This year I’ve visited four new European countries: Lithuania, Portugal, Czech Republic and Slovakia. There’s still something about those Eastern countries that draws me. See this map from world66
create your personalized map of europe
or write about it on the open travel guide
Uncategorized
Star wars and lids
People don’t seem to talk about it much but it seems to me that the original Star Wars films from the 1980s were influential in style terms – in terms of computer games, vaguely Zen philosophy and, of course, motorcycle helmets. The lid I’m currently trying to get hold of seems to owe somethings to those nasty anonymous storm troopers.
nasty storm trooper
Nicest restaurant in Cambridge
… in my opinion, at the moment is Cafe Adriatic at 66 Mill Road. Its been there for nearly 5 years and serves mainly fish and seafood dishes inspired by the Croatian fishing town that the owner is from and Italian pasta and pizza dishes. Ther details are at www.cafeadriatic.co.uk
Garmin announces new generation GPS
In response to many GPS users’ complaints that the computerised system is taking the humanity out of travel and navigation, Garmin has announced a new range of GPS devices. They incorporate an innovative ’emotion’ chip. The new devices, scheduled to go on sale in the lucrative pre-Christmas period, will be able to simulate a range of arguments about direction and the driver’s failure to take note of last minute instructions. The units will be highly configurable and some arguments will be able to escalate into more fundamental rows about selfishness and incompatibility. ‘Our research has shown that drivers miss this kind of friction when travelling with a friend or partner’, said a Garmin spokesperson today. Prices will start at £499.
iPhone – more reasons to like it
The iPhone crept up on me. I ignored the first couple of versions until the recent version 3 and the Iphone 3gs coincided with my terminal frustration at my Palm Treo constantly reinstating appointments that I had deleted because they had been cancelled (leading me to make a series of pointless journeys around London). The Berlin Ubahn map, London a to z, Wifitrack, Bento, Facebook and an interactive map of Cambridge have been quite handy, and courtesy of Handbreak, I have a couple of feature films to watch, but my old favourite Mac game Myst is now available for the iPhone. I discovered this game with the whole family gathered around our newly purchased CD rom drive when the children were so small they went to bed before I did. Now this lovely game has been ported to the iPhone with all the beautiful graphics and lovely music. The interface is perfect for the fingery approach of the phone.
Work, managerialism etc
The week before last we suffered two demoralising ‘awaydays’ at a swanky hotel in Hertfordshire at the hands of my mystery employer who gathered together all the professors and senior managers to hear talks from some consultants about the characteristics of academic leaders (it can all be represented in a couple of concentric circles), we learnt a song together and played an intergalactic game where I got to wear a baseball cap which I have never ever done before. We discussed ’employer engagement’: employers say ‘we need 100 more hangmen’ and we work out how to provide them as quickly as possible.
What I find uncomfortable about such events is how they blur the border between being a good employee and a good human being.
The day after tomorrow is another ‘awayday’ at what looks like an equally swanky hertfordshire hotel. Mercifully it is only 5 hours instead of two full days, and if the weather is dry I will ride my recently renamed Brunhilde the Beamer there. At the end I have my appraisal. When I told my 19 year old son that I get marked A, B or C, he couldn’t believe that these kind of indignities seem to last throughout life.
So, here are a couple of nice examples of the way my employer (and probably many others) manage to treat their workers as children.