tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44508282593376914982024-03-08T20:35:47.745+00:00Dominic's Little BlogWelcome to my blog, resistance is futile. These are my ramblings, thoughts, musings and opinions on all manner of topics. I blog about subjects including technology, social media, cycling, politics, science, animal welfare or anything else that takes my fancy.
I hope you enjoy reading my blog. Be sure to leave a comment or follow me.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.comBlogger22311000tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-25135507898978162722012-09-11T13:48:00.001+01:002012-09-11T13:48:12.747+01:00Compassionate Living<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Compassion1" height="355" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-09-11/BAAEEdoDGhlaheEqktkEhchmercuIyummsevJuhuhoJcJByeCeowgeufHlvH/compassion1.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> </p> <p>There is no analogy to be found in nature for the massive harm we do to animals for pleasure!</p> <p>In any discussion concerning the ethics of eating animals, it feels important to begin by pointing out a frequently overlooked distinction: that harming and killing animals from necessity is not morally equivalent to harming and killing animals for pleasure. Just as shooting someone in self-defense is not commensurate with shooting someone to satisfy a sadistic urge — killing animals for food when we have no other choice for survival, is not morally equivalent to killing animals when we have plentiful alternatives. Violence committed in order to save a life is never analogous to violence committed for pleasure or profit.</p> <p>This distinction is crucial for several reasons, the first of which is that it clarifies a serious category error, in the thinking of people who insist that meat-eating is “natural”— and therefore morally neutral — because other animals eat animals. It’s important to realise that, with a few exceptions, when humans kill other animals for food, we’re not doing what animals do in nature. When animals kill other animals for food, they do as they must, in order to survive; they have no choice in the matter. Many humans, on the other hand, do have a choice, and when people with access to non-animal food options choose to consume animals anyway, because they can, or because they like the taste, they are not killing from necessity, as animals (and some humans) do. Whether we’re talking about a lion taking down a water buffalo, or a human in some remote or impoverished location forced to hunt in order to feed their family: these are acts of necessity, and do not equate to, nor justify, wholly unnecessary harm to animals. There is no analogy to be found in nature for the massive harm we do to animals for pleasure.</p> <p>Another reason it’s important to recognise the necessity / pleasure distinction is that harming animals for pleasure goes against core values most of us hold in common — which is why, for example, millions of us are outraged over dog fighting, and why we oppose dog fighting on principle. The notion of deriving pleasure from violence toward animals is repulsive to us; so how can we justify harming animals for the taste of their flesh? How can it be wrong to harm for pleasure in one instance, and not the other? The same reasons that compel us to oppose dog fighting compel us to abstain from killing animals we don’t need to eat: namely, that it is wrong to harm animals for pleasure, and it is wrong to kill animals for pleasure.</p> <p>Finally, to harm animals for pleasure is also, ultimately, to harm ourselves. Constantly acting in opposition to our own core values deforms our hearts — and it diminishes our integrity, and hinders our emotional and moral growth. Day after day, and year after year, our lives can be seen as the culmination of thousands of instances in which, equally assured of nourishment and pleasure, we had the opportunity to choose kindness and mercy, or to choose violence and selfishness. What can it mean for caring people to regularly reject compassionate choices that cost them next to nothing, and to instead embrace unnecessary violence that costs its victims, literally, everything? To do so is to destroy kindness in our hearts. It’s a simple equation. Every time we put food in our mouths, we reinforce a value. When we choose, over and over, to activate apathy and selfishness in ourselves, we become different people than the people we would have become had we chosen instead to cultivate compassion and mercy.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-10458112279560672482012-07-20T07:55:00.001+01:002012-07-20T07:55:57.727+01:00I want the world to be better<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="I_want_the_world_to_be_a_better_place" height="667" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-07-19/qFHuFCgmtrtoJwibsBJjIHefbBkIoidbniqBpaIvwIDdAsbxeizhjixlCDze/I_want_the_world_to_be_a_better_place.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> </p> <p> <p>“I want the world to be better because I was here. I want my life, I want my work, my family, I want it to mean something and if you are not making someone else’s life better then you are wasting your time” ~ Will Smith</p> <p>I think this quote defines who I am as a person more than any other.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </p> </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-5816546872182664412012-06-28T13:00:00.001+01:002012-06-28T13:00:57.059+01:00Feeling Good<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Feeling_good" height="266" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-06-28/JIxyrsdGjrzuisdHujcqnpfgGmjtpIoHkiuIHACzithyzuhBqigIszwgenhh/feeling_good.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="400" /> </div> </p> <p>Feeling good is our primary goal in life. We choose foods that we think will make us feel good, we buy clothes that we think will make us feel good, and we choose relationships with people we think will make us feel good. But often, we discredit and overlook the biggest element that will truly make us feel good: thinking good thoughts. It is our thoughts that really dictate the way we feel, so why not choose thoughts that make you feel amazing?</p> <p>Awareness is the first step to making positive changes, so monitor your thoughts throughout the day. Whenever you catch yourself thinking about something that doesn’t make you feel good, transform that thought into something that does.</p> <p>Happiness is the result of being thankful for what you have, so make a point of counting your blessings. What you place your attention on grows, so it’s important to place your attention on the good in your life rather than the lack.</p> <p>Written by <a href="http://myexceptionalliving.com/" target="_blank">Jessica Ainscough</a></p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-68623807574851537092012-06-27T07:37:00.001+01:002012-06-27T07:37:22.470+01:00Alerts to threats in 2012 Europe - John Cleese<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Cleese" height="301" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-06-26/EnGdbozhmeBInnIjpgnfunbgDdmagphuviCdxGHqaFqdkcybkqegIDnFppGz/cleese.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="280" /> </div> </p> <p>The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.</p> <p>The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's get the Bastards." They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.</p> <p>The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.</p> <p>Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."</p> <p>The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose."</p> <p>Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .</p> <p>The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.</p> <p>Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, Mate." Two more escalation levels remain: "Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!" and "The barbie is cancelled." So far no situation has ever warranted use of the last final escalation level.</p> <p>Regards,</p> <p>John Cleese,</p> <p>British writer, actor and tall person</p> <p>And as a final thought - Greece is collapsing, the Iranians are getting aggressive, and Rome is in disarray. Welcome back to 430 BC.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-83550126071979593952012-06-01T07:04:00.001+01:002012-06-01T07:04:59.600+01:00What kind of excuse is “but I like eating meat and cheese”?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Aella" height="491" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-05-31/cbvwdBivppyzsArunHhquGmimpzhaJEHxnfAztwjqCGBDCrctwpCvDoutHIa/aella.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="489" /> </div> </p> <p>What in the hell kind of excuse is “but I like eating meat and cheese”? Life on this planet certainly doesn’t enjoy your consumption of meat and cheese. Animals do not enjoy being exploited, tortured and murdered so that you can enjoy consuming their flesh or bodily fluids. Your own posterity certainly isn’t going to thank you for placing your personal pleasure above future human continuance.</p> <p>Some 2,500 gallons of water and 16 lbs. of grain are expended to produce just one lb. of beef whilst 40,000 human beings die of starvation and 6,000 succumb to poor water source related deaths, every single day. Over 20,000 of those dying humans are children…innocent children dying, each and every day.</p> <p>Animal agriculture, which is directly responsible for 80% of all planetary deforestation, shreds enough rain forest every 5 years to cover the nation of Greece. Humanity has drained half of all wetlands on the planet in favor of sustaining “livestock”. We lose 135 known planet/animal species to extinction each day and generate more CO2 emissions than the entire global human transit system creates through the aforementioned deforestation. This greenhouse gas statistic obviously does not even account for the methane emissions caused by animal agriculture.</p> <p>“Livestock” animals consume 40% of all the fish(farmed and caught) which humanity touches, as fish are ground-up and added to their grain-feed. Incidentally, 50% of all the grain that humanity reaps is also fed to “livestock” animals. Yes, half of every grain cultivated by humanity is fed to livestock whilst coral reefs die off through temperature rise and ocean acidification, caused by greenhouse emissions mainly originating from the very animals that we enslave.</p> <p>The planet is sucked dry in favor of our animal flesh/fluid addiction whilst children starve to death, you make up excuses for consuming your own children’s futures and animals suffer horrifically. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t a child’s life supposed to be priceless? Would you not make sacrifices in your life to save the life of a child? What about the lives of 20,000 children each day? What about the future of every child on the planet, as well as the posterity of their children?</p> <p>Your poor and destructive choices are directly impacting MY posterity and let me tell you something; I DON’T LIKE IT!</p> <p>It is no wonder that humans care so little for other life forms on this planet, when the majority of our species does not even concern themselves with the future continuance of their own posterity long enough to face reality and evolve into a less self-destructive entity.</p> <p>Anthony Damiano</p> <p>Founder of <a href="http://aella.org/" target="_blank">AELLA</a></p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-12725356611474819862012-05-11T16:47:00.001+01:002012-05-11T16:47:03.360+01:005 Most Famous Quotes From Bruce Lee<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-05-11/pFbcFFiiiaaaJrywiDxJDddpwxqDkHqxpmfcJAakhwubJhblfiCaJnCjrcGv/5_quotes_from_bruce_lee.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="5_quotes_from_bruce_lee" height="375" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-05-11/pFbcFFiiiaaaJrywiDxJDddpwxqDkHqxpmfcJAakhwubJhblfiCaJnCjrcGv/5_quotes_from_bruce_lee.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-17299984025034743432012-04-21T11:57:00.001+01:002012-04-21T11:57:53.483+01:00Think you can't change the world?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Think_you_cant_change_the_world" height="240" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-04-21/FBHdhCfmGCtlhHJegsswowrtinBykGppylwljvHidzGphAxeJdxyqetdgFag/think_you_cant_change_the_world.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="320" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-73209509194526984892012-04-19T13:18:00.000+01:002012-04-19T13:18:54.003+01:009/11 Unfinished Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2>
Dr. Robert M. Bowman<br /><br />Head of Advanced Space Programs for DOD, Lt.Col for United States Air Force (ret.)</h2>
"Why weren't the hijacked airliners intercepted by jet fighters and shot down before they could fly into the WTC and Pentagon? Standard procedures call for any airliner that loses radio contact or goes off course to be intercepted. Four airliners were hijacked almost simultaneously, and it was obvious to air traffic controllers immediately. The transponders on the airliners were turned off. The hijackers were heard on the radio. And the four deviated drastically from their assigned courses. Was NORAD told? If not, why not? What did the air traffic controllers say, and to whom? Why did the FBI impound the tapes of those conversations? Why has the public never been told what was on them? Why weren't the congressional investigators told? The independent commission? Who is hiding what, and why? If it was just a matter of incompetence or somebody not doing their job, why hasn't anyone been fired or reprimanded? If someone ordered the standdown, who? and why? and why haven't they been charged with treason?"<br />
<br />
<h2>
Former employee of Underwriters Laboratories (the company that certified the steel in the WTC towers).</h2>
"We know that the steel components were certified to ASTM E119. The time temperature curves for this standard require the samples to be exposed to temperatures around 2000F for several hours. And as we all agree, the steel applied met those specifications. Additionally, I think we can all agree that even un-fireproofed steel will not melt until reaching red-hot temperatures of nearly 3000F (2). Why Dr. Brown would imply that 2000F would melt the high-grade steel used in those buildings makes no sense at all." -Kevin Ryan<br />
<h2>
WTC janitor who single-handedly rescued fifteen people</h2>
"When I heard the sound of the explosion, the floor beneath my feet vibrated, the walls started cracking and everything started shaking... Seconds after the first massive explosion below in the basement still rattled the floor, I hear another explosion from way above ... Although I was unaware at the time, this was the airplane hitting the tower, it occurred moments after the first explosion ... I know there were explosives placed below the trade center. I helped a man to safety who is living proof, living proof the government story is a lie and a cover-up. ... The skin was hanging off his hands and arms. His injuries couldn't have come from the airplane above, but only from a massive explosion below. I don't care what the government says, what scientists say. I saw a man burned terribly from a fire that was caused from an explosion below ... I have tried to tell my story to everybody, but nobody wants to listen." -William Rodriguez<br />
<br />Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-3495495288099714882012-04-07T09:05:00.001+01:002012-04-07T09:05:54.032+01:00Science and spirituality<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>I've often wondered whether there is a conflict between my atheism and love of science, and my spiritual side. I recently came across this quote from Carl Sagan, for whom I have long had a deep respect for. His wisdom triumphs yet again.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-04-07/hbGghmxeqJCuFwIaBBmvxgJAFFqywfcajpbqFiaEjconeqrckghommisFoyf/carl_sagan_spirituality.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Carl_sagan_spirituality" height="288" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-04-07/hbGghmxeqJCuFwIaBBmvxgJAFFqywfcajpbqFiaEjconeqrckghommisFoyf/carl_sagan_spirituality.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-44341242175733011942012-04-04T12:58:00.001+01:002012-04-04T12:58:21.968+01:00A Warrior's Prayer<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-04-04/rfAGbhAEHEfGaChEBEnGwptkIyamqvplEyDdzhqdccmiDDoGjABemGIsJHDu/a_warriors_prayer.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="A_warriors_prayer" height="341" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-04-04/rfAGbhAEHEfGaChEBEnGwptkIyamqvplEyDdzhqdccmiDDoGjABemGIsJHDu/a_warriors_prayer.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-34631238663456749732012-03-19T13:01:00.001+00:002012-03-19T13:01:32.940+00:00Britain's Crimes of Honour<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Honour_killings" height="198" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-03-19/dDHJccqqhnttgqhpfEFldljGADidadDguHqFnhArgrBdfgGvrHDDcmofeCle/honour_killings.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="230" /> </div> </p> <p>Honour punishment / killing is supported by young Asians, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dxzzv" target="_blank">a poll reveals</a>.</p> <p>Two thirds of young British Asians agree that families should live according to the concept of "honour", a poll for BBC Panorama suggests.</p> <p>Of 500 young Asians questioned, 18% also felt that certain behaviour by women that could affect her family's honour justified physical punishment.</p> <p>These included disobeying their father, and wanting to leave an exisiting or prearranged marriage.</p> <p>The results come as women's groups call for action to stop "honour" crimes.</p> <p>The poll, conducted for the BBC by ComRes, interviewed oung Asians living in Britain between the ages of 16 and 34.</p> <p>Asked if they agreed that families should live according to "honour", 69% agreed, a figure that rose to 75% among young men, compared with 63% of young women.</p> <p>Root cause:</p> <p>They were also asked if they felt there was ever a justification for so-called "honour killings". Only 3% said that it could be justified.</p> <p>However, when divided by sex, 6% of young Asian men said that honour killings could be justified, compared with just 1% of Asian women surveyed.</p> <p>Experts interviewed by the programme argue that the root cause of "honour" crime lies in forced marriage.</p> <p>Jasvinder Sanghera, a campaigner on behalf of Asian women, fled her parents' home after they attempted to force her into an arranged marriage when she was just 14.</p> <p>She said it was time for Britain's Asian community leaders to speak out about the honour code, also known as "Izzat" in Urdu.</p> <p>"I've yet to see community leaders, religious leaders, politicians, Asian councillors give real leadership on this. They don't because they know it makes them unpopular."</p> <p>Ms Sanghera said the reluctance of community figures to speak out was "extremely irresponsible, it's morally wrong and it's morally blind".</p> <p>A survey of police forces by the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (IKWRO) found there were 2,823 incidences of honour crimes a year, or almost eight a day. But those figures are considered a vast underestimate given that 13 of 52 police forces did not respond to the charity's request for a breakdown in November 2011.</p> <p>Nazir Afzal of the Crown Prosecution Service said the degree of honour crime in Britain - including murders meant to preserve a family's "honour" within their own community - was unknown.</p> <p>"We don't know the true figure of honour killings. It's anything between 10 and 12 a year in this country. I don't know how many other unmarked graves there are in this country in our green and pleasant land."</p> <p>Mr Afzal estimates that there are 10,000 forced marriages in Britain every year, and said a measure of multicultural sensitivity was likely part of the problem.</p> <p>"Forced marriage is the earthquake and what's followed is a tsunami of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, child protection issues, suicide and murder.</p> <p>"If we can tackle forced marriage then we can prevent all these other things from happening."</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-9559176492890241662012-03-16T13:01:00.001+00:002012-03-16T13:01:18.474+00:00Native American legend<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Native_american" height="153" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-03-16/dsrjuvssawHBGwpxEctoGeiybkqGwobFygeninFnHwflapuHBAEnrnGzCIJz/native_american.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="127" /> </div> </p> <p>I came across this Native American legend recently and thought I'd share it. It would be lovely if this were true. Karma!</p> <p>According to Native American legend, when a human dies, there is a Bridge he or she must cross in order to enter Heaven. At the head of this Bridge waits every animal that the individual encountered during his or her lifetime. Based upon what they know of this person, the animals will decide which humans may cross the Bridge and which will be turned away.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-56783030433289801732012-03-06T13:22:00.001+00:002012-03-06T13:22:39.148+00:00Privacy betrayed: Twitter sells multi-billion tweet archive<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Twitter_privacy" height="131" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-03-06/kIqlGgdBHvaczjkloeksJlbhxtxozlkaDcuwapspEDmHppiDjiipcAGGrjzw/twitter_privacy.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="185" /> </div> </p> <p>Twitter has sold billions of archived tweets believed to have vanished forever. A privacy row has erupted as hundreds of companies queue up to purchase users’ personal information from the new database.</p> <p>Every time you use social networks you become mere product – it’s an idea we will all have to get used to. So, should we give up worldly goods and hide in a Tibetan monastery till the end of our days, or start putting up a fight to protect our privacy? In the latest in a long series of scandals over social networks that profit from our private data, the UK-based DataSift firm has announced that is has bought every tweet posted since January 2010. The business intelligence and data-mining platform will be the first company to offer the archive for sale.</p> <p>DataSift’s Historics is a cloud-computing social data platform that enables businesses to extract insights and trends that relate to brands, news, public opinion and … actually anything you could ever need… from Twitter’s public tweets. Now entrepreneurs will have access to billions of tweets, which literally means they will purchase every Twitter user along with all his secrets, GPS-location included. Thought the law protected you from thieves? No, on the contrary – it actually helps thieves to abuse you and steal your personal data. DataSift now brings to the table what it calls “an invaluable information source” with 250 billion tweets posted in 2010 alone. Historics is available today as a limited release to existing customers and is scheduled to be generally available in April 2012.</p> <p><strong>Do you agree your tweet is priceless?</strong></p> <p>The idea that months- or years-old tweets are of no value is a false one. DataSift says almost 1,000 companies have joined a waiting list to access the service. No complicated surveys needed – the firms now have the feedback at their fingertips.</p> <p>Twitter turned out to be craftier than most users suspected.</p> <p>“You thought that tweets you posted months ago had vanished, or were simply hidden away so deeply and awkwardly on the Twitter website that they would be too difficult to uncover? Think again,” Graham Cluley from security firm Sophos says, as quoted by The Daily Mail web edition.</p> <p>It turns out that Twitter had archived every tweet and will now be rewarded for its ingenuity. Datasift, for instance, will charge companies up to £10,000 a month to analyze tweets posted each day for anything said about their products and services.</p> <p><strong>Outrage over privacy</strong></p> <p>The question is whether an estimated 300 million Twitter users should be classified as victims whose personal data has been sacrificed on the altar of global marketing. It has been reported that private accounts and tweets that have been deleted will not be indexed by the site. Nevertheless, privacy campaigners are alarmed.</p> <p>The Daily Mail website quotes Justin Basini of the data privacy company Allow as saying: “Marketers will stop at nothing to get hold of your data. This move shows all those throwaway tweets have suddenly become a rich new revenue stream for Twitter… It has taken a stream of consciousness, analyzed it, bottled it and sold it for a profit. And the worst thing is, you never knew it was going to happen.”</p> <p>DataSift claims it is planning to tap into another goldmine of information – Facebook – in just a few weeks. The latest data from comScore, an Internet marketing research company, says the average Facebook user spends around 6-7 hours a day using the social network. Now that the relatively laconic Twitter has turned dangerous, just imagine how much riskier it is to post something for six hours a day.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-11086139710893629772012-01-25T21:55:00.001+00:002012-01-25T21:55:52.801+00:00I wish to clear up one or two things regarding veganism<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="I_am_vegan" height="183" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-25/wqyFBzCuEuzDBlshbBtAjkIsIiwAqExoEspiaEvxrfzftqsAzeAiBiiCanws/i_am_vegan.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="275" /> </div> </p> <p>I often get told that people respect my opinion and therefore I should respect theirs. I'm sorry, but no. I will respect any opinion of yours that does not lead to the imprisonment, abuse and murder of 65 billion land animals every year and literally countless sea creatures. However when you ask me to respect your right to contribute to a system of abuse, particularly on such a terrible scale the answer will always be no. I can no more respect that opinion than one who believes it acceptable for a man to rape his wife. I can no more respect that opinion than one who finds child abuse acceptable.</p> <p><strong>Do not ask me to respect your right to abuse those without a voice.</strong></p> <p>I also strongly object to the word 'opinion' when it comes to veganism. Even if you do not care about species other than your own, veganism is not an opinion.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that there are 7 billion humans in this world, over a billion of whom are starving.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that the population of the world is expected to rise to 9 billion by 2050. </p> <p>It is not my opinion that it takes 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that the amount of grain it takes to produce a single steak could feed between 40 and 50 starving children.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that many African governments are corrupt and sell their nation's grain to the West as cheap cattle feed.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that it takes around 2500 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef but only around 290 to produce a pound of soy beans.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that around 51% of all greenhouse gases can be directly attributed to the meat, dairy and egg industries.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that 70% of destroyed rainforest is used for grazing hamburger cattle.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that around 95% of the remainder is used to grow soy for cattle feed.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that the WHO and the UN have stated that there is not enough space on the planet to feed everyone such an animal heavy diet and that we need to make the transition to veganism to ensure the survival of the human race.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that human beings are the only animals on the planet who suffer from excess cholesterol. </p> <p>It is not my opinion that processed meat has been proven time and again to increase the risk of cancer.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that a plant based diet has been shown to actually reverse the effects of type 2 diabetes. </p> <p>It is not my opinion that on the whole vegans are less obese than those who consume meat.</p> <p>It is not my opinion that vegans are less likely to suffer heart attacks than meat consumers. </p> <p>So please, don't say anything about respecting my 'opinion.' Just look at the facts.</p> <p>If you don't care about animals go vegan for other people in countries less affluent than our own.</p> <p>If you don't care about people on the other side of the world go vegan for the planet and to ensure that your children and grand children have a good quality of life.</p> <p>If you don't care about anything other than your own little bubble, go vegan for yourself.</p> <p><strong>Thaks to Jess Crisp for this</strong></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-42353174085187345862012-01-17T07:52:00.001+00:002012-01-17T07:52:02.022+00:00Watch Me<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Watch_me" height="132" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-16/bfdGrFqypzqBwrxhcuvozHBqjibqvDBiEwgtIgkfFubyykzovnshowJztIIv/watch_me.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="382" /> </div> </p> <p>My mind is clear</p> <p>My intention is strong</p> <p>My commitment is growing</p> <p>My excuses are gone</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Watch me!</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>I am letting go of the old</p> <p>I am making way for the new</p> <p>I am happier today</p> <p>I have a new attitude</p> <p> </p> <p>Every step is a victory</p> <p>Every fall is a lesson</p> <p>Either way I'm a winner</p> <p>Because I am taking action</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Watch me!</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>I am meant to be happy</p> <p>To satisfy my dream</p> <p>I am exactly where</p> <p>I am supposed to be</p> <p> </p> <p>~Patricia Moreno</p> <p /> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-75444061226408284992012-01-16T13:05:00.001+00:002012-01-16T13:05:05.686+00:00The Importance of Change<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Change_ahead" height="183" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-15/zzgmzkstejBoqrvyrjalmhwhzocpadfdsqFbuDGAceJamjJdHqGEmttGsIGy/change_ahead.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="276" /> </div> </p> <p>"When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it too seemed immovable. </p> <p>As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me. But alas they would have none of it. </p> <p>And now as I lie on my deathbed I suddenly realised: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement I would have been able to better my country and, who knows, maybe even change the world.”</p> <p><strong>Anonymous. Written on a tomb in Westminster Abbey.</strong></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-41159884555928880782012-01-16T13:00:00.001+00:002012-01-16T13:00:04.848+00:00The Importance of Change<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Change_ahead" height="183" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-15/zzgmzkstejBoqrvyrjalmhwhzocpadfdsqFbuDGAceJamjJdHqGEmttGsIGy/change_ahead.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="276" /> </div> </p> <p>"When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it too seemed immovable. </p> <p>As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me. But alas they would have none of it. </p> <p>And now as I lie on my deathbed I suddenly realised: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement I would have been able to better my country and, who knows, maybe even change the world.”</p> <p><strong>Anonymous. Written on a tomb in Westminster Abbey.</strong></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-20161273537767829872012-01-01T00:02:00.001+00:002012-01-01T00:02:41.178+00:00Happy New Year<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Wishing everyone a fantastic New Year and all the best for 2012!</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Happy_new_year" height="194" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/ypxbpjEDdkxEuFbsIiJzizwFGjrAlizIFfCuzxvnJcDbApkytgywDgzrIjwt/happy_new_year.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="259" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-86267968577065342442011-12-24T09:13:00.001+00:002011-12-24T09:13:02.474+00:00Worry about your character, not your reputation<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Worry_about_yout_character_not_yout_reputation" height="330" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-24/EJEDjvqIDyJtdzGdGGJCavwdEmboyaBAtDaDnvvbnledrnlxxdDarpfeGpdE/worry_about_yout_character_not_yout_reputation.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> </p> <p>Worry about your character, not your reputation. Your character is who you are, your reputation is who people think you are.</p> <p>Sometimes we get too caught up in what people think about us and forget to worry about what really matters in life, like the people who love us for who we really are, and who we really are deep down inside of our hearts. In order to not worry about our reputations, we have to live our own lives, being confident in the goals we have set for ourselves, and also being confident in the fact that though not everyone may like us, and though not everyone will believe in what exactly we are doing.</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-88937312287825507082011-12-20T11:54:00.001+00:002011-12-20T11:54:09.726+00:00A Scottish Wife<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-20/zeFoBDIGcAovhtEbrkuDGdqhFevlIDxgrqsIbcyoslIhCuacpiGnemktytey/1961Scottish_flag.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="1961scottish_flag" height="301" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-20/zeFoBDIGcAovhtEbrkuDGdqhFevlIDxgrqsIbcyoslIhCuacpiGnemktytey/1961Scottish_flag.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Three friends married women from different parts of the world..... </p> <p>The first man married a Greek girl. He told her that she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away. </p> <p>The second man married a Thai.He gave his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking.The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was a huge dinner on the table. </p> <p>The third man married a girl from Scotland.He told her to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed, and hot meals on the table for every meal.He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything either but by the third day, some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye and his arm was healed enough that he could fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher.</p> <p>He still has some difficulty when he pees.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-46007184970470849362011-12-20T08:41:00.001+00:002011-12-20T08:41:06.957+00:00Merry Christmas Everybody<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Merry_christmas" height="194" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-20/xhjmoCslzBlIxlznJxlDFhwkhwvaEBgJDazikFtCCiagnEmgeAwzDHegvcuG/merry_christmas.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="260" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-6258740050876147822011-12-18T16:44:00.000+00:002011-12-18T16:44:03.472+00:00What did I learn in 2011<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1qeTUcaSMRXUaXJVIc_koHKBGll-hEWUgqytVk0vb_kIuVchuDDxHVtALSCy6ZIzG3Rn0wzYtaX32ZIghEHssSdYGjgjp6ESIcdy0fu9j8ul-WrCeGaewrXV3d8gsCeXrrXqc4Xt4kAJ/s1600/lessons+learned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1qeTUcaSMRXUaXJVIc_koHKBGll-hEWUgqytVk0vb_kIuVchuDDxHVtALSCy6ZIzG3Rn0wzYtaX32ZIghEHssSdYGjgjp6ESIcdy0fu9j8ul-WrCeGaewrXV3d8gsCeXrrXqc4Xt4kAJ/s1600/lessons+learned.jpg" /></a></div>
Following on from the blog I wrote <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-did-i-learn-in-2009.html" target="_blank">back in 2009</a>, I'd like to continue in the same vein with what I've learnt this year.<br />
<br />
<strong>Don't expect others to treat you the same way you treat them</strong><br />
I'm an optimist who always looks for the good in other people. I take the time to get to know someone, learn what they like or dislike. I'm a people person, and like getting to know people and make new friendships. An assumption I tend to make is that everyone will treat me the same way I treat them. With respect, fairness, kindness and loyalty. I've come to realise that this ideal is far from true. Some people do not appreciate the way in which I have treated them, and have instead treated me unfairly or badly, despite the fact that I have done nothing to deserve such treatment. <br />
<br />
This has been a very painful lesson, but one that I'm glad to have learnt. Although it caused me much pain and upset learning this lesson, it has truly made me a much stronger person because of it.<br />
<br />
My new mantra from now on:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Demand nothing.<br />
Assume nothing.<br />
Expect nothing.</blockquote>
<br />There is little to be gained from thinking that everyone believes or behaves the same way that I do, because clearly some people simply don't. <br />
<br />
Why waste my time on people who hurt me when there are people who are waiting to make me happy.<br />
<br />
<strong>Everything happens for a reason</strong><br />
I have long believed in this philosophy, and it has come home to roost on several occasions this year. So this is not so much a lesson learnt, but a lesson reaffirmed. Enforcing and reaffirming this particular lesson was the cause of a certain amount of hurt for me this year. You cannot change another person, or force a situation to go in a particular direction. So I found myself in a situation I didn't want to be in, and only by reminding myself of this lesson did I manage to find my way through it. <br />
<br />
You can analyse a situation, pick over the pieces and wonder what could have happened differently. Or you can simply walk away and learn from the experience. I think the latter way of dealing with such things is far more constructive.<br />
<br />
<strong>Don't waste my time defending myself to other people</strong><br />
I'm most certainly guilty of this. If someone says something that is untrue or unfair about me, I always feel the need to defend myself, and set the record straight. I have had things said about me this year by people who I thought were friends. I've since learnt that my true friends won't believe them anyway, and I shouldn't care about what anyone else thinks. This has been a hard lesson to learn, and sometimes the instinct to defend myself (my reputation, my character or whatever) kicks in, but I'm slowly learning that the people who know me and care about me will know me well enough to either ask for my side, or not believe them anyway. People will sometimes deliberately say something hurtful just to get a reaction, and up till now I've foolishly given them what they want. It's a drain on my precious time and energy, so from now on, I don't care who says what about me. <br />
<br />
<strong>Don't waste my time with negative people</strong><br />
Some people just seem to be constantly negative, unhappy or moody all the time. They never have anything positive to say. They are tiring and draining to be around, they suck the energy from you. If I could measure the energy that I have lost to these people it would be a very sizable quantity. Energy that I could have invested elsewhere. I have also discovered that negative people are experts at defending their negative outlook and refuse to change, or even acknowledge that change is possible. "It's not my fault, I've had a rubbish day" and "I like being moody" are phrases I've actually heard. I would much rather spend my time with people who have a positive outlook on life, and don't constantly blame other people or their situation for their lack of positivity or happiness.<br />
<br />
<strong>More pearls of wisdom</strong><br />
Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else. <br />
<br />
I've learnt that it takes years to build up trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof to destroy it. <br />
<br />
The past cannot be changed, the future is still in your power. <br />
<br />
Don't let today's disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow's dreams. <br />
<br />
Do not wait for your ship to come in, get in your boat and row out. <br />
<br />
The only place where dreams are impossible is in your own mind. <br />
<br />
There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. <br />
<br />
Never regret anything, because at one time it was what you wanted. <br />
<br />
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. <br />
<br />
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. <br />
<br />
Those who look for offence will find it where none was given.<br />
<br />
You'll fight with your best friend. <br />
<br />
A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you. <br />
<br />
When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it. <br />
<br />
Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks. <br />
<br />
Always tell someone how you feel about them. You will feel much better when they know.<br />
<br />
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.<br />
<br />
<strong>Summary</strong><br />
I've made many mistakes this year, and got a lot of things wrong. But I'm the sort of person who reflects on his actions. Life is indeed a journey of continual learning, and every day is an opportunity to gain new wisdom and experience. So it's fair to say that I got a lot of things right too.<br />
<br />
Thank you to everyone who has read my blogs this year, I hope you keep reading them next year too :-)Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-57921950253488305522011-12-14T07:18:00.001+00:002011-12-14T07:18:05.396+00:00An open letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel by Frederick Forsythe<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>This first appeared in the <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/289553/An-open-letter-to-German-Chancellor-Angela-Merkel/" target="_blank">Daily Express</a> on Tuesday 13th December 2011.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Angela_merkel" height="214" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-13/firilxmdfsfdbkycsJkajeepHCizdzAbHrlAbqeCwIJIqCkbcEHIJdhDhevi/Angela_Merkel.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="285" /> </div> </p> <p> <p><strong>Dear Madame Chancellor,</strong></p> <p>PERMIT me to begin this letter with a brief description of my knowledge of, and affection for, your country. </p> <p>I first came to Germany as a boy student aged 13 in 1952, two years before you were born. After three extended vacations with German families who spoke no English I found at the age of 16 and to my pleasure that I could pass for German among Germans.</p> <p>In my 20s I was posted as a foreign correspondent to East Germany in 1963, when you would have been a schoolgirl just north of East Berlin where I lived.</p> <p>I know Germany, Frau Merkel, from the alleys of Hamburg to the spires of Dresden, from the Rhine to the Oder, from the bleak Baltic coast to the snows of the Bavarian Alps. I say this only to show you that I am neither ignoramus nor enemy.</p> <p>I also had occasion in those years to visit the many thousands of my countrymen who held the line of the Elbe against 50,000 Soviet main battle tanks and thus kept Germany free to recover, modernise and prosper at no defence cost to herself.</p> <p>And from inside the Cold War I saw our decades of effort to defeat the Soviet empire and set your East Germany free.</p> <p>I was therefore disappointed last Friday to see you take the part of a small and vindictive Frenchman in what can only be seen as a targeted attack on the land of my fathers.</p> <p>We both know that every country has at least one aspect of its society or economy that is so crucial, so vital that it simply cannot be conceded.</p> <p>For Germany it is surely your automotive sector, your car industry.</p> <p>Any foreign-sourced measure to target German cars and render them unsaleable would have to be opposed to vetopoint by a German chancellor.</p> <p>For France it is the agricultural sector. For more than 50 years members of the EU have been taxed under the terms of the Common Agricultural Policy in order to subsidise France’s agriculture. Indeed, the CAP has been the cornerstone of every EU budget since the first day. </p> <p>Attack it and France fights back.</p> <p>For us the crucial corner of our economy is the financial services industry. Although parts of it exist all over the country it is concentrated in that part of London known even internationally as “the City”.</p> <p>It is not just a few greedy bankers; we both have those but the City is far more. It is indeed a vast banking agglomeration of more banks than anywhere else in the world. </p> <p>But that is the tip of the iceberg. Also in the City is the world’s greatest concentration of insurance companies.</p> <p>Add to that the brokers; traders in stocks and shares worldwide, second only, and then maybe not, to Wall Street. But it is not just stocks. </p> <p>The City is also home to the “exchanges” of gold and precious metals, diamonds, base metals, commodities, futures, derivatives, coffee, cocoa… the list goes on and on. </p> <p>And it does not yet touch upon shipping, aviation, fuels, energy, textiles… enough. Suffice to say the City is the biggest and busiest marketplace in the world. </p> <p>It makes the Paris Bourse look like a parish council set against the United Nations and even dwarfs your Frankfurt many times. </p> <p>That, surely, is the point of what happened in Brussels. The French wish to wreck it and you seem to have agreed. Its contribution to the British economy is not simply useful nor even merely valuable. </p> <p>It is absolutely crucial. The financial services industry contributes 10 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product and 17.5 per cent of our taxation revenue. </p> <p>A direct and targeted attack on the City is an attack on my country. But that, although devised in Paris, is what you have chosen to support. </p> <p>You seem to have decided that Britain is once again Germany’s enemy, a situation that has not existed since 1945. </p> <p>I deeply regret this but the choice was yours and entirely yours. The Transaction Tax or Tobin Tax you reserve the right to impose would not even generate money for Brussels.</p> <p>It would simply lead to massive emigration from London to other havens. Long ago it was necessary to live in a city to trade in it. </p> <p>In the days when deals can flash across the world in a nanosecond all a major brokerage needs is a suite of rooms, computers, telephones and the talent of the young people barking offers and agreements down the phone.</p> <p>Such a suite of rooms could be in Berne, Thun, Zurich or even Singapore. Under your Tobin Tax tens of thousands would leave London. </p> <p>This would not help Brussels, it would simply help destroy the British economy.</p> <p>Your conference did not even save the euro. Permit me a few home truths about it. The euro is a Franco-German construct.</p> <p>It was a German chancellor (Kohl) who ordered a German banker (Karl Otto Pohl) to get together with a French civil servant (Delors) on the orders of a French president (Mitterrand) and create a common currency. </p> <p>Which they did. IT was a flawed construct. Like a ship with a twisted hull it might float in calm water but if it ever hit a force eight it would probably founder.</p> <p>Even then it might have worked for it was launched with a manual of rules, the Growth And Stability Pact. If the terms of that book of rules had been complied with the Good Ship Euro might have survived.</p> <p>But compliance was entrusted bto the European Central Bank which catastrophically failed to insist on that compliance. </p> <p>Rules governing the growing of cucumbers are more zealously enforced. This was a European Bank in a German city under a French president and it failed in its primary, even its sole, duty. </p> <p>This had everything to do with France and Germany and nothing whatever to do with Britain.</p> <p>Yet in Brussels last week the EU pack seemed intent only on venting its spleen on the country that wisely refused to abolish its pound. </p> <p>You did not even address yourselves to saving the euro but only to seeking a way to ensure it might work in some future time. </p> <p>But the euro will not be saved. It is crumbling now. And since you have now turned against my country, from this side of the Channel, Madame Chancellor, one can only say of the euro: YOU <strong>MADE IT, YOU MEND IT</strong>.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-18655492165420753292011-11-10T13:40:00.004+00:002011-11-19T19:19:08.157+00:00Guitarists - Excuse me while I kiss the sky!Continuing with my series on musicians (my <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/10/drummers.html" target="_blank">last blog focused on drummers</a>), I'm going to follow up with guitarists. I'm writing this as a joint blog with my friend Jay David Hauser, who also happens to be a guitarist himself.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Jay David</span></strong><br />
In no particular order, some of my favourite guitarists include the following:<br />
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<li>Joe Satriani</li>
<li>Steve Vai</li>
<li>Chris Henderson (3 Doors Down guitarist)</li>
<li>John Petrucci</li>
<li>Jack Thammarat (Youtube sensation)</li>
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There are plenty more guitarist which I think have great styles and tones but the guitarists above have stood out the most.The way I relate to music is by how the music makes me feel. That may sound silly, but lets forget the 'Yeah, this has a cool beat' type of music, and try to relate to how a piece of music makes your soul feel. <br />
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<strong>Satriani / Vai</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.satriani.com/" target="_blank">Joe Satriani</a> and <a href="http://www.vai.com/" target="_blank">Steve Vai</a> are very talented regarding styles and tone. Two people who know what they are doing. Satriani and Vai are both masters of expressing emotions through a guitar, with the notes they play and the melodies they perform. I promise, nothing is as easy and peaceful to listen to, even when they turn on the distortion. Both guitarists have outstanding knowledge of the guitar as an instrument and musical theory but their style is what makes them unique. Now I say unique, but comparing Satriani's style to Vai's, they are very similar but, remember, Joe did teach Steve how to play.<br />
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<strong>Chris Henderson - my hero</strong><br />
Chris Henderson has always stood out for me in <a href="http://www.3doorsdown.com/" target="_blank">3 Doors Down</a>. I personally love his style, the tone and the music that he helps create. I have been fortunate enough to have had a conversation over Facebook with Chris in the past and what a great guy. He started playing guitar from the age of 6 and can play pretty much any genre you place in front of him. Chris believes it is important to learn many styles and genres to help advance as a player. As a guitarist myself, I have taken on board Chris's advice and I'll be honest, it has paid off. Other than the wide variety of musical talent this guy has, he does make it look cool when performing.<br />
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<strong>John Petrucci</strong><br />
John Petrucci is a fabulous guitarist, though I do feel he doesn't rock out and show his feeling and emotions while playing. His style and playing alone are simply enough to entertain a whole audience.<br />
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I do not know much of Johns background with styles etc, but what I do know is that there is a hint of Satriani and Vai in his playing.<br />
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One of my favorite tracks in which John has recorded would be Acid Rain by Liquid Tension Experiment:<br />
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<strong>Jack Thammarat</strong><br />
Jack Thammarat is an amazing guitarist. I first spotted him on Youtube and was automatically attracted to his music. He entered Guitar Idol (sponsored by Youtube) in 2009 which he won. As a guitar teacher himself, Jack pulls out the techniques, the style and the passion that any musician strives for, which I suppose is why I like him. <br />
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Here is one of my favorite tracks by Jack:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Me</span></strong><br />
As with my blog about my <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/10/drummers.html" target="_blank">favourite drummers</a>, there just isn't room for me to list all of my favourite guitarists. So instead I'll pick just a few, and write about some of the others in a future blog(s). I tend to favour guitarists who have good feel, as well as technique. I like guitarists who have a great tone to their playing and can come up with interesting guitar parts or solos. <br />
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<strong>Jimi Hendrix</strong><br />
Arguably the greatest guitarist of all time. His style of playing has influenced entire generations of guitarists. The Jimi Hendrix Experience released their first single in 1966, 'Hey Joe,' followed by the truly dynamic 'Purple Haze' and an astonishing debut album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Experienced" target="_blank">Are You Experienced</a>. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is widely considered to be the greatest guitarist in musical history,and one of the most influential musicians of his era across a range of genres - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix</a></blockquote>
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The Experience enjoyed reverential audiences on America's concert circuit and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix#Axis:_Bold_as_Love" target="_blank">Axis: Bold As Love</a> emerged in December 1967, completing a triumphant year. Electric Ladyland, the last official Experience album was released in October 1968. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hendrix synthesized many styles in creating his musical voice and his guitar style was unique, later to be abundantly imitated by others. Despite his hectic touring schedule and notorious perfectionism, he was a prolific recording artist and left behind more than 300 unreleased recordings - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix#Musical">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix#Musical</a></blockquote>
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In 1992, Hendrix was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix#Musical">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix#Musical</a></blockquote>
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<strong>John Frusciante</strong><br />
In 1989, eighteen year old John Frusciante, a bedroom-guitar prodigy from California's San Fernando Valley who had never played in a group before, auditioned for his favorite band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He got the gig — replacing Hillel Slovak, who died of a drug overdose in 1988 — and transformed the Peppers' punk funk into muscular arena pop. On the 1992 multi platinum album, BloodSugarSexMagik, Frusciante fortified the band's bone-hard grooves with a mix of Hendrixian force and, in the hit ballad "Under the Bridge," poignant Beatlesque melody. When Frusciante abruptly quit the Peppers in the middle of a Japanese tour in 1992, he left a big hole in the group's sound that was only filled with his drug-free return on the Peppers' 1999 comeback album, Californication.<br />
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<strong>Frank Zappa</strong><br />
Frank Zappa was a drummer (at age twelve) and composer (writing a string quartet in his teens) before he got serious about the guitar. But in his more than four decades on stage and record, Zappa — who died in 1993 — soloed with the same discipline and experimental appetite that he applied to the rest of his legacy: symphonies, doo-wop parody, big-band fusion and sociopolitical satire. For a man who ran his Mothers of Invention with an iron fist, Zappa was actually an improviser who combined the melodic rigor of his orchestral ideals with 1950s RandB.<br />
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<strong>Steve Vai</strong><br />
Steve Vai is one of the most precociously talented guitarists of any generation. Vai was a pupil of Joe Satriani as a teenager and studied at The Berklee School of Music before moving to Los Angeles at age 19. He was a huge fan of Frank Zappa's and joined Zappa's band after proving that he knew most of the repertoire and could transcribe orchestral pieces by ear. Zappa credited him on albums as the "stunt guitarist." He released the self-produced Flex-Able in 1984, combining his Zappa and Satriani influences, and went on to play with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake.<br />
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<strong>Carlos Santana</strong><br />
The pure tone of Santana's guitar is among the most recognizable sounds in popular music. A towering musician who brought Latin rhythms and jazz improvisation to rock, Santana formed the first lineup of his band in 1968. His varied influences — from Mike Bloomfield and Peter Green to Miles Davis and John Coltrane — resulted in a singularly innovative approach. Santana's style of playing encompasses musical sections that culminate in (often lengthy) sustained notes. From Santana's career-breakthrough performance at Woodstock in 1969 to the 2000 Grammys — where he won eight awards for Supernatural, tying Michael Jackson's record — Santana has remained a compelling musician.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Summary</span></strong><br />
These are just a few of the guitarists that we admire and enjoy listening to. I'll hopefully follow up this blog with further guitarists. Following on from drummers and guitarists, I intend to write about bass players, singers and songwriters next (but not necessarily in that order). So watch this space.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-77748723720892950492011-11-01T21:37:00.001+00:002011-11-01T21:37:57.118+00:00Movember<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Movember-moustache" height="423" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-01/oBDHIjmqFzabcunAcJnkevmmEyAktdtbDiCozHCitmnfDsFHJrGuAcozHbib/movember-moustache.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="485" /> </div> </p> <p>It's Movember, the month formerly known as November, now dedicated to growing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men's health; specifically prostate and testicular cancer. I'm donating my top lip to the cause for 30 days in an effort to help change the face of men's health. My Mo will spark conversations, and no doubt generate some laughs; all in the name of raising vital awareness and funds for cancer's affecting men.</p> <p>Why am I so passionate about men's health? </p> <ul> <li>1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime </li> <li>This year 37,000 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed </li> <li>1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime </li> <li>26% of men are less likely to go the doctor compared to women</li> </ul> <p>I'm asking you to support my Movember campaign by making a donation by either: </p> <p>Donating online at: <a href="http://mobro.co/DomBurf" target="_blank">http://mobro.co/DomBurf</a></p> <p>If you want to go old school you can write a cheque payable to 'Movember', reference my name and Registration Number 1646128 and send it to: Movember Europe, PO Box 68600, London, EC1P 1EF</p> <p>If you'd like to find out more about the type of work you'd be helping to fund by supporting Movember, take a look at the Programmes We Fund section on the Movember website: <a href="http://uk.movember.com/about" target="_blank">http://uk.movember.com/about</a></p> <p>Thank you in advance for supporting my efforts to change the face of men's health.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-44068598865279456112011-10-13T08:03:00.001+01:002011-10-13T08:03:18.472+01:00DrummersI'm going to create a new series of blogs based around musicians. I'll describe in each post some of my favourite musicians and why I like them. To get the ball rolling I'm going to start off with drummers. The drummer is the much forgotten member of the band. They sit at the back behind their fellow band members, and so do not always get the attention they deserve.<br />
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During my teens and early twenties I used to play the drums in various bands, playing mostly Indie stuff, but with other influences thrown in for good measure, such as Zappa, rock and jazz. I played on a Premier APK 5 piece kit with a mixture of Paiste and Zildjain cymbals (7 in total). I had Paiste sound-edge hi-hats, Zildjain rock ride, 2 Wuhan chinas, 2 red Paiste crashes and a splash. I also had a cow bell for good measure.<br />
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Whilst playing the drums, there were many drummers that I used to watch and listen to for inspiration. I'd like to describe some of my favourite drummers and what I like about them.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Neil Peart</b></span><br />
As a long time fan of Rush (having already written about them <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/03/heroes-rush.html">previously</a>), it will come as no surprise that one of my earliest influences was <a href="http://www.neilpeart.net/">Neil Peart</a>. He is arguably one of the greatest drummers of all time. Rush concerts are one of the only occasions where air drummers outnumber air guitarists. He has received many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_peart#Awards_and_honours">awards and honours</a> for his playing, including being the youngest drummer to enter the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.<br />
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Many drummers have large kits, but not many of them actually use the kit in its entirety, or use it in a very limited way. When I first heard Neil Peart, one of the first things I noticed was how difficult it was air drumming along to him. His style of playing contains many complex notes played across many different surfaces (drums, cymbals, percussion).<br />
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When I listened to him playing, I very often couldn't work out how he was playing a particular drum pattern, as it sounded like he was playing with three or more arms! It was only when I watched him could I see how he played it. Whereas most drummers will play a drum pattern using the same hands on the same drum surfaces, Neil will play a drum part across many different drum surfaces and switch hands at the same time, making it almost impossible to work out how he is playing it. For example, Neil will play a drum pattern using both his hi-hat and ride cymbal, and play the snare drum alternately with his left and right hand at the same time. An excellent example of this is the track <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2PTkWmDlL8&noredirect=1">Subdivisions</a> from the album Signals.<br />
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One of the things I learned from listening to Neil, was that by experimenting with different hands and drum surfaces, you can come up with great patterns and fills. Neil rarely plays a straight four pattern for long, before injecting an interesting pattern or fill.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Terry Bozzio</b></span><br />
I got into Frank Zappa in my early twenties, and like Rush, have already written a blog <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/01/heroes-frank-zappa_06.html">about him and his music</a>. I could write about any of Zappa's drummers here, as they are all world class. To be in his band was an endorsement that you were the best. That you could play multiple styles, time signatures, sight read and play under immense pressure at concerts. However, the drummer that I listened to and admired the most from Zappa was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Bozzio">Terry Bozzio</a>. <br />
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I first came across Terry Bozzio on the album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheik_Yerbouti">Sheik Yerbouti</a>. It was his incredible power and huge sound that I noticed first. When reading an interview with him in a drumming magazine, he described his kit setup.In it he described how he would mount two cymbals on the same cymbal stand, thereby hitting two cymbals at the same time. To get a really unique sound, he would mount a china cymbal on top of a crash cymbal. I'd never heard of anyone else doing this, and still haven't to this day. I tried this myself with my own kit. This is how he managed to get the huge 'clashy' cymbal sounds on Sheik Yerbouti. A true innovator who is not afraid to try something completely new.<br />
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When talking about Terry Bozzio, you have to mention the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Page">Black Page</a>. This one of the most extraordinarily difficult, complex, feared and revered pieces ever written for the drums. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcTvh3KwGOo">Lucy Landymore</a> won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition when she played it. Despite Terry's huge talent and understanding of odd times, polymeters and polyrhythms, it still took him two weeks to be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQt2inyxNNg&NR=1">able to play it</a>.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Chad Smith</b></span><br />
I've written a <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/09/heroes-red-hot-chilli-peppers.html">blog about the group</a> to which the next drummer in my list belongs also. He's Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The first time I played the album Mother's Milk, his style of playing blew me away. I've always loved funk, and admire musicians who can play in that style. To play funk well as a drummer is all about groove and feel. You can have all the lessons and drum theory in the world, but unless you have the 'feel' you'll never play funk. It's not about the notes, it's about the groove.<br />
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When I heard Chad playing tracks such as Knock Me Down, the Stevie Wonder cover of Higher Ground and Nobody Weird Like Me for example, I was an immediate fan. His backbeat and groove were amazing. He plays with a lot of power and strength, but can also play the most subtle of ghost strokes.<br />
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Since first hearing him playing on Mother's Milk I've loved his style of playing. Really funky, he hits his snare precisely where it needs to be, and he complements this with his rock solid kick drum, the two working in perfect harmony. He demonstrates how rock drumming should be played. Power is far more related to controlled efforts, groove and feel rather than merely playing as hard as you can.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Finally</span></b><br />
I could have written about a great many more drummers, and will in a future blog. I also want to continue this theme of musicians to include guitarists, bass players, songwriters, vocalists etc. So watch this space for future articles.<br />
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<br />Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-67019314281193769592011-09-21T12:00:00.002+01:002011-09-24T08:12:15.817+01:00Heroes - Red Hot Chilli Peppers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibV7tm0lv4YopWkoffa4w4ifs5-WZb6-Jc1eUoO1_rqAbqPo_x82KLd1iAYjmyh7w3UxNK9M7mwwtjL27iSCQctDqT7lR36QRq9kVtn0wXaVownyiJ3zy5whIw23nT7jJKrffBgv5-4oog/s1600/RHCP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibV7tm0lv4YopWkoffa4w4ifs5-WZb6-Jc1eUoO1_rqAbqPo_x82KLd1iAYjmyh7w3UxNK9M7mwwtjL27iSCQctDqT7lR36QRq9kVtn0wXaVownyiJ3zy5whIw23nT7jJKrffBgv5-4oog/s1600/RHCP.jpg" /></a></div>Following on with my Heroes series of blogs, and only my second one relating to a group since the one I wrote about <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/03/heroes-rush.html">Rush</a>, I'd like to dedicate this blog to another group. This time I'd like to write about a group for whom I have been a fan almost as long as I've been a fan of Rush. <a href="http://redhotchilipeppers.com/">The Red Hot Chilli Peppers</a>.<br />
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<blockquote>Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock. The band consists of founding members Anthony Kiedis (vocals) and Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), alongside longtime drummer Chad Smith and recently added guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. (Wikipedia)</blockquote><br />
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I first got into the Red Hot Chilli Peppers (RHCP) when I was roughly 19 years old. I listened to one of their albums <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Milk">Mother's Milk</a> (1988) and became an instant fan. The singles Knock Me Down and their cover of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground struck a chord with me. I was (and still am) a massive fan of rock / funk / psychedelic / punk / ska fusion bands, including Janes's Addiction, Living Colour, 24/7 Spyz and Fishbone, and RHCP fitted into that fusion well.<br />
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It was evident that they were talented musicians. The guitar work from John Frusciante, including some amazing solos, the vocals and lyrics by Anthony Kiedis, all nailed by a super tight rhythm section in the form of Chad Smith and Flea (who is still my favourite rock bass player). On hearing this album, I decided to buy their back catalogue too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NhouxLyHQxz0fdokHsn0-dcs3O7Ca8deZ38v3MMYjQOVcQUHgDkt7sOn8dCcIfnMqc06DA6XJoupcUgUxCrAAYT3zMmDf2mqDRdKgwYNBptvLbw08-qqP9oKaIOzTKHCATO9mHemz8M2/s1600/mothers+milk.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NhouxLyHQxz0fdokHsn0-dcs3O7Ca8deZ38v3MMYjQOVcQUHgDkt7sOn8dCcIfnMqc06DA6XJoupcUgUxCrAAYT3zMmDf2mqDRdKgwYNBptvLbw08-qqP9oKaIOzTKHCATO9mHemz8M2/s200/mothers+milk.gif" width="200" /></a></div>If you're a new fan of the band or just haven't heard this particular album, then you seriously need to check it out. In my opinion, it is one of the defining albums in their history. The band finally gelled on this album, and everything just seemed to come together. It is quite simply one of their best ever studio albums (better in my opinion than the more critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Sugar_Sex_Magik">Blood, Sugar, Sex Magik</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californication_(album)">Californification</a>).<br />
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I bought tickets to the Mother's Milk tour for Sheffield Arena, which was to be their first tour as a headlining act in the UK. Unfortunately, I got my dates wrong, and ended up missing the concert, which still annoys me to this day. I missed my chance to see one of my favourite bands on their meteoric ascension on their first ever headlining UK tour. <br />
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Throughout their history, there have been several changes of line-up, namely their guitarist and (earlier) their drummer. Anthony Kiedis and Flea are original members. Their original drummer Jack Irons left the band, but the drum stool has now been filled since Mother's Milk by the awesome <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Smith">Chad Smith</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ2YVffWGzpvDKY1yV1vk54v0-RwwIRccQo0BGLtH7yaasSIQSbJn8XiqfAGo2ibODmpDxYmenUFY4DWUtqq229QKzUmErUNbEg5EfxhmmVviiGPJHXNGplhsdwBsWHPNJ6M2q7s7H1__/s1600/ChadSmith3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ2YVffWGzpvDKY1yV1vk54v0-RwwIRccQo0BGLtH7yaasSIQSbJn8XiqfAGo2ibODmpDxYmenUFY4DWUtqq229QKzUmErUNbEg5EfxhmmVviiGPJHXNGplhsdwBsWHPNJ6M2q7s7H1__/s200/ChadSmith3.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>Their original guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a drug overdose after the release of their third studio album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (highly recommended). One of his paintings appeared in the sleeve to the Mother's Milk album as a tribute. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Frusciante">John Frusciante</a> joined the band for the recording of Mother's Milk, despite not being overly familiar with the funk genre (but you'd never know this from the album, as he sounds completely at ease with the style - surely a testament to his phenomenal ability).<br />
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The current guitarist, and who recorded the new album I'm With You is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Klinghoffer">Josh Klinghoffer </a>(who has worked with John Frusciante as a member of Ataxia, as well as The Butthole Surfers and Gnarls Barkley aka Cee-Lo Green amongst others).<br />
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When they released their new album entitled I'm With You, the band appeared on cinema screens throughout the world on August 30, 2011 live via-satellite from Cologne, Germany performing the entire new album in sequence along with various other hits. I was lucky enough to go and see this live performance at the Odeon cinema in Kettering. It was truly an amazing experience!<br />
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Their new album reminds me of Mother's Milk. Not in its sound or the songs, but in the fact that it seems like a defining album. The band have released their most mature and accessible album to date. Josh has slotted into the band and picked up easily from John Frusciante. Despite having big boots to fill (Frusciante is a very hard act to follow), and being the new member of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, he has shown that he is a worthy member of the band. His live performance at Cologne for the release of the new album shows just how well he fits into the dynamics of the band. It was also obvious from the interviews with the band just how well they all get on on a personal level.<br />
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I have always admired their open love of their music and for each other, and their obvious respect for each other as musicians. As a band, they wear their hearts on their sleeve, and I love that about them.<br />
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One of the best bands on the planet.....I'm With You!Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-3946874948232425582011-09-17T08:32:00.001+01:002011-09-17T08:32:13.761+01:00The philosophical clown<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-09-17/kIEpCCeypfDfFwzGBdhwcihIBhDpFawmrmrGeywGjwuEbbJuthCayddDzqqw/CharlieChaplinAndGandhi.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Charliechaplinandgandhi" height="371" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-09-17/kIEpCCeypfDfFwzGBdhwcihIBhDpFawmrmrGeywGjwuEbbJuthCayddDzqqw/CharlieChaplinAndGandhi.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The late <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin" target="_blank">Charlie Chaplin</a> (1889 - 1977) is widely recognised as a great actor and director. He was also very philosophical and compassionate, as these quotes from the man testify.</p> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">Wars, conflict, it's all business. "One murder makes a villain. Millions a hero". Numbers sanctify. (paraphrased from Bishop Beilby Porteus)</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">I am for people. I can't help it.</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">I remain just one thing, and one thing only — and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">My prodigious sin was, and still is, being a non-conformist.</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">I am what I am: an individual, unique and different.</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">I hope we shall abolish war and settle all differences at the conference table.</blockquote> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote">I am an individual and a believer in liberty.</blockquote> <p>And finally, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank">here is the closing speech from his 1940 film The Great Dictator</a>. This is as relevant now as it as was when it was first made.I urge you to watch it. It is less than four minutes, but is stirring in it's compassionate and inspiring message.</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-77479361435735420502011-09-04T19:06:00.001+01:002011-09-04T19:06:34.083+01:00The value of friends and family<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Family-and-friends-big" height="407" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-09-04/FEanrCEomvsHqEJAdrmFnuDgtzyBmurltJnHetzBCkmzAjrsgpbIzGohdwnF/family-and-friends-big.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="493" /> </div> </p> <p>To realise the value of a sister or brother ask someone who doesn't have one.</p> <p>To realise the value of ten years ask a newly divorced couple.</p> <p>To realise the value of four years ask a graduate.</p> <p>To realise the value of one year ask a student who has failed a final exam.</p> <p>To realise the value of nine months ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.</p> <p>To realise the value of one month ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby..</p> <p>To realise the value of one minute ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.</p> <p>To realise the value of one-second ask a person who has survived an accident.</p> <p>Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.</p> <p>To realize the value of a friend or family member, imagine losing one.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-33866643273268027322011-08-27T10:16:00.001+01:002011-08-27T10:16:56.045+01:00Who wants to be happy?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Being-happy_1" height="284" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-08-24/mCtetIwHeIttJcEbeCpoiDqhjfznqviHhtnGvbxpibfymxpbJrcycHfCidnt/being-happy_1.png.scaled500.png" width="300" /> </div> </p> <p>When I'm asked the question "How are you", I generally reply with something along the lines of "I'm wonderful thanks", or something similar. People often look at me in a strange way when they hear such a positive response. It's as if being happy and positive is somehow strange or weird.</p> <p>The underlying assumption of course, is that being average should be the norm. "Yeah, I'm okay thanks" or "Yeah I'm alright" being the usual responses to such a question.</p> <p>To most people, being average is the norm, to be expected, and typical behaviour. Being more than average is somehow seen as strange. This is completely wrong headed thinking.</p> <p>Most people simply don't get it. They don't think they have a choice, and go through life being passive in how they think and feel. Like a pin ball in a pin ball machine, they bounce from one situation to another, without ever taking control of their mood.</p> <p>It is entirely possible to choose your mood. If you choose to be happy and positive, then guess what? You'll feel positive and happy. If you choose to be moody and negative, then guess what? You'll feel moody and negative.</p> <p>If you wake up and tell yourself you're going to have a good day, the chances are you will.</p> <p>There will always be times when you can't be in a positive frame of mind. Sometimes life deals you some terrible blows. No one can be in a good mood at all times. However, positive, happy people will bounce back far quicker than moody, negative people.</p> <p>Imagine yourself on a really good day. A day when you are feeling energised, happy and positive. Imagine if you could feel like that nearly all of the time. Yes, even on a Monday morning. Wouldn't that be amazing?</p> <p>Well, you can, but only if you want to. If you choose to. If that's what you want. </p> <p>If you do something for 14 days, it becomes a habit, and you can do it without having to consciously think about it. The same is true for your mood. If you wake up each day for 14 days, and be as positive as possible during that period of time, then the happy habit will have formed. You will have made the biggest difference to your life imaginable!</p> <p>The difference between feeling happy and positive vs feeling moody and negative is simply a choice. </p> <p>So many people go through their lives being moody, negative and unhappy. I simply don't understand such people. Life is so short, why waste your precious time being anything other than happy and positive.</p> <p>Happy, positive people aren't necessarily rich, or drive big cars or live in big houses. What sets them apart is that they are happy with what they have. </p> <p>They also tend to attract many friends. People like to be around them. Why wouldn't they? They're happy and positive after all.</p> <p>Do you want to be happy? It's entirely your choice. Next time someone asks you "How are you?", make sure you reply with "Wonderful thanks", and mean it!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-46217030658238451192011-08-26T07:32:00.001+01:002011-08-26T07:32:33.840+01:00The world is so exquisite<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides." - Carl Sagan</span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-88341803962810376512011-08-24T12:55:00.001+01:002011-08-24T12:55:55.791+01:00Life's too short....<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Good_morning" height="461" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-08-24/EreefwdjHACwhtBcjhlvacGJDJqzqkjxjjyvimGvFCExAluJlhmhdICoEGgA/good_morning.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="388" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-55333686589438248452011-08-14T15:54:00.001+01:002011-08-14T15:54:10.029+01:00The fallacy of believing that humans are the most important species on the planet<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Human_species" height="257" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-08-14/ikdEHyhchqDGaqlxldGylFqDqGlpjAmrBtkeGlCHrxaccCpJiJczFAwBzkIv/human_species.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="369" /> </div> </p> <p>I have had countless discussions with people who are of the opinion that the human species is the most important on the planet, and that everything we do is natural, because we are the products of nature ourselves. As both these fallacies often come up during the same conversation, let me address both of them together.</p> <p>First of all, to think that the human species is at the top of any supposed pyramid of life is merely human conceit and vanity. In evolution, there is no 'winner', only losers in terms of going extinct. Unless we change our ways very soon, there is a very real danger that we may meet such a fate ourselves.We simply cannot sustain our current levels of pollution and destruction. In a short space of time we have evolved quickly, but also in that short space of time we have wreaked chaos and bloodshed on our wonderful planet. </p> <p>We have evolved intelligence, tool use, language, art, music, science, technology and a great number of other worthy facets to our big brains. However, it doesn't take a genius to see that we cannot keep plundering our planet forever.</p> <p>The planet's resources are finite. While the human population grows ever larger, we take increasingly greater quantities from the planet, stripping back it's biodiversity. Despite our intelligence, we lack the foresight to see what harm we are doing to our planet. </p> <p>Secondly, to say that everything we do is natural is absurd. That is mere justification to keep going as we are. There is nothing natural about decimating our rain forests, oceans, skies and countless other species. That is completely unnatutral. Natural means to be in harmony with nature, the human species decimates it instead. The complete opposite of natural.</p> <p>The people who state that everything we do is natural are also missing the glaringly obvious contradiction in their words. Surely if everything we do is natural, then the word itself becomes obsolete. </p> <p>Imagine for a second a planet without our presence. Everywhere you looked there would be savannah, forest, oceans and harmony. The planet's natural order would be slowly restored, and the damage we have wrought would be gradually undone. The seas and oceans would slowly be restored, as would the skies. Forests would slowly regrow and species would increase in numbers (the ones we decimate for profit and bring ever closer to extinction).</p> <p>Like it or not, if we keep going as we are, we'll destroy the human species and most of the planet with it.</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-15309749446273216532011-08-11T07:27:00.001+01:002011-08-11T07:27:30.464+01:00A riot is the language of the unheard<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="A_riot_is_the_language_of_the_unheard" height="375" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-08-10/oGgGJgHioaawhfewzlnHeyjopvkGHGaubqGmEBqvIJswchnfloigyqbwiIAf/A_riot_is_the_language_of_the_unheard..jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> </p> <p> <p>‎'When you cut facilities, slash jobs, abuse power, discriminate, drive people into deeper poverty and shoot people dead whilst refusing to provide answers or justice, the people will rise up and express their anger and frustration if you refuse to hear their cries. A riot is the language of the unheard." </p> <p> </p> <p>Martin Luther King</p> <p> </p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-48094279271922891562011-08-09T19:36:00.001+01:002011-08-09T19:36:16.408+01:00Riots on the streets of London<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Riots-break-out-in-north--007" height="276" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-08-09/muxrauCJAforIosaDeFItaewlnAisggeClBGnqmzctBxefJGFuyIaqHeBgFE/Riots-break-out-in-north--007.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="460" /> </div> </p> <p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">The riots that have been taking place in London have been beamed round the world and have been causing much debate on social networks. Let's make one thing clear though from the very outset, the people involved in the torching of buildings, looting, rioting and general social disobedience have nothing to do with the original protest, and are not in themselves aligned to the protest. They have hijacked the protest for their own ends, to mete out as much destruction as possible.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">The protest was originally sparked by the police shooting of Mark Duggan. He died of a single gun shot wound to the chest according to a recent inquest. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> <div style="text-indent: 0px !important;"> <p /> <blockquote style="font-size: 13px;"> <div style="text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; background-color: #ffffff;">"Mark Duggan</span><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"> was killed by armed officers in Ferry Lane in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/tottenham" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Tottenham" style="text-indent: 0px !important; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">T</a>ottenham, north London, on Thursday after they stopped the minicab he was in to carry out an arrest as part of a pre-planned operation. </span><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;">An inquest, which began on Tuesday morning at North London coroner's court, in High Barnet, heard that the 29-year-old father of four died of a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead at 6.41pm on Thursday evening." </span></span></span></div> </blockquote> </div> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/09/london-riots-mark-duggan-inquest" style="text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/09/london-riots-mark-duggan-inquest</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"> <div style="text-indent: 0px !important;"> <p /> <div style="font-size: 13px; text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">I am sure most of us would sympathise with the death of such a young father. The wave of rioting that has since swept through the capital has all but silenced his death, with media attention now almost entirely focused on the destruction that has been wreaked on our capital since his death. </span></span></div> <p /> <div style="font-size: 13px; text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;">While the initial protests were entirely justified, the subsequent rioting we have since witnessed has been completely disproportionate. Setting fire to buildings, looting businesses and causing millions of pounds worth of damage is wholly unacceptable.</span></span></div> <p /> </div> <div style="font-size: 13px; text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; line-height: 18px;">Here is a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14446548" style="text-indent: 0px !important;">BBC link</a> showing the before and after images of several of the buildings torched by the rioters.</span></span></span></div> <p /> <div style="font-size: 13px; text-indent: 0px !important;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: 0px !important; line-height: 18px;">Seeing these images is saddening to say the least. The wanton destruction of so many buildings cannot be justified, and the rioters responsible should face the full force of the law. </span></span></span></div> <p /> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 18px; font-size: x-small;">We have enough CCTV evidence to convict great numbers of these people, so I wait with baited breath so see what happens next.</span></p> </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-6199659336708064882011-07-28T12:57:00.001+01:002011-07-28T12:57:32.276+01:00The problem with cultural relativism<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Sashimi" height="300" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-07-28/jBvlxvIEetnwxseBzxlIDthCpiocrIdvBmgDgDbBujDltCoHlgGxpkAgwmyk/sashimi.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="400" /> </div> </p> <p>I've heard this phrase many times when discussing various issues online, particularly with regards to the the foods and cooking practices that different cultures may have. There is a school of thought that seems to think that there are no wrongs with what different cultures may eat, that no one should be able to judge a culture that is different from their own. </p> <p>Up to a point, this is true. However, this phrase is usually thrown into the mix when the subject relates to a food that involves unnecessary cruelty. For example, I came across several videos on Youtube recently depicting sashimi. Sashimi consists of very fresh raw meat, most commonly fish, sliced into thin pieces. Or to be more precise, it consists of fish that has been partially cooked, and is served while it is still very much alive. Indeed, it is considered an insult to serve the fish if it is dead. While the partly cooked fish is still gasping for air and in terrible pain as it will have been cooked and sliced (but not killed), the diner will tear slices of the flesh from the fish with chop sticks to eat it. </p> <p>In one particular video, sashimi is served to a family in a restaurant. The family can be heard laughing while they prod the fish with their chopsticks. As soon as the fish opens it's mouth to gasp for air, they can all be heard applauding. Happy that their meal is still alive, they all begin to tear pieces of the fish's flesh to eat it.</p> <p>While everyone who eats fish understands the importance of having it fresh, there is no excuse for going to such extreme lengths to keep the fish alive while you eat it. Serving up a fish that was killed just moments before will be just as fresh as serving up a live one.</p> <p>Sahimi is just one example of a cultural difference in eating habits. </p> <p>The people who defend such cruelty under the guise of cultural relativism obviously think that people who are critical of such eating habits are simply being intolerant, ignorant and unable to understand that different cultures should be free to have their different ways of preparing, cooking and eating their food. And I agree that they should, but not when it involves such unnecessary cruelty. </p> <p>Eating an animal while it is still alive and gasping for air can never be considered anything else but barbaric. </p> <p>The term cultural relativism when it relates to food is simply a byword for cruelty. Like so many other phrases such as collateral damage, it hides the real issue behind benign words. </p> <p>There is never, ever an excuse to cause your food unnecessary pain or suffering. </p> <p>I fully understand that different cultures have their own ways of cooking and eating their food. I lived in Singapore for three years and frequently used to eat at their hawker centres where the food is cooked in full view of you. </p> <p>For those proponents of cultural relativism, maybe you would also like to defend female genital mutilation and female suppression too. After all, are they not too just differences between cultures. Some things are just plain wrong, and we shouldn't be afraid to say so, whether it be a different culture to our own or not. We need to be critical in our thinking, and see things for what they truly are, and not hide behind cowardly phrases such as "cultural relativism". </p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-7538934791780531582011-07-20T13:25:00.001+01:002011-07-20T13:25:05.993+01:00The psychiatrist and the bartender<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <div style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 8px;"> <p> </p> <div> <div><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Bartender" height="333" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-07-20/dIlFepmacHhwiICvEwhdJHdJBBwIzDozAzJDkEjcnzusdEHsdzpvFnbEGzch/bartender.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="341" /> </div> Ever since I was a child I've had a fear of monsters under my bed, so I went to a psychiatrist for help.</div> <p /> <div>'I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's a monster under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy.' </div> <p /> <div>'Just put yourself in my hands for one year,' said the psychiatrist. 'Come talk to me three times a week and we should be able to get rid of those fears.' </div> <p /> <div>'How much do you charge?' </div> <p /> <div>'Eighty pounds per visit,' replied the psychiatrist.</div> <p /> <div>'I'll sleep on it,' I said. </div> <p /> <div>Six months later, I met the psychiatrist on the street. 'Why didn't you come to see me about those fears you were having?' he asked. </div> <p /> <div>'Well, eighty pounds a visit three times a week for a year is an awful lot of money! A bartender cured me for £10. I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought a new car.'</div> <p /> <div>'Is that so!' with a bit of an attitude he said, 'and how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?' </div> <p /> <div>'He told me to cut the legs off the bed! - Ain't nobody under there now!' </div> <p /> <div>Forget about those psychiatrists, go and have a drink with your bartender!</div> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><p /> </div> <p> </p> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-3819947005676361012011-07-20T07:31:00.001+01:002011-07-20T07:31:04.820+01:00What I like about Google+.....so far!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Google" height="198" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-07-19/DdhqgsEIHdcwusDIfhdoaxudEpwGgyvFjJDvEmpBpDFJBvhvnxClABCphnFd/google.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="254" /> </div> Google launched their new social media application recently called <a href="https://plus.google.com/" target="_blank">Google+</a>. At the time of writing it's still in beta testing (a testing term that refers to the final cycle of testing before an application is released to the public) and access to it is by invitation only (from someone who is already usng it). Here's my <a href="http://www.gplus.to/dominicburford" target="_blank">Google+ page</a>.</p> <p>As it is still in beta testing it's still therefore subject to change, so anything I I write may be subject to change too.</p> <p>My initial thoughts of it are very positive. I won't write an in-depth analysis of it yet, as it's far too early to do that (it's still in beta testing and has not been rolled out fully yet). I thought I'd simply list my initial thoughts in no particular order.</p> <ul> <li>It has a very uncluttered and simple interface, making it easy to use and learn.</li> <li>The concept of Circles is a neat and simple way to categorise the people you interact with. You create Circles called Friends, Family, Mad People etc, and you add people to them. You can then read and interact with just those Circles. This is a simple way of sharing your personal content with those you trust. </li> <li>Deciding who sees what content is easy in Google+ (friends, family, work colleagues, your crazy followers etc). In Twitter your updates are seen either by just your followers (your account is locked down) or the whole of the Internet. A very crude approach to privacy. In Facebook, allowing specific groups of peope to see your updates and to interact with just those groups of people is fiddly to do. So Google+ wins hands down in the privacy department.</li> <li>No one other than you sees your Circles, and only you know who is in them. So feel free to create Circles called 'My crazy friends' or 'Annoying work colleagues'. Only you can see them.</li> <li>All my interactions with other peolpe are NOT posted on my Google+ profile as they are in Facebook. I've never really understood this, and think it just promotes stalking. I know you can remove them, but the default behaviour is to post everything that I do onto my Facebook wall.</li> <li>I don't get bombarded with invitations or updates involving Mafia Wars, Farmville etc. I don't play games and don't want to see them in my feed. </li> <li>You can add anyone to your Circles, whether you know them or not (like following someone on Twitter). So if your favourite celebrity, athlete, singer etc is on Google+, then add them to (an appropriate) Circle.</li> <li>Google have launched a Google+ button. This is similar to the Facebook Like button, only it works across the entire Internet. I've added the Google+ button to my web site and both my blogs to allow people to publicly Like them. What's the betting that Google will use Google+ in their search engine rankings? Content with higher Google+ votes will rank higher than those with lesser votes (all other things being equal).</li> </ul> <p>I haven't used Huddles or Hangouts yet, so I'll post another article as a follow up when I've got round to using some of the other features of Google+. </p> <p>My impressions so far are positive. It's simple, easy to use and very powerful. In it's first two weeks it had 10 milion users. </p> <p>Should Facebook and Twitter be worried? Only time will tell.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-65740214770711086962011-07-04T19:38:00.001+01:002011-07-04T19:38:51.416+01:00The dark truth behind slaughterhouse walls<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-07-04/yFdBvzjvzuesgzkJaskorzuzkGpynzncGglDjhGrptwpplnbIJEmjrmgddzD/T9350018-Beef_carcasses_hanging_in_an_abattoir-SPL.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="T9350018-beef_carcasses_hanging_in_an_abattoir-spl" height="334" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-07-04/yFdBvzjvzuesgzkJaskorzuzkGpynzncGglDjhGrptwpplnbIJEmjrmgddzD/T9350018-Beef_carcasses_hanging_in_an_abattoir-SPL.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Do you think slaughter houses are humane places, where the animals are treated with a certain level of compassion before they are slaughtered? That the people that work there show them respect? The following quotes are taken from slaughter house workers, and are sourced from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slaughterhouse-Shocking-Inhumane-Treatment-Industry/dp/1573921661/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309802067&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Slaughterhouse by Gail A. Eisnitz</a>.</p> <p>The next time you eat meat, you are condemning an animal to a life of neglect, pain, suffering and a barbaric and tortured death at the hands of sadists.</p> <p>"I seen them take those stunners – they’re about as long as a yard stick – and shove it up the hog’s ass… They do it with cows, too… And in their ears, their eyes, down their throat… They’ll be squealing and they’ll just shove it right down there."</p> <p>"Hogs get stressed out pretty easy. If you prod them too much they have heart attacks. If you get a hog in a chute that’s had the shit prodded out of him and has a heart attack or refuses to move, you take a meat hook and hook it into his bunghole [anus]. You’re dragging these hogs alive, and a lot of times the meat hook rips out of the bunghole. I’ve seen hams – thighs – completely ripped open. I’ve also seen intestines come out. If the hog collapses near the front of the chute, you shove the meat hook into his cheek and drag him forward.”“Or in their mouth. The roof of their mouth. And they’re still alive.”“Pigs on the kill floor have come up and nuzzled me like a puppy. Two minutes later I had to kill them – beat them to death with a pipe."</p> <p>"These hogs get up to the scalding tank, hit the water and start screaming and kicking. Sometimes they thrash so much they kick water out of the tank… Sooner or later they drown. There’s a rotating arm that pushes them under, no chance for them to get out. I’m not sure if they burn to death before they drown, but it takes them a couple of minutes to stop thrashing."</p> <p>"Sometimes I grab it [a hog] by the ear and stick it right through the eye. I’m not just taking its eye out, I’ll go all the way to the hilt, right up through the brain, and wiggle the knife."</p> <p>"Only you don’t just kill it, you go in hard, push hard, blow the windpipe, make it drown in its own blood. Split its nose. A live hog would be running around the pit. It would just be looking up at me and I’d be sticking, and I would just take my knife and – cut its eye out while it was just standing there. And this hog would just scream."</p> <p>"I could tell you horror stories… about cattle getting their heads stuck under the gate guards and the only way you can get it out is to cut their heads off while they’re still alive."</p> <p>"He’ll kick them [hogs], fork them, use anything he can get his hands on. He’s already broken three pitchforks so far this year, just jabbing them. He doesn’t care if he hits its eyes, head, butt. He jabs them so hard he busts the wooden handles. And he clubs them over the back."</p> <p>"I’ve seen live animals shackled, hoisted, stuck, and skinned. Too many to count, too many to remember. It’s just a process that’s continually there. I’ve seen shackled beef looking around before they’ve been stuck. I’ve seen hogs [that are supposed to be lying down] on the bleeding conveyor get up after they’ve been stuck. I’ve seen hogs in the scalding tub trying to swim."</p> <p>"I seen guys take broomsticks and stick it up the cow’s behind, screwing them with a broom."</p> <p>"I’ve drug cows till their bones start breaking, while they were still alive. Bringing them around the corner and they get stuck up in the doorway, just pull them till their hide be ripped, till the blood just drip on the steel and concrete. Breaking their legs… And the cow be crying with its tongue stuck out. They pull him till his neck just pop."</p> <p>"One time I took my knife – it’s sharp enough – and I sliced off the end of a hog’s nose, just like a piece of bologna. The hog went crazy for a few seconds. Then it just sat there looking kind of stupid. So I took a handful of salt brine and ground it into his nose. Now that hog really went nuts, pushing its nose all over the place. I still had a bunch of salt in my hand – I was wearing a rubber glove – and I stuck the salt right up the hog’s ass. The poor hog didn’t know whether to shit or go blind."</p> </p> <p>Please think about how your choices affect the lives of other animals, which have NO choices. It is not just your choices that matter. No animal should ever have to endure such wanton cruelty and torture. </p> <p>Consider going vegetarian or vegan. Make compassionate and ethical choices. </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-68712845901753599392011-07-01T06:41:00.001+01:002011-07-01T06:41:46.110+01:00Wow...what a ride!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-06-30/tlsmrlvwitvEstlHeqhpaetHaiHkyIvFnbjbDrjxndhalzndtlGEGdownEIn/what_a_ride.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="What_a_ride" height="333" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-06-30/tlsmrlvwitvEstlHeqhpaetHaiHkyIvFnbjbDrjxndhalzndtlGEGdownEIn/what_a_ride.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p> <p>"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming– “Wow! What a Ride!” "</p> <p>Hunter S. Thompson </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-62383581258613387712011-06-15T19:40:00.000+01:002011-06-15T19:40:12.261+01:00My experience of the Nightrider 2011 charity bike ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xufTz3k6WdC7o_jbUmCAV9Nnvidhs9oL8xyeCvFNNqMqEoo0PSJZpXAMhjnZ8zGQDbTDTlMikojq1lQZMq1QWnBN7d4wdlpNSm-O9oyR4ERjt5WSFFJXnS5upRBvppWeCHNWllc4ovKZ/s1600/nightrider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xufTz3k6WdC7o_jbUmCAV9Nnvidhs9oL8xyeCvFNNqMqEoo0PSJZpXAMhjnZ8zGQDbTDTlMikojq1lQZMq1QWnBN7d4wdlpNSm-O9oyR4ERjt5WSFFJXnS5upRBvppWeCHNWllc4ovKZ/s320/nightrider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I signed up for this event last August, and finally rode it on Saturday June 11th this year. The <a href="http://www.nightrider.org.uk/" target="_blank">Nightrider</a> is a 100km charity bike ride around London at night. This year there were 1000 riders taking part. The groups of cyclists were being set off from 11pm onwards in groups of 50 at 6 minute intervals. I would be in the 11:18pm group.<br />
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There were two start points. You could start at either Crystal Palace or Alexandra Palace. I opted to start at Crystal Palace.<br />
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I was riding the event to raise awareness and funds for <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank">Arthritis Research UK</a> as I have friends and family who are affected by this condition. I had to raise a minimum of £175 in order to take part in the event. At the time of writing I have raised £275, so I've exceeded the target. My aim is to raise £300, so I still have some more fund raising to go.<br />
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I would be staying over in London at my friend Don's. He lives in Chatham, Kent, which is a 45 minute drive from Crystal Palace. The plan was for me to leave Kettering at around midday on the Saturday and get to Don's for around 2 - 2:30pm. I arrived at just after 3pm thanks to a massive queue for the Dartford Crossing.<br />
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I spent the afternoon / evening relaxing, as I had a long night ahead. Don and his son Tom would be meeting me at various points around the course to cheer me on, and would meet me at the finish to take me back to Don's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg2fxaPppV1Za2EosONhouQsAaPeVTnOZAfDH28tQGFZv8eTiHGEUSVYVrSnX6EOBDYz91S2yRAktr1hUuHcCbs7UA8KhURxlTrARW74253miZvHQEGipx9qp6FYZsiGwahsmaY-TE2KT/s1600/Tower-Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg2fxaPppV1Za2EosONhouQsAaPeVTnOZAfDH28tQGFZv8eTiHGEUSVYVrSnX6EOBDYz91S2yRAktr1hUuHcCbs7UA8KhURxlTrARW74253miZvHQEGipx9qp6FYZsiGwahsmaY-TE2KT/s1600/Tower-Bridge.jpg" /></a></div>I arrived at Crystal Palace in plenty of time. I was already wearing my cycling kit, as well as a hi-viz waistcoat with my number attached to it..I got the bike and myself ready, and checked everything over to make sure it all worked. Even though I had already done this earlier in the week, I still wanted to do a last minute check of the equipment.<br />
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I could see lots of other cyclists getting ready. There was a vast range of ages taking part. There were all sorts of bikes too, from tandems to tourers to urban hybrids to racing bikes. All types of bike were well represented.<br />
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I chatted away with Tom and Don until my start time arrived. As each group was set off into the night, there was a massive cheer from everyone. The atmosphere was excellent. Everyone was very friendly, and I got talking to lots of other cyclists as I waited for my start time.<br />
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As the 11:12pm starters set off, I made my way to the start area to be set off. Eventually 11:18pm arrived. With another cheer from the crowd (including Don and Tom) I set off into the night with my allocated group of 50 cyclists.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod1aDsWIMwK4L_YAqY66jqjbK71eQn-wGlg6M7crdr1g-M5c8pjkW7giyo9KqNsR-D0mOMuVOTZdVMlotI_XDzTnzaOR5eNFg9B49wsZKDH5ykKvH7OQNILEOciDClYnCEXEgLLlr24IL/s1600/canarywharf1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod1aDsWIMwK4L_YAqY66jqjbK71eQn-wGlg6M7crdr1g-M5c8pjkW7giyo9KqNsR-D0mOMuVOTZdVMlotI_XDzTnzaOR5eNFg9B49wsZKDH5ykKvH7OQNILEOciDClYnCEXEgLLlr24IL/s320/canarywharf1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The route is marked throughout the entire length of the course with yellow signs on which is an arrow indicating the direction of travel. Mostly these were easy to spot, but at times were tricky to find, or were a bit misleading. This could have been down to people moving them earlier in the day for mischief, or maybe they were just not always very well positioned. I would recommend that all signs are placed in the same position at all junctions i.e. to the left. Sometimes they were positioned in the middle of a junction or to the right of the junction, so quite often you would be looking around for the sign as you approached a junction.<br />
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Not long after leaving Crystal Palace I cycled past Don and Tom who had stopped nearby to give me another shout of encouragement. The first control stop for refreshments was Tower Bridge, but I didn't bother stopping, I decided to just keep riding. It was about midnight and was still very busy.<br />
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Throughout the event I rode with many different groups and riders, everyone was very friendly. I missed a few of the direction signs, but thankfully I hadn't gone too far before I realised. In the dark it was not always easy to spot the signs, and this is where riding in a group is so much more beneficial, as there are many more eyes to look out for direction signs. With a background in Audax (long distance) cycling, I never assumed the rider at the front had seen the signs, and I would shout out the direction as soon as I knew which way to go.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNbTLBPWBeSLAhLKOhaOLY4FadbjMqGE1cpLQC6HGJxwIbP981fT7LRSOTkzQuSSraPmHCvtH-7DyPC29X0hXdPBpC6ltcrlxbHavJ79krBu9ZvNXbIPu_JHZ50jYZ3fBUALmEiRdMyiN/s1600/the-allure-of-the-london-eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNbTLBPWBeSLAhLKOhaOLY4FadbjMqGE1cpLQC6HGJxwIbP981fT7LRSOTkzQuSSraPmHCvtH-7DyPC29X0hXdPBpC6ltcrlxbHavJ79krBu9ZvNXbIPu_JHZ50jYZ3fBUALmEiRdMyiN/s320/the-allure-of-the-london-eye.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was amazed by how busy London was. Throughout the ride, the streets of London were almost permanently busy, particularly in the city centre. Even at 4am, the city centre was heaving. It was full of revellers, taxis, cars, rickshaws and buses. Often the revellers would just walk into the road right in front of you, as they were clearly the worse for wear. It was not always easy finding a safe line through the traffic and people, and I had a few near misses with some of the traffic, including a few near misses with taxis.<br />
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It was moments like that where I wasn't sure how an inexperienced cyclist would cope. Riding in busy traffic during the day is one thing, but at night where there are greater numbers of drunk revellers, rickshaws and taxis must be very daunting indeed. <br />
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It was wonderful seeing the London Eye looking resplendent in the small hours, it truly looked spectacular. Riding through Canary Wharf was the same. All the buildings looked lovely lit up by the night lights.<br />
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At one part of the ride, we rode past a smart looking gentleman standing next to a Mercedes. As we rode past he informed us that the woman in the back of the car was not wearing any knickers, and would we like to get in.<br />
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I was glad of the coffee at the half way point, as this perked me up. It was 2:45am, and a hot drink was in order.<br />
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I met Don and Tom at the next control which was the Museum, which also looked amazing at night. As I rode into the control I had a quick bite to eat, and set off with another group of cyclists who were leaving.<br />
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I was quite surprised by how poor many of the road surfaces are in London. For a major city which is hosting the next Olympics and trying to encourage greater cycle use (in part thanks to Boris Johnson and the Barclays sponsored bike scheme), I was disappointed that so many of the roads were in such disrepair. My initial worries at the start of the ride of getting lost or nodding off and falling off my bike were replaced by the possibility of getting an impact puncture from hitting a pot hole at speed.<br />
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As we rode past Big Ben we were lucky enough to hear it chime 4am. This part of the ride took us past Westminster. By this time dawn was breaking and it was getting light. I rode past a group of cyclists who were lost, and who informed us they had ridden round in a circle and didn't know which way to go. I told them they were on route and should follow me if they wanted. They didn't take me up on the offer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbVcj2yC0qBXttj29hLviqaXKHA0ga9EJjUOAKy793aTutD2W5HvYgJOi6WTDYsX4epd6yNVW10mzqRN752KxVUCg_xmRwS3XS7Ao2uJbQtMjIDfiqAlINOqxZWPi8G6pxSR2qPOL5qMH/s1600/big_ben_from_river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbVcj2yC0qBXttj29hLviqaXKHA0ga9EJjUOAKy793aTutD2W5HvYgJOi6WTDYsX4epd6yNVW10mzqRN752KxVUCg_xmRwS3XS7Ao2uJbQtMjIDfiqAlINOqxZWPi8G6pxSR2qPOL5qMH/s320/big_ben_from_river.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br />
As I neared the finish at Crystal Palace, Don and Tom drove past and shouted more encouragement. Just before the finish, there is a long drag up to Crystal Palace, but nothing overly taxing. Many of the other cyclists were suffering however, and I soon rode past several of them.<br />
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I eventually rode into Crystal Palace and the finish. It felt great to have ridden such a brilliant event. Not everyone can claim to have cycled 100km around London at night. It's certainly a fantastic event, and one which I would recommend to any cyclist who is confident riding in busy traffic and feels comfortable riding with other cyclists in the dark.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-73083289582622346802011-06-08T07:24:00.001+01:002011-06-08T07:24:25.173+01:00Jack Schitt<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Jackschitt2" height="342" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-06-07/mhcCrebmnmsrluGCGjisfalxalCldtmoBxjGFulCsxIitDEymAFbIucqeGFA/Jackschitt2.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="360" /> </div> </p> <p>For some time many of us have wondered just who is Jack Schitt?</p> <p>We find ourselves at a loss when someone says, 'You don't know Jack Schitt!'</p> <p>Well, thanks to my genealogy efforts, you can now respond in an intellectual way.</p> <p>Jack Schitt is the only son of Awe Schitt. Awe Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, married O. Schitt, the owner of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They had one son, Jack.</p> <p>In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt. The deeply religious couple produced six children: Holie Schitt, Giva Schitt, Fulla Schitt, Bull Schitt, and the twins Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt..</p> <p>Against her parents' objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high school dropout. After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced. Noe Schitt later married Ted Sherlock, and because her kids were living with them, she wanted to keep her previous name. She was then known as Noe Schitt Sherlock.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt, and they produced a son with a rather nervous disposition named Chicken Schitt. Two of the other six children, Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt, were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers in a dual ceremony. The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens nuptials. The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Horse.</p> <p>Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new Italian bride, Pisa Schitt.</p> <p>Now when someone says, 'You don't know Jack Schitt,' you can correct them.</p> <p>Sincerely,</p> <p>Crock O. Schitt</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-73406136330087828682011-05-24T21:03:00.000+01:002011-05-24T21:03:20.319+01:00RUSH - Time Machine Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVhk4cYgooaWD63BcD22Xn3ASFPYGH9mUowPsoJtOIixcolg0lHfFZ1eoXd3owQFnI1kf7yUK_c4eeKnpT77SED4a9Bi0DFnW8D0bc0wvVPY7tG5m_EeF2gSaE0hey7rRq3hzF7LzltvS/s1600/rush.jpg.scaled500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVhk4cYgooaWD63BcD22Xn3ASFPYGH9mUowPsoJtOIixcolg0lHfFZ1eoXd3owQFnI1kf7yUK_c4eeKnpT77SED4a9Bi0DFnW8D0bc0wvVPY7tG5m_EeF2gSaE0hey7rRq3hzF7LzltvS/s1600/rush.jpg.scaled500.jpg" /></a></div>For anyone that knows me, or for regular readers of my blog, it is no surprise that I am a huge fan of the band Rush. I have already written two blogs about them: <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/11/rush-biggest-band-you-never-heard-of.html" target="_blank">Rush - the biggest band you never heard of</a> and <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2011/03/heroes-rush.html" target="_blank">Heroes - Rush</a>.<br />
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When I first heard last year that Rush were going to tour the UK, I knew I wanted to go and see them. I've seen Rush twice in concert before. I saw them on their Show of Hands and Presto tours. They were amazing on both occasions. They are one of the best live bands I've ever seen. They are faultless musicians who can play the most complex music to a live audience without missing a single note.<br />
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I arranged to go with a friend of mine. I bought two tickets last November for the LG Arena in Birmingham (formerly called the NEC Arena). The date of the concert was 22nd of May 2011. I'd heard from their web site that they would be playing the entire album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Pictures_(album)" target="_blank">Moving Pictures</a> from start to finish, as well as playing old and new material. The concert would therefore be around 3 hours.<br />
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As the concert got closer, I still hadn't received the tickets, and was getting a bit worried. In the week leading up to the concert, I rang the ticket agency, and they assured me the tickets were on their way. On the Friday before the concert (which was set for the Sunday) I received an email from the ticket agency informing me they would not be able to supply the tickets after all. To say I was frustrated, gutted and disappointed is putting it mildly. I rang up my friend and gave him the bad news.<br />
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On the off chance, my friend rang up the venue and asked if they had any tickets left. By a stroke of good luck, they had a handful left! He immediately purchased two of them, and a ticket for parking too.What a result!<br />
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We arrived at the concert in plenty of time. We parked up, and then went for a bite to eat and a drink. There were plenty of people wearing Rush T-shirts from various tours. We made our way to our seats on the Showdesk, which is just above the restaurant. We had plenty of room to sit or stand up, and had a good view of the stage too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8oGbZS9FX4SThH3RQgBukmA04cHL7C1uCE22polpRE1xoeccPZR5F2FArj0OMg1b43_54zckhBZMTd8NCbhkq7kNfxXX8LTdIyymUMsP7Rk2TvU1U63o6gR0kaue6cH7Ohyphenhyphenw76r5vDG2-/s1600/rush-time-machine-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8oGbZS9FX4SThH3RQgBukmA04cHL7C1uCE22polpRE1xoeccPZR5F2FArj0OMg1b43_54zckhBZMTd8NCbhkq7kNfxXX8LTdIyymUMsP7Rk2TvU1U63o6gR0kaue6cH7Ohyphenhyphenw76r5vDG2-/s320/rush-time-machine-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As is usual for Rush, the concert started with a video projected onto the back screen. It was a short comedy spoof about a band manager (played by Alex Lifeson - guitarist) trying to get his band a gig by impressing the venue promoter (played by Geddy Lee - bassist and vocalist). Listening in on the conversation was the unimpressed bystander (played by Neil Peart - drummer).<br />
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Eventually, the band came on stage and erupted into Spirit of Radio, to a huge roar from the crowd. At last, our heroes were on the stage! No matter how many times I hear this song, I never, ever tire of it. It is timeless, and judging by the reception from the rest of the crowd, they agreed with me.<br />
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They then launched into other favourites including Time Stand Still, Subdivisions, Marathon and Freewill, as well as new tracks including BU2B from the as yet unreleased Clockwork Angels album.<br />
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One thing I noticed was an air drummer to the far left of the stage (to the right from the perspective of the band). Rush concerts are the only time where you'll see far more air drummers than air guitarists. What struck me about this particular air drummer was that he air drummed during every single song, and his hands were perfectly mimicking Neil's hand movements (which is not easy as his style of drumming contains many difficult segments and notes, making even air drumming difficult). Not only that, but he was hitting the correct drums and cymbals. When Neil hit a right hand cymbal, the air drummer would be hitting a cymbal to his right. He was perfectly shadowing Neil's every movement, even to the songs that were unreleased. My guess is that he must have been a roadie, or even Neil's drum technician. His enthusiasm and abilities to perfectly shadow Neil were impressive.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7uU43COS7WPvAMO-hpljpeoWAjnMDoJ6V3iFYDMCekjgQ3FCnTjQBwxmLptxby4Agwn8ArKnSjw3UyTot9Q-gwScUUwVV6seezHYwEkR1i5QHE5BltW3yexMJOBSNNlOxtg6ALeC0uBS/s1600/rush-time-machine-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7uU43COS7WPvAMO-hpljpeoWAjnMDoJ6V3iFYDMCekjgQ3FCnTjQBwxmLptxby4Agwn8ArKnSjw3UyTot9Q-gwScUUwVV6seezHYwEkR1i5QHE5BltW3yexMJOBSNNlOxtg6ALeC0uBS/s320/rush-time-machine-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There was a short interval, where my friend and I went for a quick drink. We got back to our seats just as the band were about to come back on stage. When they did, they played the entire Moving Pictures album, including tracks they have never played live before such as Vital Signs (the track was deemed to difficult to play live). They opened the second half of the concert with Tom Sawyer, then straight into another of my favourites - Red Barchetta. Vital Signs was the last track from Moving Pictures.<br />
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As the band closed the track, Neil launched into his drum solo - Love 4 Sale. Each tour, Neil adjusts and changes his drum solo. Although I recognised sections of it, much of it was new. Unlike many drum solos (where the drummer just hits everything as hard and as fast as they can), Neil's solo is a musical set piece, with different parts of the kit played in different styles and tempos. Throughout the solo, the cameras gave us close up video shots of him (overhead and side cameras), and played these onto the huge back screen so we could see him playing. His level of technique is phenomenal, and well beyond the skill of most drummers. Most can only sit back, be amazed, and hope to be one tenth as good as Neil.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-0eP1rXunmzJzJxyRTdRxMSV9M4vd6vHKWAZGTqzUCA18Gy8UIEUqOa3dm_SR3ifTGLrQcqnTLNOw8ipvjROsL5TaWp98JXyikxBxdl8hS1fVwYm299OLVYjKHSVOTw5TBeZcrnefm0F/s1600/news_neilpearttimemachine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-0eP1rXunmzJzJxyRTdRxMSV9M4vd6vHKWAZGTqzUCA18Gy8UIEUqOa3dm_SR3ifTGLrQcqnTLNOw8ipvjROsL5TaWp98JXyikxBxdl8hS1fVwYm299OLVYjKHSVOTw5TBeZcrnefm0F/s320/news_neilpearttimemachine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Other songs played included Closer To The Heart (which my friend betted me they wouldn't play), Caravan (from Clockwork Angels) and 2112. They closed the show with Far Cry.<br />
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Naturally, they got huge shouts from the audience to come back and do an encore, which they did. They played La Villa Strangiato (which I've never seen them play live before), Working Man (a rock track which they updated to include a reggae intro - which worked remarkably well) and finally Cygnus X-1.<br />
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The concert was amazing, which is what I would expect from a band of the caliber of Rush. As soon as the album Clockwork Angels is on sale, I'll be buying it!Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-78324541924935622442011-05-11T21:28:00.000+01:002011-05-11T21:28:06.506+01:00Gonk and Dork go to a bicycle race<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dominic's bit (Dork)</b></span><br />
<div>The latest edition of the Lincoln GP was Sunday 8th May. I've been to watch this bike race several times in the past and have always really enjoyed it. I first watched it in 2004 when David O'Loughlin won it for Team Recycling. It's changed slightly over the last few years, but in its current incarnation it consists of 11 laps each of 8 miles around the city. In previous years it started from the Yarborough sports centre, this year it started from Breedon Drive, just off Burton Road. </div><div><br />
</div><div>As a spectator's event, this race is difficult to beat. You can stand and watch anywhere along the course, and while Vicky and I walked from the start at Breedon Drive over to the Castle Square, we took up several vantage points as the cyclists came past. The cobbled climb of Michaelgate is always packed. This is a steep, leg sapping 1 in 6 climb up to the Castle Square. You can get a great view of the cyclists as they ride up the climb, as they're obviously not riding at full race pace. It never fails to surprise me how quickly they can ride up this steep climb.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I had my daughter Holly with me, and so eventually myself, Vicky and Holly all made it to the Castle Square, where we took it in turns cheering on the riders at the top of the climb on Michaelgate, and looking round the shops in the Castle Square in between laps.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The field consisted of 160 riders, representing over 30 different teams, including international teams and riders. I was particularly excited at the prospect of seeing Magnus Backstedt, a former winner of the extremely tough Paris-Roubaix (nicknamed The Hell of the North). He was riding for Team UK Youth. Each time he rode past me, I shouted out his name. He's quite simply a legend!</div><div><br />
</div><div>In the end, it was Scott Thwaites from Endura Racing who took the honours at the finish, and a very well deserved win it was too. Chapeau Scott! </div><div><br />
</div><div>Here is the <a href="http://www.veloclublincoln.co.uk/vcl/index.php" target="_blank">full list of winners</a>, and here are some <a href="http://www.dominicburford.co.uk/Photos.aspx?AlbumID=13" target="_blank">photos</a> I took of the race.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Vicky's bit (Gonk)</b></span></div><div>This was the first cycling race I have ever watched. If I'm honest I thought it would be a bit boring - but I actually really enjoyed it! Luckily I did not have the issue of where to park - as the start line was only 2 minutes walk from my house! As the race started and the cyclists came speeding out of Breedon Drive, there was a group of about 20 of us there to cheer them on their way. My friend Rob joined us for the first 45 minutes of the race too.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Breedon Drive, we walked along Burton road to the roundabout just in time to catch the cyclists about to complete lap 1. We then walked briskly down Yarborough hill to the top of Long Leys road, which is a fairly steep climb about halfway through each lap.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was sat on the edge of a traffic island so I could take some good photographs, and as the riders came up the hill they were maneuvering in and out of the traffic cones which were right in front of me. One of the Irish cyclists was headed straight towards me but veered off to the right at the last second. I know he would never have hit me, but I let out a bit of a yelp!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is where Rob left us, and me, Dom and Holly walked up to the Bailgate. Again, our timing was great as we made it there in time to see the riders pass on on lap 3. We then made a very important stop to the ice-cream parlour :-)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From here we made our way through Castle Square towards the Drury Lane/Michaelgate area. I was amazed to see how quickly the cyclists were making their way up this steep, cobbled climb - I hate walking up it myself on my way home from town!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In between laps we walked around the few Bailgate shops that were open and alternated our viewing location between Castle Square, Michaelgate and Drury Lane. We also bumped into several more friends we knew - Pip, Jethro, Vicki and Glen - and enjoyed watching several laps with them too.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As the final lap got underway, we made our way to the finishing line in Castle Square, which was packed! I didn't see </span>Scott Thwaites cross the finishing line but I heard a roar of cheering erupt from the crowd.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I really enjoyed the Lincoln Grand Prix and would definitely watch it next year if I get the chance to.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-20802233492544722412011-04-25T09:03:00.001+01:002011-04-25T09:03:30.299+01:00Elvis has left the building.....so a new chapter begins<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Elvis_has_left_the_building" height="382" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-04-25/bEgkjtjalvepCHuDkFkkamHIJntdqbowBlAGocrFpcxlhmnkiqkcgHuthnFe/elvis_has_left_the_building.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> My last day working as a Senior Web Developer at <a href="http://www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/" title="East Northamptonshire Council" target="_blank">East Northamptonshire Council</a> arrived last Thursday the 21st of April. I've worked there happily for the last four years. I've really enjoyed my stay with the council, and made many wonderful friends who I intend to stay in regular contact with. Thank you to all of you for making my stay so enjoyable, and I hope to see you all soon.</p> <p>I start work for <a href="http://www.cdsglobal.co.uk/" title="CDS Global" target="_blank">CDS Global</a> in Market Harborough as a Senior Digital Services Developer on 3rd May, working alongside my former colleague Steve Evans whom I worked with at <a href="http://www.pegasus.co.uk/" title="Pegasus" target="_blank">Pegasus</a>.</p> <p>New challenges lie ahead, as well as exciting times. As one chapter closes, a new one begins!</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-50573128032934929412011-04-18T17:59:00.001+01:002011-04-18T17:59:00.451+01:00Thomas Edison<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Thomas_edison" height="604" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-04-18/ifstJmgztCyGoHtygmHJnmijzrGjmDJzdCFFFufJhbHtfAAlIlfsimrlaCus/thomas_edison.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="483" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-31839544757552878752011-04-14T19:47:00.001+01:002011-04-14T19:47:34.282+01:00I am someone's daughter<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-04-14/njxJHmwnqtuqgiugynnhrecqutzkgibpdFpAwFGgnlpDcJiulclGuHrmwtqv/I_am_someones_daughter.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="I_am_someones_daughter" height="333" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-04-14/njxJHmwnqtuqgiugynnhrecqutzkgibpdFpAwFGgnlpDcJiulclGuHrmwtqv/I_am_someones_daughter.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-55692712834581564782011-04-12T21:27:00.000+01:002011-04-12T21:27:18.986+01:00Gonk and Dork go to a football match<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffrxgWAFXzRTrufvvu7yshTqxPj3TjUelPkyePeAsEqj3Le3YXCQqzKnPOp_76ZULi1uOSlEewXyDo9uHwZewIDPFJTIk2WtG0o5ULbaw4_-Ok4khAcungs_ogf7M623X9nFZrDW1EPPJ/s1600/041.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594786274142583618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffrxgWAFXzRTrufvvu7yshTqxPj3TjUelPkyePeAsEqj3Le3YXCQqzKnPOp_76ZULi1uOSlEewXyDo9uHwZewIDPFJTIk2WtG0o5ULbaw4_-Ok4khAcungs_ogf7M623X9nFZrDW1EPPJ/s200/041.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Written with <a href="http://gillinghamfc.posterous.com/" target="_blank">Vicky Perry</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dominic's Review (Dork)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">First of all, I have a confession to make. I'm not a football fan and don't support any particular football team, and prior to writing this article, had never been to a football match before in my life. I haven't supported a football team since I lived in Edinburgh as a wee boy and supported Hibernian Football Club. So when Vicky asked me if I would be interested in going to watch a football game with her, I had rather mixed feelings. On the one hand I knew little about the game and didn't follow it, but on the other hand it was something new to me and so would be a new experience. Also, the game would be played at Sincil Bank stadium in Lincoln where I used to live. The teams playing would be Lincoln vs Gillingham (Vicky's beloved football team, and the team she would would be supporting). As I would be sitting with Vicky in the Away stand, I too would therefore also be supporting Gillingham - even if only for one day.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The match was to take place on Saturday 9th April with kick off at 3pm. The weather was warm and bright and perfect for watching a game of football. I had no idea what to expect. I'd seen plenty of footage of football matches on the TV before. As we walked through the town centre towards the football stadium, the police presence was highly visible. Were they expecting mass street brawls?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I was actually looking forward to watching my first ever football match by this time. Walking through the town centre, there was a sea of red and white Lincoln football tops to be seen, interspersed with several blue and black Gillingham football tops.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We entered the stadium at the Away end, and made our way to the stands to get our seats. As I sat down, I could see the team warming up on the pitch next to the Away stand. We got there in plenty of time, so had time to watch the team warming up, stretching, taking shots at the goal and the like.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Eventually the teams came out onto the pitch in their proper kit, to a cheer of loud approval from both sides of the stadium. It became clear to me quite quickly that the rowdier, more vocal section of the stand were all sitting at the back. They sang, chanted and cheered almost continuously throughout the entire game. Despite this though, the banter was always good natured, never intimidating. There was a good mix of age groups in the crowd. Dads and Mums with their children, groups of friends, young and old couples. I have to say that I found the atmosphere to be really friendly. An older couple were sat next to us, and were clearly having a great time cheering on their team, and chatted to myself and Vicky. I'm sure Vicky may add something else here in her description of the game at this point :-)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I won't pretend to know the names of all the players, and who scored the goals. Despite that, I found myself really gettig into the spirit of the game, and feeling the energy and excitement of the crowd. Each time Gillingham scored, it was hard not to join in with the excitement and cheer loudly with everyone else, which is exactly what I did. Each time Gillingham scored, I stood up and cheered as loudly as I could. It was a great feeling, and I can understand why so many people enjoy going to watch football matches.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In the end, the final score was 4-0 to Gillingham. The Away team had well and truly beaten the Home team, and the Away fans were all more than happy at such a fantastic result. I felt happy too, despite not having watched a game before in my life.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed the game. The atmosphere was good natured, with many children and families present. I fully took part and got carried away with the spirit of the crowd. I would definitely go to another football match again!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vicky's Review (Gonk)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I have been excited about this fixture ALL season (well - since we dropped back down to League 2) because it is in the City I live in - Lincoln. I won't say my 'hometown' as I still see Cuxton where I grew up (not far from Gillingham) as my hometown. Of course I was NEVER going to miss this fixture - my first away game in fact (except for the League 1 play-offs at Wembley in 2009 which isn't technically an away game).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I was so excited on the day - as I know Dom was. It was great seeing a match with a non-football fan, as it meant that he had an open mind and I could influence him to support my team! He did refuse to wear last season's shirt though - he said it was because he wasn't a true 'fan', but I secretly think it's because it wasn't pink!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We chose to sit about 8 rows from the pitch - a cracking view of the game and of the Gillingham lads warming up.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">My pre-match prediction was a 2-1 win for Gillingham - I predicted that Lincoln would score first and the Gills would equalise by half time, and then clinch a win in the 2nd half. How very wrong I was! It was so much better!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">From the start, Gillingham seemed to have more possession, even though the official stats say it was 50/50. I think it seemed that we had more because we actually scored!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Gowling was the first to score in the twentieth minute. The away stand erupted into celebratory chants. There seemed to be constant chanting from the back of our stand, which is great as it spurs the players on. A few times when Danny Spiller, who is still playing with a very <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/9382263.stm" target="_blank">nasty broken finger</a>, came to the touchline fans shouted 'Spills, Spills' and Danny gave us all the thumbs up.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">McDonald, who <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/12881095.stm" target="_blank">recently said</a> he wants to stay at Priestfield next season instead of returning to his parent club Norwich City, scored a beaut of a goal in the 41st minute, taking his season tally up to 23. McDonald is now the joint 2nd top scorer in League 2 this season.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">During half time, Dom bought me a much needed hot chocolate - the away stand was in the shade so it turned a tad chilly.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">McDonald was unlucky not to be awarded the Gills' 3rd goal in the 59th minute, as his well-aimed shot was deflected in by Lincoln's Danny Hone, so it went down as an own goal. The atmosphere was electric and we only had to wait another 10 minutes until the Gills' 4th goal, courtesy of Adebayo Akinfenwa's header. By now we knew the Imps couldn't catch us. We were singing 'we want 5, we want 5'.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As the ref blew the full time whistle, we all erupted into cheers and applause which seemed to echo round Sincil Bank. What could be better.....a massive away win adding to our 15 match unbeaten run and moving back up into the League 1 play off places. A perfect Saturday afternoon!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Up the Gills!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">View match highlights <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/9453638.stm" target="_blank">here</a></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-57630917531093686622011-03-30T18:05:00.001+01:002011-03-30T18:05:11.860+01:00Help end the seal slaughter now!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-03-30/BdEouiBExxinjwzxqvkcEHvqHsjcjFjoEphrtxkeacIuGovDnpjnygzBbdbc/canadiansealdemo-photo.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Canadiansealdemo-photo" height="216" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-03-30/BdEouiBExxinjwzxqvkcEHvqHsjcjFjoEphrtxkeacIuGovDnpjnygzBbdbc/canadiansealdemo-photo.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div> <p>The serene beauty of the ice floes will be shattered and the sparkling snow will be stained with blood and littered with carcasses as tens of thousands of baby seals are slaughtered in the largest massacre of marine mammals on the planet. </p> <p>You can help end the abuse and slaughter of defenceless animals, including Canada's seals, by supporting PETA today. By becoming part of our photo mosaic for just £10 or as much as you can afford, you can join our important demonstration against the seal slaughter and help PETA turn up the heat on Canada. </p> <p>The photo mosaic banner will be printed and used as part of an eye-catching demonstration outside the Canadian Embassy in London. You will also be able to see the photo mosaic taking form on our website, so be sure to check back often. </p> <p>Any donated funds left over after producing our latest seal slaughter campaign poster will help fund other aspects of PETA’s work to save animals from abuse and will be spent whenever the need is greatest. </p> <p><a href="https://rsm2.rsmsecure.com/cpterminal/cpweb.php" target="_blank">Click here to donate</a></p> <p> </p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-52495825161039971372011-03-26T07:20:00.001+00:002011-03-26T07:20:24.812+00:00Mankind<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Mankind" height="400" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-03-26/lBzqlufJmmImkvAlusIzobAiwuGlqFadxsejIDbImplkjCtEmxnjrrlwlwtb/mankind.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-41101407749766327972011-03-24T17:32:00.001+00:002011-03-24T17:32:24.902+00:00Keep Calm And Don't Be Hasty<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Keep_clam_and_dont_be_hasty" height="720" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-03-24/anIyEepvBpJvabxdeyAgmfGvqsbhqeEGGmqDzpcyDHDwwuonEEcsEexawqyr/keep_clam_and_dont_be_hasty.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="463" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-28244571865380914812011-03-11T06:23:00.000+00:002011-03-11T06:23:59.304+00:00Heroes - Rush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUqIqEbJjvhuZGWlCyDLEGugrT-MjUnAxjNJ9PxfOD8AZUGnP0nJsMvtCxqRy5apcD6jI7IlYyzrWX4-jIEHBjCrRT09xiRmXNI8SQehP7akpLYzkgHUhn4o6NV9S1OkT4GAkGO3Cfad-/s1600/rush.jpg.scaled500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUqIqEbJjvhuZGWlCyDLEGugrT-MjUnAxjNJ9PxfOD8AZUGnP0nJsMvtCxqRy5apcD6jI7IlYyzrWX4-jIEHBjCrRT09xiRmXNI8SQehP7akpLYzkgHUhn4o6NV9S1OkT4GAkGO3Cfad-/s320/rush.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Continuing my series of Heroes blogs, I'm going to do something different and write about a group, rather than an individual. The first group to get this treatment are <a href="http://www.rush.com/" target="_blank">Rush</a>. I've been a fan of Rush for over 25 years. I've seen them twice in concert and own all of their albums. They fill the world's biggest stadiums and arenas, but unless you're a fan, you've probably never heard of them.<br />
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Rush - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geddy_Lee" target="_blank">Geddy Lee</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Lifeson" target="_blank">Alex Lifeson</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Peart" target="_blank">Neil Peart</a> - are without question one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, equally famed for both its virtuoso musicianship and provocative songwriting. Rush is one of rock’s most influential bands, ranking third for most consecutive gold and platinum albums behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The band have engaged legions of devoted fans over the decades and is admired by generations of musicians.<br />
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Rush were formed in August 1968 in Toronto, Canada. They are comprised of lead singer, bassist and keyboard player Geddy Lee, lead guitarist Alex Lifeson and lyricist, percussionist and drummer Neil Peart (who replaced original drummer John Rutsey who left after recording their debut, eponymous album).<br />
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Since releasing their debut album in March 1974, Rush have become known for their high level of musicianship, complex compositions and eclectic lyrical motifs, drawing from such influences including science fiction, fantasy, philosophy, as well as addressing humanitarian, social, emotional and environmental concerns.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB04ccYcS05K7bRJV6bJT2sFM4Gip7lic8XnkaACQR5QkQU3TaIaPENbHxToSsVN4pIHXduIlcQu0xI46ZNdz2IixKUYbCqnTu94zDbsTLQwqA9f299okolZ7Auc0TD5JmmE_8GH2d-Qh/s1600/Rush-in-concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB04ccYcS05K7bRJV6bJT2sFM4Gip7lic8XnkaACQR5QkQU3TaIaPENbHxToSsVN4pIHXduIlcQu0xI46ZNdz2IixKUYbCqnTu94zDbsTLQwqA9f299okolZ7Auc0TD5JmmE_8GH2d-Qh/s320/Rush-in-concert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I first came across them when I was about 15, via the live album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit...Stage_Left" target="_blank">Exit...Stage Left</a>, which was released in 1982, and is still one of my favourite Rush albums. The album was voted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit...Stage_Left" target="_blank">9th best live album of all time</a> by a 2004 poll in Classic Rock Magazine. The opening track <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spirit_of_Radio" target="_blank">Spirit of Radio</a> is surely one that most people will have heard, they probably just won't know it as a Rush song. I love the opening guitar riff by Alex Lifeson. The final lyrics to the song:<br />
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<blockquote>"For the words of the prophets were written on the studio wall,<br />
Concert hall,<br />
And echoes with the sounds of salesmen"</blockquote><br />
are an allusion to the famous final lyrics from the Simon and Garfunkel classic "The Sound of Silence":<br />
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<blockquote>"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls<br />
And tenement halls<br />
And whispered in the sounds of silence."</blockquote><br />
What I have always loved about Rush is that they have continually changed their musical style over the years. Their eponymous debut album was very much a blues inspired heavy rock album. They then encompassed progressive rock, and have gone through a period where they made intensive use of synthesisers.<br />
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Rush have never been afraid to push musical or lyrical boundaries, and have shied away from mainstream success, instead preferring to write music for its own sake, rather that for any particular mass market. For such independence alone they deserve to be lauded. While so many other bands deliberately set out to achieve and maintain mainstream success, Rush have never been bothered by it. Making music that they enjoy has always been far more important, and this is one of the reasons why they are so widely respected among their peers.<br />
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Many groups have cited Rush as an influence, including Metallica, Primus, The Smashing Pumpkins and Dream Theater. In fact, when I played the drums in my own bands when at school / college, we used to play a Rush cover. One of my biggest drumming influences was Neil Peart. His precision style of playing, the way he used the entirety of his impressively large drum set, and his many complex, polyrhythmic patterns were always inspirational. Neil Peart is arguably one of the greatest rock drummers of all time!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3djmNuY5qKKbezl4wm-TRbhAsSRIFS4VfXDv8G2Bnj1J17mP9mgzUUaT8qlxgW5B96ywF5Qpu4wWUguP5jVCp81htC2rBpGhchQ0JiFIrqEgvDuSjkE1evxFaH4zEN6ZEO4rkDtQwywg/s1600/800px-Neil_peart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3djmNuY5qKKbezl4wm-TRbhAsSRIFS4VfXDv8G2Bnj1J17mP9mgzUUaT8qlxgW5B96ywF5Qpu4wWUguP5jVCp81htC2rBpGhchQ0JiFIrqEgvDuSjkE1evxFaH4zEN6ZEO4rkDtQwywg/s320/800px-Neil_peart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
At the time of writing they are scheduled to release their next album later in the year called Clockwork Angels. I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to see Rush in concert in May at the NEC in Birmingham, and cannot wait, it's going to be a great concert! I'll post a review here to let you know how good it was.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-81638438999917948322011-03-04T07:39:00.001+00:002011-03-04T07:39:45.401+00:00I love you all the way to the moon.....and back<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Ilove_you_all_the_way_to_the_moon_and_back" height="672" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-03-03/CEjbnuqlwGhAkxBmuEwepsHJAGxxptuuatAJrkfbikotfgGFepkJHeGFAhmJ/Ilove_you_all_the_way_to_the_moon_and_back.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="376" /> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-16451701666507623882011-02-22T17:24:00.001+00:002011-02-22T17:24:15.322+00:00Maroon 5 live at the O2 Arena Birmingham 20.02.2011<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/EqbiozdbnEIIBBDirAstvmnCfbDxCBdBlpkosCqgFnAEhExeaurCaBnyuFpE/M51.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/EqbiozdbnEIIBBDirAstvmnCfbDxCBdBlpkosCqgFnAEhExeaurCaBnyuFpE/M51.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="374"/></a> </p> <p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/rfrhAlffrHgchDiqGcuBizwpdrgcsaovxyisCyruhEinqlHnyxwcdtulnkJB/M52.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="442" height="720"/> </p> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/CgqcjqFdlupmgHBDshGwrognlfzFIJxmmCIgDcehyaJywadvfHsIfujxltqe/M53.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/CgqcjqFdlupmgHBDshGwrognlfzFIJxmmCIgDcehyaJywadvfHsIfujxltqe/M53.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="378"/></a> </p> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/CtxGGEeAGvqFDJnweufHnrzsjnxmdoCJJDuebAjkHjJaiwveEIfGwpsujsgs/M54.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/CtxGGEeAGvqFDJnweufHnrzsjnxmdoCJJDuebAjkHjJaiwveEIfGwpsujsgs/M54.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="574"/></a> </p> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/fGDblumcmbkajfCygHxCsIjwfJcxnlmjlGpFaGeiAqqrzducGuhltesoecnp/M55.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/fGDblumcmbkajfCygHxCsIjwfJcxnlmjlGpFaGeiAqqrzducGuhltesoecnp/M55.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="278"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/fkzxJCdHmwcerCcfzfmiadvosidwuaHsccmklGHpgFztnxedFhAxguEutcGu/M56.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/fkzxJCdHmwcerCcfzfmiadvosidwuaHsccmklGHpgFztnxedFhAxguEutcGu/M56.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="376"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/pepFDAGojxbqJaslbpEIzbAnHCbwbpFuCqicsxsnpiqjodFvmvplFBegxGfu/M57.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-22/pepFDAGojxbqJaslbpEIzbAnHCbwbpFuCqicsxsnpiqjodFvmvplFBegxGfu/M57.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="322"/></a> All images supplied courtesy of <a href="http://vickyperry.posterous.com/" target="_blank">Vicky Perry</a></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-38962082247980971802011-02-21T12:48:00.001+00:002011-02-21T12:48:15.770+00:00Proposed cuts to the National Health Service<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p>The British Medical Association has weighed in on the new Prime Minister David Cameron's health care proposals.</p> <p>The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.</p> <p>The Gastroenterologists had a sort of a gut feeling about it, but the neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.</p> <p>The Obstetricians felt they were all labouring under a misconception.</p> <p>Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted.</p> <p>Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Paediatricians said, "Oh, Grow up!"</p> <p>The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.</p> <p>The Surgeons were fed up with the cuts and decided to wash their hands of the whole thing.</p> <p>The ENT specialists didn't swallow it, and just wouldn’t hear of it.</p> <p>The Pharmacologists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter...."</p> <p>The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.</p> <p>The Anaesthetists thought the whole idea was a gas, but the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.</p> <p>In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the arseholes in London .</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-60312680615692604162011-02-19T18:00:00.001+00:002011-02-19T18:00:09.267+00:00Five rules for men to follow to a happy life<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-19/FzihDxrGHoDpCndnHranunqBpdGxvsaleDdGuoEqAuBtdovvrmeHGaFjChkg/Five_rules_for_men_to_follow.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="442" height="361"/> </p> <p>1. It's important to have a woman who helps at home, cooks from time to time, cleans up, and has a job.</p> <p> 2. It's important to have a woman who can make you laugh. </p> <p>3. It's important to have a woman who you can trust, and doesn't lie to you. </p> <p>4. It's important to have a woman who is good in bed, and likes to be with you. </p> <p>5. Lastly it's very, very important that these four women do not know each other. </p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-67778457133864025312011-02-19T16:41:00.001+00:002011-02-19T16:41:30.638+00:00BBC now admits Al Qaeda never existed<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><object height="417" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pZ_HlmP1aZk&hl=en&fs=1" /></param><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pZ_HlmP1aZk&hl=en&fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="opaque" height="417" width="500"></embed></object></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-57724648723167450642011-02-16T17:37:00.001+00:002011-02-16T17:37:41.888+00:00I am a Dork!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-16/HonCCAIGpaCJHCDHwFcBJDHECrgHBbaeAAeviawlmzGlkJmHAvsefJjIlnek/dork.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="477" height="489"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-64045969370392780672011-02-09T18:12:00.001+00:002011-02-09T18:12:29.339+00:00No ifs or buts....do NOT buy fur of any sort...EVER!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-09/fdIokJtubvgIvJwAdejoztCwAlCHdIbmgyxqiCqyDFdjDJqEaiqohnbIGskG/dog_being_skinned.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-09/fdIokJtubvgIvJwAdejoztCwAlCHdIbmgyxqiCqyDFdjDJqEaiqohnbIGskG/dog_being_skinned.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="535"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-60027969426348988642011-02-08T17:20:00.001+00:002011-02-08T17:20:15.385+00:00Atheist Barbie<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-08/wxlzyeoBgbuCoreapsBdieaziGbAxszpEbrjCjazojjmevfBIjcbjzhooeji/atheistbarbie.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="448" height="500"/> Brilliant! Maybe I should get my youngest daughter one of these!</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-12568810980790851422011-02-05T20:38:00.001+00:002011-02-05T20:38:32.685+00:00You know who you are!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-05/inabzrGqdlultkqlkvmwkxEtwlpztGvwcuralAkrgBoFaBzbhtIAaGcEvqsm/best_friends_forever-2148.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="480" height="384"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-49707421561402578032011-02-04T17:21:00.001+00:002011-02-04T17:21:47.248+00:00Be Happy!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/caoaJElqprBpmACJEcHxAGpdaGdFxGmsdDdpBFqfCBbpIigBxbfDAErvcDln/you-should-be-happy-with-who-you-are-buttons_design.png.scaled1000.png'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/caoaJElqprBpmACJEcHxAGpdaGdFxGmsdDdpBFqfCBbpIigBxbfDAErvcDln/you-should-be-happy-with-who-you-are-buttons_design.png.scaled500.png" width="500" height="500"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-86992008399391828012011-01-28T18:23:00.000+00:002011-01-28T18:23:22.624+00:00Cotton wool kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ40VdhEir2Kk24DRgOK-Yt-2RU-1Y9t3K77uhOPH_7bq-vbl5pvkxpmPvdLnZLu-UFlQHDFY1qS8l6591K9jhi9jWW1T0tw8q8LD9zce2rxE-KU7rmiLQ6FHSLpoiKFfFxMgZVSaxNHjy/s1600/cotton+wool+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ40VdhEir2Kk24DRgOK-Yt-2RU-1Y9t3K77uhOPH_7bq-vbl5pvkxpmPvdLnZLu-UFlQHDFY1qS8l6591K9jhi9jWW1T0tw8q8LD9zce2rxE-KU7rmiLQ6FHSLpoiKFfFxMgZVSaxNHjy/s320/cotton+wool+kids.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>I was reading the most recent copy of the <a href="http://www.ctc.org.uk/" target="_blank">CTC</a> magazine (a cycling magazine). In it there was an article about a father and son who cycled one of the <a href="http://www.ctcchallengerides.co.uk/" target="_blank">CTC Challenge Rides</a> together. These are sportive rides ridden on open roads, and are intended to be challenging in their<br />
distance and or / the terrain they encompass.<br />
<br />
The article was written by the father of a twelve year old son, who shared his father's passion and enthusiasm for cycling. The ride they did together was the <a href="http://www.ctcchallengerides.co.uk/CTC_sheffield_sportive.php" target="_blank">Phil Liggett Challenge Ride</a>, which is a 100 mile ride through the Peak District, and takes in many of its famous climbs, including the notorious Holme Moss. Having ridden in the area myself, (including Holme Moss) I can testify first hand as to how difficult such a ride will be. I can also testify to how spectacular such a ride will be, and the sense of achievement that such a ride bestows upon the rider.<br />
<br />
Before the ride, the Dad told various magazines and journalists about the fact that his twelve year old son was going to attempt such a challenging ride. Naturally, he was very proud of his young offspring, and quite rightly so too.<br />
<br />
While most of the magazines and journalists were full of praise for the young lad, one magazine did not share this attitude, and went so far as to say that they would not condone the young lad's adventure, as their readership may take the view that it constitutes bad parenting to let a child of twelve ride such a challenging event.<br />
<br />
What nonsense! The Dad in no way applied any pressure to his son, and in fact went to great lengths to go through what the ride would involve. The lad made his decision to ride with the full facts, and without any parental pressure whatsoever. I would never condone a parent who applies pressure on their child to partake in an activity they were not completely comfortable with i.e. the pushy parent syndrome. If the child however is armed with the full facts and is highly motivated, then why stop them?<br />
<br />
Children are not the delicate things our society thinks they are. Children who are motivated and ambitious should be encouraged, not discouraged. With the right parental support, a child can reach goals that may even surpass those thought possible by their parents.<br />
<br />
We live in a society where children are cossetted and wrapped up in cotton wool. Far too many parents are overly protective, and don't let their children do anything that carries even the smallest risk. We're all too aware of the absurd lengths that Health and Safety has taken within our society, where children are not allowed to play conkers unless they are wearing protective goggles.<br />
<br />
Several schools have even gone out of their way to discourage children from cycling to school, in a society with increasing levels of obesity amongst children. Presumably the schools in question would rather reduce any potential risk to themselves, than try to encourage something that might actually reduce a national problem.<br />
<br />
We need to let out children fall down, make mistakes, play games and have fun. The greatest thing a parent can do for their child is to let them grow up and make their own decisions and mistakes. We can't wrap them up in cotton wool forever. That doesn't prepare the child for the hard knocks they will receive in the real world. So unwrap your child, give them plenty of support and guidance, and let them live their lives and reach their full potential!Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-29688141240668005962011-01-25T14:51:00.001+00:002011-01-25T14:51:05.155+00:00Happy Burns Night<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-25/mkbxaohtyxphdmdvxvjFGnmJbdGnxzcFAJtzruwldzpccpAlJkHubvEhffqe/Burns-Night.5.gif.scaled1000.gif'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-25/mkbxaohtyxphdmdvxvjFGnmJbdGnxzcFAJtzruwldzpccpAlJkHubvEhffqe/Burns-Night.5.gif.scaled500.gif" width="500" height="346"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-49119948544042730062011-01-21T17:15:00.001+00:002011-01-21T17:15:03.395+00:00Be Inspired<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-21/wcyoasmGFFCBtmIDrgEJCHHCwpCsipvEFffaGplCjlaDgyJAaHgypnpwlzAo/Be_Inspired.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="450" height="450"/> <span style="font-size: medium;">Be inspired by your accomplishments,</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;">Don't feel threatened by your limitations</span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-27209598563504722132011-01-19T07:30:00.001+00:002011-01-19T07:30:51.953+00:00Please sponsor me in my Night Rider cycling challenge for charity<div class='posterous_autopost'> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-05/yCjwmmoaucsvmyaafErCuGJbsuqBjrACtnpcoxlydHknkezGcnvlcAnvtwcb/logo-arthritis-research-uk.png.scaled500.png" width="476" height="124"/> </p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">I'm taking part in the <a href="http://www.nightrider.org.uk/nightrider-london.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">2011 Night Rider</strong></a> event - a 100km cycling event through the moonlit streets of London, to raise money for <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></a>.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">I have chosen <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></a> my friend's Dad suffers with Arthritis and I want to help to raise awareness of this debilitating condition.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">The <a href="http://www.nightrider.org.uk/nightrider-london.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">2011 Night Rider</strong></a> cycling event starts from Crystal Palace and takes us past over fifty of London's most famous landmarks including Tower Bridge, a deserted City of London, Canary Wharf, The London Eye, Hampstead Heath, Piccadilly Circus, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor me and donations will be quickly processed and passed directly to <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></a>. Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity's behalf where the donor is eligible for this. I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">All contributions are very welcome.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;">Please visit my <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=dominicburford" target="_blank">fund raising page</a> to make a donation.</span></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-8906434630599877872011-01-17T18:19:00.001+00:002011-01-17T18:19:06.524+00:00The greatest thing you'll ever learn...<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-17/yxxhFiBqgFoJvIkkhBzrCdHviekeDqsGpCnyFihJgcADFelGzJipegixoffj/The_greatest_thing_youll_ever_learn_is_just_to_love_and_be_loved_in_return-EdenAhbez-480x360-20100624.png.scaled500.png" width="480" height="360"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-73104632673423485252011-01-12T18:37:00.001+00:002011-01-12T18:37:15.036+00:00Stop South Korea From Burying Pigs Alive<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-12/ahmHtnkJHvJdwqonaDfqhHItyvtEnGaIdxJkdlbyevheHFItxoGwfdtJDJzj/Korea_pigs_fmd.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-12/ahmHtnkJHvJdwqonaDfqhHItyvtEnGaIdxJkdlbyevheHFItxoGwfdtJDJzj/Korea_pigs_fmd.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="635"/></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.166em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px;">It sounds too horrific to be true, but officials in <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201009115887024" target="_blank" style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1163cd; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">South Korea</a> are piling pigs on top of each other in trucks, dumping thousands of them into mass graves, and burying them alive.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.166em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px;">This atrocity is intended to control an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, but there is an inexpensive vaccine for the disease that the South Korean government inexplicably refuses to use. As many as 34,000 pigs have been killed in a single day. If this cruel slaughter is allowed to continue, the number of pigs killed could reach more than 1 million.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.166em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px;">Please urge South Korean authorities to stop this massacre immediately. Send a polite e-mail to the <a href="mailto:consular_usa@mofat.go.kr" style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #1163cd; text-decoration: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the U.S.</a>, Han Duk-soo, telling him that you want the South Korean government to stop burying pigs alive and to use humane methods of controlling foot and mouth disease.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.166em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; padding: 0px;"> </p> </span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-79497236154348210782011-01-12T18:10:00.001+00:002011-01-12T18:10:06.914+00:00Don't you believe in anything?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-12/EfvcxjpmqxfzyikChFjDnlxiCHwAszvucHFjydoElsHegkltIniInacrphmu/water_clouds_light.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="448" height="299"/> </p> <p> </p> <blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote"> <p>Don't you believe in flying saucers?, they ask me. Don't you believe in telepathy? - in ancient astronauts? - in the Bermuda triangle? - in life after death?</p> <p>No, I reply. No, no, no, no and again no.</p> <p>One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved negation, burst out "Don't you believe in anything?"</p> <p>"Yes", I said. "I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I'll believe in anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be".</p> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>- Isaac Asimov</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-83730222818023129812011-01-11T18:02:00.001+00:002011-01-11T18:02:30.499+00:00Keep Life Beautiful<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-11/DqerGguokyheuByfzkJnEDIbpEiwpfFdJDIFiDntzzAsCytiJoHEzsqtGesB/keep_life_beautiful.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="333"/> Thanks to <a href="http://marvellousme.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">MarvellousMe</a> for this image.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-44185298697762552142011-01-08T11:36:00.001+00:002011-01-08T11:36:32.085+00:00Why I love cycling!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-08/wqqEfCGIkkbIHBiaFtxaaywDtzArmHklwwehxGtezcwahlsaJGjgIzzuIGAv/why_I_love_cycling.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-08/wqqEfCGIkkbIHBiaFtxaaywDtzArmHklwwehxGtezcwahlsaJGjgIzzuIGAv/why_I_love_cycling.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="335"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-55469137666705011662011-01-07T19:01:00.001+00:002011-01-07T19:01:43.205+00:00Pale Blue Dot<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-07/gAphEzdpIeHyhsflCkEmDujhmDgjqElsiArfswcbCryokeIehswmGwxofEeH/pale_blue_dot.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-07/gAphEzdpIeHyhsflCkEmDujhmDgjqElsiArfswcbCryokeIehswmGwxofEeH/pale_blue_dot.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="388"/></a> This is the most humbling speech ever made by anyone. It is the 'Pale Blue Dot' speech made by the late, great Carl Sagan. Read the words to this and watch the accompanying video, and you cannot fail to feel humbled.</p> <blockquote> <p>"We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you look at it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, every inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species, lived there on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.</p> <p>The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.</p> <p>Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us. It's been said that astronomy is a humbling, and I might add, a character-building experience. To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g" target="_blank">Pale Blue Dot video</a></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-61666718707817294422011-01-07T16:55:00.001+00:002011-01-07T16:55:19.101+00:00The 5 Ways of Being Positive<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-07/gddJfFndCqikklpIgAuGCACrnGyudepnssjlEmmBroidDIGkrdwqmnoyoxcd/think_positive.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="480" height="420"/> </p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size: large; color: #ff0000;"><strong>CHOOSE</strong> to be positive (the most important one)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: large; color: #ff0000;">Understand your <strong>IMPACT</strong> (we all have one, but few realise it's importance)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: large; color: #ff0000;">Take <strong>PERSONAL</strong> responsibility (give yourself greater control of your life)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: large; color: #ff0000;">Have <strong>BOUNCEBACKABILITY</strong> (we all get down, but get your bounce back quickly)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: large; color: #ff0000;">Set yourself <strong>HUGE</strong> goals (forget realistic, aim higher)</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size: large; color: #008000;">Positive psychology has identified these as the traits of the 2%ers. These are the people who have the most positive outlook on life. They are not necessarily the richest and have the best jobs. What they have is a positive attitude to life. Only 2% of the population live anywhere near close to their full potential. If you want to start reaching your full potential, and to become a better version of YOU, then start putting these traits into your daily life. After 7 days of doing something, it becomes a trait and a habit!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; color: #008000;">Do it today!!</span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-27398385626918653732011-01-06T17:53:00.000+00:002011-01-06T17:53:27.208+00:00Heroes - Frank Zappa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrZgWCYMFSc5V2ams7E1SXxyf-58KozIOM8U7A5zwgbRWdIiKgEF2pTFmfYlcWlYqM9V7SP9yWyEXqR4Gx1gyaoFVL4OitFdaulRPF8j4s6rbgvNexw0LiQm1lgXUW9vQkz7ehboNwxWZ/s1600/frank+zappa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrZgWCYMFSc5V2ams7E1SXxyf-58KozIOM8U7A5zwgbRWdIiKgEF2pTFmfYlcWlYqM9V7SP9yWyEXqR4Gx1gyaoFVL4OitFdaulRPF8j4s6rbgvNexw0LiQm1lgXUW9vQkz7ehboNwxWZ/s1600/frank+zappa.jpg" /></a></div>Continuing with my Heroes series of blogs, I'd now like to focus the latest in the series on one of my musical heroes - <a href="http://www.zappa.com/" target="_blank">Frank Zappa</a>. I have long been a fan of Frank Zappa's music. If you happen to play a musical instrument, then you simply have to check out some of his back catalogue. It is often quite eclectic, as his music spans many different musical styles and time signatures.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer, and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>).</blockquote><br />
His music was notoriously difficult to play. When auditioning musicians for his band, he would ask them to sight read difficult pieces of music, to be able to play in odd time signatures and to be able to play in many different styles (rock, jazz, latin, reggae).<br />
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His music would require extremely high levels of memorisation, as few of the songs followed the typical verse-verse-chorus-verse-verse standard of most typical songs or compositions. The compositions themselves would often be written in multiple time signatures, often in odd time, and in many different styles and tempos.<br />
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During concerts, the band would rehearse many hours of music. The actual set list for any particular concert would be handed out to the other musicians about half an hour before hand. Even while the band would be playing a song during a concert, Frank would change the style or tempo by using pre-determined hand movements and gestures. For example, he would pull his hair to indicate dreadlocks, indicating to the rest of the band that he wanted them to switch to playing in a reggae style.<br />
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So not only would the musicians have to have extremely high levels of technique to play the often extremely difficult musical pieces, but they would have to be able to play under high levels of pressure too.<br />
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<blockquote>Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and he gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</blockquote><br />
The album that got me into Frank Zappa was called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Size_Fits_All" target="_blank">One Size Fits All</a>. I hadn't heard any of his music prior to listening to this album, but was blown away by the sheer level of musicianship, and the complexity of the music. The track 'Inca Roads' is a particularly difficult piece. It was also a very accessible album. Rather than sounding like a self indulgent album, where the songs were complex for the sake of it, the songs were very musical where complexity was simply a by-product.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>My favourite Zappa album is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe's_Garage" target="_blank">Joe's Garage</a>. If you're serious about your music, then you quite simply have to own this album! The album is a rock opera and concept album. If you want to hear a group of musicians playing some highly complex, but stunning compositions, then you need to listen to this album. It also contains one of my favourite ever pieces of music in the form of 'Watermelon In Easter Hay'. There are few albums I would consider perfect, but I think Joe's Garage is as near to sheer perfection as I have ever come across!</div><div><br />
</div><blockquote>The albums feature Ike Willis as the voice of "Joe", a stereotypical garage band youth who unwittingly journeys through the miasma of the music business. As well as various other characters, Zappa provides the voice of the "Central Scrutinizer" character—a mechanical voice that narrates the story and haunts Joe's psyche with McCarthyistic 50s-era discouragement and "scrutiny." In his liner notes Zappa also states that the story was inspired by the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which outlawed public musical expression. The story parodies various topics such as groupie migration, sexual repression of the Catholic Church, Scientology, fetishism, struggling musicians and the censorship of music (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe's_Garage" target="_blank">Wikepedia</a>).</blockquote><br />
I was lucky enough to see Zappa live in concert on his last ever tour of the UK before he sadly passed away. It was an experience I will never forget. To hear and see so many of my favourite Zappa tracks being played live by an ensemble of the world's best musicians was amazing! They also played Revel's Bolero, Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven and The Beatles's I Am The Walrus. What a show!<br />
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Zappa's music will undoubtedly live on forever. He was one of the most highly respected musical composers of his generation, and has inspired and influenced many more musicians and composers, and will continue to do so for generations to come.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-88428764725760764042011-01-05T18:54:00.001+00:002011-01-05T18:54:03.677+00:00Please sponsor me in my Night Rider cycling challenge for charity<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.8333px; line-height: 15px;"> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-01-05/yCjwmmoaucsvmyaafErCuGJbsuqBjrACtnpcoxlydHknkezGcnvlcAnvtwcb/logo-arthritis-research-uk.png.scaled500.png" width="476" height="124"/> </p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">I'm taking part in the </span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.nightrider.org.uk/nightrider-london.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #000080;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">2011 Night Rider</strong></span></a></span><span style="color: #000000;"> event - a 100km cycling event through the moonlit streets of London, to raise money for </span><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #000080;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></span></a>.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">I have chosen <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #000080;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></span></a></span><span style="color: #000000;"> my friend's Dad suffers with Arthritis and I want to help to raise awareness of this </span></span><span style="color: #000000;">debilitating condition.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">The <a href="http://www.nightrider.org.uk/nightrider-london.htm" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #000080;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">2011 Night Rider</strong></span></a></span><span style="color: #000000;"> cycling event starts from Crystal Palace and takes us past over fifty of London's most famous landmarks including Tower Bridge, a deserted City of London, Canary Wharf, The London Eye, Hampstead Heath, Piccadilly Circus, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">Through Virgin Money Giving, you can sponsor me and donations will be quickly processed and passed directly to <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/" target="_blank" style="color: #3498cb; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #000080;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">Arthritis Research UK</strong></span></a></span><span style="color: #000000;">. Virgin Money Giving is a not for profit organisation and will claim gift aid on a charity's behalf where the donor is eligible for this. I really appreciate all your support and thank you for any donations.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #000000;">All contributions are very welcome.</span></p> <p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;">Please visit my <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=dominicburford" target="_blank">fund raising page</a> to make a donation.</p> </span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-54462576214071905912011-01-01T09:41:00.001+00:002011-01-01T09:41:05.105+00:00Happy New Year!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-29/xtJioygghAzsCBJwjEvqggdwIdxhjpslmkctjprCCwpgjpovzdaFeFvIiCBz/happy_new_year.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-29/xtJioygghAzsCBJwjEvqggdwIdxhjpslmkctjprCCwpgjpovzdaFeFvIiCBz/happy_new_year.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="353"/></a> </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.6667px;">Wishing everyone the very best in 2011! Have a Happy New Year!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.6667px;">And a special mention to those who are no longer with us. While you are still in our hearts, you will never be forgotten.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.6667px;"><br /></span></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-36726299823356667392010-12-29T17:38:00.001+00:002010-12-29T17:38:16.190+00:00The meaning of life<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-29/imJlhGwceocwJawJqDEGaezrHmBbyfzDvjAEsFjsbrAHvcmgznFfhcvjcjqo/meaning_of_life.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-29/imJlhGwceocwJawJqDEGaezrHmBbyfzDvjAEsFjsbrAHvcmgznFfhcvjcjqo/meaning_of_life.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="500"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-27590672913357218482010-12-26T09:04:00.001+00:002010-12-26T09:04:36.388+00:00Happy Boxing Day<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-26/hAffttCwplmxfzaurfnhjErAafnoeehBHwnkpgduvvqjqCHBGouzowkkztqv/boxingdaytitle.gif.scaled1000.gif'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-26/hAffttCwplmxfzaurfnhjErAafnoeehBHwnkpgduvvqjqCHBGouzowkkztqv/boxingdaytitle.gif.scaled500.gif" width="500" height="362"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-69442844022670291522010-12-23T18:57:00.001+00:002010-12-23T18:57:02.208+00:00This is my idea of heaven!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-23/JcGhzbBqGlbCBvvmfsAoeDzhCyyboBmacbeArwvhcfIoEzoFIniyysxqFici/ardbeg.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-23/JcGhzbBqGlbCBvvmfsAoeDzhCyyboBmacbeArwvhcfIoEzoFIniyysxqFici/ardbeg.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="731"/></a> The finest single malt whisky there is! </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-90391355782722254382010-12-23T15:58:00.001+00:002010-12-23T15:58:38.199+00:00Been out for a really cool ride today<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-23/ApylatkvyopgEupzvvmfyIjywfDlwIfvklhCaflkdiEumvqgeBpvleFidrxe/snowman_bicycle.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-23/ApylatkvyopgEupzvvmfyIjywfDlwIfvklhCaflkdiEumvqgeBpvleFidrxe/snowman_bicycle.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="333"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-91702749541854856012010-12-23T11:11:00.001+00:002010-12-23T11:11:15.437+00:00Another Merry Christmas<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-23/CqHbuhrtykmJhuCfniahEGioDjjIvpneqoxdjtdunIeqcnzkoujtwcgvobzI/atheist-christmas-card.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="500"/> Came across this and couldn't resist posting it. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-48675347387580330902010-12-22T08:22:00.001+00:002010-12-22T08:22:35.496+00:00Testicular Cancer Awareness<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-22/AmbIoxbgIozAuxCpAIrBlmqwGpkJacywxiaGhHJbIFDzlHwaEItubGEstBcl/testicular_cancer_awareness.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="335"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-47025508231237806122010-12-21T08:36:00.001+00:002010-12-21T08:36:20.326+00:00Support Our Troops<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-21/CjHiFFHyumkGekGpqurAaAFCrnzidItudsujmuhcmdwfFamzwkkoFCgfExuy/support_our_troops.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-21/CjHiFFHyumkGekGpqurAaAFCrnzidItudsujmuhcmdwfFamzwkkoFCgfExuy/support_our_troops.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="520"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-78196923776786464572010-12-20T18:18:00.001+00:002010-12-20T18:18:16.136+00:00Irony<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-20/BxaapyEGFgFHfdausAGzpaCyHkylbwfozuxluuhJevtqqBgtJEIAgsEFwsFr/The-islam-game-atheism-1764673-426-527.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-20/BxaapyEGFgFHfdausAGzpaCyHkylbwfozuxluuhJevtqqBgtJEIAgsEFwsFr/The-islam-game-atheism-1764673-426-527.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="618"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-74441305811491141112010-12-20T15:07:00.001+00:002010-12-20T15:07:57.384+00:00The sky is the limit!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-20/tAzEpFkEEIJlzEDgDAyBbplxAvAzbqvcruygglEBFpnjunblIdDzCAzEFclm/the_sky_is_the_limit.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-20/tAzEpFkEEIJlzEDgDAyBbplxAvAzbqvcruygglEBFpnjunblIdDzCAzEFclm/the_sky_is_the_limit.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="500"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-34661696820298459432010-12-15T20:29:00.001+00:002010-12-15T20:29:09.798+00:00Merry Christmas Everyone!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/jpEhjIbaCHtHCpvpiolkJjvaGCwajICAFDjBoyHwxIBJosnzaplFkdsEeBcH/I_wish_you_a_merry_xmas.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/jpEhjIbaCHtHCpvpiolkJjvaGCwajICAFDjBoyHwxIBJosnzaplFkdsEeBcH/I_wish_you_a_merry_xmas.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="275"/></a> Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-75141132119186692762010-12-15T19:57:00.001+00:002010-12-15T19:57:06.872+00:00I love my friends<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/FxHtDwCBEjfiHaxgsnwyhqtbEjCihcmJtJHrjyBhbBocqotHJzefqxEJbDpc/I_love_my_friends.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/FxHtDwCBEjfiHaxgsnwyhqtbEjCihcmJtJHrjyBhbBocqotHJzefqxEJbDpc/I_love_my_friends.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="486"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-39089679886207865152010-12-15T18:36:00.001+00:002010-12-15T18:36:27.264+00:00Join Sir Roger Moore and stop the foie gras industry<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/agHpIcmiBijtvlFeacgHscEEbpGxtmzohIxFDewfIgtaJDAlHbkCjwvzojJv/VEG-W2F11-Foie-Gras-Header-2.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-15/agHpIcmiBijtvlFeacgHscEEbpGxtmzohIxFDewfIgtaJDAlHbkCjwvzojJv/VEG-W2F11-Foie-Gras-Header-2.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="219"/></a> <p>Sir Roger Moore has teamed up with PETA once again to produce his latest film outing – an exposá of the cruel treatment suffered by ducks and geese in the foie gras industry.</p> <p>Further details can be found on the <a href="http://www.peta.org.uk/features/sir-roger-moore-narrates-new-video/" target="_blank">PETA web site</a>.</p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-39789908837399321992010-12-14T18:11:00.001+00:002010-12-14T18:11:36.121+00:00Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-14/HhDidIBEzwGibfiFkwsyhIhBFhfeozAqIgEyraybCklwaIgptnrJwxnqGood/carpe_diem.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-14/HhDidIBEzwGibfiFkwsyhIhBFhfeozAqIgEyraybCklwaIgptnrJwxnqGood/carpe_diem.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="375"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-35852296339595914122010-12-11T09:00:00.000+00:002010-12-11T09:00:00.884+00:00University tuition fees. Good or bad?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyDUQD9w9hswbKJrHnjx-gm7HXOKvv4ljaMd4EhxPpSBoVt3TncnOcoUj9HgRPFWiYDGe_qfCstAXrt5vgU8B6BLfKgn0ELAuEnrdGxXucd2DsfCGSndfrjKrH0u7OCZM_45-_LfZN2UF/s1600/student+grant+viz.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyDUQD9w9hswbKJrHnjx-gm7HXOKvv4ljaMd4EhxPpSBoVt3TncnOcoUj9HgRPFWiYDGe_qfCstAXrt5vgU8B6BLfKgn0ELAuEnrdGxXucd2DsfCGSndfrjKrH0u7OCZM_45-_LfZN2UF/s320/student+grant+viz.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549049980424496770" /></a><br /><div>The issue of university tuition fees has hit the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337315/TUITION-FEES-VOTE-PROTEST-Thugs-deface-Cenotaph-urinate-Churchill.html" target="_blank">headlines recently</a>, mainly for all the wrong reasons. We've seen the violent protests, and the appalling behaviour of some of the demonstrators who have defaced the Cenotaph and urinated on the statue of Winston Churchill.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, ignoring the mindless anarchists who have hijacked the protests for their own senseless, pointless enjoyment, the serious point is that of the funding of university tuition fees.</div><div><br /></div><div>As reported in the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11677862" target="_blank">press</a>, the current annual tuition fee of £3290 is about to be raised to £6000 from 2012, with an upper tier of £9000 if the university can ensure access for poorer students.</div><div><br /></div><div>From the student's perspective, this is obviously not a welcome change. Deciding whether you want to go to university will be as much about whether you and your family can financially subsidise such a venture, as it will be about whether university is the right choice for you, whether you have selected the right university or the right course.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is now a formidable financial disincentive. Being faced with a maximum final bill of £27000 is enough to put anyone off applying for a university place, even those from middle class backgrounds and who are genuinely talented and / or hard working. The deterrent for those from poorer backgrounds must be greater still.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another point worth making is that it is not just the students that benefit from graduating. Graduates with degrees in sought after courses such as the nursing, social care and health care professions will obviously benefit society as a whole. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, is it fair to ask every family - irrespective of whether they have children, irrespective of whether their own children are going to attend university and irrespective of how financially destitute they may be - to subsidise every university student. Is it fair to ask a hard working family living in hardship, working to minimum wage, to fund a university student who may then go on to work in the investment banking sector earning a six figure salary?</div><div><br /></div><div>The repayment terms for paying back tuition fees are very lenient. Your first repayment will be due in the April after you leave your course (the start of the new financial year). You’ll repay nine per cent of your earnings over £15,000 - but you can repay more if you want to clear your loans faster. The more you earn, the quicker you repay the loan. So, someone earning £18,000 a year (the average starting salary for a graduate-level job) will have to pay back nine per cent of £3,000 (£18,000 minus £15,000). This works out at around £5.19 a week - <a href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Applyingforthefirsttime/DG_171539" target="_blank">Directgov</a></div><div><br /></div><div>If a graduate is earning less than the average national salary, they will never be subject to repaying their tuition fees at all. This will apply to many graduates. So in reality, many graduates will never have to pay back a single penny of their tuition fees.</div><div><br /></div><div>The issue of tuition fees has polarised the population, with both sides of the debate never seeing the issue through the eyes of the other. It has resulted in a polemical debate without any clear consensus. There is never going to be any clear winner from this issue, and until each side agrees to compromise and listen to the other, then so the hostilities will continue.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-37392229595846882462010-12-10T19:26:00.001+00:002010-12-10T19:26:52.798+00:00Now there's no excuse for taking the car to the shops!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-10/IqtjocHFJdDFGqGgDrgxydDBdBcsjbymrhdlBkmsDqBdzhCAnHiHnuJuzqCw/taking_the_bike_shopping.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-10/IqtjocHFJdDFGqGgDrgxydDBdBcsjbymrhdlBkmsDqBdzhCAnHiHnuJuzqCw/taking_the_bike_shopping.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="316"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-83189819376434846852010-12-10T19:00:00.001+00:002010-12-10T19:00:02.775+00:00Web site measurements that bounce to the exit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgumCmGpEVQWZNMO7yBtxzQN2DH74EPkqTUK0EEoFXQcKVUf_Aw6YsMsy15QI4m81NrUXRrCEoyUQLAwV5MQnJKd_8qLpM9xyyQVSXaFEKOu1jlPQUDZgBFuBVKt0JHqD2zAz0uRwnRpc/s1600/bounce-rate.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgumCmGpEVQWZNMO7yBtxzQN2DH74EPkqTUK0EEoFXQcKVUf_Aw6YsMsy15QI4m81NrUXRrCEoyUQLAwV5MQnJKd_8qLpM9xyyQVSXaFEKOu1jlPQUDZgBFuBVKt0JHqD2zAz0uRwnRpc/s320/bounce-rate.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548666499177994642" /></a><br /><div>While using <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics" target="_blank">Google Analytics</a> recently, two measurements of web site traffic analysis came to my attention for their significance. These are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounce_rate" target="_blank">Bounce Rate</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit_rate" target="_blank">Exit Rate</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>They are quite similar, and can be confused with each other. Also confusing is when and why</div><div>you should use each of them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Bounce Rate</b> represents those web site visitors who visit a web site, but then navigate away to a different web site. Rather than stay on the web site and continue to navigate their way around the site by viewing other pages, they have "bounced" away and left the site without opening any other web pages from the web site. </div><div><br /></div><div>The formula for calculating bounce rate is:</div><div><br /></div><div>Bounce rate = total number of visits viewing one page only / total number of visits</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Exit Rate</b> represents those web site visitors who visit a web site, but instead of immediately bouncing away to a different web site, will navigate through some pages of the web site before exiting the web site. What is important to measure with Exit Rate is the page the user was viewing when they exited the web site.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are examples of both Bounce Rate and Exit Rate that hopefully explain the differences between these two measurements. John - our imaginary user - navigates to a page on a web site that tells him all about a particular bicycle. He has arrived at the web site via a search engine result listing. Clicking on the top search result link opens the page related to the bicycle he is interested in. After looking at the web page on the bicycle, he then leaves the site without visiting any other web pages from the web site. In this scenario John is said to have bounced away from the web site.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the second scenario, John arrives at the same web site via a search engine result listing for the same bicycle. John views the web page, but rather than leave the web site, he decides to look through the web site at some of the other bicycles. He navigates to the "Find Us" page to see where they are located, and then leaves the site. In this scenario John is said to have exited the web site from the "Find Us" page.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are several ways a user can exit a web site:</div><div><ul><li>Using the web browser's back button to return to a previous web page from another web site</li><li>Entering an address (or URL) into the web browser's address bar</li><li>Closing the tab or web browser</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Why are Bounce Rate and Exit Rate important?</b></div><div>The Bounce Rate is useful for determining how your landing pages are performing as compared to visitor expectations. For example, a high Bounce Rate may indicate a problem with the web page. Is there a problem with the web page? Does it error, is it slow to load, is it confusing? Does the content of the web page match the search terms entered by the user in their search engine?</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>What is important is to look beyond the Bounce Rate number, and apply due diligence in determining the reason(s) behind the Bounce Rate. If you're running a paid search campaign for bicycles on a car web site, you're going to need to re-evaluate your marketing strategy. In this case, there may be nothing wrong with the web page at all. It's your web strategy that is at fault.</div><div><br /></div><div>A high Exit Rate for a specific web page may indicate a problem with a particular process. For example, many web sites contain processes, where the user is navigated through a series of web pages. For example when you make an online purchase, you will probably be asked to enter your item information, address information and payment information. When a user is navigated through a series of web pages with an endpoint or goal (in this case making a purchase), they should continue until they have completed their transaction.</div><div><br /></div><div>If users are exiting the process before they complete their transaction, then you would want to find out which web page in the process that is causing the problem. Once the user has started to process their payment, why are they exiting before they have completed making payment? You will need to determine which page(s) have the highest Exit Rate, and determine if there is a problem with those pages. You would naturally expect to have a high Exit Rate for the last page in the process. Once the user has paid for their goods or services, they may well leave the web site and go elsewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whenever you look at Bounce Rates and Exit Rates it's important to look beyond the number itself. List the pages with the highest rates, and methodically look through them to look for possible problems. It is beyond the scope of this article to describe what those solutions may be.</div><div><br /></div><div>When used appropriately, Bounce Rate and Exit Rate can help you maximise your web traffic, helping you to drive increased traffic to your site.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-91529052772561221022010-12-10T18:13:00.001+00:002010-12-10T18:13:32.552+00:00Put the fun between your legs!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-10/ajmajDoBfbjiFBuEHnaverzoiiqugeymaBfkiasHrBGIsBbbDGybCgrbeftj/put_the_fun_between_your_legs.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="490" height="540"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-7369235896717926162010-12-10T16:40:00.001+00:002010-12-10T16:40:58.769+00:00Tuition fees protest...Defacing the Cenotaph, urinating on Churchill... how young thugs at student protest broke every taboo<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-10/nJHcEDhsdcndhFnhoFoqpBAkyAhCGqdeCtHcakdljAahirHpumJpuEvGqhou/article-1337315-0C6B1E8E000005DC-20_634x375.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-10/nJHcEDhsdcndhFnhoFoqpBAkyAhCGqdeCtHcakdljAahirHpumJpuEvGqhou/article-1337315-0C6B1E8E000005DC-20_634x375.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="296"/></a> <p>In a grotesque insult to those who championed the very freedoms which allowed them to stage their protest, a baying rabble of masked and hooded troublemakers turned a student demonstration into anarchy yesterday.</p> <div><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337315/TUITION-FEES-VOTE-PROTEST-Thugs-deface-Cenotaph-urinate-Churchill.html" target="_blank">Read the full story here</a></div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-36746598544831855632010-12-07T07:25:00.001+00:002010-12-07T07:25:14.580+00:00Keep calm!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-06/sGxcqjrJfmqafIIcwsHmIHozJqIBujHmcgokenzovlbzHhjBeEclpcAxozDw/keep_calm.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-06/sGxcqjrJfmqafIIcwsHmIHozJqIBujHmcgokenzovlbzHhjBeEclpcAxozDw/keep_calm.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="686"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-44953662329501164792010-12-06T12:31:00.001+00:002010-12-06T12:31:40.124+00:00There's probably no God<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-12-06/otbvhBzydqdfAHzwkFtlfpyrmaFEgagCnmtBFnInrxgbosGglGjFEmquuGdt/theres_probably_no_god.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="450" height="450"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-8592104019415055662010-12-03T11:40:00.002+00:002010-12-03T11:40:00.295+00:00Heroes - Richard Dawkins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF84s6tNiXtT7EaySzXMRiqcOiIHftKOvKi6CODhG8pJ-w3TeUf1NsfMNtSBZjNSV0cL5FvYzBx2K4t57LIJ-ErbqC3f7Skb9fVrpf0DVNARaYJ_1yfDy2GCgFNE9QngH3E9th0K8alSs3/s1600/richard+dawkins.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF84s6tNiXtT7EaySzXMRiqcOiIHftKOvKi6CODhG8pJ-w3TeUf1NsfMNtSBZjNSV0cL5FvYzBx2K4t57LIJ-ErbqC3f7Skb9fVrpf0DVNARaYJ_1yfDy2GCgFNE9QngH3E9th0K8alSs3/s320/richard+dawkins.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545101055134607154" /></a><br /><div>The latest article in my Heroes series is going to focus on <a href="http://richarddawkins.net/" target="_blank">Richard Dawkins</a>. He was born on March 26th 1941 and started his academic life as an ethologist and evolutionary biologist. He came to mainstream prominence (some might say notoriety) with the publication of his 1976 book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene" target="_blank">The Selfish Gene</a>. The book is a detailed discussion of the gene centred view of evolution. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although the idea was not unique, the book must surely take the credit for popularising the idea and bringing it to mainstream attention. Up to that point, the popular view of evolution was at the level of the organism, or to use the term used by Dawkins in his book - the vehicle. Dawkins makes a clear distinction in his book between genes, and the organisms (or vehicles) which carry them. Bodies that carry genes (including humans) only do so to help genes propagate themselves. At the level of the gene, a body's only purpose is to transmit the gene into future vehicles. Therefore the gene must act selfishly to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"Dawkins coined the term "selfish gene" as a way of expressing the gene-centred view of evolution as opposed to the view focused on the organism. From the gene-centred view follows that the more two individuals are genetically related, the more sense (at the level of the genes) it makes for them to behave selflessly. Therefore the concept is especially good at explaining many forms of altruism, regardless of a common misuse of the term along the lines of a selfishness gene." <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene" target="_blank">The Selfish Gene</a></blockquote><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene" target="_blank"></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Many critics of the book took the phrase literally, and accused Dawkins of condoning selfish behaviour at the level of the individual organism, including selfish behaviour at the level of a human being. This is a popular criticism, but it is entirely without basis or merit. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"Selfish", when applied to genes, doesn't mean "selfish" at all. It means, instead, an extremely important quality for which there is no good word in the English language: "the quality of being copied by a Darwinian selection process." This is a complicated mouthful. There ought to be a better, shorter word—but "selfish" isn't it." <a href="http://www.salon.com/21st/books/1998/12/22books2.html" target="_blank">The Science of Selfishness</a> </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>The first book by Richard Dawkins that I read was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blind_Watchmaker" target="_blank">The Blind Watchmaker</a>. Two books ignited my passion for science. One was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragons_of_Eden" target="_blank">The Dragons of Eden</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan" target="_blank">Carl Sagan</a>. I mentioned this in my <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/11/heroes-carl-sagan.html" target="_blank">Heroes</a> article on him previously. When reading The Blind Watchmaker, I was fascinated by the ideas it contained. The title of the book comes from a reference made by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Paley" target="_blank">William Paley</a> in his book Natural Theology. Paley argues in his book that the complexity of living organisms is proof of the existence of a divine creator. He uses the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmaker_analogy" target="_blank">watchmaker analogy</a> to substantiate this claim. </div><div><br /></div><div>The watchmaker analogy is a teleological argument for the existence of God. The argument states that the complexity of life, and of living organisms is analogous to the complexity of the internal workings of a watch. A watch is a complex piece of equipment containing many moving parts which must work together in intricate detail to serve its purpose of accurately telling the time. More importantly, a watch is designed by a watchmaker. Likewise, the complexity of living organisms must also have a designer. In this case the designer will be God.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the book, Dawkins makes extensive reference to a computer model of artificial selection (which he originally developed himself on his Apple Mac). The program uses the concept of a "biomorph". This is a mathematical organism whose shape is defined by its "genome". The genome in this case is a vector of numerical values (don't be put off by the mathematics). The "genes" that define the "genome" are allowed to change over time within certain predefined boundaries. This process is akin to the way that evolution works in real life, and so gives a fascinating insight into the workings of evolution. In the book are depictions of how the biomorphs change (evolve) over time. Starting out with a fairly rudimentary biomorph, Dawkins supplies screen shots of the biomorph over time as it gradually evolves. It amply and very clearly demonstrates how complexity can arise from simplicity. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dawkins goes on to give many explanations for living complexity, such as the evolution of sonar in bats. His explanations are so clear, so well constructed and written, that the arguments can be easily absorbed and understood. This is something I have admired throughout all of his books. He never assumes the reader is a scientist, nor does he assume the reader is a dolt. He assumes the reader is intelligent with a keenness to learn about the topic he is writing about. He never patronises the reader for not understanding some of the basics that a scientist may already know. He will devote pages, sometimes chapters, to describing and explaining any underpinning theory on which a later chapter may rely. It is a great skill to be able to disseminate and describe so ably to the lay reader some of the complex ideas in his books. He does so without ever losing track of the discussion, or losing the reader.</div><div><br /></div><div>You cannot possibly write about Richard Dawkins without mentioning his atheism. He is well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design. He was one of the founders of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brights_movement" target="_blank">Bright movement</a> (of which I am a proud member). In his 2006 book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_Delusion" target="_blank">The God Delusion</a>, Dawkins contends that "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkins" target="_blank">a supernatural creator almost certainly does not exist and that religious faith is a delusion—a fixed false belief</a>." As of January 2010, the English language version has sold more than two million copies and has been translated into 31 languages, making it his most popular book to date.</div><div><br /></div><div>I read this book not long after it came out. It is the most comprehensive dismantling of religion I have ever come across. He uses his skill for well constructed debate and argument to powerful effect. Dawkins contends that a supernatural creator almost certainly does not exist and that belief in a personal god qualifies as a delusion, which he defines as a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence. He is sympathetic to Robert Pirsig's statement in Lila that "when one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion."</div><div><br /></div><div>Richard Dawkins is a great supporter of critical thinking, of rational based decision making where evidence is fundamental. This comes through strongly in his writing. He is not afraid to tackle a subject, even supposedly sacred ones or taboo ones such as religion. He argues from fact, from science, from evidence. So when Richard Dawkins sets his sights on his intended target, you know with certainly that his arguments will be robust and based on hard evidence and science. </div><div><br /></div><div>I admire Dawkins's writing skills, the fact that he can make complex ideas understandable to the lay reader who is sufficiently motivated to make the effort to learn about the topic. I admire his tenacity and heretical values. He is a fierce opponent who is not afraid of polemic. He does not shy away from debate or challenging long established doctrines and beliefs. His weapons of choice when debating are evidence, critical thinking and rationalism. These are traits we should all employ when discussing and debating ideas and theories.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-1212189746981033132010-12-01T07:20:00.001+00:002010-12-01T07:20:29.756+00:001/18 Scale DeLorean Time Machine Hard Drives<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-30/qxBeetCoaeJjGvbnlrCmDlmtfzjqcDDfmyyduDnefAqGrGAuaElDmyyhhhnl/delorean-drive-1.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="450" height="588"/> Looking for that perfect gift idea for the Back to the Future fan in your life? How about a 1/18 stainless steel scale model of the DeLorean time machine with a 500GB hard drive stuffed up its trunk? </p> <p>Thanks to Gavin Jennings for supplying the link.</p> <p><a href="http://www.geekologie.com/2010/11/118_scale_delorean_time_machin.php" target="_blank">Click here for the full article</a></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-11267974514676150322010-11-30T17:38:00.001+00:002010-11-30T17:38:46.768+00:00Rabbits abused and killed all for a cup of tea - help stop it!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-30/hJGowlGlnIwBqmgCnibtjmFjCneGcAvubhzHhoztrxAzkgwurswIyhplgsaA/rabbit_tea_tests.png.scaled1000.png'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-30/hJGowlGlnIwBqmgCnibtjmFjCneGcAvubhzHhoztrxAzkgwurswIyhplgsaA/rabbit_tea_tests.png.scaled500.png" width="500" height="210"/></a> <p>Millions of animals are needlessly poisoned, maimed and killed in UK laboratories every year. </p> <p>The multimillion-pound company behind PG tips, Lyons and Lipton teas has abused and killed rabbits, piglets, mice and rats in tests so that the company can make health claims about tea. </p> <p><a href="https://rsm2.rsmsecure.com/cpterminal/cpweb.php" target="_blank">Sign up to help end these cruel and pointless experiments.</a></p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-41097749900138387442010-11-28T18:45:00.001+00:002010-11-28T18:45:51.781+00:00Friends are like balloons<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-28/jBBFgAwqJinDjicGvvwznttnczFcpIEyfhmvhFednlmscDmgbwysJqxguiAE/friendship006.gif.scaled500.gif" width="468" height="468"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-28431594688008032542010-11-26T18:46:00.001+00:002010-11-26T18:46:05.061+00:00Rush - the biggest band you never heard of!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-26/cmGnDzoHlfFknbDihswxIGnuyvJcgGkcaJrnnndGrqyAoqkskjkEdspbpeBa/rush.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="432" height="359"/> I've been a fan of Rush for 25 years. I've seen them twice in concert and own all their albums. They fill the world's biggest stadiums and arenas, but unless you're a fan, you've probably never heard of them. After The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Kiss and Aerosmith, Rush have had the most consecutive gold and platinum albums. They're touring the UK next year, and I've managed to get my hands on 2 tickets to see them in Birmingham next May. Thought I'd share the great news!</p> <p> </p> <p>"You can be the Captain,</p> <p>And I will draw the chart,</p> <p>Sailing into destiny,</p> <p>Closer to the heart"</p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-85052611842904583842010-11-26T17:45:00.001+00:002010-11-26T17:45:40.854+00:00Live, Laugh, Love<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-26/kslFjqeuuqEcbtgyocrrokhxDbjtuyedziHrDjAxfBaBgusjcictxiomjFuF/live_laugh_love_quote-2325.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="400"/> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-61073984120982914702010-11-25T18:12:00.001+00:002010-11-25T18:12:17.812+00:0027 Beautiful Photos To Believe That Are Not Made in Photoshop<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-25/DnHblzJjgizAvAFqACoFEtJsAJkiuECjEhyzbFJmxyfamjsiHfDHHvJxgJec/cloud-under-hand.gif.scaled500.gif" width="500" height="500"/> </p> <p>There are thousands of pictures you probably have seen on the internet. Today’s Post definitely think about these outstanding photos. This does not mean that they haven’t been photoshopped for cropping, coloring etc, but originally all the photographs are real using only in-camera tricks and photographer efforts. You will need to grab their creativity in these photos.</p> <p><a href="http://smashinghub.com/27-beautiful-photos-to-believe-that-are-not-made-in-photoshop.htm" target="_blank">Follow the link to see the rest of the photos</a></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-62550313732206266422010-11-23T19:04:00.001+00:002010-11-23T19:04:15.203+00:00Beautiful 404 Error Pages<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-23/IohkIehepltIylFCvzhoxoCkdozugumHhzdwsApvGpevhzgfqHgBmCzvBrBl/404_error_pages.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-23/IohkIehepltIylFCvzhoxoCkdozugumHhzdwsApvGpevhzgfqHgBmCzvBrBl/404_error_pages.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="394"/></a> The design of 404 error pages is often overlooked and underestimated. However, designed carefully, these pages can make a random visitor stay on your website, take a look around and eventually find the information he or she was looking for in the first place. Effective 404 error pages communicate why a particular page couldn’t be displayed and what users can do next. A search box and list of useful resources (possibly related to the missing page) could be helpful in this case.</p> <p><a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/01/29/404-error-pages-one-more-time/" target="_blank">Follow the link to see examples of beautiful looking 404 Error Pages</a>.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-88395784711550554742010-11-23T17:25:00.001+00:002010-11-23T17:25:39.875+00:00The rest of your life....average or memorable?? Only you can decide!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-23/hrhFcsegDyIDxwucnDGdgkBwCbDHopAfllDEmmAHHovlejcovhxJzpohDDgl/the_rest_of_your_life.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-23/hrhFcsegDyIDxwucnDGdgkBwCbDHopAfllDEmmAHHovlejcovhxJzpohDDgl/the_rest_of_your_life.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="451"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-49813153929286442322010-11-22T18:13:00.001+00:002010-11-22T18:13:16.738+00:00Avoid serious injury, stay away from my bike!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-22/uypbimzwEhJliGlFFGwaJbBmHypzGtgpgFEEsbcwFCpAaaxlotyttAnpzljr/stay_away_from_my_bike.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-22/uypbimzwEhJliGlFFGwaJbBmHypzGtgpgFEEsbcwFCpAaaxlotyttAnpzljr/stay_away_from_my_bike.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="691"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-55149686820402015012010-11-22T07:10:00.001+00:002010-11-22T07:10:53.656+00:00UN votes against protecting gays from execution<div class='posterous_autopost'><p> <div style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 8px;"> <p> </p> <div style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 8px;"> <p><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-21/whfAzHhvwpuynoCDoggsfufHvbAdiyuBsIrDdqfIqmzvFCJrBavpibzycJsE/UN.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="275" height="183"/> The UN has removed a reference to sexual orientation from a resolution condemning arbitrary and unjustified executions.</p> <p><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/un-votes-gays-execution/" target="_blank">Click on the link to read the full story</a>.</p> </div> <p> </p> </div> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-57004498095124252242010-11-20T07:07:00.001+00:002010-11-20T07:07:48.749+00:00If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Music legend and activist Paul McCartney delivers a powerful narration of this must see <a href="http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=glass_walls_paul_mccartney_peta_uk&Player=wm" target="_blank">video</a>. Watch it to discover why everyone would be a vegetarian if slaughterhouses had glass walls.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-48207767852336007442010-11-16T13:37:00.014+00:002010-11-16T18:26:49.455+00:00Heroes - Lance Armstrong<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnuVEi6Uye7tmNv7QuCqb3buACx1grMDD-gJxmlaZahfqiiONd9RM5upW6zJ3wL-Vp37l3Po4eaAFCdx5Bm2rqXtjNM53QlzjBR5skErTS97oSqXJQOQHzdPWriCF1I5jiTJ-R1wLdecR/s1600/lance+armstrong.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 236px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnuVEi6Uye7tmNv7QuCqb3buACx1grMDD-gJxmlaZahfqiiONd9RM5upW6zJ3wL-Vp37l3Po4eaAFCdx5Bm2rqXtjNM53QlzjBR5skErTS97oSqXJQOQHzdPWriCF1I5jiTJ-R1wLdecR/s320/lance+armstrong.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540148352246459074" /></a><br />Here is the second part in my Heroes series - following on from my <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/11/heroes-carl-sagan.html" target="_blank">Carl Sagan</a> article. For anyone who knows me, it should come as no surprise that I have chosen Lance Armstrong for my second instalment of my Heroes series.<div><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong" target="_blank">Lance Armstrong</a> was born on September 18 1971. He is an American professional road racing cyclist. Even amongst those who do not follow the sport of cycling his name is well known. He retired from professional road cycling in July 2005, but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009, and finished third in the 2009 Tour de France.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>He is perhaps best well known for winning the Tour de France a record breaking 7 consecutive times (1999 - 2005). This is quite simply an astonishing achievement. Prior to this, the most consecutive Tour de France wins was 5. This was by the Spanish cyclist Miguel Indurain (1991 - 1995). Other cyclists have achieved 5 Tour de France wins, but have not done so consecutively (Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil). </div><div><br /></div><div>In my opinion this is a record that will in all likelihood never be beaten!</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't follow cycling and are not familiar with the Tour de France, it is a 3 week stage race that circumnavigates France. Each day the riders will cycle between 150 - 200 kilometres, including mountain stages crossing the Alps and Pyrenees. There are only two other 3 week stage races on the professional racing calendar - the Giro D'Italia (circumnavigating Italy) and the Vuelta Espana (circumnavigating Spain). To finish the Tour de France is an achievement. To get on the podium is an achievement. To win it once is an achievement. To win it 7 consecutive times is an absolutely astonishing achievement.</div><div><br /></div><div>What makes Lance's 7 consecutive wins even more astonishing is that they were all achieved after he was diagnosed with life threatening testicular cancer. Lance was diagnosed with his illness in October 1996. The cancer was so virulent that it had spread to his lungs and brain. His treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy. His original prognosis was poor.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Amongst the professional peloton, and therefore his cycling peers, he is highly respected but not always necessarily liked. He is quite often outspoken and is not afraid to make his thoughts on issues known, even if they are unpopular or controversial. His phenomenal self belief is often interpreted as arrogance or cockiness. It is precisely these qualities that I admire about him. Telling you how it is, and believing in yourself!</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>You don't win the Tour de France without having huge reservoirs of self belief. It's just not possible. While few people could ever hope to equal Lance in terms of self belief, most would like to be nearer to him on this particular quality.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>As a cyclist, he is an amazing athlete. He has massive natural ability. An ability that he has since honed with hard training and dedication to his sport. By any accounts, his athletic abilities are exceptional. His measurements for V02 Max and lactate threshold for example are testament to his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong#Physical_attributes" target="_blank">athletic prowess</a>. His V02 Max is recorded at 83.8 mL/kg/min (the average person is between 40 - 50). He has a resting heart rate of 32 - 34 bpm, with a maximum heart rate of 201. When riding the tough mountain stages of the Tour de France, his body simply doesn't suffer as much his rivals.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Whilst many famous and successful sportsmen would be happy to sit back on their laurels and bask in their glory, Lance preferred instead to continue riding and winning the Tour de France. Lance single handedly brought cycling to the mass American audience. Although other Americans brought it to their attention, such as Greg LeMond, Lance was the breakthrough cyclist who brought an entire generation to France every year to cheer for their own home grown hero.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>As much as I admire and respect him as a cyclist, it is also his tireless dedication to furthering the cause of reducing cancer through his <a href="http://www.livestrong.org/" target="_blank">Lance Armstrong Foundation</a> that I greatly admire. In 1997, Lance Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports people affected by cancer. The foundation has become one of the top 10 groups funding cancer research in the U.S., raising more than $325 million from the sale of yellow Livestrong bracelets. I own one of these thanks to a very good friend of mine. He has also <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong#Armstrong.27s_work_outside_of_cycling" target="_blank">acquired corporate sponsorships</a> from companies like Giro, American Century Investments, Nike, Inc. and FRS to help raise funds for his charity.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>Lance Armstrong is quite simply a living legend!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-11287361948970383712010-11-14T12:22:00.001+00:002010-11-14T12:22:25.474+00:00A picture of me and my daughter drawn by my daughter<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-14/aHDaDlzIcxmJtgwoEyolptIxcDJpcbFyItFoxecoxgzAwqhyrFAlAcwEnzir/DSC00157.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-14/aHDaDlzIcxmJtgwoEyolptIxcDJpcbFyItFoxecoxgzAwqhyrFAlAcwEnzir/DSC00157.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="667"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-39222608148021121092010-11-11T23:31:00.002+00:002010-11-12T04:20:43.161+00:00Armistice Day marred by Muslim protesters<div class="posterous_autopost"><p><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-11/cdojpuwDCCAEvInCgctrBkxaIknJHFhpskIgrgndpCcdcBdjEhxojCfjvHoA/Muslim_protestors.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-11/cdojpuwDCCAEvInCgctrBkxaIknJHFhpskIgrgndpCcdcBdjEhxojCfjvHoA/Muslim_protestors.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="360" /></a> The rights and wrongs of battle don't matter to the broken hearts of those the fallen leave behind. Today was Armistice Day, and like many others around the country today, I paid my respects by taking part in a two minute silence at 11am.</span></p> <p>Whatever you think of the rights and wrongs of war, past or present, today was not the time to show those objections.</p> <p>It has sickened me to read reports of Muslims holding demonstrations. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/37rbuyu" target="_blank">Muslims clashed with police</a> after burning a large poppy in protest at Britain's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which was timed to coincide with Armistice Day's two-minute silence.</p> <p>Whatever you may think about the rights and wrongs of war, today was not the time to make those objections. Today was about showing your respects to all those past and present that had died.</p> <p>I am tired of the way my country has to tip toe around these people for fear of offending them. Clearly they had no such compunction when they burned a poppy and interrupted today's peaceful remembrance celebrations.</p> <p>The British have been tolerant enough. We will not put up with such disgusting and offensive behaviour forever.</p> <p>To all those who took part in such protests today, let me tell you, all you achieved was to tell the rest of the world that you are the lowest of the low!</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-66364029686566095132010-11-10T21:54:00.001+00:002010-11-10T21:54:23.279+00:00Victory! Hens Spared Horrific Death in Grinder<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href="http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/11/10/victory-hens-spared-horrific-death-in-grinder.aspx?c=pfs">http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/11/10/victory-hens-spared-horrific-death-in-grinder.aspx?c=pfs</a></p> <p> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-38347361264139650642010-11-10T16:29:00.001+00:002010-11-10T16:29:48.609+00:00Atheist cat<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-10/iGjojDpGhtlGDwpowkzldfgxdplamDeeCekpyurBnllsEHfAwxgGxnjoldbH/atheist_cat.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-10/iGjojDpGhtlGDwpowkzldfgxdplamDeeCekpyurBnllsEHfAwxgGxnjoldbH/atheist_cat.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="486"/></a> </p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-90878771613153438812010-11-10T13:14:00.011+00:002010-11-10T18:42:03.981+00:00Catching criminals with social media<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqaV394koKFkZKMzSnStUAo1wMioZ8j5jtmStDATcQ3xtieXNxa1i89eM7xFRvLMgVqC5aAW4jZjLU8eiGpUUSpNCrCUEDqC_Ek7Lc8S79fMcxZco1RXs6qpKOSKdwreLMBU90wL767bf/s1600/social+networking+pillows.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqaV394koKFkZKMzSnStUAo1wMioZ8j5jtmStDATcQ3xtieXNxa1i89eM7xFRvLMgVqC5aAW4jZjLU8eiGpUUSpNCrCUEDqC_Ek7Lc8S79fMcxZco1RXs6qpKOSKdwreLMBU90wL767bf/s320/social+networking+pillows.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537911439170848178" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Modern police are to be taught on the use of social networking sites such as Twitter and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> to catch criminals. As if we needed any further evidence that the old school concept of seeing bobbies on the beat was fast fading away.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Deputy Chief Constable Nick <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Gargin</span> – acting head of the National Policing Improvement Agency – <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11652509" target="_blank">told the BBC</a> that the move is “exactly what detectives need to tackle the challenges and complexities of modern policing effectively”.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Will such training courses include modules on “How to friend a felon” or “How to search <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span> users for people who list murder, paedophilia and drug dealing amongst their hobbies”. Will police detectives be sending out tweets or status updates along the lines of “If you know who murdered [insert victim's name here] <insert>please get in touch”. I wait with bated breath.</insert></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">I’m obviously being tongue in cheek. Or am I? Does life imitate art, or art imitate life? Maybe this concept will finally put that question quietly to bed. If you’re an avid Daily Mail reader, you will no doubt have been brainwashed into believing that all of the world’s ills stem from the Internet, and that all social networking sites are inhabited solely by child abusers. The first thing I would say is – start reading another newspaper. The second thing I would say is – while I may be joking about the concept of police officers using social networking sites, I do believe that there is a strong case for its use.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">In <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11101149" target="_blank">August 2010 Ian Green</a> set up 11 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Facebook</span> accounts to distribute up to 100,000 indecent images of children.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">In <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-11403984" target="_blank">September 2010 Michael Williams</a> – a postman form Cornwall - was jailed for eight and a half years after he admitted 27 charges of using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Facebook</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bebo</span> to abuse hundreds of children.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">So while the idea of using social networking sites may not on the face of it seem to have any direct relevance to catching criminals, a closer inspection reveals that in fact it most certainly does.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">To put all those Daily Mail readers straight – not all social networking users are child abusers – despite what you might have read to the contrary. Social networking sites are simply the new, modern means for such people to target , groom and abuse their victims.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">If this idea is successful and results in the capture of criminals, then maybe it deserves to be “Liked” and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Retweeted</span>! </span></p><p></p>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-7755105907215697162010-11-10T07:02:00.001+00:002010-11-10T07:02:03.213+00:00What is a moment?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><span style="font-family: Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 11.6667px; color: #663b12; line-height: 16px;">Each day we live moment by moment. Each day is a series of moments. All those moments when taken together are our lives!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 11.6667px; color: #663b12; line-height: 16px;">Make each moment count!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 11.6667px; color: #663b12; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/08/what-is-a-moment-video/" target="_blank">Check out this link to find out what a moment is.</a></span></p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-73469590800752792052010-11-08T20:47:00.001+00:002010-11-08T20:47:47.563+00:00The original geek is at it again!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-08/hyFoDFycmcmcbiAfBhxkvCjnhzhAcuGgICfrGdoitiIdiqmHnmyGmxozpcqG/Copy_of_geek-inside-1280.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-08/hyFoDFycmcmcbiAfBhxkvCjnhzhAcuGgICfrGdoitiIdiqmHnmyGmxozpcqG/Copy_of_geek-inside-1280.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="400"/></a> As a bona fide geek, I thought I'd give this Posterous application a go. As most of you will already know, I already have my own blog, and co-author another blog. So I'll probably use this platform for posting shorter articles that may not fit in with my blog, such as half formed ideas, shorter posts, news, reviews etc. Or post messages, photos, links, videos and so on.</p></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-72476447371031602332010-11-06T07:16:00.018+00:002010-11-06T10:03:02.800+00:00Heroes - Carl Sagan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeJXQ9qOvJx91lIu_YMqKKEie8OrycsXPABa_aPOB6D6lErJ6EL2cFrciLqyzfBk2aA_D38-kmjSvCvQEOrmf58KFqVIE1DOc1GXFJlTZscAaucJreik6ePWeNPt8Jfdd_9SxJZVoALTv/s1600/sagan_uc.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeJXQ9qOvJx91lIu_YMqKKEie8OrycsXPABa_aPOB6D6lErJ6EL2cFrciLqyzfBk2aA_D38-kmjSvCvQEOrmf58KFqVIE1DOc1GXFJlTZscAaucJreik6ePWeNPt8Jfdd_9SxJZVoALTv/s320/sagan_uc.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536366822729288242" /></a><br />I thought I'd do something different in my blog. I'm going to write a series of articles about people I greatly admire. I won't write these all at once, but rather write them over time interspersed with other blogs. These are people I admire, respect, look up to and who have influenced me in some way. The series will also hopefully give you a bit of an insight into who I am as a person.<div><br /></div><div>For my first blog in the series I want to write about the late, great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan" target="_blank">Carl Sagan.</a> Carl Sagan was an American astronomer and author. Born on November 9th 1934, he passed away on December 20th 1996. He wrote the book behind the incredibly successful series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos:_A_Personal_Voyage" target="_blank">Cosmos</a>. This was back in the 1980s, and it was the first time I had come across him.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have always been a naturally curious person, and have always had an interest in finding things out and asking questions. I have an almost unquenchable thirst for knowledge. When I watched Cosmos for the first time, my curiosity about the universe grew from an interest to complete wonder. My fascination was piqued. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have since read the book Cosmos, and found it utterly compelling. The book that first got me interested in not just Carl Sagan, but science as a whole, was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragons_of_Eden" target="_blank">The Dragons of Eden</a>. In the book Carl "combines the fields of anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and computer science to give a perspective of how human intelligence evolved" - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dragons_of_Eden" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't think books on subjects relating to science can be interesting, then you have never read a book by Carl Sagan. I have read many of his books, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon-haunted_world" target="_blank">Demon Haunted World</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billions_and_Billions:_Thoughts_on_Life_and_Death_at_the_Brink_of_the_Millennium" target="_blank">Billions and Billions</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_(novel)" target="_blank">Contact</a> (please don't watch the film that is based on the book - the ending to the book is utterly profound).</div><div><br /></div><div>After reading The Dragons of Eden, my fascination with science blossomed and flourished. I had found an author who was not only extremely intelligent, but could write in a way that anyone with a keen interest could understand. More importantly than that however, was that his writing instilled in me a sense of wonder that has remained with me to this day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Never has anyone caught my imagination as much as Carl has through his writing. Never has anyone made me feel humbled and fascinated by the universe and our place within it. His books are as intellectually invigorating as they are deeply profound. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would strongly urge you to watch this video for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M" target="_blank">Pale Blue Dot</a>. It is only 3 and a half minutes so please make the time to watch it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The text to the video is taken from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot_(book)" target="_blank">book of the same name</a>, so will give you an indication of his writing style if you have not come across him before.</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"The Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of planet Earth taken in 1990 by Voyager 1 from a record distance, showing it against the vastness of space. By request of Carl Sagan, NASA commanded the Voyager 1 spacecraft, having completed its primary mission and now leaving the Solar System, to turn its camera around and to take a photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space." - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_blue_dot" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>I have watched this video clip many times, and posted it onto my Twitter and Facebook feeds too. It never fails to make me feel humbled by the sheer vastness of the universe, how insignificant we are, and to put in perspective all of our inflated human egos. I challenge anyone to watch this clip and not feel humbled by it. If we could all think in the same vein as Carl narrates in this clip, we would advance as a species and progress our knowledge. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is also fair to say that reading Carl Sagan started me on the path towards rejecting religion. Here is a typical quote from Carl that demands you consider the universe with more intellectual vigour than the introduction of imaginary gods: </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"I maintain there is much more wonder in science than in pseudoscience. And in addition, to whatever measure this term has any meaning, science has the additional virtue, and it is not an inconsiderable one, of being true."</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>It is not just Carl's sheer intellect that I admire, but his compassion. He writes not just as a scientist, but as a curious and thought provoking human being. It is clear from his writing that he cares deeply about our planet and its inhabitants - humans and non humans alike.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have also taken to heart his quote that "there is no such thing as a dumb or stupid question" which forms a chapter from his book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World" target="_blank">The Demon Haunted World</a>. Anyone who knows me has almost certainly heard me say this. I never undermine anyone for not knowing something that I may know. They will almost certainly know a great many things that I don't know. By asking questions where you are not made to feel intimidated or undervalued, we all further our knowledge.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a long and difficult fight with myelodysplasia, which included three bone marrow transplants, Carl Sagan died of pneumonia at the age of 62 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, on December 20, 1996. He was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Ithaca, New York - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan#Death" target="_blank">Wikepedia</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is no accident that I have chosen Carl Sagan to be the first in my Heroes series. That should indicate how much I admire and respect him.</div><div><br /></div><div>To live in the hearts we leave behind is to never die - RIP Carl Sagan</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-21163283132645035432010-10-28T13:26:00.006+01:002010-10-29T17:13:51.128+01:00Microsoft Office is up in the clouds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER9zVep1jv6zDhtdUiXkT9dlKculkN8s7iuVv590JDvTRd1ftL5F7bOuNPn3ESMiN9Of4mThyphenhyphenwWFjrK0XyEyQzqpqqGVxqaOZTAY0BiSE02u4hFIGo3xC9yrbGBltP-1O6jsXkqNJKCHY/s1600/microsoft-cloud.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER9zVep1jv6zDhtdUiXkT9dlKculkN8s7iuVv590JDvTRd1ftL5F7bOuNPn3ESMiN9Of4mThyphenhyphenwWFjrK0XyEyQzqpqqGVxqaOZTAY0BiSE02u4hFIGo3xC9yrbGBltP-1O6jsXkqNJKCHY/s320/microsoft-cloud.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533074038183640882" /></a><br /><div>Microsoft has brought <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-heck-is-cloud-computing.html" target="_blank">cloud computing</a> into the office environment with the release of a cloud version of its popular <a href="http://office365.microsoft.com/en-US/online-services.aspx" target="_blank">Office suite</a>. Also included in the Office suite will be its flagship collaboration tool SharePoint Online and email via Exchange Online. </div><div><br /></div><div>Up until now most cloud applications have been based around Web 2.o applications such as social media applications, blogs, forums etc. With the launch of its Office 365 suite, Microsoft has brought cloud computing to the typical blue collar worker. </div><div><br /></div><div>The release is currently named Office 365 (presumably as a reference to the fact that it is available 365 days of the year). It’s entirely possible though that the name will be changed to something else.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s aimed at small to medium enterprises (SMEs), with costs running between $6 and $27.50 per user per month. The specific cost will depend on the applications that are required, and the storage requirements. </div><div><br /></div><div>With their office applications hosted via the Internet, users can therefore access their usual Office applications using any device that can access the Internet. This includes iPads, smartphones, as well as the usual PCs, netbooks and laptops. The devices need to support ActiveSync.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is estimated that customers of Office 365 could save up to 10% over more traditional desktop versions of the applications. The Office 365 cloud computing solution is particularly suitable for companies with between 1 to 25 staff that are required to collaborate with external partners. This could include marketing initiatives, or product development.</div><div><br /></div><div>For any SMEs wishing to look into reducing software costs, which typically runs at around 15% of total IT expenditure, it could be extremely beneficial to investigate the latest cloud computing offering from Microsoft.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-85769034180305237702010-10-27T14:14:00.009+01:002010-10-27T20:01:05.620+01:00Microsoft enters the Smartphone market<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYOjdyXsmywIHhvG0XGww3U0OdlAKxqhhojEXel0RXflXmbrBZ8Q5dUzea66zCeigElYqpzw8uv5RRl3ZufX9lKHHEBrB9SFGNMKeEufGfVmLXfRnFB77SCAsZ3MpTEleVzm-gBboiDLL/s1600/windows_phone_logo-300x300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYOjdyXsmywIHhvG0XGww3U0OdlAKxqhhojEXel0RXflXmbrBZ8Q5dUzea66zCeigElYqpzw8uv5RRl3ZufX9lKHHEBrB9SFGNMKeEufGfVmLXfRnFB77SCAsZ3MpTEleVzm-gBboiDLL/s320/windows_phone_logo-300x300.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532716419505600802" /></a><br /><div>There was much speculation as to whether Microsoft would make the leap into the smartphone market. It’s a market already dominated by huge name brands such as Apple with its <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone" target="_blank">iPhone</a>, and Google with <a href="http://www.android.com/" target="_blank">Android</a>. However, as of October 21 2010, Microsoft have entered the smartphone market with the release of the Windows Phone 7, which was launched in Europe and Australasia. </div><div><br /></div><div>Coming so late to the market represents a great risk for Microsoft. With two huge brands in the guise of Apple and Google already firmly established, it’s not going to be easy to squeeze market share. Perhaps its saving grace is the fact that Microsoft is also a huge brand in its own right, just not in the smartphone market. However, entering the smartphone market also represents a great opportunity. Microsoft will have to work very hard if it wants to become the third major player. To do that it will have to leapfrog HP with its <a href="http://www.palm.com/uk/en/products/phones/preplus/index.html" target="_blank">Palm Pre</a> and <a href="http://www.blackberry.com/" target="_blank">Blackberry</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s also refreshing to note that Microsoft haven’t simply copied Apple and Google with its user-interface, but instead have developed something completely different.</div><div><br /></div><div>As should be fairly obvious, to be successful in the smartphone market isn’t entirely about just the phones. To be successful you need to have lots of great, cool apps! You also need social media integration so users can keep up to date with their friends on Twitter, Facebook and so on. So the challenge for Microsoft is to have a simple user-interface so that users can navigate their way around their smartphone applications, and a feature rich / well documented API (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Api" target="_blank">Applications Programming Interface</a>) to allow developers to write all their cool applications for it. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Windows Phone 7 application development will be based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Silverlight" target="_blank">Silverlight</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_XNA" target="_blank">Xbox New Architecture (XNA)</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Compact_Framework" target="_blank">.NET Compact Framework 4.0</a>. These are all technologies that will be familiar to a Microsoft based developer.</div><div><br /></div><div>It will also use Microsoft technologies such as Bing for its web searching, and have gaming integration with Xbox. </div><div><br /></div><div>It will be critical for the success of the Windows Phone 7 that it comes with a multitude of applications at launch, and with many more scheduled to come soon after. The quality of those applications needs to be fantastically high, given the massive head start of the competition. It has a lot of catching up to do if it seriously wants to challenge Apple and Google, or rather leapfrog HP and Blackberry. Those applications need to be cheap (preferably free), stable, simple to use and brought to the market as soon as possible (but without breaking the stability already mentioned).</div><div><br /></div><div>It will be interesting to see how Microsoft fares in such a highly competitive and well dominated market. The coming months should reveal if the decision to move into such a market was the right one or not.</div><div><br /></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-5061269526775450582010-10-24T08:04:00.003+01:002010-10-24T08:16:07.429+01:00Crazy government spending<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaSzAIvHUr13A7dqcpoUcDpbIuCR03KfWE91o92lMpAqPmaYW4iDpZhVV6GF8okY9Htw8UgN-4a8vqT-aOkarKzlTu3xr65ZD9JcgBLrKYF1oQ45xS6WKD2jjCK3EYvxSH-TY0OC_3lYQ/s1600/government+spending.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaSzAIvHUr13A7dqcpoUcDpbIuCR03KfWE91o92lMpAqPmaYW4iDpZhVV6GF8okY9Htw8UgN-4a8vqT-aOkarKzlTu3xr65ZD9JcgBLrKYF1oQ45xS6WKD2jjCK3EYvxSH-TY0OC_3lYQ/s320/government+spending.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531507918026997778" /></a><br /><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Prime Minister David Cameron has recently been very critical of the “crazy decisions” made by government IT procurement during the past decade. This criticism has come about after the <a href="http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/efficiency/sirphilipgreenreview.pdf">report from Sir Philip Green</a> highlighted the “shocking” inefficiency if IT purchasing.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">IT purchasing was one of the main targets identified by Sir Philip Green for improvement. In his report he has called for changes to the “expensive IT services contracted for too long with no flexibility”. The main culprit identified by Sir Philip Green for causing such huge IT spending was the departmentally focused manner in which much of it is done. Instead of purchasing IT equipment centrally, and take advantage of the cost savings associated with such huge orders, it is purchased by individual departments where only small cost savings can be made. Sir Philip Green cited examples of both commodity IT buying and relationships with major IT suppliers as areas where there were opportunities for greater efficiencies to be made.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Sir Philip Green brought special attention to the telecoms costs, indicating that it would be necessary to put them under an “urgent review”. In his report he suggests that the current annual £2bn telecoms bill could be reduced by up to as much as 40% if purchased centrally rather than departmentally.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Also under fire was the £61m that is spent annually on desktop and laptop PCs. Prices vary between £353 to £2000 for such equipment. However, Sir Philip Green’s recommendation was that the government should buy all such equipment directly from a manufacturer, rather than through the 13 service providers that are currently in place.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">The spending on mobile phones comes under criticism too. Of the £21m that is spent annually on such equipment, 98% of it goes to one un-named supplier. However, the 68 different contracts are negotiated separately by the various departments, rather than centrally where cost savings could be made.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">The following is an example of the sort of spending that was found to be typical, and which highlighted the need for centralisation. The IT contract in question had 6 years still left to run and was costing £100m annually. However, some of the services being delivered under the contract were no longer required, but the terms of the contract did not allow for the fees to be reduced to reflect this. The contract also stipulated that rates of £1000 per day would apply for any work that the IT supplier provided, thus giving the supplier two profit margins.</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">The following conclusions by Sir Philip Green more than amply summarise the issue of government IT spending:</span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-indent: 0px !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">“There is a huge opportunity that has been clearly identified in central government and beyond, but without a clear mandate, energy, focus and commitment, this cannot be delivered. There is no reason why government should not be as efficient as any good business. Any large organisation would want to use its credit rating and scale to buy efficiently. The conclusion of this review is clear – credit rating and scale in virtually every department has not been used to make government spending efficient.”</span></span></div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-18854135709467478302010-10-13T09:56:00.005+01:002010-10-13T17:51:13.343+01:00The Importance of Making Mistakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0majpikI5x__UeynlJ8IBw2iWsZq7M8bDx8vaH8y4MVITMmCWfz5tZ1TFmFUnlt_ZGr0vQOlBd9Dhb_c8hgI0ALq-cbzkypc65ec823TjCQPNsLqueB42Ua6Oc8Tf-YrwfbLgUQhv3WQo/s1600/mistakes.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0majpikI5x__UeynlJ8IBw2iWsZq7M8bDx8vaH8y4MVITMmCWfz5tZ1TFmFUnlt_ZGr0vQOlBd9Dhb_c8hgI0ALq-cbzkypc65ec823TjCQPNsLqueB42Ua6Oc8Tf-YrwfbLgUQhv3WQo/s320/mistakes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527452786375649634" /></a><br /><div>As human beings, we often feel mortified with ourselves when we make a mistake. When we get something wrong, when we forget to do something, when we let someone down. All these things are avoidable and make us feel bad about ourselves. They are all examples of mistakes that most of us will be familiar with.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is important is not so much making mistakes, as everyone who has ever lived has done that, but what we learn from making a mistake. If we make a mistake, but then learn nothing from the experience, then that is a failure. If we make a mistake, but learn something from the experience, then that is a success. </div><div><br /></div><div>No one is immune to making mistakes. We are all fallible and sometimes we get things wrong. That is human nature. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is important to admit when you’ve made a mistake. Take control of the situation and take personal responsibility when you get something wrong. Why? Because it puts you in charge! If you constantly blame everyone else for your mistakes, then you can never rectify them, because in your own mind you didn’t make them. You can’t change anyone else but yourself. So by taking responsibility for your mistakes, you put yourself in charge, where you can take control and make things right.</div><div><br /></div><div>Admitting to making a mistake is not always easy, and I’d be lying if I said it was. Some people are better at it than others. If you make the connection between taking responsibility for making a mistake, and seeing how that gives you control of the situation, then suddenly it becomes much easier.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do not go beating yourself up for making a mistake. Self flagellation is pointless and painful. It doesn’t help you move forward, and it doesn’t remedy the situation. Apologise with total sincerity to those involved that you have made a mistake, learn from the experience, and move on. This changes the entire dynamic of the situation, from being a negative one, to a positive one!</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes a mistake is not always black and white. It may be down to a difference of opinion or point of view. So what may appear to be a mistake to one person, may well be acceptable to someone else. Attitude and perspective are important components when judging a situation or outcome. </div><div><br /></div><div>In life, sometimes the greatest successes are those that were achieved when mistakes were involved along the way. It is precisely because of these mistakes that we have a greater sense of satisfaction, because a greater degree of effort was required to overcome them and achieve the desired outcome. If we set out to do something, and nothing goes wrong, and we achieve our intended outcome, that is great. If we set out to do something, and we make mistakes along the way, and we still achieve our intended outcome, then that is greater still! </div><div><br /></div><div>Mistakes are a fact of life and the way we are seen to learn from them, regain our composure and start anew is an important part of becoming a rounded, confident human being.</div><div><br /></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-37683963231353878752010-09-27T15:50:00.008+01:002010-09-27T17:09:50.919+01:00Being a sceptic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczOC4CeNabh7a7oKjYugXQW-74X1LB1Wo3_hgFKLvdSHCOHVkOt1aOVcJnI4gY0iN2KRDWw-OBnfsY-tfA7xMDwD2Wp-PdJ6Z8UKYSVkHKU1yJKRH0gTo2TJYvb-_moBmMN4GznL-HzP4/s1600/sceptic.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczOC4CeNabh7a7oKjYugXQW-74X1LB1Wo3_hgFKLvdSHCOHVkOt1aOVcJnI4gY0iN2KRDWw-OBnfsY-tfA7xMDwD2Wp-PdJ6Z8UKYSVkHKU1yJKRH0gTo2TJYvb-_moBmMN4GznL-HzP4/s320/sceptic.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521612850017049250" /></a><br /><div>I have often described myself as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skepticism" target="_blank">sceptic</a>. When I refer to myself in such a way, what exactly does that mean? What am I telling you about myself?</div><div><br /></div><div>People often confuse scepticism with cynicism. A sceptic is not someone who is cynical, close-minded or rejects new ideas. In fact, the opposite is true. </div><div><br /></div><div>A sceptic will apply reason to evaluate a claim, and will demand evidence before they accept something as being true. As long as there is sufficient evidence to support the claim that is being made, then this will satisfy the sceptic.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can remember reading the book <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World" target="_blank">The Demon Haunted World</a> by the late, great Carl Sagan. The book is described as follows:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"The book is intended to explain the scientific method to laypeople, and to encourage people to learn critical or sceptical thinking. It explains methods to help distinguish between ideas that are considered valid science, and ideas that can be considered pseudoscience. Sagan states that when new ideas are offered for consideration, they should be tested by means of sceptical thinking, and should stand up to rigorous questioning."</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>The scientific method is the embodiment of the process that is used by sceptics to determine if a claim is true. Without giving a fully detailed explanation of the scientific method, it is a process that requires the gathering of data to formulate and test a hypothesis. Using the scientific method, claims of truth can be verified in a controlled, repeatable and consistent manner. </div><div><br /></div><div>Scepticism is therefore a process of applying reason and critical thinking to establish validity. It is the practice of finding supported conclusions, rather than the justification of preconceived beliefs.</div><div><br /></div><div>A sceptic should therefore reject a claim if there is insufficient evidence to support it. However, they should still be open to the possibility that the claim could still be proved true in the future if further evidence is found. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have used this statement to define the stance I take when I tell people I am an atheist. I reject the notion of a deity on the grounds that there is no scientific evidence to support such a claim, but I keep my mind open to the possibility that one may exist if sufficient supporting evidence were found in the future. Remember that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and it is important to demand such.</div><div><br /></div><div>To believe a testable, scientific claim when there is no supporting scientific evidence is irrational.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the beauty of science. That it has the capacity to correct the truths that it finds and can change the conclusions that it is able to draw. Far from being a weakness or a flaw, this is one of its greatest strengths! Any system or process for determining truth that is rigid is fundamentally flawed! As our knowledge grows and changes, so should the conclusions we draw from it.</div><div><br /></div><div>By applying a sceptical mindset in our quest for the truths we are searching for, we can at least be sure that the knowledge we have gained is valid. </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-53430861030082093302010-09-13T09:45:00.008+01:002010-09-13T10:30:07.927+01:00The reality of Sharia Law<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGjzYcG3dn6zqepwZK_tWBOH_3LxHaI3sgy4k1V6NG36y4XrISEMHnZCwQJcMRoTnvs126JAI804x1ps904H-hEzJ9WYDNMI12z32i9lLNdTIgYZWESp39NO90ATNicZrwmvkFMsxNsZv/s1600/Sharia+Law.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGjzYcG3dn6zqepwZK_tWBOH_3LxHaI3sgy4k1V6NG36y4XrISEMHnZCwQJcMRoTnvs126JAI804x1ps904H-hEzJ9WYDNMI12z32i9lLNdTIgYZWESp39NO90ATNicZrwmvkFMsxNsZv/s320/Sharia+Law.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516327010954593570" /></a><br /><div>My wish is that every person see <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgSH0h45Eo" target="_blank">this gruesome clip</a> of Muslims administering <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia" target="_blank">Sharia Law</a> to a young girl that didn't want to marry an old man, arranged by her family. The "tolerant" people are the very ones that should have to watch them deliver their kind of justice. Maybe then the "tolerant" among us would change from apathy to action against the Islamic leaders that want to establish Sharia Law in our Country.</div><div><br /></div><div><div> </div><div>Imagine this is one of your family members laying there. Not in the West you say? It's closer than you would think thanks to political correctness and mis-guided tolerance. The more influence it gains in our legal system, the harder it will be to stop. Islamic Sharia Law must not be allowed to have even the smallest influence in our legal system!</div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-65171417985185566132010-08-27T08:22:00.007+01:002010-08-27T14:37:41.121+01:00My 100th blog!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjvwpwWqLRVGcHKhSZ22ptmUglYmASlyzwWzylTsoMRQqsimZYuEHQdgyRpveCEzEMfidbQLMmidubLv0OuOM6tr2LkfEklnhgjyUGWAyVpEczjIzck__609SW4fTlDHndeXG8BsckZ5W/s1600/100thBlog.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjvwpwWqLRVGcHKhSZ22ptmUglYmASlyzwWzylTsoMRQqsimZYuEHQdgyRpveCEzEMfidbQLMmidubLv0OuOM6tr2LkfEklnhgjyUGWAyVpEczjIzck__609SW4fTlDHndeXG8BsckZ5W/s320/100thBlog.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510026115110990994" /></a><br />This is my 100th blog, so please join me in celebrating this fantastic milestone in my blogging pilgrimage. I published my first blog on March 31st 2009. I have covered many topics during that period including technology, social media, vegetarianism, atheism, current affairs, politics, science and some personal topics too.<div><br /></div><div>Having a blog is a wonderful way of expressing yourself and giving your opinions a platform from which they can be read by others. I also welcome the opinions and feedback from those reading my blog. Unlike some people, I am happy to be challenged on a topic, and will happily change my opinion if I read a persuasive argument that I may not have considered previously. This is the ideal of the scientific mind - to be able to change it when presented with opposing evidence.</div><div><br /></div><div>I welcome disagreement as much as I welcome agreement, as long as the view is expressed in a constructive manner. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have used my blog as a learning tool, where I have written blogs about subjects on which I was previously unfamiliar. When you force yourself to write a blog on that subject, you are forced to study and research the subject in order to write about it. I have used this technique to learn many new topics, and will continue to do so.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have used my blog to express my opinions and views on things I believe, including giving in-depth explanations for why I am a vegetarian and an atheist. When asked why I hold these views, I cannot always elegantly express my reasons in 5 minutes flat. I want to be able to give a full and considered explanation. When I made these choices for myself, I gave them full consideration, and I want to be able to do the same when someone else is interested enough to ask me about these views. With a blog, I have the time to write down in detail what my reasons are, and give those reasons the consideration they deserve.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have used my blog to champion causes and campaigns I believe in, such as my support for <a href="http://www.peta.org.uk/" target="_blank">PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)</a>. I make no apologies for this. If I wish to support a charity, cause or campaign then I shall use my blog as a legitimate platform for doing so. </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>I have learnt the benefits that come with writing with a co-author. I co-authored two blogs with <a href="http://twitter.com/vickyperry" target="_blank">Vicky Perry</a> recently, and found the experience to be both productive and positive. It was a great experience to be able to discuss blog topics and bounce ideas around with another author. We worked jointly on everything from generating the topic of the blog itself to the writing of the blog. In fact, the process of working with Vicky was so successful, that we have now since created our own joint blog called <a href="http://www.green-eyes-blog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Green Eyes</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have really enjoyed writing these blogs, and hope you have enjoyed reading them. I hope I will be writing a similar blog when I reach my 200th blog!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-56911847498749483982010-08-23T09:18:00.005+01:002010-08-23T11:54:52.658+01:00Opening up government data<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhVhvPD0PV5jDivZIvQvEQDKvBtOnpRudAzfPio5Z4Y9UD-mlckpDZCfDC3sM3V_naGi5hREWUQ7t6nRM00Z4RiL06cTb1rq0sMttNbsqKZXKpeJ9MC6IVlHZT7EBTnHrL-3K5Ka8otsP/s1600/access.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhVhvPD0PV5jDivZIvQvEQDKvBtOnpRudAzfPio5Z4Y9UD-mlckpDZCfDC3sM3V_naGi5hREWUQ7t6nRM00Z4RiL06cTb1rq0sMttNbsqKZXKpeJ9MC6IVlHZT7EBTnHrL-3K5Ka8otsP/s320/access.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508556953482138210" /></a><br /><div>The concept behind open data is that information should be in the public domain, and it should be easily accessible and transparent. The drive to open up data was first started by the Labour government, with the baton now in the hands of the coalition government. This would give the British public a clear picture of what information is stored at both central and local government levels, and promises to give transparency of its services to the tax payers, who fund these services. Certain questions remain though in how we achieve this utopian vision of opening up data to the public, such as what are the issues and benefits to achieving it.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>It all started back in December 2009 when the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced plans to open up UK government data, including public services performance data, transport data and geospatial data. Who could be better placed to head up this initiative than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Tim_Berners-Lee" target="_blank">Sir Tim Berners Lee</a>. Together with Professor Nigel Shadbolt they produced a beta version of the <a href="http://data.gov.uk/" target="_blank">www.data.gov.uk</a> web site. As of January 2010 there are now over 3,500 government data sets.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Under Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” initiative, a clear message has been made that there will be continued support for opening up government data to encourage citizens and communities to use this data to empower themselves. The new Public Sector Transparency Board has appointed both Sir Tim Berners Lee and Professor Nigel Shadbolt as board members. It has recently set out its draft principles including that public data will be published in reusable, machine readable form using open standards, and following recommendations from the World Wide Web Consortium.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to Sir Tim Berners Lee we’re now aware of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_web" target="_blank">Semantic Web</a>, and more recently the need for <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-linked-data-can-improve-web-search.html" target="_blank">Linked Data</a>.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>“I have a dream for the Web [in which computers] become capable of analysing all the data on the Web – the content, links and transactions between people and computers. A ‘semantic web’, which should make this possible, has yet to emerge, but when it does, the day-to-day mechanisms of trade, bureaucracy, and our daily lives will be handled by machines talking to machines. The ‘intelligent agents’ that people have touted will finally materialise”.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>To create these intelligent agents though, we need intelligent data, and with that, Linked Data has emerged.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>In January 2010 Sir Tim Berners Lee told <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8470797.stm" target="_blank">BBC News</a>:</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>“It’s such an untapped resource….government data is something we have already spent the money on…..and when it is sitting there on a disk in somebody’s office it is wasted”.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>So over two decades after the Web came into being, we may just be in a position to harness it in a way that can truly benefit everyone. The question is how do we achieve this utopian vision?</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>There have been two key phases to this process. The first was to get the data online in whatever format was available. So data that was held in Word, PDF and HTML formats needed to be converted into linked, machine readable formats.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>The second phase is where we now currently find ourselves, and requires the adoption of a series of standards when publishing data to the Web using recommended linked data formats such as <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/05/bridging-human-and-data-webs.html" target="_blank">Resource Description Framework (RDF)</a>.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>It we want true transparency then we need the data to be structured in such a way as to be open and interoperable. <a href="http://www.tso.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Stationery Office (TSO)</a> is working with organisations such as the Cabinet Office and The National Archives to bring this together, and to establish the principles for publishing government linked data.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>If all this goes as planned, then the government will have generated something for the greater good of society. Something that will help make our lives better informed and to help us become more responsible citizens. We should all expect open data, and now we are getting nearer having the right to demand it. If the current plans go ahead without problems, we can also deliver it!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-32168508447496195132010-08-12T15:00:00.007+01:002010-08-12T17:13:09.947+01:00Be careful what you write on your social media channels!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_d4cpatKPQno0bJuyJSXw1Idoiyewa2BnUQB_JP1GN9gX4XF9nS1P9zuJ3VJf9cDv51GRRGNGXId-cDM0MAKDPVj2rNkdeU3bPAm1CprrdKfzYfS0foA4d9kFDVNVgVSpDAw4jO2c6eo/s1600/Facebook2_1299511c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504528882609035234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 230px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 144px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_d4cpatKPQno0bJuyJSXw1Idoiyewa2BnUQB_JP1GN9gX4XF9nS1P9zuJ3VJf9cDv51GRRGNGXId-cDM0MAKDPVj2rNkdeU3bPAm1CprrdKfzYfS0foA4d9kFDVNVgVSpDAw4jO2c6eo/s320/Facebook2_1299511c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A recent case in the UK has highlighted the need to be careful what you write on your social media channels, or indeed those of others. Whether you use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or any of the others, you need to exercise caution. The written word is subject to libel laws, and you could face criminal prosecution if found guilty</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7912731/Law-student-wins-10000-after-being-branded-a-paedophile-on-Facebook.html" target="_blank">Jeremiah Barber branded his former friend a paedophile on Facebook</a>. The post was intended to be a joke, but the friend did not see the funny side, and neither did the courts. The post itself read </div><div></div><br /><div><br /><blockquote>"Ray, you like kids and are gay so I bet you love this picture. Haha".</blockquote></div><br /><div></div><div>The courts fined Barber £1000 in libel damages. </div><br /><div></div><div>This should be taken as a warning to anyone before they post a potentially libellous statement. Every word you write on public social media channels are subject to libel laws. What may begin as a joke at the expense of your intended target may backfire, and they could be laughing all the way to the bank!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-82781280048411181432010-08-05T14:35:00.006+01:002010-08-15T19:25:30.747+01:00What a good manager should know<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMZ89iUNcl2pB5saqpDpVUNG30yJEeY3UGR9wBcR-I8abg4SdPe7V-l1faWoqL1KVvmtjM6idBj7dR0YRqgvcxtiGYRU5nTTvKUJgOzRtNcRsosFmHmfXpHqZ-Q_d5Woey8QSwOF0Z7to/s1600/manager-bird.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501920813653147090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 175px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMZ89iUNcl2pB5saqpDpVUNG30yJEeY3UGR9wBcR-I8abg4SdPe7V-l1faWoqL1KVvmtjM6idBj7dR0YRqgvcxtiGYRU5nTTvKUJgOzRtNcRsosFmHmfXpHqZ-Q_d5Woey8QSwOF0Z7to/s320/manager-bird.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Before starting this blog I would like to make it perfectly clear that it is not aimed at any individual or any organisation that I have worked with. It is intended to make a general point with no specific reference to any specific individual(s). </div><div> </div><div>I’ve had this discussion several times with friends and colleagues in the past, and it came up again recently with a work colleague. The discussion revolves around the issue of how much knowledge should a manager need to know about what his team does, in order to be an effective manager. In most cases, a manager will have progressed up the career ladder in the line of work in which they subsequently find themselves as a manager. So taking my own line of work within software development, a typical career path may be:<br /><br />· Trainee software developer<br />· Software developer<br />· Senior software developer / Team leader<br />· Software manager<br /><br />So it’s fair to say that by the time a person becomes a software manager, they should have a pretty good understanding of what their team does, the roles and responsibilities of the team members, and the key skills and knowledge that are required.<br /><br />However, I have come across several managers who lack this essential knowledge. They are managers pure and simple. They do their team’s appraisals, manage the team’s budgets and Performance Indicators, but lack the knowledge specific to their team. They are to all intents and purposes, general purpose managers, with no real knowledge of the specialist skills and expertise of their team. They could be placed into any team, anywhere, and manage that team – without ever knowing exactly what the team actually does, or how it does it.<br /><br />I’m not saying that you necessarily need to have an in depth understanding of what every team member does, that would be wholly impractical. That is why you have team members who have those specialist skills. It is their responsibility to understand the area in which they work in as much detail as is necessary to perform that role. Equally though, this does not imply that the manager can delegate that knowledge entirely to the team either. While the team members may perform their allotted roles, using whatever specialist knowledge they need to do so, the manager at the very least needs a basic understanding of those roles and responsibilities.<br /><br />One of the roles of a manager is to provide direction and make decisions. How can you make decisions without understanding what your team does? How can you know what is achievable and realistic, or what is even possible?<br /><br />While not every software developer will make a good software manager, or even aspire to be one, the best software managers in my experience have been those that have progressed up their chosen career path. One obvious advantage of this route to management is that you also have the respect of your team. They know you have done the same or similar job to them in the past, and can talk from experience. They know you understand their daily challenges, and can sympathise with their problems. They know you understand their role and what it entails, as you have done it in the past. So while you may have forgotten some of the detail of how to perform that role, you understand what it involves from a high level perspective. Never underestimate the value of respect within a team, particularly if you’re the one who is trying to win it!<br /><br />In my opinion, to be an effective manager, you need to understand the various roles and responsibilities of your team, preferably from hard won experience. This will ensure you can make informed decisions, and that you have gained the respect of your team.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-57703788219601472222010-07-27T16:13:00.003+01:002010-07-27T16:19:32.070+01:00My first tweetup<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwJZkjukfppr7-xOQ1O7vi9B-5OU-OQNBK8bg6sG5QLfgjNrZfZSf1VBw9tna1jLEeEgpg1GY3BQ4hbx_XAwslZWK3fmIMjt3Ev7gfopeKv_HRYGjduZCDCgU3oQaTYwz12Tmd70o38f9/s1600/peaks_tweetup.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498605751664758226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwJZkjukfppr7-xOQ1O7vi9B-5OU-OQNBK8bg6sG5QLfgjNrZfZSf1VBw9tna1jLEeEgpg1GY3BQ4hbx_XAwslZWK3fmIMjt3Ev7gfopeKv_HRYGjduZCDCgU3oQaTYwz12Tmd70o38f9/s320/peaks_tweetup.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I’ve been an active Twitter user (or Twitterer or Tweeter) for around 18 months now, but have not until recently attended a tweetup. A tweetup is a get together of people on Twitter to socialise and get to know each other, and to put that crucial face to the name. You may know some of your Twitter followers in real life, you may not. So it’s an opportunity to meet people you have tweeted with, but perhaps not met. If the person has not posted their real picture on their Twitter page, you also have no idea what they look like.<br /><br />One of my Twitter followers Richard Chester aka <a href="http://twitter.com/captain_doodle" target="_blank">@captain_doodle</a> had arranged a tweetup for Saturday 24th July. The location was Fairholme visitor centre in the Peak District, the activity a 10 mile walk around the Lady Bower reservoir, taking in some lovely scenery and stunning climbing in the process. This may sound like an odd way of getting to know people, but it worked very effectively. By walking with different members of the group on the way round, you got to spend time with all of them in turn, and find out about them.<br /><br />To some people the very idea of a tweetup may sound dangerous or sinister. Meeting people you know only from the Internet. I agree this probably does sound dangerous or sinister, if that’s how you put it. However, we had all been in contact with each other for some time and had gotten to know each other well, and had shared comments, jokes and held conversations on Twitter. Hardly the activities of some obsessive serial killer! Also, as the location was a very public one (the great outdoors) there was not a lot that could go wrong.<br /><br />So we all met in the Fairholme visitors car park before the 10am start. The weather was looking good, and a fine day of good walking lay ahead. On arrival I was introduced to my fellow Twitterers, some of whom I knew from outside Twitter already, some I did not. After the initial introductions were made, and some photos taken of us all, we made our way round the walk, with Richard and Shelley Chester acting as our guides as they knew the route.<br /><br />The walk was absolutely gorgeous. Finding a stunning walk in the Peak District is akin to shooting fish in a barrel. Point your boots in any direction, and off you go!<br /><br />As we walked, we all started getting to know each other, with all of us taking the time to talk to each and every member of the group. What struck me most was how much a person reveals of themselves through their social media persona. Whilst most of us do not reveal everything about ourselves, we reveal enough to see that the real life and online personas are the same. The characteristics that endears you to someone online, their traits, quirks, sense of humour are all present when you meet the person for real. So it’s reassuring to see that they are exactly as they appear online. The jokes that someone makes online are the same sorts of jokes they make when you meet them.<br /><br />The walk itself went extremely well. We had walked up some very steep hills, and over some very exposed ridges. Throughout the walk, the scenery was stunning and the weather was more than kind. We all bonded with each other, and now have a much better idea of what we are like.<br /><br />By the end of the walk, I had gotten to know my companions really well, and had made some brilliant new friends in the process.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-23136401446365317752010-07-17T14:35:00.005+01:002010-07-17T14:47:26.575+01:00How the economic crisis is hurting undergraduates<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj4qzH4EWCIZfO2qSgEO2ZOq5Z5BaranFbBfU83iIpsf8x04rmeLYPhr6jxpAe9iwpOnjXwI7R_i6vdi_3DQjutuJ_nGxoqfq5KYHtsNSUGykwNcyAL3382BlS2hGViIz01_v-gmcjxu0/s1600/commencement_08.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj4qzH4EWCIZfO2qSgEO2ZOq5Z5BaranFbBfU83iIpsf8x04rmeLYPhr6jxpAe9iwpOnjXwI7R_i6vdi_3DQjutuJ_nGxoqfq5KYHtsNSUGykwNcyAL3382BlS2hGViIz01_v-gmcjxu0/s320/commencement_08.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494870023260135394" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:13px;">The current recession is hurting everyone, and no one has been immune to its effects. It has affected everyone universally. However, I can't help but notice that it has unduly affected undergraduates and graduates. I have seen this effect first hand.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">With money being tight, fewer and fewer employers are hiring undergraduates, as they simply don't have the budget to do so. Those that do have the budget are using them as cheap labour, rather than actually investing the resource to train them adequately.</div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">Many undergraduates are working tirelessly for an employer, trying to impress them and gain that valuable experience which will differentiate them from their peers. So that come the time for them to enter the job market, they will be the one who is successful in bagging that all important job. However, many are simply not receiving that experience. They are not being trained or receiving any kind of useful experience. </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">This is not the fault of the employer. With the best will in the world, they are just strapped for cash and cannot afford to give them the training they require and deserve, or are under resourced. Equally though, the undergraduate is blameless and is powerless to improve the situation for themselves. </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">The outcome is that many undergraduates are entering the job market without the necessary experience or skills to perform the job they are being asked to do. This is not the fault of either the undergraduate, or the employer who employed them. Both are victims of the current economic crisis.</div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">What of the long term situation? As each generation of undergraduate enters the job market without the necessary skills or experience, are we just making the situation a whole lot worse? Will this problem make any economic recovery more difficult? After all, today's undergraduates are tomorrow's managers, supervisors and leaders. </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">Although an undergraduate may gain the necessary experience and skills eventually, it will take them much longer to do so. In the meantime, we have a raft of undergraduates who may not be up to doing the job through no fault of their own.</div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">We need to have greater investment in our undergraduates. After all, the entire economy will suffer if we do nothing. Employers taking on undergraduates need to invest as much as they can into giving them the skills they need. Employers should be encouraged to take on undergraduates, even if this means government subsidies. </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "> </div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; "><br /></div><div style="text-indent: 0in !important; ">Over the longer term, everyone benefits from improving the lot of the undergraduate, not just the undergraduate themselves! </div></span><br /></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-46084230823379308972010-07-13T12:32:00.007+01:002010-07-13T12:44:41.775+01:00Creating a blog with another writer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdQVcqepwXugJTh-4Hm01p1vhaL4rOVpxbhels9XsQHQSt8Wu_GmyAL1kE9aArp-3ro6ViNj13TTc2CTBpGgnY0KZ6oxbYes-258tGjpJhlvnd-RomqHD0rF_zifaaEvdjmMv05FSQx3Y/s1600/blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493355317019099234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdQVcqepwXugJTh-4Hm01p1vhaL4rOVpxbhels9XsQHQSt8Wu_GmyAL1kE9aArp-3ro6ViNj13TTc2CTBpGgnY0KZ6oxbYes-258tGjpJhlvnd-RomqHD0rF_zifaaEvdjmMv05FSQx3Y/s320/blog.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Regular readers of my blog cannot have failed to have noticed that my last two blogs were co-written with my good friend <a href="http://twitter.com/vickyperry">Vicky Perry</a>. The idea for writing a blog together was Vicky’s idea, and I didn’t need to be asked twice. I thought it was a great idea. It would be good to work on something with another writer, to inject some fresh ideas and look at things from another angle. Vicky would also come up with different topics to write about that I may not have thought about on my own.<br /><br />For our first blog <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/07/sensory-compensation-re-train-your.html">Sensory compensation: Re-train your brain</a> the subject was one that I was unfamiliar with. So Vicky offered to undertake all the research and get me all the relevant information. Which she did admirably. I also let Vicky have the responsibility for proof reading the blog before it went live. The joint partnership of creating a blog with another writer was a success, especially when we received a positive comment from the very same professor as we had quoted in the blog. When Vicky first told me he had left a comment, I wasn’t sure if she was being serious at first.<br /><br />We wrote another blog <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2010/07/hiring-and-firing-with-social-media.html">Hiring and firing with social media</a> together. Vicky did all the hard work of researching the subject. We had a good idea of what the topic should be about, and how it should be constructed. We discussed the topic during several telephone conversations. Once again, I delegated the proof reading to Vicky and gave her the responsibility for giving the blog the go ahead for going live. We also came up with several other topics for future blogs.<br /><br />It‘s great to be able to tap into another writer’s creativity, and bounce ideas off them and just see where an idea might land. Sometimes I would have a raw idea, and after a discussion with Vicky, it would eventually become a fully fledged topic. Or sometimes it would be the other way around. The most important thing was that we were generating new ideas by discussing them with each other. This was a process I had never tried before on my blog, and was more than pleased to give them a go. It goes without saying that I was more than happy with the results, as both blogs have now been published.<br /><br />Without giving too much away, the idea of working on joint blogs is now something we are working on together in a slightly different capacity. So watch this space!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-40834637360550367062010-07-09T18:46:00.008+01:002010-07-09T21:18:15.728+01:00Hiring and firing with social media<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Many thanks to </span></span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/vickyperry"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vicky Perry</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> for helping me to research, write and proof read this blog.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All opinions expressed within this blog are those of the authors and do not represent those of our employers.</span></span></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO2bdM4b5d2I0gihnidT06HegFa0cVPN2ZiZYlcgXen-a2C3e66Anh7TYyHq2hPbRFvDhwnnz20Ob8BbrTN4AeYHPz65WDB4X-duhTp61Ch13fIIQ3e56825dwbbDh5qPfq8W5NDE1WT3/s1600/social-media-network.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsO2bdM4b5d2I0gihnidT06HegFa0cVPN2ZiZYlcgXen-a2C3e66Anh7TYyHq2hPbRFvDhwnnz20Ob8BbrTN4AeYHPz65WDB4X-duhTp61Ch13fIIQ3e56825dwbbDh5qPfq8W5NDE1WT3/s320/social-media-network.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491968656955462130" /></a><br /><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial;font-size:11px;"><strong>Using Social Media in the recruitment process</strong><br />Social media has crept into most areas of the modern business, and Human Resources is no exception. The long reach of social media has impacted the recruitment process from all sides: the recruiter, the candidate and the employer.<br /><br />A good example of how a social media channel can be used in the recruitment process comes in the form of LinkedIn. This is a popular social media tool for professional networking. By building a profile of your qualifications, experience, skills and so on, you can meet other like-minded individuals within your industry sector. It also attracts recruitment agencies keen to place individuals into new career posts.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> has been offering recruitment services for some time, since around 2008 in Europe, and it is keen to extend these services as they become increasingly more popular. And it is easy to see why. From the perspective of a recruiter, what could be better than having millions of online CVs at your disposal. This is one of the key attractions of LinkedIn – the fact that is has such a large user base. While traditional recruitment channels are filled by those who are actively looking for a new career, LinkedIn contains a much wider user base where not everyone is necessarily looking for a new career. This allows recruiters to find those with the skills and/or experience they are looking for, and head hunt them directly.<br /><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial;font-size:11px;"><a href="http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/inside-outsourcing/2010/06/will-linkedin-kill-the-it-recruitment-industry.html">According to Ariel Eckstein</a> – Managing Director of LinkedIn’s Hiring Solutions service, “Only 10% to 20% of LinkedIn members are actively looking for work, but businesses that are looking want access to 100% of members”. So for a recruiter, LinkedIn provides a much larger pool of talent in the selection process.<br /><br />I have been contacted by several recruiters on LinkedIn myself, and am connected to them too. If a job comes up for which I have the necessary skills and experience, it would be good to find out about it even if I wasn’t actively looking. Until you see what’s being offered, you can’t turn it down, and it’s a far better situation where you are having offers put your way where you can consider them.<br /><br />It also much cheaper to use LinkedIn because there are no associated recruitment costs as there are using more traditional recruitment channels. Microsoft says that it saved £60,000 on recruitment costs when it was looking for software developers.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial;font-size:11px;"><a href="http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/inside-outsourcing/2010/06/will-linkedin-kill-the-it-recruitment-industry.html">Some LinkedIn statistics:</a><b><br /></b>· Four million UK members<br />· 15 million European members<br />· 500,000 LinkedIn groups<br />· One new member every second<br />· 25% of FTSE 100 companies hire through LinkedIn<br />· 50% of Fortune 100 companies hire through LinkedIn<br /><br />LinkedIn is not the only social media channel that can be used in the recruitment process. From the perspective of a candidate looking for a job, web applications such as <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a> can be useful. Using Facebook you can enter your professional details, and then let your friends know that you are job hunting. It may also be worthwhile finding out if there are any groups that are associated with the particular career you are looking for. If so, you could join and become an active member. This will get you noticed by others in the group. Many organisations and businesses also have a public Facebook page, and this can be a great way to find out what they are up to.<br /><br />The microblogging site Twitter doesn’t have any direct job search tools, but it will allow you to connect and network with people in your industry or career sector. Start by ensuring your profile contains an accurate description of what you do, with a link to your online web site or blog. Create a professional looking background, ensuring it contains all your contact information should a prospective employer try to contact you. Leave your Twitter profile public, and post topics related to the industry sector you wish to work for. So if you are a software developer, find interesting topics and articles that are relevant to that industry and post them. You could also try to locate the Twitter accounts of local businesses and organisations.<br /><br />Linkedin has a specific role to play due to its professional networking ability, huge user base and recruitment tools, but Facebook and Twitter can also be useful.<br /><br /><strong>Searching a candidate’s history</strong><br />In addition to formal services such as the use of LinkeIn above, employers often use Google, Facebook and other applications to determine a candidate’s personality. Strange or unusual incidents, cursing / swearing, personal attacks and other negative comments can really hurt someone’s ability to successfully integrate into a culture or organisation, especially if those searches become public knowledge within the organisation.<br /><br />This is a more controversial use of social media within the recruitment process. While social media channels such as LinkedIn are open and transparent, what about when social media is used in a less than transparent manner? It is common practice for a company to do an Internet search before looking to interview a prospective candidate. If the candidate in question uses social media channels, then information relating to them will be surrendered in the search results. This may or may not be relevant to their interview, and some of it may even place the candidate in a less than flattering light. If their social media footprint demonstrates that the candidate’s personality or character is at odds with the interviewer’s, is it right that this is taken into account without the candidate being aware of it? A search result may surrender activities including affiliations to political or religious movements or militant behaviour. Or it may just be the case that the interviewer objects to their personal life on any number of grounds.<br /><br />On the other hand, the candidate’s social media footprint may work in their favour. If they have a well written blog on the subject on which they are due to be interviewed, then this would rightly impress the interviewer. If they are well connected and conduct themselves in a positive way, then this too would count in their favour.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial;font-size:11px;"><a href="http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2010/07/graduate-recruiters-lack-policy-on-facebook-use.htm">Three quarters of graduate recruiters</a> are concerned about whether using a candidate’s public profile obtained from their social media channels could obstruct a “fair and measurable” recruitment process. Despite these concerns however, 41% of organisations in the UK have rejected candidates using this method.<br /><br />Only 5% of organisations have a clear policy on using a candidate’s online social media profile as part of their recruitment process. <a href="http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2010/07/graduate-recruiters-lack-policy-on-facebook-use.htm">Philip Lane, head of research at Penna Barkers</a> “We found that most organisations didn’t have a policy in place to explain to line managers whether they can go on Facebook before interviewing the candidates”.<br /><br /><strong>Reputation management</strong><br />There is a surprising lack of confidence among organisations when it comes to managing their online reputation. Although 90% think that doing so is important, only 38% actually felt they did were doing it well. Managing their online social media reputation becomes increasingly important for an organisation or business who must be ready to cope with disgruntled former employees, that may use blogs and other social media channels to criticise their former employer. Examples of how an organisation can quickly garner a negative online reputation in this way, consider how the rapper <a href="http://nowisgone.com/2008/02/11/three-ways-to-use-social-media-for-hr-needs/">Jay-Z's Las Vegas club earned a reputation for abusing its employees. Another example is how Shell Oil treated its North Sea workers.</a> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Tahoma, 'Sans Serif', Arial;font-size:11px;"><br />Organisations need to have the tools to monitor for such attacks, and to be able to respond quickly, and in an appropriate manner. Although legal action may be the obvious course of action, you may not always know who your online attacker is. A blog author may be anonymous. The person who leaves a negative comment on the organisation’s blog may also do so anonymously. The latter may be dealt with by the introduction of a captcha screen, or by simply removing anonymous comments from the blog. If an organisation has a blog, it can use this to tell its own side of a story, and to clarify their message.<br /><br /><strong>Summary</strong><br />It’s clear that social media has a role to play in the future of the recruitment process. As they become more popular and gain larger user bases, so they are also attracting the attention of the recruitment organisations who are looking to exploit such a wide and diverse spread of online talent. It’s easy to see why, when Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media channels have such huge numbers of users.<br /><br />There needs to be clear policies in place for when someone’s social media profile has been used as part of the selection process, what information was extracted and whether this was deemed to be negative. Everyone is entitled to have a private life, and many people make a clear distinction between their online private and professional lives. Indeed, many people have social media profiles that deliberately exclude their work colleagues for just this reason. I certainly wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to work for a sought after organisation because I posted an inappropriate comment on my online private profile.</span></div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-23614341237201269552010-07-01T15:02:00.007+01:002010-07-01T15:19:21.107+01:00Sensory compensation: Re-train your brain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nxMF9JU0a-FunATGSeyVMStPimVqqMAt-i4zJMQLIXwiQ6c8np1bEncx3pGkKan2w3Rq5A9nCHd8O8zP0EyccX9Sar-fscZSHhyiDkpYPEk-dgcAHvoAgE64iHrHzyy0v57k6qzXrfbb/s1600/senses.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488940969866218434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 274px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nxMF9JU0a-FunATGSeyVMStPimVqqMAt-i4zJMQLIXwiQ6c8np1bEncx3pGkKan2w3Rq5A9nCHd8O8zP0EyccX9Sar-fscZSHhyiDkpYPEk-dgcAHvoAgE64iHrHzyy0v57k6qzXrfbb/s320/senses.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>All opinions expressed within this blog are those of the authors and do not represent those of our employers.<br /><br />This blog is a first for me, as it is the first blog I have written in collaboration with another author. The idea for this blog, and the research that I have used to provide the content has come from good friend <a href="http://www.twitter.com/vickyperry">Vicky Perry</a>. The discussion started from Vicky’s experiences of physiotherapy, and some of the techniques used to aid her recovery from a knee injury (more on this later). Specifically, I was interested in the concept of sensory compensation – the ability of the senses to compensate where one or more of the senses is restricted in its ability to function. Vicky suggested that if I found the subject matter interesting, that it may be a good idea to write a blog about it, and that she would be more than willing to help me research and write it.<br /><br />And so here is the first (and hopefully not the last) joint collaboration between myself and Vicky (pictured below) in writing a blog. </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_J4phuKdn4kQuwAwBiFhneXqNJrPP_Kr4VVcxdo6fp_QyGEofSg6AaJu77oS_kfubfYSzHRtT6U4r-8k2PqZ4PvpDY52M7NyeI3igYRk45bfnUAyX1nZ1hTGy5rmtE9jEOCb7MKtrYiA/s1600/vicky_twitter.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488941259910465954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 205px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_J4phuKdn4kQuwAwBiFhneXqNJrPP_Kr4VVcxdo6fp_QyGEofSg6AaJu77oS_kfubfYSzHRtT6U4r-8k2PqZ4PvpDY52M7NyeI3igYRk45bfnUAyX1nZ1hTGy5rmtE9jEOCb7MKtrYiA/s320/vicky_twitter.jpg" border="0" /></a> I’ve been aware of the idea of how the body will compensate for the lack of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense">sense</a> by heightening the remaining ones. For example, most of us will be aware of the fact that a person who has restricted eyesight will have their other senses raised to compensate for the missing one. This makes perfect sense. The body is adapting to try to reduce the effects of the missing sense(s) by raising the ones that remain. It is also a superb example of what a wonderful piece of machinery the body is, that it can so quickly adapt so that it is able to extract as much information from the environment as possible.<br /><br />What I didn’t realise was that this same mechanism doesn’t just work over the long term, where the body has time to adapt over a longer period of time, but it can take effect almost immediately. For example, it can be found by simply blindfolding someone and removing the eyesight. Very quickly, the body compensates by heightening the remaining senses.<br /><br />This phenomenon has been well documented in the article <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/blindness-deafness-senses-compensate-hours-brain-plasticity-key/story?id=10116989">Overcoming Blindness: Other senses Compensate in Just 10 Minutes</a>. One of the most striking examples of this phenomenon is the following account of blind cyclists:<br /><br />“Four bikers headed off down a street in Southern California, safely navigating through traffic and past parked cars, and turned onto a narrow bike path leading up a steep hillside. None of them veered off the dirt path, and all safely avoided boulders along the way, always conscious of their surroundings and any possible obstacles.” Extracted from the above article.<br /><br />Three of the four cyclists were blind, but could navigate equally as well as the sighted cyclist. Using the same mechanism as bats do in a dark cave, they would use <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation">echolocation</a> to navigate, using the sounds echoing back from the trees, rocks and other features as they cycled along. The article goes on to describe other extraordinary examples where the senses have compensated for a restricted one.<br /><br />These examples have been documented by Professor Lawrence Rosenblum from the University of California, Riverside. He is a psychology professor with 25 years study under his belt. What is even more extraordinary than these accounts of breathtaking adaptations by the human body, is research that suggests that these adaptations can take effect very quickly. The human brain is capable of rewiring itself – albeit even if only temporarily – so that a person can continue to lead an enriched life, and is able to perceive the world as well as someone with the same sense(s) unrestricted.<br /><br />To demonstrate this ability to quickly learn how to compensate for restricted vision, Lawrence Rosenblum conducted an experiment where a blindfolded person can learn to walk towards a wall and stop before hitting it. Here’s how it works, and you can try this for yourself. Make a sound, doesn’t really matter what it is, a hissing sound will suffice. As you walk blindfolded towards the wall, the sound changes depending on the distance between yourself and the wall. Walk towards the wall and you will begin to recognise how the pitch of the sound changes in relation to your distance from the wall. After around 10 minutes or so practice, you should be able to walk towards the wall without hitting it.<br /><br />In a recent article in <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/i-was-allergic-to-sound-1987908.html">The Independent</a> newspaper is the story of a musician who had suffered from a condition called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperacusis">hyperacusis</a>. This is a disorder whereby the hearing becomes acutely sensitive to sound, often to the point of pain. The condition shows no physical symptoms, as there is no physical damage to the ear. Instead, the condition is brought about by the brain playing tricks on the ear, and causing the ear to become more sensitive to sound. In the case of the musician described in the newspaper article, he had become afraid of hearing loud sounds, and this had caused him to become anxious and stressed, which in turn caused his brain to produce a substance which increased his sensitivity to sound. Effectively, the more anxious he became, the worse his condition became. With no physical damage to his ears, this is another demonstration of how the brain can directly affect the senses.<br /><br />There is naturally <a href="http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/02/blind-peoples-other-senses-not-more.php">research that is critical of this phenomenon</a>. The main grounds for this criticism is the distinction between having better senses, and using those senses more effectively. The account of the blind cyclists demonstrates the extraordinary degree to which this can be taken. Taking the criticisms of hearing, the spatial hearing of blind and sighted individuals were examined to test how well participants were able to tell the direction a sound was coming from. Although the blind participants did perform better than the sighted ones, the difference was only marginal. So this would seem to suggest that the blind participants were making better use of their hearing, and not that their hearing had become somehow improved.<br /><br />Vicky herself was subjected to the phenomenon directly as part of her physiotherapy to recover from a knee injury sustained through running. Part of the final stage of the physiotherapy was to build core muscle strength, as well as to build the muscles in the knee itself. An effective way of doing this is to balance on the damaged leg to make the muscles and ligaments work harder to make a stable core. A further extension of this exercise is to balance on the damaged leg with your eyes closed. This is harder than it sounds. Her first attempt at this was barely 10 seconds. It is surprising just how much effect sight (or the loss of sight) can affect your balance. After practising for a week, Vicky was eventually able to balance on the one leg with her eyes closed for a full 60 seconds without wobbling. In effect, she had re-trained her brain to compensate for her temporary loss of sight. This is exactly what the studies by Lawrence Roseblum concluded.<br /><br />In my mind there is little doubt that the body is capable of adapting to new circumstances. This is exactly what is explained by Darwinian natural selection. So although the newly acquired behaviours may not be inheritable, they exist nonetheless. The body is capable of all manner of amazing feats of self preservation. This is another example of just how amazing our bodies are, and how they can adapt to ensure we have the richest interaction with our environment.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-5825319557957439092010-06-25T12:27:00.008+01:002010-06-25T13:43:10.733+01:00The constant march of technology<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsDIF-k0js11s-VEfoBHbCQ8WnZa4iJMyHJc_UAn3zhs9hVQmU-6aLRNuCXDzLc0z6RH9d_GNZQGg6bAawpLAGO8NYB9dLUb-r3LRLNiUuEja4RfUX_3KgCnUcrEDGauvRXsDLfLMfS-M/s1600/Technology.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486690862481372498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsDIF-k0js11s-VEfoBHbCQ8WnZa4iJMyHJc_UAn3zhs9hVQmU-6aLRNuCXDzLc0z6RH9d_GNZQGg6bAawpLAGO8NYB9dLUb-r3LRLNiUuEja4RfUX_3KgCnUcrEDGauvRXsDLfLMfS-M/s320/Technology.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was discussing the issue of technological progress recently with a friend. I was also reading an article on the subject by another writer, and I thought I would throw my hat into the ring on the topic in earnest.<br /><br />The question centred around whether or not technological progress could or would slow down, or even make a gradual return to a less progressive era.<br /><br />My own thoughts on the subject were that this is not realistic, wanted or even possible. Like science, technology moves in only the one direction - forwards. We have seen many advancements in science including medicine, space exploration, nanotechnology, quantum physics, astrology and so on.<br /><br />We can barely imagine a period of time where science has not advanced rapidly. This has been for several reasons including for the pursuit of knowledge or for the advancement of the species. As we learn more, so we want to ask more questions. It's as if the very act of discovery sets off a quest for knowledge.<br /><br />The more we know, the more we want to know.<br /><br />Technology is no different. It's exploration and advancement are pursued with equal vigour. If we look at where we are, and where we have been, it is startling how much progress we have made in so little time. From the first transistor based computers that could fill a room, to the modern microchip that fits into your latest gadget such as your mobile phone.<br /><br />Technology moves at an almost frightening pace. It is ubiquitous, everywhere, all around us. We have technology in our TVs, microwaves, cars. We can't walk down our high street without being bombarded by WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth signals as they fly around the ether above our heads.<br /><br />Because of its pervasive nature, it is impossible to pull it back, to return to a less sophisticated time. We all use technology every single day, whether we realise it or not. When we make a simple withdrawal of cash from a cashpoint, we are using technology to send that transaction instantly to your bank's central computer. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Children are raised on a diet of technology. My own seven year old daughter is already proficient at taking pictures on her own mobile phone. Teenagers communicate and connect frequently using social media and technology. They no of no other existence but that which includes technology.<br /><br />The question though is of what benefit would that provide if we did? What justification is there for returning to such a period in our technological history. There isn't any.<br /><br />So while we may not always see the benefit of the latest techno gadget, that does not mean that we can stop the technological revolution which is at full swing as we speak.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-67053681019187842132010-06-18T14:13:00.004+01:002010-06-18T14:20:44.747+01:00Defining yourself and other people<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7tdIH4PtSHC2qdfDpCfQqHsEGFbuz735dSSX4MYlbriAOKR0_wzQ3Pvk_-j_pU0gdvZfOj3cS1NOgVjrDhRsYGxAetZiGEMVUM8Tsdid1jc3uQY4cnOBxo6F1d2rE_oYNC3WK6l4w0g/s1600/manthinking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484102087333552194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 270px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 203px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7tdIH4PtSHC2qdfDpCfQqHsEGFbuz735dSSX4MYlbriAOKR0_wzQ3Pvk_-j_pU0gdvZfOj3cS1NOgVjrDhRsYGxAetZiGEMVUM8Tsdid1jc3uQY4cnOBxo6F1d2rE_oYNC3WK6l4w0g/s320/manthinking.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>During a recent lunch time discussion with a work colleague (you know who you are) we got onto the subject of how some people seem to have an expectation of entitlement due to their hierarchical position at work. The higher up the work ladder you go, the more prevalent such a personality trait becomes. It was noted that in general (not just work related) there are people who expect (some might even say demand) those around them to obey their every request, very often irrespective of the hardship faced by the other person to do so.<br /><br />My own reasoning on the matter was that these people define themselves by their job title. Because they may be higher up the work ladder than someone else, they therefore make the mistake that they are in some way superior to that person. They have turned into their job role, and cannot disassociate themselves from it. The more power and influence the role is bestowed with , the greater the frequency that you will see this behaviour.<br /><br />There is nothing wrong in the least with being passionate about your work, doing the best you can and being industrious. These are obviously worthwhile traits and should be admired. However, a very clear line should be drawn between you and your job.<br /><br />I am lucky to have a job that I am passionate about. I work developing software applications and building web sites. As part of that, I spend a lot of my time researching and investigating new and emerging technologies in an effort to keep on top of my game, and to keep my knowledge and skills up-to-date. So my job does not necessarily stop when I go home. I will often read technology related blogs, articles and magazines. Yet despite all this, my job does not define me as a person. I love what I do, and will talk at length about it with passion, but to say that it defines me would be completely wrong.<br /><br />So if I don’t define myself by my job, then how do I define myself? Or more importantly, how do I define other people. I personally prefer to define someone by their personality traits. Are they kind, generous, caring, helpful, positive? For me, this is a far better way to define a person, because it tells you what they are really about. A job doesn’t do that. Many people may have jobs they dislike, or have worked their way up the career ladder through methods other than merit (if you know what I mean).<br /><br />The things that define people (including myself) in my opinion are:<br /><br />· their personal qualities (kindness, caring, empathy, intelligence, positivity)<br />· their friends (I believe you can tell a lot about someone by the friends they keep)<br />· their hobbies / interests (the things they enjoy doing for sheer pleasure)<br /><br />Using the criteria here should give you a much better idea of what a person is about, than merely their job, even if they do define themselves by it.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-86374778616859065412010-06-08T10:47:00.004+01:002010-06-08T10:53:24.145+01:00Socially connected beings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYa7IcjEe_NkXY_IRXpqq5l8Q-9u0aX1oSMe45pf2hCtK_CG1UUSxewVD0zqSbcnRSv1ed-mUm8gZrprevbw36NoVazpAOMxf7sE9wG3Ex_GCn26y2vm9F0_cLjG9S1eKqCaRkVihd5cc/s1600/social-media.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480338701777591202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYa7IcjEe_NkXY_IRXpqq5l8Q-9u0aX1oSMe45pf2hCtK_CG1UUSxewVD0zqSbcnRSv1ed-mUm8gZrprevbw36NoVazpAOMxf7sE9wG3Ex_GCn26y2vm9F0_cLjG9S1eKqCaRkVihd5cc/s320/social-media.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>I enjoy using social media for all sorts of different reasons, many of which I have described in previous articles, so I won’t repeat them here. I would like to pick up on the positive benefits of using social media to stay connected. Before I receive floods of complaints (chance would be a fine thing), I am not advocating replacing the more traditional means by which we stay connected. I am however stating that social media is a great complement to traditional social connections.<br /><br />I have been using Twitter and Facebook for some time now, and connect with a huge variety of people from across the globe, from all manner of backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds, countries and so on. This brings me closer to people who I would perhaps not normally get to connect with using more traditional methods.<br /><br />Connecting with people who may be geographically distant, or have a different background to you can be invigorating. I personally don’t see it as a problem connecting with people whom I may never actually meet. That doesn’t stop me sharing opinions and points of view with them.<br /><br />Of course, not everyone uses social media in this way. Most teenagers spend their time using social media to connect with the very same people they have just moments ago been speaking to at the school gate. I am always keen to connect with people I know in person, as well as those I may never meet too. This can make for interesting discussions, open your eyes and mind to different points of view, and provide some much needed colour in your attitude and perspective.<br /><br />I have connected and shared opinions and points of view with some absolutely fantastic people using social media. Long may it continue!</div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-9246520892072086802010-05-25T12:18:00.008+01:002010-05-25T13:55:19.677+01:00The illusion of Gaia<a href="http://www.crystalinks.com/earthchakrasgridspiral.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 425px" alt="" src="http://www.crystalinks.com/earthchakrasgridspiral.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis" target="_blank">Gaia Hypothesis </a>was first proposed by James Lovelock back in the 1960s. In its simplest form it is often described as viewing the Earth as a single organism. It proposes that the different parts of the Earth (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated, and therefore form a complex, interacting system.<br /><br />It further attempts to explain how these components interact with the natural elements of the Earth (animals and plants). In essence, it tries to demonstrate that there is a physical connection between the natural elements of the Earth, with the other elements just described.<br /><br /><strong>Extracted from Wikipedia:</strong><br />"This theory is based on the idea that the biomass self-regulates the conditions on the planet to make its physical environment (in particular temperature and chemistry of the atmosphere) on the planet more hospitable to the species that constitute its life."<br /><br />For those with a keen mind and eye, the idea of Gaia was very firmly introduced into the film Avatar. The Navi tribe were portrayed as being physically and spiritually connected to their environment in a manner that is largely compatible with Gaia.<br /><br />However, as much as the hypothesis may have gained in popularity recently from films such as Avatar, the reality is that it is incompatible with the natural forces that govern our existence.<br /><br />Gaia has been criticised by many scientists, including Ford Doolittle, Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins.<br /><br />In his 1982 book, <a title="The Extended Phenotype" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Extended_Phenotype" target="_blank">The Extended Phenotype</a>, Richard Dawkins argued that organisms could not act in concert as this would require foresight and planning from them. He rejected the possibility that feedback loops could stabilise the system. Dawkins claimed "there was no way for evolution by natural selection to lead to <a title="Altruism" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism" target="_blank">altruism</a> on a Global scale".<br /><br />In 1981, <a title="Ford Doolittle" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Doolittle" target="_blank">W. Ford Doolittle</a>, in the <a title="CoEvolution Quarterly" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoEvolution_Quarterly" target="_blank">CoEvolution Quarterly</a> article "Is Nature Motherly" argued that nothing in the <a title="Genome" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome" target="_blank">genome</a> of individual organisms could provide the feedback mechanisms Gaia theory proposed, and therefore the Gaia hypothesis was an unscientific theory of a maternal type without any explanatory mechanism.<br /><br />Gaia is at odds with natural selection, and with evolutionary processes. To act for the greater good of the planet, and to ensure its continued survival is unfortunately pure fiction. You only have to look at the wholesale destruction that human beings are inflicting to know this.<br /><br />Organisms act in their own self interests to ensure they have the lion share of resources (food, water, territory), thus ensuring the survival of not just themselves, but more importantly, their progeny. When group collaboration provides a better solution, then altruistic traits will become more prevalent.<br /><br />Gaia is also almost certainly a religious metaphor. Every species and component of the Earth interacting together to form a beautiful planet of wondrous variety could have been lifted from the sacred text of practically any religion.<br /><br />For all of its charm, Gaia is an illusion. It contradicts many well understood scientific theories. It would require planning and foresight, which natural selection simply does not have. It is a work of fiction that belongs in films such as Avatar, and has no place in reality.</div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-13695845191092907782010-05-20T12:40:00.005+01:002010-05-20T12:50:05.832+01:00Things social media cannot do<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcxowouDeCJVllNnQTkGJnqPNZcdjWAEIzQUSgry_Dn4N_pWvSHbyi9yTp1FFIxF9hDM8yUQLLcHlfPy3wvOd7XrM0-j5Bzx2YBN5bTsd34-RS4-cqZL1yVFfiqXvZBwCMLxdKJVWbXWA/s1600/social-media-people.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473317905606679858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcxowouDeCJVllNnQTkGJnqPNZcdjWAEIzQUSgry_Dn4N_pWvSHbyi9yTp1FFIxF9hDM8yUQLLcHlfPy3wvOd7XrM0-j5Bzx2YBN5bTsd34-RS4-cqZL1yVFfiqXvZBwCMLxdKJVWbXWA/s320/social-media-people.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>Introduction </strong><br />Social media channels pervade our lives, we use them all the time for networking, socialising, marketing and so on. It’s easy to get drawn into the positive spin that surrounds them. With so much media attention, and with so many advocates (every marketer seems to have the inside info on how to use them to promote your business), it’s easy to see how many business have come to regard social media as the magic bullet for increasing their sales and brand. They have become seduced by the increasingly pervasive influence of social media.<br /><br />The harsh reality of course is that social media cannot solve every business problem, no matter what the pundits may have you believe. Nor is it a quick fire solution for achieving rapid marketing or business objectives.<br /><br />Social media should instead be regarded as an enabler to change, rather than the change itself. It is the catalyst for change. It cannot create what does not already exist.<br /><br />To manage expectations, it is as important to know what social media cannot do, as to know what it can do.<br /><br />So what sorts of things can social media NOT do:<br /><br />• Social media cannot replace a marketing strategy<br />• Social media cannot change the intrinsic appeal or success of your brand<br />• Social media cannot be a success factor without a realistic level of investment<br /><br /><strong>Social media cannot replace a marketing strategy<br /></strong>Many businesses think that having a Facebook page, a Twitter account or a Youtube channel is social media marketing. Understanding the opportunities within social media, and how your marketing strategy can be executed is what makes for real marketing – not the vehicles themselves.<br /><br />Without a clear marketing strategy, you are prone to quantifying simple metrics such as number of fans, followers or friends as benchmarks of success. These numbers are often taken without any context, and without any relevance to how they impact on the business.<br /><br /><strong>Social media cannot change the intrinsic appeal or success of your brand<br /></strong>Nothing can save a bad product or service, no matter how much it is dressed up by social media. You still need to have a product or service that adds value to the customer. Unless your brand gives the customer some tangible business benefit, no amount of marketing will save it.<br /><br /><strong>Social media cannot be a success factor without a realistic level of investment<br /></strong>Setting up a Facebook page, a Twitter account or a Youtube channel are inexpensive, and so are often referred to as “earned media”, meaning that they are free or cheap. It’s true, setting up these things is cheap. However, a well developed, integrated, ongoing social media strategy will incorporate a host of tools, technologies, applications, design and so on. You will also probably require monitoring and analysis tools, not to mention the time and effort to maintain all these elements on an ongoing basis.<br /><br /><strong>Summary<br /></strong>Social media is not a silver bullet. It is not the solution by itself. It requires planning, investment and creativity to make it work. You still need to have a valuable service or product. You still require a strategy for marketing that service / product. You still require investment to ensure you can maintain an adequate level of marketing across your chosen social media channels. </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-909876933078919002010-05-11T13:31:00.008+01:002010-05-11T15:44:57.135+01:00Bridging the Human and Data Webs<strong>Introduction</strong><br />“Today's web is built predominantly for human consumption. Even as machine-readable data begins to appear on the web, it is typically distributed in a separate file, with a separate format, and very limited correspondence between the human and machine versions. As a result, web browsers can provide only minimal assistance to humans in parsing and processing web data: browsers only see presentation information.” <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml-rdfa-primer/">W3C RDF Primer</a><br /><br />Web pages are written using a language called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML">HTML</a> (Hyper Text Markup Language). Without going too far into a technical explanation of what that is, it is basically a means of adding specific attributes to your web page that is then rendered by your browser.<br /><br />For example the attribute (more commonly referred to as a tag) for adding bold to a piece of text on a web page is to use the bold tags <b> and </b/><br /><br /><b><b>This is bold text</b></b><br /><br />The above text when viewed in a browser will appear as bold courtesy of the bold start <b> and finish </b> tags. HTML consists of many hundred such tags for formatting text, adding links and images and all manner of other formatting types. All web pages are built from HTML, so it’s a very important language within the world of the web.<br /><br />Web pages are naturally created for humans to look at. Humans visit web sites, buy things online, read blogs and so on, so this makes perfect sense. But there are scenarios when it may be useful for the web page to be understood by other applications or programs. Say your web page is an events page, containing dates, times and places of events. Wouldn’t it be really useful if these events could be added to your Outlook calendar by simply marking them up in a specific way.<br /><br />By creating more intelligent web pages we are more able to build intelligent applications that are able to use the additional information from the web page. Applications will be able to act upon and respond to this additional information, merge related content, update other applications, all based on additional information (or tags).<br /><br /><strong>RDFa</strong><br />This is where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rdfa">RDFa</a> (Resource Development Framework-in-attributes) comes in. RDFa is a recommendation for embedding rich metadata into web content. It does this by adding attribute level extensions to HTML (or more precisely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XHTML">XHTML</a>).<br /><br />To prevent web page authors adding their own ad hoc metadata elements to their web pages, RDFa metadata must use those elements as defined by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin_Core">Dublin Core</a> standard. The Dublin Core metadata elements are used widely within the fields of libraries, as well as computing. They provide a standard way of adding supplementary information to resources, including web pages.<br /><br /><strong>Dublin Core</strong><br />The Dublin Core is able to add the following metadata elements to content:<br />The Simple Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES) consists of 15 metadata elements:<br /><ul><li>Title </li><li>Creator </li><li>Subject </li><li>Description </li><li>Publisher </li><li>Contributor </li><li>Date </li><li>Type </li><li>Format </li><li>Identifier </li><li>Source </li><li>Language </li><li>Relation </li><li>Coverage </li><li>Rights </li></ul><br /><br /><strong>Example of adding information about a web page</strong><br />In the following example the text on the web page is enhanced by representing the heading tags of <code><h2></code> and <code><h3></code> to indicate that they represent the author and title of the web page.<br /><br />Here is the original XHTML<br /><code><h2>Dominic’s Little Blog</h2><br /><h3>Dominic Burford</h3></code><br /><br />Here is the transformed XHTML containing RDFa elements.<br /><code><div dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><br /><h2 property="dc:title"<Dominic’s Little Blog</h2><br /><h3 property="dc:creator"<Dominic Burford>/h3><br />...<br /></div></code><br /><br />The dc above stands for Dublin Core.<br /><br />To explain what we have done here, we have introduced the Dublin Core namespace to the page by adding a reference to <a href="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/</a><br /><code><xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"></code><br /><br />We then assign the <h2> tag to indicate that it represents the title of the document by assigning the <b>property</b> attribute (an attribute introduced specifically to support RDFa) to be the title.<br /><code><h2 property="dc:title">Dominic’s Little Blog</h2></code><br /><br />We then assign the <h3> tag to indicate that it represents the author of the document by assigning the property attribute to be the creator.<br /><code><h3 property="dc:creator">Dminic Burford<h3></code><br /><br /><strong>Example of adding contact information</strong><br />Next, we can embed contact information (email, phone number etc) onto the page. This will allow users visiting the web site to easily add the contact details into their Contact Management System.<br /><br />Here is the original XHTML<br /><code><div><br /><p><br />  Dominic Burford<br /></p><br /><p><br />  Email: <a href="mailto:dominic@blog.com">dominic@blog.com</a><br /></p><br /><p><br />  Phone: <a href="tel:+999 999">+999 999</a><br /></p><br /></div></code><br /><br />Here is the transformed XHTML containing RDFa elements<br /><code><div typeof="foaf:Person" foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"><br /><p property="foaf:name"><br />  Dominic Burford<br /></p><br /><p><br />  Email: <a rel="foaf:mbox" href="mailto:dominic@blog.com">dominic@blog.com</a><br /></p><br /><p><br />  Phone: <a rel="foaf:phone" href="tel:+999 999"<+999 999</a><br /></p><br /></div></code><br /><br /><strong>Friend-of-a-Friend</strong><br />To add contact information, you are obviously going to need to describe yourself (or whoever the author is). Unfortunately, the Dublin Core vocabulary does not contain property names for describing contact information, but the Friend-of-a Friend (FOAF) vocabulary does**. Using RDFa it is quite common to combine vocabularies (Dublin Core and Friend-of-a-Friend) on the same page.<br /><br />** FOAF is the vocabulary used by social networks such as Facebook when finding friends you have in common with other friends. It does this using the attribute <b>knows</b>.<br /><br />To explain what we have done, we have introduced the Friend-of-a-Friend namespace to the page by adding a reference to <a href="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/">http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/</a>. <br /><br />This is similar to what we did in the earlier example.<br /><code><div typeof="foaf:Person" foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"></code><br /><br />Next we introduce the contact information using elements from the FOAF vocabulary.<br /><br />Contact Name<br /><code><p property="foaf:name"></code><br /><br />Email<br /><code><a rel="foaf:mbox" href="mailto:dominic@blog.com">dominic@blog.com</a></code><br /><br />Telephone number<br /><code><a rel="foaf:phone" href="tel:+999 999">+999 999</a></code><br /><br />The FOAF type we have used is of type <b>person</b> which contains attributes for <b>name</b>, <b>mbox</b> (email) and <b>phone</b>.<br /><br /><strong>Summary</strong><br />Although these examples were fairly trivial, they should provide enough evidence for the usefulness of adding additional information to web pages. This is done in a consistent way using standard elements, attributes and vocabularies. Adding such information to web pages makes them much more useful, and brings the web ever nearer to becoming a semantic and social web.Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-3652948280484593712010-05-05T13:44:00.005+01:002010-05-06T13:28:00.413+01:00The election May 2010 - go out and vote!<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/uk/gfx/uk_election.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/uk/gfx/uk_election.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>As I am sure everyone is by now aware, the UK election is tomorrow. From 7am 6th May (almost) every UK citizen will be able to cast their vote, and influence which of the major political parties gets into government.</div><div></div><br /><div>On many issues they are very similar, and listening to them on the recent TV debates it was often difficult to tell them apart (except when they were arguing). </div><br /><div></div><div>This is the closest election I can remember. In elections past, the result was almost a foregone conclusion. This time however, the opinion polls are very tight, and everything is still there for the taking.</div><div></div><br /><div>This is the first election where your vote really does count! Nothing is certain, and everything is up for grabs.</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Make sure you go and vote in tomorrow's election!</strong></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-68802114903127626162010-04-25T08:36:00.004+01:002010-04-25T09:16:38.572+01:00Baby P boss considers launching another appeal for unfair dismissal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tS5NRmpWJj4/SlMiw0Y-AXI/AAAAAAAABDk/A3G9GGQbxto/s200/haringey_council.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 132px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tS5NRmpWJj4/SlMiw0Y-AXI/AAAAAAAABDk/A3G9GGQbxto/s200/haringey_council.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />You would think that in the wake of the Baby P tragedy that the failed head of social services at Haringey council would be keeping her head down. But no, Sharon Shoesmith, having been sacked for her failings, is now planning to launch an appeal for unfair dismissal.<div><br /></div><div>Sharon Shoestring was removed from her post as head of Haringey social services back in December 2008 by Children's Secretary Ed Balls. She then launched an appeal stating that her removal was unfair, and she was the victim of a witch hunt. This appeal has thankfully been rejected by High Court judge Mr Justice Foskett. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mr Justice Foskett has stated that it was "too simplistic" to suggest Mr Balls had been driven by "party politics" or had been improperly influenced by media pressure. He expressed concern that Mr Balls was "persuaded to offer his opinion" that Ms Shoesmith be dismissed, but could find no evidence of "improper interference in the Ofsted inspection".</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite this, she and her legal team are considering launching yet another legal appeal. On what grounds I have no idea.</div><div><br /></div><div>This woman was responsible for overseeing the social services department at Haringey council during the period when the Baby P tragedy was reported. It was under her watch that a seventeen month old baby was beaten and abused at the hands of his mother Tracey Connelly, her lover Steven Barker and their lodger Jason Owen. </div><div><br /></div><div>This woman clearly has no shame whatsoever. Has she so quickly forgotten that her department missed repeated opportunities to remove Baby P from his abusers? Her failings led to the violent death of a baby. Despite the tragic consequences of her department, she seems far more concerned with pursuing her case for unfair dismissal, in which she will almost certainly receive a large settlement if successful. I am sure that the two are entirely related!</div><div><br /></div><div>No doubt these legal challenges are costing the tax payer thousands of pounds. Money that could be better served if spent on social services, where it may prevent the repeat of another tragic case such as that of Baby P. </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-21566130434468600472010-04-15T10:50:00.009+01:002010-04-15T12:19:45.636+01:00Are you stifling your staff's creativity?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJC5vCYtSCqgA2PhoOX_h-8oR1Zi_1sZpwWlxMQh3HA9NPmTJybQE7a1JcBRUPWuj1pb4CMLZmxEXKehbCgDGugIk80CL0yqyoOTagGkiCrL0j1vqugiRxBQ9QYTKhoC49U9z668HxDci/s1600/2008_ic_creativity.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460321110723079522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJC5vCYtSCqgA2PhoOX_h-8oR1Zi_1sZpwWlxMQh3HA9NPmTJybQE7a1JcBRUPWuj1pb4CMLZmxEXKehbCgDGugIk80CL0yqyoOTagGkiCrL0j1vqugiRxBQ9QYTKhoC49U9z668HxDci/s320/2008_ic_creativity.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>While most sensible folks appreciate the need for an organisation to be safe and secure, this should not be at the expense of giving your staff access to information and technology. Frequently blocked sources of information includes the following:</div><div></div><ul><br /><li>- Webmail</li><li>- Blogs</li><li>- Forums</li><li>- Social media</li></ul><div>I fail to understand why any organisation would block access to information. Blocking access to blogs and forums does not make any sense to me. I would even question the need to block access to social media and webmail. If people wish to check their webmail or update their Facebook page during their lunch time, then that is their business. </div><p>My main means of keeping my knowledge up to date in terms of technology is to use Web 2.0 applications such as blogs, forums and social media. For example, I follow many people on Twitter for their views and opinions on the latest technologies. Often, they may link to their latest blog, where they have written an article giving their thoughts on a specific technology. This is now how I keep up to date. I can access more information in a shorter time.</p><p>As a software developer, I need access to this sort of information. I also need access to the latest technologies as they come out, so that I can play with them, evaluate them, see what they can and cannot do. We have seen applications such as Google Wave and Google Buzz coming online, and the only way to see what they are about and what benefits they may offer an organisation is to start using them. You just never know, an innovative use for them may come about as a result.</p><p>This is where a different mind set comes into play. Some people demand to be shown a clear business case for granting access to particular technologies, tools and information, and some people do not. For these latter people, the benefits are obvious enough. Their staff have access to information. By being allowed to use the latest tools, they gain a competitive edge and increase their skills and knowledge.</p><p>If you give your staff access to information, tools and technology, then you are empowering them. As someone who works in the field of software, it's vitally important that I have access to this information and tools. Denying your staff the tools they need to do their jobs - not just today but tomorrow - is misguided. If you don't use these yourself, then that's not a valid reason for denying them to those that do. Find out what they are why they are important to your staff.</p><p>A sensible compromise needs to be found, where the enterprise is secure, but also where your staff have access to the information and tools they need. Otherwise, you may be stifling their creativity!</p>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-24789637149316662502010-04-09T12:36:00.006+01:002010-04-09T13:07:53.336+01:00Implementing a local government web site<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezv_cc5T2F0x86AmEftBxJYEdCRCJ1MNvxs40gBm5CvcVElT5b-Oz_Gm2ceBtkqF5Du1b0fGKJPfah0eNxrVvOggBCbUzQtME1o18UXhM-5czMiu1Qd2t9nLbuV91yYr6JN5a8OgHStvL/s1600/Jadu.jpg"></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4OIolihw8odc1lf7LKzYGEzMRM5kpSirbV_kgdkA8czW4mYFyDIGRLlA0LktaM3pb_VkF4zbs1Wlcyxhoi4_IlMpYbAIrnpw1MLu0b0Tk0lZDoAajMNx36erbJ5QrKVSutP7Hr5k43hI/s1600/Copy+of+content-management-system-pie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458106590079972674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4OIolihw8odc1lf7LKzYGEzMRM5kpSirbV_kgdkA8czW4mYFyDIGRLlA0LktaM3pb_VkF4zbs1Wlcyxhoi4_IlMpYbAIrnpw1MLu0b0Tk0lZDoAajMNx36erbJ5QrKVSutP7Hr5k43hI/s320/Copy+of+content-management-system-pie.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div>Following on from an earlier article relating to <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/09/selecting-content-management-system.html">selecting a Content Management System</a>, I would like to take the time to describe the steps involved in taking your Content Management System (CMS), and implementing a fully functioning web site that is capable of meeting the demands of local government. I would like to base this on my own experiences of implementing a new web site for <a href="http://www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/">East Northamptonshire Council</a>. As the project spanned over twelve months from inception to going live, I won’t give a detailed blow by blow account, as this would be too much information, so I’ll stick to the key points.<br /><br /><strong>Nailing the requirements</strong><br />You need to have a very clear idea of your requirements. To give you an idea of the sorts of things you may want to consider, please read my article on <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/09/selecting-content-management-system.html">selecting a Content Management System</a>. This is not exhaustive, but hopefully will get you started considering what you need from your CMS. You may also want to consider whether you want an open source solution. There are many very good open source CMS suppliers offering a wide range of functionality. If you are considering this type of solution, then read my <a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/11/some-considerations-with-open-source.html">article which describes some of the areas you may need to consider</a> with this type of solution.<br /><br />It took several weeks before the requirements document was signed off with everyone’s approval. There were many areas that needed to be considered and included in the document, as different people would be involved with the CMS, and from different areas of the organisation.<br /><br />· <strong>ICT</strong> would be tasked with administering the CMS (setting up users, tailoring the <a href="http://www.esd.org.uk/Standards/lgnl/">LGNL</a>, creating appropriate landing pages, creating the necessary work flows, setting image sizes)<br />· <strong>Communications</strong> would be tasked with creating news stories and press releases, ensuring the web site followed the corporate style, that it represented the needs of the local citizens by including relevant content<br />· <strong>Content editors</strong> would be tasked with creating the content that would be put onto the web site. They come from all areas of the organisation, and are responsible for uploading content for the service area in which they work. For example, a content editor working in the Environmental Health service area, would upload content for that service area.<br /><br />Everyone needs to be satisfied that their requirements have been fully considered during this process. You will need to get people round the table to discuss their requirements, so that others can give their opinion. We had several requirements that were initially deemed to be important, but during discussions were eventually discarded or amended in the light of input from others.<br /><br />Never underestimate the value of opinion from a carefully selected group of interested people!<br /><br />From our requirements, we could then proceed to the next stage of the project, and begin selecting suitable CMS suppliers.<br /><br /><strong>Selecting the CMS supplier</strong><br />There are many CMS suppliers out there in the market place, and the quality is very high. I used various comparative web sites at first to get a feel for what was on offer. We were looking for a non open source solution. Specifically, we were looking for a Microsoft based solution (SQL Server, Internet Information Services, .NET Framework), as these were the technologies we had in-house to provide local support, as well as to extend and develop the CMS further in line with fluctuating demands. As the primary development resource at the council, it was important that I could use the technologies provided by the CMS. This immediately narrowed the list of candidate CMS suppliers.<br /><br />Looking through the list of those who were left, we looked to see which of the remaining suppliers had experience of developing web sites for local governments. The requirements of a local government web site are different in many ways to that of other web sites. Local government web sites need to implement a standard taxonomy, or list of services that they offer. What this means is that a service provided by one local authority should be located in the same area of the web site as another local authority. So bin collections will be located in the same area of all local authority web sites. They also need to comply more strictly with standards such as <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG1AA-Conformance">WAI</a> conformance. This allows that web content is accessible to people with disabilities, such as visual impairments. This process also narrowed the list of potential CMS suppliers even further.<br /><br />Eventually, we had a list of candidate CMS suppliers who offered systems that we could extend in terms of technology, and had experience of the local government sector. That list included:<br /><br />· Immediacy<br />· Jadu<br />· Red Dot<br />· Goss Interactive<br />· Contentsis<br /><br />We arranged demonstrations with each of these suppliers, with an invited audience of people from across the organization. This would give us a good cross section of opinions afterwards. We also had a marking scheme in operation, and marks were awarded by those who would be attending all of the demonstrations. This included myself, the web developer and other key personnel. This would ensure that we were awarding marks against each of the suppliers consistently, as they were being awarded by the same people using the same criteria.<br /><br />Each of the suppliers were given the same set of scenarios to demonstrate with their products. They were free to deviate from the scenarios to demonstrate other areas of their product, but they each needed to all demonstrate as a bare minimum the set of scenarios that we had given them. This too would allow consistency, as each supplier would have to demonstrate the same elements within their product.<br /><br />Having a standard set of scenarios, and a standard marking scheme, would bring fairness and consistency to the marking. It would also allow us to demonstrate how and why we had selected the successful candidate if this ever became necessary.<br /><br />In the end, we selected <a href="http://www.jadu.co.uk/">Jadu</a> as our CMS supplier. There were several reasons for that decision:<br /><br />· They offered both an open source and a Microsoft based solution, allowing us to leverage the power of either development platform. Additionally, they offered a means of taking native PHP code, and compiling this into .NET Framework code using their own <a href="http://www.jadu.co.uk/info/20022/technology_and_research/74/phalanger">Phalanger</a> compiler. This was a truly unique offering, giving us the best of both worlds.<br />· They had a deep understanding of the local government web site space, with many of their clients coming from local government, including the award winning <a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/">Manchester City Council</a> web site.<br />· From my own perspective, it was clear they understood technology. For any company involved in building systems, you need to have people who are passionate about technology. As a self confessed technologist, it quickly became obvious that the people at Jadu were passionate about technology. This was a crucial factor, as without the drive to move forward technologically, your investment would quickly become obsolete.<br />· Under the ICT Partnership, <a href="http://www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/">East Northamptonshire Council</a> also provide ICT support to <a href="http://www.wellingborough.gov.uk/">Borough Council of Wellingborough</a>. The latter were already using Jadu, and so this would enable the two councils to share skills, and reduce the number of systems in use across both local authorities.<br /><br /><strong>Migrating content</strong><br />Once we had made our selection, we then met up with the team to go through the project – timescales, milestones, tasks etc. Jadu have a very well documented project management framework which is issued to all their clients to give them a detailed description of what will be involved. Luckily, they go through this with you at the start of the process, and indicate the key milestones along the way.<br /><br />We now needed to migrate the content out of our current CMS and into the Jadu CMS. We initially investigated the possibility of automating an extraction, so that we could populate the Jadu CMS using content from our current CMS. As the two systems were radically different, it would have taken as long for Jadu to write the necessary scripts, than for us to plough ahead and migrate the content manually. However, as it turns out, the vast majority of clients prefer to migrate their content manually. This gives them the opportunity to clean up the content as part of the migration process – remove unwanted content and update existing content. What we didn’t really want was to blindly migrate our old content over to the new system, so the migration would help act as a housekeeping exercise.<br /><br />The content editors were all briefed on what was expected of them, as they would be migrating the bulk of the content. It was a large task, as many had vast amounts of content on the web site which would take considerable time to migrate. So the next logical step was to arrange training for them on the new system. There are two levels of training – webmaster and content editor. Myself and several others had the full two day webmaster training. This covered all aspects of the system, including the administration and more technical areas. The content editors would receive the half day training which would cover the necessary steps involved in adding content (documents, downloads, news, events) to the system.<br /><br />This process was initially estimated to take six weeks, but we soon realised we needed to change the timescales as the work was simply taking longer than estimated (that’s why they’re called estimates).<br /><br /><strong>Testing</strong><br />Despite several setbacks, problems and issues, we eventually managed to migrate our content over to the new CMS. We arranged internal testing, with staff from one service area testing the content of another service area. We used standard tasks extracted from <a href="http://www.socitm.gov.uk/">SOCITM</a> (the Society of Information Technology Management) who produce the excellent Better Connected report each year. This report ranks and assesses local government web sites, and gives advice on how they can improve. So using this as the basis for our testing made sense.<br /><br />We tested each page also for:<br />· Spelling and grammar<br />· Writing for the web (short, punchy sentences and paragraphs, use of bullet points, breaking down a document into multiple pages)<br />· Broken links<br />· Use of images<br />· Use of page supplements<br />· Use of landing pages<br />· Layout and overall look / feel of the page<br /><br /><strong>Communication is absolutely critical!</strong><br />One of the key components along the way was a high level of communication. I arranged and chaired regular meetings with the content editors, to get their feedback on any issues and problems they were experiencing, as well to as to go through the latest project updates with them. With a project of such scope, that affects the entire organisation, and requiring input from all service areas across all levels of seniority, communication was far from easy. Keeping everyone up-to-date was very difficult. Different people wanted different levels of information. Some only required brief updates, some required detailed updates. It really pays dividends to have a formal process of communication in place:<br /><br />· Who will send out the communications?<br />· Who will receive the communications?<br />· How often will they be sent?<br />· How will they be sent?<br /><br />Having a process in place whereby these questions are satisfied will be of immense benefit.<br /><br /><strong>Going live</strong><br />On the day, the process we were to follow would be:<br /><br />· Jadu perform pre go–live checks in the morning<br />· Once complete we then change the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System">Domain Name System</a> (DNS) record to point to the new web site and take the current web site offline (and place a suitable offline web page in its place)<br />· Jadu complete their pre go-live checks and give us access to the site for testing (the general public still see the offline web page)<br />· Once we have tested the web site to our satisfaction we give Jadu the go ahead to make the web site live to the general public<br /><br />We had put together a test schedule for the period during which we had access to the web site. This was not to test the content (which we had already done), but to test areas of the site that may have been affected by making the web site live. This would allow us to perform targeted testing when we only had a brief window of time.<br /><br /><strong>Conclusions</strong><br />There are many areas of the project that I have omitted for brevity, including the integration with the back end office systems, coming up with the look of the new web site, as well as the many issues that were encountered along the way. That aside, the key points made here still apply. </div><br /><div></div><div>Make sure you get your requirements signed off with the consensus of a group of interested people who are capable of arriving at the final document.<br /><br />Spend as much time as you need (or as you can afford) researching the CMS market. Find out what is available, what the differences are between the many products. We sought the opinion of other local authorities to see what CMS they used, and what they thought of it. There is nothing quite like a recommendation!<br /><br />Ensure you have clear channels of communication. This is vital to the success of the project. With so many different people involved from so many areas of the organisation, you will be quickly swamped without a proper process of communication in place. </div></div></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-23538801175399809872010-04-01T15:06:00.005+01:002010-04-01T15:34:26.184+01:00Letting the adventurer out<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrj3lraAKurboPBYHyjvRPCgMQFprdlVIeMwKPE8rPWMDqRxMfobfyitCz8pxpfsnYq9nxps3sPnfzSsgtLM29z-b1pH5DEfAPnBdeEsZcj51UomoZsCOqSZk3WRBAnZHIWs7bqaSEK3N/s1600/Mark+Beaumont.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455175749334365042" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrj3lraAKurboPBYHyjvRPCgMQFprdlVIeMwKPE8rPWMDqRxMfobfyitCz8pxpfsnYq9nxps3sPnfzSsgtLM29z-b1pH5DEfAPnBdeEsZcj51UomoZsCOqSZk3WRBAnZHIWs7bqaSEK3N/s320/Mark+Beaumont.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I came across this quote recently when looking through <a href="http://www.markbeaumontonline.com/" target="_blank">Mark Beaumont's web site</a>. If you have not heard of him, he set the world's fastest circumnavigation by bicycle last year, and appeared on certain mobile phone adverts thereafter.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>"I believe there is some kind of adventurer in all of us. My dream is to share expeditions that push the boundaries of physical mental capability with the world. Questioning what is possible is the key to success in every walk of life" - Mark Beaumont - adventurer and cyclist.</strong></div><div></div><br /><div>I think this is a great quote, and epitomises the shared wanderlust that many of us have. I say many, as I have met many people who have no desire to step foot outside their own street, never mind another country.</div><br /><div></div><div>On a much smaller level, one of the reasons I love long distance cycling is the sense of discovery, of poring over a map the day before, and looking for new places to visit on my bike. Cycling through a quaint little village in the middle of nowhere is the only reward I need. </div><div></div><br /><div>The quote also emphasises the need to push yourself. I have made the point before about stepping outside your comfort zone, and indeed I think there is a strong analogy to be made between stepping out from your street and having an adventure, and stepping out from your comfort zone and pushing yourself. In both cases you are doing something new that may result in failure, but from which you will gain knowledge and experience.</div><br /><div></div><div>How do you really know what you are capable of if you have never pushed yourself? You may just amaze yourself if you try!</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-83282449964317090372010-03-26T13:50:00.005+00:002010-03-26T14:18:36.864+00:00Just do it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACRc3pJsMAcexSj-NTuZHN1zu2MlX9ttjBZ3kmBObfJp3DrLgVVEnGT_m6gAOo_KJPcociEKhkLpuYWhTwkP5DzNbIO_QiQ6AYhZYmWnG4cacLcd9DfFmoQeEDUj89PEhoRcwnk09yIfX/s1600/just+do+it.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946737305585490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACRc3pJsMAcexSj-NTuZHN1zu2MlX9ttjBZ3kmBObfJp3DrLgVVEnGT_m6gAOo_KJPcociEKhkLpuYWhTwkP5DzNbIO_QiQ6AYhZYmWnG4cacLcd9DfFmoQeEDUj89PEhoRcwnk09yIfX/s320/just+do+it.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was talking to a friend and work colleague recently about cycling to work. We had already ridden to work together earlier that week- after much procrastination and more excuses than you could shake a stick from him! I'm sure he won't mind me saying any of this, as it was his suggestion for me to write this blog about the subject!<br /><br />On the day in question, it was a lovely and bright sunny morning, and so there was no reason NOT to cycle into work. When I asked him when he would be cycling in to work again, and why he had not ridden in that morning, he was all set to give me his reasons, or more precisely, his excuses! I explained that my own simple philosophy on such matters is this – just do it!<br /><br />When I find myself deliberating over whether to do something or not, I find it is far better to just get on and do it. If the task in question looks difficult, or takes me out of my comfort zone, then these are just not valid reasons for not doing something. I would much rather try and fail, than not try at all. How many times have we all kicked ourselves for not giving something a try, and regretted the decision later on.<br /><br />As I have said in a previous article, failure is not when you do not complete the task. Failure is when you do not complete the task, and then learn nothing from the experience. As long as you learn something from the experience, then it has been a positive one.<br /><br />Sometimes we all need to do something that takes us outside of our normal comfort zones. To feel that nervous energy that comes from the heady mixture of excitement and nervousness. When faced with the opportunity to do something that you are not totally comfortable with, to go outside your comfort zone, you should always accept the challenge. No matter what happens, you will have learnt something that you didn’t know before the experience. And you never know, you may even enjoy it!<br /><br />There is no shame in attempting something and failing. I am sure that every mountaineer who ever contemplated climbing Everest was nervous. I am sure that every astronaut who was pulled away from the safety of their planet felt nervous. There is never any guarantee of success in life.<br /><br /><strong>But that is never a reason to stop trying.</strong></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-36506147833155660892010-03-17T11:59:00.005+00:002010-03-17T13:55:47.235+00:00What makes a good local government web site?<a href="http://llangarronpc.co.uk/files/3812/5386/8609/farm_walk.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="http://llangarronpc.co.uk/files/3812/5386/8609/farm_walk.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There are many benchmarks which describe what factors constitute a good government web site. Perhaps one of the most widely known and respected is the <a href="http://www.socitm.net/insight" target="_blank">Better Connected </a>report from the <a href="http://www.socitm.org/" target="_blank">Society of Information Technology Management</a> (SOCITM). </div><br /><div></div><div>The structure of this report follows the criteria for high-quality local authority websites that develop the ideas that websites should be 'useful, usable and used'.<br /><br />There are many third party services which will routinely crawl over a web site and benchmark it accordingly. Within local government, one of the better know of these is <a href="http://www.sitemorse.com/" target="_blank">Sitemorse</a>, who provide quality, compliance and availability monitoring services. </div><br /><div></div><div>SOCITM and Sitemorse are the most widely adopted benchmarks used within local government.<br />The following is a summary of some of the key factors that make up a good local government web site. This is by no means an exhaustive or definitive list, but instead highlights just some of the key areas<br /><br /><strong>Useful content – Does the website have the information that people are looking for? </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>A website must conform with all these criteria to ensure that the content is useful.</strong> </div><br /><ul><br /><li>Information - Do people find answers to their questions? <li>Currency - Can people rely on the site being up to date? <li>Links elsewhere - Are people referred to another organisation if the council does not have the information <li>News value - Does the content capture people’s newsworthiness? <li>E-mail - Can people do business by email with the council <li>Transactions - Can people transact business with the council <li>Participation - Do people have the opportunity to influence council policies and decisions?</li></ul><div><strong>Usability – How useful is the information to find and use on the website?</strong><br /><br /><strong>A website must conform with all these criteria to ensure that it is easy to use.</strong><br /></div><ul><li>Ease of finding - Can people find the site easily? </li><li>Use of A-Z - Can people find their way easily to a specific topic?<br />Use of search engine - Does a specific word or phrase generally point people to what they want?<br />Use of location - Can people find information easily by using a map or postcode (or other similar)? <li>Navigation - Can people rely on a clear and consistent style in finding their way around? <li>Design of transactions? - Can people use online forms and other transactions easily? <li>Accessibility - Can people use the site if they have a disability? <li>Readability - Can people understand what the site says? <li>Resilience - Can people rely on the site to be available and working properly</li></ul><p><strong>Used – How well used is the website? </strong><br /><br /><strong>It is recommended that each organisation pursues policies that encourage the take-up of their websites under these broad headings.</strong><br /></p><ul><li>Access - Do people have easy free access to the Internet (not forgetting access through intermediaries)? <li>Measurement - Are visitor numbers and interactions increasing? <li>Feedback - What do visitors think about their experience in using the website? <li>Marketing - Are websites being fully marketed to key audiences</li></ul><p>These are just some of the many factors that need to be taken into consideration when developing a local government web site. A far more comprehensive list of benchmarks and considerations can be obtained from the <a href="http://www.socitm.net/insight" target="_blank">Better Connected</a> report produced by <a href="http://www.socitm.net/" target="_blan">SOCITM</a>.</p>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-15347656595867762322010-03-10T12:20:00.003+00:002010-03-10T12:34:45.836+00:00Using technology to create a fairer, safer and more caring society<a href="http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/Assets/council/building%20together.gif"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 261px" alt="" src="http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/Assets/council/building%20together.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>During the last 3 decades, technological advancements have transformed our lives. New technologies have made it quicker and cheaper to communicate over increasingly longer distances, creating many opportunities that simply did not exist previously.<br /><br />In 2006 over £130 billion of business was conducted over the Internet in the UK. 7 out of 10 UK businesses communicate with customers directly through their website. Investment in ICT is linked to higher productivity growth. 17 million adults in the UK now choose to manage their finances with online banking. In Britain over 50% of 16 – 24 year olds use social networking websites. 20.4 million UK homes have a digital TV service. Britons send 1 billion text messages every week.<br /><br />Technology has become so central to our society that our government considers ICT to be the third skill for life after literacy and numeracy (21st century Skills UK education department). Technology use is seen as a key determinant of social inclusion.<br /><br />But not everyone in the UK is benefitting from the opportunities provided by new technologies. For example:<br /><br />· 11% of adults do not use a mobile phone<br />· 20% of adults do not have digital TV<br />· 33% of households do not have a PC<br />· 800,000 school children cannot go online at home<br />· 10% of 16 – 24 year olds do not use the Internet<br />· 27% of adults have never used the Internet<br /><br />So why aren’t these people taking advantage of new technologies?<br /><br />· Some people chose not to<br />· Some people have no access or lack the skills<br />· Some people have more pressing challenges in their lives<br /><br />Often they are disadvantaged, suffering from “social exclusion”, having 3 or more big problems in their lives, including:<br /><br />· No job<br />· No home<br />· No money<br />· Poor health<br />· Victim of crime<br />· No public services<br />· Poor education and skills<br /><br />Technology use rises with wealth and socio-economic status, and falls with age and disadvantage. 75% of people do not use the Internet. That’s 7 million adults. 35% of disadvantaged people do not use mobile phones. That’s 3 million adults.<br /><br />Why is “social exclusion” our problem? Because we want a fair society. Because we want a caring society. Because we want a safe society. Because social exclusion creates a cost for us all. Tackling problems associated with our 1.3 million most disadvantaged people costs an average of £44,538 per person – for the UK that’s £57.9 billion each year.<br /><br />As a growing number of people in the UK enjoy the benefits of technology in their daily lives, disadvantaged people without these opportunities are being left behind. Now that UK Government is shifting services online, people already struggling in life may find it harder to access the services they need. Social exclusion is a barrier to closing the digital divide. Digital exclusion limits the lives and life chances of the disadvantaged.<br /><br />We need to shift efforts from “treatment” to “prevention” and break the cycle of disadvantage. We can take the opportunity to use technology as a tool for improving lives and life chances, or face the risk of increasing economic and social costs. This will require the co-operation of central government, local government, social care practitioners, voluntary sector, community groups, private sector and the ICT industry.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Examples:</span></strong><br /><br /><strong>Sheffield SafetyNET</strong> is a bold attempt to prevent important information getting lost. It aims to improve communication between teachers, social workers, nurses and doctors. It encourages professionals to work together.<br /><br /><strong>Barnet Council’s Children’s Service Mobile Solution</strong> is a project which enables social workers to access their diaries and email without having to come to the office. This mobile solution has saved Barnet Council’s Children’s Service £380,000.<br /><br /><strong>Telecare</strong> enables older and vulnerable people to live safely in their own home and community. Electronic sensors around the user’s home can provide regular reminders or alert carers if a problem arises. Telecare has saved Northamptonshire council £1,504,773 in 21 months.<br /><br /><strong>The Gorbals REAL Learning Centre</strong> provides technology training in an area of Glasgow with low skill levels and high unemployment. 9 out of 10 residents joined the learning centre. Over half have attended IT classes. 105 people have been helped into work.<br /><br />Technology offers endless opportunities for innovating social care. It can deliver social inclusion outcomes.<br /><br />“An open, inclusive information society that benefits all people will not emerge without sustained commitment and investment” – Kofi Annan.</div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-82665357990404923922010-03-08T11:02:00.007+00:002010-03-08T11:56:21.009+00:00My first year as a blogger<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D15QL7uJkFBDYnmvsI3p_RbHsGSbZk5kAlIzjW6i4S6eb1RiMAdIvlNoLFCVleApBFHSZR2ZM_BY768-YMu9TesaEyCI3aTZ3EiTvdNUub9fWy9ANGum8UO7GGI2u725HhwUFtD4M1Ri/s1600-h/blogging.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446230101137372994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1D15QL7uJkFBDYnmvsI3p_RbHsGSbZk5kAlIzjW6i4S6eb1RiMAdIvlNoLFCVleApBFHSZR2ZM_BY768-YMu9TesaEyCI3aTZ3EiTvdNUub9fWy9ANGum8UO7GGI2u725HhwUFtD4M1Ri/s320/blogging.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>On 31 March 2009 I posted my first blog. Throughout that time, I have posted regularly on many subjects including technology, social media, atheism, politics, current affairs and animal welfare to name a few.</div><div></div><br /><div>Before setting up my own blog I used to write and comment on forums, web sites and other people's blogs, but never thought of actually setting up my own blog where I could write in more detail on specific subjects that interested me. After some encouragement from a friend, I came to the conclusion that setting up my own blog was a good idea. </div><br /><div></div><div>I didn't want to spend time and expense setting up my own blog, but wanted to use one of the freely available blogging tools. After some research, I decided to use Blogger. </div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Why I chose Blogger as my blogging tool</strong></div><ul><li>It is a very popular blogging tool, so must be doing something right</li><li>Developed by Google it would have good search capability</li><li>Easy to use, configure and maintain</li><li>Free with no running costs</li></ul><p>Once I had set up my blog, it was then a matter of thinking of what to write. Thankfully, this is rarely a problem. I get ideas for my blog from all matter of different sources.</p><p><strong>Inspiration for my blogs</strong></p><ul><li>Traditional news media including newspapers and the TV</li><li>IT media including forums and magazines</li><li>Blogs, forums, social media and various web sites</li><li>Conversations with people</li></ul><p>Basically, an idea for a blog can come from almost anywhere. I don't have any need to go looking for ideas, as they usually come to me. What I will do though is write an idea down. I keep a list of blog ideas saved on my computer, so that a good idea does not get forgotten about.</p><p><strong>My reasons for blogging</strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://domburf.blogspot.com/2009/09/using-blogging-as-learning-tool.html">Using my blog as a learning aid to force me to learn something</a></li><li>Expressing my opinions on issues that I care about</li><li>To connect with people and share different opinions and ideas</li><li>I love the democratic principle that having a blog gives you - a blog gives you a voice!</li></ul><p>I enjoy it when someone has read one of my blogs and leaves a comment, either agreeing or disagreeing with what I have written. I enjoy being challenged over an opinion I have expressed in a blog, as I see this as an opportunity for me to have a discussion over the subject.</p><p>I hope to continue blogging, as it is something that gives me pleasure and I enjoy. Hopefully, it gives my readers pleasure when they read my posts!</p>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-82038964371850259942010-03-02T11:54:00.010+00:002010-03-02T12:52:36.461+00:00A word of caution using third party social media tools<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDxUrCIHPSQF0eOQsOrRkARBRaEtzW7D67sLS7ns0mKmVPBbI9vZZHzY3EFLIsWyMkibAcWywT3jxgANslcKba4_NLdoE8TCDQYO7tI1sDzWF4U4NJ-qH72k_Il7xUAxKkDuMvzIImi8x/s1600-h/social_media2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444018532970671202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 182px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDxUrCIHPSQF0eOQsOrRkARBRaEtzW7D67sLS7ns0mKmVPBbI9vZZHzY3EFLIsWyMkibAcWywT3jxgANslcKba4_NLdoE8TCDQYO7tI1sDzWF4U4NJ-qH72k_Il7xUAxKkDuMvzIImi8x/s320/social_media2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Third party social media tools can be a double edged sword. On the one hand they get you up and running quickly, with little or zero up front expenses, and little if any technical knowledge. On the other hand, you are placing your content in the hands of a third party supplier without the benefit of a contract to safe guard yourself.<br /><br />Google's blogging tool Blogger (used by me on this very blog) recently <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/11/google-deletes-music-blogs" target="_blank">closed down several music sites without warning</a>, and thus not giving the user any time to backup their blog. All the blogs that Google closed were operating legitimately under Blogger's own Terms and Conditions.<br /><br />Google is not alone in closing down sites in this way. <a href="http://charman-anderson.com/2009/03/01/yahoo-behaving-badly-again/" target="_blank">Yahoo closed down its photo hosting service back in July 2007</a>, giving its users only three months to claim their photos before Yahoo purged the site.<br /><br />While these sorts of actions may be rare, they still cause a great deal of frustration and inconvenience when they do. So it is worth asking yourself the question "How would I recreate my online social media presence if my social media supplier withdrew its services?"<br /><br />Whether you host your own social media applications or not, your social media content should be backed up. In the event of a disaster, you should be able to recover your content back to its previous state, whether you do this using the original social media tool or not.<br /><br />If you are using the Google Blogger tool (like I do), then you can export your blog directly from within the blog editor (once logged in, go to Settings and the option for exporting your blog is at the top). Most blog editors will have a similar feature.<br /><br />Also, you can save the raw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xml" target="_blank">XML</a> feed from your blog. To save the latest 1000 feeds for my own blog I would need to enter <a href="http://www.domburf.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?max-results=1000">http://www.domburf.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?max-results=1000</a> into my browser.<br /><br />So it's worth investigating what facilities your social media tool has for allowing you to backup your content.<br /><br /><strong>And don't delay, do it today!</strong></div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-5939960525193842142010-03-01T12:57:00.003+00:002010-03-01T13:07:36.662+00:00Avatar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RE1kJqaaV1p11FnKZn3DFiOnkl02UEuxAN9amaW6kObJtwQJpPVTbVsQMNaENkuSfcDnFQ_d8Aqr98yR99iQmrTTS36Hsh7YsPLHtZvH5oFAZ6U_OD5lR4WAnnEt5Cyy9wvUojtjhZA6/s1600-h/avatar-movie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443651127031812002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 142px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RE1kJqaaV1p11FnKZn3DFiOnkl02UEuxAN9amaW6kObJtwQJpPVTbVsQMNaENkuSfcDnFQ_d8Aqr98yR99iQmrTTS36Hsh7YsPLHtZvH5oFAZ6U_OD5lR4WAnnEt5Cyy9wvUojtjhZA6/s320/avatar-movie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Having now seen the film Avatar, my impression of it is that it is a stunning film. It is one of the most visually aesthetic films I have seen. Reportedly it cost some $300 million in the making, with the original concept having been thought of a decade ago. It is only now that James Cameron has brought that concept to life.<br /><br />The story centres around a character called Jake, a wheelchair bound Marine who comes in to replace his brother on a research project. The project involves studying the Na’vi tribe, who live on a planet called Pandora. They are ten feet tall, have blue skin and live in harmony with their environment. In order to study the Na’vi tribe up close, human scientists inhabit genetically created representations of the Na’vi tribe called avatars.<br /><br />In an early research venture to Pandora, Jake becomes separated from the rest of the team and meets the Na’vi tribe for himself, and befriends a female Na’vi called Neytiri. She shows him the ways of the Na’vi. Their customs, culture and spirituality. Their affinity with their planet, and how it interconnects like a web of nature. The Na’vi have a close relationship with their environment, and have a deep respect for all living creatures. After making a kill during a hunt for example, they mark their respect for the dead animal. These are just some of the similarities between Native Americans and the Na’vi.<br /><br />However, the laboratory that is undertaking this research is located on a military base, and is owned by a corporation who want to remove the Na’vi from Pandora because their planet is home to a rich seam of a very rare (and extremely expensive) substance called Unobtanium (yes, I know). Jake’s commander is pleased that he has become accepted by the Na’vi, and wants to use him to find a weakness in the Na’vi so that they can start mining for Unobtanium. The corporation that is funding the research are really only interested in getting their hands on Unobtanium and making a huge profit from its sale. In another parallel with Native Americans, the human species want to take the land of the Na’vi by force.<br /><br />Jake comes to embrace the simple and spiritual life of the Na’vi, and their close bond with nature. He also falls in love with Neytiri. He turns his back on the greedy corporation who want to steal the land from the Na’vi, and indeed, of the human species altogether. Instead, he stands and fights with the Na’vi to regain control of their planet. The ending of the film has a showdown between the soldiers fighting on behalf of the corporation, and the Na’vi, which also includes Jake and the other research scientists who take part in the battle using their avatars. There then unfolds a struggle between the great and the greedy , the underdog and the mighty.<br /><br />After the battle, where Jake nearly loses his life, but is saved by Neytiri, he decides to remain in his avatar forever. He turns his back on the human species for good, preferring instead to remain as a Na’vi. This message is perhaps one of the film’s boldest statements – that the hero of the film would rather belong to a different race, than to remain human. Especially when that race are gentler, kinder and more compassionate.<br /><br />The film is breathtaking in its cinematography, with its huge sweeping landscapes, floating mountains and rich forests. A whole ecosystem has been created before your very eyes, including trees, plants and animals. Running through much of this ecosystem is a whole series of interconnected tendrils, which the Na’vi can tap into. This forms the basis for their close relationship with their environment, which is both physical and spiritual.<br /><br />There are many messages conveyed throughout the film. The closeness of the relationship between the Na’vi and their environment has echoes of Native Americans and other tribes. Their deep respect for their planet is surely a call to arms for our own species to stop harming our own fragile planet. The way in which the Na’vi physically connect with their environment through their tendrils reminded me of Gaia, the idea that all parts of an ecosystem work together in harmony for its own survival.<br /><br />The bottom line to the film is that I was entertained throughout. If you haven’t seen the film already, then you really need to go and see it in 3D at the cinema. Watching this film on a DVD will not give you the full wonder and beauty of the film. </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4450828259337691498.post-83710311944083483952010-02-18T15:47:00.004+00:002010-02-18T16:19:44.993+00:00Social media staff guidelines<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IppauGsj_3yKs8gM_zB7EZxDwW3xglbA0DZo7zJs6p36R-jGarTCCdZCjBRZSCKNTcuAzllNJRD_VxRgi8O4fE8XZ8p4afNkBI2WjrgcEhwP1gCI47T4CiRal92HcL7JQOtGG4CqUrXL/s1600-h/social_media.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439618436109831362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 93px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_IppauGsj_3yKs8gM_zB7EZxDwW3xglbA0DZo7zJs6p36R-jGarTCCdZCjBRZSCKNTcuAzllNJRD_VxRgi8O4fE8XZ8p4afNkBI2WjrgcEhwP1gCI47T4CiRal92HcL7JQOtGG4CqUrXL/s320/social_media.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>There continues to be a lot of discussion surrounding the issue relating to how staff should engage with others on social networks in their official capacity as an employee of an organisation. This usually involves having policies in place that employees need to adhere to. This is particularly true of local government (local and central). Employees want policies that set out the ground rules for social media engagement, that give clear guidance on how employees can and should use social networks to engage with others.<br /><br />Issues that any policy needs to address could included the following:<br /><br />· What is acceptable when an employee replies to a blog or forum comment?<br />· What is considered confidential?<br />· What can and cannot be discussed or revealed?<br /><br />For anyone working within government (myself included) there are already a set of guidelines under the <a href="http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/participation-online.aspx" target="_blank">online participation guidance for civil servants</a>, which were developed by the Minister for Digital Engagement. These guidelines are broad enough that they can and should form the basis for any social media policy, whether it be for the public or private sector.<br /><br />Laurel Papworth has also created a list of <a href="http://laurelpapworth.com/enterprise-list-of-40-social-media-staff-guidelines/" target="_blank">40 social media staff guidelines</a>, so there should be enough material between these two links to create your own organisational social media policy.<br /><br />The development of any policy needs to be conducted with the buy in from key representatives, including upper management, communications and anyone else who will be actively or indirectly involved. What you don’t want is your policy being created by small, very keen and possibly unrepresentative group of employees. While they may be acting with the best of intentions, any social media policy needs acceptance and buy in from upper management. This at least ensures that they have read and understood the policy, and are happy with its contents. It is best to get this the policy formally signed off as an official work policy.<br /><br />Once the policy has been formally signed off, then it needs to be circulated to those employees who will be responsible for engaging with social media on the organisation’s behalf. Presumably, some of these employees will have been involved in the creation of the policy, but depending on the size of organisation, maybe not everyone will have been involved in this process.<br /><br />It’s important for any organisation that wishes to engage with social media that its employees have clear and concise guidelines defining what constitutes acceptable engagement. </div>Dominic Burfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12365158014788781992noreply@blogger.com0