I read this book some time after reading The One that Got Away by Chris Ryan, another story from the Bravo Two Zero mission. That didn’t prepare me for either the foul language in McNab’s book or the horrific treatment he and the other soldiers received after capture by the enemy. The story is gripping and certainly no holds are barred in the telling.
Filed under Book Review
Jaguar have proposed a new approach to navigation – displaying a ghost car to be followed along the route.
Officially known as “Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation,” the system uses the heads-up-display technology to project an illuminated “ghost car” that looks to be driving right in front of the actual vehicle.
It’s a brilliant example of putting the information exactly where the user wants it.
Filed under Technology
It’s sometimes useful to use notepad to print basic text, but it also prints a header and footer by default.
It turns out that you can change the formatting, for example to output the current date and time.
Command Action
——- ————————————–&l Left-align the characters that follow
&c Center the characters that follow
&r Right-align the characters that follow
&d Print the current date
&t Print the current time
&f Print the name of the document
&p Print the page number
Often, though, you might want the print format to be disabled by default
Goto the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Notepad
Then add string values “szHeader” and “szTrailer” with value “”
.
Filed under Technology
Excellent article on the various technologies used over the years to deliver server-side applications.
Filed under Programming, Technology
This is the first book I’ve read by Ian Sansom, and the first in his series of County Guides. The story is set in the 1930s and doesn’t take itself too seriously (unlike Rogue Male, written and set in the 1930s, but a much grimmer tale). Professor Morley recruits a young assistant, Stephen Sefton, to help him tour the counties of England writing a guide to the history of each. Morley is a prodigious writer, publishing a book every 6 weeks at the same time as writing for several papers. Sefton left Cambridge without much of life plan, fought in Spain and found himself penniless back in London – Morley’s job offer coming at just the right time.
The tale is told through the eyes of Sefton and we’re encouraged to admire the knowledge and industry of Professor Morley, whilst privately sniggering like a school boy at his infuriating habits.
Filed under Book Review
This is the first novel by Gimenez and starts the story of Scott Fenney, continued in Accused. It’s worth reading them in the correct order, but it was still a great journey even knowing the outcome.
I found the passage where Scott Fenney’s life as a hotshot lawyer is slowly dismantled particularly vivid. The daughter of his client, Pajamae, is refreshing in that she doesn’t wallow in her misfortune, instead bringing her street smarts and common sense to this high-flying Dallas familiy.
Filed under Book Review
Exciting times for C++, you can now target multiple compilers and platforms from a single IDE, Visual Studio.
Filed under C++, Programming, Video
Good news that all is on track for Philae to attempt to land on a comet tomorrow. Even better, it seems to have developed a personality:
For some reason, when the lander is powered up, it switches to the back-up computer briefly before changing to the main one. Accomazzo says that this is just part of the spacecraft’s “personality”.
Sounds like something from the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
Filed under Musing, Technology
Nice attempt by The Telegraph to pick the top wrong tech predictions – they picked my favourite as the first one:
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers – IBM President Thomas Watson 1943
Of course, given that computers were used for ballistics and code-breaking during wartime, I guess he can be forgiven for missing the home market…
Filed under Technology
This is another from Jeffery Deaver’s series of Kathryn Dance thrillers. Known for her advanced interrogation techniques, Dance meets her match in difficult suspect who’s speech patterns and body language lack the usual tells that give her interviews an edge. She has help from the peerless Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs (Deaver’s other principal characters).
The plot concerns Kayleigh Towne, a young country and western singer, who’s band and family come under attack. The plot has so many twists, it’s hard to remember exactly who is accused of what and why at various points.
Filed under Book Review
musingstudio 