http://greyhead.co.uk Alex's ramblings of a pixel-pushing, camera-toting numpty Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:46:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en (Geeky stuff ahead) When you're applying for jobs as a web designer, it would seem logical to make sure that it shows you in a good light. For example, when you're telling people you can design websites which work well in all the common web browsers, most potential employers would ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/21/embarrassment-when-your-portfolio-says-all-the-wrong-things-about-you-o/ This thought-provoking blog entry by the BBC's Steve Bowbrick on how the BBC might have been able to avoid the media storm is well worth a look: BBC Common Platform: Handling Ross/Brand in an open way This is interesting for me: in my last job at Portsmouth students' union, I remember trying ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/18/rossbrand-how-not-to-let-a-molehill-become-a-mountain-version-2137/ ... or, more accurately, on your back - click through the image to buy the Very Reasonably-Priced (and possibly abuse-causing) hoodie: Faceberk - helping you disconnect with the people in your life Possibly related to this page...Smaller Than Life - it’s grrreatLife On Mars is back tonight - yehay!Getting fit, getting run ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/18/faceberk-you-need-this-in-your-life/ I'm slowly listing my whole vinyl collection for sale on discogs.com. If you're into your house, trance, hard house or progressive from 1990-ish to 2006-ish, please take a look here. There's 40-something vinyls up for sale at the moment, and more will be added over the next week (the plan is ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/17/tuneage-for-sale/ Look, just because... ... doesn't mean this is fair: ... especially the second "get a girlfriend" one - I mean, c'mon! That's just targeted advertising at its most cynical ;o) Possibly related to this page...So that’s how Facebook is making its money…aRSS’ing about with Facebook fan pagesYou want me to add what to ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/11/ok-wtf-is-facebook-taunting-me-now-o/ Fancy some new wallpapers? Since some of the photos I took at the Alexandra Palace fireworks display last Saturday weren't *toooo* massively appalling, I've knocked some of the best ones out into desktop-friendly sizes and uploaded a zip file with them all in. Download the zip file here: Fireworks wallpapers - clicky ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/11/10/random-fireworks-wallpapers-for-download/ So I've been listening to a lot of Last.FM's chillout station lately, mainly as I still don't have my own laptop back, complete with all my stuff - photos, work, programs, music, porn... err... But don't mistake the tone of this post - I'm not complaining (for once); oh no, this ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/10/27/why-did-no-one-tell-me-about-this/ Well folks, tonight's my last night on the White Isle, and I've got to admit I've got mixed feelings about going. On the one hand, pretty much everything's closed and everyone's gone home, so there's less than feck all to do out here now (not to mention the fact that ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/10/18/surviving-ibiza-for-2-months-without-getting-arrested-sold-into-slavery-or-turned-into-a-sex-slave-done/ Getting lippy... "Get out of the fucking taxi so I can fight you, or I'll fucking glass you right there" shouted the irate London-accented man to my friend Neil*. Rewind two minutes and my latest new friends Louisa and Neil had decided, after leaving it far too late to get a taxi ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/10/08/getting-lippy/ Hola cheeky-cheekies! It's been a long time since I've actually gotten off my lardy posterior to let you know what's been happening on the madness that is the white isle, so this is probably going to be a helluva long update. Here goes... ;o) Since I last wrote to you all, ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/10/07/youve-not-done-ibiza-until-youve-missed-your-flight-home-o/ I've finally got the Shit Party photos online - check them out on my Flickr photostream (here), or on the Shit Party website (mixed in with the other photographers' photos) here. Enjoy, darlings! Possibly related to this page...“Energy” by Even on FlickrMy Macbook Pro photos on FlickrA(nother) 2-second Ibiza update http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/29/at-last-shit-party-photos-are-online-all-500-of-the-buggers-o/ For those of you who are missing the updates from the white isle, there will be one along very shortly - I have LOADS of stuff to tell you about. For those of you who hate being spammed by me, watch out: there's an update coming shortly, and I've got LOADS ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/26/crazy-idea-number-34557-your-thoughts-are-needed/ Woohoo! My photos from last night's DC10 Circoloco event are online at Ibiza-Voice.com already! Randomly, it looks like I might have snapped flavour-of-the-season DJ talent Sarah Main at the event, although I had no idea it was her at the time: Check the pics out here :o) Possibly related to this page...No photos, ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/19/photos-circoloco-dc10-18082k8/ Hola de España, cheeky-cheekies! *** "You cannot bring camera in here," barked the neo-Neanderthal bouncer in broken English. "Whuh?" was my eloquently-phrased reply. "You cannot bring camera in here. You from Tillatedotcom?" "Err, no, I--" "You cannot bring camera in here, then" repeated the droid. "Oh." It was at this point that my evening photographing the Clubland night ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/15/no-photos-a-bit-more-travelling-clubland-garlands-knife-point-muggings-at-ket-cove-the-only-female-policewoman-dc10-and-forgetting-sarah-marshall-with-pizza-o/ Hello everyone, I promise this will be a 2 second update. Promise! caught a beautiful sunset last night - pics on Facebook or on Flickr Steph blagged me in to Es Paradis for Pukka Up last night. Some cheesy tracks but good fun :o) Also got a card from the Pukka Up top ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/13/another-2-second-ibiza-update/ This is, without doubt, the soundtrack to my summer so far. Beautiful :o) YouTube - Knee Deep - All About Love. Possibly related to this page...The “Dellbook Air”… Ahem…Flood + plod + blues & twos = grinThe Friday Random: Weightless Dog (take 2) http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/11/my-tuuuune-of-the-summer-knee-deep-all-about-love/ Hello everyone! Here's a lightning recap of the last few days, 'cos I know you're all *really* interested (note: this is sarcasm, ;o) Steph and I have moved into our new apartment, which is right above the fabled Ship Inn (Ibiza workers' central). We've got free interweb (blagged, of course) and are ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/09/a-2-second-ibiza-update-o/ Ibiza is a land of contrasts and change. That's probably a tired old cliché to anyone who's spent more than two weeks in a row out here, but I thought it might be worth re-emphasising it anyway. Last night I went from selling tickets (well, trying to), to selling photo keyrings ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/06/randomness-drunkenness-photos-mad-dogs-englishmen/ Ok, one other thing: I need some advice - there's a remote chance that I could make a tit of myself on national TV, courtesy of Living TV. I received a call earlier today from Adam - one of their cameramen who I got chatting to at Hush on Sunday ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/06/reality-tv-should-i-or-shouldnt-i-s/ "So you know where all these hostels are, yeah?" said the PR girl as she handed us €5,000-worth of club tickets and pocketed our passports. "Sure," Steph and I nodded uncertainly as we scanned a printed list of hostel names I'd only ever seen before in Lastminute.com searches for hotel accommodation ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/06/ticket-selling-pr-girls-dodgyness-and-well-random/ The "Alex is making a numpty of himself in Ibiza" group now has 55 people all salivating at the prospect of me making a numpty of myself if and when it all goes horribly wrong in Ibiza ;o) Yehay! Steph phoned me last night from her posh holiday in a villa in ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/01/ibiza-update-one-day-to-go/ (This has been lifted from my UPSU work blog) Well folks, that's all from me. As of 5pm last night I ceased to be an employee of the University of Portsmouth Students' Union. Tom Worman has officially taken over the reins of the Media & Publications Officer role, and as ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/08/01/bye-bye-portsmouth/ (This post was originally published on my work blog) It is strangely encouraging to see that, about the same time that Pugwash News was suffering its own dramas during issue 9 this year, Imperial College Union's Felix newspaper was suffering as a result of non-editorial pressure to censor itself. This isn't going ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/29/a-common-problem/ The Observer has a very interesting article which interviews ten drug users about their habits, ranging from the occasional cannabis user to a £100-plus-a-day unemployed heroin addict. Last year, nearly four million Britons used illicit drugs: ten drug users tell their stories | Health and wellbeing | Life and Health - ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/23/telling-it-how-it-is/ An hour of eclectic tuneage, from the chilled out sounds of Thievery Corporation and Junior D, via Julien Jabre and Hott 22, right up to Robot Needs Oil, Tom Day, Naughty Queen, Kaskade & Deadmau 5, and a bit of random to finish with. How to get this mix Download this ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/22/greyheads-house-podcast-a-little-bit-of-everything/ This is very random, and very cool - web 2.0 at its best? Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures. Possibly related to this page...Action Camera - I want one!Smaller Than Life - it’s grrreat http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/22/lost-your-camera-ifoundyourcamerablogspotcom-might-have-it/ I've just discovered Julien Jabré's beautiful "Swimming places" track on the MoS chillout CD and it's definitely another one I heard on the Space terrace in 'beefa. Luvly. :o) DJ Owen Clarke on Discogs.com has this to say about it: "Without doubt the most stunning track of the year so far! ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/21/two-to-watch-out-for-julien-jabre-and-hott-22-plus-a-couple-of-others/ This is interesting (if extremely geeky): Conway's Law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Typed using Wordpress 2.6's new and very cool "press this" button. New toys ;o) Possibly related to this page...Beatport member? Grab 10 free tracks from their VIP give-awayPEBKAC is…Free squiggle with your Sunday rag http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/18/conways-law-wikipedia-the-free-encyclopedia/ Insightful, witty, heartbreaking, funny, cruel, shocking, occasionally bordering on bad taste - A Beautiful Revolution is the work of 40-something Andre Jordan. Most of the content consists of striking pen sketches, telling stories of his day-to-day life (frequently touching on his hopelessness with women - something I can empathise with ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/18/hero-worship-andre-jordan-of-a-beautiful-revolution/ I've just realised that I only have two weeks left in office. That's two weeks to change the world, train Tom (my successor) in changing the world, write a whole raft of training documentation for Tom and whoever else is unfortunate enough to have to tidy up my mess after ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/17/two-weeks-left-times-ticking/ Another day, another hour of chunky electro stuff, featuring Jesse Garcia, Tocadisco, D Ramires & Mark Knight, Pryda, Mar-T, Miles Dyson, Enrico da Rosa, Wolfgang Gartner, Nastydirtysexmusic and the Plump DJs :o) How to get this mix Download this mix … or find out how to subscribe to the podcast and have ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/13/greyheads-house-podcast-a-little-bit-chunkier/ Yesterday evening was spent at Jongleurs nightclub in Portsmouth's rather-upmarket* Gunwharf Quays taking some pics. It's my first time using the D50 in a nightclub, and - photography geek mode on - I seemed to get better/more consistent results from shutter priority mode than I did using full manual, although I'm ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/12/photography-fun-at-jongleurs/ Right now it seems that everywhere I look, Canada is a hot topic of conversation as a potential place to emigrate, the latest must-see freshly-emerging cultural hotspot, or "miscellaneous other" place of interest. Why this is, I have not a clue - and I don't mean this in a disparaging ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/11/what-is-it-with-canada-at-the-moment/ Another day, another randomly-titled podcast. This one's meant to sound a bit deeper and more progressive, but for all I know, it could sound like a broken exhaust on a 1982 Ford Escort... How to get this mix Download this mix … or find out how to subscribe to the podcast and ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/11/greyheads-house-podcast-where-it-all-begins/ Now I've finally got my DJing toys back up and running, I've put together a bit of a funky/chunky house mix inspired by Ibiza's Bora Bora beach club. How to get this mix Download this mix ... or find out how to subscribe to the podcast and have it automagically delivered to ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/10/greyheads-house-podcast-the-bora-bora-tribute/ Mini-update time: Ibiza: Steph and I have booked our flights back to 'beefa for the 2nd August. We're outta here, baby! DJing: new mixer arrived today. Nothing spectacular at all - just a (very) cheap 'n cheerful Behringer mixer (with an instruction manual featuring a late-80's photo of the German chap who ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/09/booked-plugged-in-hosted-mixed-and-snapped/ Greyhead.co.uk has just got itself some shiny new hosting courtesy of the nice people at Meteoric. Unfortunately, I haven't had any time to put anything here yet, so why not take a look at my UPSU blog in the meantime. I've now managed to pull all my entries from my old ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/08/hello-and-welcome/ One tune which will definitely be leaving an indelible imprint on the memories of clubbers in Ibiza this year will be Paul Keeley's "Homecoming". The tune's floaty synths coupled with the chugging bassline will have no trouble getting even the most laid-back clubbers to work up a sweat, and I ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/01/one-to-watch-out-for-paul-keeleys-homecoming/ Two things have been bugging me today. The first is reviews - mainly, in this case, music reviews. I'm going to preface what I'm about to say with this disclaimer; this is just a question. Nothing more, nothing less. Ok, with that out of the way, my question is this: is ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/07/01/two-questions-aka-media-music-reviews-and-greed/ One thing in Ibiza last week which reminded me how fascinating clubbers can be is how people respond to randoms approaching them in nightclubs. Take, for example, the responses when a girl is approached by a guy - in this case, "the guy" in question was none other than myself, ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/06/27/a-question-of-perception/ Greetings from sunny... err... Portsmouth. I'm back in the UK and, no, I didn't decide to stay out in Ibiza for ever and ever and ever and... Well, you get the idea. Photos 'n vids coming shortly ;o) So I'm now faced with something of a dilemma. I finish my term ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/06/24/so-what-next/ I've just started reading Alex Scarrow's "Last Light", a work of fiction* which looks at what might happen to the UK if the country's oil supplies - the majority of which are imported - were suddenly halted. The process from normality to a complete breakdown of the country - the ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/06/14/coincidence-and-ibiza/ I am a fat b'stard. No, don't all rush to argue with me - it's the truth and one which stares at me every time I look down. Assuming stomachs can "stare"... Maybe they can't. I'll look for a better metaphor later... Anyway, for the last six weeks-or-so, I've been doing ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/06/11/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-no-its-a-fat-man-on-a-treadmill/ Sorry for the hiatus - things have been quiet here lately because they've been hectic with work and, well, life (yup, I have one of those apparently...). I've got a few things I want to talk about, but not right now, so bear with and I'll be back shortly. Ttfn :o) Sorry, ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/05/23/well-be-right-back/ Randomness... Possibly related to this page...The Friday Random: Weightless Dog (take 2)Flood + plod + blues & twos = grinSorry! http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/04/05/the-dellbook-air-ahem/ Tallie, Ben and Elle have all just been in touch to let me know that The NUS Governance review has been defeated by a very, very narrow margin - the review needed 717 votes to be passed, but only received a (scarily-close) 692. While I am a lot less opinionated ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/04/01/a-near-miss-nus-governance-review-defeated-at-last-stage-by-narrow-margin/ (This post isn't endorsed by anyone apart from me... ;o) I just couldn't resist this: Housemate Jen told me Chargrilled - the "humourous" t-shirt and hoodie company - are selling navy hoodies at half price today (April 1st... Yes, I know it's April Fool's day), as well as their ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/04/01/i-lost-all-my-luggage-at-terminal-5-apart-from-this-lousy-t-shirt-chargrilled-awesomeness-o/ This is horrible - a light aircraft has crashed in a residential area while taking off or landing at Biggin Hill airport. The crash site is less than a mile from my little brother's old school, and about a mile from my parents' house: (click to enlarge) I don't think there have ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/03/30/light-aircraft-crash-in-farnborough-kent/ Just a quick footnote: I had the pleasure of meeting not only the University Vice-Chancellor (i.e. University top bod) John Craven yesterday - and for once it wasn't to receive what amounts to a bollocking for printing articles of questionable veracity in Pugwash News - but also the Secretary of ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/03/30/how-not-to-make-an-impression-with-the-secretary-of-state/ Apologies for the 50-in-1 update, but I've got loads of equally important (or, if you're a normal human being, equally boring) things to ramble on about... Possibly related to this page...Thank fook Pugwash is done… For now…The first ever Pugwash Show (live blog thing)Pugwash gets RSSified, Blogs fixed, and more ... http://greyhead.co.uk/2008/03/26/pugwash-monkeys-brass-monkeys-stupidity-bitchin-geekery-and-guilt-free-holiday/