January - Bellerive

So as you may or may not know, I have been producing desk calendars of my photos for a couple of years now. Mostly for my friends, family and co-workers.

The question I am most asked about them through the year is "where was this taken?"

For me there is more to a photo than simply where but also why. So in attempt to share what I see when I seee my photos I have decided to start this blog. Each month I hope to write about the picture of the month. If you don't have my calendar and would like one, just leave me a comment.

So, to Bellerive and the beautiful sunset on the water. I was visiting Tasmania oddly enough in January a few years ago to watch the cricket. Our first afternoon in Bellerive I took a walk around the shore to stretch my legs and soak up the atmosphere.

I took many photos of the boats and the sea birds but this one of the sun on the water really jumped out at me.

When I was choosing my photos this year I wanted to show wide angles that showed goals in the distance. The background of this shot has the shadowy silhouettes of a port and I think this contrasts nicely with the dark, sharp rocks in the foreground.

Perhaps things are rocky now but across the water is something exciting and unseen.

Harmony at last....

So I finally found sometime after the Christmas rush to get the snarling remote to behave... took a bit of trial and error and investigation through the software but I go there.

So far everything is tickety boo. Everything is working to my satisfaction... now to teach everyone else how to use it.,....

Slow Frustration one... not Harmony

So for the next instalment of product testing on my Logitech Harmony One.
Well it's been a while and I was hoping to report better news.... but sadly not yet...
Remote can do simple tasks, such as changing channels volume etc... but switching between inputs on my TV has been too much for it.
I then tried to fix it using help... no dice
Tried to fix it using the software, which was cool as I could "teach" it from the TV remote... but then the update took forever... and then didn't take... Well if at first you don't succeed try, try again... although I may just use my other remotes over Christmas... much less frustrating...

More Harmony

Well I finally gave up and just plugged in my product testing Harmony One remote... there was no green light after a looong time...

The software set up was fairly easy and everything worked fine. So far there are only a few issues that I will be trying to work out today.
First - Can I get the subtitles from my set top box to work without having to use the individual remote? I'm not deaf but sometimes they just mumble into their chests on American shows... but this is another story...
Second - The preset stations on the radio don't seem to be working.... pretty sure there's a way to trial and error and fix this... just got to find it.
Third - Is my system just not complicated enough to require an all - in - one remote?

Another side issue I have is the amount of packaging that I can't put into the recycling.... come on Logitech, surely in this day of sustainability you can address this?

Stay tuned for my mother's verdict as we try to use it for prime time watching tonight!

In Harmony

I was scanning the Logitech page on Facebook when I saw they were giving people a chance to test the new Harmony One remote. Since I had been ogling it in shops for ages I decided to try my luck!
Well I did manage to be picked to be one of their product testers and I was really excited to get the remote. It needs to be configured using software (and a computer of course) and the instructions advised setting aside 30 mins to set it up.
So I have finally found a 1/2 hr window to sit down and set things up, but I find I need to let it charge.... and no where does it say how long charging takes... Guess I'm waiting for the little light to turn green!

When it's cold outside... I got the month of May...

So here I am, once again missing months! How will I ever get a following now?
While winter happens to be my favourite season, the weather turning colder has somehow triggered a spate of workplace dissatisfaction. Although equals are causing me some consternation, I'll focus on what is troubling those around me.

I have noticed increasingly, from my own experience and by talking to others, that quite a few of those in positions of authority or power possess little to no basics skills that are essential for healthy relationships whether working or otherwise.

Firstly management lose the ability to talk to someone in a lesser position as if they were a thinking human being and with no respect whatsoever.
Manger Rule 1: talk to everyone as if they are not able to empathise and are completely daft. Note: Increase the intensity if this person shows signs of rational thought processes.

Next they lose the capacity to discuss business that are essentially the domain of someone under them. This particular failing intensifies to taking over projects/duties and then turning on the person repsonsible if things don't go right or move fast enough, even if it's their fault.
Manager Rule 2: A list of duties and responsibilities of staff is only a guide, if there's anything you can steal glory for, go ahead.
Note: Don't discard list of staff responsiblities, you may need it to ascribe blame later.

Finally, managers' long praised people skills and interpersonal skills are redirected away from those in their direct employ towards those who could line their pockets or enhance their CV. This is the final step to become a fully fledged manager (though others may use a slightly less poltie word here). Staff will see right through the shallow facade and those you are trying to impress are laughing behind their hands.
Manger Rule 3: Only be pleasent to those who can further your career, especially if they are not in your organisation.
Note: Keep staff from these people or the spell will be broken.

Solution: I take this quote from Remember the Titans "I'm supposed to wear myself out for the team? What team? Nah, nah what I'm gonna do is look out for myself and I'ma get mine."

Ada Lovelace Day

As you can see from my blog, I'm pretty new to this blogging thing but I'm willing to give it a go for a good cause....

I've listed Rosalind Franklin as the heroine on the site but its less about her work and more about how she is placed in history and all those women scientists who are out there working as she did and possibly holding that vital key to a seemingly insurmountable problem.

I'm not saying that Watson and Crick were good or bad... thats not what this is about. It is about recognising a new point of view.

Rosalind came from a different angle to try something new and found a new representation that no one had ever thought of before. There was still interpretations to be made and new discoveries to put into place but her work helped others take steps forward sooner.

Aren't these concepts at the heart of all Scientific endeavour? Experimentation, Consultation, Collaboration, Discovery, Innovation.
Aren't these also attributes that all society should celebrate in all fields?

I think Ada Lovelace Day is not so much about the lack of recognition of women in the early days of Science (and even in the present) but more about recognising the contirbution that another pair of eyes, a fresh outlook and something just a little bit different can make to remarkable discoveries.

So lets try and seek out those quiet achievers - male and female (but of course females more!) - who put in their smaller contributions to a wide goal. As a Science Communicator my goal is to see Science appear in the news for more than a 'feel scared' reason and more for a human endevour. As an Australian I would like to see our Innovators, Researchers and Thinkers held in the same adoration as our sporting and reality TV stars. As a Science nut I would like to see more of our communities becoming Science literate.
As a human being I would love to see a world where those discoveries that improve standards of living or environmental protection be available for all human kind.

High ideal I know but everybody's got to have a vision...

Happy Ada Lovelace Day!