A Day On/In The Tay

Sep 14, 2011 |

Had a cracking day team building in a raft on the white waters of the River Tay. Thanks to Hurricane Katia the river was big, fast and a lot of fun. Thanks to the guys at Free Spirits for a great day and looking after us so well. Here are a selection of the photos...

PhotoBlog: Budapest at Night

Aug 5, 2011 | ,

As a keen photography type person, a wander to some of Europe's greatest cities has always had much to commend it. I recently completed my 3rd such journey on a charity banger rally ( the details of which y0u can read about here). This was a much tougher journey than...

PhotoBlog : Animals of @RotterdamZoo – Diergaarde Blijdorp

Jul 20, 2011 |

My regular reader will know that animals are one of my favourite photography subjects. Since I very rarely make it out into the wild, zoos and safari parks are my most regular source of subjects. Therefore, during my recent holiday in The Netherlands, I couldn't turn...

It Was 20 Years Ago Today – Part 2

Jul 16, 2011 |

It was 20 years ago today I started work. Proper work, not summer jobs - the start of professional life. The 40 odd year journey that fills the gap between youthful exuberance and death. My keen eyed reader will have noticed that I started work precisely 5 days after...

It Was 20 Years Ago Today – Part 1

Jul 11, 2011 |

It was 20 years ago today that I graduated. 11th July 1991 I wore a silly gown and wandered about the quadrangles of Glasgow University feeling generally pleased with things. For the record (and in case I forget in my dotage), I received a Bachelor of Engineering in...

The Age of Great Powers

Jun 21, 2011 |

I can't help but get excited when I see an old book with this kind of traditional font. It doesn't really matter what it's about, the very feel of it adds gravitas and a suggestion of learning. It's a bit like old people being deserving of respect, they may have been...

Alphabetically, The Smiths – A Game

Jun 20, 2011 |

My sharp eyed reader will know that I provide an excellent chauffeur service for @stuartamdouglas for our commute to work. This is usually an entertaining jaunt with hilarity worthy of a wider audience*. Over the last week or so we have taken to entertainment to a...

My Big Fat Lovely MP3 Player

Jun 5, 2011 |

When people look at my Archos 504 these days, it usually gets the same reaction "What on earth is that thing?". To which I reply "It's my MP3 player". At which point they are even more bemused "...but, but... it's, erm... HUGE." "Yes" I reply politely "I also use it...

The Internet and External Validation Addiction

May 30, 2011 |

Back in the early 90's there was much to celebrate. Aside from being thin and having hair, the TV was full of things to keep any self-respecting pseudo-intellectual happy. The ultra-cool obviously watched Twin Peaks. Still a classic and hasn't aged at all. The more...

I Used To Be The Internet

May 21, 2011 |

Lady Gaga just came on TV. My lovely lady wife said "I don't even know her real name". Obviously, iPad in hand, I had the answer in a gaggle of picoseconds. And then the sagely question was asked by the beautiful one across the room from me "what did we do before the...

Un dimanche après-midi à l’Île de Londres

Apr 27, 2011 | ,

Twas a lovely Easter Sunday in London. Here are a few photos from my meandrings... Firstly, onto Hampstead Heath where people were out enjoying the sun and generally chilling. And reading newspapers on top of Parliament Hill. And parking their Chevy Impalas... A brief...

No Cameras Allowed #travel

Apr 20, 2011 | ,

Being a holiday week, it's very likely you'll see me wandering around somewhere with my daughter and a far too heavy camera bag. As is my wont, I will take a lot of photos as I go and will liberally ping them online via my photos sites, stock sites, this blog,...

Thoughts on Japan

Mar 22, 2011 |

It's hard to watch the scenes of the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami and not be just a little bit terrified. It's equally hard to imagine that one minute I could be sitting hear at my computer and the next me, the computer and the house I'm in are swept out...

People and Planet : A Juxtaposition

Mar 21, 2011 |

The world has looked like a very tortured place of late. Hot on the heels of the global financial meltdown we have terrible natural disasters in New Zealand and Japan and much of the Arab world either having or about to have a barney. And then last week we had Comic...

Terra Exitus

Mar 21, 2011 |

A few years ago, after finishing The Beatle Man, I started to work on a plot for a second book. This I did and I started writing. The book was to be called Terra Exitus. I even got the domain, and did a front cover, what a doofus, certainly a reflection of how well...

Hey @RovioMobile, We Invented Angry Birds!

Mar 14, 2011 |

It is a little known fact that Angry Birds was invented in the 1970's by two small boys in the barren urban landscape of Wester Hailes on the outskirts of Edinburgh. How do I know? I was one of those boys. The other, Stuart Douglas, is so far behind the mobile device...

Sunday at Five Sisters Zoo

Mar 13, 2011 |

Took a wee jaunt to the Five Sisters Zoo this afternoon. Didn't expect to get many decent photos because it was a dull, grey day but was pleasantly surprised. The zoo itself was great. It's not big but there is a good variety of critters. And, given that entrance and...

Blu-Ray Review : Warlords

Mar 7, 2011 |

I'm a huge fan of the Chinese historical epic. Whether it is the fly about the sky on wires of Crouching Tiger or the more grounded Red Cliff, the size, style and colour of the cinema is always a treat, especially in Blu-Ray. So, I turned out all the lights, grabbed a...

How to make iPad Backgrounds With Picasa

Mar 2, 2011 | ,

You may have asked yourself how I made the iPad backgrounds that I have posted herein. Maybe not. But I'm going to tell you anyway. I used Google's Picasa. I have all my photos organised in Picasa, so that makes things easier, but you don't need to have your photos...

The Old Man – A Story

Feb 23, 2011 |

The Old Man His long, bony fingers reached out, quivering with age. He picked up the metal tin and the unsecured lid fell to the floor; spinning faster and faster as it clattered to a halt on the tiled floor. With a long sigh, he dipped his fingers into the almost...

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