Tuesday 17 March 2009

Kraftwerk - Autobahn.

Quick Drunken Thoughts... as usual... ( on ripping my cd copy )

Its years since I listened to this album and it just took me back 30+ years instantly. That wonderment that machines could make imitate the sound of cars flying past on a road.
Cortinas were still curvey, as were escorts. We had just been to the continent for the first time, it seemed so exotic. My brothers musical tastes merged with my love of gadgets and science fiction.
I must have been about 10 or so. Getting ready for my first computer. Practicing learning how to touch type from the cover of brochure for a Sinclair Spectrum. (It worked ).

Also roughly the time of Xray Specs, Blondie, Donna Summer, Abba ( VV ), Oxygene. The world seemed so visceral and the electronics so alien but exciting. Walkmen were just coming in.

Will pipe more thoughts about this time soon. Loved it. Love the original blue ( vertigo ) sleeve
Of course, kraftwerk The Model? was used for the BBC computer program.
..

my brother and I would sit in his bed. turn off the lights and pretend we were still driving through Germany after our holiday/adventure there that year. The music seemed to fit perfectly. I think we only saw a few UK people the whole time we were abroad. How it changes.

wow, last track did it all over again. such an influence on me musically. i loved the melancholy hopefulness of the track, wistful. it always meant that i would have to go back to my room and go to bed as by now I'd be in trouble for staying up too late.

iTunes select album of current song

option click the arrow on the current song album name, opens the whole album.


iPhone 3.0 wishlist

What would I like to see in 3.0

1. Copy / Paste - like duh!
2. Background threads - ( maybe not apps )
3. Access to itunes library NSTunesPicker ?
4. Better mp3 decoding support.
5. AudioUnit registration


I don't think full back ground apps are required. I think apps could have a
-(void)didReceiveBackground notification

a bit like the one you do for closing. and you could spawn a tiny version or something. But the full app must close. That would be fine. Restricted stuff, no user interface etc

Monday 16 March 2009

Widgets on your desktop

In terminal
defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES <---- this makes it possible

killall Dock <--- this restarts dashboard

Then pull up dashboard ( mine is command-F12 )

click and hold widget whilst dismissing dashboard with same key.

Sunday 15 March 2009

Dolphins

Monday 9 March 2009

iKea

Cable Management
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50035115

Sunday 8 March 2009

Grasmere Gingerbread


This is Jamie Olivers version of the Classic Gingerbread biscuit/cookie you get in Grasmere, Cumbria.
I write these down so I dont forget.


400g shortbread fingers
170gDemerara Sugar
3tspGinger
40g Mixed Peel
40gStem ginger
PinchBaking Powder
70gPlain Flour
1 tablespoonGolden Syrup
1 tablespoonTreacle
70gButter



Whizz Shortbread + 2 tsp ginger + sugar in blender til crumbs, then remove 100g of mixture

Mix in Peel, Ginger, 1stp ginger,baking powder, + flour

Melt ( not boil ) butter, syrup and treacle in

Mix in main crumb mix, till you got a just moist cheesecake base style mix.

Press into 8" pan to about .75cm and flatten with potatoe masher etc.



Cook in oven at 170 for 10 mins. will look a bit uncooked, a hot moist mess.

Pour remaining crumbs evenly over the top of the mix and press flat again.
It should look like light crumbly on top with a darker base.

Leave to cool. Cut into pieces about 3cm x 7cm.


I often wondered how to make this recipe, and its pretty close but not quite perfect. I might add a little more treacle and syrup. I believe the butter is the setting agent.If you put too much flour, it turns horrible as it should be like a cheesecake base with a crumbly dry top. Flour binds but makes it more like a dough. So careful not to overwork the mixing in to fat/syrup mix.

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Hiding a file

Joe always leaves a DEADJOE file around.

on os x hide it with

Launch Terminal.
Open the /Developer/Tools folder in the Finder. Locate SetFile and drag its icon to the terminal window. The Directory path for SetFile (/Developer/Tools/SetFile) should appear in the Unix command line prompt.
Type: -a V . Leave a space after the upper case V.
Locate the file that you want to make invisible. Drag its icon to the Terminal window. Its path should now be added to the same command line prompt.
Thus, for our aforementioned MyDoc file on the Desktop, when you are done doing all of the above, the command line should look like this:

/Developer/Tools/SetFile -a V /Users/homedirectoryname/Desktop/MyDoc

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Getting Color LS Bash terminal in leopard

export CLICOLOR=1

put this in /etc/bashrc