Duck Race Fundraising

So in competition with England versus Germany in the World Cup, yesterday was a very busy day, preparing and running a series of fundraising events in and around the villages of Midgley and Luddenden. This included a family treasure hunt, a duck race, cream teas and a competition for the best collage from all the treasure collected. Some interesting pictures including one with a large potato stuck to it (the competitors needed to find something that was perfectly round among other things!). Fortunately, the weather was fantastic, and the duck race was a success in the sense that we counted them all out and then counted them all back. There were three lucky winners and the younger children thought it was fantastic wading about in the water to collect the stranded ducks from up stream. There was also an interesting display by the Luddenden Conservation Society in the churchyard of pictures of the village and surrounding area. Quite a lot of passers by enjoying the scenery and also avoiding the football but not in the picture above taken when we were setting up!

Mytholmroyd Heron

Spotted this huge creature in the river at Mytholmroyd it was just wading around unlikely to see many fish but plenty of debris and rubbish at the bottom of the river!

Stay on Target

I don't normally pick up The Economist although I did subscibe for a few years in the late 1990s when studying. The one I picked up had a technology quarterly in it (June 2010) which used to be a pull out feature on a wide variety of technology from big industry, pharmaceuticals, blue sky research etc. This was no different with a fairly diverse range of topics. The one that caught my eye related to software that disables bits of your computer to make you more productive. Err so now there are companies that flog software and services that stop other software companies software and services. Excellent. I liked the product called Freedom - this turns the internet off - "they don't call it Shut Down or Internet Off they call it Freedom" said a Mr Peter Sagal. Whats wrong with the little cross in the top right hand corner and your wallet untouched?

Nottingham Event (servo)

About a dozen IT people got together for a dinner and discussion event last night preceeded by a presentation by John Hemingway ex CIO Sheffield Hallam and now an independent consultant. Focus started on a bunch of Gartner Research about the top priorities in next few years around technology, funding and people. Some provocative stuff about whether we need as many HEIs, whether IT departments are in decline and disappearing with cloud and related services and whether the IT teams are fit for purpose. Phoenix example of enrolling for a degree every Thursday versus the so called agricultural calendar and whether IT are enabling that. John is going to write up a summary which will circulate. A tool called xobni was mentioned need to explore and at least one iPad in the room. Nottingham one way system beat me twice but not bad as no map or sat nav iPhone maps app saved the day. Great drive over peaks to Manchester in early morning PS unrelated the free vuvuzela app is a must have.

From Derby to Hebden Bridge (LEJOG)

A friend is currently travelling from Lands End to John O Groats on his mountain bike using off-road routes wherever possible. It is a charity ride. It will take about 3 weeks all being well at a steady rate of 50-70 miles a day. We met him on Saturday late afternoon in Ashbourne having cycled up from Derby on the train (20 miles). He had been joined by a friend from Winchester on Saturday and he stayed with us over the weekend. On Sunday we followed the Tissington Trail and then round Lady Bower Reservoir up to Penistone (55 miles). We went over Cut Gate which is apparently in the Top Ten of UK Mountain Bike Rides which seemed a bit churlish on a hybrid (mine) and with a trailer carrying about 20KG (Stewart). Monday was the run home from Penistone to Hebden Bridge via the Pennine Bridleway, Marsden, Littleborough and the Rochdale Canal (50 miles). This is all in training for the London to Paris in July. There was a touch of the Douglas Bader about on Tuesday but managed to commute today albeit with a puncture at the bottom of Queensbury - no punctures all weekend despite the rought terrain and then a blow out on the main road. Typical.

Apple launch the iPad

Back in January I wrote about the iSlate and last week happened to be at a CampusM User Group for part of the day in London at the Apple Education Centre just off Oxford Street and the flagship Apple store. Apple were launching at midnight and a small queue of presumably well-paid Apple staffers were queuing on deckchairs outside for the obligatory press story and media circus that was begining to descend. Apple seems to do rather a good job at all that. We got a one hour presentation on the iPad and a hands on demo inside although it was a bit late for non-disclosure as these have been around for about a month and there were several around the table.. They've done a good job but probably worth waiting for the iPad2. My parents will like it - you only need one finger and one button to make it work.

Party on the Amp

Last Friday it was effectively the last day of term for the undergraduates with great bbq weather and a proper fun fair on the car park including a ferris wheel and dodgems. Unfortunately I didn't take the afternoon off to enjoy the festivities but everyone seemed to be having a great time. Just got a couple of photos.