

Invest in energy efficient light bulbs. They cost no more than 50p and use a fraction of the power.
Check you are getting the best deal, don’t be afraid to switch energy supplier.
Turn off the television, computer and video game. Get outside and take an evening stroll round the block, do a crossword or make a visit to the local library. Reducing time sat in front of the television not only saves energy but may also lead to a better quality of life.
Keep doors shut
One more extreme tip I read in a student guide is to buy an all day bus ticket and then just stay on the bus as it goes around its route. This may provide a slightly warmer seat for those cold winter days but I think the drone of the engine noise would drive me insane after a while.
Don’t overfill the kettle

Water

If you’re not on a fixed rate water payment then reducing your water usage will be to the advantage of your bank balance. Take short showers rather than baths or if you like swimming or go to the Gym then take advantage of the facilities provided.
Do the washing up in a plastic bowl rather than the sink itself.

Transport

Cycle rather than take the bus or train. Especially if you rarely travel any more than five miles at a time. Local free-ads are good places to buy bikes; a basic mountain bike costs no more than a few weeks bus fare.
If you must use public transport search online for the best deals on train tickets.
If you drive look at where it is possible to reduce the miles driving. Cutting out shorter trips or ‘hitting two birds with one stone’ to cut out unnecessary and wasted journeys.

Money Saving – Rechargeable Batteries

2011-10-06T20:11:00.000+01:00

If there was one thing that was constantly on my shopping list it was batteries. So many small gadgets seems to require batteries including: digital camera, wireless mouse/ games controller, remote control etc.

It might surprise you to know that we have the process of recharging batteries has been around since 1859. Today a battery charger and batteries can be bought for around £15, an amount soon saved by not buying standard batteries.

Are all rechargeable batteries equal? No! Here are the different types of rechargeable battery:

NiCd: Some of the earliest rechargeable batteries, if you do not fully discharge them fully every time the capacity would be reduced. Known as the Memory Effect.
NiMH: Have largely replaced NiCd because they suffer far less from the Memory Effect and have a higher capacity (can store more energy). These are available in the standard battery form such as AA and AAA, C or D.
LiOn: This type of battery is found in devices such as Mobile Phones and Laptop Computers. It has a much longer life and hold charge more effectively however they are more expensive and do not come in standard battery sizes.

Yes these batteries will too eventually ‘run out’ and you will not be able to charge them again. However this takes hundreds charges before it happens. I have been using my batteries for a good number of years without problems or any noticeable reduction in life.

Although it has to be said that batteries such as AA are commonly being replaced by Lithium-Ion. An example being the Nintendo DS its predecessor, the GameBoy, always seemed to get through batteries very quickly.

Benefits
+ Saving Money
+ Saving the Environment; note that rechargeable batteries can also be recycled like normal batteries.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/battery5.htm

Getting a haircut – A chore of vanity

2011-10-03T14:21:00.000+01:00

Our hairstyle is part of our identity, just as important as what we wear; our hair makes up part of the picture that makes us who we are. My view is that going to the hairdressers is a chore that just has to be done just like the washing up. This post discusses the everyday inconvenience of getting a hair cut.

I visit the hairdresser every few months and get as much hair cut off as I feel comfortable with. This tactic prevents another visit for at least another four months or so until hair starts getting in my eyes again and begins to become irritating. Hair is something that I should not have to think about unnecessarily during the day. It should be out the way and not cause any issues. That said, rather unfortunately I do like the look of longer hair which obviously adds to the problem described above.

Hair salons aren’t the only way of getting rid of that unwanted hair. Paying a hairdresser for a home visit is an alternative if you run a tightly scheduled life or just don’t like getting your hair cut in public. Another option is to take the DIY approach, using an electric shaver for that classic ‘skin head’ look. Neither of which I really would consider.

Anyway back to the hairdressers… normally fronted with a big window so that passers-by can stare at your transformation. You take your seat on the operating chair. The hairdresser pushes the gas lift lifting you into place and asks “what you want doing?”

A question I never really know how to answer, the normal jist of my answer goes something like “I’m not really that fussed what you do, just make a bit shorter and make sure it doesn’t make me look hideous”. Would bringing in a picture of some guy whose hair I would like replicated on my own head solve the problem? No, as a man that just shows you’ve thought way too much about this hair cut, not an option. Whether we should be bound by social expectations is another story.

So once I’ve got though the first difficult question, I prepare myself for the possibility of many more. Is it really necessary to talk to the hairdresser while he performs the cut? Most conversations with hairdressers seem forced, nothing more than small talk. I agree that it probably makes their job more enjoyable, finding out what interesting (or not) lives their customers’ lead. I haven’t found a hairdresser yet which I have been able to really have a more in-depth conversation with.

Once it’s done, brushed down and asked if you like how it looks. If it’s shorter than you envisioned there’s not much that can be done so you just have to accept and live with the result for a few weeks. Even if it looks acceptable in the mirror, chances are that as soon as you walk outside the first gust of wind blows it out of place and it looks just as bad as before anyway.

Would life be simpler if we didn’t have hair? Just imagine it for a second, if the human race didn’t have natural hair. It may just act as another thing for bullies to steal from their victims but being able to switch hairstyles instantly seems like a fantastic ability. It wouldn’t be stigmatised like wigs are today as everyone would be in the same situation.

In the end I guess we will all have to just put up with this slight inconvenience. After all, the world has bigger issues.

How the way we listen to radio has changed

2011-09-28T21:01:00.001+01:00

The first radio stations as we know them today first appeared over 90 years ago after developments in radio signals allowed voices, as opposed to just signals to be broadcast. Quickly after sales of radio receiver equipment rocketed becoming the centrepiece in the living room of millions of households. Today radio is still commonplace in our lives, just maybe not as much in the forefront as in the middle of the 20th century.

Today the way we listen to radio has changed substantially from the early days; we can listen through digital radio, on our computers and with the change over to digital TV we can tune into national stations through our television. Possibly the most common method of listening to radio is on car journeys. This is one place where the radio star is as strong as ever. Easing the sometimes-tedious car journeys home, all those hours spent in traffic jams are made just that little bit easier.

Despite all these new ways of listening to radio traditional AM/FM radio stations continue to be the ones reaching the most people. In the UK over 90% of adults listen to analogue stations on a weekly basis, this is in contrast to only 10% who listen to internet radio*.

Internet radio in general is more reliable; as long as you have an internet connection then receiving internet radio is easy. When it comes to tuning in there is an endless choice of radio stations. Whatever your taste in music there is a station that will match your taste. Furthermore online radio allows you to receive radio from anywhere in the world as well as your local radio station.

Internet radio has also seen changes in the last few years with services such as last.fm, we7 and Spotify all offering personalised ‘stations’. Working in a completely different way to traditional radio, the choice of tracks is determined by a software program.

Reliant on information held on databases this method plays tracks that are of a similar nature to what is chosen by the user. I believe however this way of listening to music has a long way to go before it really is a suitable match for the quality of radio. It’s like going to see a gig without any real instruments.

The radio is often the background soundtrack to our lives; rarely do people now sit down and exclusively listen to the radio without doing something else at the same time. The future of radio I think is looking strong, the way we listen to radio may change but the medium itself will continue to live on for eternity.

* Stats from http://www.rajar.co.uk/

Tips for preserving memories though a blog

2011-09-26T21:01:00.001+01:00

Often when looking back and reflecting on things you’ve done in the past memories don’t always come back as easily and as detailed as you want. This post discusses how best to document memories such as those from a holiday or your time at college through blogging.

The first tip is to blog regularly, this isn’t always easy, as sometimes our schedules can seem too busy. Allocating 15 minutes each week to reflect is a good habit to form. Even a consistent series brief notes made over a long period of time will provide an insight into your life when you read back in years to come.

Adding photos to your notes will add another dimension to your notes, taking pictures of even the seemingly mundane places such as a street in which you walk along everyday will bring back memories.

Nothing ever stays the same in the world and the chances are that revisiting somewhere for the first time in ten years and nothing will look the same. I only left senior school five years ago and already there is a brand new building in place of the one that I remember.

The same goes for people; there are many people who have come into your life for some reason or another. Whether is through work, hobby or just by chance. Keeping an eye out for a chance to include them in a photo will be another association that your brain can make with experiences of the time. Make sure you mention them in the text of your post too; it helps to remember the name as well as the face!

Make particular note as to interests such as favourite music, television programs. Again, these are aspects which otherwise could be overlooked which paint a clearer picture of how you lived.

Involving others in writing your blog will not only strengthen the bond between you but also provide another view on shared experiences. We all notice different things, find different aspects of a trip to be more or less significant.

The final point is to ensure that your efforts are put to good use, share your blog with family and friends. Beware however that you may have included some personal opinions that you wouldn’t want to share with anyone else. Read though and select parts in which you wish to share, perhaps print the best parts and make a ‘memory scrapbook’.

After all, what is life without memories?
Happy Blogging!

Using spare time wisely

2011-09-22T19:42:00.000+01:00

simon.hucko (flickr)

There will (probably) be periods of your life in which you find yourself with seemingly little to do. In the last few years the global economy has seen a big slow down, the net result of this is more people are out of work or are working less hours. So what can you do you keep yourself motivated through these more lean times?

It’s great to have a more spare time to yourself after a period (such as exams) in which you haven’t had the chance to do those things in which you have wanted. However when you have too much time on your hands boredom can set in and it can start to affect your happiness and decrease self-confidence. So what can you do in this situation?

Stop and think
Whenever I find myself without much to do I stop procrastinating (watching daytime TV, surfing pointless websites etc.) and grab a piece of paper and start writing down anything down which needs doing. This normally starts with addressing household duties such as cleaning, bill paying or other deadlines looming.

If they have all been done (to a satisfactory level) then I start thinking of the things that I wanted to do instead of that tedious maths revision. Whether it is a hobby or seeing friends keeping the mind and body active will be far more beneficial.

Put a plan into action
If the case is that you are out of work, looking for things that will increase your chance of employability is always a good direction to proceed. A local volunteering post or a project in which relates to the field of work you are looking in will look good on a CV. Even if it doesn’t relate, showing that you are able be self-motivated will just be another reason why a company should choose you over a competitor.

Having the time to sit back and assess your situation can be invaluable; permitting you to discover the direction you want your life to take. Where as before you may not have been sure on where you wanted to be in five years time there is no better time to address that issue than now when you have more time. Taking a look at your priorities and planning steps to bring a new focus into your life could lead to a better quality of life than if you didn’t have that force for change.

Make the most of the extra time
One thing to bear in mind is that (if it’s life dependent) why stress about getting into work straight away. There maybe other things on your checklist of ‘things to do before you die’ that this time off may permit. If you have some money saved maybe this is the time to go travelling. Learn to play a new instrument, speak a new language or achieve something different. These things will also add to my earlier point of employability and could revitalise the energy and drive levels in your life.

See Also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/approved_entry/A34088303

What is "cool"?

2011-09-20T20:20:00.000+01:00

For some it is a constant mindset, searching for the something to make them appear cooler to everyone else. This mindset doesn’t even have to be something we are fully conscious of, take choosing a new car for example, are you buying it because of what you like about it or because of what everyone else will think about it? What exactly is ‘cool’?

Look in the dictionary an you will find it says something about temperature or calmness. Cool is the measure of how socially pleasing something is. However that measurement is constantly changing, what was generally considered cool in the 60’s and 70’s will by most people’s standards be un-cool now.

I worded the previous sentence carefully using ‘generally’ and ‘most people’ because there certainly are people out there who still are of the opinion that bell bottomed trousers are cool, and who am I to say they’re not?

There are the people who choose to go against the majority, the counter cool (see H2G2 - Inverse Cool Theory), the Indie music scene is an example in which people often choose to go against the mainstream idea of cool. So many things that are normally thought of as un-cool will be thought of as cool within the Indie rock culture (Even if it isn’t cool to admit it!).

I think virtually everything about someone can be judged as cool or not (correct me if I’m wrong) here are five things that most determine your ‘coolness’ to someone else.
·    Choice of clothes, hair etc.
·    Musical Tastes
·    Attitude/ Personality
·    What you do as a hobby/ in free time
·    Outlook on life

One thing I haven’t included on the list is job type; despite being the biggest part of most peoples lives jobs are rarely cool anyway. Unless you are a film star I don’t think a job generally effects how cool you are perceived to be.

It’s a personal choice; we have the freedom to choose our own cool. Other people may choose to try to persuade us that one thing or another is cool. Large companies spend millions of pounds on funky adverts and creating a ‘brand image’ to try and persuade us that their stuff is far better than their competitors.

If this is done correctly it can lead to massive profits, take the re-branding of McDonalds, it must have been at least six years ago now when they began modernising their stores. I remember when it used to all ways be cheap looking plastic chairs, cream tiles filled most of the stores.

Now however there is a different feel as you go in, they have used more vibrant colours and darker woods to front the stores. Their underlying business activity is the same but they have managed to keep themselves in the cool category and hence have continued to run a successful business. No mean feat given the amount of bad press fast food has had, and will continue to get.

I want to say here that “I don’t do cool”, “I don’t make decisions in my life based on what other people will think” but at the end of the day we all do, everyday, just the other night I found myself turned the television over from some girly film when someone walks by because it just ain’t cool man!

Watch: www.channel4.com/programmes/the-search-for-cool/4od

Light of Summer Evenings Portrait Drawing

2011-09-19T21:24:00.004+01:00

Observational Pencil Drawing

Original Image from Flickr
(can't remember exactly where!)

Create a reflect photo effect with Paint.net

2011-09-17T17:21:00.000+01:00

Here is something a little different from the normal content of All Subjects Covered. This post is a step-by-step tutorial that demonstrates how you can create your own photo reflection effect. A neat effect that can be added to images which you want to display on a blog or website.

Before starting: If you haven’t already got paint.net here is a link to download (free of charge!):

Step 1: Once you’ve opened the image you want to add the reflection to we need to make room for the reflected image to do this double the height of the canvas.

EDIT > CANVAS SIZE

and set HEIGHT to twice that of the original image also clear the white background.

Step 2: Duplicate the layer; Go to

LAYERS > DUPLICATE LAYER

Flip the reflection layer vertically whilst on the new layer, select;

IMAGE > FLIP VERTICAL

The reflection should be the background layer (in the screenshot I renamed it to reflection) if not switch the layers around.

Step 3: Add another layer in between the others for the gradient

Adjust the colour palette as follows

COLOUR ONE: WHITE
COLOUR TWO: WHITE (TRANSPARENCY = 25%)

Step 4: Apply a gradient effect to the gradient layer using the gradient tool

Drag the gradient effect up from somewhere near the bottom of the reflected image to the location of your choice on the original image.

Note if you are putting the image onto a dark background you may wish to invert the colours of the gradient layer

ADJUSTMENTS > INVERT COLOURS

Step 5: Flatten the image and save.

Tip: Before flattening the image it is an idea to save the image as a PDN file so that if you wish to create more reflected images you can just simply paste your new image on top and then repeat step 2.

IMAGE > FLATTEN

Done!

(Original Image)

My Guide to Coach Trips

2011-09-16T17:46:00.002+01:00

Anyone who has ever been anywhere on holiday will have been on at least one sight seeing coach tour. I briefly mentioned them in my post on Courage; this post is an extended guide to how to survive these endurance coach trips.

Normally they start early in the morning because your destination is often many hot, sweaty, non air-conditioned miles away. You’ve packed everything you need for the day including swimming costume, sun cream and maybe even packed lunch.

March out to your pick up point where, in all fairness, the coach is normally on time. However once on the coach there will be at least another five or six more stops to pick everyone else up from their hotels. As you watch them get onboard you pick out to yourself any faults in their appearance.

During the coach journey itself there will be the tour guide who will come on over the speaker system, which is always either too loud or too quiet to hear. They will waffle on though endless facts about local facts and way of life, very little of which you will actually remember. Tip: If you are ultra concerned that you might be tested on this or just want something to tell your friends that you learnt on holiday, you might wish to take some paper and a pen. No one that I have noticed has ever done this but sometimes it pays to be attentive even if only to keep you occupied.

Along your journey there will probably be stops in which either there is nothing to do, so you end up sitting on the coach for another ½ hour. Alternatively there you are given barely enough time to look around before moving on to the next destination. Even with the second option you will still find yourself sitting on a coach for an extended period waiting for those who lost track of time, or just got lost.

Some stops can be simple five minute sightseeing breaks such as a point on high ground that overlooks the nearby town. During these stops about half the group (the ones with cameras) get out to all take essentially the same photo before getting back on. The issue I have here is that photos should really have some story behind them; a five-minute stop isn’t really going to generate much story telling material for when you bore the rest of the family flicking through your holiday photo album.

By now everyone is starting to get a little weary from the day in the sun and the exercise of getting on and off a coach. Trips with many stops often seem to repeat themselves; once you have seen one church in a country you’ve seen them all.

So finally it comes to the long journey home, time to reflect on all that you have seen during the day, those picked up first now will have to wait until the end to get back to there accommodation. As soon as you close the door to your room the urge to collapse onto the sofa/ bed (which ever is the closest) is impossible to resist. You say no more coach trips… until the next one.

Cycling in and around Brighton

2011-09-15T19:30:00.000+01:00

Brighton has a lot to offer cyclists; several cycle routes are on offer around the city as well as many miles of cycle lanes. This post is an illustration of the great variety of scenery on offer as you cycle round Brighton. As I went on a late September bike ride stopped to take these three panoramic pictures within an hour of each other.

(Click the images for a larger view)

The Level
The first photo represents cycling within the city itself, there are several cycle lanes which take you straight through the to centre of town. When you get there ample facilities are provided to park your bike, especially on busy days you can save yourself a good 20 minutes not having to park a car (as well as money). Unfortunately the main shopping centre is on a fair sized hill but it doesn’t take long to recover from that.

Brighton Sea Front
The second photo represents cycling at the sea front. Brighton has a cycle lane running the whole way along the front, part of national route 2, which currently starts at Dover in Kent and extensions are planned to St. Austell in Cornwall. This is a popular route with visitors and tourists and hence will sometimes get crowded with pedestrians and holidaymakers.

The route along to Worthing is very flat and continues on to Littlehampton the only problem with being by the sea is that the wind can sometimes hold you back. However I had no problems on this beautifully calm September afternoon. As you cycle along you can also appreciate the fine architecture of the grand hotels and houses that line the front.

South Downs
For a more challenging ride (because of the hills) there is the South Downs, stretching out behind Brighton and neighbouring towns. The final photo was taken just past Rottingdean, a picture postcard little village. The South Downs provides stunning panoramic views of English countryside.

A popular destination in the Downs is Devils Dyke, a national trust site that has a pub among other facilities on site. It’s only about 7 miles outside of Brighton so isn’t to far to go for amateur cyclists. A great ride for those looking for a bit more piece and quiet, away from the noise of the traffic.

Know somewhere better? Tell me more...

Finding the courage to try something new

2011-09-14T20:34:00.003+01:00

Image Credits: hectorir on flickr

Courage is a quality allows someone to push themselves outside of their comfort zone. Normally used to describe an act of bravery such as risking ones own well being to save someone else. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as diving in front of a bullet to require courage. It can be something as small having the courage to make a difficult phone call or to tell someone the truth.

As a side note before the main point of the post, it can also be said that courage, as well as being associated with good is a quality that’s needed for injustice too. Actions such as breaking into a house or starting a riot aren’t exactly done by scared and shy individuals. Not that you would normally call rioters courageous, unless you were writing for a very biased newspaper.

The choice to find the courage to do something occurs in everyday life. One regret I have from not having enough courage is when I was on holiday. It was one of those coach trips (which I generally enjoy however I do have a bit of a gripe with them as they feel too ‘touristy’ and set) and we went to a potters yard where we were given the choice do have a go ourselves. Then began an awkward silence, no one was volunteering. The next reaction was for the parents to transfer this awkwardness on the kids, pushing them to go and try. No one did, so we moved on. I just wish I had had the courage to just go and have a ‘play’. Even if it made me look completely useless I would have got more satisfaction out of it than those who never tried at all.

As in my story, the problem with not finding that courage is you don’t get the benefits from that in which you are hiding away from. Weather it is making a sculpture or taking the lead in someway there are so many benefits to be had with trying something different.

Once you push your self into this new mindset of trying new things then new opportunities might just present themselves. Ones which your old self wouldn’t have thought about in a thousand years. I believe that leads to a richer quality of life.

My advice to both myself and others is to keep an open mind and to have the courage break with the answers in which those closest would expect you to say.

(This discussion stemmed from this short article on H2G2.)

Rules for flat sharing

2011-09-13T11:16:00.001+01:00

Having flat shared for several years I can give a few guidelines for sharing a house. This is particularly relevant for those who might be just moving out the family home to share for the first time.

Before Moving in
Ideally get to know the people a little bit before moving in. In my case this never happened due to time constraints but moving in with familiar people is more likely going to lead to a closer home life. If you are in the same situation as I was and are not able to meet the others before moving in then all is still not lost. I’ve never really shared with a ‘bad’ person just they aren’t always on the same wavelength as myself.

Top Tip: Agree between yourselves that if people are out of the house, whether or not they have full responsibility to contribute to bills. This will avoid problems when the bills come through the door and people start making excuses as to why they shouldn’t pay.

Bills
An agreement should be made in the beginning as to how the bills should be split. Usually there is an equal split between the number of people in the house.
Put up a note with all the bills and how much each person pays and when.

Cleaning
This is something that rarely gets done, especially in student flat shares. Every couple of months it gets to a point where by something has to be done, at which point everyone should agree to help. Otherwise those who do the cleaning will continue to hold a grudge against those who didn’t help for a good few weeks after, which doesn’t help house relations. Noticeable mess that is created by an individual should be cleared promptly by the offender. Such things include spills, mess on oven top and hairs in the bath plug!

Food
Only eat what you have. If you need to borrow something from someone else ask first. Don’t keep asking too often though as that just takes the biscuit! Offering to cook a group meal should go down well, if you are the one being cooked for make sure you help clear up or offer to return the favour another day.

Household items
These include items such as toilet roll, kitchen roll, cleaning items, washing up liquid and bin bags. What is considered in this group can be agreed before hand and as long as everyone contributes there shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Smoking
If it is a mixed-smoke house it should be the duty of the smoker(s) to step outside while smoking or at least ensure there is proper ventilation.

Parties
Reasonable noise should be permitted during the day and early evening but there should be a line drawn. If there is the odd occasion in which it will go further into the night then ask the other tenants and, if necessary, inform the neighbours too. If there are problems with your plans make other arrangements such as taking your party to a nightclub.

Note that the best way to solve any issues is by talking, just like a marriage, for any relationship to work issues need to be solved by communicating. Also despite it being a shared house each person should be aware of anything they leave in shared rooms should not get in the way of everyone else. If you’ve washed some clothes, don’t leave them lying around in the washing machine for weeks on end. The same goes for dishes, don’t leave them lying in the washing up bowl for weeks.

Tip: If your kitchen is big enough each get your own washing up bowl and keep the sink clear.

If communication breaks down often people drift apart and I have had a situation where one person would be avoiding another at all costs which clearly is not ideal for the whole house atmosphere. Arranging to go out on occasion together to try and find some common ground is often a good idea. This often makes everyone feel a little less separate and encourages group sprit.

4:37am

2011-09-08T17:44:00.001+01:00

The time in which everything goes quiet. All that can be heard is the ticking clocks and the whirl of the freezer. Everything in sight weighs down upon tired eyes. The alarm clock patiently waits to signal the beginning of a new day.

Media: Pen & Pencil Colour

Ways to assess understanding

2011-09-06T19:50:00.000+01:00

Exams, no-one really likes doing them but there needs to be a way of assessing knowledge and skills. Do they provide an accurate way to judge knowledge on a subject or are they outdated? This post looks at various issues to do with how best to examine a persons knowledge, based on personal experiences as a recent university graduate.

Every year thousands of students gather up all the notes scribbled in hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials and prepare to demonstrate their new found understanding in either a set exam or coursework based assignment. Sometimes there is nothing worse, the pressure of a looming exam for many can really affect wellbeing. On the day there is the nervous wait outside, then the exam begins with the frantic rustling of paper before the silence fills the hall with the only exception of the old floor boards creeking and the guy with a blocked up nose at the desk infront.

Coursework was first introduced back in 1975 as a way to examine practical knowledge, the student can produce a body of work to better demonstrate capability. However one problem with coursework, especially today, is that most people have access to the internet and hence a world of information at finger length. Work which involves producing a physical outcome such as Art could be counted as an exception, this will have been aided by the internet as researching current art trends and news is made quicker, cheaper and easier. Coursework is the most difficult form of assessment to moderate, today papers are scanned by computers as well as being hand marked to check for plagiarism however those with access to people 'in the know' will have a significant advantage.

Open book exams allow specified material to be taken into the exam as reference. Many of my exams were in this format and clearly if this is allowed the paper should have more challanging and unique questions. In my experience in most cases they were suitably challanging however some cases in which you could take practice papers into the exam which were a little too similar to the real thing.

It's commonly done as to assess speaking ability of a foreign language, an oral assessment gives the assessor a more telling picture of the individuals ability as (in my opinion) a deeper knowledge is required to talk about a subject and answer on the spot questions than just writing it down. When applying for jobs you will always have a face-to-face interview to allow the employer to get a true idea of your understanding. The downside to this assesment is that of fairness, if differing questions are being asked then how can you ensure that they are all of the same difficulty?

On the scale in which assesments take place I don't think it is ever possible to find a solution which is fool proof. Eventually however those who obtained results by not putting in the hard graft will eventully come up short when asked to put that into action. It really is the work that has been put in though the months (or years) before that will be the lasting thing, not what happens on one single day. I will end with these lyrics which sort of sum it up. "I'm so glad that this has taken so long 'cause it's the journey that made me so strong." (Snow Patrol - Warmer Climate)

The Art of Breathing

2011-05-18T23:00:00.095+01:00

Photo by Maria Obed

It's something we take for granted and it's not until it becomes more difficult, like when exercising, do most people really think about breathing. Studies have shown that normally we only use about 1/3 of the capacity of our lungs. So is this a bad thing?
Not utilising the full potential of your lungs isn't harmful is it? Well obviously you can get along fine 'passive breathing' whereby you don't take any notice of how you are breathing. However there are many advantages to controlling your breathing:

"Fast breathing rate is linked to high blood pressure
Studies have shown deep breathing benefits asthma sufferers.
It also is a good way to reduce stress, if you are stressed, you breath in short, shallow bursts. To relax you do the opposite - breathing deeply and slowly. No-one likes stress, long periods of stress can seriously reduce your life expectancy, increasing the chance of a heart attack. Even in the short term it is linked to spots and hair loss.
Deep breathing releases endorphins-the bodies own painkillers, into the system. This can help relieve headaches, sleeplessness, backaches and other stress related aches and pains.
Deep breathing helps to clear and focus the mind and is the essence of meditation. Thinking of nothing except listening to your breathing is very relaxing, my mind is normally going 10,000 miles a minute and taking just that couple of minutes to free up some space is quite refreshing. I imagine it like a computer memory, constantly switching files in and out of memory to make more room.
Deep breathing strengthens weak abdominal and intestinal muscles"

(http://www.path2healthyliving.com/breathing.html)

So how exactly do you control your breathing? Here's a step-by-step guide to how to control your breathing.

Slowly breath deeply in through your nose, filling your lungs with air. Feel your rib cage expand, you should also feel your stomach expand to accommodate for the extra air taken in. Try and take about 5 seconds of breathing in, over time and with practice this can increase as your lungs strengthen.
Breathe out through your mouth to about 70% of lung capacity and hold this for 10 seconds
Slowly exhale the rest of the air out, again this should last at least 5 seconds so that the body has the chance to absorb the oxygen into the blood.
Repeat about this 10 times about three times a day and slowly built this up it will become more of a habit after consciously thinking about breathing for a while.

I always recall watching hikers on mountain tops struggling for breath and then really being able to appreciate being able to breathe better when on the descent. I think of oxegen as like oil, a lubricant that makes us function smoothly, with that same rich texture. So get high on oxegen, it's by far the cheapest and most benefical drug out there.

Until next time, happy breathing

It's not lost it's just misplaced!

2011-05-17T21:57:00.002+01:00

Image from katieb50 on flickr

It doesn't matter what it is or how big it is I can always lose it. Whether it be my glasses, remote control, keys or favorite drawing pencil, I am forever looking for something. Generally however I am not a forgetful person, I've never really 'lost' many things in life just keep misplacing them.

I just keep misplacing them what it comes down to is habbit, I have always had the habbit of looking round for a second time whenever leaving somewhere to see if I have left anything behind.

If you come back from work and throw everything down during the evening things will probabily be moved around a few times so when it comes to finding them again in the morning you havn't a clue where anything is. Well the things that you need anyway. I know when I'm looking for things it normally creates a stressful situation as I'm running tight for time. It becomes even worse when it's the important things that are misplaced like debit cards, that really starts to get me paniced sometimes.

One solution which on lifehacker.com was to have a box to put all your everyday essentials in, which they made with toilet rolls. This is all very well right? Well it will only work if you always remember to return everything back when your finished with it (without trying to sound like my mum here). Considering every action that you take is a good habit to get into. Slowing things down just that little bit. Having the ability to appreachiate the smaller details of life, taking it all in, like a buddist monk.

So in conclusion its all down to habit, creating good ones will save you time in the long run, maybe even making you a calmer and more productive person as a result. Reducing stress is always a good thing so I will be posting again tomorrow discussing deep breathing, something which has many links to what I've mentioned here; very few people breath properly but another good habit to get used to.

Until next time, many stress free days.

Killing Killers

2011-05-06T17:10:00.002+01:00

With the recent assassination of Osama Bin Laden for this post I will share some thoughts on shooting those who themselves are prepared to kill others. Should the death penalty be re-introduced, is killing the enemy in war less criminal than killing convicted killers?

It's not right to kill anyone, right?
In the majority of cases I wouldn't wish death on anyone, however in my opinion those who are prepared to kill someone else instantly gives up there right to life. As controversial as it is there are 7 billion of us out there, it's not as though we need those people who put others in fear. I recall watching one of those police chase programs and there was a a stand off between some guy and the police. The strategy the cops chose was to shoot the gun straight from out of the guys hands but why waste the time? I agree it was a cracking shot but could have easily gone wrong (i.e. missed) so why could they not just put everyone out of there misery and have him dealt with immediately? Chances are he probably had made other people lives misery anyway.

What if it cannot be proven?
The amount of legislation that exists today I'm guessing it's hard to prove that some one is a killer without video evidence or their hand still on the trigger. And so it should be, if it were easy then the police would have far too much power over everyone and just be going round accusing anyone who looks suspect.

Is the death penalty a good thing?
In my view the death penalty is a good things but only if proven beyond doubt that the offender is guilty, without any strings attached, should a death penalty be enforced. It's like when we send troops out to other countries scared by some conflict, in my view it is somewhat more criminal shooting at that enemy. Usually it is not the individual enemy soldiers fault. They will probably have been forced to go out (knowingly or not) to fight by some dictatorship. These soldiers are just stand in the way of getting to the real evil, those at the top. While it is also true that people that carry guns about must also have had some sort of influence they have more of a choice, especially in a developed western country.

Mums the word

2011-04-03T23:46:00.001+01:00

Today is mothering Sunday in England, most other countries also have a similar tradition celebrated mostly at some point from March through until May. The modern mothers day here usually consists of the following; A 5 minute card opening session and a day off from

all the usual household task (not that they don't still need doing). Nothing that special.

Really though I'm not that interested in the day itself, it's a good thing to do, it's nice for mums to be given appreciation for all that they do. I can't speak for every household but traditionally the wife/ mother does the majority of household chores and general every day running, it was certainly that case in my home.

Although attitudes have certainly changed over the past 40 or 50 years, in a lot of cases it is still the wife who does the majority of the childcare and housework whether she also works or not. The husband is often seen at the provider, putting everything in place for the family i.e. family finances, DIY etc.

Maybe these roles just play to the strengths of each gender, who knows but what is important is that mum isn't left to do absolutely everything. A recent TV programme on C4 filmed a few couples and families for a week to analyse how long each spouse spent on various tasks. I guess you would act a little differently knowing there are cameras about but it certainly highlighted some clear trends.

Mainly that it was the women that did a lot of the less desirable household work. It shouldn't be just the one Sunday a year in which mums are thanked, if you live with family and find yourself flicking through the TV channels while mum is still at the kitchen sink then spare a thought get up and help, she deserves free time as much as you. Until next time.

Portrait of yesteryear

2011-04-02T23:22:00.000+01:00

This observational drawing I done last year, haven't had the time to sit down to draw recently. It's still one of my favorite portraits that I've drawn, the photo doesn't do it much justice but it was such an unusual portrait. I like how the glasses really give the face its form. I can't remember where I got it from... more than likely Flickr as I think it was straight out the 1970's. The hair, still acceptable in my view on the other hand big glasses? Not so sure, not a trend I would follow!

Update from the blogosphere

2011-03-31T23:12:00.002+01:00

Just really want to take a minute for a more chilled out post today, nothing too in-depth, my brain has had enough over the past couple of days! Firstly Blogger is going through some radical changes which all seem really awesome, the first to be implemented is the 'Dynamic Views' options which are online right now. You can choose from a variety of
different interfaces to view the posts that have been made on any blogger blog. I'll probably add a link at the top of the page or something later but for now heres the link:
http://allsubjectscovered.blogspot.com/view/

It makes it easier to see all the content from a blog, I'm a fan of all the changes that are being made, at the moment blogger looks a little outdated, definitely about time that it had a face lift. More excitement in the computing world as Firefox has officially launched the latest version of it's web browser. I've been using it for a couple of days now and have noticed the upgrade in speed. Also the app tabs are quite a fun idea, to keep open all the pages which you constantly use. The only thing that will take a bit of getting used to is the menu button which hides away all the file, view, tools etc. Saying that though this can easily be reverted to the normal at the click of the mouse.

Staying on the topic of software and another blog which is a great read for any tech-type is Lifehacker and they recently highlighted the writing tool Ommiwriter. I had to give it a go and it is a very simple concept but it works well. Basically it clears everything from your screen except the text cursor and then plays calming music in the background and a neat little sound each time a key is pressed. A good experience even if in the basic (FREE) version there is little to play with.

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-16T23:48:00.006Z

A unusual topic for a student to be blogging about really, I’m not about to surprise the world by saying that I am the worlds first student neat freak but I when it comes down to it I don’t despise cleaning as much as I would normally freely admit.

As I pointed out many times before, I’m living in a rather out dated, almost unloved flat. Almost because it isn’t completely unloved, there are signs of homeliness here. For instance my flat mate has nailed a 6ft snake across the living room wall, that’s got to count for something hasn’t it?

Well anyway, the flat really doesn’t get cleaned that often, me and my two other flat mates have, in the past, made a joint effort to sweep the floor and clean the scum from round the bath. However usually we just work and live around the mess until one of us finds it too irritating to bear and has to do something about it. Unfortunately that is normally me, but if it was the other way around my conscience would very quickly take over. I would feel as though I should do something to at least equal the effort that the other person had put in.

In my own room however I like to keep it ‘cleaner’, this is because I spend more time in here but still it is rarely ‘tidier’ than the rest of the house, if that makes sense. I tend to vacuum my room more often and occasionally even give it a dusting. It has been proven that a tidy workspace can be beneficial to your productivity.

Giving the room a bit of a spring clean always puts me in a better frame of mind too. It feels bigger and fresher as though it is easier to breath. The state of my room generally reflects how off the rails (or not) my life is. At the moment it’s starting to get a bit of a mess again, lecture notes and clothes all over the place!

I couldn’t live in one of those minimal homes however, it has got to feel like a home, somewhere in which I like to come back to. When I first moved here I freshly painted my room and it looked fine, it didn’t take me long though to start covering the walls with posters and pictures. A room says a lot about a person, if I was to sum my room up as it is now, it would go something like ‘appears chaotic and disorganised on the outside but makes logical sense underneath’.

We should all be able to have our own little space which is our own, which no-one else has any right to criticise or judge. On the other hand though picking your dirty underwear off the floor before bringing a lady friend back is probably a sensible thing to do!
Until next time.

Neighbours

2011-03-10T23:48:00.004Z

No not the television program but the people you live next to, although what sparked this chain of thought off was a television programme. It was one of the endless property programmes which feature heavily in the TV listings these days. I have to confess I do rather like watching them for an insight into other peoples homes which are always significantly better looking than what I am renting at the moment. Sigh.

Anyway back to the topic in hand, this couple on the show were making it adamant that they didn't want any neighbors, they were shown this property in which there was only one other house anywhere near it and still they were put off by the fact that they had anyone one else living within 500 meters of this house.

I like to live a private life personally and havn't really seen much of my neighbours where I currently live, then again i'm not sure whether living in a block of flats really incourages neighbourly relationships. However I think getting to know the neighbours even just next door is advantageous, there might just be friendships waiting to be made. When summertime comes around and they are holding a great smelling BBQ which your not invited to, while you're sitting in the kitchen staring at the stale bread that is your lunch, thinking that if only you had took the time to meet them.

I hear people say that in the old days that they used to leave front doors unlocked and everyone knew one another. Surely knowing your neighbours is essential for a community to exist at all, when you move into a new house would you knock on your neighbours door and introduce yourself? I think a large number of people wouldn't even think of doing this, another portion would probabily think about it but never get round to it. I would defentely try and take the step to introduce myself, especially if it looked as though we may share something in common. Usually quite hard to tell from a driveway but nonetheless.

On top of what I sort of feel should be a social responsability knowing your neighbours must have more advantages such as safety, knowing your neighbour would increase the chance of them noticing if something is wrong, e.g. if an fire alarm is sounding or dog barking they maybe more likely to take action to check if things are OK. Perhaps this is more of an importance for families with younger kids, knowing your neighbours would make you feel more secure about where the kids are playing and I remember when I was in junior school that for some reason my parents were both unable to get home for when me and my younger sister returned home from school so a neighbour who we could trust invited us in until they got home. That has got to be better (and safer) than just waiting out on the driveway.

Maybe knowing your neighbours may make them have more sympathy when deciding how far to turn the dial up on their stereo. Especially if they like their gansta rap or something, I would say something like nothing against gansta rap but thats not the case, it's shite. Anyway little rant over I will finish up this post with a final thought: "A good neighbor is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence, but doesn't climb over it" (Arthur Baer)

Police Crime Map

2011-02-09T19:22:00.006Z

Encase you haven't seen it yet the police crime map details the number and type of reported crimes on (or near) each street in the UK. It makes for interesting viewing, costing around £300,000 to implement it is good for a few minutes of time wasting.

One of my immediate thoughts was if this map shows that you live in an area which has a high crime rate your house may not be worth as much tomorrow. However normally everyone has a good idea as to how safe their neighborhood is. There are obviously questions being raised as to the accuracy and legitimacy of the data. For instance the exact location cannot isn’t always correct.

Is it really beneficial? I believe it will start showing benefits after a year or so of data. Then the trends can be analyzed and any unusual exceptions can be cleared up. If it helps reduce crime rates then I’m all for it, though the police surely knew where the hotspots were prior to this publication.

Is it important for the general public to know? I am a little skeptical, it wouldn’t change anything that I do. If I found that my area was particularly bad I wouldn’t suddenly feel I needed to move. Neither would it make me avoid walking down certain places, most crime is going to occur in city centres, more than likely after pub and club closing time. Heavy residential areas are also clearly going to be prone to anti social behavior but surely this wouldn’t highlight anything new to neighborhood watch groups.

Only time will tell if it turns out to be an genuine advantage to the police and public or just a impressive play thing.

Finding the good in a bad situation

2011-01-27T18:03:00.002Z

Flicking through the art folders

2011-01-23T22:43:00.025Z

The great thing about drawings is like photographs they encapsulate many memories, thoughts and feelings. 2010 wasn't the best of years for me but being able to look through my art folders reminds me what is good and important in life. I always end up in a much better frame of mind when I have finished looking through. My work may not be gallery worthy but each piece has it's own story to tell.

Some pieces I took on holidays others I done while in secondary school and sixth form which will always remind me of my classmates and teachers. Many of the drawings that I have done outside of the classroom I am more pleased with than a lot of what I done during the school day. There are certain pieces in there which I didn't realise at the time how relevant they were to what I was feeling at the time.

Another humbling thing is how much my drawings have changed in the last few years. I redrew a picture that I did when I was about 14, I can't remember how hard I was trying the first time but it is a completly different picture on the second attempt. As with most things in life, tastes change. I never used to really like drawing portraits but as I have got older that has become my favorite genre. Maybe because it was too difficult or I was just unaware of the satifaction that comes when you capture even some of the expression and mood of the subject.

When I was in school I did a project on letterform which really caught my imagination, it was one of those topics that I didn't think much of to start with, but ended up creating a really fun series of mixed media pieces. In sixth form art had nothing to do with any of the other subjects that I was studying but I'm so glad I kept it up. I learn't a lot there, both in academic terms and about life in general. Studying art added more pressure alongside 3 other A levels yet what I gained made up for the time, not lost, but which I could have spent studying for my other subjects.

I chose not to continue studying art after that art is a very difficult area to have a career in and I don't think my ability stands out from the crowd enough to make anything from it. Anyhow I gained a hobby for life which I believe will contribute more to my future happiness than if I had taken another more academic subject. The ability to think for yourself is one of the main lessons which a creative subject such as art can teach and it is a skill that applies across the board. A couple of years back I was in a group working on a small assignment, it struck me that on one question that allowed you to think outside the box a little the first response was to look online for what someone else had said on the topic. No progress would ever be made in this world if no one ever thought for themselves.

Cycling

2011-01-22T19:50:00.004Z

I'm sure I did write a post on cycling at some point, unfortunately I have misplaced it somewhere. I cycle multiple times every week as a means of transport and when I have the time, I cycle for a fun activity exploring various paths in and around town. The great thing about cycling is that it doesn't cost the earth. Pardon the pun but being on a student budget there isn't that much money left after a couple of pints down the pub. I have never paid much for my bikes especially as have little other option but to leave it outside subjected to the elements.

Where I live at the moment in Brighton is a great place to cycle. There are various different recognised routes to take and cycle paths are on a good number of the main roads. You can cycle along the seafront, past the pier, then it's only a couple of miles before your surrounded by rolling hills and green countryside. It's slightly unfortunate that the flat I rent is on the top of a hill as it makes getting home a bit of a sweat.

A bike can quite often be one of those things where it looks cool but many people rarely find the time to actually go out and use their bikes. I have numerous friends I have whose bikes just stay in the shed for years only coming out a couple of times in the summer to go down the local shop. On the other hand I believe there has been an increase in cycling over the past few years which could be down to a number of factors.

I can't really comment on what it used to be like 30 or so years ago but today there isn't many 'types' of people do don't see cycling. Whether it's the enthusiast training for competitions covering hundreds of miles, the average commuter getting to work in their suit or the kid on the BMX going down the skate park on the weekend. A bike is very convenient for lots of different life-styles, for me I like the fact that in itself it's so simple and mechanical. The amount of things that have become electronic in the last couple of decades it's nice to hear the clunk as you change gear.

There are three main topics that I want to talk about, cycling as an everyday transportation method, cycling for leisure and cycle safety and the law of the road. I will probably tackle them all at some point over the next few weeks, I hope to put blogging in as regular activity in my weekly routine this year. I was unable to post regularly before Christmas because of study commitments, being in my final year at university but hopefully this semester I will find the time to sit down and get typing. After all it's good for the mind!

No Wires, No Worries

2011-01-20T23:55:00.008Z

Recently I have seen a couple of short programs on wireless and new sources of energy and these have got me thinking a little. Having had to replace my laptop charger again this year a different power source would be a welcome idea. Not only would it look better without all those wires making the back of my desk look as unwieldy as my hair, but one day it could give you the ability to place your tech virtually anywhere in the house. However putting a 42” plasma TV in the bathroom would probably be an exception.

Two of gadgets which can be made to charge wirelessly are mentioned in this interview from the BBC, wireless phone charging and electric car charging: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8165928.stm. I guess an actual on/ off switch would be needed to televisions otherwise they would never turn off standby. On that subject of power switches I saw the other day that it was actually made into a selling feature to have a power button on a TV! A few years ago I don’t think you could buy one without, maybe it’s because standby mode has become more energy efficient, allowing people to be lazy and not get up and turn the TV fully off.

Currently they are able to transmit small amounts of power over a small distance but when this technology evolves will you have to secure your local wireless power network?! Especially if you live, like I do, in a block of flats. A number of people could just be living off your power supply. It’s like letting someone run an extension lead from your living room to power their electric massage chair.

This obviously combines nicely this with the trend that everything else is becoming wireless. A computer in future may be in separate parts, if components like graphics cards were made wireless components would be easily to upgrade and interchangeable. I’m not sure how many wireless network channels there are but if everything becomes wire free could cause quite some interference problems. Wouldn’t want the family television to switch over to what the 17 year old boy is watching on his laptop up in his room would we now?!

Wireless Power is not entirely a new thing however, this video talks about wireless power transfer over a distance of 1.5km in 1975. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O44WM1Q9H8. I’m not sure how comfortable I would feel however, with that large amount of power in the air. You can see on the video they were testing it in somewhere which looked like a military explosive testing ground. I wonder how sensitive these devices are to rain, or if it works though walls or if a piece of paper can stop the power transfer.

Still could be a little while before this tech becomes commonplace but if it means I don’t have to buy yet another charger or battery bring it on!

Turn it up to 11

2011-01-13T17:37:00.006Z

Firstly Happy New Year! Secondly are you bored of the rubbish that is the UK music charts? Want (or need) something different to occupy your mind? Try these.

6 minutes of musical bliss from Silversun Pickups:

Need more? Plug in the biggest speakers you have and play some of these:
Anything by Wolfmother,
Saxon, inparticular Wheels Of Steel,
Blowin Free by Wishbone Ash,
Rainbow's Man on the Silver Mountain,
Also while on the subject of music, The Airborne Toxic Event's second album is just round the corner and if it's anything like their first then we are in for a treat.

Greetings from earth

2010-09-21T22:08:00.008+01:00

The other day I decided after watching a documentary by Steven Hawking that there is a much greater chance of intelligent life beyond earth than I previously thought. I still remain much more pessimistic that it is within our small little solar system however.

The thought that our galaxy is just one of many within the Milky Way which in turn is contained within the universe among of billions of galaxies. I can just about get my head around the fact that the sun is actually 109 times bigger than earth and that Jupiter is a long way away. Beyond that however seems just unimaginable.

This combined with that how long these planets and galaxies must have existed makes our recent history or even the exisitance of Human life seem minuscule. However we are developing at a faster rate than ever and 1969 was literally only yesterday in the grand scheme of things. That point means though there is only so much that can be accomplished within a generation.

With the world going though a difficult time with its finances this I can only assume slows progress down with less money available to spend on space programs. I would put space exploration high up on the list of priorities, its something that captures the imagination. For me looking at the bigger picture always allows you to see in perspective and there is no bigger picture than that of the solar system and beyond.

This gallery intrigued me for a while, especially No3, really shows how much more there is out there:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/09/around_the_solar_system.html

Thats enough deep thought for now, my heads starting to ache.

Image in public domain under creative commons:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Alien.png/435px-Alien.png

World cup blues

2010-06-23T13:58:00.007+01:00

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last couple of weeks you will have noticed that the football world cup is on. Lets get this straight from the outset I am not a football fan in any way, shape or form so the whole importance that the world cup is given (over any other sporting event) is way beyond me.

Is Football more than a game?
For me a game is something that can be turned off at the end of the day and normal life can resume, nothing more than a source of entertainment. A great description of the core game given below from the guardian article [1].

"22 people running around in pursuit of a little round object, while a lot more people scream at them to do it better"

But as football in particular has grown to be so large it is virtually unavoidable in everyday life and therefore has outgrown the game status. Like many popular sports football is equally about what happens off the pitch. Is has grown into a source of employment for thousands of people, it contributes to the global economy and no need to mention the amount of media coverage it generates.

Many people can make there living from football, using it as a way to make money alternatively it can lose people lots of money too betting on the results. When you think about it the choice of whether you follow the 'game' can shape the relationships you form. Playing it with school mates could make life long friends or just get you in the wrong crowd.

As we get older especially I think its important to remind ourselves that for the average follower it is just a game, a source of entertainment and that our lives outside the game is the story we should really be involved with. Hope there was some sense in that post I guess I wrote it as the England vs Germany game seemed to give half the country an excuse to sit and watch then moan about it for the next week.

See:
[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/02/debate-football-just-a-game

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

2010-06-12T09:36:00.005+01:00

A good film in my view is one that is able to get you thinking and stimulates multiple emotions. 'The Boy In Striped Pyjamas' [Mark Herman] does both the above in bucket loads. Based of the story of the same title, it is set in Nazi Germany during the second world war and the main characters are a Nazi commander and his family.

Initially it was slightly confusing that all the characters had English accents but you learn to look past that fairly quickly.

I recommend watching the film as I believe it really puts the events of the Holocaust into a frighteningly real perspective. I think the film was historically accurate which made it even more chilling. It left me wondering what would happen until about the last 15 minutes when the ending is virtually given to the audience leaving them with a sense of dread.

The main theme of the film is truth, there are many examples that can be given including the level of understanding of the two Children of the events that were happening in the concentration camps. Like in the real Nazi education children were taught that the Nazi regime was right and that the Jews were the enemy.

The boys meetings between the fence shown how little both sides knew about the truth, Bruno (commandants son) was seeing the truth but still never understood the whole story, he clearly was used to a very sheltered childhood. The way the film ends really makes you think about the way you view people differently and who you end up feeling most sympathy for.

So all in all if you like a little bit of drama this one definitely provides that, and you won't be able to get it out your mind for at least a couple of days. Like this sort of film? Another one I recommend seeing is 'The Pianist' [Roman Polanski].

Songs about Sunshine!

2010-05-12T09:04:00.002+01:00

Just something sunny on the run up to summer, 6 songs which have Sunshine in the title.

Berri - Sunshine through the rain

Bill Withers - There ain't no sunshine when shes gone

Katrina & The Waves - I'm walking on sunshine

Cream - Sunshine of your love

Lesley Gore - Sunshine Lollipops

Elizabeth Mitchell - You are my Sunshine

Seagull

2010-04-20T18:43:00.001+01:00

Whenever I think of the sounds of the seafront I think of the sound of amusement arcades, the waves brushing across the pebbles and the seagulls. I like how fitting this song is with the photo I took a couple of years back on Brighton Pier.

“Seagull, you fly across the horizon
Into the misty morning sun.
Nobody asks you where you are going,
Nobody knows where you're from.
Here is a man asking the question
Is this really the end of the world?
Seagull, you must have known for a long time
The shape of things to come.
Now you fly, through the sky, never asking why,
And you fly all around 'til somebody, Shoots you down.”

Bad Company – Seagull

April Fools

2010-04-02T22:16:00.001+01:00

I’m posting this one day late as if I would have posted yesterday no-one would have believed anything I wrote, well that and I just forgot!

I like the idea of April fools day, a day (or half) where people can see the lighter side of life and teaches everyone an important life lesson – to not believe everything your told but also to not take everything so seriously. Even if the person being pranked doesn’t see the funny side. It gets people thinking, the most creative ideas executed well always are great even if you will no longer trust that person like you used to.

The thing with pranks is that they have got to be done in a joking manner and not bring any long term harm. As with everything however people overstep the mark and it can become a genuine act of unkindness. Here people are putting sharp objects into food from a supermarket, I cannot understand why anyone in their right mind would do that.

For me its not something I have ever thought about far enough in advance to plan a proper prank or sometimes even noticed that it was the 1st April until after 12 noon. Perhaps I would have known about it if I had gone into student halls last year. Never mind always next year.

See : http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/ for a list of top pranks

The lost diary

2010-03-31T16:29:00.003+01:00

Here's the extended version of my previous post 'Jungle of calm and order'.
I was going to do this in watercolour but as all I had with me was coloured pencils I stuck to them this time. I added a few little dandelions to the tall grass to give it a bit more variety. I tried too keep the warmth of the original idea, unfortunately this doesn't show as clearly in the photograph.

The foreground I wanted to keep sharp so I used a soft 6B pencil to create a dark outline amongst the grass in the very front beyond that it is much more loose. The house and diary make it a little more thought provoking.

Jungle of calm and order

2010-03-24T22:18:00.005Z

Jungle of calm and order [Pencil Colour]

Keep it real please!

2010-03-24T20:33:00.005Z

Generally the posts on my blog are supposed to have some sort of positive outlook but every now and again I need to have a little rant. The target of my annoyance (and often is) this time is facebook. Yes I am a member but I hate most things about it!

People who make stupid groups to just get members
People who join these stupid groups just to be a member of 1000's of groups
Pointless status updates
Constant soppy updates about missing there boy/girlfriend despite only having seen them 20 minutes ago
The use of the term lol and most other txt speak
The word 'Facebook'
The way it is taking over society
People who you never spoke to adding you as a friend, probabily to do some spying
People with 1,000,001 photos of themselves taken from a mobile phone especially showing there chest off (male or female)
Fake profiles
The term 'deactivate' rather than 'delete' as I gather they keep all your information until you eventually come crawling back

Ok then here's the positive part, what I actually like about Facebook

Genuinely helpful news articles
Easy to keep in contact with friends
Most things in one place
It will be old news some day and people will stop making such a fuss (fingers crossed)

I often browse through the latest technology news and more and more often finding these stories on how people have used Facebook to do all there social laundry or how something on Facebook is the height of importance.

I think at the root of my irritation over Facebook is that when It becomes a part of (and detracts from) of anything outside Facebook itself. An few examples: real life career compromises. The constant reporting of what you do in your life rather than just living the moment and keeping it between those who where there. The need to check updates over doing other activities when round friends houses.

Do social networks make us less social?See: http://bokardo.com/archives/does-social-software-make-us-less-social/
Two sides of the story really that Social networking sites allow us to more easily contact our friends and make arrangements however does the sheer amount of time spent on them leave us less time to actually meet with friends?

I would say that it was only fairly extreme cases where it decreases our time we actually spend with friends in person. If it wasn't this it would be something else to take up our spare time, on the opposite end of the scale I also believe that it doesn't increase the regularity of our offline meetings either as we have mobile phones to contact friends anytime we want. Please note anyone who has a different opinion please comment on this post.

Rant over.

Mega Cities

2010-03-23T18:23:00.008Z

"The world's mega-cities are merging to form vast "mega-regions" which may stretch hundreds of kilometres across countries and be home to more than 100 million people."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/22/un-cities-mega-regions

I'm sure it doesn't take a UN report to tell us that when cities keep expanding eventually they will meet but it is a really horrible thought not being able to escape from the concrete jungle for miles and miles.

The massive growth of the population over the last 100 or so years, in fact the increase is so much that people have seen the world population double in their lifetime from just over 3 billion in 1960 to over 6 billion in 2008. This is down to the reduction in disease rates and agricultural advancements. This only heightens the rate at which our cities spread out eating up what was once green breathing space.

The disappearance of countryside in UK

I would hate to live anywhere in which I could not easily walk into the peacefulness of the countryside. This is one of the reasons why I chose Brighton over London to study because it has lots of rolling hills to the north and the beach to the south. In which I can go and escape to in my free time after being trapped up in a building all week.

I think as kids we all looked forwards to family trips to country parks, walking the dog, taking a picnic, walks through forests and just appreciating what nature has to offer. Even on the days where the weather isn't so great the greenery always does a good job to brighten it up. It does the soul good to get outside and all those problems that you could spent hours worrying about in the office are put into perspective.
Walks around the UK

I think it is a great shame when people don't know the area around them, simply jumping into the car and driving them same routes to work, shopping centre and everyday destinations. Have a sense of adventure and when you have a day free instead of sitting down staring at a screen all day go out and experience your surroundings. You don't have to live near a well known designated walking route to go exploring. I have been surprised many times what I have found when I go out even just around the edges of the town.

A note of caution that while most places are safe there will always be those that aren't make sure that if you are walking through farmland/ fields that they are not privately owned. There may be a reason the field is not open to the public like if animals are kept there they may not always be friendly. Also take care when taking on steeper terrain and if the path looks a too bigger risk turn back especially if you have no-one with you.

More information on Safety

Pebbles

2010-03-21T23:07:00.005Z

Pen Drawing [March 2010]
I started this piece to experiment with textures using only a blue biro, I like the depth in the picture however a little scruffy round the edges. Difficulties in creating this piece were getting each of the pebbles to smoothly blend with each one another. Replicating all the different textures especially smooth and continuous lines was difficult to do without making them too dark.

[Original Photo]

Art

2010-03-21T17:10:00.007Z

I have been drawing and painting for numerous years now and I passed my A-Level art exams after which I decided to continue my art only for personal enjoyment and not have to have the pressure of deadlines and constraints in my work. Art is not about the grades for me it's about the enjoyment and fulfillment.

That's not saying that it was a waste of time doing the course I did as it taught me a great deal about what makes good art. The great thing about art is all you need is an open imagination, a pencil and something to work on. Most people I speak to have a very negative attitude towards art - either you can or you can't and what they should realise is that there is no such word as can't.

There is probably very little comparison in the skills I have now compared to two years ago and two years before that. You don't have to be naturally gifted with the ability to draw or start from when you are two years old. Like anything the more practice you have the better you will become, it is a great journey to embark on where your progress is easy to see through the work you produce.

Aside from the outcome art is about the thought processes which is very therapuetic, how I interpret the world will be different from anyone else. The fact that no two drawings can be the same is very humbling, every small stroke makes up the big picture and just because my work is different from someone else's it isn't wrong in fact it is encouraged.

I can't understand people who are afraid to be a little bit different and who would always look for a written answer to an open question rather than use there own thoughts to make suggestions. For those who have always thought of Art as being too difficult why not give it another go? The Main point is to start off simple, just choosing your favorite picture may just lead to frustration that it doesn't look how you imagined. The best thing is to start simple, you wouldn't learn to drive in a 18 wheel truck.

Use an image/ subject that has simple lines and smooth textures to start with. Examples may be a bottle, a door or something small like a pencil sharper. Observing the form and getting the perspective right are the first things you may concentrate on. One tip I would give is if you do get frustrated while drawing you may have the temptation to reach for the eraser, this isn't always nessesary especially with more complex pieces, if it looks wrong it could just be because you havn't drawn enough of the shape for it to look right. It may be best to continue and then even if it was wrong you will have a better idea of where the correct place would be.

Once everything is in perspective shading is key to making an image stand out, experiment with different techniques, you may wish to even draw the same object at different points in the day if using natural light or if you have an adjustable lamp that is ideal for the study of shadow. With pieces that require a range of tones (light & dark shadows) a range of different grades of pencil maybe a worthwhile investment.

But overall art is a very personal thing and it doesn't matter if it doesn't look right to anyone else, your work is personal to you. It's about thinking outside the box and while I and anyone else can give you advice it is up to you if you listen!

Higher Education

2008-08-08T16:12:00.005+01:00

Today I will discuss the topic that has dominated my thoughts over the last month and that is Higher Education (University). I am leaving for Brighton in September as are thousands of others to embark on there courses. I am studying Maths and Computing in which think will give me the best mix of what I want to do and what looks good to employers.

Last year I spent studying for my A levels within small groups, I realised there are many benefits that come with being in small groups. The help and support you get is much better, I fear that when I start university this will no longer be the case. Large lecture halls where the lecturers don't even know your name. One reason I chose Brighton is because the ratio of staff to students ratio is higher than the other universities near to where I want to be.

So before you even finish your exams you should have applied and probably have accepted an offer from your university which does put a extra pressure on as you need to keep everything on track. After that I made the mistake of not giving the time to think about deadlines for uni and that is why i didn't get the option for halls, not that that was a bad thing (Further explanation below).

After an eventful (to say the least) time getting a room we finally managed to get it sorted last week after some twists and turns. One thing I must point out is that the private accommodation is actually cheaper than the university halls i found out which i found surprising as the rooms in the halls aren't exactly luxury. The room which i have found is unusually brilliant, walking distance from the university and a short cycle into town, the unusual thing is it is a top floor flat which i wasn't expecting but it turns out that isn't a bad thing as the space is massive. I was initially thinking that it would be harder to find accommodation than it was, I suppose we got in early enough for them still to be available. Also it was interesting to find out that they charge oversees students more for the halls and they are the ones with a higher priority which wasn't impressive. Probably why I couldn't get into them either =)

So my advice for anyone reading this is to keep on top of all deadlines, have a look at a website like studentpad at the prices of what they have on offer, it may be that like it was for me, going private is the better option for accommodation. The course and accommodation is only half of the preparation that is needed though, as it is going to be a massive lifestyle change there are lots of other little things to prepare for, like if your going self-catered then you've got 3 meals a day to think about, then there's transport (which i am going full on cycling as it will be much cheaper). Also the management of money and just everyday living tasks. All very exciting but much preparation needed at the same time.

If your undecided on weather to go to university I would always say to set that as your target as it will give you the best chance of success. Out of my whole year group i don't think that many have/ will continue there education to this level and its a shame as we where one of if not the best year group in the schools history.

I chose Brighton as it felt right for me, London wasn't really an option as its too big and industrial, i liked the thought of being by the sea and the fact that Brighton is still a city so has everything i could need. Despite its reputation as the gay capital which some people can't see past, it should be ideal for me to learn many life-lessons as well as maths lessons!

Musical Taste

2008-07-05T19:46:00.009+01:00

Firstly a little bit about my musical tastes, I used to be very open to anything but when I really started to listen to music it very quickly narrowed down. My first interests were sparked by video games, especially GTA Vice City which I have always had a soft spot for 80's music as it generally the music seemed to appeal to me more as it was usually upbeat.

After that I got more into the modern age divolgeing into rock music this time influenced by Grand Turismo 4, I came accross this song called Wow by Snow Patrol and eventually I bought my first 'real' CD - Final Straw. Which is probabily still one of my favorites along with there next release Eyes Open, I cannot recommend them enough they are albums that you can put on and listen to the whole way through without skipping tracks.

Anyway apart from that I now listen to rock radio and all my songs in media player are in the following genres; rock, alternative, indie, metal, other, slow rock, hard rock, punk or pop ... which is mostly 80's or rock anyway! Any mention of rap, rnb, dance trance and i completly switch off.

Update (2010)
Now reviewing this post over a year since posting and having lived away from home once agian my tastes are heading back in time. 70's rock music has grown on me more and my CD collection is far more diverse, still nothing that isn't rock but names such as The Doors, ZZ Top and Van Halen I now listen too alot.

Todays music just has no appeal to me and even a couple of years ago there used to be one or two songs I half liked in the charts but these days there is nothing. Bands like JLS where a surprise to me as I thought the country had seen enough of those cheesy 90's boy-band types but it appears it has come around agian.

However in all the modern musical depression there is a light, the fact that many bands are coming back and playing gigs again revives some of my faith in music. Bands such as Bad Company and ZZ Top, ELP playing the High Voltage Festival.

Photo editing for free

2008-07-04T18:06:00.007+01:00

Today you get lots and lots of free editing software through with your digital camera or online which I don't know about the more expensive models but the cheaper ones the software is rubbish. So here in a first of freebies is my recommendations for photo editing software.

FotoFlexer

In recent times the amount of editors available online have increased, the effects they give are also excellent for people who want to have some fun with their pictures. A lot are available to everyone with NO sign up, NO downloads and my computer can cope with the application with out freezing (And my computer isn't exactly the fastest!). I mention FotoFlexer in particular because the features that attracted me to this one were; The amount of effects that can be applied, The range of tools that allow the user to edit individual parts of the image rather than the whole thing like the smudging tool and the range of distortion tools. Also the ability to layer images which is similar to Photoshop which obviously is very costly where as this nifty website does it for free. Lots of big name websites have teamed up with these editors including Photobucket, Flickr and Myspace.

Other editors include; Lunapic and Picnik

My rating: *****

Picasa2

This one is well known my many but still i haven't found much better from Google, it allows you to organise your photos easily and quickly. It then allows you to edit images and/ or combine them in a collage. The features for editing are good but out done by Photoflexer, the soft focus and choice of tones and the cropping tool is good too. All very simple to use and because it is a downloaded programme rather than running from your browser it runs quickly. Professional image, usable by anyone.

My rating: ****

Photoshop free trial

This is one of the best editors out there that money can buy, however I have only given it 3 stars, why? Well one is the cost, i still put it on this list as there is a free trial for 30 days. However it took ageeeeeessssss on my PC to download and get going and first you do have to register to get the trial. After getting setup it is more complex to use than the others i recommend and a lesser computer knowledged person may not be able to cope with it, only because I had some previous experience working with Photoshop was i able to use it. It is very commonly used by professional photographers to touch up there photos. The last reason this was given 3 stars is because it is only a trial and it always goes quicker than you expect. If you are using this editing software for fun stick to the first two.

My rating: ***

If you really want to create something unique a combination of these editors will definitely get you there sticking to the first two is probably the better option for most. Also while on the subject of photo editing don't ignore MS Paint if your running Windows! As simple a programme as it is I use it quite a lot for simple tasks like adding text and putting bits together, although you can only undo a couple of steps it still can solve problems that most other editors would make very difficult or impossible.

More information at
Photo editing software review - Reviews the top editing software on the market, Picasa is 9th being the only free one in the top 10.

Explanation of photo editing techniques at wikipedia - Helpful for beginners for an intro in what can be done

The best sport beginning with F is....

2008-07-03T12:06:00.005+01:00

Taking a break from the heavy politcal stuff i have been yabbering on about recently to talk about something a little more relaxed!
Formula 1 of course! It's the british grand prix this weekend and a sell out crowd. It dosn't take a genius to work out who most of the crowd will be cheering for (Lewis). But my loyalities lay with Kimi as do many others here in England.

The greatest thing about motor racing unlike most other sports is that you can see the top teams fighting against each other every other weekend where as in a sport like football the top 4 teams only play each other a couple of times a year.

My earliest memory of F1 is the 2001 spanish GP where Mika Hakkinen lost it on the final lap due to mechanical failure, Leaving Mr Schumacher to win (agian). After that I saw Kimi brave it out through a cloud of smoke still on full throttle and his speed and nature have lead me to wave the finnish flag instead. Probabily my biggest 'projects' is my fansite where I have made a big collection of resources and information of Kimi's career. The main reason is being part of the worldwide fanbase Kimi has. I speak to people from all over the world from Sweeden to Latvia.

I havn't ever been to a race and that is what I would like to do for my 21st, as for this weekend though its watching it on the box and seeing it all by pictures. I have got my feet on the ground still here and realise that Im not actually going to become a racing driver but watching the professionals battle it out is just as satisfying.

More views on F1 will be posted throughout the year.

My perfect world

2008-07-02T14:30:00.006+01:00

Communism - Is it all that bad?
Can't we all just live as one? My thoughts on this are being formed from the basic Human life idea in which we are all one type of animal which has been gifted the intelligence that we have. A large group of people to oversee all countries. They can then have the ability to have an overview and share out the worlds resources to give everyone no matter where they live a house and a way to survive.

Communism - A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state. (Dictionary.com)

Unfortunately with that intelligence comes power and it is human nature to want to assert and gain as much power as one can. Why was the world divided into countries that has put a divide between people. Most of the worlds borders have been decided through battle which if we all lived as one species then it would illuminate the need for territorial possession. It would also stop corrupt governments in certain countries.

The problems with equality and communism is why should some one running a business (and taking the risks associated with that) earn just as much as his or her employees? There would be little motivators for business and the economy to develop. So what if you introduce incentives? Well that would then unbalance society again and the people who thrive in the start will then benefit while others will fail to do so and therefore create a class system which communism tries to eliminate. So clearly that's what will dismiss communism as being the best way to live. I believe it would work in smaller areas but on a large scale It just isn't going to work.

Removing all barriers...
Taking out all the problematic barriers that would obviously be faced with communism I will just brainstorm some fantasised ideas which may get you thinking. Firstly linking to my previous post on immigration would it be beneficial, if everyone had more or less equal living conditions to separate nations again so that one race lives only with its own? Is it good to have competition between nations? Do the ultra rich deserve the money and should there be a cap on how much celebrities in particular can earn? Do the people who are on benefits and don't work because they can't be bothered have the right to get as much as someone who works full time? Should governments be forced to be open to there people and what would you do about corruption at the top of governments? Are you happy with the world as it is?

Defentiately some interesting thoughts there and probabily was a little too ambious to try and think of a fool proof plan. After all if there was a way for everyone to be equal wouldn't it have been done by now? Happy thoughts and have a good day people!

Immigration

2008-07-02T14:27:00.008+01:00

This is clearly a very controversial issue within Britain today so I thought I would move it forward on my list as It was relating to everything I was writing about.

Where is the line?
Clearly there is a line to who Britain allows in the country but at the moment there is far more in the country than the government allowed for. I understand people wanting to come to this country if it is going to offer them a better life, now the world has become far easier to travel it is far more possible for people to move around. And that is the way the world is going as people from poorer countries come to Britain people from Britain are choosing to go to hotter climates so many more locations in the world will become multi-national communities. Many places in London now have far more non-English children in the class than children from a white-British origin. And as hard as some people will find this to cope with living with people from far away they are just going to have to deal with it as it looks to continue.

It does benefit the economy when the people coming over are skilled, especially when there are shortages over here. But when they come over here and don't work, taking tax payers money that is where I think that's where the line is (or should be) that's is where there own government should be helping them out. Obviously that's more of a difficult task than it seems with some governments, especially in the developing world.

Should people have a right to live where they want?
This is the section which is completely my opinion, I believe that everyone should have the same opportunities, no matter where you live. Unfortunately that will be only a dream as the amount of poverty and bias in where the money lays is unfair and always will be. Most kids in poor countries know how important school is and they do anything to get in. Where as in developed countries we take it for granted and all too often forget the fortunate position we are in and abuse the resources we have. Then after education the job prospects are a million times better in London than Zimbabwe (for example). So obviously everyone would rather live in the best spots but everyone can't due to over crowding. So what’s the best solution?

As a quick and simple conclusion there shouldn't be a need for immigration if people where happy living where they are. That’s why I would suggest a more even world with basic ideas taken from communism but not quite as extreme equality and for the to be a big group having a overview and to make the best decisions for everyone, more on this in the next post.

Gang Culture

2008-07-02T14:03:00.002+01:00

Taking a quick break from my list I will take a quick minute to mention a hot current issue surrounding the gang culture in London especially. Channel 4 is currently broadcasting programmes on this subject exactly.

Black culture In London
I was surprised when I visited for the first time just how large the black population in London is. I think I got a greater idea for how diverse the range of nationalities are. Now after there fore-fathers had settled here when Britains borders where open. Since then the government have closed the gates and gaining permission to live in the UK became much more difficult. Discrimination against the black community set in because of what was being said in the media and because it wasn't what people were used to. Today there is a lot of poverty within the black community and this is thought to be one reason for the association with crime.

Gang Culture
Tony Blair last year made some outspoken remarks about the amount of knife crime committed by young black boys being out of proportion to others. I can see why he said these things as there is a culture of gangs and violence amongst them. If that is something that originates from the countries they came from or something that has just developed in London I‘m not sure.

After watching a programme on channel 4 on this topic exactly hearing views of those in this situation of gangs, stabbings and death. Much of it I all ready knew really it wasn’t anything particularly shocking. However what was interesting is that they too don’t want it to be like it is. They would rather get rid of the weapons and rivalry. Clearly the next generation is important to target to stop this escalating further outside the city. I know from around my area that people do get influenced by this behaviour. Associations I instantly make with these people are; Rap Music, Hoodies, Tracksuits and they are outspoken and also there ‘accent’ if that’s what you want to call it and words used unique.

Protection was probably the main reason why they carried knifes another main issue is that of friendships and getting others to respect your power given by carrying a weapon. This has only lead to a competition almost to who can have the biggest, most powerful weapon. In the current environment I believe we haven’t seen the end of it yet I believe there are still a few critical points to happen before people can move on and end this culture of gangs. Usually these points are because of death and this case could be no exception. As one of the boys pointed out on the programme, it’s no good just taking the knifes away from people because they only have to reach to the kitchen cupboard to get another one. What is needed is a national programme to change attitudes. These gangs have been split geographically by what area they live in. Why be so territorial? Why can’t we go into other areas? What exactly are they protecting? These I don’t know the answers to

Housing

2008-06-25T10:58:00.011+01:00

This is such a wide area to talk about and is rather general so I will focus on the lack of affordable housing and if new houses where built where should they go?

KENT is set for a huge increase in housing with thousands of new homes to be built in the county over the next few years.

There is a very fine line on building new houses, on one side there is the need for more as the population continues to grow. More affordable housing is also in great demand as house prices have rose year on year way above the increase in wages. All this leads to people staying at home longer while saving to buy a house.

A big factor effecting the housing market is immigration, a topic for another day to discuss in detail as it is a massive issue in Britain today. The government have been shown to be more than sympathetic with them in finding them housing. To what extend I don't know but it puts a massive squeeze on the market especially as there are still people that are classified as homeless who should get priority to find a place to stay asap. Its all very well people coming over here and sharing there skills but its another 10,20,30000... houses that are needed. And where are they going to be put? I think as many existing estates should be redeveloped as possible and planned so that as little of the unspoiled countryside isn't eaten up. The last thing i would want is to be going for miles and not getting away from buildings, that is also why I wouldn't want to live in a big city.

Apart from housing the government must make sure that if the houses are going to be placed there the services and facilities are adequate as the more houses services like Police, Hospitals, Doctors etc are responsible for the service will suffer as a result. In my experience the current levels are already high for waiting lists for hospitals and it is impossible to get a dental service on the NHS in many areas.

Entertainment and Business also needs to be encouraged to give people somewhere to go to create a community rather than just a housing estate. These will also aid keep crime down, especially further north I have seen areas which have been almost deserted and its them sort of places which should be focused on redeveloping and reusing the land. After all we do live on a rather small island so the most needs to made of the land we do have.

Luckily there is groups out there that specialise in these sorts of issues. They work to make sure everything is done sustainably and help also give locals a voice in what happens in there area. The UK has a unique character that needs to be sustained and putting too many new buildings all over the place would have a negative effect on the landscape.

The last point I will make here is to the future of housing developments and as most other things in the modern world environmental issues are taking a larger effect on the planning and development of the buildings. Such things as Eco towns are in the pipelines and will probably use more effective techniques to construct and be more efficient in the use of resources. So in my area, much like the rest of the UK the housing production will continue to cover the landscape as long as I don't wake up one morning and find I am living in a brickyard with no greenery.

Violent Video Games

2008-06-24T16:11:00.006+01:00

How bigger effect do violent games actually have on someone? This will always vary from one person to another. One thing is age, yes some 10 year old's will be able to handle playing a 18 game. I believe if the context of that game is fighting or bullying this is far worse than a shooting game which may include gorey graphics. Especially if the bully is presented as the cool kid I think that may the have an effect.

Are they a reason why someone would kill another? This one probably has more to do with mental stability, if the person is unstable to start with that is the only reason I think a game would have that effect on you. Playing it on a screen and physically doing it are two completely different things.

Why I don't think computer games should be a big part of any child's life. Especially primary school age, healthy natural play is far more beneficial. I was reading a healthily lifestyle magazine the other day and could agree more that as much as possible Kids should exercising either their bones or their brains with stimulating activities. When they get a little older this should then create a habit for them to continue with sports especially and using there mind creatively. This will encourage a healthier life style reducing the risk of disease and unhappiness.

On the other hand, Computer games are a great way to learn, there is lots i have gained from playing. They have developed a healthy interest in music not too mention they are great when there is nothing else to do. I spend generally less time on them now than I used to and believe there is much more beneficial things to do and they should just be a relaxation tool. They can provide a great insight into various scenarios and provide knowledge and understanding of previously unexplored areas. They can also be a work of art and an inspiration to others, especially with the third generation consoles out the graphics are stunning. Taking games like The Sims and Need For Speed where the player has endless choices to create something (however small) themselves is another form of using creativity. Challanging games like Sim City (which i have never got the full hang of) I also believe would benefit someone by playing increasing logic skills and puzzle solving.

Original Image

Why I blog

2008-06-23T11:29:00.012+01:00

About Blogging
Blogging really took off a couple of years ago as people started to write things down about there passion/ career/ life etc. One thing lead to another and as it spread now just about anyone writes to a blog from scientists noting down research for colleges to look at to a fisherman explaining different techniques and subjects on his topic. You don't need any skills to blog, the limits of the blog are the limits in your mind.

The Benefits
Stress relief I believe is the short term benefit, your mind thinking about what it wants to is very relaxing and is great to have the time to yourself to think about what you have done and what could be changed. This leads me onto the second point in this part, the ability to reflect and therefore see what could be better which then leads (hopefully) to a more positive outlook over a longer period of time and a more successful one at that. The last main benefit that I am aware of is what you are creating in the process which you can then look through years in the future and show others to learn from your experiences.

Why I blog
I started blogging for two reasons; to keep a record of my life so i can look back on these years later in life and secondly for fun. I never really liked English or reading and writing in school but I find blogging much more relaxed allowing me to get whatever is on my mind onto the screen. It also helps to build writing skills and if you have a big problem to think it through, if you blog with several friends then they can help and give advice in a more formal and thought out way (and vice versa). I will also be able to remember in much more detail what I actually did over the last year which will make my life feel more accomplished.

The main other purpose which relates to the second point is that blogging exercises my creative instincts, I can write about anything, I could make up a whole story or some other form of creative writing with out having that pressure that it has to be correct, as long as it sounds good to me then I'm happy.

Horny teenagers!

2008-06-23T11:27:00.000+01:00

This is something getting more and more under my skin is how everything seems to have a sexual reference. It also struck me how some have got addicted to social networking where they just look up complete strangers that are of the opposite gender in the local-ish area. For me i think it should happen naturally, you meet someone, get to know them then move in etc... It just dosn't seem that romantic this online dating thing, epecially pre 18!

Then talking about chatting people up online, on runescape of all places you get people wanting to get under you iron plate skirt if you wear one! Cant we even play a game without getting wierdos chatting you up? Apprantly not

Then i done some further investigation and he told then next girl he went onto a different story than he told me. What was he aiming to get out of it? Her MSN, got knows how old he actually was. Creep.

Listen to music for free

2008-06-23T11:24:00.000+01:00

We7
We7 and soon to be Qtrax are websites for downloading FREE MP3 MUSIC that has has been making big news recently. I've just signed up and can't help but be over the moon about the idea and how it works.

The music you are downloading is paid for by the sponsors/ advertisements. The only drawback is a short ad at the start of every song, of which after about 30 seconds you soon forget. But to be honest with you the advantages outway that, first it's safer to stream music from these site that illegally download (less chance of viruses), the download speeds are excellent, the choice of music is ever expanding.
http://www.we7.com/

Update: We7 has now largely closed it's library function to free users. It has the same themed radio function like that of last.fm. So you can still listen to free music just not many tracks of your own choosing (50 per month).

Qtrax
Qtraxs is a downloadable program like limewire but the music IS legal and they claim to have over 25 millions songs. Qtrax never became avaliable in the UK, which is a shame. However the european alternative is Spotify, which now is also avaliable in the US.
http://www.qtrax.com/

Spotify
Originally there was a waiting list for download to somehow try and make it more exclusive or boycott legislation or something. Now that has gone, however in it's replacement Spotify limits the number of times we can listen to each track to a maximum of 5 and a total monthly listenting limit of 10 hours. This is clearly something that will put a lot of people off, Spotify has become more of a shop window for buying music rather than a full time player.
http://www.spotify.com/

Youtube
With the other free music providers starting to restrict music listening to those who pay YouTube once again appears to be one of the best ways to listen to favorite tracks. With the introduction of playlists you can keep the music playing rather than having to select each song individually. Most artists now have their offical pages with adverts before the video but there are still good quality user submitted content.
http://www.youtube.com/

Sign up on WE7 is quick and easy and there is a complete list of bands in alphabetical order and a search function available. When searching don't expect many of your top bands to appear at the moment, the day that a brand like Universal music signs up, like it has done at youtube then the choice will be as good as searching on limewire.

Updated: 29/09/11

Music pirates 'should be banned from internet'

2008-06-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's report on downloads in 2007 shown only 1 in 20 music tracks were paid for. So Limewire is obviously one of if not the biggest problem for them. If the Internet companies gave information gave information out about the sites clients use then the agency could be able to ban people from using the Internet. The service provides aren't wanting to do that as obviously if they were the first to do so they would lose virtually all their customers. So even if the list was produced, millions upon millions of people do it, are they going to try to police the whole Internet. We need to try to avoid the Internet becoming like the roads (in the UK at least) where it is a constant battle that drivers feel they are continuously being picked on to be taxed and fined. Imagine if you started getting fine for downloading or a court appearance for uploading copyrighted content to youtube.

On the other hand it is technically unfair on artists who cannot sell albums because everyone is sharing the one copy uploaded to limewire by phil. Which then spreads, thinking about it this must be the biggest theat to the music industry in history as the next generation are just as bad if not worse than previous. Interestingly the amount of internet sales as in legal downloads has risen (not enough to swallow the loss in the CD sales). Normally its around 17p a track that isn't really much to give, having the option to not have the whole record is much better.

As far as I am concerned Internet radio is the best form of music on the internet, all the national radios have there own websites and online radio. See an earlier post on DAB digital radio for more information.

Camera's on phones

2008-06-23T11:15:00.000+01:00

Is it a good thing to have a camera on a mobile phone, they've been around for a little while now, i'm personally against them, i think that is technology going a step to far. They are mostly used to take crappy little, (if i may say) pictures of friends in a million stupid little poses and the pictures then are set as phone wallpapers or uploaded to the net (i.e. bebo, myspace). But for some they can be used to film violent attacks on other's (happy slapping). I think if you really want a camera it should be carried separate from the phone. The only time i can think which it may be good to have a camera on you all the time if it is an emergency situation and you can record an event for evidence, which really your not going to pay the extra for that reason. Speaking of evidence, if you are stupid enough to use it to film yourself (or a friend) breaking the law it will also be used as evidence! (No sympathy for the people who do that!). Phone companies are using this feature more and more to sell there phones bragging about the camera technology. Even worse now they come with these stupid little frames to play with it just takes away from the beauty and art photographs portray. Please if you do read this don't buy a phone for its camera, buy a proper camera!

Review of DAB Digital radio

2008-06-23T11:02:00.000+01:00

I bought myself a digital radio today, only a standard thirty quid model. The coolest thing apart from the extra rock channels is the little display showing all sorts of details about the show and station. One bad point is that as part of the advertisement for DAB is that unlike analogue radio, digital is crackle free. However this does not make it excempt from reception issues which it still suffers from. In that respect radio will always be radio; its something you will probably never get away from.

The sound quality itself might be improved however not to a noticable level through small speakers. Overall a good investment, I can see the advantage over normal radio but if you have a FM radio station that suits your listening pleasures I wouldn't go through extra efforts to switch to DAB as all stations are still the same sort of content as normal stations and unless theres one particular station that appeals to you then you are likely to go back to your old FM station before too long.

The power of the mind

2008-06-23T10:59:00.000+01:00

The mind is a great and powerful thing, I believe you control your own destiny and your life is not mapped out. Its the on the spot decisions and months and years of activity that shape our lives. However there are a couple of things that are out of our control, mainly and this is the biggest completely uncontrollable factor is the family you are born into. The influences and surroundings you are in when young will shape your life to an extent. If your born into the poorest of the poor in an African country then there is very little that can be done to full fill potential. If there is potential to exploit and the opportunity to make the most of it then that is a personal thing to whether the most is made.

What I am referring to is what I see on a daily basis, people doing the minimum required of them to get through life, sometimes less. In terms of school work i am talking about as it is will decide everything that is to follow. There are a few exceptions i.e entrepreneurs who may leave school and have the drive to succeed. For the other 99% though education is what will make you. Kids in the UK still don't fully understand the benfit keeping on track with studies will have in the long run. Turning upto school to chat, play pointless internet games in lessons etc won't get them very far and the thing is they don't want to leave school at 16 they will get through GCSE's which the work they did do was enough to get some grades and continue to A levels to stay out of working (I.e take the easy route) but after that they are left with very little. University could be an option if they can afford it and they got somewhere. Which probabily is unliklely as they would have reailsed how hard the A levels, failing the first exams then having to retake agian and agian to look like they do actually want to pass. If they don't leave and look for an even easier option at college then they may decide to start working but with no real potential for promotion (unless they find the right employer).

The few that do it right will always feel the benefits in having a higher income and not having some of the worries that those who didn't think in school had. Its a very complex jump from school to further education or work and it is difficult to make all the right desisions. For me personally I feel i have done all i can to ensure my future is bright and i hope i will be feeling the benefits of this later in life. This also relates to my articale on positvity, if your mind is open then there is no limits its just having the sense in the first place to realise how important every thing is even in early years. Many don't realise it until adulthood that they prioritised wrong earlier in life when its too late. Make sure that youth isn't wasted on the young and find the right gear to your life finding the balance is a thing of the mind more than anything.

Is childhood the happiest time in your life?

2008-06-23T10:56:00.001+01:00

Today I will write about an question I heard on the news; Is childhood the happiest time in your life?
Well I will put forward two chains of thought on why it may or may not be. Firstly this will depend on individuals, some may have had a hard upbringing which would not provide a level playing field. While others may be ill in adulthood, for this article I will take this bias out and take a average life with no serious medical issues or external problems. The last thing that will heavily influence is the relationship within your family and with and between your parents. A marital split as most know can be catastrophic on a child’s mind, I am using the model of an average family with parents staying together to allow a "normal" (used vaguely) to take place.

Why childhood could be the best time; As a child you have less responsibility, less pressure from work. No bills to pay, you have that freedom within the home. Your body is also in a better state, though still developing you don't get the aches and pains that I forever hear adults talking about. School life is going to be an important factor in your memories of childhood, a good school life free from bullies and having a close group of friends always helps. A benefits of being a child from a physiological view could be answered by asking the question is ignorance bliss? As a child you are ignorant to most things, not understanding there true meaning, sometimes this may make us happier because you might not what to know these things. On the other hand not knowing them may make you life more difficult and challenging.
Reasons why childhood may not be the best time; As you get older the pressure increases, bills start coming in and you have less free time until you are retiring. But the advantages you do have over your childhood is freedom of choice, you can go out into town or to visit a friend without getting permission (Unless you still live with your parents at 40!). With the life experience behind you unknown circumstances come up far less often and everyday decisions are intuitive and less stressful in dealing with them. Relationships will be more solid as children go through more friends that hot dinners quite often.
So if childhood isn't the best time when is? Is it a time in between old(er) age and childhood? For many it is, those who study at university often claim it was the best time in their life. Others will feel there life keeps getting better the older they get, or there life reached the peak which isn't a good mindset to have as you may end up looking back all the time and it can be quite depressing that you will never have that life again. To sum up you only get one shot at living your life at each stage and each will have its different challenges to overcome and its enjoyable memories that will stay with you. No one will have the same experience though life and everyone’s journey is unique, life is what you make it.

Fade smoking out of your life

2008-06-23T10:47:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately smoking is something in which we still cannot escape, even today. It was in 1929 when statistical evidence first appeared that proved strong connections existed between smoking and lung cancer yet people still choose to smoke.

The good news is that in the last 60 years the percentage of people who smoke has been in constant decline (Cancer Research UK). I appreciate that quitting something that contains addictive substances will never be easy.

One of my biggest gripes with smoking is when teens start smoking. Particularly if it is for social reasons, I just don't understand why teenagers decide to start smoking. Putting a short stick in your mouth and inhaling the fumes and toxins that are inside, where is the fun in that?

Is it a cool thing to do because of celebrity endorsement and adverts? I’m glad the government is, if rather slowly, reducing the incentive to smoke. Increasing excise tax levels for cigarettes, I don’t think there is any more that can be done to persuade people to stop smoking. It has to be a personal choice, making cigarettes illegal would just mean people would start resorting to ever more dangerous and ‘underground’ ways of obtaining and smoking cigarettes.

Stop smoking schemes are important, especially for young people to prevent it before damage is done. If people are fully informed of the dangers and still choose to smoke then they’re a lost cause.

Laws regarding smoking in public places came in force in England in 2007 to protect employees who work in smoky environments (in particular pubs and clubs). Cigarette smoke has been shown to be just as dangerous for people within the same space.

Parents of small children who smoke have the responsibility to provide a smoke-free environment for their child. If they don’t they shouldn’t be allowed to have the child in their care. It’s just as bad as physical violence in my eyes.

Smoking is one of the few things in the world that I see no beneficial reason for its existence. To all those reading this who continue to smoke, give up before time runs out.

Positivity Rules

2008-06-23T10:41:00.000+01:00

This article a post on positive thinking so heres my thoughts on the benefits of having a positive mind, i've done it in bullet points which follow on from each other to show my thought process;

. First thought is positive people are generally happier in life and more open minded.

. One of the traits of a pessimist is swearing (of which i am agianst the use of unnecessary bad language) in the context of anger at mistakes. Using swear words in situations which aren't that bad indicate that the person sees a bigger loss and therefore tending to make a bigger thing out of it, creating a mindset that undermines what they are capable of. This therefore would discorage them from attempting new things in life because of a fear of failure.

. A positive mind also encouages an energy to do an activity well and will not give up so easily or see it as such a hard task because they went into the activity thinking that it will be completed. I believe it will make you a more successful person in all areas of life especially in your career, if people see a happy, motivated worker they will be more inclined to put you up for promotion (if the oppotunities exist) or even general attitude towards you will be better.

. Combined with a positive mindset the ability to step back and stay calm and asses situations is of great importance and for most is very difficult to do. The balanced thought process is hard find in such a biased world. The media inparticular have almost total influence on people opinions on big issues, but for small issues such as confrontation with someone on a day to day basisa positive mind will asses the situation and possibilites of why it might have happened to come to the right decision of what to do next. A wrong decision is made when you don't know all the infomation but thats another story.

. Positivity has been directly linked to longer life length as I guess if the mind is at ease it is under less stress and therefore keeps fresh for longer.

. The use of words will show how much of a positive person you are, if you are contantly saying "I won't be able to ... I can't ... Its too hard ... I've never been good at etc.." then it turns into a habbit and you will miss out on some of the finer things in life.

. A positive person will always encourage others to be positive, its all very well you looking on life as a positive thing but if you then dicourage others from doing what they think would be interesting and benefical then you are not helping them. If there plans seem unrealistic just suggest what they could change to increase the chances of success rather than tell them that it will not work.

. The best things to encourage a positive mind is to set goals and make sure they are achievable; don't set a goal to cycle 20 miles on your first ride as it will be tough and you are less likely to succeed. Set a goal of 5 miles and make sure you recognise that you have achieved that aim then you can build that up. The self-esteem benefits from achieving these goals will be lasting when life may get tough.

. Get out there, use a positive mind to start something new, this may be a sporting activity (I would recommend martial arts) but whatever sport it is good for the mind and the body. You will be feeling fitter after a few weeks.

. If you have any bad habbits they will be easier to tackle with a positive mind i.e. smoking which isn't easy at the best of times, with an open mind is easier to tackle.

That concludes my brainstorm on positivity and It is the right way to go, it is a gradual build up, you can't really change your mindset over night but over a medium term period it can happen. The sky is the limit with this one.

Note: These posts have been copied directly from an old blog of mine