Krzysztof D'Aardvark

From bad spam to good(ish) science fiction

2009-06-23T14:10:54Z

I recevied a spam email today that contained the following text.

Workmen began to edge down the stairs carrying a table. They glared at Gosseyn, then twisted over to Crang. If he failed, there would never be a second chance. With a sharp effort, Leigh steadied himself. Even in that darkness, he found the object within seconds. He was only going to a restaurant.

I'm sure you're aware that spammers use a number of techniques to make the body of their emails look like genuine content. This one is either making up some very good sentences or scraping text from somewhere online.

So, for reasons I'm not sure about (:cough:procrastination:cough:) I whacked a couple of the sentences into Google (with quotes). No result. However, when I stuck the sentences in on their own it came up with a link to some Chinese pages that contained one or several science fiction stories in english. (1)(2)(3).

Each page seems to be a self-contained short story but there does seem to be links between them. Is it a story? Perhaps its a collaborative writing project? Unfortunately, the index page doesn't give any additional clues, unless you can read Chinese.

I'll vote in the European Elections tomorrow. For the 1st time ever.

2009-06-03T11:02:07Z

Tomorrow is polling day for the European Elections. In the 19 years I've been able to vote I've voted in 1 local election, no general elections and no European Elections. However, I will be voting tomorrow.

Why?

Because unless we vote for someone, there's a possibility that one of the more extreme and bigoted parties could succeed. Recent media hyperbole over the expenses scandal has left many voters disillusioned with all politicians and considering not voting. In a proportional representation vote like the European elections this leaves a distinct possibility that parties like the BNP or UKIP, or worse, who can still mobilise their supporters will steal a few seats.

I have no strong affiliation for any party, which is why I rarely vote. So I'm simply going to vote for the party that is closest to my ideals out of the parties that I dislike least.

According to euprofiler.eu, my nearest political party is the Conservative Party. I don't find that particularly surprising so I will probably vote for them. But to be honest, that's only because they're not one of the parties I don't want to succeed.

Using Zemanta

2009-06-01T20:10:33Z

Image via CrunchBase

I installed the Zemanta plugin for WordPress prior to writing the last blog post. It enhances the WordPress dashboard with a collection of suggested Flickr pictures, YouTube videos and "Additional Reading" blog post suggestions. It will also review the text of your entry and suggest tags and offer links to auto convert word in your entry to.

I found it extremely easy to use and the links it suggests seem vaguely appropriate as do the tags. The auto linking is selective and turn linking words like Zemanta and Wordpress into a single click operation.

Image by chucks via Flickr

Want an iPhone? Get a HTC Touch HD.

2009-06-01T19:15:18Z

Image by cubicgarden via Flickr

I have an irrational and unfounded dislike Apple products. For this reason I will never own an iPhone. However, I like the concept. Imagine my joy, then, when HTC released the Touch HD.

It's almost as good looking as an iPhone. It has more features than the iPhone (either 2G or 3G) and, with the TouchFlo interface, even Windows Mobile becomes relatively easy to use. The GPS is strong, it has level / orientation sensors, the built in FM receiver is usable and the built in external speaker is OK in a quiet(ish) location.

The laaaaaarge, high resolution, bright touch screen is a joy to use and, for the first time, I've found mobile internet access genuinely useful with the pre-installed Opera browser.

HTC's usual let down, the camera, is much improved on this model (although still not a patch on my previous phone, the N95) and the processing power is adequate for moderate usage.

If I wanted to make this phone perfect, I would simply add a slide out keyboard. The on-screen keyboard is just a little to fiddly for easy use without the stylus.

And the "there's an app for that" tagline that Apple loves? The 'net is full of sites offering freeware or commercial programs that run on Windows mobile. MS has missed a trick not publicising more. However, as the market is completely unregulated quality is patchy, discovery is not as easy and security is an issue.

Have I sold it enough yet?

I will post later about the Windows Mobile programs that I am using.

(For this post I used the "Zemanta" Wordpress plug in which allows easy inclusion of related tags, photos and blog articles. I thought it was excellent and will blog about it soon.)

Connor loses his front tooth. Twice.

2009-05-26T21:06:06Z

Yesterday, MicroAardvark lost his first front tooth, Mr Wobbly. Mr Wobbly has been so named for the last 4 weeks and has progressively earned his title to increasing degrees. Finally, he was callously ripped from his home to the delight of his host.

Unfortunately, the Tooth Fairy was ill prepared for a late addition to her/his rounds at such a late hour (8pm) and failed to call. I hope the Tooth Fairy felt as guilty as I did when MicroAardvark came downstairs this morning, completely crest fallen.

Never once to let a minor set back dent his boundless optimism, MicroAardvark decided to prepare and clean the tooth for collection this evening. Unfortunately, at some point during this process the tooth was burgalerised by a crack team of tooth thieves. MicroAardvark was heart broken; no tooth and nomoney from the Tooth Fairy tonight.

So MicroAardvark decided he would cut a deal with the Tooth Fairy. Assured by his family that Tooth Fairies could find teeth wherever they were (even if they'd been swallowed like his friend had months ago), MicroAardvark offered the Tooth Fairy a back-hander if he/she would find the tooth and still pay him; a cut of the takings.

"To Tooth Fairy. My tooth did come out but I lost it. Can you still give me some money please. I'll give you some money back. I know you can find lost teeth. By Connor."

The Tooth Fairy, however, isn't one to be swayed by back handers or rewards, doing his/her job out of civic duty alone. He/she wrote back to MicroAardvark thanking him for his wonderful tooth.

Krzysztof D'Aardvark - F1 Pundit

2009-05-24T19:26:51Z

Today I has been partly commentating on the Monaco F1 Grand Prix.

A Twitter friend is in the process of creating a new Formula 1 site at F1Kingdom and started live tweeting the action a fortnight ago during the Spanish Grand Prix. I suggested, for this week's Monaco Grand Prix, that we do a double headed live tweet, much like BBC's 2 headed commentary in it's live coverage.

I really had some fun following the race for more than personal interest and a little insight into how difficult it must be for Martin Brundle and co to keep abreast whilst simultaneously making a running commentary.

For an idea of what we did take a look at this Twitter search: @f1kingdomlive - which will only be relevant for the next 2 weeks..

ME/CFS Awareness Day - Yesterday

2009-05-13T11:27:02Z

We all know that I'm late for everything. I'm actually planning on being deliberately late for my own funeral so as not to disappoint the hundreds of people who've predicted it over the years. However, on this occassion I have an excuse. ME/CFS Awareness Day was yesterday and yesterday I didn't have a working weblog. So today, I'll make amends, of sorts, by posting my first non-"yey, I've got a weblog" post on the subject.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, sometime dismissevly referred to as Yuppie Flu, is a seriously debilitating illness. I'm lucky to have avoided any direct experience of it. Indeed, until I met the campaigning RachelCreative on Twitter, I'd never even met anyone who had suffered from it. I have very little, therefore, I can contribute to raising awareness other than to encourage you, if you've no experience of the illness yourself, to become aware and to read about it.

A very good place to start is RachelCreative's ME/CFS Awareness blog, in particular the list of people who have also blogged about ME/CFS or participated in the Awareness Day or Week If you would like to help yourself, I would encourage you to raise awareness yourself. Perhaps you could start by visiting this blog post by RachelCreative's husband and donate 10 minutes of your time in sponsorship of his bike ride.

New home!

2009-05-12T19:31:37Z

Welcome to my new online abode! The decoration leaves something to be desired but I thought I'd get the blog warming party out of the way before installing new wallpaper.

So, who's bringing the red wine?

Renegade Master

2009-05-12T19:19:16Z

So, just 7 1/2 shot months since the Goats finally infiltrate my mySQL database and killed arseburgers.co.uk/blog/, I'm back on my blogging feet. Like I've never been away.

I just finished installing Movable Type 4!

2009-05-12T19:14:18Z

Welcome to my new blog powered by Movable Type. This is the first post on my blog and was created for me automatically when I finished the installation process. But that is ok, because I will soon be creating posts of my own!