Hindsight is a beautiful thing

A few days ago Jean Charles de Menezes was shot by mistake by the UK Police.

This is obviously bad thing.

A very bad thing.

However, my understanding is that he was ordered to stop by Policemen pointing guns and instead of doing so, he jumped the barrier and got onto a train - all this whilst wearing a thick coat, and at a time when London appears to be under siege

Obviously condoning what the Police did is not an option (I can only begin to imagine how I'd be feeling if this had happened to my daughter) but their actions can be understood.

What if he had been another bomber and had then killed 30 people standing on a platform? The Police would then have come under attack for not taking action.

I heard a commentators yesterday say "we need to do a full investigation into how this occurred" I totally disagree. This is just political correctness gone mad.

To pay for a full investigation is just fool-hardy. It happened because the UK is under attack, because he was running away whilst being ordered to stop, because he ran into a train station (where many of the bombs have gone off) and because he was wearing a strangely thick coat.

The error of judgment is not soley laid at the feet of the Police. Jean Charles also made some bad decisions that day; ones that ultimately cost him his life.

I see it a little like pulling out a plastic gun, pointing it at a Policeman and then complaining that they shot you before you could explain it was only plastic.

It's not a satisfactory outcome, but I am certain that this scenario will do a re-run if anyone else were to take similar action and I think to order the Police not to take the sort of action they did in a similar situation would be a mistake.

I thought this article was interesting

Basically, if a Police officer is pointing a gun at you ordering you to stop and put your hands above your head, stop and put your hands above your head.

Microphone Madness!

So, why does nobody do a "proper" radio mic?

I reckon the bestest solution would be to have a bluetooth clip-on tie mic - no flying lead, just a clip on mic with a rechargeable battery, not unlike a bluetooth mobile headset - that "spoke" to a local bluetooth receiver, that was also an 802.xx transmitter.

This way you get excellent local pick-up and then long-range regional transmission and reception back to a sound desk.

Latency would have to be managed, but I'm sure it's do-able.

Anyone want to build one?

Anyone know if one has been built?

(Whilst it's not wireless, I like this mic)

Not in the slightest bit cheesy...

I for one would love to work for Google.

They - along with a handful of others like eBay and Amazon - are changing the world!

Very exciting!

Anyhow, this morning they have a little something for our amusement...

Google Moon

I'd recommend zooming right in to see what the astronauts saw on this day 1969.

Very insightful!

Sound Bites

• The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The next best time is now.
• Facts don't cease to exist because they are ignored.
• Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.

Iraq - Sorted!

So, I've just had the most fascinating chat with a cab driver!

I did my usual thing of being chatty, asking him if we was from Cyprus (well, he looked Cypriot!) and he said that no, he was from down-town Baghdad!

He then told me about his time at school with the Hussein boys (they sounded lovely!) and how he was so grateful to have left 15 years ago.

It was fascinating to get such a well balanced view from someone who's country appears to be in tatters - and at the hands of others. He was obviously sad to watch the carnage from the side-lines (he still has family there) although - interestingly - he was not at all angry with the USA or UK, rather just saying that whilst Saddam had had to go, that we had tried too much too soon.

He was particularly frustrated by the insurgence of political correctness, which has been totally abused by the natives.

He gave examples of how, in the good-old-bad-old days, if you were even suspected of stealing a car (for example) you would have had something chopped off; digit, limb or head, depending on how people were feeling.

Now of course that's not allowed, so crime has become a real issue.

I was particularly impressed by his response to my asking - if he were in charge - what the solution was from here. He said, obviously having given it a great deal of thought; "a benevolent dictator should be put back in charge". Someone with whom the buck stops. A decision maker. A kind, firm and fair dictatorship.

Interesting.

I can see how other countries around the world might benefit from this kind of leadership style. A move away from the committee.

I guess the real challenge with this as a remedy, is finding someone who would not become totally self-obsessed with this kind of power and authority.

Well, in the absence of any other candidates, I'd vote for my cabby!

Sound Bites - It's Henry Ford Day!

• If you think you can, or think you can't you're probably right.
• If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said "a faster horse".
• A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.
• An idealist is a person who helps other people to be prosperous.
• Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.
• Capital punishment is as fundamentally wrong as a cure for crime as charity is wrong as a cure for poverty.
• Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.
• Don't find fault, find a remedy.
• Exercise is bunk. If you are healthy, you don't need it: if you are sick you should not take it.
• Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
• I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done.
• It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.
• Money doesn't change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish or arrogant or greedy, the money brings that out, that's all.
• Money is like an arm or leg - use it or lose it.
• Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.
• Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
• When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.
• You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.

Principalities and Powers

As I hear and see Muslim organisations all over the world condeming the recent attacks on London and after watching the various marks of respect shown yesterday, I have been interested to watch and hear remarks by several commentators and experts.

Apparently, these young men had no other options at their disposal because we - the public and government - had not done enough to answer their concerns about our foreign policy.

Hmmm.

I can think of many people (including myself) that are not totally thrilled by all our international operations, and yet somehow I manage to find it in myself to not go out and blow people up.

To me it's clear. That no matter how it might look, this is not a battle of flesh and blood; between people, but of principalities and powers; this is spiritual warfare.

Trying to find any physical or emotional logic in this - or any - atrocity (prior of future) will result only in unsatisfactory intellectual debate. There is no logic here.

And discussion around additional security measures are largely impotent.

We have to be wise - yes, and vigilant - yes, but it is impossible to stop these kind of attacks altogether.

These are just symptoms.

There's a much deeper issue at the root here.

These guys had a clear instruction from their god in their kuran - a commandment no less - to "...strike off [unbelievers] heads..." 47:4

And so they did.

They believed that doing so would result in them entering their heaven as heros.

Which is a shame.

I know that so called "Christians" have inflicted significant collateral damage in the past. But here too, it's just been people - and their own bias - getting in the way of the true God.

No matter how people might have perverted God's word over the centuries, if you'll take the time to check it out, the message from the horses mouth (that would be Jesus) is clear; to believe, to forgive (and be forgiven) and to love.

Nothing about chopping off heads.

So, what's the prognosis? Well, it's gonna get much worse. It's nothing to do with foreign policy, or countries, or governments, or even people. It's a spiritual battle of principalities and powers.

And, what's the solution? Well, I pray for a real sense of discernment. That we the people - all people - will get a profound understanding of right and wrong.

Not just a head-knowledge, but a heart-knowledge.

And that this spiritual revalation, will cause a physical revolution; that we might start to cherish one another.

Traffic Cone Tantrum!

So, the guys putting out the cones!

What's that all about? It's surely one of the most dangerous jobs around.

I don't understand why there's not a machine to do it.

Also, there should be remote control vehicles (not much bigger than toys) that automatically "follow" the main truck (any highway truck). They should be guided by laser and have cameras and lights fitted to them.

Then, if someone were to fall asleep and drift onto the hard shoulder, they would hit a remote control car first, (which let's face it would wake most of us up!) before they hit something more substantial; like a highway truck, or more valuable; like a person.

If anyone's interested, I've got a design in my head!

There could even be a "Mad Max" version, that actually turned the laser from being a guidance system into a pre-emptive device. Boost the power on the laser and voila! Burn out any approaching vehicles tyres.

Sorted.

Sound Bites

• Resentment; like drinking poison, hoping that it will kill someone else.
• Opera is when a man gets stabbed in the back and still sings.
• Texan expression for "All talk, no action" = "Big hat, no cattle"
• The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way you use them.

Testy Telesales Top-Tip

So, if you have a phone and you live on planet earth, you'll have had the joy of the cold call.

Listen, I’m a sales-man, I understand that they’re only doing their job, but I find being called at home 5 times a day - sometimes by silent machines that drop the line because I didn’t pick up soon enough - really, REALLY rude!

Getting annoyed helps no-one, so I choose to enjoy the ride!

Try this. I saw it on Seinfeld ages ago and it made me laugh!

It almost makes you want them to call you...

You “Hello!”

Them “Hello, am I speaking to Mr Adrian Heywood?”

You “Yes, that’s right.”

Them “Ah, good, I’m not trying to sell you anything, but…”

You “I’m sorry to interrupt, but now is not a good time. If you give me your home number, I’ll call you back later on, when it’s convenient for me to speak.”

Them “I’m sorry Mr Heywood, we’re not allowed to give out our home number.”

You “Hey that’s fine, I understand completely; it’s irritating to get calls at home from people you don’t know isn’t it?” [as you hang up]

Accelerated Learning = 42

For those old enough - or just sad enough - to know that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything (hitch-hikers guide) this may already make sense.

But for those of you looking sideways at your screen - frowning - with your clicking finger poised over the "Back" button, let me explain...

I have become passionate about Accelerated Learning. It's the "killer app" we've been waiting for.

We've learned an amazing amount about the way the brain works - and plays - at it's best in recent years. In fact, over 90% of what we now know, we have discovered in the last 5 years.

The great Egyptians had no idea where the human brain was.

The Ancient (and cunningly clever) Greeks didn't know.

Not even the Romans with their great empire and greater ingenuity knew where the brain was.

We only found out 450 years ago that it was in our head! Of course, people knew that there was something grey and squidgy up there, but not what it did. They knew it wasn't a good thing to be without one(!) and that bad things seemed to happen to people who had the misfortune of getting something stuck in it, but they had no idea why it was there!

Amazing. But true.

And so what about the way we teach our children?

Well that too has hardly changed in the last 400 years. A little more interaction maybe, slightly better food (no, scratch that) but essentially chalk and talk.

Well, it's time for a change.

Imagine being in charge and having two choices; two instructions for your people:-

• Tell them to learn everything and then learn how to best learn things, or
• Tell them to learn how to best learn things and then learn everything

What would it be?

Of course. It's not even close to a trick question. It's obvious.

And yet, in schools around the world, we are just taught stuff, rather than taught how to learn stuff!

It's an important distinction.

It's a crucial distinction.

It's the kind of change in thinking that could affect generations.

If we could understand and then deploy effective tools techniques and strategies for accelerated learning in our schools (as well as in the work place) we will truly help ourselves to move closer to the answer to life, the universe and everything.

42.

Sound Bites

• There are only 10 types of people; those who understand binary, and those who don't.
• I have 6 locks on my front door and I only ever lock three when I go out. The way I figure, anyone trying to break in will always be locking three of them.
• Courage is being the only one to know you're afraid.
• Money is a good thing. It's the love of money that's the route of all evil.

Bluetooth - don't you just love it!

So, after a relaxing week away with some buddies in the SoF (South of France!) I've got back to lots of hard (but good) worky stuff.

Since I've got a rather beautiful Vaio and a Bluetooth (BT) headset for my XDAiis, I though of the ingenious plan of marrying the two, so that I could use Skype hands-free as well as cash-free (nearly).

What a splendid idea. Hardly news to many of you, but to me is was ground breaking!

And now, after hours spent combing through geeky message boards that talk of Widcomm 4, XP SP2 compatibility, bthusb.inf, bluespace, BT stacks and patches I am no further forward.

The only positive outcome has been to help reassure me that there is always a better way of doing something!

I find myself frustrated at Microsoft for not having a headset profile as a part of their BT stack (you see, I'm writing like a geek now), hacked off with Widcomm who appear to be suicidally unhelpful and bemused by the endless stream of forward slashes that the geeks say will make the transition/installation easy.

Yea right!

So, spleen now vented, I'll get back to some real work.

On a normal phone.

In a normal way.

Like a normal person.

Sound Bites

• I'm not into working out. I have a saying "No Pain - no pain"
• Success is being able to go from one failure another with no loss of enthusiasm
• I was taught at school that double negatives are a no-no
• The strength that comes from confidence, can quickly be lost in conceit
• I do wish people would stop using French clichés - it's just sooooo passé

The Ultimate Tablet PC

So, I figured the best way to set an unsteady foot out onto the blogging scene, was to launch with something that's amusing and yet profound, someting that's stimulating and yet provocative and something that's simple and yet clever.

Hmmm. [Scratches head]

Ok, change of plan; reckon I'll just waffle on about one of my soap-box topics...

I have a dream; that someone will manufacture the car that's in my head, create the taste that's in my heart and develop the Tablet PC that's on my mind!

Picture an A4 sized piece of polycarbonate about 1cm thick. (looking just like a thick sheet of glass).

It should have all solid state memory (and lots of it) a lightening fast processor that doesn't require a fan to cool it and the very latest in wireless technology; 802 and Bluetooth, as well as an FM transmitter (so you can tune your car radio into it) and built in GPS.

It should be completely encapsulated, so that it's completely water proof and nearly indestructible.

It should be charged by induction (so no holes in the body) and have a wireless hub - where you connect any/all external devices that need some kind of wire (still no holes in the body).

It should also have a buddy, pocket version, that's a take anywhere device and be supported by a centralized server that has all your details and programs stored centrally, so that if you loose it, you can log in to your account from anywhere in the world and upload your profile, your whole profile; contacts, emails, applications & device preferences - with a payable option you could even keep a copy of your files on the server for synchronization during off-peak times.

It's speakers should be like the ones you can attach to a window, using the glass as the speaker, (so still no holes in the body!)

What's in the box :

• The tablet itself
• The buddy unit
• A set of wireless speakers
• A wireless headset for telephone use
• Wireless headphones for listening to high quality audio
• Several pointers (I seem to be proficient at loosing mine!)
• A wireless hub (docking station)
• A wireless-to-USB memory stick/key ring, so that lesser machines can transfer files easily (again made from polycarbonate)
• A leather portfolio case, that looks, feels and smells beautiful!

I'd love to make one.

Then I'd buy one.