Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Scargill The life and times of Peter and Maureen Scargill ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://www.scargill.net/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [A Crappy Winter Morning](https://www.scargill.net/a-lovely-winter-morning/) - Lovely winter morning? Not lovely winter morning! The first of these pictures was sadly taken precisely 1,198.3 miles (1,928.5km) North of the second (hence the quality variation) mid-morning this morning. For anyone looking in while enjoying the sunshine in Southern Spain, please spare a thought for friends suffering the current god-forsaken weather in the Northeast - [2026 - Ready or Not](https://www.scargill.net/2026-ready-or-not/) - Maureen and I are back in the UK for a few days for a wedding and to see friends and relatives. Last night, we went to the local Indian restaurant in Hexham and were rather shocked at the prices, which have shot up again. We both had only starters, not main courses. I had two - [Inexpensive Broadband in Bellingham or not? That is the question](https://www.scargill.net/inexpensive-broadband-in-bellingham-or-not-that-is-the-question/) - A lot has happened since this original post in December a year ago but I'll update it rather than start a new post which no doubt will happen before the end of 2025. Over Christmas 2024, we were back in Bellingham for a while - lots going on around the turn of the year 2024-2025 - [A mild Summer 2024 in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/a-mild-summer-2024-in-bellingham/) - I don't update this blog that often as mentioned in the previous entry - but I'm here in Bellingham and the weather is surprisingly nice at the end of July. Maureen has been working on the garden and I've been upgrading our home automation and working on heating system issues with some success. We've also - [The BIG Update - Please Read](https://www.scargill.net/the-big-update-please-read/) - As some of you already know, we're pretty much settled in Spain with the odd trip to the UK - and I maintain a pair of blogs - one for friends and others to se what we're up to in our daily lives - I also maintain my very active tech-blog which is aimed at - [Bellingham Broadband or Not? Questions...](https://www.scargill.net/bellingham-broadband-or-not-questions/) - We recently noted an incoming email offering 1Gbps fibre broadband in our area (Bellingham, Northumberland, UK) from a company called WeFibre - and would we like to apply for the grant to make this possible? We duly filled in the government form - and went back to the company who were (grant-inclusive ) offering 1Gbps - [Did global warming miss out Northumberland?](https://www.scargill.net/did-global-warming-miss-northumberland/) - Not sure how but we seem to have missed out on the heatwave over in Northumberland. I was there for Christmas 2022 and New Year to help get our new place in Bellingham in shape. I manage to capture what little sun we've had in photos of the nearby church and equally dead local baker. - [Merry Christmas 2022 from Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/merry-christmas-2022-from-bellingham/) - Nothing in the way of outdoor photos I'm afraid as the weather here is abysmal.. I've spend much of the season (since arriving late December 17) working on broadband and bust PC issues while Maureen does her painting etc.. I was just thinking how the conversation of TV over broadband goes... for years I and - [Meanwhile, Back in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/meanwhile-back-in-bellingham/) - December and Maureen is at our new(ish) place in Bellingham and by the look of it has been frantically unpacking and working on the place. Hard to believe but here it is, December 3, 2022 and it's sunny in Bellingham, UK with hardly any trace of the usual damp clouds. Meamwhile the kitchen is looking - [Lots of Things Happening late 2022](https://www.scargill.net/lots-of-things-happening-late-2022/) - But as most of them are happening over in Spain - I'll direct you to the Spanish blog - meanwhile we expect to spend time over Christmas in our new UK base - I'll update this blog at the time. Thanks for looking in. - [Very Quiet Summer in this Blog](https://www.scargill.net/very-quiet-summer-in-this-blog/) - It's quiet in here as I'm not in the UK. Maureen is however, so I'm sure we'll soon have some new photos of our cottage in Bellingham - I'll just remind her. Meanwhile, I'm bored to death after eating something "off" last night and dare not leave the house. I have no new photos and - [New Beginnings in Bellingham (Northumberland)](https://www.scargill.net/new-beginnings-in-bellingham-northumberland/) - It's not the first time we've owned property in Bellingham (we've owned two cottages here in the past - Groom's Bothy and Hollyberry Cottage) but the first time out of town - and really can't gripe about the view. It'll be some time before we're ready for inside photography - so much to do, so - [A Very Merry 2010 Christmas](https://www.scargill.net/a-very-merry-christmas/) - Maureen and I are having a nice break at our cottage in Bellingham! And why not. Here’s hoping you have a very nice Christmas break – and if you’ve not seen it yet, I recommend getting hold of the movie INCEPTION over the Christmas break. I’ve now watched it three times – it’s an absolute - [New Broadband Developments at Bedrock?](https://www.scargill.net/new-broadband-developments-at-bedrock/) - It's been quiet in here as we now spend far more time in Spain than the UK. I've recently taken the somewhat unusual step of putting a MARGINALLY technical blog entry over at our Bedrock site (recently address-changed to https://spain.scargill.net) - because it seems that at long last we have better broadband in Galera, no - [No other way to put it - Utter Crap](https://www.scargill.net/no-other-way-to-put-it-utter-crap/) - It seems that LED lights are not the only things that Poundstretcher sell that simply don't work. As well as a subject I've covered in the past wherein Poundstretcher sell Hitachi-branded light bulbs that at best last months, often weeks and which are therefore to be avoided like the plague, I've also now discovered that - [A Good, Productive Start to 2022](https://www.scargill.net/a-good-productive-start-to-2022/) - After weeks of atrocious weather in Northumberland and even more atrocious power cuts, this week has seen some decent sun and we've been to visit our ex-Spanish neighbours and good friends over near Penrith, met up with an old pal from my FSB days and we've plans to visit local friends at the weekend - - [Testing Broadband Speed and More!](https://www.scargill.net/testing-broadband-speed-and-more/) - It’s not uncommon for people to read the headline figure on their broadband connection “8 meg” and think they have a good deal then wonder why SKYPE gives them problems! Here’s a simple guide to getting wise (important: see 2021 updates at the end). Many standard Internet connections in the UK use what is called - [Life and Illness](https://www.scargill.net/life-and-illness/) - On 15th of December last year, I had, out of the blue (I guess it is always that way) an ischaemic stroke which affected my left side ((right brain?) […] - [Cats - who would have them? We do!](https://www.scargill.net/cats-who-would-have-them-we-do/) - I have NO idea how, but chunks of our information have ended up disappearing from this blog - like info on our various cats over the years - I'll do something about that here. So, right now we have three cats - Simba (forefront in the photo), Ruffy and Cloe (the latter not shown - - [There is Life after a Stroke](https://www.scargill.net/life-after-a-stroke/) - A friend recently asked me an interesting question… someone who probably knows I write blogs, make extensive use of social media and create things like YouTube videos. I was asked if I had blogged about my experiences as a stroke "survivor"? From the NHS website: Tonic-clonic seizures A tonic-clonic seizure, previously known as a "grand - [Private Religious versus Public Religion](https://www.scargill.net/private-religious-versus-public-religion/) - I am so glad I was not (even remotely) a lone voice in objecting to Mr Cameron trying to impose his religious views on the nation. With WELL over half of the country (65% according to YouGov) describing themselves as non-religious - last I heard, in a democracy that makes them the majority. Many of - [Crysis Remastered - after years in the Wilderness...](https://www.scargill.net/crysis-remastered-after-years-in-the-wilderness/) - Reality is all very nice - we've had some wonderful times since moving from the antarctic Northeast of England to sunny Spain - but back to the REAL world - Crysis - now REMASTERED... THIS is exciting.... glass of wine, keyboard, mouse - never did get into the joystick thing.... you simply can't beat obliterating - [Lovely Sunday at the Almuñecar market](https://www.scargill.net/lovely-sunday-at-the-almunecar-market/) - Down at the seafront for a long weekend... our hotel (Casablanca) has great views and there's a marvellous Sunday market within walking distance. Any excuse for another coffee. Completely forgot to take pictures at the market... - [Things could be worse, could be better](https://www.scargill.net/things-could-be-worse-could-be-better/) - There can surely be no comparison, even in pandemic times, between the cold, damp misery of Northeast UK winters and the relatively dry and sometimes warm winters over in Southern Spain. It isn't all roses of course as, while hunkered down to avoid Covid, TV in the latter can sometimes be a frustrating experience for - [Nicely Settling into Retirement in Rural Southern Spain](https://www.scargill.net/nicely-settling-into-spanish-retirement/) - Our time in Spain was, until someone had the bright idea of Brexit, largely a summer sport but with the 6-months-at-a-time rule blown to hell, it makes more sense to spend the bulk of our time in the sun. Even today as 2020 draws to a close, it is for sure, cold in the shade - [Weekend Trip to Newcastle to see Holly at Work](https://www.scargill.net/weekend-trip-to-newcastle-to-see-holly-at-work/) - As another decade draws to a close, I don't do that many family updates in here so I figured as I was up early I'd put in a word for my granddaughter Holly and her new job at "Bar & Block" in Newcastle. Having gotten used to inexpensive, cosy Spanish restaurants over the years I'm - [Holiday Quantum Reading Matter - Sean Carroll's Book](https://www.scargill.net/holiday-quantum-reading-matter/) - I'm less prone to reading books than I am watching videos but in this case, I think Sean Carroll's book "Something Deeply Hidden" could be worth sacrificing some of my holiday time for - ok, so it is freezing cold anyway. Sean makes relatively light work of getting your head into Quantum Mechanics, but more - [The Simplest Pleasures of life - Chocolate and Soap](https://www.scargill.net/lifes-simple-pleasures/) - My wife just bought me some of this in Hexham - Beanies Mint Chocolate Instant Coffee. Not cheap, but very pleasant. I recently had a fad for cinnamon in my coffee and will likely go back to that after a while. Meanwhile - this is a short video I put together about my experiences with - [This is Willow Cottage in Bloom - Early Summer 2020](https://www.scargill.net/willow-cottage-in-bloom/) - Maureen's been out in the front, gardening. Nature does it's best to turn the garden into a vast unkempt forest but there's an art to keeping only the flora we find pleasing - and a lot of hard work. Personally I'm easy to please and love having lots of magenta coloured flowers. - [Our hard working but badly organised NHS](https://www.scargill.net/hard-working-badly-organised/) - Despite all the wonderful hard work of individuals in the NHS and our medical industries, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Every single day I take several pills and have done for years in order to keep nature (I get SO sick of people saying that if it is natural - it is - [Making the Best of Summer](https://www.scargill.net/making-the-best-of-summer/) - You may have noticed a lack of entries in here over the summer. That’s because I do most of my writing over at the Bedrock site and on Facebook in summer. The weather over in Spain has been very hot and though we’re getting the odd thunder-storm now, it is generally 32-36c during the day - [Autumn 2019 in Wark](https://www.scargill.net/autumn-2019-in-wark/) - The weather since we came back to the UK has been pretty crappy generally but just for the record in case I forget, yesterday was LOVELY. I took this little number down by the riverside as Maureen and I were taking the two youngest grandkids for a walk along the waterfront. And today, on the - [The LED Lighting Sunday Lecture](https://www.scargill.net/the-led-lighting-sunday-lecture/) - Good morning all... Benefit from my mistakes?.. in modernising our house lighting both here in the UK and over in Spain, we have totally gone over to LED lighting of one kind or another. Having been used to compact fluorescents, I kind of expect a couple of years at least, before lights give up. LED - [Short Trip to Spain](https://www.scargill.net/short-trip-to-spain/) - To relieve the stress of waiting for tenants to move out of Wark, not to mention the mind-numbing after-effects of my (first and hopefully last) stroke, we recently took a short break in Spain and as well as stopping over in our place in Galera, we took a short detour down to Puerto De Mazarron. - [Relaxing in Galera](https://www.scargill.net/relaxing-in-galera/) - It is hard to express the stress we’ve been under thanks to rubbish tenants who played the system and kept us in between homes for months not to mention pretty much destroying our home in Wark with their couldn’t give a toss lifestyle, however much of the repair work was done before our travels this - [Chicago then back to Blighty](https://www.scargill.net/chicago-then-back-to-blighty/) - After a very pleasant trip to the USA to visit friends and relatives in and around Chicago, we’re back in the UK. Time to get on with our various winter jobs and to catch up with our friends over here. Meanwhile here are some pics from our trip to Chicago. Due to the weather – - [What UK? We are Screwed](https://www.scargill.net/what-uk-we-are-screwed/) - In a historic, democratic vote of 17+ million brexiters against 16+ million remainers, Britain voted to leave the EU. One could say we can’t fight it – that is democracy – but then we democratically elected the Conservatives and that hasn’t stopped labour supporters actively opposing anything the Tories so. Indeed in terms of eligible - [Back to Wark](https://www.scargill.net/back-to-wark/) - Despite the unbelievably poor state our ex-tenants left the place in (hard to believe that there are people with so little regard for where they live) the cottage is starting, slowly to take shape thanks to lots of hard work, help from friends and lots of money…. the man-cave should be largely functional within the - [The Big Change](https://www.scargill.net/the-big-change/) - Looks like the last time I wrote in here was late last year. That might seem odd to some of you so to clarify, I spent much of December, all of January and part of February 2018 in hospital following a stroke in mid-December. I have since then been incredibly hard at work performing a - [Life](https://www.scargill.net/life-2/) - In the early hours of the morning, I’m usually asleep. This morning however was different, I had two completely unrelated things on my mind. One was technical and is documented elsewhere and the other involved the origin of life. Yes, some of us do have deep thoughts from time to time and occasionally, they’re not - [Winter Approaching in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/winter-approaching-in-bellingham/) - We’ve been back in the UK for a three weeks (seems like years) and one of the very few highlights has been Guy Fawkes. So we took the grandkids off to Hexham on 4th of November for the display – and what a display it was – huge bonfire and a spectacular firework show. As - [The Colours of the Rainbow](https://www.scargill.net/the-colours-of-the-rainbow/) - Little did I know when I started the annual discussion with my (art degree) wife about colours that I would start a whole feud off about the subject. This blog entry is a TAD technical but hopefully not enough to put you off – if you think the 3 basic (primary) colours are red, - [External Home Lighting](https://www.scargill.net/external-home-lighting/) - That’s a name I concocted as I could not think of anything better as a title for this article. I did not want to say “solar lighting” as that limits the conversation So what do I mean by this? – and what is the point of this article? This is about externally lighting your property - [The Return](https://www.scargill.net/the-return/) - And so we start our long journey back to the UK. We left Galera first thing Wednesday and spent most of the day driving up through Spain. We arrived at our hotel Palicio Urgoiti in Bilbao in time for dinner. All in great comfort except that the room air con was bust and so we - [Life as Usual in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/life-as-usual-in-bellingham/) - Life is pretty much back to normal here, I’ve still not opened up some of the packing stuff I brought back from Spain and my office is a tip but everything is working. Last weekend we went up to see Van Morrison at the Playhouse in Edinburgh and the following morning popped in to see - [The Edinburgh Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/the-edinburgh-weekend/) - This weekend we went up to Edinburgh with our friends Karen and Dave. Friday afternoon we drove up to Edinburgh and stopped in a little apartment in the city centre. Of course, being Edinburgh, it poured rain most of the time.. We spent the evening wandering around town after the obligatory trip to (House of - [Newcastle Maker Faire](https://www.scargill.net/newcastle-maker-faire/) - What a great day. Newcastle has an annual Maker Faire and it is on this weekend – and what a faire it is. I headed off first thing to get some parking and was pleased to find that Newcastle College had some cheap parking - £4 for the day. I arrived 45 minutes to early, - [To potential PlusNet customers](https://www.scargill.net/warning-to-potential-plusnet-customers/) - Last update 11/04/2017 Early in 2016, having used PlusNet for normal broadband and seeing their offer of fibre broadband in Bellingham, Northumberland, we signed up for the 80 Mb fibre service. The PlusNet modem was supplied and initially we managed to get up to 78Mb downloads and 19Mb uploads - not quiet the headline figure - [A Grand Summer](https://www.scargill.net/a-grand-summer/) - Not been doing a lot of updating of this blog because of course, we’re over in Spain for the summer. BBQ season is over as far as the countryside is concerned – we had our last country BBQ at the end of May in the area you see below – just outside of Huescar (Andalusia). - [Hours to go](https://www.scargill.net/hours-to-go/) - Less than 24 hours to go and we start our long trip to Spain. Very roughly the image describes our planned route – from the Northeast, stopping over at a friend’s place, 24 hour ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, then a couple of hours drive before another stopover before heading down to Galera. Quite a - [Solar Panels–worth it or not?](https://www.scargill.net/solar-panelsworth-it-or-not/) - All that effort for £70 a year? Back in October 2010, a company visited my home village of Wark in Northumberland, offering free solar panels for anyone who wanted them – while offering to sell said panels for those who were keen to pay and take advantage of the "generous feed-in tariffs". By solar panels - [Can it get worse? Of course it can](https://www.scargill.net/can-it-get-worse-of-course-it-can/) - Hard to believe we’ve only been back in the UK for just over 3 weeks. It seems like a lifetime. When we left Spain the worst thing we had to worry about was Brexit – the end of Great Britain – now – there is Trump – racist, sexist, makes things up on the spot… - [Life in Northumberland](https://www.scargill.net/life-in-northumberland/) - No exciting photos right now, mainly because we’ve not seen sunshine in the Northeast of England for a while now, just the usual suicide-inducing damp, cold weather. Having said that, we’ve not had snow or anything – there is no chance of it being a white Christmas for example. I’ve been buried away in my - [Best meal of the day](https://www.scargill.net/best-meal-of-the-day/) - I’ve never been one for breakfasts but a popular start to the day here is a very simple large slice of toast or tostada. The word has several meanings but at least in this part of Spain, ask for a tosdada and you’re likely to be asked if you want butter and marmalade – OR - [Lots and Lots of Memory](https://www.scargill.net/lots-and-lots-of-memory/) - Always running out of memory on your phone? me too! Note this article applies only to Android 6 users. There was a time in the distant past when Android phones would allow you to use an app called AppToSD or similar and move your apps (as against data) into your SD card. That time was - [The camera never Lies, or does it?](https://www.scargill.net/the-camera-never-lies-or-does-it/) - I should stress at the beginning that I am neither a doctor nor an optician so if I use the wrong terms, consider the source. I have however been fascinated by photography since getting my first SLR in my very early teens. That was followed by a few years of getting my hands covered in - [Sky Website 2016](https://www.scargill.net/sky-website-2016/) - How long have we had websites now 20 odd years? You’d think Sky could get theirs right. I went into the Sky website today to change our account – we have so many online options now it is hard to justify the sky package. So off I went with my username and password – neither - [See BEDROCK](https://www.scargill.net/see-bedrock/) - We’re there – at last – and all is well – check out http://www.bedrock.es - [Ready to Rock](https://www.scargill.net/ready-to-rock/) - Here we are, once again all ready to start the unfeasibly long trip to Galera for the summer. I must say I am looking forward to this – between the snow, rain, hailstones, expensive beer and Comrade Corbyn I really need a break from the UK. Had my last supper (last Indian probably for months) - [A fine song](https://www.scargill.net/a-fine-song/) - You don't really get any better than this - while elsewhere in the world idiots are chopping heads off and blowing themselves up - this - one of the finer products of the 20th century sung by a master. - [Life and Kittens](https://www.scargill.net/life-and-kittens/) - This is our new cat Chloe. She’s very friendly and currently looking after 5 kittens. We’re keeping Chloe – that is providing the boys don’t have her for breakfast and up to now they are being reasonably nice. So now for those who’re not keeping up – we have Simba, Ruffy and Chloe and right - [The Spanish Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/the-spanish-weekend/) - Usually when I’m away on business I have very little time to myself. Lucky then that this particular job over on the east coast of Spain happens to straddle the weekend. Well, not THAT much luck I guess as I agreed to come over here knowing fine well I’d get a weekend to myself. Yesterday - [A Taste of the Sun](https://www.scargill.net/a-taste-of-the-sun/) - Pretty bleak back in Blighty and has been since Maureen and I came back in November, however this week I’m in Spain, south of Barcelona doing some interesting contract work. Make no mistake, it gets cold at night down at the coast here near L’Ametlla De Mar– but the sun makes up for a lot - [Happy New Year](https://www.scargill.net/happy-new-year/) - A happy new year to everyone looking in. It has been a quiet holiday, I have done a LOT of writing on the technical blog and I have quite a few samples of various kinds of equipment on the way to review as the blog goes from strength to strength. We’ve been here in the - [Winter of discontent](https://www.scargill.net/winter-of-discontent/) - Here we are back in rainy, miserable, cold Britain and I have to say not voluntarily but the cottage needs work over the winter. The first thing I had to do on returning to the UK was to update computers that had not had updated since July, the fridge was duff, Microwave had some damage, - [The Root of All Evil](https://www.scargill.net/the-root-of-all-evil/) - As the evil results of religious extremism start to look like they may plunge us into something approaching another world war, understanding the dangers of religion becomes more and more important – and yet, one of the best documentaries on the subject “The Root of all Evil” which was produced by the UK and Richard - [Was I dreaming?](https://www.scargill.net/was-i-dreaming/) - My recent high tech trip to MIT in Boston, USA seems like a distant dream, mind you given the hassle I had with useless-as-shit Iberia Airlines it’s probably just as well. On 2nd of August I travelled from Alicante to Boston via Madrid. At the intermediate stop, Iberia Airlines managed to misplace my one and - [A Summer to remember](https://www.scargill.net/a-summer-to-remember/) - As our time in Spain draws to a close – we have only a short time left before returning for a while to miserable, sopping wet Britain – something I don’t at ALL do voluntarily, it is worth noting that in our time here this year, which started in July, I could easily count on - [UPS in Spain](https://www.scargill.net/ups-in-spain/) - UPS – the Worst Delivery Company in the World? I bought a watch on Kickstarter some time ago – a smart watch, from America and it did well for a while but got some water damage. I was a little annoyed as the watch is supposed to be waterproof but the company (Pebble) were very - [The Summer of 2015](https://www.scargill.net/the-summer-of-2015/) - We’re currently spending our summer in Spain, having made some major changes to our lives. I’m no longer the National IT Chairman for the FSB – a role I held for 14 years without opposition. I decided in June that I’d spent enough time with the organisation and it was time to move on. Maureen - [Galera Celebrations](https://www.scargill.net/galera-celebrations/) - All in all not a bad week – several days in Boston, Google have finally put Bedrock on the map and now I’m back in Spain and we’re currently enjoying Galera night celebrations. Another night of activity in the town – I managed to stop up until midnight when the fireworks went off – and - [Uber](https://www.scargill.net/uber/) - A lot is said about UBER and what an evil monster it is. London taxi drivers like nothing more than to gripe about them (and I’m sure they do elsewhere, I just happen to have taken quite few London taxi rides in recent times – probably no more). And so it was that this Monday - [Finding bugs](https://www.scargill.net/finding-bugs/) - That was funny... We are currently deep within MIT in Boston preparing a talk and workshop on a microprocessor called the ESP8266 and what should turn up but a bug. No, a REAL one and what a monster. We're still working on the jokes... - [All Change](https://www.scargill.net/all-change/) - The last time I wrote in here we lived in Wark, in Northumberland where we’d been for, what, 15 years? And then – all change. Today we’re in Andalusia as we have been for the last couple of weeks – and we plan to stay here at least until the end of October. Wark is - [Religion, Black Holes and Education](https://www.scargill.net/religion-black-holes-and-education/) - I note there is a small push to get the movie “Interstellar” into UK schools, the basis for this being that the special effects were science-driven and as it turns out, apparently represent some of the best visualisations of what it might be like near a black hole. The basis of the movie is simple - [The Summer of 2015 and a new Phone](https://www.scargill.net/the-summer-of-2015-and-a-new-phone/) - Lots going on right now… After what seems like a lifetime as IT Director and National IT Chairman of the FSB, I’ve decided to give it a miss. The reasons aren’t simple and include changes in the FSB itself – it is simply not the organisation I joined. Every year for the past 14 years, - [FSB Conference 2015 #FSBConf](https://www.scargill.net/fsb-conference-2015-fsbconf/) - When I started my involvement with the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) nationally - at the FSB’s Silver Anniversary, I recall the IT Chairman of the time rewarding my efforts for getting the Conference onto a website (well, no-one else was doing it so I figured the Northeast may as well be the first) by - [Another trip to Bedrock](https://www.scargill.net/early-morning-in-bedrock/) - If you’re looking in here for updates, head off to the Bedrock site for the moment as we’re enjoying a spot of sunshine. 8am here in Galera and the sun is out already – promises to be a great day for a spot of swimming. Meanwhile I’ve been setting up something new on my gear - [Public Transport](https://www.scargill.net/public-transport-2/) - Today once again, the Northern Line is in the hands of private industry and we were hoping for more as Virgin took over running this Scotland to London run. Sadly it is not looking that way. I’m sitting on the Newcastle to London 14.00pm train to Kings Cross, first class. You will notice the screenshot - [The FSB’s Annual Conference #fsbconf at the ICC](https://www.scargill.net/the-fsbs-annual-conference-fsbconf-at-the-icc/) - We have just had more than our fair share of celebrities at our Annual Conference which this year is being held in the ICC in Birmingham. I arrived on Tuesday and the festivities began yesterday. This morning started off with George Osborne doing a really good speech about his views on business and what - [LED Quick Test](https://www.scargill.net/led-quick-test/) - Quick test of the new ESP8266 code for driving the ws2812b LEDs… not far off 2 amps at 5v in at one end – GND and ESP8266 signal other end… fully tested with 300 serial LEDS – this is my next WIFI SAD LIGHT once I find something with enough power and some very thick - [A pleasant birthday](https://www.scargill.net/a-pleasant-birthday/) - I have to say I did not hold a lot of hope out for today – this time in CREWE, stuck in a meeting the outcome of which I may not see as I’ll not be on the same committee when they next meet– however, the hotel is actually very pleasant. We’re staying at the - [FSB Annual Dinner](https://www.scargill.net/fsb-annual-dinner/) - The FSB had it’s annual Chairman’s dinner last night at Number One Great George Street. Always interesting not least because of the amazing architecture, we had a couple of good speakers but sadly I could not tell you a word they said due to the acoustics in the room which produced a continuous echo whenever - [The King of Spain](https://www.scargill.net/the-king-of-spain/) - Perhaps you though I was going to say something relevant about Spain? No… that’s a pub in Brussels – on the corner of Grand Place to be precise and the image you see is half way up the stairs. My trip this week to Brussels went well other than a shocker on timescales which means - [Another busy week of travel](https://www.scargill.net/another-busy-week-of-travel/) - This week starts with a trip to Belgium via London – I can’t believe I have to sit around in Heathrow for a couple of hours – sitting here making sure my laptop is up to date so I can do something useful with the time. First stop this week will be Brussels We have - [Dreaded Lurgy](https://www.scargill.net/dreaded-lurgy/) - Well, that was different. Tuesday night I was all set to go off to 2 days of meetings in Blackpool, I had my case all packed, the car running to warm it up as the weather was taking a turn for the worse. My wife Maureen had been suffering with flu and had lost days - [Sound and Light at Grand Place](https://www.scargill.net/sound-and-light-at-grand-place/) - That’s my international travelling done for the year, another couple of local meetings and that’s me done until the new year, giving me time to get down to some solid research as well as checking out the first lot of PCBs from China. I just spent the last couple of days in Brussels as Vice-Chairman - [ESP8266 LUA editing tool](https://www.scargill.net/esp8266-lua-editing-tool/) - This one is definitely only for a very narrow selection of techies – and is also featured in my tech blog – the only reason it is in here as I’ve had lots of help from a Chinese manufacturer and they were interested in the blog – but the great firewall of China seems to - [Photo Editing](https://www.scargill.net/photo-editing/) - Morning all. For those of you who like to play with photo manipulation, you may well have come across Gimp. If you haven’t, that might be because you can afford Photoshop and it’s updates and that’s fine – but if not I suggest you take a look. I suggest you go straight to the site - [Why the NHS needs Reform](https://www.scargill.net/why-the-nhs-needs-reform/) - We’re constantly told about being more efficient – and minimising un-necessary use of fossil fuels, yes? Well, with that in mind, many weeks ago – I think in September I made an appointment to have a small bump removed from my finger – apparently something caused by bone wear and tear – not painful but - [Sunny Cornwall](https://www.scargill.net/off-to-sunny-cornwall/) - I created the above imagery at the start of our trip to Cornwall, hoping that really, the umbrella would not be needed. Sadly it was. Not so much rain but it was foggy throughout the ENTIRE trip. Click on any of the images in here for a larger version. We started our journey from home, - [The Benefits of a Mobile Access Point](https://www.scargill.net/the-benefits-of-a-mobile-access-point/) - It could be argued that with modern Android phones offering to act as WIFI access points, there is no longer a need for the likes of the THREE WIFI pocket Access points, the successor to “WIFI dongles”. Mine has been sitting in my case doing nothing for the better part of a year and it - [Life](https://www.scargill.net/life/) - Since coming back from Galera in Spain in the summer, life has been hectic – Maureen went back to school for a while, was recently off again but is now back in action. Hollyberry Cottage has been packed but we managed one day to get some essential maintenance in. I’ve been to Brussels for meetings - [The Richmond Event (#ITDF)](https://www.scargill.net/the-richmond-event/) - Several of you have asked where I’ve been this week and what I’ve been doing – so here it is.. On Wednesday I flew down to Southampton (from Newcastle) in the morning to embark on what is now the second Richmond event I’ve attended… the annual IT Director’s Forum. The journey consisted of the flight - [ESP8266 WIFI Miracle Board](https://www.scargill.net/esp8266-wifi-miracle-board/) - I’m currently working with a miraculous little board called the #ESPN8266 from #ESPRESSIF which could revolutionise low cost side of the “Internet of Things”… essentially a tiny circuit board that allows low cost control systems to interact with the Internet via WIFI in the way your phone does - but it’s WAY too technical for - [Home Control September 2014 Update](https://www.scargill.net/home-control-september-2014-update/) - Using the Si4332 radio in home control along with Ethernet and the NRF24L01 - [Home Control – The Full Mesh](https://www.scargill.net/home-controlthe-full-mesh/) - I’ve been working on home control now for many years on and off both professionally and today as a hobby (for now). This blog documents the latest state of play. My first attempt at home control years ago took the form of a bunch of boards talking to each other around a building by cheap - [Home Control April Update](https://www.scargill.net/home-control-april-update/) - The home control system is coming along nicely and after a “weekend of code” has some nice new facilities, not the least being a new test desktop PC program and some new radio error checking. Add to that the recent work on week/weekend temperature program and it’s just about ready to roll to both the - [Home Control Winter Update](https://www.scargill.net/home-control-winter-update/) - I’m spending some spare time right now working on the home control. My first system is working at home in the UK with a nice little 2-line LCD giving out useful information (as well as accessing that information on the mobile phone of course) but a little while ago we spotted some inexpensive colour LCDs - [Home Control over the Internet Part 2](https://www.scargill.net/remote-controlled-cave/) - If you’re read my previous article – you’ll know I’m interested in home control DIY. The original home control article is here. My first attempts at remote control over here in Spain are coming together. Having had remote access to cameras for 3 or 4 years now with reasonable reliability, I’m ready to extend this - [Home Control over the Internet](https://www.scargill.net/home-control-over-the-internet/) - Updated June 29, 2013 This article is about a practical home control system for the enthusiast and is being updated as new developments come along. Combining extremely low cost radio and inexpensive Ethernet, the system allows for mobile phone or tablet access to a range of items including lamp control, temperature monitoring (and thermostatic control - [NRF24L01 Transceiver and Arduino](https://www.scargill.net/nrf24l01-transceiver-and-arduino/) - This one’s for techies only! The NRF24L01 2.4Ghz transceiver. So you have your Arduino (single-chip micro with bootloader) or similar (could be a PIC project really but you’d have to understand and re-hash the libraries) up and running and you need two of them to communicate. How do you do it? One way is the - [DIY Arduino–the “UberBareBoard”](https://www.scargill.net/diy-arduino-or-uberbareboard/) - Ok, so I’ve rekindled my interest in electronics with a vengeance. I’ve a load of gadgets I’ve been wanting and not finding anything reasonably priced out there I decided to get the soldering iron out and make them myself. And so it was that I started looking at processor boards out there to make use - [Cottage Thermostat](https://www.scargill.net/cottage-thermostat/) - If you’ve been keeping up I’ve spent all my spare time recently getting to grips with the Arduino – which is in essence nothing more than a single-chip Micro with bootloader and a decent library of routines. We needed a better thermostat for Hollyberry Cottage and decided to “give it a go” – here’s the - [USB Charging Perils](https://www.scargill.net/usb-charging-perils/) - The lead and the power supply can make a considerable difference when it comes to USB charging - [A Trip to Jodrell Bank](https://www.scargill.net/a-trip-to-jodrell-bank/) - Peter Scargill on a visit to Jodrell Bank - [A Great Weekend in Almeria](https://www.scargill.net/a-great-weekend-other-than-lost-specs/) - Not much happening so I figured I’d tell you about our weekend. We’re currently enjoying spending time in Spain. On Friday we set off from Galera to see friends Angie and Dennis down to the area around Cuevas Del Almanzora, near VERA, in Almeria. One of the problems with Spain is… it’s big and in - [Apple TV2 Jailbroken](https://www.scargill.net/apple-tv2-jailbroken/) - Some time ago, I took my (then) Apple iPhone 3GS and jail-broke it. Why? Because I could and because I was sick of Orange trying to charge £10 a month for letting me share the 3G connection with my laptop. That’s all history now, Orange have been kicked into touch in favour of the vastly - [A break from Winter](https://www.scargill.net/a-break-from-winter/) - Just taking a short break from the cold misery of old Blighty (though to be fair it's not been THAT bad a winter). Here's a few shots of Embalse Del Negratin just outside of BAZA in Andalucía that I took this morning – and remember – this is FEBRUARY! The water's probably a little cold - [The Return to Rain](https://www.scargill.net/the-return-to-rain/) - After several weeks of flawless weather in Spain, it’s been a struggle getting back into the swing here in the UK where it is raining more often than not. Still I can always look over there using my cameras to remind me of the sun. Meanwhile, after months off due to a death in the - [At Home with Arduino and NRF24L01](https://www.scargill.net/at-home-with-arduino-and-nrf24l01/) - Peter Scargill describes using the NRF24L01 with Arduino - [Enjoying the Summer of 2014](https://www.scargill.net/enjoying-the-summer-of-2014/) - Lots of info on Facebook and the blog over at www.bedrock.es – right now, Maureen is off with her bad foot to Pilates down in Galera village – we managed a nice trip to Lake Negratin yesterday and last night I did the usual G8 thing, meeting the Brits down at the bar in the - [Beardless](https://www.scargill.net/beardless/) - Right now we’re in Spain (pop over and have a look at our Spanish blog or follow us on Facebook) and as such I recently, reluctantly agreed to shave off the beard (it’s grown back since). In the picture on the left you will see Simon – who convinced me after a few beers that - [The “Internet of Things”](https://www.scargill.net/the-internet-of-things/) - As this is now abuzz-phrase you’ll see littering the press, I thought I’d put in my two-pence worth on this “new” subject. The “Internet of Things” is a phrase used to describe things that can be controlled or monitored (or both) over the Internet. In 1962 I was too young to be aware of what - [Road Repairs and Northumberland County Council](https://www.scargill.net/road-repairs-and-northumberland-county-council/) - I’ve put this together to make it easy to ship a link to various people – the entire world if need be until I get a road near our property fixed. Initially I was told the road was owned by Alnwick Estates, they then absolutely insisted that they’d sold it to Northumberland County Council NCC - [Radio Networks](https://www.scargill.net/radio-networks/) - I had a really interesting conversation this evening with a pal who’s into electronics as much as me. I’ve been messing around with low-cost radio “mesh” networks which essentially give me the ability to read data and control outputs around the house wirelessly… For some time now, ever since the oil company tried to give - [Radio Remote Decoding](https://www.scargill.net/radio-remote-decoding-2/) - Another one for the techies I’m afraid…. Do you need to turn mains lights on and off but want to do it from, say and Atmel/Arduino-type setup instead of the standard remote controls you get with plug-in-the-wall mains switches? Then this might be for you. This is a variation of a blog I just put - [The Brussels Trip–June 2014](https://www.scargill.net/the-brussels-tripjune-2014/) - An early Summer trip to Brussels - [La Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/la-weekend-2/) - Two very successful days in a techie kind of way… and sorry, this one is just for techies… One of my big bug-bears with the Ethernet/radio interface for the home controller has always been the cheap short range radios as you know if you’ve followed my blogs. The NRF24L01 boards are just crap – ok, - [A week from Hell](https://www.scargill.net/a-week-from-hell/) - It’s been a reasonably awful week this week. Firstly I’m in holiday mode – as we’re off to Spain next week to do some work on the cave – so I’m basically counting the days. I spent the start of the week battling with a new service provider, the one I’m using for this and - [LED STRIP](https://www.scargill.net/led-strip/) - A friend of mine recently asked me to provide some information on LED STRIP and I thought I’d put a quick blog item together as the subject is likely to be of interest. “LED STRIP” is a name widely given to a product which is becoming increasingly important. As filament lamps are (thankfully) slowly being - [Cat Poo and other Delights](https://www.scargill.net/cat-poo-and-other-delights/) - I’m not NORMALLY prone to promoting particular brands – well, why should I? I don’t get paid… but in this case I’m going to make an exception – and I must clarify – this is purely for your information – I am NOT getting any benefit out of this nor do I even know the - [Aspirin in man-size bottles](https://www.scargill.net/aspirin-in-man-size-bottles/) - I have never understood the need to sell Aspirin in ever-decreasing size packs in the UK – other than the need to make more profit. Thankfully there is always America and now, after our 1000-Aspirin bottle has finally run out, several years after we bought it, Maureen has brought back some more man-size bottles. The - [Today’s project–Clothes-peg Gun](https://www.scargill.net/todays-projectclothes-peg-gun/) - This guy’s description of how to make a tiny gun out of a clothes peg is brilliant. Took me less than 10 minutes to make one which worked perfectly.You might want to play with distances to get more power but I could get 15-20 ft out of a toothpick no problem. Below is my first - [Of Phones and Stats](https://www.scargill.net/of-phones-and-stats/) - In the last blog entry I mentioned we were off to buy a Chinese mobile for Maureen. As is often the case that turned into a fiasco. We arrived at the guy’s house armed with cash and he presented the phone in a nice case and quickly demonstrated it – pointing out that the app - [A Week of Conference](https://www.scargill.net/a-week-of-conference/) - As the FSB’s conference week draws to a close it is worth noting the hard work that went into what for most is a 3 day affair – the Annual Conference and AGM. I went over there on Tuesday afternoon to take pictures of Manchester – sadly it rained solidly which limited that aspect but - [Scargill’s 60th Birthday](https://www.scargill.net/scargills-60th-birthday/) - 60th birthday and I officially go from middle-aged to ancient – a joyous occasion, well, it might have been had EASTERN AIRWAYS not screwed it up for me. The plan was to fly to Cardiff last night in time for a nice Indian dinner before embarking on a 3-day meeting session. I specifically booked flights - [A Busy Week](https://www.scargill.net/a-busy-week/) - What a busy week. It all started last Sunday when I was supposed to board a Newcastle plan to Brussels. I’m vice-chairman of an EU group handling the ICT area of a project called ESCO. Suffice it to say we meet regularly over there regularly. 4am on Sunday morning an email turned up from BA - [Prime Minister Live–Small Businesses](https://www.scargill.net/prime-minister-livesmall-businesses/) - Right now.. Prime Minister David Cameron - speech - LIVE NOW at FSB Policy Conference at j.mp/FSBLIVE #FSBSkills - [Logmein Replacement](https://www.scargill.net/logmein-replacement/) - And why would you want to replace Logmein? Because right about now… the free version is about to stop working. After many, many years the Logmein people have finally decided for whatever reason that they can’t support the community that has promoted them for so long and are going completely commercial. I use Logmein on - [A Weekend “Up North”](https://www.scargill.net/a-weekend-up-north/) - Spent part of the weekend up North with friends – here are a couple of photos I took while we were there – early in the morning – amazing how spending time in the countryside can cheer you up. I’m all set for my trip to Brussels this morning – though to be fair – - [Windows Technical Support](https://www.scargill.net/windows-technical-support/) - Well, that was good fun. This morning, Maureen received a call from "Windows Technical Support in London" - the third this week… and of course she knew it's a scam and passed the call to me to have some fun. An Indian lady responds to say that this is about virii on our computer. I - [Christmas Cheer](https://www.scargill.net/christmas-cheer/) - Had a pair of Jehovah's Witnesses over during the hols. I heard the knock on the door, opened it and “Hi.. don’t you think it’s terrible that people live their lives without Jesus” was their opening line. “We do” I said politely in my opening shot – at which point Maureen started griping about the - [Christmas 2013](https://www.scargill.net/christmas-2013-2/) - Another year draws toward it’s conclusion. We had a nice day today overall, got up late, in my case because I was up until 2.30am last night playing the excellent “Bioshock Ultimate” game on the PC – which I have to say is superb by any standards, action, imagination, imagery. We had some “home made” - [Christmas 2013](https://www.scargill.net/christmas-2013/) - So I was looking around for something new for the break, a new game perhaps when I stumbled across BioShock Infinite. This isn’t a new FPS game but it is different. I’d ignored it the first time around (when it cost a lot of money) but on seeing one of the screenshots such as the - [A Birthday, a Spanish Trip and more](https://www.scargill.net/a-birthday-a-spanish-trip-and-more/) - It’s Maureen’s birthday today and we’re off to get her a new tablet – the Samsung Note 10.1 2014 edition. Not to be confused with earlier lacklustre attempts from Samsung this thing has resolution vastly exceeding most modern flat-screen TVs at 2540 pixels across, effectively making the dots invisible even on close inspection. Add to - [A trip to Izmir in Turkey](https://www.scargill.net/a-trip-to-izmir-in-turkey/) - Peter Scargill visiting Izmir in Turkey with ESBA - [A Trip to the Channel Islands](https://www.scargill.net/a-trip-to-the-channel-islands/) - Peter Scargill on a cruise to the Channel Islands with ITDF - [Life and Belgium Chocolate](https://www.scargill.net/life-and-belgium-chocolate/) - Peter Scargill visiting Brussels in Belgium and enjoying the chocolate - [A short trip to Brussels](https://www.scargill.net/a-short-trip-to-brussels/) - I’ve been quite in here as we’ve had more than our fair share of bad luck recently and it’s still going on with a friend’s mum just dying last night. Last time I was here in Brussels, it was the middle of summer and hot. Now, it’s a lot cooler and wet – but still - [Have a better one](https://www.scargill.net/have-a-better-one/) - It’s been one of those days today. After a late start due to overdoing the wine the night before while chatting via Skype to a pal overseas (and in a different time zone – hence the 3am finish) I wasn’t feeling particularly lucky. My Internet connection had been acting up for the last couple of - [Cronus 3-S Digital Stopwatch… a Decent Burial](https://www.scargill.net/cronus-3-s-digital-stopwatch-a-decent-burial/) - A decent burial for the Cronus 3 stopwatch - [The Winter Commeth](https://www.scargill.net/the-winter-commeth/) - I don’t know about you but I HATE winters. We’ve spent the summer here in Galera and even when it’s raining the temperature rarely falls below 23c and is usually 10c higher. It’s been a great summer but reality sets in and the weather is starting to show cracks – there’s been the odd cloud - [A Perfect Day](https://www.scargill.net/a-perfect-day-2/) - Maureen and I went to lake Negratin today with our good Friends Aidan and Helen – today was their last day here and they’re driving off very first thing in the morning back to the UK. It rained this evening but it is most likely that the weather will pick up tomorrow so Maureen and - [Reading Dallas DS18B20 chips quickly](https://www.scargill.net/reading-dallas-ds18b20-chips-quickly/) - One for the techies In between enjoying the sun, painting and keeping up with FSB work, I’ve been working on my home control hardware and software while here in Spain – and I’ve been constantly battling to ensure that various sensors in use don’t get in the way of the NRF24L01 radio links which need - [The Rain in Spain](https://www.scargill.net/the-rain-in-spain/) - Yes, it IS raining – first time since we got here and probably the last. In general – it’s been around 36c mid-day most days – absolutely LOVELY in other words… if you want to keep up with us while we’re in Spain – meanwhile we have friends looking after the house and I have - [Packing](https://www.scargill.net/packing/) - I don’t remember such a frantic week. From Wark I went off to Blackpool, then to Birmingham and then to Manchester, in the process taking something like 120 photos of staff, solving technical issues, chairing a talk on social media, seeing the results of a pretty awful accident and enjoying (sometimes not enjoying) the best - [Ready for the Off](https://www.scargill.net/ready-for-the-off/) - After a very enjoyable trip to Brussels I’ve been working this week on my usual FSB email mountain and spending every spare hour up at the cottage in Bellingham doing repairs and upgrades. Today as well as solving people’s problems, I’m starting to put together my tech pack for Spain not to mention copying massive - [The Brussels Trip](https://www.scargill.net/the-brussels-trip-2/) - In an unusual break from my FSB activities, this week I headed off to Brussels to perform my duties as vice-chairman of the EESCO ICT group. This is a small-pan-European group involved in creating a language-independent reference for jobs, skills and qualifications in ICT – not a trivial task and something that will run for - [Packaging](https://www.scargill.net/packaging/) - A company offering free samples of components just sent me 4 items.. very nice of them too. But look at the packaging (which meant they had to leave the stuff with the neighbours). - [Home Control over the Internet](https://www.scargill.net/home-control-over-the-internet-2/) - Updated July 5, 2013 This article is about a practical home control system for the enthusiast and is being updated as new developments come along. Combining extremely low cost radio and inexpensive Ethernet, the system allows for mobile phone or tablet access to a range of items including lamp control (on/off/fade), temperature monitoring (and thermostatic - [Could this be the future of Tablets? The Samsung ATIV-Q](https://www.scargill.net/could-this-be-the-future-of-tablets-the-samsung-ativ-q/) - Just as you thought people were running out of new ideas, the launch of the Samsung Ativ-Q. This company really is on a roll at the minute. Very thin, VERY powerful and amazingly running Windows 8 - with Android 4.2 running as an APP (clever) at full speed (and with interaction between the two - [Another fine day in Spain](https://www.scargill.net/another-fine-day-in-spain/) - It’s certainly not peak summer weather but with the temperature topping at 25c today with clear skies for most of it, certainly a relaxing day. The solitude part (that never was) of my trip is over, tomorrow I pick up Maureen and some new gadgets (more on that later). Today I did very little, got - [The future’s not bright with THREE either](https://www.scargill.net/the-futures-not-bright-with-three-either/) - I have just had the most terrible afternoon at the hands of THREE – with what is laughingly called “Customer support”. After having owned an iPhone 4 with THREE for two years it came time a few weeks ago to upgrade the phone. I chose the Samsung Galaxy S4. This was promised for 26th of - [Peter Scargill elected as FSB National IT Chairman](https://www.scargill.net/peter-scargill-elected-as-fsb-national-it-chairman/) - Another year goes by, they seem to get shorter every time. We're sitting in the FSB's annual elections and I've just been re-elected as National IT Committee Chairman (unopposed) for another year. This allows me to continue the many IT projects I'm working on and also to continue my work in Communications within the organisation. - [A very pleasant day](https://www.scargill.net/a-very-pleasant-day/) - I travelled down to London yesterday for the Internet show in Earl’s court. Long overdue for catching up with the latest due to being bogged down with work most of the time, I took a member of my committee along with me to go see what’s new and hopefully bring home some new ideas. We - [A Week in Leicester](https://www.scargill.net/a-week-in-leicester/) - The highlight of the week for me has to be having met Toyah Wilcox – amazing experience. She was about to go live on stage at the FSB Annual Conference… and we met up in the holding room first for introductions. Amazingly pleasant and despite crutches due to an injury she put the effort in - [Bejewelled Blitz–Tactics](https://www.scargill.net/bejewelled-blitztactics/) - I’m often asked how I manage high scores every now and then on Bejewelled Blitz on Facebook. For those not in the know, this is a great game that takes exactly one minute to play – and is your classic colour matching game. So here’s the deal. Always get your daily spin. You might get - [A Sunny Weekend in Wark and Google+ Business Pages](https://www.scargill.net/a-sunny-weekend-in-wark-and-google-business-pages/) - It’s amazing what a spot of sunshine can do… solar lights that have been in hibernation for months suddenly spring to life… the lamp on the right hasn’t been this bright since it came out of the box. In reality it’s so good it’s almost worth drilling a little hole through the corner of the - [Far Cry 3 Coming Soon](https://www.scargill.net/far-cry-3-coming-soon/) - I’m so excited.. I can’t wait.. Warning – non-family-friendly language in the video. Far Cry 3 Update April 1, 2013 – What can I say, it took me weeks to get through the game and I had trouble focussing on anything else during that time – absolutely marvellous scenery and atmosphere. WELL worth buying. - [Technology](https://www.scargill.net/technology/) - Don’t you just love technology – especially when it goes wrong. Some time ago now, having discovered that Google Alerts doesn’t really work that well any more – probably due to Google getting rid of the Google Reader…. I switched to another program – and cancelled Alerts I had in my name (they kept getting - [La Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/la-weekend/) - An early start this morning – had to drop Maureen off at the airport as she’s off to see her mum for a couple of weeks, leaving me to look after two lots of cats! Just watch the Russians getting to the Space station in 6 hours – fantastic. I just received this “In view - [Solar lights and the angle of the sun](https://www.scargill.net/solar-lights-and-the-angle-of-the-sun/) - Hi! You might find this interesting.. it’s not rocket science but plenty of people would argue otherwise. Have you noticed that NEARLY all garden solar lights have the solar cell FLAT on the top – i.e. not angled to the sun but level. I can only imagine this is for ease of manufacture or style - [Back in the land of Snow and Rain](https://www.scargill.net/the-last-stand/) - Well, that was an interesting week - starting in Alicante we headed off to our place in Galera for the week, meeting new neighbours and enjoying spending time with friends over there. I would not call it a holiday in the sun as the weather was changeable but there's no comparing it to the miserable - [Satellite Broadband](https://www.scargill.net/satellite-broadband/) - I was recently asked to trial satellite broadband by a service provider. In some ways I’m the ideal target for this because despite living in a rural area, I have broadband already – two broadband setups in fact, one is a fully-fledged version, unlimited use but limited in speed to around 6 Mbps download and - [A Very Busy Week](https://www.scargill.net/a-very-busy-week/) - I’ve had an extremely full (and generally exciting) week which has only just finished last night - starting on Tuesday with a series of meetings in London. On Tuesday night I was part of the black-tie FSB annual Chairman’s Dinner - a grand affair with guests including Vince Cable and George Osborne. Some of the - [Dell Technology Camp – the Think Tank](https://www.scargill.net/dell-technology-camp-the-think-tank/) - Yesterday, I set off first thing in the morning to Newcastle Airport on my way to becoming (representing the Federation of Small Businesses) one of a small team of people from various parts of Europe, discussing small business IT issues in the Dell “Think Tank”, held this morning at the Westergasfabriek in Polonceaukade in Amsterdam. - [A late Winter?](https://www.scargill.net/a-late-winter/) - by Peter Scargill I remember a couple of years ago, about this time – I was stuck in the house for a week due to horrendous snow. Here’s a reminder of it… great fun for cats, not much fun for the rest of us. Well, despite warnings, we got about an inch of snow this - [A foggy start to the day](https://www.scargill.net/a-foggy-start-to-the-day/) - Onto my third FSB-meeting-fest day in Blackpool and after an early evening last night, an early start this morning. Knowing I'd be spending the rest of the day in a stuffy room full of directors where we mull over serious stuff for hours and hours, I got up first thing and went out with the - [A Happy New Year to All](https://www.scargill.net/a-happy-new-year-to-all/) - Today we spent the day at our holiday cottage – having reserved it for a few days – we often travel abroad but this year we thought it would be nice to stay local. Not ones for organised partying we were at the Cheviot in Bellingham a few weeks ago and made a booking for - [Amazing Anamorphic Illusion](https://www.scargill.net/amazing-anamorphic-illusion/) - Watch this - amazing Watch this–but then watch again and this time check out the first zoom in on the sellotape – he’s cheating – that WAS a real roll of blue tape – note the brick behind it. - [Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Tablet Cheap](https://www.scargill.net/samsung-galaxy-tab-2-10-1-tablet-cheap/) - How to get the bargain of the year (UK only) – but don’t mess about as it’s almost over. The Samsung tablet is not one of the most advanced in the world – the Nexus 7 for example out-performs it and the Apple iPad blows it away – however what makes this tablet so special - [Educating Parents](https://www.scargill.net/educating-parents/) - Ok, I’ll grant you it’s a little unseasonable – but then as we’ve had this Christmas stuff shoved down our throats for the last couple of months – mainly thanks to commerce, I found this particularly funny. Educating parents about Jesus - [Upgrading old broken Christmas decorations](https://www.scargill.net/upgrading-old-broken-christmas-decorations/) - It was one of those crappy white plastic window decorations with a dozen or so filament lamps that you could hardly make out what it was…(and which used to pack in frequently) and so, after getting the Christmas lights out of the loft and doing the usual sift through for duffers, this one ended up - [New pics of grandkids](https://www.scargill.net/new-pics-of-grandkids-2/) - See grandkids page. New pics. - [The Changing World of the Web](https://www.scargill.net/the-changing-world-of-the-web/) - I’ve been doing some research for the FSB and I thought I’d put down some information I’ve picked up – all of this is bang up to date. Amazing as it seems, up to a third of the world has Internet access. That might not sound a lot but think of the people who will - [Know-Nothing?](https://www.scargill.net/know-nothing/) - In the second week of November 2012 I took my new Asus Transformer T300 tablet (bought in September) to PC World in Gateshead for repair. It would not charge, that’s all. I had an idea the lead might be duff – but amazingly, the “KnowHow” department at PC World did not have Asus any leads - [DIY Smart TV](https://www.scargill.net/diy-smart-tv/) - If you have a bang-up-to-date expensive Smart TV – just ignore this. Otherwise if you’re on Sky HD you might find this useful. For some time now, having given up on toys such as the Apple TV box and similar and while pondering the new Android box, I’ve been running a laptop (for lack of - [Interesting Video about Social Media and it’s Impact](https://www.scargill.net/interesting-video-about-social-media-and-its-impact/) - Social Media Impact - [An Eventful Week](https://www.scargill.net/an-eventful-week/) - Actually, Eventful month, more like it! Between trips to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland as a guest of ESBA (European Small Business Alliance) where I visited Google’s HQ down there and managed a trip around the Guinness factory, then onto Spain for a short “break” (Alicante, Murcia, Mojacar, Galera, Malaga) then back up to - [A quiet day at home](https://www.scargill.net/a-quiet-day-at-home/) - Between endless meetings and a holiday, I’ve not spent a lot of time at home recently and this coming week will be no exception. I’m not looking forward to travelling up to Edinburgh for endless meetings- not least because it will be freezing cold up there. The cats certainly noticed my absense – my two - [Once a tax-payer, always a fool?](https://www.scargill.net/once-a-tax-payer-always-a-fool/) - I’ve been working now for something like 42 years without a break, that is I’ve never claimed dole and for some of that period, in addition to financing the national health I paid for private medicine merely to try to minimise any down-time if I was ill (because really that’s all that actually happens with - [Mobile and Broadband Coverage in Northumberland](https://www.scargill.net/mobile-and-broadband-coverage-in-northumberland/) - A short update (with video) on a couple of items of interest to those in Northumberland - and in the case of THREE mobile users, those with coverage issues everywhere. http://scargill.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/the-three-home-signal-box/ - [A Magnesium-based Society? Possible?](https://www.scargill.net/a-magnesium-based-society-possible/) - The video demonstrates Japanese research aimed at using a solar-powered laser to recycle used Magnesium This is amazing – see the video - if they can pull this off–look at the stats for how much magnesium there is in the world – and now they have a high-power laser that works from the sun. - [A Great Day at the Hexham Eating Festival](https://www.scargill.net/a-great-day-at-the-hexham-eating-festival/) - After passing through the Hexham Farmers market we headed off past the church to the Hexham Eating Festival. Well, not so much a festival as a load of stands with food and some (very nice) vintage cars…. non-the-less the park in Hexham was really alive this afternoon – thanks partly to the weather and probably - [Exploding Telegraph Pole Brightens up the Morning](https://www.scargill.net/exploding-telegraph-pole-brightens-up-the-morning/) - 9:15am Saturday morning – noticing lights flickering and finally dying, residents of Elliott Terrace witnessed an amazing event as despite the calm, dry weather, a telegraph pole half way up the street burst into flames quickly followed by a series of explosions. Within minutes the entire top end of the pole was engulfed in flame. - [La Long Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/la-long-weekend/) - It’s been one hell of a weekend – week, even– I’ve been in meetings since Tuesday through this afternoon (yes, on a Sunday) with only a few hours break in the middle and I’m completely exhausted. I got home tonight and Maureen and I started to catch up with “Falling Skies” (series 2) – I - [A Very Annoying THREE](https://www.scargill.net/a-very-annoying-three/) - It has to be said so I will.. “against my better judgement” my wife bought an HTC ONE X recently from THREE. I’d suggested an iPhone but no, she wanted Android. The move to THREE was partly my fault – as I’d ditched Orange as they kept backtracking with their “unlimited data” offering and generally - [Quiet in here?](https://www.scargill.net/quiet-in-here/) - It’s only quiet in here because I’m doing my updating in the www.bedrock.es site right now – come on over and take a look.. - [Sunday Trading – more, not less, please](https://www.scargill.net/sunday-trading-more-not-less-please/) - Many moons ago there was a time in the UK when most of the shops were closed in England on Sunday. As a non-religious person I used to get bored to death on Sundays, about the best you could do was to visit an over-priced garden centre or go to the beach. Today of course - [The Summer of Sun](https://www.scargill.net/a-lovely-sunday-at-the-lake/) - Entries in here in August are likely to be thin on the ground as we’re in Spain now for the duration. If you want to head over to the Spanish blog site you’ll find I’m keeping that up to date. Here’s a typical (though ever so slightly hazy) sunset in Galera where we’re currently enjoying - [Japanese Cargo Ship Success](https://www.scargill.net/japanese-cargo-ship-success/) - Amazingly while many of us were getting excited that Space-X had finally put America back in the launch business after the demise of the shuttle program, quietly (at least, I certainly missed it and I check BBC news website every day) the Japanese have just sent their own ship off to the Space Station!! Not - [How Evil Are We? The Eli Roth Experiments](https://www.scargill.net/hoe-evil-are-we/) - In the 1960s an experiment was undertaken to determine if the Nazis really were evil or, if in the right circumstances anyone could perform evil acts under simple instruction. Psychologist Stanley Milgram performed a series of experiments in which test subjects were instructed to electrocute another person in increasing doses. The world was horrified (well, - [A Day in London](https://www.scargill.net/a-day-in-london/) - After a trip to the House of Commons on Monday night (the FSB's "Summer Reception" wherein we met with politicians from both sides of the house for informal conversation on issues close to small businesses" and meetings first thing Tuesday I found myself with a few hours to spare before today's director's meeting. A bunch - [Public transport–no thanks](https://www.scargill.net/public-transportno-thanks/) - Tonight after a long meeting I took off from our offices in Catherine Place in London for the train. As the weather was showing signs of improving and with the traffic likely to be bottlenecked at teatime I made the mistake of taking the underground. If you've not tried the London underground at peak times… - [Froot Loops or not–Sadly–NOT](https://www.scargill.net/froot-loops-or-notsadlynot/) - Here is a letter I’ve just sent off to Tescos and to Kelloggs… I would like to complain BITTERLY about the product I bought yesterday at Tescos in Hexham, Northumberland. The product is CALLED “Kelloggs Froot Loops” – and bears NO RESEMBLANCE to the Froot Loops I first enjoyed several years ago in the USA - [A Trip to the Curve in Leicester](https://www.scargill.net/a-trip-to-the-curve-in-leicester/) - As part of a multi-purpose trip to Lancaster this week I had a meeting at the CURVE Theatre. Thought you might like to see some pics of the Curve itself and the surrounding area including the local market. We stayed at a nearby hotel – the Mercure – nothing too ostentatious… Within walking distance of - [Global warming my backside](https://www.scargill.net/global-warming-my-backside-2/) - Constant, never-ending, ceaseless, relentless, continuous,incessant, eternal,non-stop, uninterrupted rain. I'll bet they're still on a hosepipe ban down south. Another week of this and I’ll be potty by the time we go on holiday… this is what we Brits are missing.. central Spain forecast for the next week.. notice “chance of rain” at ZERO… fortunately I’m - [Life without a car](https://www.scargill.net/midweek-blues/) - We're over in Spain right now enjoying the SUPERB weather – 33c mid-afternoon and dry as a bone with a slight breeze – what more could you ask for. Well a car for one thing… the car packed in on the way here on Saturday and it's been in the shop ever since. Between that - [Faster Rural Broadband for Rich Shoppers](https://www.scargill.net/faster-rural-broadband-for-rich-shoppers/) - Mr Graham Jones, Labour MP for Hyndburn, Lancashire is attributed this weekend to saying that "Faster Rural broadband will only help rich shop online". That's according to The Daily Telegraph, Saturday 1st of June. Is it REALLY that possible to be so stupid as to make such a comment or is it possible Mr Jones - [Track and Tax](https://www.scargill.net/track-and-tax/) - The proposed scheme to "track and tax" motorists per mile has several important and fundamental flaws. The idea that the government would remove tax from Petrol and Diesel and fairly charge according to conjection is laughable. Their assumption is that we trust them to do this whereas in fact we all know the charges would - [UFOs... Load of old ROT?](https://www.scargill.net/ufosload-of-old-rot/) - I’ve been thinking about aliens and UFOs recently – mainly because every time I go channel-hopping on Sky there’s some conspiracy program or other trying to prove the government is covering things up. I’m afraid after many years of thinking about this subject, I’ve come to the conclusion that UFOs fit into the same categories - [JavaScript, JQuery and Leading Browsers– behavioural differences](https://www.scargill.net/javascript-jquery-and-leading-browsers-behavioural-differences/) - It’s the second decade of the 21st century and the browser manufacturers STILL can’t agree on standards. Here’s a simple piece of coding – almost too simple – it uses the JQUERY library (not shown) to simplify cross-browser coding. function alertMsg() { var gm=”/admin/ajax_keepalive.asp”; $.get( gm, function(data) { $(“#myTimer”).html(data); } ); var t=setTimeout(alertMsg,10000); - [Sun is out and your solar lights are shot](https://www.scargill.net/sun-is-out-and-your-solar-lights-are-shot/) - It’s that time of the year, the sun is coming out, it’s time to get out and sort the garden – you’re thinking those B&Q solar lights you bought will at long last, once again be springing to life.. and…. no, I GUARANTEE if you’re reading this and you have solar lights, at least one - [Froot Loops](https://www.scargill.net/fruity-loops/) - Some years ago, Maureen and I stayed at the Conrad Hilton in Chicago. This was at the height of my business travel using the Hiltons (which I rarely do now as I don’t think the general ones are up to much) – and accordingly I had a Hilton Gold “HHonors” card.. which doesn’t mean a - [Anyone for Pie? The Raspberry is on it’s way](https://www.scargill.net/anyone-for-pie-the-raspberry-is-on-its-way/) - I’m not normally prone to stopping up until 4am and I am about to give up for the night – but the Raspberry Pi has been 3 months in arriving thanks to various delays – and I received notice today that it’s on it’s way – which I’m assuming means it’ll turn up in the - [Ice-Cream Anyone? The new white HTC ONE X](https://www.scargill.net/ice-cream-anyone-the-new-white-htc-one-x/) - Against my better judgement (but then it’s usually that way) my wife, desperate for a new phone and frustrated by continued delays with the forthcoming Samsung S3, decided today was going to be the day she got her new phone and so off we went to the Metro Centre in Gateshead. She headed to the - [EU Cookie Directive](https://www.scargill.net/eu-cookie-directive/) - The EU cookie directive basically says that you should allow people the option NOT to accept cookies from you. This is the most ridiculous trash that our European Politicians and UK gold-platers have come up with to date. Firstly they decimate our smallest electronics companies with the CE regulations, then they hinder everyone except real - [Another year as National IT Chairman](https://www.scargill.net/another-year-a-national-it-chairman/) - I now start another year as the National IT Chairman of the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses). We had our elections recently and though I was not opposed there is always the option to vote "none of the above" and I'm pleased to say that only a tiny percentage chose that option in my case. - [Cookies - the New Legislation](https://www.scargill.net/cookies-the-new-legislation/) - The UK goverment is once again dropping us in it with the cookie directive though for now we have a reprieve. Join the conversation. - [To Ubuntu or not to Ubuntu](https://www.scargill.net/to-ubuntu-or-not-to-ubuntu/) - Why Ubuntu? One of the less pleasant aspects of my "part time but in reality fully time career" in the not-for-profit sector is to make decisions about things like how long to keep computer equipment. Realistically in an organisation with many computers, you have to have a policy. There was a time when we kept - [Science 1 : Malaria 0 ?](https://www.scargill.net/science-1-malaria-0/) - Is this it? Do we now have a solution for Malaria and possibly more? Judge for yourself – this short and very interesting video is well worth watching. - [Project Production Line](https://www.scargill.net/project-production-line/) - It’s been a quiet weekend up to now, got my grandson over, last night we had WAY too much to drink with friends so I’ve been hiding away in my office with the soldering iron to recover. The Internet Thermostat is sitting testing 24/7 – I’m determined to leave it for a couple of weeks - [Kittens](https://www.scargill.net/kittens/) - We’ve had kittens! Not much more to say at this point… 3 kittens, can only have appeared between me going to sleep at 3.30am this morning and getting up now at 10am.. - [The Forthcoming Postal Increases](https://www.scargill.net/the-forthcoming-postal-increases/) - The more I think about this, the more I think we should be banging on post office doors with banners and slogans and... Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it –post office want to put up the price of stamps by a whopping 30%. Who cares, we all use email, right? Wrong.. think about all the cheap - [Sunny Scarborough](https://www.scargill.net/sunny-scarborough/) - This week I’m in Scarborough for the week – the FSB’s annual conference – it’s my job as IT Chairman to ensure we report everything that is going on – and I have a team of staff to do that but the really techy stuff – video on demand, imagery etc. is run by a - [Copper the Catalyst and Nail Varnish Remover](https://www.scargill.net/copper-the-catalyst-and-nail-varnish-remover/) - This may well not be new to you – or you might not be the experimenting type – in which case look no further. Copper is a catalyst, that is something that speeds up a reaction but does not suffer in the process… so examples like platinum catalysts in cars come to mind. This one - [Life as Normal](https://www.scargill.net/life-as-normal/) - I’m looking out of the window and wishing I was in the sun… though to be fair, it’s not that cold today, yet. In-between bouts of database work for the Fed, I had a trip to the docs as my foot keeps giving me trouble, so now I’ve a load of exercises to do, reckons - [A morning at the lake](https://www.scargill.net/a-morning-at-the-lake/) - Maureen and I spend the morning at "Embalse Del Negratin" this morning, enjoying the sun in preparation for a trip to rainy blighty…. got our list of things to do including getting a spare key for the Spanish car, fixing the Skype phone (who's battery has inexplicably gone dead) and checking out Ikea to see - [Watching your Favourite Movies on Holiday](https://www.scargill.net/watching-your-favourite-movies-on-holiday/) - Since the release of NetFlix in the UK (for American readers – we know – we're miles behind on this) I've been avidly catching up on movies I've missed and old TV shows. How? Well, Netflix is a streaming video service which not only has movies like LoveFilm but also has many hundreds of TV - [You don’t have to be Religious to be Good](https://www.scargill.net/you-dont-have-to-be-religious-to-be-good/) - I found this interesting – not new but confirms other materials I’ve read on the subject – lifted straight from the Chicago Tribune…writer Steve Chapman American culture is sick, and secularism is the cause. Such is the contention of religious conservatives such as Rick Santorum, who insist that feminism, sexual freedom and gay rights have - [Quality of BBC Reporting – Led Lighting](https://www.scargill.net/quality-of-bbc-reporting-led-lighting/) - Some day the BBC will get it right. In “LEDs offer a brighter future, says report” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16199552 the BBC report on a field trial of the “new technology” of LED lighting. In it the report states the millions of Kilowatt hours that can be saved and paints a wonderful picture of LED lighting which it - [Blistering Antarctic](https://www.scargill.net/blistering-antarctic/) - The title may be slightly over the top, but we have had some pretty poor weather here in Wark and indeed the Northeast over the past few days. To press the point, here’s a picture I took over the weekend. We were on our way over to Bolam for lunch and spotted this uprooted tree. - [Wet and Ruined Solar Lights](https://www.scargill.net/wet-and-ruined-solar-lights/) - After buying another set of solar lights from B&Q only to throw two of them away today because the rain got into them – I’ve sent a letter off to them to complain – first time I’ve ever done that to B&Q. No doubt I’ll get a response back along the lines of "”very few - [Orange Crappy Modems](https://www.scargill.net/orange-crappy-modems/) - Despite my own issues with Orange as a phone company, Maureen has her own longstanding account and continues to use them – the reason is simple – as an Orange mobile customer, for a while they were offering home broadband for a fiver, including free calls (VOIP phone) to /orange mobiles. As our mobile phones - [The Future could not be further from Orange](https://www.scargill.net/the-future-could-not-be-further-from-orange/) - Even when I was WITH Orange they could never get it right – and now that I’ve LEFT them they STILL can’t get it right. Until recently times I’ve had an Orange mobile phone since, oh, well, last century. I’ve never had a signal in Wark but we live in home and from time to - [Weird Sounds of a slowed-down Modem](https://www.scargill.net/weird-sounds-of-a-slowed-down-modem/) - Listen to this – a modem slowed down 700% – it’s WEIRD. - [Science… is it necessary?](https://www.scargill.net/science-is-it-necessary/) - This afternoon I happened to stumble upon this recent recording of the BBC with Professor Brian Cox http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9622000/9622751.stm The subject matter was interesting and Brian Cox is emerging as a great orator, the kind of person we really need to reverse the current trend away from scientific thinking and back to mysticism which I personally - [Retail versus the Web](https://www.scargill.net/retail-versus-the-web/) - Never let it be said I don’t try to shop retail…. After a tip-off that Asda have a Bluetooth keyboard the same width as the iPad, I put my Apple keypad on eBay and planned a trip to Gateshead for the weekend to get the new keypad – along with a replacement soldering iron bit - [Dolly Parton Concert at the Metro Radio Arena](https://www.scargill.net/dolly-parton-concert-at-the-metro-radio-arena/) - Let me start by saying I have no interest in Dolly Parton – I’m a Rush/Yes/Pink Floyd kind of person myself, BUT she’s one of Maureen’s favourites to I agreed to go along, quite prepared to be bored silly all night. I’m not about to go out and buy her records as I think she - [Incidental Pictures from Spain and France](https://www.scargill.net/incidental-pictures-from-spain-and-france/) - Just a bunch of assorted images that didn’t make it into the Spanish Blog the first time around. From our summer visit to Spain and France. These images will all expand if you click on them. Hover for descriptions – which also show in the expanded versions. - [A Storm Brewing…](https://www.scargill.net/a-storm-brewing/) - The image above is not doctored AT ALL – it is merely a panorama – several shots stitched together. This was taken early evening in Galera in Andalucía near the end of August this year - the weather was changing from the normal super hot summer to a brief storm. I don’t think I’ve ever - [A Nice Corner of Britain – Sandbach](https://www.scargill.net/a-nice-corner-of-britain-sandbach/) - Yesterday, having returned from our trip to Spain, we needed somewhere for dinner while staying at Cranage Hall in Cheshire. Purely by luck we decided to take a trip to Sandbach and I suggest anyone travelling take a look in. We had dinner at the old Barn which has just recently become a restaurant – - [A Simple Facebook App – August 2011](https://www.scargill.net/my-first-facebook-app-2/) - This is about my first Facebook App - up and running. Content management system, the works. Now why did I put the date in there – because every time I went looking for help about Facebook APPS – it was out of date! All I have to do now is get the number of LIKES - [Big Brother: 5-minute guide to cameras on the cheap!](https://www.scargill.net/big-brother-5-minute-guide-to-cameras-on-the-cheap/) - One of the problems of owning a place in another country – is keeping an eye on it. I guess this really applies to anyone with two properties – or perhaps an SME with a small office or factory unit. Not everyone can afford expensive cameras and most people would not have a clue - [Brain Control? Science Fiction?](https://www.scargill.net/brain-control-science-fiction/) - This is so impressive. We might not have colonies on the moon but the 21st century isn’t doing so bad up to now… if only we could manage climate control as well… Controlling Brains! - [The Future’s Bright, the Future’s THREE](https://www.scargill.net/the-futures-bright-the-futures-three/) - As regular readers will know I’ve been struggling with Orange incompetence for years now, if it’s not been poor customer service, it’s been lack of signal (there is no Orange signal in my village, hasn’t been for the last decade and now I understand they have no plans to do anything about this – despite - [The Lincolnshire Trip](https://www.scargill.net/the-lincolnshire-trip/) - It’s been a very long week this week and quite an interesting one. On Tuesday I packed my bags for a journey that would start in Lincolnshire and end in Brussels. Mid-morning I packed my bags ready for the journey, trying to pack the minimum amount as part of the journey would involve flying. After - [The Brussels Trip](https://www.scargill.net/the-brussels-trip/) - Following on from my trip to Lincoln, the next part of my week involved hopping onto the Eastern train down to Kings Cross – making the hop to the Chunnel and on to Brussels to attend various meetings hosted by ESBA (the European Small Business Alliance). Of course, when I moved to THREE for mobile, - [Coming home for the Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/coming-home-for-the-weekend/) - It’s an interesting afternoon, I’m coming back from London Kings Cross on the 3pm from KK. Having been to a meeting this morning I ended up with an hour to spare and ventured into FOYLES bookshop in London – their technology section beats the pants off the competition (in the case of Newcastle and Gateshead - [A pleasant trip](https://www.scargill.net/a-pleasant-trip/) - Pop over to the Bedrock site – we’ve had a nice, stress-busting trip away to Spain for a few days. - [Harold Camping–Totally Fruit and Nut](https://www.scargill.net/harold-campingtotally-fruit-and-nut/) - If someone makes a racial statement that could upset as few as one person – they get into trouble – and rightly so (though right now that often usually only applies to the good guys) – but if someone predicts the end of the world, gets that message onto national media in the sure knowledge - [The end of the Weekend](https://www.scargill.net/the-end-of-the-weekend/) - Bit of an update really rather than something new… the weather this weekend kept up – i.e. it was sunny – but hardly record-breaking – a tad cool out of the sun in fact, so I did my bit and went to B&Q for some stones for the garden but actually having had success with - [A quiet Weekend without the Royal](https://www.scargill.net/a-quiet-weekend-without-the-royal/) - Ok, I’ll admit, I have nothing against the royal family and no interest either. They fascinate me about as much as does football, rugby and tennis – which is, well, not. So today with no chance of getting any serious work done and not one to sit around doing nothing (plenty of time for that - [Unbelievable Weather, unbelievable Adobe](https://www.scargill.net/unbelievable-weather/) - It’s hard to believe the weather we’re having here in the Northeast… it’s been sunny now for over a week – and to keep the gardeners happy and keep the air fresh, it has conveniently rained overnight twice only to return to full sunshine in the morning. I remember “April showers” when I was younger, - [Jailbreak iPhone 3GS (later model) with IOS 4.3.2](https://www.scargill.net/jailbreak-iphone-3gs-later-model-with-ios-4-3-2/) - For many years I used Microsoft’s Smartphones and 18 months ago I took the plunge and moved to iPhone, which apart from the odd yearning for Android I’ve never really regretted. The one thing that REALLY gets me annoyed when I think about it is the inability to share my connection from my Orange iPhone - [A New Merc for a new Era](https://www.scargill.net/a-new-merc-for-a-new-era/) - The iPad2 wasn’t the only upgrade this month, yesterday we took my venerable 140,000-miles Mercedes e-class to the dealer in York and exchanged it for a new(ish) black model. More modern and efficient, it’s not as gadgety as the original would have been in it’s prime but being several years newer and in considerable better - [IOS 4.3 is Here– Speed up your iPad](https://www.scargill.net/ios-4-3-is-here-2/) - Somewhat earlier than expected, Apple’s latest IOS release is up and running – simply head off to iTunes to grab the software and update your i-device. Upgrading the iPhone 3GS was simple – a matter of a few minutes download and off we go. Despite some issues with a cheap Chinese cable I bought, the - [Another eventful day](https://www.scargill.net/another-eventful-day/) - After an early start (over-enthusiastic alarm going off at 6.30am I headed off for Worcestershire – a leisurely 4-hour drive (for a driver with an attention span of around 2.5 hours). I made good time until I actually got there – then sat in a traffic jam for half an hour! The purpose of the - [You could not make this stuff up….](https://www.scargill.net/you-could-not-make-this-stuff-up/) - I can’t honestly remember a more stressful or more comical day than today… you couldn’t dream this stuff up… After 2 days of struggling with dodgy broadband, I got up this morning, the plan being to hold a video conference at 11am. We use a package called ooVoo as it handle multiple video locations (Skype - [Rupert Murdoch’s Daily–US ONLY–BBC didn’t seem to grasp](https://www.scargill.net/rupert-murdochs-dailyus-onlybbc-didnt-seem-to-grasp/) - I’ve been sitting getting annoyed about the coverage that the BBC has given Rupert Murdoch’s “The Daily” when it’s not even available here as it’s US-ONLY. Worse, they’ve closed the comments section so you can’t have a go at some of the more challenged writers who think the web is free… the BBC’s website certainly - [A Nice Evening in London](https://www.scargill.net/a-nice-evening/) - As promised, here’s a picture of the FSB’s annual Chairman’s Dinner in London… a very pleasant evening… Vince Cable was the main speaker – I spent the evening talking to my table guests but not one to be shy, I made sure I got a decent photo with Mr Cable to add to my collection - [Stargazing](https://www.scargill.net/stargazing/) - I’m guessing now that the weather is starting to improve, the stargazing community will be out in force, especially with the news that six exoplanets have been discovered in close orbit around a far-flung star, not that we’ve a hope of EVER actually getting near it…. 2,000 light-years should ensure that never happens… Bring on - [Royal Mail – Britain’s Last Great Joke](https://www.scargill.net/royal-mail-britains-last-great-joke/) - You would think that under the threat of the Internet, the Post Office would be trying to make itself more attractive but now – along comes the news that in April, anyone sick of waiting for the postman to turn up – which can in some cases be as late as 3pm, is going to - [A Grim Winter’s Morning](https://www.scargill.net/a-grim-winters-morning/) - Generally speaking I tend to be enthusiastic about life… not today… it’s cold and miserable outside… I started the day getting up half an hour late, breakfast at the Number One in Blackpool – which I have to say is very nice.. he does a mean bacon sandwich… and off to FSB headquarters.. only to - [The Price of Promotion – public sector strikes again](https://www.scargill.net/the-price-of-promotion-public-sector-strikes-again/) - I’ve spent the early hours this morning looking for help in promoting a small business in the Northeast. Of course I don’t REALLY expect help from the public sector – I’ve been around long enough to know they are self-serving (I’ve dealt with One-Northeast since they first promised us the earth, screwed it up, changed - [Sterling Engine](https://www.scargill.net/sterling-engine/) - This is great.. Note the components of this engine – a test tube, some marbles, a pipe, a plastic cork and a syringe !! Marvellous.. Sterling Engine – of a sort - [A Pleasant Welcome to the New Year](https://www.scargill.net/a-pleasant-welcome-to-the-new-year/) - For the first time in living memory, we didn't overdo things on New Year's Eve this year, instead we had a quiet night out with friends in a nearby restaurant. The parting came January the first, as is the way in the village of Wark, folks tend to go first-footing and taking a piece of - [Stephen Fry–the Intelligence Debate](https://www.scargill.net/stephen-frythe-intelligence-debate/) - Never really taken that much notice of Stephen Fry before – apart from his tours around the States – but this is very, very good. I can think of many arguments I’ve had in my time that I could have done with his verbal skills. Stephen Fry–the Intelligence Debate - [Almost 2m British children have no home internet access](https://www.scargill.net/almost-2m-british-children-have-no-home-internet-access/) - Yes, that IS the headline figure that’s being bandied around right now.. but I’m having a lot of trouble with the way this is being handled. “The department of Education has so far not commented” – why the hell SHOULD THEY comment? A computer costs money – it’s not an essential like FOOD or clothing. - [Donate an Organ](https://www.scargill.net/donate-an-organ/) - Why, you may well ask am I making this request? Well, I got up early this morning and I was reading the BBC news. I noticed that something like 29% of people have actually signed up for organ donation whereas in surveys, 60% feel they should donate organs. Meanwhile there are queues of people waiting - [Video for Skype and iPhone](https://www.scargill.net/video-for-skype-and-iphone/) - I never thought I’d see the day, but Skype have video running on the iPhone and iPad. Not much fun for Android or Windows Phone users but for Apples fans – a great day… Head on over to Scargill’s iPad site for more info. http://ipad.scargill.net/2010/12/30/skype-video-on-iphone-and-ipadat-last/ Technorati Tags: iphone video,skype video,skype video on ipad,skype video on - [Christmas Day with the Grandkids](https://www.scargill.net/christmas-day-with-the-grandkids/) - Here we go – as usual I’m off-camera as I’m the one doing the video! Christmas with the Grandkids - [The Demise of Democracy?](https://www.scargill.net/the-demise-of-democracy/) - The protests in London were a sure sign that our version of democracy has failed. Our Royal Family were attacked in their own car for heaven’s sake. Now, I’m no follower of the royals, indeed generally I’ve no interest in them at all, I’m not even sure what place they have in the 21st century - [iPad Killers?](https://www.scargill.net/not-much-happening/) - We keep hearing about Android tablets – what do we see in the shops or on the web that’s actually for SALE? A solitary Galaxy Tab which is selling well but is a bit on the small side and hardly “thin” – and that’s about it – other tablets are either still in the works, - [First Attempts at a video for Hollyberry Cottage](https://www.scargill.net/first-attempts-at-a-video-for-hollyberry-cottage/) - It’s quite some time since I did anything with YouTube and I have to say, well impressed. After spending the morning putting together a short video (you may get a smile, it’s not Hollywood – but the NEXT ONE will be!!) and trying to decide where to store it. I normally use BLIP.TV but I - [UK Battery Locator](https://www.scargill.net/uk-battery-locator/) - I normally keep my gripes for larger companies but in this case I’m going to make an exception… on 15th of October 2010 I sent a payment to them for a battery and charger for my camera. on 16th of October they sent a note to say they were shipping my order. on 17th October - [Global Warming my Backside](https://www.scargill.net/global-warming-my-backside/) - It makes you laugh…. global warming… here we are in the second winter in a row that beats records for heaven-knows how many years. This morning I got up at 5.30am and it was minus 13c, apparently the other morning as late as 7am it was minus 16c. Here in the Northeast (at least in - [Brrrrroadband](https://www.scargill.net/brrrrroadband/) - The weather’s not getting any better here in downtown Wark though it HAS stopped snowing (touch wood)… As you can see I’ve been relieving the boredom (Housitosis) by taking the larger icicles off my walls and planting them. Well, it’s no better or worse than making snow-men! The picture really doesn’t do these things justice - [Another White December](https://www.scargill.net/another-white-december/) - Ok, last year didn’t come till the very end but this winter we’re off to a flying start in darkest Northumbria. While the rest of the country enjoys “variable weather” – we’re well and truly in the white stuff and it’s showing no signs of change. Mid-last week the snow started and temperatures plummeted.. I - [Pope Benedict XVI, Breeding and Freedom of Speech](https://www.scargill.net/pope-benedict-xvi-and-breeding/) - So according to the pope, condoms ARE ok in certain circumstances – that is - to reduce infection (BBC website, 20th Nov 2010). Very generous of him… but… There is a lot I feel proud of in this 21st century world… our technological prowess, the fact we’ve managed NOT to bomb the hell out of - [Strange Caterpillar](https://www.scargill.net/strange-caterpillar/) - I’ve seen some strange creatures in my time but nothing like this caterpillar, which I just happened to notice while wandering into the house for a cup of coffee this afternoon. Around 50mm long, he looks for all the world like a truncated snake – certainly the head and “false” eyes give that impression. And - [One of Those Days](https://www.scargill.net/one-of-those-days/) - I thought yesterday was bad enough… the twin car batteries I use for handling mains drop-outs here in Wark had been acting up for some time and I’d been getting unexplained drop-outs where our broadband router would just drop out for no reason – but it wasn’t until yesterday I put it all together – - [British TaxPayer’s Money - Again](https://www.scargill.net/british-taxpayers-money-again/) - Today I received Northumberland County Council’s third attempt to give me a Register of Electors form. Apparently they tried a couple of times when I was on holiday. Anyway, unable to see where the online version was, I duly filled in the form… only to discover something quite annoying on the back. The form is - [A Spanish Market](https://www.scargill.net/a-spanish-market/) - I’ve just realised I’ve not put anything in here since clearing off to Spain. Well, for those of you looking in from the UK I can tell you the weather in Spain’s a lot nicer than it is here. Having said that this morning it is quite cold, but the sun’s starting to appear so - [There’s Tuna – then there’s Tuna?](https://www.scargill.net/theres-tuna-then-theres-tuna/) - I was doing the maths this morning… 56 years old, at least one tin of tuna fish a week… I must’ve started eating Tuna sandwiches around, lets say to make life easy, 6 years old. That’s 50*52 as a minimum – 2,600 tins of tuna… Goodness! Anyway, that’s the background. I’ve never been one for - [A Spanish Market](https://www.scargill.net/a-spanish-market-2/) - I’ve just realised I’ve not put anything in here for a while. I’m currently in Spain enjoying a short, email-free break from daily life. for those of you looking in from the UK I can tell you the weather in Spain’s a lot nicer than it is in the UK right now. Having said that - [Free Solar Panels Anyone?](https://www.scargill.net/free-solar-panels-anyone/) - Around a month ago, I noticed a pamphlet dropped through the door. “Save More Than Money” said the recycled-cardboard ad. “Free electricity from Free Solar Panels” said the tickertape plastered across the front. The basic idea is you get free installation and supply of a bunch of photoelectric solar panels for your roof – you - [A Real Break?](https://www.scargill.net/a-real-break/) - For the first time in what I reckon must be 14 years I’ve turned off work email so I can have a proper break! I say 14 years because surely there was no proper Windows email much before Windows 98? Hard to imagine that the SMTP protocol we use today didn’t appear until around 1982. - [Sparkly New Car?](https://www.scargill.net/sparkly-new-car/) - Smashing new paint job on the car.. it’s almost like getting a brand new car. I’ve been staring at a rather awful scratch on the car for months now having managed to get too near to the stone wall at the cottage earlier this year… well, it’s gone. I’m overjoyed to say, the Merc looks - [TORN](https://www.scargill.net/torn/) - If you’ve not seen this it is BRILLIANT – TORN for the DEAF… - [Holiday Rental in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/holiday-rental-in-bellingham/) - After MANY months of hard graft, our new holiday rental in Bellingham – Hollyberry Cottage – will be open for business from the beginning of October. Apologies to friends who might already know this but getting hooks into Google on a new site is MUCH harder than with existing sites- so I figured I’d give - [Lost and Found – Me Ears are Alight advert](https://www.scargill.net/lost-and-found-me-ears-are-alight-advert/) - I’ve been hunting this down for ages – those of you who are old enough will remember the age of the cassette tape… this is brilliant… Funny though how your memory changes over the years… I was convinced it was part of the Memorex “is it live or is it Memorex” campaign – according to - [Panoramas and How It’s Done!](https://www.scargill.net/panoramas-and-how-its-done/) - Not as simple as it might seem, creating Panoramas and embedding them in a website – but I think I’ve cracked it.. been playing with this idea for years and finally have a working solution. Firstly – you need something to make panoramas with. On the iPhone there is 360 Panorama which is very good - [Pompous Papal](https://www.scargill.net/pompous-papal/) - Pompous Papal adviser Cardinal Walter Kasper thinks landing at Heathrow Airport is like “landing in a third world” country. Well compared to the Vatican’s money, most places are “third world”, really. Well, don’t worry Mr Kasper, I doubt you’ll ever be invited again and if you do – I hope and trust we taxpayers won’t - [Another Productive Weekend and Poo](https://www.scargill.net/another-productive-weekend/) - It’s been a productive weekend up to now… my article in Computing Magazine went through, which was nice of them and I spent the day working quietly on the FSB’s mass emailing system, having finally figured out how to track links. I wasted half the morning trying to find a decent article on cross-browser rounded - [MORE Excuses for Crappy Public Transport](https://www.scargill.net/more-excuses-for-crappy-public-transport/) - Another trip to London and more travel misery. It’s be coming a habit. I arrived at Newcastle station to find Starbucks closed, part of the car-park out of commission for no apparent reason, the ticket machines displaying their guts as workmen looked inside and other services out of order. There’s always SOMETHING bust at that - [A Week in Sunny England](https://www.scargill.net/a-week-in-sunny-england/) - I have to say, I've feared the worst, coming back from wonderful weather in Spain to the rubbish everyone had told me to expect in the UK. Well, I don't know what happened but the weather's been just fine since we returned. I got one day in the Northeast and it was off to Holmes - [The Return to Blighty](https://www.scargill.net/the-return-to-blighty/) - I should say I am pleasantly surprised, I was thoroughly expecting rain and snow - and it's been sunny all day (Wednesday), sunny enough, in fact to continue wearing shorts as I've been doing for the last 5 weeks - but only just... and of course typical of the Northeast, as the sun goes down, - [You can't beat a bit of Sun](https://www.scargill.net/you-cant-beat-a-bit-of-sun/) - Whilst it is fair to say that WARK is not the best indication of the weather potential of the UK, being part of the Northeast and hence raining most of the time, there's no getting away from it - once again it's been a MISERABLE summer in downtown Northumberland. what on EARTH place does 10 - [Guilty?](https://www.scargill.net/guilty/) - I'm feeling a little guilty as I've not been updating this blog since we headed off to Spain. All's well, we have folk looking after our house in the UK though we understand that the weather up North has been atrocious and I do miss my kitten who's probably forgotten all about me now - - [Photos](https://www.scargill.net/photos/) - I’ve just realised I’ve not been maintaining my Google photos properly – by default you needed a link to see most of them – so for those of you who want to see more photos – or better quality etc… head on over to http://picasaweb.google.com/peterscargill and they should all be there sorted into albums. - [Injury Leeches for You](https://www.scargill.net/injury-leeches-for-you/) - I’m going to stop watching TV – try as I might I just can’t escape the adverts… normally we record everything specifically to watch at a convenient time and so we can skip over the increasingly childish ads on British TV. Ok, there is some merit in the “compare the Meercat” ads – but as - [The Zoo that Believes in Noah’s Ark](https://www.scargill.net/the-zoo-that-believes-in-noahs-ark/) - I’ve always been a great believer in freedom of the individual – however that freedom stops when it adversely affects another – and in this case when it leads to brainwashing of our children. For reasons far beyond the ken of any rational person, the government have awarded a “kitemark” to “Noahs Ark Zoo Farm” - [Remember the S600?](https://www.scargill.net/remember-the-s600/) - Many years ago one of the first of the modern “photo printers” I bought was the Canon S600. This was before they starting putting daft things like chips in the cartridges and so despite Canon’s high cartridge pricing, in practice you could get cartridges as cheap as a couple of quid… and I did. This - [House of Commons Trip](https://www.scargill.net/house-of-commons-trip/) - And a very nice time was had by all. My first trip to the House of Commons Terrace since we kicked out the disastrous left. Sadly cameras are not really on though I did manage a picture of the EYE… a really super night last week, weather was HOT in London, the FSB had it’s - [Big Brother on the Trains](https://www.scargill.net/big-brother-on-the-trains/) - According to Northeast railways or whatever they're called now, the railway formerly known as GNER, they're installing video cameras to keep an eye out FOR you - as against ON you. They've not gotten their WIFI working properly yet, keep forgetting the newspapers in first class, keep running out of sandwiches, have bust air-conditioning….. and - [Chances of Rain - ZILCH](https://www.scargill.net/chances-of-rain-zilch/) - Just thought you might like to see this … or not.. yes, that’s ZERO chance of rain in sunny Galera, Andalucia for the coming week, meanwhile it’s STILL raining in the Northeast of England! Head on over to www.bedrock.es for more…. - [Never mind the Thieves, what about the Town Halls?](https://www.scargill.net/never-mind-the-thieves-what-about-the-town-halls/) - When I got up this morning to read the papers, I could not believe my eyes. Cameras on every street corner watching our every move is one thing.. but Town Halls checking our waste to see what colour we are is another thing ENTIRELY. In the DAILY TELEGRAPH today (Thursday July 22, 2010 page 8 - [Recession biting East Coast Railways](https://www.scargill.net/recession-biting-east-coast-railways/) - Today I embarked on the 11.30am from Newcastle to London Kings Cross, having purchased a first class ticket, expecting a comfortable ride to London during which I could get a bite to eat and some work done. Given the cost of first class tickets I don't think that's an excessive requirement. Sitting in the central - [Orange – who would have them?](https://www.scargill.net/orange-who-would-have-them/) - Another screw-up for Orange – the broadband we were supposed to have in Bellingham is still not running. I rang them up yesterday merely to ask when it would be connected.. can’t talk to me – data protection… I pointed out that if I get Maureen to ring – to confirm, then I ring back, - [Project Natal - Milo](https://www.scargill.net/project-natal-milo/) - This just blew me out of the water – enjoy… - [The Future’s GRIM – the Future’s Orange](https://www.scargill.net/the-futures-grim-the-futures-orange/) - It looks like the morons at Orange are at it again… regular readers will know of the struggles I’ve had with them over the years… The last time we were in the Orange store, they offered us inexpensive home broadband as we “upgraded” Maureen’s mobile phone. That would be around 3 weeks ago. We duly - [Android – BIG Mistake](https://www.scargill.net/android-big-mistake/) - Amazing how something comes along and the reviewers are so keen to support something new they don’t bother to test things properly. When it was time for Maureen to get a new phone, Orange wanted over-the-top up-front money for the iPhone, so based on rave reviews we got her the new Android phone, the HTC - [Andrew J Flando Jnr (deceased) - A Sad Day](https://www.scargill.net/andrew-j-flando-jnr-deceased-a-sad-day/) - Andrew J. Flando Jr died on 20th June 2010. - [USA Today](https://www.scargill.net/usa-today/) - You would THINK no-one would be buying fuel from BP – but the garage we visited had plenty of business – note that’s $2.85 a gallon! Pretty much business as usual I guess though BP is part of the top of conversation here along with constant references to people’s religious background which just escapes me - [iPhone 4.0 OS – First Look](https://www.scargill.net/iphone-4-0-os-first-look/) - After waiting what seems like years but was probably just weeks for the update for the iPhone to version 4 then after waiting half an hour to grab iTunes on my laptop (not normally used to sync the iPhone so there’s a tip for you – NO you don’t have to use the PC you - [USB Power Supplies](https://www.scargill.net/usb-power-supplies/) - When I got the iPAD a while ago, it came with a VERY impressive USB power supply. Why impressive? well because it was hardly bigger than a normal mains plug yet puts out a wopping 10watts of power while running freezing cold (which means it is HIGHLY efficient). Most USB supplies put out no-where NEAR - [A cat’s life](https://www.scargill.net/a-cats-life/) - It’s a tough life being a cat. In the first photo, I must’ve sat most of the day working on a document and the only time I moved was to yank young Ollie back off the floor as he slowly slid off the edge of the bench fast asleep and eventually fell off, via - [Svelte](https://www.scargill.net/svelte/) - A good thing about being in the USA is it makes me feel thin. Not that servings are large here but last night we popped over to Hackneys, one of my favourite places to eat when I’m here – and the picture shows the starter which is their “famous” onion dish…. and very nice with - [Winter January 2010 – a reminder](https://www.scargill.net/winter-january-2010-a-reminder/) - As I’ve just finished moving my pictures from Flickr to Google Web Albums – mainly due to their association with Getty and Corbis – a timely reminder as we enjoy wonderful sunshine here in the Northeast, what it was like just a few months ago! - [Rosie and her Kittens](https://www.scargill.net/rosie-and-her-kittens/) - Having lost Maureen’s favourite cat Rosie – here’s a quick photo tribute – the cute ginger one is Ollie who is sitting draped over my arm as I write this – he’s the only one we kept. - [Venter on DNA and the Sea](https://www.scargill.net/venter-on-dna-and-the-sea/) - This is a video of Craig Venter back in 2007 discussing the progress they were making with artificial life - and how this might be adapted to various uses – i.e. ultimately replacing the petrochemical industries and other gob-smackingly outstanding ideas.... towards the end I was amused when he referred to the 18 months they - [What Harm Could there Be?](https://www.scargill.net/what-harm-could-there-be/) - So you think giving kids your personal views on religion is harmless? Stopping them seeing too much TV a good thing? Think again. Perhaps after watching this – some parents may re-think what and how they teach kids. If the Taliban can convince ordinary kids to blow themselves to bits voluntarily AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY based on - [Sad Departure](https://www.scargill.net/sad-departure/) - Sadly it looks as if Rosie our cat managed to get run over by truck or similar in Wark. So if you’re looking in and remember running over a long-haired ginger cat recently – here’s a wish for a lifelong and painful curse upon you and all your relatives! Rosie was still under a year - [Scargill Movement](https://www.scargill.net/scargill-movement/) - Just in case anyone wanders across something called the Scargill Movement, which appears to be a religious group of some description – I just wanted to confirm that I am absolutely in no way whatsoever associated with this. Just keeping the record absolutely straight! - [Do YOU need an iPAD?](https://www.scargill.net/do-you-need-an-ipad/) - A lot hot air is circulating about the iPad, often by folks who have never laid eyes on the machine never mind made extensive hand-on use of them. I’ve seen reviews talking about reliability, about it being unsuitable for business… the list goes on – and mostly from those lacking any experience of the product. - [A Day](https://www.scargill.net/a-day/) - I gave this entry such a bad title because that’s about all I can say about today… Maureen’s dad has taken ill and so she had to cut short our holiday in Spain to go and visit him. We had guests with us so I stopped over in Spain with them – we had a - [The UK Launch of the iPad](https://www.scargill.net/the-uk-launch-of-the-ipad/) - Here it is – latest update on the iPad, launched today in the UK - [iPAD is Here](https://www.scargill.net/ipad-is-here/) - You'll be aware of the UK launch of the Apple iPAD TODAY, no doubt if you saw the news last night you'll have heard that the unit is available from today and that they've sold a million in the states. Poor old Beeb, that's ancient news and a quick look on the web will add - [The Miracle of Life – The Venter Way](https://www.scargill.net/the-miracle-of-life-the-venter-way/) - Most people by now will be aware of the somewhat subdued British press reaction to J. Craig Venter’s team’s creation of the first self-replicating cell designed by computer. The BBC made some silly references to the hand of god and otherwise really didn’t do the subject justice. Is this some mad-scientist tinkering or the real - [Weather Forecasting as accurate as Astrology](https://www.scargill.net/weather-forecasting-as-accurate-as-astrology/) - You have to wonder… the forecast yesterday was the same – with rain. It’s 28 degrees around Hexham and in Wark, 30 degrees in Newcastle –absolutely roasting with a slight cloud in the distance. There is NO WAY it’s going to be 9 degrees outside tonight – it was warm enough to be out at - [Wark in 3D](https://www.scargill.net/galera-in-3d/) - While I have no doubt any locals will have already checked out Wark and surrounding places on Google Earth or Google Maps, I wonder if you’ve seen the place in 3D ?? No??? Well, pop along to Google maps (not Google Earth) – and lookup Galera…. Then under MORE – select “street view” – I - [SKY and TESCOs - What a Shower](https://www.scargill.net/sky-and-tescos-what-a-shower/) - in December 2009 I bought a TV from Tescos, right at the end of a special offer that said something like "Get Sky HD and a TV from us and you get free installation and a £50 Tescos voucher". At the time I wrote a blog about the issues I had getting this going, wrong - [Election Fever](https://www.scargill.net/election-fever/) - Update 22/5/2010 – well, I wasn’t THAT far off!! - [First days of Summer](https://www.scargill.net/first-days-of-summer/) - You just can't beat a sunny day and a garden full of flowers... - [It’s tough being a Scargill cat](https://www.scargill.net/its-tough-being-a-scargill-cat/) - [The Beginning of the End?](https://www.scargill.net/the-beginning-of-the-end/) - Are we looking at the first stirrings of the beginning of the end of the Internet as we know it – or will the co-called freedom groups finally now get off their backsides and start ACTING.. http://www.silicon.com/technology/networks/2010/04/22/peter-cochranes-blog-too-late-debill-p2p-is-already-engrained-in-society-39745731/?s_cid=104 The fellow writing it, Peter Cochrane is thankfully one of those few individuals capable of talking about this - [TV Tax](https://www.scargill.net/tv-tax/) - Today, I bought my TV Tax. Maureen’s been stuck in America for a while now as you can imagine thanks to the volcano and the post has been piling up so this morning I decided to go through and sort out anything urgent. In the middle of it all were two extremely nasty letters from - [Digital Economy Act](https://www.scargill.net/digital-economy-act/) - I’m sorry – you may think – he just did a blog on this - well, the more I learn about this act, the worse it gets… so please read on. And what’s even worse, most people I talk to have NO idea this new act exists. The Digital Economy Act, or the “big boys - [Digital Economy Act](https://www.scargill.net/digital-economy-act-2/) - The Digital Economy Act, or the “big boys browbeating government into supporting them and to hell with everyone else” act… is a novel piece of new legislation which states that an ISP (or Internet Service Provider) is someone who provides an electronic communication service that is provided to a subscriber and consists entirely or mainly - [More sun?](https://www.scargill.net/more-sun/) - [Brighter Atheists?](https://www.scargill.net/brighter-atheists/) - There is a reason why atheists sometimes are referred to as “brights”… According to the American Sociological Association in it’s study published in the March 2010 edition of “Social Psychology Quarterly”, more intelligent people are less likely to be religious. Young adults who subjectively call themselves “not at all religious” average IQ=103 during adolescence, whereas - [Virus – or Viral?](https://www.scargill.net/virus-or-viral/) - I recently received an email addressed to myself and half of the western world. It began “URGENT!!! PLEASE CIRCULATE to your friends…..” before going on to describe an attachment which would “burn the whole hard disk C of your computer”. It’s not the first time of course and it won’t be the last time – - [What Parliament Thinks of your Right to Internet Access](https://www.scargill.net/what-parliament-thinks-of-your-right-to-internet-access/) - Please Read This Here is a list of MPs to harrass – the ones one the LEFT voted FOR the Bill, the ones on the right voted against the bill, the rest didn’t turn up. Ask them what about the small businesses who own hotels, cafes etc, are they responsible for what their GUESTS do - [The Digital Economy Bill](https://www.scargill.net/the-digital-economy-bill-or-how-to-screw-up-free-wifi-2/) - The bill is an attempt by the government to crack down on internet copyright infringement, not a bad idea in itself, but as usual with this government, it is the implementation that’s totally messed up. By attempting to place the burden on the provider, the bill, which went through the house of Lords this week - [The Digital Economy Bill – or how to screw up free WiFi](https://www.scargill.net/the-digital-economy-bill-or-how-to-screw-up-free-wifi/) - The bill is an attempt by the government to crack down on internet copyright infringement, not a bad idea in itself, but as usual with this government, it is the implementation that’s totally screwed. By attempting to place the burden on the provider, the bill, which went through the house of Lords this week and - [Finally a Decent Fuel Cell?](https://www.scargill.net/finally-a-decent-fuel-cell/) - When I watched this I was thinking “total con artist” until I saw the customers… this actually looks like it might be real!??!? Watch CBS News Videos Online Technorati Tags: fuel cell powers offices and factories - [When 24-hour is not 24-hour](https://www.scargill.net/when-is-24-hour-not-24-hour/) - At Tescos of course! I got up somewhat after 3am this morning to take Maureen to the airport – she’s off to see her folks. On leaving Newcastle airport and aware that I’ve a quiet Easter weekend coming up I thought I’d take a trip to the supermarket. So at 5am I popped into Tescos - [Finally a Decent Media Centre](https://www.scargill.net/finally-a-decent-media-centre/) - I’ve been playing around with media centres for years… I’ve always kept my music, pictures and more recently videos on the the computer and was using this for providing music to our parties LONG before the idea hit the general public. We used to have a TIVO – marvellous device, let you record video onto - [Champers at 10](https://www.scargill.net/champers-at-10/) - It all began with a cordial invite from the Prime Minister to a small, select group of businesspeople to attend a reception at 10 Downing Street to “Celebrate the Success of Small Business”. Everyone had their own personal invite from number 10 and we individually had to RSVP directly. My invite is staying on the - [When UNLIMITED is not UNLIMITED](https://www.scargill.net/when-unlimited-is-not-unlimited/) - Check this out iPhone pricing on the ORANGE site. See at the top where it says “UNLIMITED MOBILE INTERNET and UNLIMITED WIFI”?? Then see at the bottom where it says “750MB/Month” I could get a dictionary out for the meaning of “unlimited” – but I think you get the point. ORANGE WHO ARE YOU TRYING - [Another fine weekend in Aberdeen](https://www.scargill.net/another-fine-weekend-in-aberdeen/) - For most folk, the FSB conference in Aberdeen was a 3-day affair beginning with the AGM on Thursday night followed by 2 days of motions, talks and entertainment. For those of us in at the deep end it was more like a week. I arrived after a 4.5 hour drive on Tuesday night and am - [Working 7 days a week down ‘pit’](https://www.scargill.net/working-7-days-a-week-down-pit/) - This is what a normally pristine clean cat looks like after emerging from someone’s coal shed… probably ours. I was just sitting catching up on Facebook when in she walked looking like she’d been down a mine (photo on the left). Right now she’s off cleaning somewhere – I hope not on a bed! Meanwhile - [Early Sunday Morning in Aberdeen](https://www.scargill.net/early-sunday-morning-in-aberdeen/) - It’s a lovely Sunday morning here in Aberdeen at the seafront. The FSB’s conference which I’ve been working on since Tuesday is now all done and dusted, is all done. It would all have gone without a hitch had it not been for some idiot turning the electricity off at the last minute, losing hours - [Makeup and other forms of mind control?](https://www.scargill.net/makeup-and-other-forms-of-mind-control/) - I just happened to be listening to a show on Radio 4 this morning in the car… all about how men handle makeup – not wearing it but in respect to their women. Two guys who were quite obviously not that keen on excessive use of makeup were non-the-less concerned that they felt they really - [Feed the Poor](https://www.scargill.net/feed-the-poor/) - According to the press “Internet access remains an unaffordable option for many in the Commonwealth, leaving them unable to reap the benefits of the web, according to the Queen” The Queen has said that the Internet remains unaffordable for too many people in the Commonwealth. For HEAVENS SAKE – what with our misguided government wanting - [BBC Website Cuts](https://www.scargill.net/bbc-website-cuts/) - Apparently “The BBC will cut spending on its website by 25 per cent and cut back on the number of webpages on the site by up to 50 per cent, it has been announced. “ That’s a shame because as a long-term SKY user I’ve always maintained that the BBC is a waste of space - [Nothing like a meeting-fest](https://www.scargill.net/nothing-like-a-meeting-fest/) - Sometimes I wonder about people who organise meetings…. for my sins this week I’m in a meeting in Selsdon Park in Croydon… so that’s a car to Newcastle, a train to Kings Cross, an underground to Victoria, a train to Croydon and a taxi to the venue…. 21st century organisation! And no, video conferencing would - [The Apple-v-Microsoft Debate – Mobile Phones](https://www.scargill.net/the-apple-v-microsoft-debate-mobile-phones-2/) - In 1996 I purchased the first Nokia “Smartphone” – the Nokia 9000, a great big brick of a phone with a horrible black and white display – but at the time this was rocket science. Once I got over the shock of realising that my home in Newcastle was in a dip and there was - [The Future is DIM](https://www.scargill.net/the-future-is-dim/) - Orange customer service scores again. Anyone moving from an smart-phone-relevant contract such as RACOON will note that the ability to share Internet with your laptop has been REMOVED from your account….apparently this is artificial as is it not a limit in cracked iPhones… so where before I would use my Smartphone as a router to - [Public Transport – the Lifeblood of Britain](https://www.scargill.net/public-transport-the-lifeblood-of-britain/) - It’s been a little quieter the last few days after a hectic week of travel. After leaving my car at Newcastle airport for the week I came home on Friday by train which meant getting the Metro from Newcastle central station to the airport itself. Alighting from the train at Newcastle central station I noted - [There’s an APP for that!](https://www.scargill.net/the-apple-v-microsoft-debate-mobile-phones/) - Way back in 1996 I purchased the first Nokia “Smartphone” – the Nokia 9000, a great big brick of a phone with a horrible black and white display – at the time this was rocket science, exciting and ultimately a little useless. Once I got over the shock of realising that my home in Newcastle - [iPhone 16G or 32G – that is the Question](https://www.scargill.net/iphone-16g-or-32g-that-is-the-question/) - Today’s struggle, is whether to go for the 16 gig or the 32gig iPhone!! I don’t have a lot of music but I like the odd movie and I plan to install a ton of APPS. But the APPS don’t take up THAT much space…. as the cost from Orange is over TWICE the amount - [More Winter Weather](https://www.scargill.net/more-winter-weather/) - Just as we thought it was time to bring out the swimming costumes….. BANG – we’re back into winter! This lot were all green last night and the last of the snow and ice was finally beginning to go. The weather forecast said we could look forward to warmer air and… - [And more snow – worst for 50 years](https://www.scargill.net/and-more-snow-worst-for-50-years/) - According to the forecast, the Northeast of Britain was going to see less snow today while the South could be getting the worst. Well, the thing is – it’s never stopped snowing all night and it’s STILL going strong! Schools are pretty much all closing, the back garden here is easily a foot deep in - [Enjoying the Snow](https://www.scargill.net/enjoying-the-snow/) - Here in Northumberland, with just about the most snow and coldest temperatures I’ve seen this century, at least someone is having fun…. we get a few hours of glorious sunshine – then back to snowfall – with no sign of it slowing down. Meetings scrapped, people stopping at home… thank heavens for electricity! Still a - [Brave and Cold New World](https://www.scargill.net/brave-and-cold-new-world/) - If I’ve done this right, not only will Twitter now automatically announce any new blog posts in www.scargill.net but also the site display will adjust automatically for iPhone users. That’s the theory. It’s snowing AGAIN today and my meetings have been cancelled – I had no faith that the public transport would be working anyway - [Loser Brown Fights on](https://www.scargill.net/loser-brown-fights-on/) - Isn't it amazing....Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said Labour will fight "every inch of the way" to win what will be a "big choice election" for Britain's future. And so.. what what kind of fighting was he doing all this time as he let us slide into the worst recession in my lifetime? Isn't it a bit - [Making the best of the Snow](https://www.scargill.net/making-the-best-of-the-snow/) - Mid-afternoon January 1st 2010 – it just keeps getting better. As the snow continues to fall, the sun has come out at LAST and it’s like Winter Wonderland here in Wark! If you look at my earlier blog you’ll note a family out in the fields behind our house. Well, SADLY they’ve gone – and - [Happy New Year 2010](https://www.scargill.net/happy-new-year-2010/) - Happy New Year from Maureen and I to everyone. I wonder how your NYE went? By teatime on 31st Dec in our part of the Northeast, the roads were freezing over and as usual the council were failing to keep with the programme. The plan was to set off to our friend’s place and park - [The start of a new decade – Global Warming – Right!](https://www.scargill.net/the-start-of-a-new-decade-global-warming-right/) - We start the new decade, supposedly in a phase of global warming, meanwhile here in the Northeast of England we see one of the coldest, whitest beginnings to a new year that I can remember. Lest anyone in the future tell you that around 2000 or so the world started to warm up, take a - [What happened to Global Warming](https://www.scargill.net/what-happened-to-global-warming/) - We were talking about Global warming…. Christmas 2009 – United Kingdom Scotland sees temperatures of –16C Heavy snow warning Eastern Wales to see 10” OR MORE of snow Incoming flights cancelled Northern Ireland – water off due to freezing Northeast of England – freezing, bitter cold rock-solid ICE Warming, my BACKSIDE!! Can we have some - [Trinity in Lego](https://www.scargill.net/trinity-in-lego/) - If you liked the MATRIX – you’ll LOVE this… - [A Festive View of the Universe](https://www.scargill.net/a-festive-view-of-the-universe/) - Given the current festivities, those less likely to be drawn into the “God made the lot” view may well get there share of wonder by taking a look at this video, which starts off with a close-up view of the earth and as scientifically accurate as possible, zooms out to the very edge of the - [Enter the iPhone](https://www.scargill.net/enter-the-iphone/) - Well, not quite yet. I’m waiting for the inevitable price war in January wherein hopefully Orange will drop the price of their phone – as Voda and Tescos start to bite into sales…. I’ve already started a wish list and first on the list is a power extender.. http://www.powerskin.co.uk/ Do you have a list of - [Merry Christmas](https://www.scargill.net/merry-christmas/) - [Terror on Flight 253 – When will we learn?](https://www.scargill.net/terror-on-flight-253-when-will-we-learn/) - As we sit in the UK enjoying our traditional Christmas festivities, over in the USA once again someone is trying to blow planes up. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab fastened explosive powder to his leg and tried to set of an explosion using a syringe aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253. Fortunately he failed thanks to incompetence and - [The Future of Social Media](https://www.scargill.net/the-future-of-social-media/) - There are those who feel that social networking is a fad… this video then is well worth watching and might prove something of an eye-opener. I only wish that companies who make these things would remember we don’t all live in America… Non-the-less – this is interesting stuff. So, is social media a fad… or - [Avatar – the Best Movie Ever?](https://www.scargill.net/avatar-the-best-movie-ever/) - Despite atrocious weather and the worst flu I can recall which has been pestering me for days and has now caught Maureen, we headed off to the new MetroCentre Imax cinema last night to see the long-awaited AVATAR movie. So there are two aspects to this – the new Imax cinema and the movie itself. - [Bejeweled](https://www.scargill.net/bejeweled/) - No comment…. - [Joe McElderry – is he good enough?](https://www.scargill.net/joe-mcelderry-is-he-good-enough/) - We both watched the finale of the X-Factor – and both contestants were excellent, with Joe McElderry winning in the end. No doubt about it, he’s good… and it’s great to see a Northern lad win – especially if that means seeing more screenshots of Cheryl Cole….. but… his debut track, though put together nicely - [An unfortunate bath](https://www.scargill.net/east-coast-training-for-disaster/) - Our little kitten had his first bath the other day. Like his mother he’s taken to hovering around the bath and given the opportunity, drinking gallons of soapy bathwater (I know – Yechh). Anyway, I’d half filled the bath, turned the water off and was just about to leave the bathroom when in ran little - [Solar power good for who?](https://www.scargill.net/solar-power-good-for-who/) - So... I was watching Horizon on the BBC tonight (briefly) and they were ranting on about a village who are making a bomb out of solar power. Apparently they came to a deal with the solar power company who fitted a windmill and they share the profits. So every year the villagers get their cut - [British Rail Broadband](https://www.scargill.net/british-rail-broadband/) - On the London to Edinburgh line today, this is the BEST I could get checking the broadband speed….. that’s when it worked AT ALL.. Note the ping time of nearly 1/4 second and the almost non-existent upload speed. 2 commercial companies and now the government and they STILL can’t get this right… Facebook says we’re - [London – the New Middle-East](https://www.scargill.net/london-the-new-middle-east/) - When I was a youngster, one of my favourite treats was to come down to London to Edgeware Road, a delightful place full of electronics and hifi junk stores, one of the more interesting being MORGANs who used to sell surplus gear at really good prices. Well, Morgans is no longer but more worryingly, yesterday - [Public Services – or not?](https://www.scargill.net/public-services-or-not/) - With the utter failure of various commercial entities trying to run our Eastern rail, the names on the trains have once again been changed - this time to the singularly unimaginative “east line”. It is lunchtime on Sunday and having had our very expensive first class tickets checked while standing in a queue in the - [Progress on the Rails](https://www.scargill.net/progress-on-the-rails/) - As you can see by the photo on the right, Newcastle Central Station now has itself a shiny new set of people control booths. Apparently the idea behind this is to keep scruffs without tickets away from the trains. It certainly can’t be to stop them boarding trains without tickets as they pester the life - [Everyone is Waving](https://www.scargill.net/everyone-is-waving/) - With the impending release of the (quite exciting) Google Wave, you might find it interesting to watch everyone’s attempts to get on the bandwagon and in particular watch Microsoft…. is this a coincidence? http://www.microsoft.com/uk/wave/home.aspx - [VAT Attack](https://www.scargill.net/vat-attack/) - This morning I received my regular “Dickinson-Dees” Vat Bulletin – something I normally ignore… until I noted… “On the 1st of January 2010, there will be a major change to the VAT and administrative treatment of services supplied cross border.” – with of course MORE penalties for non-compliance. New to you? Well, I must admit - [ACT on CO2 - or NOT?](https://www.scargill.net/act-on-co2-or-not/) - “Hey diddle diddle, the car and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon on discovering just how easy it was to reduce our CO2 emissions” That’s how the latest “Act on CO2” advert features in last weekend’s telegraph. It then goes onto say that “40% [of Co2] is caused simply by the way we - [Springtime for Child Molesters](https://www.scargill.net/springtime-for-child-molesters/) - You have to wonder….according to the Telegraph (Saturday Nov 11 2009) “every child in Britain will have their personal details stored on a controversial database” And so what about THEIR human rights? Not that I’d even dream of suggesting that our government is no better at keeping confidential records than they are, say, running the - [Good Food](https://www.scargill.net/good-food/) - I hate to make an association between Aldi (who I’ve always thought of as somewhere to buy cheap biscuits) and good food… but next time you’re in – they have these little packs of “Del Continental” Sliced pork Choricitos and Pork Pinchitos - a grandiose name for chorizo on a stick. 1 minute in the - [BULL](https://www.scargill.net/bull/) - Don’t you get sick of commercial BULL? We were told that WOLFRAM ALPHA was going to be the be-all-and-end-all. I just tried a couple of simple queries… “who is Peter Scargill” - and “what happened in 1954” – both produced nothing but garbage – but in each case Google was spot on as usual. Everything - [A run of bad luck](https://www.scargill.net/wipes/) - Of course I don’t actually believe in runs of bad luck but sometimes… let’s see in the last couple of weeks, we discovered the new house needs re-wiring, our son-in-law is deathly ill in hospital, in our own home the heating system is bust and need replacing – some leak in the back of the - [The future is Grim – the future is ORANGE](https://www.scargill.net/the-future-is-grim-the-future-is-orange/) - They’re at it again…. the incompetents at Orange have well and truly surpassed previous levels of ineptitude this time. I’ve just been told we’ve not had an Orange bill recently and I remembered I’d had something from them recently in email. I looked up the email and sure enough – get your bill online… so - [Call me Dick!](https://www.scargill.net/call-me-dick/) - Not content with insulting the majority of the UK’s small businesses, Alan Michael Sugar (or cheap stereos as I remember him) has now managed to upset everyone else…(notice I didn’t use his title as I cannot FOR THE LIFE OF ME think why they gave him this – the guy is a disaster). Probably for - [Twin Towers Ship – Defender of Freedom or a Folly?](https://www.scargill.net/twin-towers-ship-defender-of-freedom-or-a-folly/) - I’ve a real problem with this.. they’ve taken the steel from the Twin Towers attack – and made a ship. Ok. personally I think the Americans should have built the world’s largest EVER building in it’s place – but maybe they’ve already lost that battle…. and so now it’s a ship instead. And what happens - [An Embarrassing time for Nuclear Protesters](https://www.scargill.net/an-embarrassing-time-for-nuclear-protesters/) - So now, Ed Milliband is going to approve a new generation of nuclear power plants – and not before time. But isn’t there something wrong here? Do older readers recall that it was generally socialists who used to go so far as to break the law, trying to break into nuclear power stations to SHUT - [Covering one’s Backside](https://www.scargill.net/covering-ones-backside/) - Children are to be banned from paddling during school trips under “health and safety guidelines”. Apparently they are to be ordered not to wade into ankle-deep water until teachers first carry out a full risk assessment and put “proper measures in place”. This has nothing, NOTHING to do with health and safety. It is legislation - [Origin of Species](https://www.scargill.net/origin-of-species/) - So now, apparently, Kirk Cameron (apparently an actor) and a buddy in the states are about to release a whole load of “origin of species” books into US schools (good) but not before adding a prefix blaming Darwin for World War 2. You have to wonder how such a lovely country can raise such a - [The scale of things](https://www.scargill.net/the-scale-of-things/) - I hadn’t planned on learning anything this morning. In fact, the scale of my ambition was merely to get up and have a cup of coffee on this fine Saturday morning. Having just returned from a trip to Blackpool my laptop was sitting on the table next to the coffee..and as you do I turned - [Mr Alan – you’re FIRED!!](https://www.scargill.net/mr-alan-youre-fired/) - "Sir" Alan Michael Sugar’s remarks are a disgrace. I would not work with him if he was the last business in the world. How on EARTH our misguided government ended up taking him on is totally beyond me. I cringe whenever he is shown on TV as a businessman -- because it gives a HORRIBLE - [Masters of Robotics](https://www.scargill.net/masters-of-robotics/) - I am not prone to hero worship, not in any shape of form but you may remember me pointing out BIGDOG from Boston Dynamics, the most amazing 4-legged walking machine EVER… Well, they’ve done it again with PETMAN – take a look at this amazing video and pay particular attention under half way through when - [Mom and Son](https://www.scargill.net/mom-and-son/) - Another rubbish weather day today here in downtown WARK but at least I’m home as against travelling all other place, after a week of meetings in London going in the evenings from Indian to Turkish to Italian my stomach needs a rest (it’s a tough life). My new Geforce 9800 card just turned up to - [Ignorance is Bliss](https://www.scargill.net/ignorance-is-bliss/) - I always get a chuckle when the “mums-against-masts” brigade end up in the papers as some kind of local heroes. Totally oblivious to any source of scientific common sense, the protesters line up to stop yet another mast being erected, hence ensuring that the Northeast of England remains a communication backwater (rural Northumberland being a - [More Face, Less Burkha](https://www.scargill.net/more-face-less-burkha/) - Once again we have someone digging in their heels and insisting on wearing a Burkha in their job. I have a real problem with this – I’m as unhappy as anyone else that we live in a surveillance society but if I can have my face plastered all over monitor screens – so can everyone - [British Airports – the Pits](https://www.scargill.net/british-airports-the-pits/) - Bloody typical… we’re picking up Maureen’s mum this morning from Manchester airport so we figured we’d stop over at a hotel to make life easy in the morning… 7am flight arrival. So before leaving the hotel, a mere 6 miles away from Manchester International, we checked on the airport website. 20 minutes delay… fine – - [The Death of an Era – the Portable Cassette Recorder](https://www.scargill.net/the-death-of-an-era-the-portable-tape-recorder/) - The era in question of course died years ago but as I’m having my “Autumnal Spring Clean” as colleague Simon put it… after many years of taking this item off the shelf, cleaning it and putting it back there, it’s finally going in the bin, leaving only a photo on the web in remembrance. It’s - [And then there were three](https://www.scargill.net/and-then-there-were-three/) - We’re now down to three terrors.. the little one centre back has gone to a good home already Ok…. anyone for a kitty? - [A Day Off](https://www.scargill.net/a-day-off/) - Today I’m taking a day off to concentrate on important things like our new kitties, Stargate Universe… and the blog. So first things first… Stargate Universe.. I’ve only seen the first episode and half of the second one – and I have to say, this looks like the best yet and I thought Atlantis was - [The Wark Apple Fair](https://www.scargill.net/the-wark-apple-fair/) - Despite absolutely atrocious weather, we took the grandkids down to Wark Apple fair on Saturday.. and they had a great time as you’ll see below. Don’t you just love seeing the smile on their faces? Oh, well, maybe not… - [The lives of Kittens](https://www.scargill.net/the-lives-of-kittens/) - We have 4 kittens right now from our cat Rosie who herself isn’t a year old yet. Rosie is a Maine Coon, one of the oldest natural breeds in the USA (these are the “official state cats” of Maine apparently. Rosie has 3 light-coloured and one black kitten (see cats section) and they are marvellous - [A nice weekend in Jersey](https://www.scargill.net/a-nice-weekend-in-jersey/) - After endless sunshine in Spain over August I figured that was about our lot for the year… but no, until Sunday we’re in Jersey at an annual conference at the hotel L’Horizon in St Brelades… and loving the seaside. My job yesterday was to answer a load of IT questions – that out of the - [Little dog](https://www.scargill.net/little-dog/) - This is just So amazing….. after a couple of laughs at the start the robot does the most superb navigation.. - [Energy Issues – How Many Light Bulbs](https://www.scargill.net/energy-issues-how-many-light-bulbs/) - Very rarely does anyone put our energy problems into perspective – and still manage to speak in a language the layman can understand. This fellow has succeeded. Sadly most of the comments in the original YouTube video are mindless. This is worth watching. He’s right, switching off phone chargers is silly – the mere - [Two-Wheeled Robotic Table](https://www.scargill.net/two-wheeled-robotic-table/) - I had to put this in here. Wouldn’t you just love one of these…. YouTube - Table Robot that carries juice on two wheels : DigInfo [HD] - [Iraq Shoe-Thrower released](https://www.scargill.net/iraq-shoe-thrower-released/) - Muntadar al-Zaidi who threw a shoe at former US President Bush, has been released. The act made him a hero in the Arab world and beyond. Let’s reflect on that a moment. Under the rule of the dictator Saddam Hussein who is no longer in charge thanks to Mr Bush and other western leaders, had - [Darwin "Too Controversial" for the USA - Give me a BREAK!](https://www.scargill.net/darwin-too-controversial-for-the-usa/) - As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, I find this deeply, deeply worrying… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6173399/Charles-Darwin-film-too-controversial-for-religious-America.html In case you’re short of time – an extract… “Movieguide.org, an influential site which reviews films from a Christian perspective, described Darwin as the father of eugenics and denounced him as "a racist, a bigot and - [The End of a Holiday](https://www.scargill.net/the-end-of-a-holiday/) - We’re on our way back to the UK after 5 weeks of incredible weather in Spain (see the Spanish blog) to rain, recession, flu and on a brighter note, 4 new kittens – which is quite exciting. I’m assuming our cats have forgotten all about us by now – I think this is the longest - [Samsung i900 Omnia - Updated](https://www.scargill.net/samsung-i900-omnia/) - This is an update of an earlier article on the Samsung Omnia. Those of you who read my constant gripes about mobile phones will know that I’ve stayed with HTC for the longest time. There can be no doubt that their phones are pretty. For some time I used the HTC Touch Diamond while Maureen - [BT – Brains of Britain](https://www.scargill.net/bt-brains-of-britain/) - You have to wonder about good old BT… in the middle of the worst recession for years and with a potential for 25% of the population to be off sick with the flu, BT decide to put up their daytime rates by a whopping 17% – which will apparently bring the cost of a daytime - [Spaghetti Westerns](https://www.scargill.net/spaghetti-westerns/) - Where would you expect to find the best old Western town? Somewhere in the States? Well, apparently not! Instead you might look at Southern Spain! What better way to spend a 40 degrees C afternoon than plodding around in the desert and that’s how we spent our day today at mini-hollywood near Almeria. For more - [Slideshow](https://www.scargill.net/slideshow/) - Something I just discovered… a new way to show your pictures…. here’s some shots I took in the dark last night at the local festival in Galera. For more info on the festival etc head over to www.bedrock.es - [Global warming](https://www.scargill.net/global-warming/) - On the subject of Global warming and what part we play – I found this item very interesting. Worth reading to the end… http://www.hoover.org/publications/digest/3460191.html - [Airports to turn away “Swine flu” Passengers](https://www.scargill.net/airports-to-turn-away-swine-flu-passengers/) - Don’t you just love it – after doing absolutely nothing until it’s too late, we’re now seeing knee-jerk reactions all over the place – now it’s the airports – according to the Times, those with “headaches, sore throats and runny noses” will be refused boarding. I can see it now “are you carrying any sharp - [The ODEON – The Opposite of Customer Service](https://www.scargill.net/the-odeon-the-opposite-of-customer-service/) - As fervent cinema fans, my wife and I regularly go to the cinema. Something about the atmosphere I like and particularly i like to settle down with my favourite snack – Nachos with Cheese and Jalapeños - pronounced hah-lah-PEHN-yo unless you’re an expert in the cinema in which case you’d pronounce them JALEEPEENOSE in a - [Current favourites](https://www.scargill.net/current-favourites/) - Here, in case anyone is even remotely interested are my current favourite music videos... [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGPzt4EhC0] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTl1ajzq0bk] (re: above, this track is STREETS ahead of anything else I've heard them do - and in the middle of the track, there's a guy called Rudi who does a short Emminen-like piece - absolutely excellent - play loud - [LEDS – the Greatest Scandal in Electronics Today](https://www.scargill.net/leds-the-greatest-scandal-in-electronics-today/) - Well, ok, perhaps that title indicates that I used to read the Sun newspaper too often in my youth. I’m sitting on the train on the way up to Aberdeen for another FSB all-day meeting over the weekend… in the empty part of the train I might add (and you wonder why National Express gave - [A Nice Clean Browser](https://www.scargill.net/a-nice-clean-browser/) - Have you noticed how much cleaner the IE8 interface is compared to the past – well that is if you ensure abominations like the Stumbelupon, Yahoo and other toolbars are closed? Nice – but there is still clutter there – and if you’re not on a high-res screen – perhaps you have one of those - [A New Wave?](https://www.scargill.net/a-new-wave/) - Last night I sat down for the first time and watch Google’s “preview video” for Google Wave and I’m very excited. I don’t know about you but I have NEVER thought email was very good. For credentials, I’ve been using emails since before they were emails, every day of my life – by the hundred - [Head wants Grammars to Favour Poor Applicants](https://www.scargill.net/head-wants-grammars-to-favour-poor-applicants/) - Apparently [slider title="Shawn Fenton"]chairman of the Grammar Schools Heads Association[/slider] wants to turn over more school places to poor pupils - according to the Daily Telegraph. I went to a fairly decent school - before they ripped the system up and Grammar Schools went out of political fashion - and I have VERY clear memories - [Swine Flu “Cannot be contained”](https://www.scargill.net/swine-flu-cannot-be-contained/) - I just don’t believe this government – and WHY have we gotten to the point wherein “we could see over 100,000 cases of swine flu a day by the end of August” ??? Why the HELL as they’ve seen things rise like this, haven’t they been stopping travel, testing people at all airports and - [Liberkey – Useful Open Source](https://www.scargill.net/liberkey-useful-open-source/) - I recently discovered something called Liberkey. This comprises a menu system and a bunch of open source programs all wrapped together and well suited to use on a memory stick. Apparently the program itself isn't open source - but that's another matter. It has been compared to PortableApps - but for me the actual applications - [Last, dying Gasps of Government](https://www.scargill.net/last-dying-gasps-of-government/) - As far back as I remember, we always seem to get sensible white papers from governments either just before they go on summer break – or when they’re about to be thrown out of office – either way, nothing ever then happens. In a new white paper, the suggestion is being made that parents could - [Britain knows little about the Bible](https://www.scargill.net/britain-knows-little-about-the-bible/) - According to the Independent (p5, 29th June) Britain “knows very little about the Bible”. As few as 10% understand the main characters in the Bible. Apparently St John’s college in Durham carried out the survey and according to the Reverend David Wilkinson - “the consequences of ignorance went far beyond being unclear about what church - [Something New](https://www.scargill.net/something-new/) - Tired of XP – but Vista is rubbish and you don’t want to use the release candidate of Windows 7? Don’t despair! The solution is called “Seven Transformation Pack” and I’ve just installed this on my second computer – and up to now it’s BEAUTIFUL. No guarantees it won’t turn your computer into a harmless - [The death of Kodachrome](https://www.scargill.net/the-death-of-kodachrome/) - So now we’re supposed to get all emotional about the final demise of one the stalwarts of the analogue age – Kodachrome film. Wasn’t it wonderful, what about those subtle colours, the unique “flavour”… For HEAVEN’S SAKE. I remember the same crap at the end of the valve era – that unique sound, how harsh - [Please - have my Kebabs](https://www.scargill.net/please-have-my-kebabs/) - As someone who’s always been ready to be a donor (though donating blood could be a lot easier – they could have as much as they liked if they’d come out to my village for it – like the milk run in the morning – they could do a “blood run” in the evenings perhaps?), - [A Sunny Weekend in Wark](https://www.scargill.net/a-sunny-weekend-in-wark/) - Here are the results of my hard graft over the weekend – shiny wheels. I can’t believe the effort it takes just to get that black crud off the wheels – it’s as if the brake manufacturers were in league with detergent suppliers!! Anyway, there it is on our newly gravelled driveway, several tons of - [Digital What?](https://www.scargill.net/digital-what/) - According to the “Digital Britain” report, around 11% of homes cannot currently achieve speeds of 2Mpbs – and so the proposal is to fix faulty wiring and use satellite to fill in. Well, the faulty wiring bit I can go along with – but satellite – I’ve had various forms of satellite and no amount - [SKY – What a Shower](https://www.scargill.net/sky-what-a-shower/) - We’ve been Sky customers since day one… I never really did forgive the BBC for NOT getting the second generation Star Trek series and I’ve always been even less interested in their boring, politically biased news… and so as soon as Sky came out, we went for it. Over the years we’ve moved up so - [Have planners lost the plot?](https://www.scargill.net/have-planners-lost-the-plot/) - Is it just me…. this morning as is often the case I was travelling up from the “Big Blue” hotel in Blackpool, to Star Gate then up to the business Park. All the way up there is a “cycle lane” – and on the sea front there is a sign that says “Blackpool is a - [New pics of grandkids](https://www.scargill.net/new-pics-of-grandkids/) - See the grandchildren section in the menu above! - [Happy time for Politics](https://www.scargill.net/happy-time-for-politics/) - It may not seem that way but this must surely be a happy time for politics – the time when labour are well and truly STUFFED. From the moment they achieved power partly because the Conservatives at the time had lost the will to live and partly because “it’s a Blair-face lie” managed to convince - [Blogs](https://www.scargill.net/84/) - I'm putting my blog entries in my main scargill blog/website now so please visit the site now - [Windows 7 on the EEE](https://www.scargill.net/windows-7-on-the-eee/) - Just a little update for those considering putting the Windows 7 release candidate onto their computers – and in particular for those using the EEE computers by Asus. My 904HD is the one that comes with Windows XP and a hard disk, while remaining almost a pocket-sized computer (if you have very large, slack pockets. - [Helicopter Flying Day for Maureen Scargill](https://www.scargill.net/helicopter-flying-day-for-maureen-scargill/) - On Friday gone, Maureen had her first helicopter flying lesson. After several stalls due to bad weather we finally managed to get up to the Newcastle flying club along with grandson Rory yesterday afternoon and after some delay due to the helicopter being late coming in… off she went. The session lasted half an hour - [A welcome break](https://www.scargill.net/a-welcome-break/) - I have to say I’m quite looking forward to a week in Spain. The weather here in Wark has improved but it’s still only 60F in May for heaven’s sake! As long as you only go out at lunchtime it’s fine but the evenings are COLD. I’m looking forward to sitting outside in the dark - [Massive Wind Farm](https://www.scargill.net/massive-wind-farm/) - It was quite elated this morning as they announced that Britain’s biggest wind-farm with 140 windmills was to be expanded by 30 more… well that was until I discovered a video sitting next to it that said that America’s biggest wind-farm had… wait for it, up to FIFTEEN HUNDRED windmills. It’s not as if Scotland - [MPs Expenses – the rot sets in](https://www.scargill.net/mps-expenses-the-rot-sets-in/) - I’m sorry but I just don’t buy this apology thing… now we have Gordon Brown saying that a “gentleman's club” is just not good enough. AND HOW LONG HAS HE KNOWN ABOUT THIS? Gordon Brown and his predecessor have been part of that old boy’s club since they came into power and knew DAMNED WELL - [No More Vodafone Roaming Charges?](https://www.scargill.net/no-more-vodafone-roaming-charges/) - The Times and other newspapers, eager to report Vodafone’s current elimination of overseas roaming charges for mobile phone calls and text messages – seems to have missed the plot a little here. Yes, you can now phone for normal UK charges overseas (conditions apply), hurray... though I could not get my head around whether that - [Star Trek](https://www.scargill.net/star-trek/) - Just a quick note for those of you who like me have seen at one time or another most Star Trek movies and TV shows (though I never really got into the soap opera “Deep Space 9”)…. the new Star Trek movie is IMHO the best movie of the year BY FAR. HEROES fans will - [Maybe I'm just getting old](https://www.scargill.net/maybe-im-just-getting-old/) - Maybe I'm just getting old but I wonder if I'm right to have utterly and totally lost any faith in the British government whatsoever. As if it's not bad enough that one of their "solutions" to the massive dept that they and what used to be called the "respectable" banking establishment have gotten us into - [The Weight of a pen?](https://www.scargill.net/the-weight-of-a-pen/) - Here’s a thing. I read somewhere that when asked the question “While standing on the moon and you were holding a pen – if you let go of the pen – what would happen to it?” Apparently 50% of people tested got it wrong! Were you thinking it would float? Did you then think to - [Solar Panels Galore](https://www.scargill.net/solar-panels-galore/) - Solar power in Lorca When last heading back to the airport after a trip to Spain in April 2009, I took the opportunity to visit LORCA – a rather large city part way between Galera and Murcia airport. One of the benefits of carrying a sat-nav is that you don’t have to worry about getting - [Professional Persons](https://www.scargill.net/professional-persons/) - I’m in the process of applying for a new passport, having put mine in the wash (don’t laugh, it’s easy to do). In the process of filling out the two forms to get a replacement I noticed that you have to get the form countersigned by “a professional person or a person of standing in - [Britain really DOES have Talent](https://www.scargill.net/britain-really-does-have-talent/) - If the names Paul Potts and Connie Talbot are old hat to you - stop reading. I couldn’t help but share this however... Well, to cut a long story short, I must’ve been living on an alternative universe for the last year, because despite watching X-Factor occasionally, I’ve missed the “Britain’s got Talent” series which - [Shop thy neighbour](https://www.scargill.net/shop-thy-neighbour/) - I have never in all my days of reading the local papers, read of such a horrendous scheme as that reported in the Newcastle Journal today, proposed by the police in Swarland near Alnwick - in which they propose that neighbours anonymously shop drivers they THINK are speeding talk about abdicating responsibilities!! The first thing - [Lunar Rainbow](https://www.scargill.net/lunar-rainbow/) - How often do you see one of these? Most likely not very often. This is not what it looks like… a rainbow, but a moon rainbow or “moonbow” taken around 8pm on 12th of January 2009 in pitch black in Wark, Northumberland (UK). Apologies for the less than ideal focus, in each case these shots - [The Wrong Stuff](https://www.scargill.net/the-wrong-stuff/) - Does this remind you of anything: Britain struggling against the cold in the midst of an economic downturn, Power workers on strike with sympathetic strikes sprouting up all over the country, meanwhile our political rulers spend their time sucking up to the communists. Well, if you’re pretty old, you may be thinking about the 70’s - [Lily Allen – the Root of All Evil?](https://www.scargill.net/lily-allen-the-root-of-all-evil/) - Maybe I'm just getting TOO OLD for this - or maybe I can see something that the pathetically out of date BBC and others just can't handle in their golden years. Here's an example: Lily Allen has produced, as anyone who has not been in a cave in Spain for the last year knows, an - [Control of Diseases](https://www.scargill.net/control-of-diseases/) - I was watching TV recently with interest. In Japanese airports they now have infra-red cameras which spot people with elevated temperatures - so they can single them out and check if they have some kind of infectious disease as they enter the country - I'm assuming they're looking for bird flu or whatever. This reminds - [10 Dimensions](https://www.scargill.net/10-dimensions/) - For believers it’s probably easy… God created the lot – end of story. For the rest of us, the choices are simple – either don’t think about the origins of the universe and “get on with life” – or occasionally come back to thinking about the absolute absurdity a big bang, with all the matter - [Everyone’s a fruit-and-nutcase](https://www.scargill.net/a-world-of-nuts/) - So, for me it's all about learning and there is SO much to learn in the early 21st century. Sadly, learning new things is not something that appeals to much of the world and as we're seeing, it is religion as much as science that is shaping the world (recent terrorist events being prime examples - [The VAT Change – Did Anyone Notice](https://www.scargill.net/the-vat-change-did-anyone-notice/) - Interesting… the government cut VAT from 17.5% to 15% to help boost the economy. No-one thought it would make any difference. The FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) did a survey in which 97% of firms questioned said the cut had made “no impact at all” (I happen to know that stat was accurate as I - [How Bacteria Communicate](https://www.scargill.net/how-bacteria-communicate/) - Eh… what? Has Peter lost the plot? Biology lessons? No actually. As someone who long ago gave up hoping I’d ever learn anything sensible on TV, it’s become a bit of a hobby scouring the web for stuff that makes me think, that gives a new perspective – on the other hand I’m lazy – - [Electric cars for all?](https://www.scargill.net/hello-world/) - When I started watching this (and having just learned all about Obama's lack-lustre plan for so-called "high speed" trains) I must admit I did so expecting it to be another loser - we've no intrastructure for electric cars, range is limited etc... but really - this fellow is worth listening to - and it would - [Lily Allen - the Root of All Evil?](https://www.scargill.net/lily-allen-the-root-of-all-evil-2/) - Maybe I'm just getting TOO OLD for this - or maybe I can see something that the pathetically out of date BBC and others just can't handle in their golden years. Here's an example: Lily Allen has produced, as anyone who has not been in a cave in Spain for the last year knows, an - [Tales from the Battlefront](https://www.scargill.net/tales-from-the-battlefront/) - As I sit here first thing on Tuesday morning in my hotel in Victoria, London, I can’t help get the feeling we’re in for a rough ride. The G20 summit is soon upon us and already the mood is grim. According to the papers, the Met have cancelled all police leave this week and in - [FSB Conference 2009](https://www.scargill.net/fsb-conference-2009/) - I can’t believe it’s that time again… this year the annual conference for the Federation of Small Businesses was held at the Celtic Manor resort in Wales. It started on Thursday 19th March and ran through Saturday night. The product of a year’s planning and several trips back and forth, this was for me the - [Control of Diseases](https://www.scargill.net/control-of-diseases-2/) - I was watching TV yesterday with interest. In Japanese airports they now have infra-red cameras which spot people with elevated temperatures - so they can single them out and check if they have some kind of infectious disease as they enter the country - I'm assuming they're looking for bird flu or whatever.This reminds me - [Brownian Motion](https://www.scargill.net/brownian-motion/) - Is this REALLY the best that Gordon Brown could muster (speech)? In his speech to congress, the only people who seem to have been impressed were our own press – and they would…. but even then the infatuation quickly died… here are some extracts from the press… Despite Mr Brown's glowing summary of the "special - [Population Control](https://www.scargill.net/population-control/) - I wondered how long it would be before someone brought up this taboo subject, sadly it seems to be hidden away in a corner of the BBCs website - maybe it should be on the front page. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7865332.stm It may be politically incorrect to discuss but the maths is simple – less people means less - [Population control?](https://www.scargill.net/population-control-2/) - I wondered how long it would be before someone brought up this taboo subject, sadly it seems to be hidden away in a corner of the BBCs website - maybe it should be on the front page. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7865332.stm It may be politically incorrect to discuss but the maths is simple – less people means less - [The Wrong Stuff](https://www.scargill.net/the-wrong-stuff-2/) - Does this remind you of anything: Britain struggling against the cold in the midst of an economic downturn, Power workers on strike with sympathetic strikes sprouting up all over the country, meanwhile our political rulers spend their time sucking up to the communists. Well, if you’re pretty old, you may be thinking about the 70’s - [Why a bilingual Wales?](https://www.scargill.net/why-a-bilingual-wales/) - Can someone tell me, in a small country like Wales, surrounded by English speaking people, in the middle of the worst recession in living memory, are the Welsh INSISTING on pushing forward with making companies that deal with them publish materials in their language? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7863542.stm – the British people have shown we're incapable of learning - [Climate Change Scandal?](https://www.scargill.net/climate-change-scandal/) - Global Warning Scandal? Today I read this little item entitled The amazing story behind the Global Warming Scam in which John Coleman casts grave doubt on the legitimacy of blaming carbon dioxide for our problems. Change is happening of course, no doubt about that, but the direction that change is taking us – and who - [The Obscene New Jaguar XFR](https://www.scargill.net/the-obscene-new-jaguar-xfr/) - I was reading in the papers about the new Jaguar XFR high performance sports saloon which will, it is claimed exceed 225mph with it's 510bhp V8 engine. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not an environmentalist, I'm not even a socialist and I most definitely don't eat any greens... but perhaps my change of attitude - [The Obscene New Jaguar XFR](https://www.scargill.net/the-obscene-new-jaguar-xfr-2/) - I was reading in the paper today about the new Jaguar XFR high performance sports saloon which will, it is claimed exceed 225mph with it's 510bhp V8 engine.Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not an environmentalist, I'm not even a socialist and I most definitely don't eat any greens... but perhaps my change of attitude - [Waste-of-space protesters at the Airport](https://www.scargill.net/waste-of-space-protesters-at-the-airport/) - The green-munching environmental protesters at Heathrow remind me so much of the anti-nuclear bunch back when I was a kid – a bunch of bored middle-class rebels who’s only achievement was to set back the progress of alternatives to coal by 20 years or more. I can’t help thinking they’re really still getting back at - [Lunar Rainbow](https://www.scargill.net/lunar-rainbow-2/) - How often do you see one of these? Most likely not very often. This is not what it looks like… a rainbow, but a moon rainbow or “moonbow” taken around 8pm on 12th of January 2009 in pitch black in Wark, Northumberland (UK). Apologies for the less than ideal focus, in each case these shots - [Advertising Standards What?](https://www.scargill.net/advertising-standards-what/) - I thought you might be interested to see this. If you’ve a mobile Smartphone you’ll know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. I just wrote to the advertising standards agency in the UK to complain about the farcical figures that one particular mobile phone supplier (they’re all the same) quotes for STANDBY times on the phones. - [Advertising Standards WHAT?](https://www.scargill.net/advertising-standards-what-2/) - I thought you might be interested to see this. If you’ve a mobile Smartphone you’ll know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. I just wrote to the advertising standards agency in the UK to complain about the farcical figures that one particular mobile phone supplier (they’re all the same) quotes for STANDBY times on the phones. - [Italian priest Father Bottino says Santa Claus doesn't exist!](https://www.scargill.net/italian-priest-father-bottino-says-santa-claus-doesnt-exist/) - This doesn't half take the biscuit... Italian Catholic priest Father Dino Bottino is in trouble this Christmas for letting kids in on a secret! According to Dino (wait for it) - Father Christmas DOESN'T EXIST!!!Apparently Mr Bottino let this bombshell out at a children's mass in December 2008. He said he had never intended to - [Each to their own – are we all born equal?](https://www.scargill.net/each-to-their-own-are-we-all-born-equal/) - How many times have you had discussions as to whether or not people are born equal? Personally I thought the argument in favour of NO was long-since won, but apparently not. Having managed to get part way through Stephen Pinker's book "The Blank Slate" only to give up as it was a couple of inches - [Each to their own - are we all born equal?](https://www.scargill.net/each-to-their-own-are-we-all-born-equal-2/) - How many times have you had discussions as to whether or not people are born equal? Personally I thought the argument in favour of NO was long-since won, but apparently not. Having managed to get part way through Stephen Pinker's book "The Blank Slate" only to give up as it was a couple of inches - [We value your service Not](https://www.scargill.net/we-value-your-service-not/) - Have you noticed (of course you have) that just about every company that uses an automated phone system have far too few staff?"We value your call""we apologise but our staff are attending to other customers"Seems to me that if someone valued my call that much - they'd make sure they could answer the calls. Of - [The National Unhealth](https://www.scargill.net/the-national-unhealth/) - Over a month ago I made an appointment with my local doctor as I've an issue with arthritis - most likely due to spending too many years blowing away aliens at the keyboard. He referred me to Hexham General Hospital, with a note with a password on it. I went to the hospital website to - [The National unHealth](https://www.scargill.net/the-national-unhealth-2/) - Over a month ago I made an appointment with my local doctor as I've an issue with arthritis - most likely due to spending too many years blowing away aliens at the keyboard. He referred me to Hexham General Hospital, with a note with a password on it. I went to the hospital website to - [Newcastle Airport - the Epitomy of International](https://www.scargill.net/newcastle-airport-the-epitomy-of-international/) - Funny old thing - I've never been to Newcastle Airport at night to pick someone up - despite having been there so many times it feels like my second home, I've always been the one travelling!Tonight we went to pick up my nephew from the USA. He's 20 and he's actually in Northern Ireland at - [Johnny Lee and Head Tracking](https://www.scargill.net/johnny-lee-and-head-tracking/) - If you've never hear of Johnny Lee - watch this - I've ran his software for a number of his projects and they work - guy's a genius - if the games designers have any imagination - expect some pretty impressive stuff just around the corner. - [Newcastle Airport - the Epitome of International](https://www.scargill.net/newcastle-airport-the-epitome-of-international/) - Funny old thing - I've never been to Newcastle Airport at night to pick someone up - despite having been there so many times it feels like my second home, I've always been the one travelling! Tonight we went to pick up my nephew from the USA. He's 20 and he's actually in Northern Ireland - [Religious Fighting - what a Farce](https://www.scargill.net/religious-fighting-what-a-farce/) - As if the religions of this world are not farcical enough with their miriad of incompatible beliefs - all of which are fundamental to each religion and NONE of which has the slighest shred of evidence or credibility unless you believe that just because something is printed in a book it has to be true - [TV - the vast intellectual wasteland](https://www.scargill.net/tv-the-vast-intellectual-wasteland/) - That title isn't unique, I remember it from a cartoon back in the '80s - a magazine called "Creative Computing" by David H Ahl. Sadly this was before the age of the Internet so you won't find much about it.I'm sitting here in our holiday home in Spain, we bought a little place in Galera - [One Billion Pounds](https://www.scargill.net/one-billion-pounds/) - Once again this government has taken our money - and without asking us decided to turn it into a tool to scrape back votes. A billion pounds is to be given to a select group to help with heating costs. Pensioners and low-income families with children will receive up to 16 pounds a week. I - [ONE BILLION POUNDS](https://www.scargill.net/one-billion-pounds-2/) - Once again this government has taken our money - and without asking us decided to turn it into a tool to scrape back votes. A billion pounds is to be given to a select group to help with heating costs. Pensioners and low-income families with children will receive up to 16 pounds a week.I have - [Lets spend MORE to help the helpless why don't we](https://www.scargill.net/lets-spend-more-to-help-the-helpless-why-dont-we/) - In a recent newspaper article in the Northeast, Coun Mark Wilkes refers to the "new form of heating" known as ground source heating and suggests that he's started a petition to invest in this "new" form of heating to install the pumps in social housing. In fact, geothermal heating is far from new. Wark social - [Lets spend MORE to help the helpless why don't we](https://www.scargill.net/lets-spend-more-to-help-the-helpless-why-dont-we-2/) - In a recent newspaper article in the Northeast, Coun Mark Wilkes refers to the "new form of heating" known as ground source heating and suggests that he's started a petition to invest in this "new" form of heating to install the pumps in social housing. In fact, geothermal heating is far from new. Wark social - [SHOP THY NEIGHBOUR](https://www.scargill.net/shop-thy-neighbour-2/) - I have never in all my days of reading the local papers, read of such a horrendous scheme as that reported in the Newcastle Journal today, proposed by the police in Swarland near Alnwick - in which they propose that neighbours annonymously shop drivers they THINK are speeding talk about abdicating responsibilities!! The first thing - [Orange - Update - the phone works- kind of](https://www.scargill.net/orange-update-the-phone-works-kind-of/) - The ongoing saga of Orange...Around 3 weeks ago, it became that time of year when I could upgrade my phone. Only a few weeks earlier my wife had upgraded her phone to the HTC Tytn II - and so I rang up to upgrade my phone, currently the earlier original HTC Tytn model. No chance - [Britain really DOES have Talent](https://www.scargill.net/britain-really-does-have-talent-2/) - If the names Paul Potts and Connie Talbot are old hat to you - stop reading. I couldn’t help but share this however...Well, to cut a long story short, I must’ve been living on an alternative universe for the last year, because despite watching X-Factor occasionally, I’ve missed the “Britain’s got Talent” series which culminated - [This Green and Sometimes Pleasant Land](https://www.scargill.net/this-green-and-sometimes-pleasant-land/) - Don't get me wrong, living in rural Northumberland is a treat. The roads are generally quiet, the land is indeed "green and pleasant" and people generally seem to be much nicer in the countryside than in towns - maybe it's reduced stress that does it - but you just can't get away from the fact - [The Right to Drive](https://www.scargill.net/the-right-to-drive/) - So a group of MPs is “sceptical” of proposed increases to car tax – and so they should be. Clearly this is not about encouraging motorists to use “greener” cars – but is all about raising more money to pay for everything BUT transport. The mere fact that this tax is retrospective says everything – - [Your Right to Dump Rubbish](https://www.scargill.net/your-right-to-dump-rubbish/) - Our friendly socialist government is currently sneaking through a bill to allow councils to refuse to collect rubbish "if homeowners fail to abide by stringent rules that may include leaving bins in the right place, sticking to weight restrictions and following strict recycling policies".Of course, as they'll have the final word, what happens if you - [Johnny Lee and Head Tracking](https://www.scargill.net/johnny-lee-and-head-tracking-2/) - If you've never hear of Johnny Lee - watch this - I've ran his software for a number of his projects and they work - guy's a genius - if the games designers have any imagination - expect some pretty impressive stuff just around the corner. Head Tracking using the WiiMoteby johnnylee - [Motoring Insanity](https://www.scargill.net/motoring-insanity/) - I got up early this morning and managed something I rarely do these days - read the paper from cover to cover. One item that caught my attention was a feature showing a new Lotus - the "Eagle" capable of doing 160mph and accelerating from 0-60mph in under 5 seconds.My gut reaction was "that looks - [Taking the easy option](https://www.scargill.net/taking-the-easy-option/) - According to the British Chamber of Commerce website, a report published by the University of Durham revealed that students may be more likely to choose to study ‘easier’ subjects, and not opt to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects that are desperately needed by employers. Surely the answer is simple? Why on EARTH - [Google's Android](https://www.scargill.net/googles-android/) - I'm just SO impressed with the Google ANDROID demo - I'm including it here for a while. It starts off a little slow - but bear with it - the last few seconds blows anything the IPHONE can do out of the water. - [Quality of Medical Service in the UK](https://www.scargill.net/quality-of-medical-service-in-the-uk/) - In the Northeast Journal newspaper today, vet Neil Murdock wrote "When animals are ill they are often seen by several vetinary surgeons throughout the course of their treatment, which can be highly unsettling for both them and their owners".Well, I'm not convinced our cats could give two hoots who they see but of course this - [Life in the slow lane](https://www.scargill.net/life-in-the-slow-lane/) - Another un-eventful day on National Express. The current ad floating about on the trains says "National Express - Same Seats - only Cheaper" - depicting a very relaxed customer who USED to pay £14.75 from London to York NOW paying a mere £10.00 for the privilage - what a bargain!I'm writing this in notepad as - [Taking the Easy Option](https://www.scargill.net/taking-the-easy-option-2/) - According to the British Chamber of Commerce website, a report published by the University of Durham revealed that students may be more likely to choose to study ‘easier’ subjects, and not opt to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects that are desperately needed by employers.Surely the answer is simple? Why on EARTH are - [Public Transport](https://www.scargill.net/public-transport/) - I sat and watched "Politics today" at lunchtime and listened to the most appalling drivel about public transport as some gentleman living in cloud cuckoo land told us how the motorist should be paying to improve public transport.HERE'S A THOUGHT, BUDDY - how about the people who USE public transport paying for it!! We're too - [The Summer Exodus - Update](https://www.scargill.net/the-summer-exodus-update/) - Our local rental property is sold, so now we start looking at the larger items we need to populate our cave in Spain.It appears that electrical items are pretty expensive over there, so we’re shipping stuff, like a new hot tub and we’re taking a decent bed over that was at the rental property. We - [Air Cars](https://www.scargill.net/air-cars-2/) - We've been talking about air-powered cars recently.. turns out an Indian manufacturer is bringing them out - using very highly compressed air. It seems also that the Americans are taking an interest also... see this link.One of the issues with these vehicles is range - and so adding a petrol (or other fossil fuel) engine - [Air cars](https://www.scargill.net/air-cars/) - We've been talking about air-powered cars recently.. turns out an Indian manufacturer is bringing them out - using very highly compressed air. It seems also that the Americans are taking an interest also... One of the issues with these vehicles is range - and so adding a petrol (or other fossil fuel) engine seems sensible - [Awards](https://www.scargill.net/awards/) - There was a time once when the nearest I would get to awards was to win one (very rarely I might add) - but it seems these days I spend a lot more time judging them.A few weeks ago I was one of the judges on the Northeast's first Digital Awards - the award dinner - [Bang - or NOT to Bang](https://www.scargill.net/bang-or-not-to-bang/) - Anyone in the mood for some really DEEP stuff? If so, read on. I've always been pretty keen on the big bang theory, though I never could get my head around how you could get something out of nothing - as it goes against all the laws of physics which have worked so well for - [This rotten government speaking on our behalf](https://www.scargill.net/this-rotten-government-speaking-on-our-behalf/) - The UK's longstanding opposition to human spaceflight will be no bar to its citizens becoming astronauts, the European Space Agency (Esa) says. Officials made it clear at the start of a recruitment drive in London that Britons were very welcome to apply. Although a major Esa member, the UK currently refuses to fund human spaceflight, - [Iron Man](https://www.scargill.net/iron-man/) - Ok, I KNOW I said Fantastic 4 was the best... but life moves on - Maureen and I just went to see Iron Man and I have to say I was REALLY sceptical - I mean, it looks great in the comics when you're 3 - but how do you make a man in an - [TV](https://www.scargill.net/tv/) - Ok, so I picked a plasma TV. Why? Well, I went off to Tescos - mainly out of laziness. I could probably have managed a much better deal on the web but then there's the postage on such a large item - and you have to be in the house to get the delivery etc - [Advertising Technology Products](https://www.scargill.net/advertising-technology-products/) - Part of the reason people get confused by technology - is that half the time the people doing the advertising haven't a clue what it is they are selling!!I'm on the lookout for a plasma TV. I've chosen plasma despite all the comments suggesting that LCD is better. Why? Well, instead of comparing them straigh - [Back to Rack and Ruin](https://www.scargill.net/back-to-rack-and-ruin/) - Sunday: Back home to dark, wet England. Sure enough as reported by friends, our electricity was off. Thank heavens for modern breakers.. I managed to narrow the problem down to one breaker - the one providing power to the "east wing" of the house - i.e. my office and the master bedroom. As I was - [Have you had an accident recently? It's always SOMEONE's fault.... isn't it?](https://www.scargill.net/have-you-had-an-accident-recently-its-always-someones-fault-isnt-it/) - Have you had an accident recently that wasn't your fault? Well, why not contact the national accident helpline - and they'll help you sue the pants off some company even though it probably wasn't their fault either.Am I alone in being incensed by the ad showing the guy falling off the ladder?"I was given the - [Seville - home of the Orange](https://www.scargill.net/seville-home-of-the-orange/) - Saturday: Today we travelled to Seville - which on any other day would have been a wondrous event as the place is lovely - however it rained all day which put the dampers on things a little. Having said that, it was 15-20 degrees for most of the day so still short-sleeve shirt weather.We visited - [The Hole in the Wall](https://www.scargill.net/the-hole-in-the-wall/) - Friday: A trip to the Mezquita in Cordoba (a temple first built in the Visigoth era) via a wonderful castle called Castillo de Almondovar del Rio.Thursday: We're currently staying in Cordoba, near Seville which is 300km away from Galera - Maureen's after some culture. On the way we're planning furniture moving, bank acounts and a - [The hole in the wall - Spain](https://www.scargill.net/the-hole-in-the-wall-spain/) - We set off from the rainy UK in the early hours of Monday morning for Spain and what a ride it's been since then. We arrived in Spain lunchtime to less than exciting weather. Granted it was MUCH warmer than the UK but there was a light rain. Non-the-less we set off from Malaga airport - [A Holiday and a Half](https://www.scargill.net/a-holiday-and-a-half/) - We set off from the rainy UK in the early hours of Monday morning for Spain and what a ride it's been since then. We arrived in Spain lunchtime to less than exciting weather. Granted it was MUCH warmer than the UK but there was a light rain. Non-the-less we set off from Malaga airport - [Pipex and Customer Care](https://www.scargill.net/pipex-and-customer-care/) - "Thank you for continuing to hold, we value your call..."Does that sound familiar? Does it make you want to pick up a shotgun and blow the phone to pieces?I have a broadband account with Pipex - one of their £14.99 accounts. I took this up a year ago and a couple of weeks ago I - [Global Warming - Businesses to Blame](https://www.scargill.net/global-warming-businesses-to-blame/) - I was reading the Independent on Sunday and the headlines read "Profits of Doom" - Big business shuns green policies.Well, there you go, it must be official then. The assumption that this title makes is that there IS a problem with global warming THAT BIG BUSINESS COULD FIX... and that's where I have an issue.Here - [BBC - In Search of Truth](https://www.scargill.net/bbc-in-search-of-truth/) - I don't know how many of you watched the BBC program "Watchdog" the other night. It was my first and last time.They were checking into "bugus psychics" and I could not believe my ears when I heard "of course, there ARE genuine psychics out there"Since WHEN? It seems I'm not the only one that spotted - [Life as we Know It - National Express Trains](https://www.scargill.net/life-as-we-know-it-national-express-trains/) - It is often said of middle-aged people that they are "grumpy" - especially men. There is certainly an increased tendency to complain and an apparently unlimited number of things to complain about - but I was thinking about this....With age comes confidence, experience and an increased desire for comfort. Is it any wonder then that - [Cirque Du Soleil](https://www.scargill.net/cirque-du-soleil/) - Last night my wife and I went to see Cirque Du Soleil Varakai at the Theatre Royal in London.Now, don't get me wrong, this is NOT what I do - I'm a fan of TV series and movies that cost countless millions in special effects, personally, however marriage is a compromise and so I went - [British Airways - Pride of the Nation?](https://www.scargill.net/british-airways-pride-of-the-nation/) - Today was fun... my wife and I were due to take the train to London this afternoon and because of some problem at Darlington on the return they were trying to convince us to split the journey and do part of it by bus... erm, no thank you.So I made the mistake of deciding to - [A LOST Cause](https://www.scargill.net/a-lost-cause/) - I've updated an older post here - created when the government first starting to lose laptops. Now it's becoming a habit and the MOD has managed to lose unencrypted details of 600,000 servicemen.. and they serious expect us to believe they are capable of looking after identity cards? Would you trust them with a SECOND - [Human-Animal Embryos](https://www.scargill.net/human-animal-embryos/) - It would appear that the first applications to create human-animal embryos are in! The promise of course is the possibility of cures for serious diseases.Opponents worryingly say "we should not interfere with nature".Have you ever heard such a stupid phrase in your entire life.Here's nature for you. Natural disasters that kill tens of thousands prematurely - [OPT-OUT or NOT?](https://www.scargill.net/opt-out-or-not/) - The government (apparently) is considering the idea of opt-out for spare body parts - AT LAST.Like most of us, I "keep meaning" to get an organ donor card but lets face it we've all got so many other things to do... meanwhile people are dying out there despite our technology - because the doctors can't - [The TED Videos](https://www.scargill.net/the-ted-videos/) - I just can't praise this website enough... http://www.ted.com/REALLY excellent videos. For those of you who are in TV hell at the moment partly because of the RUBBISH they've had on TV (including Sky) over the Christmas and partly because some of the more promising new shows from the US are dead right now because the - [Microsoft Surface](https://www.scargill.net/microsoft-surface/) - I've the greatest respect for Microsoft - but this is really funny... you may have to click twice... - [The Pastafarians](https://www.scargill.net/the-pastafarians/) - This is just marvelous - made my day - No further comment...Flying spaghetti monster - [Education and the Home](https://www.scargill.net/education-and-the-home/) - A recent report shows that despite 30 years of social engineering, success in educating kids still depends to a large extent on their up-bringing - with the life-shattering conclusion that kids who's parents are successful - do better at school - even if the kids themselves aren't the sharpest tools in the box!! Well, you - [Our Throw-away Society](https://www.scargill.net/our-throw-away-society/) - I got up early this morning, quite annoyed with myself. Only yesterday, I'd been charging a car battery on a lab power supply - and wired it up the wrong way. One cloud of smoke later, I had a dead dual power supply.It occurred to me that I'd had this old thing for the better - [The Price of Fuel Tax](https://www.scargill.net/the-price-of-fuel-tax/) - Note that the title was deliberate - it isn't so much the price of fuel - as the tax the government is ripping us off for!Remember back in, what was it, 2000 when we were all up in arms about the cost of fuel? I remember walking into the FSB's London office, I was a - [My other Blogs](https://www.scargill.net/my-other-blogs/) - I've recently started keeping up a Blog at Computing magazine and of course you'll find more information on the scargill website - [Would you trust this government with a handbag?](https://www.scargill.net/would-you-trust-this-government-with-a-handbag/) - When identity cards first came to the attention of the public, many folk were concerned about more centralized information being in the hands of our government – and now the validity of such concerns is clear to all : 25 million records including financial details, routinely transferred, unencrypted, by junior officials onto everyday CDs and - [The Future's Grim - the Future's Orange](https://www.scargill.net/the-futures-grim-the-futures-orange-2/) - For those who've been fortunate enough not to have to call Orange customer services - presumably you still have faith in your fellow men (and women). May you stay hopeful.This latest episide with Orange is of particular embarrassment - as you'll see if you read by original blogs on this subject. I had IMMENSE difficulties - [PhotoSynth and the Future of Photos](https://www.scargill.net/photosynth-and-the-future-of-photos/) - I recently attended a cracking talk at Teched Developers 2007 in Barcelona... and this article is superficially on the subject of PHOTOS – and what we (by that I mean the world) can do with them – I think you'll find this very interesting, mind-boggling in fact, but you'll have to bear with me as - [Identity Cards - Another Puppy?](https://www.scargill.net/identity-cards-another-puppy/) - You would think that our prime minister would learn from his mistakes - but no, he just keeps making them, firstly Europe, then the war and now this... The idea of a national identity card in itself is something we could discuss endlessly, some see it as a great anti-terrorist measure, others see the combination ## Pages - [History of Interests](https://www.scargill.net/everything/early-interests/) - Electronics Devices, software, explosive devices and developing political awareness In 1963, Philips introduced the “EE” electronics kit for kids featuring what were then quite exciting semiconductors such as the OC45 and OC71/2. This provided a means to experiment with simple electronics without having access to a soldering iron. I’m not sure if it was the - [Grandkids](https://www.scargill.net/everything/grandkids/) - First photo is the latest addition - Isabella - photo July 2021 The photos below are just for the casual observer and are now OLD. Jethro - [About](https://www.scargill.net/about/) - Before "retiring" early to enjoy more Spanish weather and the friendly people - I ran an IT consultancy specialising in the technology needs of small businesses and helped manage our holiday rental cottage in Wark with Maureen. For 14 years I was the IT Director for the Federation of Small Businesses. a member of the - [Photo Albums](https://www.scargill.net/albums/) - Here is a selection of Peter and Maureen Scargill's photos - [Welcome](https://www.scargill.net/welcome/) - Welcome to Maureen and Peter Scargill's blog. This is one of a pair of blogs about us. This is our UK version and tells you about us and something of our lives in the UK and Spain. Here is our (more often updated) sister blog in Spain. Maureen and I currently live in Galera, Andalusia, - [Personal History of Peter Scargill inc Family](https://www.scargill.net/everything/history/) - This page documents the personal history of Peter Donald Scargill - [The Scargill Name - Rare or What?](https://www.scargill.net/everything/scargill/) - Some information about the name Scargill and some input from many Scargills who write to me from time to time. - [Galera, Andalusia](https://www.scargill.net/everything/places/galera/) - Here's a slideshow of our trips to Spain in 2008 including Bedrock Technorati Tags: Galera,Spain,Scargill - [And...](https://www.scargill.net/everything/) - Some personal history, some of the things I do or am interested in... check out the drop-down menu under "And..." - [Places](https://www.scargill.net/everything/places/) - Check the dropdown menu for options - [Wark](https://www.scargill.net/everything/places/places/) - Bearing in mind that I wasn't around at the time, the images below were apparently taken around the turn of the century (the last but one!) - some as far back as 1890, some in the early 1920s. They were taken either in or near the village of Wark in Northumberland. 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[fuel tax](https://www.scargill.net/category/fuel-tax/) - [re-use](https://www.scargill.net/category/re-use/) - [recycling](https://www.scargill.net/category/recycling/) - [throw-away](https://www.scargill.net/category/throw-away/) - [education](https://www.scargill.net/category/education/) - [failure](https://www.scargill.net/category/failure/) - [social inclusion](https://www.scargill.net/category/social-inclusion/) - [success](https://www.scargill.net/category/success/) - [Microsoft Surface](https://www.scargill.net/category/microsoft-surface/) - [air car](https://www.scargill.net/category/air-car/) - [air compression](https://www.scargill.net/category/air-compression/) - [air engine](https://www.scargill.net/category/air-engine/) - [indian car manufacturer](https://www.scargill.net/category/indian-car-manufacturer/) - [programming](https://www.scargill.net/category/programming/) - [software](https://www.scargill.net/category/software/) - [current affairs](https://www.scargill.net/category/current-affairs/) - [Digital Economy Bill](https://www.scargill.net/category/digital-economy-bill/) - [tv ads](https://www.scargill.net/category/tv-ads/) - [northumberland](https://www.scargill.net/category/northumberland/) - [religion](https://www.scargill.net/category/religion/) - [Apple TV 2](https://www.scargill.net/category/apple-tv-2/) - [Netgear ReadyNas Duo](https://www.scargill.net/category/netgear-readynas-duo/) - [javascript](https://www.scargill.net/category/javascript/) - [jquery](https://www.scargill.net/category/jquery/) - [Atmel](https://www.scargill.net/category/atmel/) - [microcontrollers](https://www.scargill.net/category/microcontrollers/) - [UberBareBoard](https://www.scargill.net/category/uberbareboard/) - [Indian restaurants](https://www.scargill.net/category/indian-restaurants/) - [Horror](https://www.scargill.net/category/horror/) - [Evil](https://www.scargill.net/category/evil/) - [Space flight](https://www.scargill.net/category/space-flight/) - [wark](https://www.scargill.net/category/wark/) - [solar](https://www.scargill.net/category/solar/) - [alternative power](https://www.scargill.net/category/alternative-power/) - [Broadband](https://www.scargill.net/category/broadband-2/) - [Sky TV](https://www.scargill.net/category/sky-tv/) - [On Demand](https://www.scargill.net/category/on-demand/) - [Android](https://www.scargill.net/category/android-2/) - [Incompetence](https://www.scargill.net/category/incompetence/) - [PC Games](https://www.scargill.net/category/pc-games/) - [Games](https://www.scargill.net/category/games/) - [Lighting](https://www.scargill.net/category/lighting/) - [Samsung](https://www.scargill.net/category/samsung/) - [Tablet](https://www.scargill.net/category/tablet/) - [illusion](https://www.scargill.net/category/illusion/) - [new year](https://www.scargill.net/category/new-year/) - [Blackpool](https://www.scargill.net/category/blackpool/) - [NRF24L01](https://www.scargill.net/category/nrf24l01/) - [Amsterdam](https://www.scargill.net/category/amsterdam/) - [Holland](https://www.scargill.net/category/holland/) - [garden lights](https://www.scargill.net/category/garden-lights/) - [experiments](https://www.scargill.net/category/experiments/) - [Pokki](https://www.scargill.net/category/pokki/) - [Rocketdock](https://www.scargill.net/category/rocketdock/) - [Google+](https://www.scargill.net/category/google/) - [ESCO](https://www.scargill.net/category/esco/) - [Windows 8](https://www.scargill.net/category/windows-8/) - [EESC](https://www.scargill.net/category/eesc/) - [Dallas](https://www.scargill.net/category/dallas/) - [DS18B20](https://www.scargill.net/category/ds18b20/) - [DS18B20p](https://www.scargill.net/category/ds18b20p/) - [Negratin](https://www.scargill.net/category/negratin/) - [Andalucia](https://www.scargill.net/category/andalucia/) - [Life](https://www.scargill.net/category/life/) - [Channel Islands](https://www.scargill.net/category/channel-islands/) - [Turkey](https://www.scargill.net/category/turkey/) - [Izmir](https://www.scargill.net/category/izmir/) - [scams](https://www.scargill.net/category/scams/) - [Logmein](https://www.scargill.net/category/logmein/) - [Home Control](https://www.scargill.net/category/home-control/) - [Ethernet](https://www.scargill.net/category/ethernet/) - [Radio Control](https://www.scargill.net/category/radio-control/) - [Cameron](https://www.scargill.net/category/cameron/) - [Gibraltar](https://www.scargill.net/category/gibraltar/) - [Eastern Airways](https://www.scargill.net/category/eastern-airways/) - [60th Birthdays](https://www.scargill.net/category/60th-birthdays/) - [toys](https://www.scargill.net/category/toys/) - [DIY](https://www.scargill.net/category/diy/) - [aspirin](https://www.scargill.net/category/aspirin/) - [pets](https://www.scargill.net/category/pets/) - [Almeria](https://www.scargill.net/category/almeria/) - [USB Charging](https://www.scargill.net/category/usb-charging/) - [USB](https://www.scargill.net/category/usb/) - [Si4332](https://www.scargill.net/category/si4332/) - [1284p](https://www.scargill.net/category/1284p/) - [Atmega1284](https://www.scargill.net/category/atmega1284/) - [Aiduino](https://www.scargill.net/category/aiduino/) - [ESP8266](https://www.scargill.net/category/esp8266/) - [Guernsey](https://www.scargill.net/category/guernsey/) - [ESPRESSIF](https://www.scargill.net/category/espressif/) - [ITDF](https://www.scargill.net/category/itdf/) - [Richmond Events](https://www.scargill.net/category/richmond-events/) - [Aurora](https://www.scargill.net/category/aurora/) - [Digital Cameras](https://www.scargill.net/category/digital-cameras/) - [Eyes](https://www.scargill.net/category/eyes/) - [Vision](https://www.scargill.net/category/vision/) - [NHS](https://www.scargill.net/category/nhs/) - [ESP-01](https://www.scargill.net/category/esp-01/) - [CHEAP WIFI](https://www.scargill.net/category/cheap-wifi/) - [ESP-03](https://www.scargill.net/category/esp-03/) - [ESP-02](https://www.scargill.net/category/esp-02/) - [Grand Place](https://www.scargill.net/category/grand-place/) - [London](https://www.scargill.net/category/london/) - [#fsbconf](https://www.scargill.net/category/fsbconf/) - [Holiday](https://www.scargill.net/category/holiday/) - [zopo](https://www.scargill.net/category/zopo/) - [Boston](https://www.scargill.net/category/boston/) - [Uber](https://www.scargill.net/category/uber/) - [galera](https://www.scargill.net/category/galera/) - [castillejar](https://www.scargill.net/category/castillejar/) - [UPS](https://www.scargill.net/category/ups/) - [Chloe](https://www.scargill.net/category/chloe/) - [bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/category/bellingham/) - [Concerts](https://www.scargill.net/category/concerts/) - [Amazon](https://www.scargill.net/category/amazon/) - [Granada](https://www.scargill.net/category/granada/) - [friends](https://www.scargill.net/category/friends/) - [Chicago trip](https://www.scargill.net/category/chicago-trip/) - [willow cottage](https://www.scargill.net/category/willow-cottage/) - [stroke](https://www.scargill.net/category/stroke/) - [fit](https://www.scargill.net/category/fit/) - [Maureen](https://www.scargill.net/category/maureen/) - [beach](https://www.scargill.net/category/beach/) - [River Tyne near Wark](https://www.scargill.net/category/river-tyne-near-wark/) - [illness](https://www.scargill.net/category/illness/) - [epileptic fit](https://www.scargill.net/category/epileptic-fit/) - [AI](https://www.scargill.net/category/ai/) ## Tags - [electric cars](https://www.scargill.net/tag/electric-cars/) - [bacteria](https://www.scargill.net/tag/bacteria/) - [communication](https://www.scargill.net/tag/communication/) - [population](https://www.scargill.net/tag/population/) - [solar power](https://www.scargill.net/tag/solar-power/) - [photovoltiac](https://www.scargill.net/tag/photovoltiac/) - [solar energy](https://www.scargill.net/tag/solar-energy/) - [global warming](https://www.scargill.net/tag/global-warming/) - [mini-hollywood](https://www.scargill.net/tag/mini-hollywood/) - [scargill cats](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargill-cats/) - [kittens](https://www.scargill.net/tag/kittens/) - [Petman](https://www.scargill.net/tag/petman/) - [advanced robotics](https://www.scargill.net/tag/advanced-robotics/) - [AMS](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ams/) - [Alan Sugar](https://www.scargill.net/tag/alan-sugar/) - [Labour folly](https://www.scargill.net/tag/labour-folly/) - [apprentice](https://www.scargill.net/tag/apprentice/) - [heating](https://www.scargill.net/tag/heating/) - [shipping overseas](https://www.scargill.net/tag/shipping-overseas/) - [Aldi](https://www.scargill.net/tag/aldi/) - [human rights](https://www.scargill.net/tag/human-rights/) - [newcastle station](https://www.scargill.net/tag/newcastle-station/) - [rubbish](https://www.scargill.net/tag/rubbish/) - [freezing to death](https://www.scargill.net/tag/freezing-to-death/) - [east line](https://www.scargill.net/tag/east-line/) - [british rail](https://www.scargill.net/tag/british-rail/) - [demise of "British"](https://www.scargill.net/tag/demise-of-british/) - [poor train broadband](https://www.scargill.net/tag/poor-train-broadband/) - [Scargill's cats](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargills-cats/) - [Avatar](https://www.scargill.net/tag/avatar/) - [Imax cinema](https://www.scargill.net/tag/imax-cinema/) - [Derwent Manor](https://www.scargill.net/tag/derwent-manor/) - [Take That](https://www.scargill.net/tag/take-that/) - [2010 party](https://www.scargill.net/tag/2010-party/) - [Snow in Wark](https://www.scargill.net/tag/snow-in-wark/) - [New Year's Day](https://www.scargill.net/tag/new-years-day/) - [Wark in the Snow](https://www.scargill.net/tag/wark-in-the-snow/) - [Gordon Brown](https://www.scargill.net/tag/gordon-brown/) - [Snow](https://www.scargill.net/tag/snow/) - [apps](https://www.scargill.net/tag/apps/) - [bbc cuts](https://www.scargill.net/tag/bbc-cuts/) - [bbc](https://www.scargill.net/tag/bbc/) - [fsb](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fsb/) - [aberdeen](https://www.scargill.net/tag/aberdeen/) - [peter scargill](https://www.scargill.net/tag/peter-scargill/) - [.lorraine kelly](https://www.scargill.net/tag/lorraine-kelly/) - [conferences](https://www.scargill.net/tag/conferences/) - [fsb conference](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fsb-conference/) - [misleading](https://www.scargill.net/tag/misleading/) - [fair use policy](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fair-use-policy/) - [crippling usage limits](https://www.scargill.net/tag/crippling-usage-limits/) - [Number 10](https://www.scargill.net/tag/number-10/) - [Downing Street](https://www.scargill.net/tag/downing-street/) - [London](https://www.scargill.net/tag/london/) - [24-hour opening](https://www.scargill.net/tag/24-hour-opening/) - [tesco](https://www.scargill.net/tag/tesco/) - [stupid regulations](https://www.scargill.net/tag/stupid-regulations/) - [media centre](https://www.scargill.net/tag/media-centre/) - [mobile media](https://www.scargill.net/tag/mobile-media/) - [fuel cell technology](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fuel-cell-technology/) - [ill-advised bills](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ill-advised-bills/) - [state control](https://www.scargill.net/tag/state-control/) - [big brother is watching you - AND IT'S YOU](https://www.scargill.net/tag/big-brother-is-watching-you-and-its-you/) - [unfair TV tax](https://www.scargill.net/tag/unfair-tv-tax/) - [Wark in 3D](https://www.scargill.net/tag/wark-in-3d/) - [Scargill's Garden in Wark](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargills-garden-in-wark/) - [google maps](https://www.scargill.net/tag/google-maps/) - [google 3d](https://www.scargill.net/tag/google-3d/) - [street view](https://www.scargill.net/tag/street-view/) - [Crappy weather forecasting](https://www.scargill.net/tag/crappy-weather-forecasting/) - [venter](https://www.scargill.net/tag/venter/) - [artificial life](https://www.scargill.net/tag/artificial-life/) - [ipad uk launch](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-uk-launch/) - [ipad in uk](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-in-uk/) - [ipad britain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-britain/) - [new tablet](https://www.scargill.net/tag/new-tablet/) - [cave roof damage](https://www.scargill.net/tag/cave-roof-damage/) - [j. craig venter](https://www.scargill.net/tag/j-craig-venter/) - [Andrew J Flando Jnr](https://www.scargill.net/tag/andrew-j-flando-jnr/) - [Andy Flando](https://www.scargill.net/tag/andy-flando/) - [Andrew Flando](https://www.scargill.net/tag/andrew-flando/) - [htc desire](https://www.scargill.net/tag/htc-desire/) - [android](https://www.scargill.net/tag/android/) - [The Future's Orange - NOT](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-futures-orange-not/) - [Project Natal](https://www.scargill.net/tag/project-natal/) - [Milo](https://www.scargill.net/tag/milo/) - [Councils spying on public](https://www.scargill.net/tag/councils-spying-on-public/) - [big brother is watching you on the train](https://www.scargill.net/tag/big-brother-is-watching-you-on-the-train/) - [House of Commons Trip](https://www.scargill.net/tag/house-of-commons-trip/) - [Canon S600 printer](https://www.scargill.net/tag/canon-s600-printer/) - [britain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/britain/) - [cold](https://www.scargill.net/tag/cold/) - [rain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/rain/) - [Being poisoned](https://www.scargill.net/tag/being-poisoned/) - [Hollyberry Cottage](https://www.scargill.net/tag/hollyberry-cottage/) - [Holiday rental in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/tag/holiday-rental-in-bellingham/) - [Holiday rental in Northumberland](https://www.scargill.net/tag/holiday-rental-in-northumberland/) - [Karaoke](https://www.scargill.net/tag/karaoke/) - [strange caterpillar](https://www.scargill.net/tag/strange-caterpillar/) - [New Paint Job](https://www.scargill.net/tag/new-paint-job/) - [John West versus Asda](https://www.scargill.net/tag/john-west-versus-asda/) - [free solar panels](https://www.scargill.net/tag/free-solar-panels/) - [Weather in Wark. Wark in Snow](https://www.scargill.net/tag/weather-in-wark-wark-in-snow/) - [Northeast Tourism](https://www.scargill.net/tag/northeast-tourism/) - [lack of support for SMEs](https://www.scargill.net/tag/lack-of-support-for-smes/) - [jailbreak iPhone](https://www.scargill.net/tag/jailbreak-iphone/) - [Lincolnshire Show](https://www.scargill.net/tag/lincolnshire-show/) - [travel](https://www.scargill.net/tag/travel-2/) - [Europe](https://www.scargill.net/tag/europe/) - [European Parliament](https://www.scargill.net/tag/european-parliament/) - [Scargill](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargill/) - [Lincoln](https://www.scargill.net/tag/lincoln/) - [Three Mobile](https://www.scargill.net/tag/three-mobile/) - [Three](https://www.scargill.net/tag/three-2/) - [Science Fiction](https://www.scargill.net/tag/science-fiction/) - [Sandbach](https://www.scargill.net/tag/sandbach/) - [Cheshire](https://www.scargill.net/tag/cheshire/) - [Cranage](https://www.scargill.net/tag/cranage/) - [France and Spain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/france-and-spain/) - [Valencia](https://www.scargill.net/tag/valencia/) - [dolly parton](https://www.scargill.net/tag/dolly-parton/) - [Metro Radio Arena](https://www.scargill.net/tag/metro-radio-arena/) - [concerts](https://www.scargill.net/tag/concerts/) - [retail versus the web](https://www.scargill.net/tag/retail-versus-the-web/) - [online shopping](https://www.scargill.net/tag/online-shopping/) - [the future's not bright with Orange](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-futures-not-bright-with-orange/) - [Rubbish Orange modems](https://www.scargill.net/tag/rubbish-orange-modems/) - [Rubbish Solar lights from B&Q](https://www.scargill.net/tag/rubbish-solar-lights-from-bq/) - [A trip to Bolam and fallen trees](https://www.scargill.net/tag/a-trip-to-bolam-and-fallen-trees/) - [Rip Off Britain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/rip-off-britain/) - [Netflix overseas](https://www.scargill.net/tag/netflix-overseas/) - [iPlayer overseas....](https://www.scargill.net/tag/iplayer-overseas/) - [Embalse Del Negratin - a most wonderful lake](https://www.scargill.net/tag/embalse-del-negratin-a-most-wonderful-lake/) - [8-channel relay board controlled over the Internet.](https://www.scargill.net/tag/8-channel-relay-board-controlled-over-the-internet/) - [Using copper as a catalyst for Acetone flame-less heat](https://www.scargill.net/tag/using-copper-as-a-catalyst-for-acetone-flame-less-heat/) - [FSB Conference at Scarborough 2012](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fsb-conference-at-scarborough-2012/) - [Using Arduino to make a simple web thermostat](https://www.scargill.net/tag/using-arduino-to-make-a-simple-web-thermostat/) - [SAD light and more.](https://www.scargill.net/tag/sad-light-and-more/) - [Post Office Prices for Stamps](https://www.scargill.net/tag/post-office-prices-for-stamps/) - [Temporarily enlarged family - new kittens](https://www.scargill.net/tag/temporarily-enlarged-family-new-kittens/) - [Controlling relays over the Internet](https://www.scargill.net/tag/controlling-relays-over-the-internet/) - [Peter Scargill re-elected as National IT Chairman of the FSB](https://www.scargill.net/tag/peter-scargill-re-elected-as-national-it-chairman-of-the-fsb/) - [A way to eliminate Malaria?](https://www.scargill.net/tag/a-way-to-eliminate-malaria/) - [Old laptop resurrection - Installing Ubuntu](https://www.scargill.net/tag/old-laptop-resurrection-installing-ubuntu/) - [Eu Cookie regulations and British Websites](https://www.scargill.net/tag/eu-cookie-regulations-and-british-websites/) - [The new HTC ONE X on 3](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-new-htc-one-x-on-3/) - [The Raspberry Pi is on it's way](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-raspberry-pi-is-on-its-way/) - [Froot Loops in th UK at last](https://www.scargill.net/tag/froot-loops-in-th-uk-at-last/) - [Cheap Chinese Solar Lights from B&Q - no rain there.](https://www.scargill.net/tag/cheap-chinese-solar-lights-from-bq-no-rain-there/) - [iPhone 3gs](https://www.scargill.net/tag/iphone-3gs/) - [Ipad](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-2/) - [iPad 1](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-1/) - [UK launch of iPad](https://www.scargill.net/tag/uk-launch-of-ipad/) - [iPad in business](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-in-business/) - [iPhone os 4.0](https://www.scargill.net/tag/iphone-os-4-0/) - [iPhone upgrade](https://www.scargill.net/tag/iphone-upgrade/) - [3gs](https://www.scargill.net/tag/3gs/) - [IOS4.3](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ios4-3/) - [ipad upgrade](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad-upgrade/) - [Simple Facebook App](https://www.scargill.net/tag/simple-facebook-app/) - [sea](https://www.scargill.net/tag/sea/) - [spectacles and dogs](https://www.scargill.net/tag/spectacles-and-dogs/) - [Jailbreaking the Apple TV 2](https://www.scargill.net/tag/jailbreaking-the-apple-tv-2/) - [Javascript browser differences](https://www.scargill.net/tag/javascript-browser-differences/) - [Reduce Crime - become an Atheist](https://www.scargill.net/tag/reduce-crime-become-an-atheist/) - [baza](https://www.scargill.net/tag/baza/) - [embalse del negratin](https://www.scargill.net/tag/embalse-del-negratin/) - [photos of lake](https://www.scargill.net/tag/photos-of-lake/) - [trip to spain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/trip-to-spain/) - 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[#FSBCONF FSB Conference 2015](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fsbconf-fsb-conference-2015/) - [An overnight stay in London # 3432](https://www.scargill.net/tag/an-overnight-stay-in-london-3432/) - [Scargill on Holiday May 2015](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargill-on-holiday-may-2015/) - [Scargill and the Zopo Z999 Pro Lion Heart](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargill-and-the-zopo-z999-pro-lion-heart/) - [All Change for the Scargills](https://www.scargill.net/tag/all-change-for-the-scargills/) - [Uber versus taxis](https://www.scargill.net/tag/uber-versus-taxis/) - [Fireworks in Galera](https://www.scargill.net/tag/fireworks-in-galera/) - [Andalusia - the View from Bedrock](https://www.scargill.net/tag/andalusia-the-view-from-bedrock/) - [A week in Galera and ther distant memory of Boston](https://www.scargill.net/tag/a-week-in-galera-and-ther-distant-memory-of-boston/) - [Science](https://www.scargill.net/tag/science/) - [Politics](https://www.scargill.net/tag/politics/) - [Spain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/spain/) - [supermarkets](https://www.scargill.net/tag/supermarkets/) - [Windows 7](https://www.scargill.net/tag/windows-7/) - [iphone](https://www.scargill.net/tag/iphone/) - [Orange](https://www.scargill.net/tag/orange/) - [iPad](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ipad/) - [skype](https://www.scargill.net/tag/skype/) - [Brussels](https://www.scargill.net/tag/brussels/) - [ESBA](https://www.scargill.net/tag/esba/) - [Federation of Small Businesses](https://www.scargill.net/tag/federation-of-small-businesses/) - [Photos](https://www.scargill.net/tag/photos/) - [Arduino](https://www.scargill.net/tag/arduino/) - [NRF24L01](https://www.scargill.net/tag/nrf24l01/) - [Life](https://www.scargill.net/tag/life/) - [Peter and Maureen Scargill and our Travels](https://www.scargill.net/tag/peter-and-maureen-scargill-and-our-travels/) - [UPS in Spain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ups-in-spain/) - [Scargill in Spain](https://www.scargill.net/tag/scargill-in-spain/) - [The Root of All Evil](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-root-of-all-evil/) - [A Trip to Barcelona and beyond](https://www.scargill.net/tag/a-trip-to-barcelona-and-beyond/) - [Winter Travelling with Peter Scargill](https://www.scargill.net/tag/winter-travelling-with-peter-scargill/) - [Storing apps in SD on Android 6](https://www.scargill.net/tag/storing-apps-in-sd-on-android-6/) - [Van Morrison](https://www.scargill.net/tag/van-morrison/) - [Amazon Echo](https://www.scargill.net/tag/amazon-echo/) - [The Origin of Life](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-origin-of-life/) - [Winter approaches in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/tag/winter-approaches-in-bellingham/) - [Spanish coast in April](https://www.scargill.net/tag/spanish-coast-in-april/) - [Relaxing with friends](https://www.scargill.net/tag/relaxing-with-friends/) - [The Chicago Trip for Thanksgiving](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-chicago-trip-for-thanksgiving/) - [Dreaming of sunnier climates](https://www.scargill.net/tag/dreaming-of-sunnier-climates/) - [Best of Summer - Down at the Beach](https://www.scargill.net/tag/best-of-summer-down-at-the-beach/) - [medicine](https://www.scargill.net/tag/medicine/) - [packaging](https://www.scargill.net/tag/packaging/) - [willow cottage garden](https://www.scargill.net/tag/willow-cottage-garden/) - [Northumberland in summer 2020](https://www.scargill.net/tag/northumberland-in-summer-2020/) - [beanies mint chocolate](https://www.scargill.net/tag/beanies-mint-chocolate/) - [infra-red hands-free foaming soap dispenser](https://www.scargill.net/tag/infra-red-hands-free-foaming-soap-dispenser/) - [stroke survivor](https://www.scargill.net/tag/stroke-survivor/) - [recovering after a stroke](https://www.scargill.net/tag/recovering-after-a-stroke/) - [the importance of friends](https://www.scargill.net/tag/the-importance-of-friends/) - [Something Deeply Hidden](https://www.scargill.net/tag/something-deeply-hidden/) - [books](https://www.scargill.net/tag/books/) - [3 The Croft](https://www.scargill.net/tag/3-the-croft/) - [artificial intelligence](https://www.scargill.net/tag/artificial-intelligence/) - [AI](https://www.scargill.net/tag/ai/) - [queen](https://www.scargill.net/tag/queen/) - [art](https://www.scargill.net/tag/art/) - [Broadband in Bellingham](https://www.scargill.net/tag/broadband-in-bellingham/)