Category: Blog

Life
The Grenfell Tower fire puts everything into perspective. People lost families, friends, possessions and it’s hard to see who is helping them apart form themselves. Heartbreaking.

As for me, last week wears really busy but I’ve now got a week off work. However it didn’t get off to the best of starts with our boiler being condemned on Friday. New one being fitted this week which will cause quite a bit of upheaval…and probably a new kitchen will be required. Sigh.
Media
More WipEout, more Ready Player One. Half way through and it’s so good.
Links

• Inside Walt Mossberg’s gadget museum – The Verge
  Mossberg looks at the cirtical tech releases from his long career.
• The 10.5” iPad Pro: Future-Proof – MacStories
  I picked up the 10.5 this week alongside a pencil and keyboard. What an awesome device…more from me on this soon.
• WordPress parent Automattic is closing its San Francisco office because its remote workers never show up — Quartz
  Automattic, the technology company that owns WordPress.com, has a beautiful office in a converted San Francisco warehouse, with soaring ceilings, a library, and a custom-made barn door. If you like the space, you’re free to move in. The office at 140 Hawthorne went on the market after CEO Matt Mullenweg came to the realization not…
  Flxible and mobile working is the future.
• WWDC 2017 — Some Thoughts – Learning By Shipping
  Putting some of the major announcements of new platform technologies in context. What are the implications for ARKit, Core ML, SiriKit. Also ow does iOS 11 and the iPad Pro 10″ improve “productivity’.
  More thoughts on WWDC.
• The secret origin story of the iPhone – The Verge
  Great read…although it’s kicked up a bit of controversy.
• Life and death in Apple’s forbidden city – the guardian
  Another extract from the same book, the ugly side of the devices we all love so much.
• Apple’s Tim Cook on Donald Trump, the HomePod, and the Legacy of Steve Jobs – Bloomberg
  The head of the most valuable company in the world talks to Bloomberg Businessweek Editor Megan Murphy.
  Cook opens up a little more…and loves AR.
• London tower block fire: What went wrong at Grenfell Tower? – YouTube
  Investigators are trying to establish how a fire in a London tower block was able to spread so aggressively and so fast. A renovation of the building was com…
  Background to the Grenfell fire.
• 5 Fires That Shaped Modern London – NYTimes.com
  Why do we need a disaster to shape rules and regulations?
• Grenfell Tower cladding: Claims fire-resistance would have cost just £5,000 | London Evening Standard
  Anger is growing over claims a series of safety failings led to the Grenfell Tower disaster after it emerged contractors could have spent just £5,000 more on fire-resistant cladding. A “Justice for Grenfell” rally is set to take place in Westminster on Friday evening, while numerous distraught residents have demanded answers from politicians over the blaze that killed at least 17 people on Wednesday.
  If this is true then words fail me.
• London fire brigade boss: ‘It was a massive risk, but it’s our job to go in’ | UK news | The Guardian
  Inspiring
• This exciting Brexit future feels like all the rubbish bits from the past | Marina Hyde | Opinion | The Guardian
  By default I link to one Marina Hyde post every week, but she’s that good.
• How Newspapers Lost Their Monopoly On Influencing Voters In The 2017 General Election
  The Sun and the Daily Mail sell 3 million copies a day between them. But their decades-long claim to dominating public opinion may have finally come to an end.
  A good thing.
• Winners of the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest 2016 – The Atlantic
  Amazing photo’s to lift the spirits
• Developers Who Use Spaces Make More Money Than Those Who Use Tabs – Stack Overflow Blog
  Bonkers. And you should use tabs, not spaces.
• Different languages: How cultures around the world draw shapes differently — Quartz
  Who knew?

Life
A week is a long time in politics. Roll back six weeks and no one could have predicted what we’ve seen in the last few days. May is a busted flush. Indyref 2 looks dead…but I’m sure brexit or some other significant and material change will bring it back into the limelight. As for me, looking forward to a week off work from this Friday.

Media
WipEout Omega on the PS4 launched and is stunning. If you like anything about the original series you will love this.

Links

• The Second Coming Of iPad
  A great WWDC from Apple and this post covers my views on the iPad potential.
• The Talk Show Live From WWDC 2017 on Vimeo
  Recorded in front of a live audience at The California Theatre in San Jose, John Gruber is joined by Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi to discuss the news from WWDC:…
  Enjoyed The Talk Show live with Gruber. Always teases out some nice background to the new WWDC announcements and how Apple thinks.
• How to Make $80,000 Per Month on the Apple App Store
  At WWDC, Apple reported that they’ve paid out $70 billion to developers, with 30% of that ($21 billion!) in the last year. That’s a huge spike, and surprising to me because it didn’t seem like my…
  Scummy. Apple need to act to get rid of these type of apps.
• Urchins and alleyways: a rare glimpse of 19th-century Glasgow – in pictures | Cities | The Guardian
  Photographer Thomas Annan captured Glasgow between the 1860s and 70s, at a time when the city had transformed and rapidly grown
  Nice to spot some buildings that are still standing.
• A Photo of James Comey Takes the Internet by Storm – NYTimes.com
  What an image…how many more like this while Trump is in charge?
• How Britain Voted – The New York Times
  Results and analysis from the British general election.
  Great visualisations on what happened last week in the elections.
• The PM is like a deadbeat dad who’s gambled away the housekeeping | Marina Hyde | Opinion | The Guardian
  The PM is like a deadbeat dad who’s gambled away the housekeeping
  Marina Hyde on form.
• Insight: Wake-up call for Nicola Sturgeon’s indyref2 dreamers – The Scotsman
  In the end there was no real Portillo moment: the claiming of one high-profile scalp – such as Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster – that symbolised the much-touted blue surge.
  Shame to see Angus Robertson go from the House of Commons, but there’s no doubt that lasts weeks vote was a large drop for SNP…and nothing to do with Labour voters defecting to the tories despite what the Nat’s are spinning.
• Black Panther Teaser Trailer [HD] – YouTube
  HERO. LEGEND. KING. Watch Marvel Studio’s Black Panther teaser trailer now. ► Subscribe to Marvel: http://bit.ly/WeO3YJ Follow Marvel on Twitter: ‪https://tw…
  Looking good.

Life
What a fucked up week. Politics, terrorists and all the while the predominantly right wing media twist everything to suit their will. Hoping next Thursday will be a day of reckoning. Fearing it won’t be.

At least there’s WWDC to look forward to.

Media
Really enjoying Ready Player One. I can see me getting more into Audiobooks thanks to this.

Links

• 2017 Internet Trends — Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers
  2017 Internet Trends
  Always interesting, although almost double the length of last years and harder to parse.
• Britain’s most average place – BBC News
  The views on the streets of Worcester – Britain’s most average constituency.
  Great article just one week before the election.
• StockStream – Twitch
  Mike Roberts is an Amazon engineer who is letting the crowd guide his $50,000 investments via Twitch. Bold…and it will be interesting to see if the wisdom of the crowd pays out.
• What Is ‘Covfefe’? The Internet Wonders
  Late Tuesday night, President Donald Trump tweeted the word “covfefe,” sending the internet into a frenzy.
  The Mango Mussolini strikes again…but what does it mean? I don’t think I’ve seen so many memes spread so quickly. Twitter at it’s best.
• 7 Ways to Maximize Misery 😞 – YouTube
  Love this from CGP Grey
• Inside Google’s Global Campaign to Shut Down Phishing | WIRED
  Google really are fighting a war on our behalf.
• What Really Happened with Vista
  A long read but really great. Vista was a mess and this story reveals some of the reasons why.
• Grilling Glasgow: a short documentary about Glasgow’s burger scene – YouTube
  Between 2012 and 2015, Glasgow experienced a foodie phenomenon – a burger boom. In this short documentary, we speak to the biggest and most influential playe…
  Good wee video into the burger scene in Glasgow and how it grew over the last few years.
• How Lego clicked: the brand that reinvented itself | Johnny Davis | Life and style | The Guardian
  Lego was part of my childhood and I love that they are still around and growing stronger. Picked up this last week and looking forward to building it soon.
• Channel 4 News on Twitter: “What brings politics into disrepute? @Krishgm spoke to Brexit Secretary David Davis. https://t.co/6QijvEtrLG”
  David Davis tries to be smart…Krishnan Guru-Murthy opens up and rips him a new one. Love it.

Life
More crazy hours at work meant for another tiring week but hopefully thats all done for a while. Thanks to a quirk at our place and despite tomorrow being a UK holiday…we don’t get it so no rest for the wicked. Booking a week off in June though to top up the batteries.

Media
Caught up with Logan. Loved it even though the ending was telegraphed through the film. Finally a good Wolverine movie, and my favourite X-Men film.

Also got into Ready Player One, via Audible as I find long reading quite dull. Hour and a half in and I’m hooked. What can I say – #dannywasright

Links

• Mossberg: The Disappearing Computer – Recode
  Tech was once always in your way. Soon, it will be almost invisible.
  Walt Mossberg is the tech writer and this is his last column. Loved his articles and recently enjoyed his Ctrl-Walt-Delete podcast. Will be missed.
• Heroic humour or Katie Hopkins? This was a week to choose British values | Marina Hyde | Opinion | The Guardian
  Fantastic column from Marina Hyde…and hopefully the beginning of the end for the horror that is Hopkins.
• ‘Corbyn wrong to link foreign policy to terror’: UK defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon – YouTube
  Fallon made to look foolish by Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Delicious.
• A Year of Google Maps
  Detailed look at Google Maps constant improvement and Apple Maps relative stagnation. Google Maps still the top of rme.
• BBC One – Glasgow 1967: The Lisbon Lions
  Great documentary – well worth a watch.
• James Bond on Twitter: “Bond, James Bond. Nobody does it better. We remember Sir Roger Moore. https://t.co/kalCFEslFY”
  Nice tribute to Sir Roger Moore who passed this week but still a shit Bond in my opinion.
• Essential apps for switching from Mac to Windows – Charged
  If you’re making the jump from Mac to Windows like I did, you’re probably missing some of your favorite apps. Here’s a selection of my favorite Windows apps.
  Some good Windows apps recommended here.
• How Anker is beating Apple and Samsung at their own accessory game – The Verge
  Inside the portable battery pack giant
  Anker really is the goto for accessories.
• Emmanuel Macron on Twitter: “À Bruxelles, unis avec nos alliés de @NATO. https://t.co/7nyaoI8hki”
  Can’t get bored of this…two fingers to Trump from Macron.
• Cover Story: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Definitive Preview | Vanity Fair
  Star Wars devotees who can’t wait for December need look no further. With exclusive access to writer-director Rian Johnson, plus interviews with Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, and others, V.F. presents the ultimate sneak peek at The Last Jedi—and Carrie Fisher’s lasting legacy.
  Some good info on the upcoming movie without anything being revealed. Roll on December.
• ‘Progress is painfully uneven’: Baltimore, 15 years after The Wire | Television
  15 years! Sad to see so little has changed in Baltimore.
• Game of Thrones Season 7: Official Trailer (HBO) – YouTube
  War is coming.

Life
As expected the last week was busy and tiring but ultimately interesting and enjoyable. Hopefully more of the same next week with a few original twists to keep me on my toes.

Media
American Gods is well worth a watch, apart from that it’s been a week of catching up on podcasts.

Links

• Apple’s New Campus: An Exclusive Look Inside the Mothership | WIRED
  Flawless curves, milled aluminum, endless glass, walled garden—sounds like an Apple product. In fact, it’s the company’s biggest launch ever.
  Looks stunning, will be interesting to see how it ages over the next few years.
• Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador – The Washington Post
  Nothing he does is a surprise anymore…untouchable?
• Panic Blog » The Case of the Stolen Source Code
  Big shock to see one of the premier Apple developers get stung like this. Shows you how easy it is to be compromised, even on Mac OS.
• How and Why Has “Mr Brightside” Never Left the UK Charts? – Noisey
  Who knew? Love the song but it’s bizarre that it keeps on resurfacing like a Christmas classic.
• Google’s 18-Month Quest To Redesign Its Terrible Emoji
  Google is notorious for having some of the worst emoji on the planet. Now it’s righting its wrongs–and taking on gender stereotypes, too.
  1…2…3…finally!
• Theresa May to create new internet that would be controlled and regulated by government | The Independent
  Theresa May is planning to introduce huge regulations on the way the internet works, allowing the government to decide what is said online. Particular focus has been drawn to the end of the manifesto, which makes clear that the Tories want to introduce huge changes to the way the internet works. “Some people say that it is not for government to regulate when it comes to technology and the internet,” it states. “We disagree.”
  What a mess. This is unworkable bullshit, just hyperbole to appeal to the right wing.
• ‘Fat but fit is a big fat myth’ – BBC News
  Researchers say being fat but medically fit does not protect people from heart disease.
  Some folk at work need to read this.
• IBM tells thousands of remote employees to come back to office or find new jobs | Ars Technica UK
  While selling benefits of “telework” to others, IBM forces relocation in stealth layoff.
  Bonkers. Flexibility of when and where I work is one of the better perks that I currently get. While getting everyone together has it’s benefits, in todays age of fast broadband and comms over IP this is such a backwards step.
• “MP3 is dead” missed the real, much better story – Marco.org
  It’s the patents not the format thats dead.
• Literary fighters: Glasgow’s last surviving independent book shops – The Scotsman
  Since the rise of internet giants and high street chain stores, the humble independent book shop has all but disappeared from our towns and cities. With only a few remaining, we talk to the owners of some of Glasgow’s finest, and find out what drives them
  Voltaire and Rousseau is a must visit, a west end classic.
• The big picture – The Verge
  Photos is growing faster than YouTube, Gmail, or Chrome.
  It’s also far better than Apple Photo’s. Will we see any improvements at WWDC?
• iOS 11: iPad Wishes and Concept Video – MacStories
  Some great idea’s which I fear will remain as items on a wish list.
• Ebay accused of failing its sellers as fraudulent buyers manipulate the system | Money | The Guardian
  Ebay has been a mess for a while and they are doing nothing about it. Shame.
• LUNAR on Vimeo
  This short film is dedicated to all people who believe in peaceful expansion of our borders. In the year 1957 the cold war expands to space. The Soviet-Union…
  A video on space? Of course I’ll watch it…and so should you as it’s stunning.

Life
House fixing progressing….could be an expensive year. Apart from that work is pretty busy and the next couple of weeks will see some very early starts. Joy.

Media
Mario Kart is incredibly good. Finished off Billions this week as well which is well worth a watch.

Links

• BLADE RUNNER 2049 – Official Trailer – YouTube
  There are still pages left in this story. Watch the NEW trailer for #BladeRunner2049, in theaters October 6. — Thirty years after the events of the first fi…
  Can’t wait to see this…don’t fuck this up!
• ‘Blade Runner’: A Game-Changing Science-Fiction Classic • Cinephilia
  And to get you in the mood for October, this is a must read on the original BladeRunner.
• The Secret Hit-Making Power of the Spotify Playlist | WIRED
  Playlists are the new album.
• Amazon trounces rivals in battle of the shopping ‘bots’ | Reuters
  It’s bot wars, not shop wars.
• How to shoot on iPhone 7 – Photography – Apple
  We believe that everyone can take great photos. So we’ve put together these tips and techniques to help you take even better ones with your iPhone.
  Apple posted some short videos on how to take better pictures with your phone. Nicely done.
• Collection of information : NHS Cyber Attack | HiddenText
  I fear this is only the beginning of more attacks like these. Who to blame? It’s a long list in which I place Microsoft near the top.
• How to Accidentally Stop a Global Cyber Attacks | MalwareTech
  This guy is a hero…and how damaging would WannaCrypt have been if the domain check wasn’t included?
• With New Digital Tools, Even Nonexperts Can Wage Cyberattacks – The New York Times
  The ransomware tactic behind a global cyberattack on Friday was nothing new. But new digital tools mean that hackers “don’t even need to have any skills to do this anymore.”
  Scary.
• Which Tech Giant Would You Drop? – The New York Times
  The Big Five tech companies increasingly dominate our lives. Could you ditch them?
  Interesting article. I’d drop Facebook first but the rest are a bit more challenging to sort the order.
• Sorting 2 Metric Tons of Lego · Jacques Mattheij
  Who doesn’t love Lego.
• history of the entire world, i guess – YouTube
  Well worth 20 minutes of your time.

Life
The weeks are flying by. Work is busy, health is fair to middling and there’s never enough time to do what I want. turning attention to some projects around the house – shit needs fixing.

Media
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was pretty fantastic. Made me laugh, the visuals were top notch and the 3D wasn’t bad. Add on another great soundtrack and there’s not much to hate. Yes it follows a formula, but when done well it’s not an issue for me.

Also watched Nightcrawler (from 2014). What a great but creepy/disturbing film.

Links

• PSA: If you opened your PayPal account before you were 18, close it now.
  Everyone knows a horror story about PayPal, I’ve had several painful experiences with them over the last decade, but now I’ll never have to experience that again, as I’ve just been permanently banned…
  PayPal are such a shitty company. Avoid them if at all possible.
• Earth From Above – Earth From Above
  Aerial photography has really taken off now that drones are affordable and the camera’s on them are so good. Some of these images are jaw dropping.
• Elon Musk: The future we’re building — and boring | TED Talk | TED.com
  This just sounds bonkers.
• Diane Abbott’s Agonising Interview Over Police Policy Cost – LBC
  Diane Abbott being Diane Abbott. The problem with Labour isn’t just Jeremy Corbyn, but that his top team are not of the right calibre to run a country. She followed up with another car crash interview later in the week.
• You’re not going to believe what I’m about to tell you – The Oatmeal
  Take 10 minutes to read this. Stunning.
• Damage – Matt Gemmell
  Apple’s destruction of the value of software, and the sustainability of indie developer businesses.
  Hard to disagree with this. Software has so little value for so many people and the App Store hasn’t done enough to combat that perception.
• SQL is 43 years old – here’s 8 reasons we still use it today | The Official SQLizer Blog
  In this year’s Stack Overflow Developer’s Survey 64,000 developers laid bare their innermost developer secrets. How they learn, the tools they use, what they…
  Still love SQL.
• Don’t Let Facebook Make You Miserable – The New York Times
  Raw Google search data proves that we are not who we say we are on social media.
  Social media can be bad for your health…
• Report: Facebook helped advertisers target teens who feel “worthless” [Updated] | Ars Technica
  Leaked 2017 document reveals FB Australia’s intent to exploit teens’ words, images.
  And allegedly Facebook will target your misery…although they do deny the story, but they would, wouldn’t they?
• Regulating the internet giants: The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data | The Economist
  A NEW commodity spawns a lucrative, fast-growing industry, prompting antitrust regulators to step in to restrain those who control its flow. A century ago, the resource in question was oil. Now similar concerns are being raised by the giants that deal in data, the oil of the digital era.
  Thought provoking, especially in this age where news spreads so quickly, almost nothing is fact checked and the mob can rule.
• The great British Brexit robbery: how our democracy was hijacked
  Some great reporting on the sites behind fake news.
• Laura Galante: How to exploit democracy | TED Talk | TED.com
  Hacking, fake news, information bubbles … all these and more have become part of the vernacular in recent years. But as cyberspace analyst Laura Galante describes in this alarming talk, the real target of anyone looking to influence geopolitics is dastardly simple: it’s you.
  Video of the week.
• Nike’s Quest to Beat the Two-Hour Marathon Comes Up Oh So Short | WIRED
  It was close, but the two-hour marathon remains unbroken. For now.
  What an amazing run. The times are mind boggling.
• Introducing Microsoft Surface Laptop – YouTube
  This could easily be an Apple advert…except it’s using a modern CPU.