dadPad

A MyDiary entry from 28 Jan 2010

Yesterday [27 Jan 2010] Apple finally launched their much anticipated iPad and I have been lapping up every Tweet, blog and story about the thing.

One reason for the interest, other than my confirmed fanboy status, is that for months I seriously considered that such a product may well be the answer to my personal electronic needs.  However, I recently saw sense and avoided waiting for a 1.0 version of an untried, theoretical device, with no known cost and purchased instead a MacBook.   I think my decision may be correct.

The iPad is gorgeous, but not available for six months, still uncertain in UK price and may not actually do all I want it to do.  No-one has mentioned working with iWeb yet, my primary reason for a hand held device.

However, as Tweeted today, I think there is a market for this that is as yet untapped.  The elderly.

Or rather the non-tech, reasonably wealthy elderly who have yet to get a computer or on line.  I’m thinking my in-laws here.

This product is designed for my father-in-law.  The standalone design meaning no awkward telephone connections.  The user friendly intuitive GUI meaning no keyboard/mouse learning.  The inbuilt simple bookstore.  The scalable text for failing eyesight.  I’m convinced.  He has admired my iPhone for some time and I am going to recommend this iPad to him.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Computers section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 31 Jul 2018
From an entry in MyDiary dated 28 Jan 2010
First published in the vinceunlimited.co.uk website in Mar 2010
I did buy an iPad, but not until the second version, the iPad 2 3G and WiFi 64Gb model in Nov 2011
My father-in-law did eventually get an iPad, having never owned a computer.  I gave him my second iPad, the Air 2 WiFi only 128Gb model, in Sep 2016.  He was then 90 years old and still uses it so my original thoughts in 2010 about suitability for this sector are fully validated

Kangafood

Had a late lunch with the wife’s family to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday.

We made our now seemingly monotonously regular trip to The Otter at Otterborne.

Personally I always see a typically dingily lit Public House with grimy floor and facilities and a smattering of unwelcoming angry looking bar locals.  However, the in-laws only see the back restaurant and seem to like the food.

Here the Otter does well and surprisingly serves a quite exotic menu.

Often I’ll order the Ostrich Steak but like so many other things today this was off the menu.

The waitress offered kangaroo, which I jumped at.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Food section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 30 Jul 2018
From an entry in MyDiary dated 18 Jan 2010
First published in the vinceunlimited.co.uk website in Mar 2010

Primary Tweets – Twitter 2009

Twitter, the online micro blogging service, was launched in July 2006 and I joined at the beginning of 2009.  It was only just starting to grow and my membership number suggests just under 19m others got there before me.  If you think that makes me a late starter consider that if you joined today you would be getting involved with something that [by Oct 2017] over 330 million have tried.

I recall that at the time the service felt fresh and new, lacking the cynicism and fame seeking of today’s model.  When I signed up I did not personally know anyone who used the site and on many occasions I was asked what it was about and why they should bother.

In those early days it seemed users were treated based on their own content and not their ability to retweet the content from others or by just simply being a celebrity in other fields.  You had to work to get a following.  Just being a ‘someone’ and posting a picture of your breakfast or requoting a glib phrase in a fancy font wouldn’t garner appreciation.

As a result I taught myself how to entertain and grow a following.  You will also note that I tried out different and novel ways to use the platform, although the increased growth in people using the platform and the ever growing number of celebrities opening accounts in the year meant that the original user base was quickly being sidelined and I found difficulty getting my own voice heard.

I felt proud of the contribution I made and wrote a story of my 2009 content postings.  I built the narrative to explain to non-service users why I had posted certain contemporaneous comments.  Although fairly comprehensive it is not a complete reposting of every Tweet that year.  You will need to visit my @vinceunlimited Twitter Feed to get absolutely everything.

Finally, for those without the time on their hands to read the whole story and just like the best of the best I have curated this list of my top ten best Tweets of 2009.  Based on my personal choice, not based on views, likes, comments or retweets. They are in no significant order other than date of posting.

Generally I’m a fan of predictive text. However, sometimes my worms come out all fanny and change the moaning completely

Damn. Just broke my Crystal Ball. It fell off the table. I didn’t see that coming

I said “Whats that?” She said “Its an age spot.” I said “Just the one?” It’s suddenly more frosty this morning

The instructions read ‘Store in a cool place’. Which explains why I was trying to get into Samuel Jackson’s movie trailor

Decided to form a band. Our unique theme will be that we’ll perform in cake shops. I guarantee that in five years we’ll be huge

My brother told me he is using chip fat to power his old diesel car. Reckons he gets 73 miles per potato

Male Polar Bear asks his girlfriend to wear heavy make up just for a change. She replies ‘I’m not pandering to you.’

They asked whether the apartment I rent out came with Sky. I said yes. Big blue thing just above the roof

…Sado-masochists Beat Themselves Into Second Place In Online Poll

I tried to get though the Tile Discount Store door but they had reduced it by 50%

Have I picked the ten best?  If you want to know the full and comprehensive story of my Tweets in 2009 go to my website at vinceunlimited.co.uk/twitter2009.htm or if you are using a mobile device try vinceunlimited.co.uk/twitter2009m.htm

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Twitter section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 27 Jul 2018
Tweets First published in Twitter during 2009

Christmas Smut

A MyDiary entry from 26 Dec 2009

Why do we think industrial brickwork indoors is a good idea?

I live in suburbia.  Not a town called suburbia but a good facsimile of it.

It is a mid-eighties detached property built using the standard UK model with many featuring that most essential of British faux Victoriana features – The fireplace.

This ancient Dickensian accessory is thankfully rarely used.  Unfortunately, being Christmas, many fools succumb to the lure of a smoky hellhole and fire up their soot inducing possession.

As a result my clean white windowsills are now peppered with smut.  And frankly the only thing I like peppered that way is my late night TV.

I’m definitely going to move this year.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog  section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 25 Jul 2018
Written as a MyDiary entry on 26 Dec 2009
First published in Version 3.0 in Mar 2010
The photograph shows the author’s fireplace, taken around 2005 and was first added in Version 3.0 Mar 2010

Home Work

A MyDiary article from 27 Nov 2009

Today I am working from home.  No, really, I’m at home and working.  I’m not just messing about on my computer.  It’s real work.

I know it’s work because I have to open an Excel spreadsheet.  As usual, it is a complex, multi-formatted workbook with SUBTOTAL functions and my Mac’s pretty little spreadsheet, Numbers, does not seem to support these professional tools.

As a result I have had to install Sun’s VirtualBox which will allow me to load in my copy of Windows XP and the MS Office package on to my Mac.

I really do not want to do this, other than for the fascination, as it will be like fitting a Kia sunroof with ill fitting lock into my Jaguar.

The process involves adding Sun’s VirtualBox, Microsoft’s XP, the XP SP2 disc, MS Office 97 Suite [I can’t afford the extortionately priced upgrade, alright], adding AVG virus protection, then running several dozen Windows Updates, each of which wants to have its very own restart.

I will then be able to fire up the Excel sheet.

All of which is very time consuming and will mean I won’t be finishing early today.

Despite working from home.

Which I am.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog , Software and Worker sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 19 Jul 2018
First published on 27 Nov 2009

Jet Wash[ing Up]

A MyDiary article from 12 Nov 2009

A Red Arrows display begins in August 2009.  No idea of how many pilots were wearing make up

I’m in the process of readying the next update to my vinceunlimited website.

To be honest I’ve been in this process for some time.

I recently made a decision to abandon the plan to hand code a replacement and instead rely on the built in iWeb application that came with my Apple software, despite all it’s limitations such as lack of meta tagging, inability to child page and inability to include the basic widgets on non-Apple standard servers etc.

I deduced that it really is content that matters.

Thankfully, I have now discovered I can quickly copy paste content from my current version so I do not need to retype all the 120 pages of content.

However, having the site on the operating table and not up and running means that days like today frustrate me as a great story came out about the first female Red Arrows pilot.

The scope for a playful blog was hardly satisfied by my Tweet entry suggesting all displays would now run at precisely five past three to allow for a quick lipstick fix.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Geek sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 18 Jul 2018
First published on 12 Nov 2009
The photograph shows the arrival of a nine-plane Red Arrows display over Bournemouth in August 2009.  I took the picture timed to show the exact time of arrival as my wife waited patiently for the start of the display

An Old Fashioned Diary

A MyDiary article from 11 Nov 2009

As if I haven’t got enough places to write things down – my blog, Facebook, Twitter.  I couldn’t resist the idea of having a personal diary again so have downloaded the MyDiary App onto my iPhone.

I remember my last real journal was an A4 white bound affair with stupidly narrow lines.  I wish I could read it now.

Today is Armistice Day.  It is also my sister’s birthday.  Mum and Dad nearly called her Poppy because of this but went with Dawn instead.  Something about being born early in the day I understand.  If all parents were like mine a quarter of all girls would be called Dawn.

The siren rang out at the Warminster site I was working at today at 11am to mark the two minute silence.  I stood and thought about all the soldiers dying and being injured in Afghanistan.  This solemn moment was only disturbed by me sneezing half way through.

Finally I started trading on iTrade today, another App on my iPhone.  This little piece of fun allows a virtual trade using real stock values.  I decided to reduce the confusion so decided to keep to stocks starting with the letter V.   Egoistic or what?

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 17 Jul 2018
First published on 11 Nov 2009

Not Over The Moon

A vinceunlimited blog article from 20 Jul 2009

An astronaut stands on the lunar surface near to the Lunar Module Eagle foot

Today [20 Jul 2009] marks the fortieth anniversary of the first moon landing by a man in a white suit with a big pack on his back and it seems the world has gone mega-moon nostalgic.

The airwaves are full of grainy imagery and everyone is so pleased with themselves you can hardly hear the naysayers claiming the rocks in the picture are made of Hollywood papier-mâché now stored in Area 51.

This led me to excitedly mention to my misses that the nine 1969 Kodak Memorial Colour Slides we have diligently stored in the cupboard might well meet a good premium on eBay.

And her to disappointedly mention that she threw them out a month ago.

A month ago I acquired a natty slide converter and spent a few moments [read hours] transferring all my old colour slides to a more manageable electronic format.

With this I can now see them more regularly and indeed have added some to this very website.

I also knew that most were gradually deteriorating, over time loosing their natural crisp brilliance and turning darker by the year.

I realised that after the transfer there was little point keeping the cumbersome little blighters and that Mrs Clear-It-Up was going to put them in the big grey bin.

However I presumed she might keep the singular little box of collectable, commemorative slides.

Why do I make these basic errors of assumption?

So the NASA eBay collectors of the world were denied the opportunity to get a contemporary set of 60’s memorabilia and I was denied my probable forty quid anniversary present.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 14 Jul 2018
First published on 20 Jul 2009
The photograph is a digital transfer from a Kodak Slide original [ask your dad] and is of one of the Apollo 11 astronauts from the 1969 manned lunar spaceflight mission.  The photo was not taken by the author.  If it was I would be a lot more famous.  And older, as I was about six at the time.  Credit belongs to NASA.  Added on 14 Jul 2018

The Smelliest Car

A vinceunlimited blog article from 19 Nov 2008

I read in Advanced Driving magazine about a new car from the French battery company Bolloré.

An electrically propelled vehicle to be called the B0.  That is the ‘B-zero’.

I somehow doubted that it will be called that.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Petrolhead sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 11 Jul 2018
First published on 19 Nov 2008
The first prototype was called La Blue Car.  It became the La Pininfarina B0 [zero] in 2008 with model releases in 2013 and then with Renault in 2015.  Since then it appears to have passed in the wind.  Like the Mercedes-Beans
Advanced Driving magazine was published by the Institute of Advanced Motorists [IAM], an advanced driving charity with a purpose to improve driving standards, now called IAM RoadSmart

My Space Blog

A MySpace article from 1 Mar 2008

Hi, thought I’d try a blog on MySpace to try to re-kindle some enthusiasm for my entry.

So far have been a member for a few weeks but only have one friend – Tom.  Not that Tom is a great friend.  He is some sort of automated start-up tart who befriends everyone just so they don’t look like Billy no-mates.

Being a Billy no-mates has seemingly attracted a few stunning females who claim to want to be my mate, but as they reside in Wisconsin, USA and claim they hail from Salisbury in the UK their cover as porn links are blown so get sent to the great junk dump in the sky.

Seriously, if you are a fit female and genuinely want to chew the cud at least make out you have read my site.  Or mention the word Hippopotamus.  At least that way I know you’re not just after my credit details.

Not that you have to be fit or female to get a response.  I’ll reply to anyone.  Except Tom.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Social Media sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 10 Jul 2018
First published on 1 March 2008

No Choice

A vinceunlimited blog article from 17 May 2007

A colleague of mine at work today, when questioned about her smoking habit, replied that “It is my choice.”

I really think that she, along with anyone else who peddles this pathetic line, is plainly wrong.

If true choice were being exercised, not a variant based on pier pressure, obvious and subliminal advertising along with nicotine addiction, then no sane person could choose to partake in an activity that shortens life, makes them stink, discourages friendship, causes or accelerates numerous painful diseases, stifles fitness, wastes time as well as money, dulls their senses, destroys their brain cells and makes them prematurely age.

Still, as she said, it’s her choice.

Is it?

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog section of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 9 Jul 2018
First published on 17 May 2007

Mac In The Firing Line

A vinceunlimited blog article from 14 May 2007

Wherein I discover Apple Products

This is the screen that turned me into a Mac user. Most just get there from using their iPhone

I’m in the long process of converting one of my bedrooms into a home office and central to this new environment will be a shiny new PC.

I have been looking for a machine that hits the right aesthetic notes as well as performing magnificently.

My major problem area was finding a decent screen and I stumbled into a corker in the new Apple Store that someone kindly set up in my nearest town.

This got me thinking all Mac and I’ve decided that I would suit a quirky set up.

Now, whilst I await latest product news, I am getting all keen and buying up all the Mac magazines and trawling the website constantly.

As a result I’m very familiar with the Mac adverts [both US and UK versions].

Naturally, being me, I immediately turned my attention to thinking up a new ad.  As with all the other ads it opens with the familiar ‘PC’ and ‘Mac’ characters.

PC: “Hello, I’m PC and I’m very popular, though I sometimes don’t get on with everyone.”

Mac: “Hi, I’m Mac and although not as commonplace as you PC, I get on with anyone.  Straight out of the box.  This makes me smugly better.”

A third party joins.

PC: “But, who is this Mac?  I can’t seem to make it out.  You’re so cleverly compatible Mac, tell me who it is.”

Mac: “No. Sorry.  At a loss there for once.”  [To third party]  “Who are you?”

Third party: “Hello, I’m Amstrad emailer.”

Mac: “Nope.”

PC: “Does not compute.”

PC/Mac [together]: “You’re fired!”

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Geek sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 6 Jul 2018
First published on 14 May 2007
The advertising campaign for Apple at the time was the “Get a Mac” campaign and used two contrasting characters.  The informally dressed Mac character, performed by Justin Long, appeared cool and composed and usually got the better of the more stuffy, formal performance of John Hodgman as the PC character.  The campaign was created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab.  A UK version of many of the ads were re-shot using Robert Webb and David Mitchell
The image is of the author’s first converted bedroom Apple Mac set up showing the MacMini on top of a matching back-up drive powering a 23″ Mac monitor displaying many photo icons, coupled to an optical mouse, printer and small Bose stereo speakers.  An iPod Classic and webcam are on one of the shelves.  The image was taken by the author, in Jul 2008 and was added in Version 5.147 6 Jul 2018

The Next Big Thing?

A vinceunlimited blog article from 4 May 2007

It’s not just the author that likes the taste of a bit of Sashimi

The really big questions interest me the most.

Like, why are we here?  Or, where did we come from?

Or, why I am still hungry after eating a hugely expensive sashimi meal?

And it seems that one of the biggies is about to be discovered.

Around the end of November this year [2007], at CERN, The Large Hadron Collider, an enormous machine that can accelerate weenie little particles at an astonishing speed through an 27km underground oval tube in order to hit each other is due to attempt to create the conditions at our universe’s big bang moment.  All so geeky professors wearing white coats and holding clipboards can ‘tut’ knowingly and say “I thought so” in an annoyingly cocky manner.

Either that or the big bang will occur again and we’ll all be instantly sucked into an energy field smaller than my blog entries for the first three months of the year.

Personally I wonder whether this answers two of the really big questions.

Why there are no other developed organisms like us in the massive universe?  And secondly why there are so many black holes out there?

Are these questions linked?  Is it that when species reach a mature enough state to ponder the universe, then scientifically test it, they can’t help but twitch the nose of Armageddon.

Looks like I could afford that delicious sashimi after all.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Thinker sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 5 Jul 2018
First published on 4 May 2007
CERN can be found at home.cern
When the test was successfully completed we didn’t all disappear.  Just thought I’d let you know
The image is of a scene in the Pier 39 Aquarium in San Francisco, taken by the author, in May 2016 and was added on 5 Jul 2018

Well Spun Lie

A vinceunlimited blog article from 2 May 2007

The author wondering why cricket is played in white, when on a grass pitch using a bright red ball

I couldn’t give a flying off-spin for cricket.

I was forced to endure it as a school child and my only contribution was to suggest they use a lighter ball, such as was used in tennis.  I didn’t see the point then and don’t much care for it now.

All this would make you wonder why I became engrossed in the events of the recent world tournament.

It had nothing to do with the on pitch shenanigans but the more interesting, albeit tragic, story of the murderous death of the Australian born Pakistani coach, Bob Woolmer.

As has become fashionable in such circumstances the question was soon posed as to what to do to honour the respected coach.

After much [?] consultation the Pakistani team decided to play on.  Noting, no doubt, that Bob Woolmer was a fan as well as cricket enthusiast so would have liked to see the game continue.  So Pakistan dutifully played on, a match which they lost incidentally.

What troubles me is this notion spilled out regularly on these occasions that a dead person would appreciate the symbolic agreement of a professional sports team to carry on in their honour.

I know nothing of Bob Woolmer but would have been much more impressed by his reputation if Pakistan had called the match off and retired from the tournament.

I’d be even more impressed if they had cancelled the actual tournament.

Or postponed all cricket altogether for five years.

So remember, if you hear of my untimely demise, don’t think I would want you all to just carry on regardless as if nothing had happened.  I’m stating right now, for the record, that I want nothing less than true despair.

Throwing yourself on a six-foot spike would seem the right thing to do.

Or, at the very least cancel cricket.

Author: Vince Poynter
From the Blog and Sports sections of the vinceunlimited.co.uk website dated 4 Jul 2018
First Published: Version 2.04 on 2 May 2007
The image is of the author clutching a cricket ball during a stage performance of A Cricket Match, one part of Alan Ayckbourn’s play Intimate Exchanges