All Star Departmental Video

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We thought it might be fun to make a video that gives you a tour of the department and shows you what we get up to. So we did. Camomile is the tour leader and does a wonderful job of showing you round the place. Kudos to Rachel for putting the whole thing together and making it look so good.

Warning: This report does not contain any flash photography, but there may be a cameo appearance from yours truly.

Watch "The Men Who Made Us Spend"

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I'm a dream target as far as advertisers are concerned. I like new shiny things and have got pretty good at rationalising my impulses to purchase gadgets. I don't buy a new game console, I "invest" in it. I reckon that if you do the maths you would probably discover that my shiny Xbox One purchase actually makes about as much commercial sense as buying shares in a bank. So I reckon I can call it an investment.

Anyhoo, I watched "The Men Who Made Us Spend" last night with more than a smidgen of interest. It told the story of how advertisers have turned us all into eternal children who can be provoked into impulse buying simply by showing us stuff in films and on TV. The presenter told the story of how the makers of the Star Wars films were the ones that first discovered this magical effect but I'm not too sure about that. I remember Thunderbirds.  

I, along with thousands of other schoolkids of the 1960s, were glued to to the antics of International Rescue, with their squad of numbered machines that made them very easy to order in toy shops. Which just happened to be full of them at the time. They even managed to corner the girls market too, with  Lady Penelope. I also remember my dad showing a keen interest in the program, and often reading my TV21 magazine before I did. And we were bonding over Men from Uncle movies and James Bond cars as well. 

"The Men Who Made Us Spend" made some very good points, but I think if they had gone a bit further back in time they would have discovered that this kind of thing has been going on since the point in human existence when we had a bit of spare cash jingling in our pockets. The scale has changed and the toys have changed but this stuff is all powered by human nature. And that hasn't changed for thousands of years.

The whole series is well worth seeing. I watched the episode while building a Lego Mini. Go figure. 

Most of Monty Python Mostly Live

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Monty Python Live.PNG

I was just a bit too young for Monty Python first time around. That is, the show was on telly, but dad wouldn't let me stay up to watch it. At the time I was mostly into radio comedy, being a huge fan of I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again.  I still have some reel-to-reel tapes of their shows in the loft. Now that was the proper stuff. And anyway, Spike Milligan and Q5 were already doing that kind of thing.

When I finally got round to watching the show (on the old black and white telly that we kept upstairs) I thought the first few seasons were marvelous. The structure was just amazing. They were supposed to be anarchic and wild but to me the best bit was the way that the various sketches were threaded together.

That linkage disappeared in the later seasons, when the cast discovered that their success was such that they could to turn up and shout at the camera to get huge laughs from a devoted fan base, but if you've not seen the first two seasons you really should seek them out, they are fantastic constructions of comic genius. 

Their earlier films brought back the tight structure again and of course I ended up with the books, records and whatnot over the years. The world of computing owes the comedy troupe a debt as well, the origins of "spam" email are the celebrated "spam with everything" sketch and the Python language is so named because the creator "Just likes Monty Python". 

And so we come to the live show this evening, either a cynical cash-in from once great performers or a chance to see the magic live again. Or perhaps a bit of both. But you have to go along, don't you?

We turned up at the cinema and were told that "due to a satellite fault" we would not be able to see all of nearly all of Monty Python. Technical troubles meant that a third of the picture was being lopped off the screen. They didn't blame the satellite for the failure of the air conditioning (perhaps they thought that an audience with a high geek factor wouldn't fall for that one) but at least the ice cream was keenly priced.

As for the performance, it was everything I expected. Even with the missing part of the picture. Most of the gems were present and correct (even if John Cleese kept forgetting his lines - probably out of boredom). There were some clips from the original shows, including the wonderful Fish Slapping Dance and some sparkly song and dance numbers.  All in all the evening delivered.

I think there is probably an ancient Chinese saying somewhere along the lines of "Age turns you into the things you most despised when you were younger." And if there isn't, there probably should be. At the end of their career the Pythons are the kind of thing that the younger versions of themselves would have lampooned mercilessly. But they are all clever enough to be aware of that and the need to keep the customers happy. In the end we all left with smiles, humming "Always look on the bright side of life".

And I'll probably end up buying the inevitable Blu-Ray and book.......

York Chocolate Story - A Delicious Place to Go

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We went to York Chocolate Story today. It's an exhibition in York that tells the story of chocolate. So its name really makes sense. Its also very good. We had a genial guide who talked us through the history of chocolate makers in the region.

Lots of names that were huge in chocolate and sweets were based around York. (My claim to fame is that for many years the laser marking machine that put datestamps on Kit-Kats was powered by software what I wrote).

Anyhoo, if you are looking for a well put together little tour and you fancy making your own chocolate bar, or you've got kids, I can strongly recommend it.

Free Zinio Magazines for Lumia Owners

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Most of the flat surfaces in our house are covered with magazines. Every now and then we have a clear-out, and every now and then I want to read an article that I've chucked in the bin. So, apart from the fact that they are the absolutely best way to read anything, magazines aren't working as well for me as they could.

This weekend I wanted to read a camera review from a copy of the Amateur Photographer magazine  that I hadn't bought when it came out a while back. So I took a look at getting an online copy. Of course I could get it from the Apple store, but that would tie me to Apple products, and I don't use my iPad enough to have it charged and ready to go at any given time. 

So I ended up downloading Zinio onto my Lovely Lumia 1520 and then buying the magazine from them. Zinio is available for lots of platforms, which means I should be able to read it on any device, including my Surface Pro 3 when it comes. (such excitement)

The app and the purchasing experience were pretty smooth, although I was a bit confused when I was asked to pay in dollars. Turns out that because a while ago I told my Lumia it was american to get Cortana to work in the UK, all the apps think they are in america too. 

This actually works very well because at the moment Zinio are doing three month's free subscription to three magazines for american Lumia owners who join up. In other words, if you have a US Lumia you can get a whole bunch of free magazines, including Popular Mechanics, a really interesting US magazine that doesn't seem to have a UK counterpart. 

The reading experience on the phone is not as good as a proper magazine, but then putting ten magazines in your pocket is tricky too. I'm not sure if I'll go over to reading all my magazines on phone and tablet, but given that this would mean I could read all the old issues really easily, it is quite tempting. 

What I really, really, want though is some way that I could convert my printed paper into an electronic licence. I'd be quite happy to pay a small fee (say fifty pence or so) to be able to access the digital version of a magazine that I'm about to throw out. This could be activated by scanning a barcode in the publication, and it needn't go live until a couple of months after the magazine is published. 

A Cunning Use for Screen Shots

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This picture is not particularly relevant to the post, but  Hull Station is just over to the right, and I don't want to show you any of my booking codes....

This picture is not particularly relevant to the post, but  Hull Station is just over to the right, and I don't want to show you any of my booking codes....

I'm not sure I'm the only person who does this, but I don't think everyone does, so I thought I'd mention it. You quite often find things on your phone that you want to "bookmark". This happens to me when I need to use that email with the magic sequence of characters that will unlock a rail ticket delivery from the machine in Hull station.  I don't like having to open the email, scroll to the right bit and then enlarge the characters so that I can read them. Particularly if there are a bunch of people waiting behind me. 

So what I do now is open the email, zoom it so that it just fills the screen how I want, and then take a screenshot of the phone display. This is really easy to find later and has exactly the data that I want, with no messing at all. Once I've picked up the ticket I can then erase the picture, ready for the next one. 

Works for me.

What are your skills?

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We had a meeting with the folks from the Careers and Appointments part of the university today. We were talking about plans for the future, and building on the Careers and Networking event that we had earlier in the year. There's some interesting things coming down the tracks...

Anyhoo, at one point the conversation turned to internships and interviews, and apparently one of the things that you need to have when you are being quizzed for a post is a good solid answer to the question "What are your skills?".

Mentioning your certificate for swimming a width or your high scores in the cycling proficiency test will probably not cut it at this point, neither will going "Meh" and shrugging, so it is worth thinking about what you would say, and how you would back it up. Lines like "I can write programs" are all very well, but you would probably do better if you put the point into a good solid context. Tell them what you made with that skill. Remember that you are actually being given the chance to say nice things about yourself at this point, so be prepared to do just that.

And remember that things like being able to work well in a team, and talk to customers are skills of a sort, and very sought after by potential employers.

Oh, one tip though. Don't tell them that you can do something that you really can't. Claiming a mastery of Python might sound like a hip and happening thing to do, but you might get hit instantly with a really gnarly question about the language.....

Wide Angle Open Day

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We had another open day today. Two talks, two great audiences. Thanks for coming folks.

I hope you enjoyed your day with us and had a good journey home. 

The weather was a bit grey at the start, but by the end of the morning we had the sun out and the campus was really coming to life. 

I took the camera with the fat lens and wandered around taking a few photographs.

The flower beds are looking good at the moment.

The flower beds are looking good at the moment.

Mmmmm. Burgers.

Mmmmm. Burgers.

Make a Photobook

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If you've just had a wedding, christening or some other noteworthy event, then you might want to think about making a book about it. It's never been so easy to take pictures these days, most smartphones have pretty good cameras built in, but I rather miss the experience of seeing my work on paper. I can print out pictures if I want (and I do) but I'd never really thought about making a book.

However, last week I uploaded a bunch of shots to photobox, clicked a few buttons (a surprisingly small number) and paid a few quid for what has turned out to be a very nice souvenir of the occasion.

The book arrived today and I really like it. The printing quality is just like a "proper" publication, as is the heft and feel of the item itself. I paid a little bit extra for the "lay flat" spine, which means that we can use it in a proper "coffee table" role. The cost was not excessive. I judge the price of everything in video-games, and we managed to get two books printed and posted to Hull for less than the price of a game. 

If you have done something special, or interesting, then making a book about it is actually very easy. The company we used also has an amazing repertoire of pictures, posters, phone cases, mugs and the like which can be customised with artwork.

If you are a student who is not sure what to get mum for christmas, a personalised book that tells the story of your last semester might be a good plan. Although I'd not advise you to put every picture you take into it.....

Hull Pie, Parade and Classic Cars

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Did something today that we've been meaning to do for ages. Had lunch in Hull Pie. The word on the street (love using that phrase, although I'm probably not of an age to be streetwise any more) was that the food was ace.

And it was. Good prices, amazing cuisine. I had chicken, ham and leek pie on mash and it was great. Number one wife had the quiche and salad. Both were thoroughly excellent. Yesterday was the Lord Mayor's Parade and Hull was packed. We missed the World War 2 Hurricane flypast (we were eating pie at the time) but we did see some of the celebrations.

Little Drummer Boy

Little Drummer Boy

Look at all those buttons and dials. Must be at least three of them...

Look at all those buttons and dials. Must be at least three of them...

Me and the Town Crier go way back. No, really.

Me and the Town Crier go way back. No, really.

They had a big parade, which was very big, and a collection of classic cars, one of which actually was a Ford Consul Classic.

This was the car that my dad really wanted to buy in the early 1960s. We had to make do with a Ford Cortina. If they'd had one of them at the show I'd have been in car heaven. 

The car we never had

The car we never had

Saturday Open Day with Added Stupidity

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We had an Open Day at the University today. The place was nicely busy, and of course I took pictures of the folks that turned up. Except that for the first group I forgot to put a memory card in the camera. Which was not optimal. Sorry about that folks. I got you to smile and everything, and then took a picture that turns out not to exist.

Anyhoo, the talks went well (at least I thought so) and some of the Wedding Lights made a guest appearance. I hope you all enjoyed the trip. You can find the C# book (and a fair few other things) here. 

Hull Holy Trinity Church

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Hull Holy Trinity Church must count as one of Hull's biggest "hidden treasures". It is huge, right near the centre of the town and when I visited it was ringing its bells as loud as it could. And yet there was hardly anyone inside. This is sad. It is a very lovely place. I reckon the stained glass windows rival the best in the country. I took some pictures there yesterday which I think turned out quite well. 

If you are in the middle of town and fancy somewhere nice to just sit (they serve coffee and biscuits too) then it is great place to go.

Hull Tigers. So nearly winners

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In the middle of Hull they had an amazing collection of motorcycles today. Use your skill and judgement to work out which make. (and then look in the top right corner)

In the middle of Hull they had an amazing collection of motorcycles today. Use your skill and judgement to work out which make. (and then look in the top right corner)

I don't sit down and watch a football match very often. But then Hull City don't make it to the final of the FA cup very often. So it was get out the beer and the nibbles, close the curtains against the blazing sunshine and then on with the game.

I think it's fair to say that Hull weren't the favourites. That is until they scored two goals in the first eight minutes..... Amazing stuff. The other team, a collection of expensive players that dwarfed our plucky lads in cost if nothing else, then had to try and redress the balance and save their managers' job. Eventually they prevailed and after nail biting session of extra time they managed to snatch a winner. Hull 2, Arsenal 3.

Oh well. The good news is that there are now millions more football fans around the world who have seen the Tigers roar, and with games in Europe next year the outlook for Hull is something spectacular. 

Wedding of the Year

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Number one daughter got married today. And it was lovely. Everything and everyone involved worked, ran on time, played their part to perfection and made it a properly grand occasion. If you were there (I gave the blog a plug during my "Father of the bride" speech, as you do) then thank you so much for coming. There might have been a few people on the day who were happier than me (I can certainly name two) but there can't have been very many. And so now, along with "number one daughter" and "number one son", I now have "number one son-in-law". Welcome sir.

During my speech I mentioned that on these occasions, along with quite a few others, it is best to make sure that the man makes all the truly important decisions. Number one wife and daughter dealt with all the low level details such as the groom, the venue, the date and the time, the food, the colour scheme etc etc. I was left to wrestle with the really difficult stuff, such as the type and configuration of micro-controller to put in the table decorations and how to make them all remote controlled from my phone.  Number one daughter had asked for "some coloured lights in vases". I reckoned I could do a bit better than that. 

Above you can see the system in action. The application in my phone is talking to a Bluetooth adapter in one of the lights which is then relaying commands over a 2.4 GHz connection to all the other lights, each of which can be addressed with commands to make it flicker, change colour and do a few other tricks. All the lights and the vases were 3D printed and assembled specially for the occasion. And it all worked splendidly on the day.

I'm going to write up everything and make the code available which essentially gives you two way communication between a phone application and any number of remote network sensors/controls. Making it all work was great fun and a perfect distraction from the proper aspects of the occasion. At least until the enormity of what was going on hit me as they were going through their vows....