Images

Shipwrecked!

Yesterday I managed to be extremely careless. I was working with one of my websites via an ftp program and was not being observant enough. I thought that I was somewhere else when I began happily deleting files and folders in preparation for a major reworking. I did think it was strange that there were so many files and folders but this thought did not ring any serious alarm bells.

Later I discovered that I had deleted all the files for the digital-rights site. Soon after I found out that my web host does not do backup recovery. I was devastated.

Fortunately most of the content is in the database I had not touched that. So after spending some time re-installing wordpress and adapting it to my needs I managed to bring back my blog. Unfortunately the images were not stored in the database this means that all the images all the images are gone now gone.

But at least the blog is back. And I have learned some valuable lessons: beware of multi-tasking, look twice before deleting and maintain better backups (even of non-essential material).

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photo Shipwreck wide 2 by Subindie (CC ATT-NC-SA)

Posted on by mklang

Dangerous Technology

An Australian advertising campaign is aimed at raising awareness to the dangers of listening to music via headphones while in traffic.

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DDB Sydney has released a print campaign to raise awareness of the fact that the number of teenagers dying as a result of listening to ipods whilst they cross the road is beginning to reach “epidemic proportions”. I like the art direction of this campaign, even though i would have liked to see some different executions. Maybe use other models of the iPod. (adgoodness)

OK so there are a lot of teenagers with headphones but it’s not only teenagers. I am not only talking about my own experience – look around! Things that may have been known as being in the realm of the teenagers are now firmly part of adult and middle age life. And they are here to stay. If I end up in an old folks home I totally expect there to be wifi, network games and all the other toys that I depend upon.

Posted on by mklang

Running inspiration

It’s cold, it’s dark and I’m tired. This is not really the inspiration I need to put on my running gear and go out. I browsed around flickr hoping to find something inspiring but no luck. I came across this image which was very nice but does it make me feel like running? Nope. Nice photo though.

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Photo by Kookalamanza

There is no disguising the fact that some days exercise is boring. But some days it is nigh impossible to get out of the chair. So admitting this online helps. It may be the wrong weather but that cannot be helped, it’s time to get dressed and go. Thankfully my iPod is loaded and helps me divert my attention from the running. It’s loaded with different lectures and podcasts. The latest is a series of lectures on the history of China. So it’s out into the darkness and into the Ming dynasty.

Posted on by mklang

Things undone

For those of you who, like myself, live in a state of denial it’s time to face reality. It is soon the end of 2007! No way! We all want more time! I have not finished all of the 1001 things I planned to do before the year ends.

Some of the stuff which is hanging on a thread right now:

  • Interviews (Urgh! I am failing bigtime here)
  • One more article (almost done)
  • Admin (always more admin)
  • Complete journal proposal (on time)
  • Finish book review (must finish reading book first)

Actually this list was supposed to be a way of organising my thoughts but the more things I write the more things I discover and the more stressed I get. Suffice to say that I’m late

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photo: J. McPherson

Posted on by mklang

A personal computer

Ever since this summer when I got my shiny new laptop I have been longing to personalise it. I knew that I wanted to engrave it with something eye-catching and symbolic. Since I really liked my last engraving I decided to go with the same again.

My image of choice is based on a wonderful drawing of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza Reflections by Gene Colan from 1998.

(Larger version)

Since I want to accentuate the Don Quixote and Sancho Panza I removed the background and their reflections in the water. What is left is the two riders. I contacted Mr Colan to tell him of my plans to modify and engrave the image onto my computer. This is not a question of copyright law but I wanted to have permission from the artist as a mark of respect.

So I took my powerbook to the engraver (a firm called Brion) and this is what happened – for a full set of large images check out my flickr account. Many people who choose to modify there powerbooks in this way tend to go with the lazer engraving but I prefer the effect of the diamond drill engraving since it makes for a very nice finish based on shiny lines – very classical.

First strap it in

The outline

Drilling Quixote

Drilling details

The finished product

Posted on by mklang

Modding the laptop

It’s done! I have finally got around to engraving my new laptop. I will be writing up a proper description of the event but I felt a need to show you the result. For those of you who have been around here for a while you may recognise the choice of picture. I was considering changing this for something new but I really liked the imagery of Don Quixote.

I tried to tell a friend that sometimes I feel like Don Q himself and other times I feel like Sancho Panza’s donkey. Naturally my friend replied that I was a part of the establishment and therefore, despite all illusions to the contrary, I was simply a windmill…

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Posted on by mklang

Photo walking

It’s been some time since I took a proper photo walk but I still take lots of photo’s. Some time ago I even went professional on Flickr so I guess I am officially one step closer to being Web2.0 or maybe I am just a beta…

Anyway all my public photo’s are on Flickr (check them out) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

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Vintage Grill

Posted on by mklang

Normal people have aquariums

A couple of years ago I wrote an article about the need to allow viruses. In the article I presented different ideas why computer viruses should be allowed. In the article I forgot to argue that computer viruses should be allowed simply because of their own value or because someone may like to collect them. In the recent xkcd cartoon this desire to collect the strange is portrayed.

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Cartoon (part) by xkcd click here to see the whole cartoon.

How different is this to keeping a terrarium with poisonous snakes?

Posted on by mklang

Does anyone read Latin?


How shall I break this to you all gently? Probably best to be quick and not beat around the bush. A bit like pulling off a band-aid in one swift movement. I have a life outside this blog! Yes, besides being a blogger I am also active on Flickr 🙂

Anyway a recent picture I took was of a Latin inscription at the base of a lamppost in Lund – unfortunately I cannot figure out what it means. So if anyone knows any Latin please help out.

Click on the picture to get a bigger image.

Posted on by mklang