Busy again. So much to do! Working again for the UK Government here in the West Midlands. No weekend off for me, though I have to look after the children tomorrow for most of the day, while Amanda works. Well, I'll need a break by then ";->"

1264 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 2:36:29 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Busy, busy, busy

68 days 20 hours 60 minutes that's pretty good, but I thought I'd make a note here because I just had a severe craving. And still they come!

1262 Also posted to: personal . At: 4:09:50 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Still not smoking!

"Create color harmonies, combinations and themes."

I've always considered myself to be pretty crap on colour harmonies. Women have always picked me up on it. They seem naturally perfect at it. Hopefully, this site will be my secret weapon.

1261 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 1:52:42 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: EasyRGB - Color harmonies, complements and themes.

"We actually load the URLs into your selected browsers and operating systems, and present you with a screen capture, so you'll see what your web pages look like on a Macintosh, on Linux, on Windows, in any version of Netscape or Explorer, in AOL, on Konquor, Opera, you name it. Any system! Any version!"

Great way of testing css stylesheets across browsers for display bugs. Only $39.95 a month for unlimited use too.

1260 Also posted to: cybersaps . At: 1:23:13 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Browser screen captures in any browser, any version, any operating system.

I took some of the posters because I just feel in love with the guided tour. His emotion and story telling made the place come alive, we all applauded, and had a fantastic time. Amanda read some of the guide book before the tour, I had not, and hadn't realised that what the guide told us, wasn't really in these posters nor in the guide the life of the castle was so rich, well, nearly a thousand years of life. I hoped on holiday that I'd search the net about the castle, but I guess I'll never have the time.

1259 Also posted to: personal . At: 10:20:12 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: Pembroke Castle's history

Bradley's a beach bum... Ice cold slush pups, and Esme tucks into a burger. This is one hell of a hot day, and we're lucky on this North beach, we're protected by the cliffs from the wind.

1258 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:39:20 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: the beach

	I've got Esme on my shouldiers, she's much heavier. Bradley though has wandering hands, you'd find fingers up your nose, hands over your eyes, he doesn't mean anything by it, just absent minded as your walking along, he becomes very comfortable. Bradley calls them shouldiers. Pronounced soldiers, but with a shhh.

1257 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:38:33 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: Bradley on shouldiers

Bradley wants a wee. Sure it must be the excitement of reaching so high a castle. He always catches hold of his willy, it's a bit Italian. Seeing him doubled up too, means he needs one PDQ.

Such a beautiful place and so quiet considering the beautiful day. I guess, it's because Pembroke is so far West. We were going just to the docks to llook at big ships, tankers possibly, but as we went past they sounded so excited and as we found ourselves going past twice Ñ we were lost

She's the original ginger Welsh celt, back in her castle.

Our guide tells us about the dinners held here, about how come we call the gentry, upper crust, no plates meant they ate off slices of bread, the best being the crust. The wardrobe, where there was also a poo hole, closing the door during the summer months killed the bugs in our unwashed Normans' clothes. 8 baths in six months meant a king was thought to be a bit... Odd.

Did he say 26,000 years? I'm sure he did. That's the age of the first human occupation of this cave, much later, the castle.

Across the road from the main enterance to the castle was this old house. Low ceilings, little windows, and somebody lives there. Pity it's so close to the road, but I guess it's always been so close to the road.

1256 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:37:47 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: Pembroke Castle

Chopstick lessons. Bradley doesn't get it.

1255 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:37:23 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: Chinese restaurant

"What are these then Esme?" "I dont know Bradley - Mummy bought them."

Bradley says, "wimin....phtttt."

1254 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:36:55 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: on beach with goggles

We saw this horse three days on the trot, but decided not to try it, though the kids were well into it. We just wanted to get home, tired. Having to carry lazy kids around. The previous day there was less of a crowd and an older girl, possibly a local who gave them a piece of apple to feed the horse.

1253 Also posted to: personal . At: 8:36:40 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tenby 03: the horse ride

I'm back! I thought I left a posting here that I'd be away for a week, but I didn't. Anyhow, back from hols in sunny Tenby, South West Wales. Brilliant, no email, web, nor laptop.

First holiday in 14 years! Being self employed taking holidays is a double killer: you're spending money, but not earning it, so I never take them. But will from now on!

The kids really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the kids enjoying it.

1250 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:59:53 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Holidays in the sun

If he had a blog, now that would be the time to start celebrating.

 Source: The Register; 14/08/03; 2:20:14 pm.
1249  At: 4:00:46 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tony Blair to get official email address

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/STS41B-41-2347.jpg

(photo of the Namibian coast desert taken from space by NASA/Earth Observatory; the dunes in the picture are as much as 1150 feet high, the world's highest)

 Source: How to Save the World; 12/08/03; 4:49:26 pm.
1247 Also posted to: Space . At: 8:07:14 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Space photos

Aunti Dawn has a bouncy castle! Her mum won three of these in some write a catch phrase competiton.

At the end of the night Esme settles in, for only a few minutes, of course, till something else catches her eye.

Sam and Bradley are only a week apart in age, and have good boy fun.

What a porker! He looks like an American.

Good fun in Mummy's shoes.

1245 Also posted to: personal . At: 1:08:34 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: The BBQ at Auntie Dawn's

Above: close up of tongue out in anticipation of the joys of music?

We were watching them for ages, as usual for me though Amanda doesn't let them do this when she takes them on her own. I've got some good video of Bradley dancing to the music, too.

1244 Also posted to: personal . At: 1:02:54 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Tescos shopping

The day before his hair cut. He looks sweeter, much more child like.		After the cut. He's more boisterous, and looks older to boot.
		I remember when I was a kid a can of pop was huge. All a matter of scale.
I was sitting on the bench watching these two play in the sand ppit on the slides and stuff, run back and fore for pop, watching their footprints in the sand and as other children ran over them. Thought this picture of foot prints would make a nice poignant moment.

1243 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:54:28 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Telford Town Park playing in the sand

		This is a favourite spot on the river. There's a huge bank of pebbles, but not much scope for paddling. We usually park up at the top of the town, buy an ice cream and walk down to the other end where this bank is, near the big bus car park, by the museum. Why they want to take their shoes and socks off for I dunno. With all those stones I'd have guessed they would have learnt by now, but they don't listen to my advice...
		Amanda called us back for dinner, "it'll be ready in 10 minutes." Jeez I think it'll take 10 minutes just to put their shoes back on, then we've got to get back to the car, and drive home...

1242 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:47:47 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Throwing stones into the River Severn

They have great fun in Telford shopping centre. Nice and safe for them to run around. No cars. Good security so pretty sure they're not going to get pinched nor lost. Mind they'd shout at the top of their voices were they to get lost.

Another pet hate is having Esme's face painted. I give in today. First time ever. Amanda always has it done. I'd rather move past to something else, in too much of a hurry, I guess.

1241 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:29:42 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Shopping centre kids

Doh! I hate the trampolines. But I get caught today. Esme says, "do you have money today?" Yes. Why? "Yippy, we can go on the bouncys! Tricked. So, I have to stand attentive at the nets, while I hear, "watch me Dad," every split second. Yes, I'm watching.

1240 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:18:19 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Bouncing trampolines

		On the way to Telford Park, we pop into Dawley. It's a busy day in the High Street, so I take a picture to make the moment. Market day in a Friday morning is very busy. ";->"

1239 Also posted to: personal . At: 12:14:57 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Dawley Village High Street, busy day!

Whenever I point the camera at Bradley, "oy! Bradley, turn-around!" He says, "cheeeeese." That's what he's saying here. You can almost hear it.		Another cheeeeese. Notice the longer hair?
She looks ever so old in these glasses. And instead of pulling a pose she says, "cheeeese" too.		A war is about to start? Bashing heads, as it turns out I distract them and we're outta the car and in the house pdq.

1238 Also posted to: personal . At: 11:59:41 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: On the way back from school, in the back of the car

"Sex, Drugs, and... Typography?. You might not think to make a movie about the life and times of a font, but someone did."

"...With it's rounded serifs it was simple and friendly, but bold."

I used to be a mad typographer, when designing brochures or letterheads, I'd pour over type face catalogues, rendering up roughs to see if a particular face would work.

Good little film.

 Source: MetaFilter; 7/08/03; 8:45:22 pm.
1237  At: 12:12:41 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Behind the Typeface: Cooper Black

""Bar¨aBlog, my weblog, was proving very popular," he says, "and I turned round and realised that I had written 30,000 words. So I thought it would both make a nice memento of my time in Spain, and also a way of putting my work out there as an up-and-coming writer." His collection of writings and photography will be for sale soon at his site, Prandial.com, distributed via CafePress."

One of the biggest income streams they've missed out on, is intangibles. With my blog, I get no micro payments, no ad revs, nothing. So, why do it, besides it being an addiction?

I get reputation.

1236 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 11:42:14 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Making the web pay

"McKevitt emerged after sentence had been passed to say: "I would like to appeal. However, he was refused permission to mount an appeal by the three sitting judges after failing to explain why."

An untouchable boss gets some.

Though, in my book, he should have been tortured to death over an extended period, and most of his family executed. Maybe that would stop idiots picking up the bomb to kill innocent people, just to get publicity for a cause. Are you listening uncle Osama?

1235 Also posted to: warBlog . At: 7:39:06 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: McKevitt sentenced to 20 years

Damn, I installed Windows 2000, and the default browser is IE 5.0, and my carefully worked out theme, tested in IE 6 and Netscape 7 and Mozilla, looks like crap. Have to revisit the style sheets, and double check every browser on every platform.

1234 Also posted to: cybersaps . At: 12:42:04 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Style sheet woes

"Simon Says." We are at a party, Saturday afternoon. Twins and some other 6 year old. Bradley and Esme are nervous, everybody's so much older, and dancing at the disco, with bubbles, at the front. The clown has everybody sitting on the floor, but Esme and Bradley put their heads on the side and, pull faces. So, I have to sit on the floor, with them on my knees. After a while, the clown persuades Esme up to the front to claim a sweet. He's pretty clever with the kids, knowing who and when. He tries to get Bradley up too. Head on side, pulls face. At the end the clown plays Simon Says and suddenly Bradley's in a robotic mood. He's made it to the finals, as in the photo, and even comes in second to a 8 year old. He's well pleased. What a clever clown.

1232 Also posted to: personal . At: 3:25:02 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Clown birthday party, Simon Says

Amanda and Bradley dribble cold water over each other. This played over and over, with the same false laugh, and the same false surprise, as water is dribbled over Amanda's thigh, or over Bradley's back.

It's only a little stream, but surely it's such an adventure, being able to walk down a river.

	I had to walk, with Bradley on my shoulders, Esme holding my hand, both in just swim suits, and me in just shorts, showing off my now considerable girth, all the way there and back, with one extra ice cream for Amanda. These two, licking their lips, sum up delicious ice creams on a hot day. Worth the long walk.

Now, that's a strange looking cloud! I pointed it out to Esme, saying, "I've never seen one like that. Have you?" "Of course." She said nonchalantly.

1231 Also posted to: personal . At: 3:24:02 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Church Stretton ice creams

Joichi Ito wrote something in Feb 2003, and I saw this in my aggregator from aKlogApart that sounded like my thoughts over here in the UK.

I asked Dave Winer if he wanted to run for California Governor and he asked me what's the bloggers' platform?
There's an old Jewish principle of elevating simple things and behaviors through attention. Make washing your hands before meals a spiritual cleansing by holding certain ideas in your mind, focused by a briefly uttered prayer. When weblogs are our voices, the blogosphere can be our vox populi.
The blogger platform: Elevate blogging from narrative to activism, from lifestyle to politics, from netizen to citizen.
Platform points:

1. A weblog for every elected official before the 2004 election.
• Improve transparency
• Conversation with constituencies more than lobbyists
• Improve the collective memory of our term-limited legislators
2. A weblog for every student and teacher by 2005. 
• Investing in our future workforce
• Assumes access in every classroom
• Better parental involvement 
3. A weblog for every Californian by 2006.
• Shorten the time to create jobs and find work
4. Economic development in a knowledge, service, and collaboration economy 
5. Censor-free Internet access in every public library.
• Democracy needs freedom to read  
6. Enterprise blognets for state and local government.
• Government services turbocharged by collaboration and communication
• Government workers in more intimate communication with their customers

The two most important points for me are the weblog for every citizen subject, and enterprise blognets, not just for government, but also for business clusters.

 Source: a klog apart; 4/08/03; 9:50:43 am.
1228 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 10:51:06 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: The Bloggers Platform in California, translated to UK

"Blair has set up a ministerial working group in the Home Office charged with injecting religious ideas 'across Whitehall'. One expert on the relationship between politics and religion described the move as a 'blow to secularism'."

"...will also include representatives of the Jewish, Sikh, Muslim and Hindu faiths."

Anything that brings crazy religious nutters into power is a very bad thing. But in this article I also read too much about Blair's own religious beliefs.

1227 Also posted to: warBlog . At: 9:35:42 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: And on the seventh day Tony Blair created...

"The Genecast News Service converts newsfeeds and weblogs to Usenet News. This means you can use any newsreader, such as Netscape or Microsoft Outlook Express..."

Seems very efficient, but soulless. I've been reading my blogs in the Radio aggregator for a few weeks now, and it's pretty efficient too. And I get to see some HTML and images.

1226 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 10:32:52 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Genecast a news service (usenet) for blogs and feeds

A full round up of current RDF problems, thinking, apps, ontologies, the lot burningbird: "...we begin to have the ability to mine for knowledge, not just words."

1225 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 10:02:13 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: XML.com: RDF: Ready for Prime Time

Left in charge, I'm told to take them to the climbing frames at Madley Court Leisure Centre, but we divert to Iron Bridge to get some ice creams. Esme goes for the strawberry with flake, and Bradley the sensible lolly. And me in a freshly clean sweater, gets covered in ice cream, all over my shoulder. Later, as I forgot the baby wipes I get it all over my sleeve, as I wipe their mouths. Bradley fell over here, and grazed his knee, and hands. But after some tears, he's OK, and shows off his blood to passing old ladies, but they miss hear him or ignore.

1222 Also posted to: personal . At: 3:01:37 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Iron Bridge ice cream

"While the recent announcement of Microsoft's SQL Server Reporting Services may make it seem to be a new player in business intelligence, it has been offering analysis tools for some time, turning the familiar Excel spreadsheet into a business intelligence front end. Using this you can work with most data sources, design