I must confess, I am dreading today’s elections. Not because of who might win or lose. But because no matter what the outcome, our government will still be a giant bonfire of partisanship.

In fact, I have thought the same for some time now. Just before the Mexican elections, I had a long debate with an ex-friend of mine about this. We talked about how there should be no political parties, but instead, individuals backed by people with similar thoughts, where they aim to change the country following X or Y strategy, without naming themselves as “conservatives” or “liberals”, but rather as politicians with X or Y views. He strongly disagreed, to the point of ending our friendship because instead of analysing and debating this rationally, he was stubborn and single-minded.

In my view, you shouldn’t divide the political system into two bands. There is always scope for one person to believe in some things from one side, and some things from the other. I believe it shouldn’t be about “the way the party does things”, but instead, more about “what will benefit the country the most”.

This article, published today on TechCrunch, briefly talks about this:

“No free country has ever been without parties, which are a natural offspring of freedom,” wrote James Madison.

Of course, I believe this is absolute rubbish. Political parties are not natural offspring of freedom. Freedom is one thing, political parties are another. Whilst siding yourself with a political party can be considered freedom of choice, the choices made by political parties are often single-minded unilateral decisions which lack freedom of thought, as they are constrained within boundaries imposed by the political parties’ belief system.

The article furthermore offers the following possible solution:

One popular, if contentious, solution to bitter partisanship is a multi-party system, where multiple groups are constantly forging new alliances based on specific issues, rather than a constant zero-sum tug-of-war where each party has the same enemy on every problem.

However, I digress. A multi-party system will lead towards more confusion.

So what do we need?

What we need are intelligent, knowledgeable, enthusiastic people, who put their country before their set of beliefs, to put together a group of people with similar beliefs that will back this person, economically, emotionally and whole-heartedly, so that this person may get into office. This person would not be part of a political party, but instead, would propose a plan, establishing feasible time-lines, whilst adhering to a set of rules that would govern his/her time in office (apart from the constitution, of course).

This would also make voting much simpler of course. Don’t think left-right politics. Think alignment to values and proposals. Voting could be separated into three stages. The first stage would consist of a questionnaire, where you answer yes/no to a set of questions concerning the country, society, economy, education, business, war, and a few other factors. This questionnaire would give you a list of three candidates (and their backing groups) that fit the answers the best. The second stage would consist of an analysis of the available options, studying the background, the plan, and the ideas of each candidate. The third stage would be the actual voting process as we know it: Select a candidate, vote.

Of course, this can’t work without guarantees. Each candidate would have to guarantee that the plan will be followed, and if catastrophic misalignment of the plan ensues, that person would leave office and a new voting poll would take place.

Of course these are just a few ideas I’ve been thinking about for a while now. Implementing these may be next-to-impossible, considering the system we currently have, and the rate it takes to ‘commit new changes’. Nonetheless, I believe it would bring forth a better system.

What say thee?

My advice: Don’t do it, there is always time, but it’s harder to get back to studying once you’ve dropped out.

What set me going was this last paragraph of the post

As a result, my advice to anyone thinking of dropping out is to keep studying, and use every opportunity to build projects and startups on the side. When something starts to work, you’ll have that same feeling that many others have, and you’ll know that it’s your duty to keep building it and bring it to the world. Until that happens, keep studying and keep building. When it happens, drop out slowly.

There is no such thing as “drop out slowly”. You either drop out or you don’t. Once you’ve got your own startup, you are “supposed” to put all your energy and time into it. People take Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Zuckerberg as examples, and generally don’t go back to studying, because “there is no time for it”.

As the article says, you go through a very fast, compressed, learning stage when you have your own startup. You learn so many things that it kind of feels irrelevant to go back to studying.

My story

I’m not a dropout, but I’ve still found my way to building startups, making money, and following my dreams.

I’ve worked since I was 17, whilst still in high school. I started off working as a developer and photographer at a jewellery factory. I started university, and joined a software development firm. I chose a university that would adapt to my work hours. Sometimes I would go to uni at night, other times I would take online courses, etc. My bosses knew that schools comes first, so when I had to take a mid-day course for a few months, they would allow me to leave the office for 2 hours at lunch time.

At the same time, I was working on starting my own business, developing CMS and CRM systems. So, how can you handle two jobs and uni at the same time? Trust me, it’s possible. It’s all about time management and good communication. As long as you know how to prioritise, organise, communicate, schedule, and perform well, then you can master anything in life.

So, fast-forward a few years, and I’m in Scotland doing a master degree in Artificial Intelligence, whilst working part-time for a financial software company, and freelancing as a web designer in my spare time.

I managed to get through the course, fly back home, and carry on with my start-up. Right now I’ve got over twenty clients, whom I do web systems, websites, and other custom projects for.

You don’t need to drop out to get your own projects going. You just need to know how to organise your life, find a flexible course or university, communicate well with your clients, co-founders and university staff to let them know what you are doing, organise your time adequately to cater for all your needs, and get to work.

The number one thing I learned

I took away from this experience that what you learn at uni, you apply in your start-up and other jobs, and vice-versa. It is a constructive symbiosis that will help you grow intellectually, as well as economically. Furthermore, when you finally graduate, you will be much better prepared to manage your start-up than you would have been if you would have dropped out.

Now, my experience and words might not work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me. So think first, analyse, compare experiences, do research, and then decide. Because when you drop out, it might be the last time you ever go back to the classroom.

So I thought I was all set up: I created a folder with an index.html page, with the text “Coming Soon…”. I set up the repository, and tried to commit to Heroku, only to receive a message similar to “This is not a code repository” or something similar. Heroku is primarily aimed at apps running on frameworks, like Ruby on Rails, Django (Python), node.js, or… ahem… PHP.

So it seemed incredibly dumb that it can handle all these frameworks, but it doesn’t let me upload a static site! So I searched about, and found out how to do this by setting a demo (barebones) ruby app, as well as a Sinatra variation. However, this didn’t convince me. First of all I didn’t want to place my code in a “public” folder. No. I was probably being a bit picky, but when I expect things to work a certain way, I get annoyed when barriers are put up in my way.

I finally figured out that Heroku allows you to publish PHP sites as well, with NO configuration needed! That’s right, just create your .php files, and it will figure out that the Heroku app should run PHP for this site, and it will auto-configure the app to run on the latest version of PHP/Apache.

So here is how you do it:

Rename your index.html to home.html or something similar.

Create an index.php file with the following code:

<?php include_once("home.html"); ?>

That’s it!

Now go to your app folder in CMD (or Bash), and commit your code to Heroku using the following:

git add .
git commit -m 'Change this to a meaningful description'
git push heroku master

 And finally, you should get the following:

-----> Heroku receiving push
-----> PHP app detected
-----> Bundling Apache version 2.2.22
-----> Bundling PHP version 5.3.10
-----> Discovering process types
Default types for PHP -> web
-----> Compiled slug size: 9.5MB
-----> Launching... done, v4

Congratulations! You have published a static site to Heroku with one line of PHP code

Why “represent”? Well, the amount of CSS required to represent each pixel in the image would be massive. Therefore, the better approach is to take a pixel from each 5×5 pixel block, which will represent that block, and use a CSS box shadow which will converge (fade) into nearby pixels. Therefore, giving an approximate representation of that the full image looked like.

So I set about doing a Python program that would do this. Shortly after finishing the Python version, my friend pointed me towards this file which does a similar thing using PHP. Oh well, at least I had fun coding it.

So, my program basically allows you to take a screenshot of your desktop and convert it into a CSS version of the image, or you can take a png/jpg file and do the same thing.

The output (example below) is pretty fuzzy, but I’m thinking I can probably improve it a bit by tuning the spaces/pixels, or by getting a better “sample” of the overall colour that predominates in a 5×5 pixel section of the image, instead of just using the first pixel in the section.

Get the code from Github, and if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below (or on Github).

I remember ten years ago reading a 600 page book on the computer, and it was a pain. But with the current revolution of iPads, Kindles, and Android tablets, more and more people are flocking towards digital book stores instead of real ones.

Some of my best friends are quite disturbed by this tendency. They argue that the smell of opening a new book, the feeling of turning a page, the texture of each sheet of paper, and the ease of grabbing (and tossing) a book, leaves a much nicer feeling than holding a device that you feel more “attached to” (e.g. you can’t just toss an iPad) while reading.

However, whilst I can’t say I’m a bookie, I have read my fair share or physical books. But lately I find it much more enjoyable to read on an iPad (for example) instead of an actual book. Why? Easy: Digital bookmarks, highlighting, notes, having all my books in one place, requiring just one (or two) taps on a screen to start reading where I left off.

I recently finished reading ‘STEVE JOBS’ by Walter Isaacson (great book by the way), and I read it on an iPad. What I really liked about the experience was that I could highlight sections I considered important, and I could share quotes on Twitter and Facebook right from the app. So when I was writing a Powerpoint presentation the other day, I remembered something I read in the book, so I just went straight to “notes”, and copied the text I needed into my presentation.

So, I guess it all comes down to one question: Do you read just for reading? I know I don’t. When I read I like to make notes and highlight interesting things. Somehow highlighting an actual book doesn’t seem right. I remember that I once had a book with over 30 bookmarks. It just seems much easier to use an eBook reader nowadays.

So, in my opinion, the inevitable will come to happen: eBooks will eventually prevail. And as much as I like the smell of opening a new book and flicking through the pages, ease of use always dominates. There are so many books out there, and those books won’t disappear, but eventually, all new books will be released only in eBook formats.

It’s going live on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, and other services in a few days.

Meanwhile, check out the first “single” below on SoundCloud (player below)… Comments appreciated!

Platform:

Clean, but not as clean as Scottish train platforms. Trains seem to leave on time from GCT, but delays seem usual from many other stations. I’d say delays are on par with Scotrail.

I’ve not seen CCTV on the platforms here, and just a few in the stations. Scotrail platforms are plastered with CCTV… Including the trains themselves.

GCT beats any Scottish stn. Including Glasgow Central in looks.

Trains:

Quite clean, same as Scotrail trains. Some of them squeak a lot on the rails, and they seem much slower than trains in the UK (Virgin, cross-country, Scotrail). People seem friendlier, they actually ask if it would be alright to take the seat next to you… over there, most people just sit down.

In Scottish trains they check and sign your ticket, which you keep till you reach your destination, as they ask for it on your way out. In NY trains, sometimes they take your ticket away, and other times just clip it and give it back. It seems you never have to show it to leave the station.

All in all, I prefer Scottish trains… But I prefer Belgian “B” trains even more… They are the most silent ones I’ve ben on.

I won’t go into detail in the NY underground. I’ve heard it is filthy and full of rats. I even heard people play a game here… How many rats can you count. Doesn’t sound tempting so I’ll probably be avoiding the subway.

Naturally, I did a bit of research, tried out a few things, and finally came to the conclusion that .NET framework 4.0 was the best choice.

So I got down straight to development, using Jquery Mobile Framework, ASP.NET with .NET 4.0,  MVC3, ADO.NET Entity Framework 4.1, and ASPX (web forms).

It was easy enough to set up, but when it came down to implementing user controls, I found it a nightmare. Passing parameters to the user control whilst using a MultiView was giving me a headache.

The issue here is that web forms are not naturally set up to work via AJAX calls, and Jquery Mobile Framework relies entirely on AJAX calls. So I decided to try out the Razor layout engine instead of web forms.

I had no experience using the Razor layout engine, but after a couple of hours, I found it delicious to use. I could code up pages much faster than in web forms. And the integration with controllers and models in the MVC3 framework was just, natural, it all fit into place beautifully.

Naturally, I found a few issues learning the basics of the MVC3 framework, forms authentication, the Razor layout engine, and accessing data from a database. Tutorials seemed to be all over the place, but I came across a few good ones which I will share with you.

If you are getting started with MVC3 + Razor + Data access (using DBContext in MVC3), follow these tutorials, and you’ll be a ‘pro’ in a couple of days (providing you have enough experience).

Razor Layout Engine:

Learn the basics of the Razor layout syntax:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/gg618477

Learn how “sections” work in Razor:

http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2010/12/30/asp-net-mvc-3-layouts-and-sections-with-razor.aspx

Learn how to implement partial views in Razor (which can be used as ‘user controls’):

http://rachelappel.com/razor/partial-views-in-asp-net-mvc-3-w-the-razor-view-engine/

MVC3:

Learn how a basic MVC3 application works in .NET:

http://www.asp.net/mvc/tutorials/creating-a-mvc-3-application-with-razor-and-unobtrusive-javascript

Learn how to integrate data access (database first) using MVC3 and EF 4.1:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/gg685489

(If you want to create models, but use a MSSQL database that is not on your machine, and you don’t want to have it in the App_Data folder, just follow the steps, then delete the database from the app_data folder, and change the data source in the web.config to point to the correct location).

Writing your own queries to access the database instead of relying solely on those from the model:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/adonet/archive/2011/02/04/using-dbcontext-in-ef-feature-ctp5-part-10-raw-sql-queries.aspx

So that’s it for now, I thought it would be good to have a central location for these tutorials as they served me well whilst I learned the basics of MVC3 + EF4.1 + Razor, so I hope they are useful to you as well.

If you have any queries, please let me know in the comment section below.

If people made the right fucking decisions, the world would not only seem better, it would be better. Less car crashes, less time wasted, less unemployment, less abortions, less suicides, less disasters, less stupidity.

• Action-reaction: you decide to marry the wrong person, you have a child, you divorce, the child grows up. The child either becomes l/g/b/t, kills someone, becomes a criminal, commits suicide, or in a few cases, lives a “normal” life.
• Action-reaction: you are skilled in arts but pursue a career in finance to become an investment banker, your ego outshines your skill, you make bad choices, the market collapses, you lose everything, you kill yourself.
• Action-reaction: you are bullied in school, you feel you are being bullied for life, you feel so much better than the rest inside, you feel powerful, you take a gun, you go to school, you shoot everybody.

It’s not hard to make the right decisions, just think before you act, measure your options, make the best choice.

When it doesn’t work out, you know you tried your best, and it will probably turn out better next time.

If you lose your money, break your mobile, crash your parents car, befriend the wrong person… think, measure, then act… Next time. Tomorrow never comes when tomorrow is all you wait for. Today is the only time, this moment.

Lets stop acting like mindless fools and get our act together, lets make the right fucking decisions, for the sake of humanity.

Edinburgh Trams from the 1900s

I remember reading that a large percentage of the locals opposed the tram system, partly because the bus system is already an excellent travel option, but primarily because of the chaos the construction would cause. By the time I read that, I believe it had already been under construction for quite a while.

I moved to Edinburgh over two years ago, only to find Princes Street (one of the main streets in Edinburgh) still closed due to the construction. Buses were taking an alternative route, but the people still weren’t happy. This seems quite logical, as it had already been under construction for years with no end in sight.

About a year ago I remember quite clearly that the works on Princes street were finished. The end seemed near. Then shortly before the Pope’s visit not so long ago they even placed a tram on the rails on Princes St. But, was it functional? Well, the thing itself seemed pretty functional… but the rails lead nowhere! Yes, Princes St. had rails installed, but at each end they just terminated abruptly. Construction was still not finished, and there was no evidence to why the works were halted.

Shortly after the scandal grew as the council got into endless debates with the construction committees and the mediators. There was a lot of frustration over the cost of the whole project, and the fact that it was coming out of the public’s pockets. Then they started a debate over whether to scrap the whole project and remove the tram lines, or finish the project off. The issue was costs of course: Is it cheaper to go on or to back off? This was followed by more discussions…

At the end of August, 2011, there were several interesting events reported in the news. I believe the first one is that the council decided to back out and scrap the project. Alarmingly quite a lot of people complained, including citizens who initially opposed the project. Afterwards, the tram chiefs decided it might be best to terminate the line at Haymarket. Finally, according to the Metro newspaper, a consortium (Train manufacturer Bombardier and French company RATP) declared that they would like to take over the construction of the trams and offered a good price. They tried the same previously but were rejected.

Now for my personal view: This is an absolutely ridiculous matter. Come on, years to build a tram system? How hard can it be? So much debate about the costs, so much time wasted, so much money spent on ridiculous meetings in posh hotels that reached no conclusion, so much chaos in Princes St. for years. I wonder how stupid a group of people must be not to be able to develop a proper system, a clear view of the costs based on materials and labour, a precise estimate of time, and a funding effort to obtain the money from various sources instead of relying primarily on the council.

Half of the tram line is already there! It’s just a matter of being intelligent, adding some numbers, deciding on the best strategy, and going ahead with it. You can’t back out now. That would be like NASA saying “oh, sorry astronauts, we’ll have to leave you up there on the ISS because we’ve disbanded all our shuttles and it would cost us too much money to get someone else to bring you down.” (I seriously hope that doesn’t happen, that will be the moment I lose faith in humanity).

Anyway, that is just my 2p on this issue. Think first, then act, but don’t spend too long thinking, and don’t back out when you’ve already started to act.