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You've arrived at the homepage of Stephen Stewart. The archive is available here for those who want it. This site is happily hosted by Dreamhost. Click for more?

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links to other people's sites

Recommended Viewing

• 300†
  Does exactly what it says on the (comic book) tin. Loved it.
• Little Miss Sunshine†
  Very funny, disturbing (the beauty pageant) and completely messed up -- but in a good way.
• Laputa: Castle in the Sky†
  Story great, characterization a little on the weak side -- though the big robots are cool.
• Porco Rosso†
  Stylish, funny, exciting.
• Grave of the Fireflies†
  Very sad, which was a little unexpected since I didn't know much about it before watching it. Can be a little too slow in places though, otherwise it's very good.
• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind†
  The story can get a little dense at times what with the various factions, but still really enjoyable, inventive and engaging.
• X-Men: The Last Stand†
  Opportunity, talent, money - all blown. Over 3 films X-Men has hinted of something great that could have been, this last one says "No, sorry - not going to happen". Bah.

flickr.com

Dream Job

My dream job. Of course, right now I'm not good enough, but maybe one day. Look at the specification:

• Strong knowledge of basic design principles: page layout, typography, color theory as it applies to the web
• Expert-level experience in coding html and css is required
• Mastery and understanding of Web standards a requirement
• Proven design skills for developing web interfaces with a focus on user experience

It may not do it for you, but that just makes my heart soar. Being turned down by a company that at least suggests in the job advert they know their stuff is no insult, rejections from companies that think html is a programming language parsed by FrontPage are just plain hurtful...

1 CommentsFebruary 25, 2004

Cataloguing

I'm not so sure about this current version of the old weblog, but I do like the CIP-esque data at the bottom. FOAF link under author (the FOAF-a-matic was a great help here), keywords linked to relevant Open Directory Project data and my Creative Commons License. The XML feeds kinda represent series information. I don't think there's much point in mentioning the height of the page. All we need now is an XML format for specifying CIP Data. Snazzy.

I was quite surprised to find Donaghadee had such a healthy section in the Open Directory (the 'Dee is very small). Even Millisle manages to get a look-in (and it's smaller, and *cough* mankier).

Of course, sometimes cataloguing isn't taken well, for whatever reason. (All right thinking people agree Slugger isn't a weblog, and don't think it an insult to say so.)

In other news, a friend of mine is in Kabul at the minute, hard work, stressful but nice people and definately interesting times. ABaman-e Khuda: Khuda hafez, dude.

11 CommentsFebruary 23, 2004

Their solutions are our problems

Real IRA Lunchbox - as sold by Cafepress.

As Belfast Gonzo put it "It must be a great joke to have a RIRA lunchbox on sale only two years after killing a civilian with a bomb hidden in one."

1 CommentsFebruary 18, 2004

Where there's smoke

My next door neighbour's washing machine developed a fault during the night, while he was away, the fault caused a small fire which smoldered all day and turned the inside of his house blacker than night. The fire chief said he was lucky it had nothing to catch onto otherwise "it'd have gone up like a bat out of hell". Lucky here means he still has walls and a roof, not much else.

0 CommentsFebruary 17, 2004

For my own benefit

Whether -- conj Used to introduce an alternative. (What I meant to write.)
Whither -- adj To what place, result, or condition.
Weather -- n You know, like rain and stuff
Wether -- n A castrated ram. (What I did write.)

(Writing English with a culchie accent is frought with difficulties - ya can't jus right wat ya hear in yer hed, like.)

0 CommentsFebruary 16, 2004

Wrights Quarry, Newtownards

Wrights Quarry, just outside Newtownards is creating the most unearthly stink. I don't live anywhere near it but have to drive through the canker anytime I go to Newtownards - if I had to live near it I might have been driven to desperate measures by now. It smells of methane gas, and maybe a few other nasties thrown in for good measure. It's awful.

Sources inform me that locals have complained, and been met with intimidation (of the gun carrying variety), they also claim that the quarry owner is bribing members of Ards Council. How he can be allowed to create such a stink beggars belief, bribery is certainly a reasonable suggestion. I want the place closed down, how I go about that given the above is another matter. (Whether I keep hold of my kneecaps in the process is another one again.)

[[[longitude=54.5989]]] [[[latitude=-5.6516]]]

0 CommentsFebruary 16, 2004

Sponsor Me!

I'm playing in a charity type football match in two weeks time to raise money for a friend of a friend, Robertson Gondwe. Robertson is over here from Ekwendeni C.C.A.P. Hospital, Malawi studying Hospital Management. If he makes it through his studies he won't see his wife and children for 5 years, so we decided to raise some money to fly Irene, his wife, over at least once. Think of it as a Valentine's-type mission.

The Paypal button below will sponsor me £1 any amount you choose - if the three people reading this contribute £1, that'll be £3 more than I would have had before I spent the whole two minutes typing this.

(For every credit card or debit card donation Paypal charge £0.20 + 3%, which sucks, but I'll make any contributions back into whole £'s again)

Yay BaronM! Yay Andy J! Yay Trish! Yay Tony! Yay Karen!
(I am struggling with the urge for a Blue Peter totaliser.)

0 CommentsFebruary 13, 2004

24

So glad 24 is now on Sky|one, what with the adverts and the crumby logo across the screen, and the Thursday night slot same time as e.r.
*sigh*

I'll just wait until the DVD comes out...

4 CommentsFebruary 12, 2004

Popplagið

Song 8 off () by Sigur Rós played loud gets the imagination racing.

1 CommentsFebruary 12, 2004

The journey so far...

If I ever get back into gainful employment, or win the lottery, I would like to visit Alaska, Kamchatka Peninsula, New Zealand, Yellowstone National Park USA and maybe Iceland (for the wind dried puffins). I would like to see the Pacific Ocean at least once.

Map thingy via Jodi (hello Jodi!)

1 CommentsFebruary 11, 2004

Tree Preservation Order

If there is a tree on or near your property which you value then apply to the Department of the Environment (NI) for a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). A TPO means that a develop cannot tear the tree down and if a person is subject to heavy fines if they do. Even if they do tear it down (because what is a heavy fine to one developer is small change to another) a TPO mean the tree must be replaced, and so the land is still unusable to the developer. Anyone can make a request for a TPO by writing to their local planning office and the order can come into effect immediately (it's also unappealable).

There is a large ash tree nearby which we used to climb, and the alder and willow in my garden - I'm going ask to have them TPO'd.

0 CommentsFebruary 10, 2004

The Language of Flowers

Honeyflower - sweet and secret love
Pansy - thoughts
Zinnia - thoughts of absent friends
White and red rose together - unity
Parsley - useful knowledge
Green rose - I am from Mars
Scallion - I am clueless

Faq.org - Romance FAQ

2 CommentsFebruary 10, 2004

Firefox Branding

All about the pretty Mozilla Firefox Branding - aka Firebird, Phoenix, Icarus, Bird On Fire ...

1 CommentsFebruary 9, 2004

This Rules! (In a web designer using mozilla sort of way)

Web developer tools menu for Mozilla and Firebird

Outline block level elements, validate at the touch of a button (I know favlets did that too) (and I know I don't validate enough), outline deprecated elements, speed report, HTML headers, image dimensions...

(via Kottke)

0 CommentsFebruary 7, 2004

Utah Baby Namer

An online help for parents looking for that distinctive
name that says "I'm a Utah Mormon!".

1 CommentsFebruary 6, 2004

Occidentalism

"Calculation -- the accounting of money, interests, scientific evidence, and so on -- is regarded as soulless. Authenticity lies in poetry, intuition, and blind faith. The Occidentalist view of the West is of a bourgeois society, addicted to creature comforts, animal lusts, self-interest, and security. It is by definition a society of cowards, who prize life above death."

'The Origins of Occidentalism'

0 CommentsFebruary 4, 2004

Just a thought

I think Slugger should move off Movable Type to Slashcode (that what powers Slashdot). I don't really think Slugger even could be defined as a weblog anymore, it's more a news and message board in the traditional sense. Mind you, what do I know? Though wouldn't it be nice to mod down some of the more inane waffle on Slugger (and vice versa)? And who can (never mind wants to) wade through 400+ messages on a single thread?

7 CommentsFebruary 4, 2004

In defence of knighthoods

"If they did away with peerages and the honours list tomorrow, it wouldn't make a bit difference to society's inequalities. It wouldn't make a difference to the pursuit of a classless society. The way to do that is not by redistributing the honours, but by redistributing the wealth."

Sir Bill Morris 'In defence of knighthoods'

3 CommentsFebruary 4, 2004

Complexification

A Gallery of Computational Art.

(From Kottke)

0 CommentsFebruary 4, 2004

iTunes Clock Radio in XP

Before I start, yes I know, on OS X this is a simple one line cron job. You rule. Now go away.

To make iTunes into a clock radio you need to be able to use the Task Scheduler in the Control Panel. I assume you know how to do this.
Next find a link to your favourite radio station, Shoutcast is your best bet I think. Right click on the 'Tune in' button and save the link to your local machine (you may want to name it something specific, like "VirginRadio" to differentiate from any other streams you may save).
Now, run that link, double click whatever, make sure it's associated with iTunes (this is an iTunes Clock Radio post, mate) and that it starts. Everything work OK? Good.

Run 'Scheduled Tasks' in Control Panel then 'Add Scheduled Task', it'll ask you to 'Click the Program you want...' you want to 'Browse'. Find that file you saved earlier and select it as the program you want to start. Make you time and date settings, passwords etc, make sure you set the Task to wake the machine. Hey Presto.
You can awake to ROCK 80s HAIR GLAM 90s Los Angeles NOW PLAYING: Europe, The Final Countdown!!!

0 CommentsFebruary 3, 2004

Stop Calling Me

"The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) helps you to make sure your telephone number is no longer available to organisations who may telephone you with offers and information you do not wish to receive."

It takes up to 28 days to action, but if it works I will be a happier man.

0 CommentsFebruary 2, 2004

Songs I'd like off iTunes right now...

Green Day - I Fought The Law, It's My Life - No Doubt, Heart Of Gold -Jonny Cash, Sweetest Goodbye - Maroon 5, The Middle - Jimmy Eats World, I'm Gonna Be - The Proclaimers and maybe Don't Stop Believin' - Journey.

(You'll probably need iTunes to see those links)

(MWK - www.shuush.com)

10 CommentsFebruary 1, 2004