Monthly Archives: August 2006

Windows Information Organiser

Keeping large amounts of information together on a computer can be a complex business. I’ve read great review of both Yojimbo and NoteTaker but they are both Mac-based products. If you’re aware of anything similar for the PC then please let me know via the comments.

On this day…

2004: Data Data Everywhere
2004: All The News You Need
2002: Time

Formula One Calendar 2007 For Outlook Import

A couple of years ago I made a csv file that allowed you to easily import the Formula One calendar for that year into your Outlook file. I didn’t get round to making one for the 2005 or 2006 seasons despite the fact that I got the occasional email from people asking about it. Yesterday, the official 2007 Formula 1 calendar was announced and I knocked together a quick .csv file that will import the dates into Outlook. Trust me, the data will need updating. I suspect the times, distances and (possibly) some of the tracks are not accurate. I was doing it in a rush so please keep an eye on the Formula One section to see if I update it at all.

Again I have provided the file as a .zip that you must first extract the .csv from. Then, in Outlook, you will need to go to the File menu and Import the data (import from another program or file) and place it in the calendar. The file is provided as is and you use it at your own risk. I don’t know anyway you can remove it without deleting each entry individually. Once again, I have included a category name ‘Formula One’ so you can easily find all the entries this file creates. It should be easier to find them in Outlook and remove them if you need to. If you already have a Formula One category in your Outlook calendar you may want to edit the file before importing so you can change the category name. The file is fairly simple and you should be able to read it in any spreadsheet program (and even some text file readers will read it).

I know the previous files were downloaded a number of times. If you download this one then why leave a comment and let me know that you’re using it.

PS: Google did a great one for this year’s races so I hope they’re going to do the same for next year.

On this day…

2002: Cookie Me

All You Need To Know About Sharon Osbourne’s New TV Show

Really, The Guardian’s Organ Grinder is the place to go if you want to keep up with the highs and lows of television in the UK. I didn’t even know the lovely Sharon had a television chat show all of her own. Never mind that it started earlier tonight.

Martin, the second contestant looking for love, looks terrified. Ooh, he hugs Sharon, the cheeky monkey! Hope Ozzy’s not watching. He’s probably in bed. The third love wannabe, Mariola, is giant! Give that woman her own show! [Cue Sharon! from Guardian Unlimited: Organ Grinder]

It’s making me wish I was at home in front of the box right now. But I am not, I am in Oslo and I haven’t even switched the television on yet.

On this day…

2006: Big Pink Crosses (or some such TV nonsense)
2006: In The Air Again
2002: Temptation

Big Pink Crosses (or some such TV nonsense)

This is one for my friend Steve to comment on. Yahoo reports that “In 1994, just 19 of the Fortune 500 companies advertised their brands in gay media in the United States. Last year, 175 did”. [Source: Advertisers out of the closet with gay-themed ads – Yahoo! News] It’s just a shame all those stereotypes still exist. The worst gay ads are the ‘Get Fruity’ Muller sponsorship of Living TV’s Will and Grace. All that cheap innuendo, it’s amazing they don’t give the audience a little more credit.

And talking of Will & Grace, Eric McCormack – who played Will – appears to be struggling to find work now the series and gone and finished. He told Sunday’s Observer that “I have this big pink cross to bear”. Still, I guess with all the money he made from Will & Grace he’s in a position to be able to hire somebody to carry it for him. [Source: The Observer | UK News | I can’t shake off my gay image, says Will]

On this day…

2006: All You Need To Know About Sharon Osbourne’s New TV Show
2006: In The Air Again
2002: Temptation

In The Air Again

In The Air Again

In The Air Again

I am off traveling again. This morning it was a very early start to get me to Heathrow so that i could make a flight to Oslo. To give myself some extra time because of the security I arrived at 5am – only to find that check-in wasn’t open until 5.20am. Then a nice queue at security and a plane ride to get me here. I am now too exhausted to enjoy the lovely evening. Still, I hope I can get a decent night’s sleep so that I will be awake for tomorrow’s meetings!

On this day…

2006: All You Need To Know About Sharon Osbourne’s New TV Show
2006: Big Pink Crosses (or some such TV nonsense)
2002: Temptation

Hello From Here

I am not going to be able to upload a picture of my latest trip to my Flickr account as I am visiting Amsterdam without a camera (or a camera phone). In fact, I am visiting without any piece of electronic equipment whatsoever. The security alerts over the past few days at UK airports have resulted in this odd situation.

This morning, I arrived at the airport very, very early for my flight. Given this is a day-trip I checked up on the baggage rules last night and decided against anything that would prevent me from walking on board. That meant no mobile, no lap-top, no book, no pens: nothing. I took the train to avoid the traffic queues and checked-in online before I left the house. The result? It took 15 minutes from arrival at the airport to sitting in the lounge (and they managed to x-ray my shoes in that time). I had a few hours to kill so did a little bit of work from an Internet station (oh, for a working Office 2.0 set-up) and now I am in Amsterdam airport with a similar amount of time to kill and only a newspaper for company.

On this day…

2007: The Slag Of All Updates
2005: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
2002: The Art of the Blog

Go Ant Go!

Honda Driver Anthony DavidsonThere have already been two posts about F1 this week, here and here. Well, time for a third. I thought it worth noting that Anthony Davidson stood in for Martin Brundle as one of the ITV commentators last Sunday. Not only was it fantastic to have Honda’s third driver there for Jenson’s win but I thought he did a mighty fine job. Here’s hoping we get to hear (and see) a lot more of him in the next few years.

UPDATE: Just look at what I said last year. Amusing coincidences?

On this day…

2005: Tipping BAR Honda To Win
2004: Gym Buddy – We Must Not Stop Now
2002: Survival

Changes At Red Bull Racing

Christian Klien Christian Klien
Yesterday, while celebrating Jenson’s big win, I omitted to mention that Mark Webber has signed to drive with Red Bull Racing next year. While this might be great news for some it does mean that Christian Klien is being left without a drive next year and, as this picture might suggest to you, that can’t be a good thing really. Christian might not have had the best performances of the year but can that really all be placed at his door and not the car? He’s results have not been that much worse that team-king David Coulthard. “My aim has always been competing in Formula One and I am not willing to give it up so easily,” Klien told F1Racing.Net.

On this day…

2005: Swiss Re Tower, London
2004: Back Ache
2003: More Gay Marriage
2002: Water, Water Everywhere

Button Is A Winner!

Jenson Button won!Well, what can I say? Jenson went and did it in superb style yesterday. After six years and 113 races Jenson made it from 14th on the grid to take the podium at the winner in a thrilling race that saw both Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher fail to make it to the rain-soaked finish line. “We made a great choice on the tyres and also on the last pit-stop,” Button told the BBC’s website. If there was pressure to get that first win then it’s surely off now but I imagine the pressure will be even greater to win a few more and then a championship. Better get my flag ready for next year’s Silverstone race, huh?

Read more >> Button pays tribute to Honda team
The World reacts to Jenson Button’s first win
Button ‘can be F1 world champion
Dad believes first win is just the start for Jenson

On this day…

2005: London’s Living Room
2004: Saturday News
2003: RSS Feeds
2003: No More Clause 28
2003: July 2003 And All That
2002: Where Are You Now, Miss Boo?

Dropped at 0815

Official Japanese figures at the time put the death toll at 118,661 civilians. But later estimates suggest the final toll was about 140,000, of Hiroshima’s 350,000 population, including military personnel and those who died later from radiation

[source]

Every year I am stunned to be reminded that 6 August is the anniversary of the day that the US dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It was an act that brought on the final end for the second world war but it changed the world forever. With all the missiles flying across parts of the world today it seems like good time to remember that war is not a good thing.

Picture from acksion’s photos on Flickr.

On this day…

2006: A Glass Pyramid
2004: Doesn’t Time Fly?
2003: Things To Say
2003: Five Live and Weblogs
2002: To Some People Enola Gay is Just a Pop Song