Tuesday October 31, 2006

Wild Swans - Three daughters of China

This is an excellent book written by a Chinese woman about herself, mother and grandmothers life in China. For me the early part of ther story is the most interesting her Grandmother being one of the last in her generation to have the bound feet to make them small or like "three inch golden lilies". This was a very painful business and left her with walking difficulties for the rest of her life. Initially her father sent her off to be a concubine to a warlord a General Xue Zhi-heng. Her only daughter fathered by him was the authors daughter. Her grandmother was freed after his death and married and odd looking doctor a Dr Xia. The civil war is discusssed and how the Kuomintang were gradually routed with the communists taking over China bit by bit. The communists after the war soon restored order, food water and other essential things which clearly impressed the population. The communists were careful who they let into their party the authors mother who had had connections with the Kuomintang which tainted her initially - and later caused her problems in the Cultural revolution.

The book then traces Chinese history and how her parents gradually worked their way up the grade system - her father eventually having a very important position. The "Great leap forward" etc is the first of Chairman Mao's mad ideas "make steel". This meant people were prevented from producing food and famine soon resulted. Mao made sure he was not to blame for the suffering ; thirty million are said to have died. Children were killed and sold as meat. Mao dropped out of the limelight only to inflict worse suffering on China with the Cultural revolution later on.

This dark period in the countries history started with the Red Guards who were children and students who took to the streets and terrorised the population. Teachers were tortured and Mao's Little Red book was published. Many old guard officials were thrown out but kept under surveliance to inflict further shaming on them when convenient. Grass and flowers are removed, "Destroy the world so a new one could be born". Books, artifacts and treasures were all destroyed. This time the authors family are affected with both her parents under survilance and locked up at certain times. Hoards of students are encouraged to go to Peking to meet Mao. There was a feeble attrempt to stand up to Mao by his fellow Poliburo members - called the February adverse current.

People were categorized into reds blacks and greys. Many old scores were settled; in the author's parents case their old enemies the Ting family rose to power under the revolution. Her father was typical of many officials not wanting to blame the party for the events. Once her fathers head was attacked and one side of his head shaved in typical fashion. The family cut the other half off an he said I won't have to worry about my hair being pulled next time I am at a denunciation meeting.

Later on city dwellers were expelled to the countryside to be reformed or put into hard labour if they were class enemies. Fifteen million moved out. The author then found out what is was like in the countryside when the famine had occured. Her family had been well insulated from it being party officials and living in the city. At this point many families were separated and not allowed to see each other. Eventually though Mao then had to rehabilitate his old officials to keep his power base alive. Deng Xiaoping for instance. Meanwhile while things are getting back to normal Mme Mao and her chums are still trying to put a spanner in the works with slogans like To stop production is revolution itself and we would rather have socialist weeds than capitalist crops.

At this point the author then goes to university and learns English. She sees a copy of Newsweek and finally like many other Chinese challenge her feelings for Mao.

Her father dies and her mother then fights hard for an official pardon for him and finally gets him rehabilitated. Mao dies and the gang of four which included his wife are arrested and gradually the country recovers. The Author has opportunity to visit the UK. She was the first Chinese person to recieve a doctorate from a UK university.

I read most of this while working in Milan. I finished the book while waiting for my plane to take off. Opposite us was a China Airways plane. What sort of China are they going back to I wondered? One of the authors final comment was her unbelief at the events of Tiananmen square. Ordered by the man - Deng they all looked up as a liberator. A very good book. Since writing this she has written another book on Mao himself. She now lives in the UK most of her siblings also reside in the West.

Monday October 30, 2006

Peppers and Pumkins

Now that the nights are getting colder to single digit degress celsius it was time to move the Chilli and Sweet peppers into the greenhouse where they will be kept warmer. The Chilli are a new variety for this year they stay yellow but are not that hot. This is the first year I have grown Sweet peppers they have not done badly, maybe they are a bit small but are otherwise ok. If I grow them next year I will keep them in a cold frame even in the summer to keep them warm in the evenings. The Pumkin is also new this year - I only got one and it is a bit on the small side. I removed it when the vine died off and since then it has turned into a lovely orange colour that it now is. It will be turned into Pumkin pie and/or Pumkin soup.

Friday October 27, 2006

Another brick on the beach

Growing still...and we are not done yet...

It is good to see the Q1 results looking good for all of Sun. The presentation slides show good growth in all areas. My highlights must be the growth in the x86 platforms impressive as the beefy machines the Blade 8000, X8500 and X8600 are only starting to ship in volume ( I believe )- 52% growth year on year, on a run rate of over $600million! Also impressive is the continued success of the Coolthreads servers and our storage products. Compared to our competiton in servers; we took market share off HP, IBM and Dell and our revenue growth was 15.5%; the others guys was below zero. The bit I really like is we BEAT the Streets tepid expectations and we should all be pleased about that. So some very positive messages from the results, there is still work to do but we are on track to reach the results we all want to achieve. Many thanks to everyone in Sun and to our customers for showing confidence in the products, solutions and services we are delivering.

Thursday October 26, 2006

Coast is back!

The BBC series coast is back with a new series. It promises to be as good as the first series this time visiting many new places around the UK coast.

Going Wrong - Ruth Rendell

Ruth Rendell - and her alternative name she writes under is a favourite in our house. I re-read Going Wrong the other day. It is about a man Guy Curren who had a short relationship with Leonora and is having trouble letting go. In fact he is obsessed with her and keeps trying to kickstart the relationship again. For some reason which escapes me she has always had lunch with him on Saturday where they meet. He also tries to speak to her everyday. Of course she now has a new man in her life and in fact Guy has a girlfriend but not the one he wants. Matters come to a head when she moves into her boyfriend's flat and they are engaged to become married. Guy who shall we say has a less than clean history - he sold drugs etc now plans how he can reclaim Leonora back by eliminating the person or persons who he feels have turned her against him.

He has criminal friends who can do this for him. Meanwhile he becomes more frantic in his attempts to derail Leonora's relationship and takes matters in his own hands in a very dramatic climax to the story. The final chapter sees the police catching up with him but I will leave you to read the story in full to see what he is arrested for. For me this girl does not sound like his type she is a bit like a tree hugger type person. There is a great line in the story where he asks his model girlfriend Celeste about how she feels about Guy meeting Leonora weekly and their sporadic telephone calls. She clearly is not fazed or threatend by these meetings/phone calls she says Leonora is hardly any competition to her she thinks. Alas she ends up being very wrong.. Good book.

Wednesday October 25, 2006

Fancy driving one of these?

It looks fun but I would not want to be driving behind this guy when the afterburner comes on...

A new bathroom

After having replaced the bathroom when we moved in over ten years ago and doing it on the cheap we decided to give it a second makeover. The separate toilet was also upgraded. Most of the work was done while we were on holiday to save us any inconvenience of not having a shower/bath etc. Here are a few tips/ideas for you. I apologise for the bad picture above I had no idea how hard it was to take a decent picture of one of the snallest rooms in the house!

We really like the floor arrangement tilers call it diamond pattern. It uses a few more tiles and it is more work for your builder. But we think it makes the room look bigger and a nice contrast to the wall tiles.

If you have a towel rail heated by your central heating it will be cold in the summer. So the one we got has its own element in it to heat the rail up. On reflection we think we should have installed a wider rail, we had the room. to do so.

We made the decision on the shower ages ago and plumped for a Aqualisa Quartz which we have used when we stayed in pubs/hotels over the last few months. It really is a very good shower and I like the boost button for that extra burst of water. The shower has a neat feature its on light flashes and then stays on when the water is at the temperature you set it.

The new materials baths can be made out of nowadays are really sturdy and attractive. We went for a white bath made by Bette.

We decided we wanted a clutter free room. Given the small amount of store room the basin and accompanying base would provide we went for a long thin mirror covered cabinet for the other bits. The basin base has a very thick surface which is bonded onto the wood and not just a thin laminate which will peel off after time.

Lighting can make a bathroom , so we went for recessed spot bulbs. As above the bathroom is the loft they were easy to install and hopefully maintain. Do make sure you install smoke hoods over them - if you have an existing installation of these lights they could prevent a nasty fire as they run hot. You must keep the area around them clear of anything else you can have fiery problems...

We had problems with the taps as we had ordered high pressure ones and our water system is not pumped. So do make sure you buy the right type for your water system.

We decided to have the taps at the other end of the bath so they are not under the shower. We found over time that they got a lot of scale on them from dripping shower heads. I also like the idea of lying in the bath looking out of the window which is frosted of course.

We had the whole room tiled. We had been told it would make the room seem smaller but we think the reverse effect has happened. It also will be a lot easier to maintain and keep clean.

Apart from the towel rail size the only thing I would consider now - and its easy to fit now is an extractor fan. So we are very pleased.

Tuesday October 24, 2006

Do you want to be the next speaking clock?

As part of this years Children in need appeal everyone can enter to have a chance of being the next voice on the UK's speaking clock. Everytime someone enters one pound ten pence goes to Children in need . See here for details.

Cuckoo clocks and chocolate?

Last week I was working in Switzerland. I had a very early 4am wake up call to catch a taxi to Heathrow to fly to Zurich. I enjoyed myself but here are a few observations about the journey and working over there..

After going through customs at Heathrow a fire alarm sounded. We were hustled into a safe part of the terminal building not before I saw signs proclaiming the successful installation of a new fire alarm system...

My short taxi ride to the area of the Sun office was undertaken by a taxi driver who looked like Rosa Klebb from From Russia with Love. One depressing thing was this taxi driver and the other one we used both threw litter out onto the lovely Swiss countryside...

In this part of the world when you have breakfast a brightly coloured container will be present on your table. It is a mini litter bin...

As I arrived early at my hotel I took the bus and train to Zurich. The great thing for me is the transport systems are fully integrated. When the two systems meet there is a perfectly timed cross over period so you do not wait ages for the other transportation system to make an appearance.

At the train station the ticket office was closed. A kiosk attendant tried to help me navigate my way through the questions to get a ticket. She seemed stuck on one question and asked her friend for help. While she did this I flicked the machine into English. The question she was stuck on was is this a half fare in other words was I a child. Not many under twelves are six feet high, and sporting grey hair...

The trains run like clockwork. They also have route numbers on them so its easy to spot if a train will stop when you want it too - unlike the UK ones that just say where they are going..

Remember to have a two Swiss Franc coin with you always. That seems to be the regular price to visit the loo...

The hotel has a great idea to solve the hotel key problem. As you go out you can secure your room key on a metal plate. You put your key in a slot designated for your room and turn the room key ninety degrees. This releases a smaller sister key which opens the outside door to the hotel only and has no markings to allow someone who steals your key to know what it opens. When you return you put the sister key back and release your door key. Great idea.

Hotels here suffer the same defect as they do in Sweden.

We all know the Continental beers are good. Swiss wine is also excellent. They do not make much so it is not generally exported much.

On the short shuttle ride to terminal E of the fabulous Zurich Airport a short film is shown on the concrete walls as you wizz along. Cows are then heard to moo and their bells too. Very peaceful.

A very enjoyable few days - thanks to my hosts..

Monday October 23, 2006

The Brazilian GP

Mclaren have released Paffett to persue a full time drive but saying if he finds nothing he can resume testing for them in 2007. He is being linked to the second Spyker seat. However Monteiro is claiming he has all but signed up for 2007. Hill has warned Alonso, Schumi has not really given up on the championship remember- 1994 and.. It also seems likely that Davidson will drive for Super Aguri. Heidfeld/Kubica are confirmed for 2007. Williams have signed AT T as their title sponsor which should top up their piggy bank, next year they will be known as AT T WilliamsF1 Team

A few rules changes for 2007; the two-race engine regulations will now only apply to the second day of practice and the day of the race. When the Safety Car is deployed no car will be permitted to enter the pits until all are bunched up behind the Safety Car. This is to remove all incentive for cars to be driven quickly back to the pits for refuelling when the Safety Car is deployed. Teams may only use two cars in any one practice session. A nominated third driver or either race driver can use these cars in the session. The two free practice sessions on the first day of practice have been extended from one hour to ninety minutes each.

For the qualifying ITV decided not to bump Ant and Dec off the TV screens to show it live; I do not know why they did not use on of their other channels ITV2-4. Schumi and Massa dominated the final practice with Button in P3. However in the qualifying round Button had car problems that put him near the end of the grid and Schumi did not set a time in Qualifying three, so is in P10. If he has to change his engine before the race he is at the back of the grid.

 1.  6  MASSA        Ferrari           B   1'10"680  219.474 Km/h  
 2.  3  RAIKKONEN    McLaren Mercedes  M   1'11"299  217.568 Km/h  
 3.  8  TRULLI       Toyota            B   1'11"328  217.480 Km/h  
 4.  1  ALONSO       Renault           M   1'11"567  216.754 Km/h  
 5. 11  BARRICHELLO  Honda             M   1'11"619  216.596 Km/h  
 6.  2  FISICHELLA   Renault           M   1'11"629  216.566 Km/h  
 7.  7  R.SCHUMACHER Toyota            B   1'11"695  216.367 Km/h 
 8. 16  HEIDFELD     BMW Sauber        M   1'11"882  215.804 Km/h 

Before the race Schumi was presented with a trophy by Pelle. All the drivers were in attendance except Kimi who was interviewed just afterwards. Where had he been? I took a s$%^ man he replied! The start was a clean one and Schumi breezes past the squabling BMW's. The William's drivers tangle and Webber is out after loosing his rear wing. Schumi soon passes his brother for seventh. Rosberg spins off the track possibly after damage after his tangle with his teammate. With both those cars out William's torrid 2006 comes to an end. The Safety car is deployed to pick up the bits off the track.

With 66 laps to go the SC comes in and the race restarts. Fisi is keeping the fast charging Schumi behind for now but with 63 to go Schumi gets past him but soon slows - he has picked up a puncture. He gets back to the pits before the flailing rubber damages his car. Soon afterwards both Toyotas retire with the suspension problems. Button has got himself up to P6. 59 to go and Massa is seven seconds ahead of Kimi. Schumi is running last. DC then retires. 51 to go Rubens, Fisi pit and nearly bang wheels on the pit exit. A Super Aguri is running in P12! 48 to go Massa pits ad two laps later Button does so - he has leapfrogged Rubens and Fisi. Alonso pits on the next lap. He is now ahead of Kimi.

43 to go Button passes Kimi and now starts hauling Alonso in. 41 to go Kubica and Speed tangle meaning Kubica has to come in for a new nose. 37 to go Schumi is in P10 on a one stop strategy. De Rosa is holding a train of cars up behind him. 35 to go Schumi passes Heidfeld for P9 which becomes a new P8 after someone else stops. He then passes Kubica for seventh. He then goes wide and looses the place but retakes it soon afterwards. Button is right up with Alonso but cannot find a way past him. Schumi despite just pitting starts posting fastest laps he has amazing confidence in his car. He soon finds his way past Rubens.

18 to go Schumi is now behind Fisi who unlike the other drivers puts up some kind of defence but goes wide on the grass and Schumi is past him. 4 to go and Schumi is behind Kimi who defends his place well until Schumi squeezes past him. The race finishes and Massa is the first Brazilian since Senna to win this race.

 1.  6  MASSA        Ferrari           B   1h31'53"751  199.732 Km/h  
 2.  1  ALONSO       Renault           M   +  0'18"658  199.058 Km/h  
 3. 12  BUTTON       Honda             M   +  0'19"394  199.032 Km/h  
 4.  5  M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari           B   +  0'24"094  198.863 Km/h  
 5.  3  RAIKKONEN    McLaren Mercedes  M   +  0'28"503  198.705 Km/h  
 6.  2  FISICHELLA   Renault           M   +  0'30"287  198.641 Km/h  
 7. 11  BARRICHELLO  Honda             M   +  0'40"294  198.283 Km/h  
 8.  4  DE LA ROSA   McLaren Mercedes  M   +  0'52"068  197.863 Km/h

So Alonso takes the first F1 record off Schumi the youngest driver to win back to back championships. Schumi gets to keep the car he drove on his last F1 race. I think most people would agree that Schumi showed off his sublime talent on Sunday and his tenacious never give up attitude. He could so nearly have won it. If Button/Alonso had tangled and took each other off Massa would have done the slowest lap ever to let his teammate past and grab his eighth championship.

Friday October 20, 2006

Magic mushrooms

One day in history - take part

Jonathan told me about this and I have written an item for them which will be archived to make 17th October a significant day that others can read about in the future. I am sure they would like other items which will let people in the future know about what we were doing and thinking about on this day.. You have until the end of this month!

Thursday October 19, 2006

Demand free upgrades!

One of the barriers to getting customers to upgrade to a new version of software is usually the time it takes, the risks of the process and of course application support. I remember many years ago upgrading servers in the middle of the night with half inch tapes and later on cdroms whirring as the upgrade ran. The backups one had to take beforehand. Thankfully things are better now but I want to evangelise some technology that takes a lot of the pain away from upgrading.

Sun calls the software Live Upgrade. For non technical folks it basically means you perform the upgrade while the system is still doing the job that you bought it to do without interruption to the service. Once you are happy with the upgrade process result you then reboot your server and you are then running the upgraded system. The main win for this is that if for some reason you have to return to the old version you just reboot off the old disk. Live Upgrade handles these Boot environments with handy aliases so you can remember what to boot from to get what version. Older versions did not support mirrored boot disks but these are now supported.

You don't need to be upgrading Solaris to take advantage of Live Upgrade. You can install packages, patches using it and then bring them into production when you are ready. It takes the risk out of these processes and enables a fall back recovery process for free. If you manage Solaris systems I strongly suggest you take a look at it today.

There is lots more information at these two web sites here and here

Wednesday October 18, 2006

A must have present for Xmas

A must for Doctor Who fans old and new! This Voice Changer is a Replica Cyberhead at 1:1 scale which features speech, sound effects and lights. It has three play buttons. Button one is to play Cyberman phrases. Button two will change your voice into a Cyberman's for role playing. Button three produces a Cyber weapon sound effect. Delete Delete!