I recommend trying it for a month. My current plan is to buy a month subscription one every year or so. Or maybe every six months.

I consider myself reasonably effective with Photoshop and the digital darkroom, yet still learnt many new processes and techniques for producing a completed photograph. The following courses were interesting or inspirational:

• Douglas Kirkland: Creative Inspiration
• Photoshop CS4 Retouching: Fashion Photography Projects
• Beyond Skin: Going Deeper with Photoshop CS3

I also updated a few other Adobe applications, such as InDesign and learnt some Flash basics too:

• Designing a Magazine Layout Hands-On Workshop
• InDesign CS4: 10 Habits of Highly Effective Pros
• Flash CS4 Professional Essential Training

There are other online video learning sites, such as Kelby Training, that are also worth a look. The important bit is to keep updating your skills and improving your workflow.

After spending the start of this year doing lots of wonderful cooking and shooting a bunch of photos to go with it, turning the passion into a blog made lots of sense.

The theme is based on our mutual love of winter. Hearty winter soups, rich roast meats and delightful desserts. There may be some lighter summer fare, but don’t count on it.

I also started another photography blog where I intend to post about recent shoots, something I’ve avoided going into too much detail with on this blog.

Dilemma of civilized man; body mobilized, but danger obscure

- page 161

While on holidays I finished Phillip K Dick’s book, The Man in the High Castle, a story of how the world might look if the Allies lost the war. Like all great science fiction, this is a biting commentary on our own culture. Well worth a read.

The dream I had was to be able to connect my iPhone, via USB, to my camera(s). This would allow my phone to act as a remote control, and as an external screen for photos & video. The gPhoto libraries looked like they could provide a starting point.

What is actually provided doesn’t allow for straight USB connectivity.

The External Accessory support requires a validated accessory, with appropriate hardware protocols, to work. You also need to be a member of two programs, iPhone Developer and the Made for iPod program.

I can’t see Canon or Nikon releasing cameras with iPod dock connectors or protocols.

This doesn’t leave many options. One is to build a hardware device that is USB in one end and a custom protocol out the other. This gets tricky fast as the hardware device needs to figure out the camera support. And I really liked the idea of a simple cable connection being all that is required.

The second option still has some merit: WiFi. There are a few downsides. Firstly, you need a camera that supports WiFi or an expensive adaptor. This limits the audience for the app. Secondly, you need a wireless network available and to also manage pairing between your iPhone and your camera. This starts to be more equipment than desirable.

If you have a laptop lying around, onOne software released such an iPhone app.

Thinking back only a few decades, most of this would seem science fiction. I’m looking forward to the next few!

ps. I still hold out hope for personal flying devices in my lifetime.

I first heard about the quake from John Grey (@jg_rat), the editor of couriermail.com.au. He posted the following:

RT @bartman6: FLASH: Quake hits LA http://bit.ly/jtA6M

The Courier Mail site published a small teaser with a few paragraphs of text and a map of the areas affected. The site also included a reference to this content at the top of their homepage.

As the story unfolded, the article was expanded to include more information.

The article was the first mention in Australian press of the earthquake. John’s team beat the other major news sites, including ABC.com.au, SMH.com.au and even their parent site, news.com.au. At the time of posting, even CNN had not updated their site with news of the earthquake.

I asked John why his team got the news out so early:

@jg_rat: @gmwils The answer is Twitter. And a fast, smart, connected news team.

LA Times was also quick to respond to the story. Their first post, in addition to their own copy, included a link to a Twitter search for earthquake.

Twitter is adding a lot of value to the breaking news gathering and publishing processes.

Lots and lots of cakes, some beautiful sandwiches and then more cakes. All mixed in with a wide variety of tea. Conversations were diverse and drifted between deep and idyllic.

A wonderful way to unwind.

It was also a good opportunity to play more with my new camera. I am really pleased with the results. The colors out of camera are more inspiring than from my old camera.

There are a few more on my Flickr page.

What I find interesting is that our own brian is not great at prediction. We are making progress in the study of our own biases and their impact on prediction and decision making.

For discussion, “Judgement under Uncertainty” is a must read; a collection of papers on our known biases.

When we computerize this model, do we introduce the same or similar biases? Does it make sense in silicon, to recreate our own limitations? What happens when we invent a new form of consciousness with bias removed?

Jeff’s talk is here:

ps. TED talks are a great way to pass time on flights.

This is a table outlining the difference between the types of economic output, using the example of coffee.

The drive to software-as-a-service makes the software industry jump to service. It takes Apple to move it to an experience. Disney is another example of experience based economics.

I like this framework for thinking about what business I am working in. The trick will be to figure out how move up the ladder to render an authentic experience.

His book is now on my to-read list.

“Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style” has sold more than 10 million copies since its initial publication in April 1959.

Newsday highlights the 50^th anniversary of the classic text on English grammar and writing style.

This is the book on the subject.

The best book of writing advice I’ve ever read. I read it cover-to-cover about once a year.

– John Gruber

I considered offering my copy out for loan. However, I would not be happy without a copy in my possession. It is a small book, and you owe yourself an edition of it.

It saddens me that writing style seems a fading art. This book is not read enough.