Vatican Museum
Well I did not know where to meet, according my friends at Piazza San Pietro, well actually I had to meet in front of the museum, which is a Km from where I was. In the end we were just in time to meet the guide and to get in without have to go in the very long cue. I do not understand why people do wait 2-3 hours when they already know they go to the museum without organizing tickets over the Internet. To my opinion such a cue is by far not quality time :-(.
What can I say about the museum and the Sistine Chapel … it is all rather overwhelming. But that is not only due to the many art objects, but also due to the sheer amount of people. The day we choose (actually this was the only day we could ..) was a special one (31st of December) and closing was early, so lot's of people in. This day some 20.000, yeah 20.000 … meaning you are in a cue all through the museum and the chapel. But for a first time this was OK. At that time said to myself I should come again. But … after we had a small lunch in the Vatican Cantina :-) we were able to do the excursion again, and guess what … almost no one there as the museum was closing. We had to hurry though, but this fast re-entry was great, we even were in the Sistine Chapel with only a few people, compared to a flock of birds in a narrow space earlier.
Sant'Angelo
From the Vatican we walked to the river, passing my hotel and checking out the Castel Sant-Angelo. The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. The tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian, also called Adrian's mole, was erected on the right bank of the Tiber, between 135 AD and 139 AD. Originally the mausoleum was a decorated cylinder, with a garden top and golden quadriga. Hadrian's ashes were placed here a year after his death in Baiae in 138 AD, together with those of his wife Sabina, and his first adopted son, Lucius Aelius, who also died in 138 AD. Following this, the remains of succeeding emperors were also placed here, the last recorded deposition being Caracalla in 217 AD. Also buried there were the bones of Julia Domna and her son Publius Septimius Geta. The urns containing these ashes were probably placed in what is now known as the Treasury room deep within the building. Hadrian also built the Pons Aelius facing straight onto the mausoleum – it still provides a scenic approach from the center of Rome and the right bank of the Tiber, and is renowned for the Baroqueadditions of statuary of angels holding aloft elements of the Passion of Christ.
We did not go in, instead just crossed the river and walked up to Piazza Navone, where a fair was held, giving little to no view on the piazza itself, but presented a good atmosphere.
Piazza Navona is a city square in Rome, Italy. It is built on the site of the Stadium of Domitian, built in first century AD, and follows the form of the open space of the stadium. The ancient Romans came there to watch the agones ("games"), and hence it was known as 'Circus Agonalis' (competition arena). It is believed that over time the name changed to 'in agone' to 'navone' and eventually to 'navona'.
Defined as a public space in the last years of 15th century, when the city market was transferred to it from the Campidoglio, the Piazza Navona is now the pride of Baroque Roman architectural and art history. It features sculptural and architectural creations: in the center stands the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini; the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone by Francesco Borromini and Girolamo Rainaldi; and the Pamphilj palace also by Rainaldi and which features the gallery frescoed by Pietro da Cortona.
The Piazza Navona has two additional fountains: at the southern end is La Fontana del Moro with a basin and four Tritons sculpted by Giacomo della Porta (1575) to which in 1673 Bernini added a statue of a Moor, or African, by Bernini, wrestling with a dolphin, at the northern is the Fountain of Neptune, Rome (1574) created by Giacomo della Porta. The statue of Neptune in the northern fountain, the work of Antonio Della Bitta, was added in 1878 to make that fountain more symmetrical with La Fontana del Moro in the south.
At the southwest end of the piazza is the ancient 'speaking' staute of Pasquino. Erected in 1501, Romans could leave lampoons or derogatory social commentary attached to the statue.
During its history, the piazza has hosted theatrical events and other ephemeral activities. From 1652 until 1866, when the festival was suppressed, it was flooded on every Saturday and Sunday in August in elaborate celebrations of the Pamphilj family. The pavement level was raised in the 19th century and the market was moved again in 1869 to the nearby Campo de' Fiori, which we visited the next day.
Giolitti Ice
It was time to head over to one of the best Ice cream makers of Rome and that is Giolitti. Giolitti is a well-known café, pastry shop and ice cream parlor in Rome, Italy. It was founded in 1890 by Giuseppe and Bernardina Giolitti and operates at two locations: via Uffici del Vicario near the Pantheon and in E.U.R.. It is still owned by the same family.
The café is most famous for its ice cream (gelato), which comes in dozens of different flavours produced according to secret recipes. The rare flavours include champagne, cassata siciliana, ricotta, marsala custard and rice. The Giolitti family has several times refused to sell its brand and recipes to large dairy companies. The café is popular with both tourists and locals and is listed in many guide books.
Spanish Stairs
After a perfect Ice cream time to walk again, this time to the Spanish Steps. Although less impressive than expected, with al tourists present a perfect scenery.
The Spanish Steps (Italian: Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti) are a set of steps in Rome, Italy, climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the church of Trinità dei Monti. The Scalinata is the longest and widest staircase in Europe.
The monumental stairway of 138 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed funds of 20,000 scudi, in 1723–1725, linking the Bourbon Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, today still located in Palazzo Monaldeschi in the piazza below, with the Trinità dei Monti above.
Following a competition in 1717 the steps were designed by the little-known Francesco de Sanctis, though Alessandro Specchi was long thought to have produced the winning entry. Generations of heated discussion over how the steep slope to the church on a shoulder of the Pincio should be urbanized preceded the final execution. Archival drawings from the 1580s show that Pope Gregory XIII was interested in constructing a stair to the recently-completed façade of the French church. Gaspar van Wittel's view of the wooded slope in 1683, before the Scalinata was built, is conserved in the Galleria Nazionale, Rome. The Roman-educated Cardinal Mazarin took a personal interest in the project that had been in Gueffier's will and entrusted it to his agent in Rome, whose plan included an equestrian monument of Louis XIV, an ambitious intrusion that created a furore in papal Rome. Mazarin died in 1661, the pope in 1667, and Gueffier's will was successfully contested by a nephew who claimed half; so the project lay dormant until Pope Clement XI Albani renewed interest in it. The Bourbon fleur-de-lys and Innocent XIII's eagle and crown are carefully balanced in the sculptural details. The solution is a gigantic inflation of some conventions of terraced garden stairs.
Time for dinner, hm … that took some time as it was now 21.00 at New Years Eve. Luckily we found a pizzeria which also had some other food, which was actually rather OK, although the waiters many times put wrong plates in front of us. let us say it was hectic but nice.
Piazza del Popolo
Raining Cats and Dogs and the party still had to get started. It is not nice when you go to Piazza del Popolo and the weather is like shit, but with my friends we had a great toast on 2010.
The weather got a bit better after the Fireworks and we headed down to the Trevi fountain again, where a nice party was going on. Time to get the Metro and go and sleep, almost 03.00 in the morning.
Thursday 31 December 2009
Rome Day 3: Vatican and New Years Eve
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Rome Day 2: Via Appia and much other interesting old stuff
We agreed to meet at 18.00 so I had all day to visit some parts of Rome. I just started walking along the river Tiber towards the center (although there is no real center, or there are many). I already saw many interesting buildings ending at the outside of the Colosseum. So close it is a magnificent ancient architectural masterpiece, and will go in later. I took one of the buses to get me to Via Appia, an ancient road which extended in the past for 500 Km to the south. These days only the first part from Rome is maintained and treated as touristic spot.
The Roman army depended for its success on the use of bases in which to prepare for battle and to refresh and re-equip afterwards. Bases allowed the Romans to keep a large number of soldiers in the field waiting for the opportunity to strike. However, the bases needed to be connected by good roads for easy access and supply from Rome. The Appian Way was used as a main route for military supplies since its construction for that purpose in the mid-4th century BC. The Appian Way was the first long road built specifically to transport troops outside the smaller region of greater Rome.
There is still a lot to see, and I decided to visit the San Sebastiano fuori le mura (Saint Sebastian outside the walls), or San Sebastiano ad Catacumbas (Saint Sebastian at the Catacombs), is a basilica in Rome. Up to the Great Jubilee of 2000, San Sebastiano was one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, and many pilgrims still favor the traditional list. Under the church there are the catacombs. Catacombs are ancient, human-made underground passageways or subterranean cemeteries composed thereof. Many are under cities and have served during historic times as a refuge for safety during wars or as a meeting place for cults. The first burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie beneath San Sebastiano fuori le mura, in Rome. The derivation of the word itself is disputed and it remains unclear if it ultimately derives from the cemetery itself or from the locality in which it is found. There is no doubt however that the San Sebastiano catacombs are the first to be referred to as such.In these … more than 100.000 people have been buried. As the guide told us as land was expensive so they had to burry the dead under the ground. Later most people were cremated.
I walked most of the road back to the last bus stop at the Appia itself and from there took the bus to the last stop, the Termini Station.
The first big church I visited was S. Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri and to my opinion also one of the most interesting. The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs at the Diocletian Baths, the last great architectural project from the genius of Michelangelo. It is a monument to history, to faith, to art and to science.
The basilica was created by the will of Antonio Lo Duca (Duca or Del Duca), a Sicilian priest devoted to the cult of angels. Lo Duca, who was born in Cefalù in 1491 and died in Rome in 1564 expressed his passion from a young age when he was appointed choir-master of the Palermo Cathedral (1513 – 1515). During this time whilst teaching choir to a group of clerics, he discovered an antique painting of the Seven Princes of the Angels which had miraculously re-emerged after centuries of neglect in the small Church of Saint Angelo .
He went to Rome in 1527 and became chaplain to Cardinal A. Del Monte who was uncle of the future Pope Giulio III. He succeeded in securing recognition of the devotion to the Seven Princes of the Angels as well as composing a Mass for them.
After the death of the patron cardinal (1533), Antonio became chaplain to the Cardinal of the Count of Cifuentes who was ambassador to the Emperor Charles V. Since his arrival in Rome , Antonio had hoped that the Mass of the Seven Angels would be officially approved. But his attempts proved to be in vain even after the arrival of Pope Paul III Farnese. In fact, he was to receive appointments and prebends from the Pope which sent him back to Sicily .
After a few years he returned to Rome and became chaplain of Saint Mary of Loreto at Trajan's Forum. It was in this church that, during the summer of 1541, he saw a vision: a “light whiter than snow” emerging from the Diocletian Thermal Baths and at the centre were the seven martyrs (Saturnino, Ciriaco, Largo , Smaragdo, Sisinnio, Trasone and Pope Marcello). From this moment on, Antonio was convinced that a temple dedicated to the Seven Angels must be built in the middle of the majestic thermal ruins. He marked the columns of the great ancient tepidarium hall with the names of the seven angels (Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Jeudiele, Salatiele, Barachiele and Uriel). He began to entertain the idea of building a church dedicated to the Seven Angels and the Seven Martyrs. However, he did not have the support of the then Pope Paul III.
In 1543 he went to Venice to print the booklet for Mass, prayers and angelic images. At this time he commissioned a painting of the Virgin with the Seven Angels which was a copy of an existing mosaic in the Basilica of Saint Mark. Today the painting can be found in the centre of the apse, behind the high altar of the Basilica.
When he returned to Rome as rector of the Orphans of Saint Mary in Aquiro, he continued to frequent the Thermal Baths with two ideas in mind: to transform them into a Church and to create a college for Orphans. Once again Pope Paul III did not agree. Antonio had to wait for the arrival of Pope Giulio III del Monte, nephew of Cardinal A del Monte for whom he had previously been chaplain, to fulfil his dream. In fact, in 1550 the Pope ordered the Vicar of Rome, Monsignor Filippo Archinto, to sign the decree for consecration of the Church with the name of Saint Mary of the Seven Angels.
The enthusiasm in fulfilment of his dream was cut short by the Pope's nephews who drove Antonio out of the Thermal Baths and transformed them into hunting and riding grounds instead. After the short Pontificates of Marcello II (22 days) and Paul IV Carafa, the new Pope, Pius IV Medici finally fulfilled Antonio's dream in the most majestic and solemn way. With a Papal Bull dated 27 July 1561 the Pope ordered the construction of a church in the ancient Diocletian Thermal Baths. And, in a ‘Brief' (issued immediately after conceding office to the Carthusian monks of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem ) it was given the name “Beatissimae Virgini et omnium Angelorum et Martyrum.”
Trevi Fountain, the present one
In 1629 Pope Urban VIII, finding the earlier fountain insufficiently dramatic, asked Gian Lorenzo Bernini to sketch possible renovations, but when the Pope died, the project was abandoned. Bernini's lasting contribution was to resite the fountain from the other side of the square to face the Quirinal Palace (so the Pope could look down and enjoy it). Though Bernini's project was torn down for Salvi's fountain, there are many Bernini touches in the fountain as it was built. An early, striking and influential model by Pietro da Cortona, preserved in the Albertina, Vienna, also exists, as do various early 18th century sketches, most unsigned, as well as a project attributed to Nicola Michetti one attributed to Ferdinando Fuga and a French design by Edme Bouchardon.
Panorama of the Trevi Fountain.Competitions had become the rage during the Baroque era to design buildings, fountains, and even the Spanish Steps. In 1730 Pope Clement XII organized a contest in which Nicola Salvi initially lost to Alessandro Galilei — but due to the outcry in Rome over the fact that a Florentine won, Salvi was awarded the commission anyway. Work began in 1732, and the fountain was completed in 1762, long after Clement's death, when Pietro Bracci's Oceanus (god of all water) was set in the central niche.
The asso di coppe Salvi died in 1751, with his work half-finished, but before he went he made sure a stubborn barber's unsightly sign would not spoil the ensemble, hiding it behind a sculpted vase, called by Romans the asso di coppe, "the "Ace of Cups".The Trevi Fountain was finished in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini, who substituted the present allegories for planned sculptures of Agrippa and "Trivia", the Roman virgin.
Pantheon
Not checking the map, just walked, stumbled upon the Pantheon and the very nice square in front. Although a bit noise, with so many tourists and a few street musicians, it gave a very nice atmosphere.
The Pantheon (pronounced /pænˈθiː.ən/ or /ˈpænθi.ən/, Latin: Pantheon, from Greek: Πάνθεον, meaning "Every god") is a building in Rome, built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. A near-contemporary writer, Cassius Dio, speculates that the name comes from the statues of many gods placed around the building, or from the resemblance of the dome to the heavens. Since the French Revolution, when the church of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, was deconsecrated and turned into a secular monument, the Panthéon, the generic term pantheon may be applied to any building in which illustrious dead are honoured or buried.The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda."
Trastevere
As I said I would arrange a restaurant for tonight I Walked to Trastevere (the other side of the river Tiber) to check for a restaurant. There are many in a relatively small area. But first I visited … kerk Santa Maria Trastevere, a beautiful small church, to my opinion the best I have seen so far. Not the biggest, not the most decorated, but all in all a great scenic holy place. I checked out some restaurants and found a nice one where it was possible to reserve for 10 people. I think it is much easier in Rome, compared to Amsterdam, maybe because the families are larger?Walking back I send some SMS'es to my friends to where to meet, we did in front on the Pantheon. It was/is almost like meeting family :-). I also met the other family of five, seems to be a very nice group all together.The kids wanted to go to the Trevi Fountain first, making the total walk tough, as it was in the opposite direction of where to eat. Some time later we walked back to the restaurant (2 Km) and had an OK dinner. We parted our ways and agreed on the meeting time for the following morning at the Vatican.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Rome Day 1: Interesting start
Flying out almost empty to such a busy city is strange, but also nice having three seats. It took some time to get my luggage and after customs I had to wait for half hour for the hotel's driver to meet me. It was a short ride (not busy on the highway and in Rome itself) to get to the hotel. The hotel itself is OK, although the 4 stars remind of something that is long gone. Room is ok, bed is hard and there is a lot of noise coming in from the road. On the way to the hotel I already passed the Vatican so I immediately went out, first to get some dinner (it was around 22.30) and later to view the Vatican from the outside. Dinner was OK, Spaghetti e Vongole and it was still rather busy at the main square (actually almost a circle) in front of the Vatican. There I also saw the biggest Christmas stable scenery I have ever seen. Back to the hotel and tomorrow meet my Portuguese friends.
Sunday 20 December 2009
Tilt-Shift effect
I found a website where you can upload your pictures to add a Tilt-Shift Effect, result can be very nice, ships look rather miniaturized ....
Friday 18 December 2009
Wednesday 16 December 2009
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Friday 11 December 2009
Thursday 10 December 2009
Saturday 5 December 2009
atelier outlet
Tuesday 1 December 2009
share.thismoment.com
that is my new url at thismoment.com; http://share.thismoment.com/
I think great name :-), check it out.
Hans
Monday 30 November 2009
Most of Ireland
OK is is rather early to think about, but as written in an earlier entry I think Ireland will be my next Summer Holiday destination. Most of the time I am arranging everything myself, but I have found an agency working with vouchers for B&B's and I think this might be a very good alternative.
They also have an interesting planned trip "Most of Ireland".
Translated it's like this:
The 12-day itinerary Most of Ireland:
Day 1:
Arrival in Ireland, transfer to Dublin. You stay one night in a B&B in Dublin.
Day 2:
From Dublin, drive to Kilkenny. Here you have enough time to see all the sights of this medieval town and to explore her famous and majestic Kilkenny Castle, the medieval St Canice's Cathedral and the whiskey brewery Smithwick of 1710. You stay two nights in a B & B in Kilkenny.
Day 3:
Today you drive a spectacular route along the south coast of Ireland that takes you through the Wicklow Mountains back to Kilkenny. In the Southeast, visit the Waterford Crystal Factory, Duncannon Fort and the Hook Head peninsula. In the breathtaking Wicklow Mountains is one of Ireland's major attractions, Glendalough, an ancient religious establishment surrounded by beautiful nature.
Day 4:
Today discover the interior of Ireland to mysterious places like the Rock of Cashel and the Athassel Priory. From here, travel along a portion of the South Coast known as one of the most famous Gaelic-speaking areas of Ireland. Through the port of Cobh in Cork you arrive. You stay one night in a B&B in Cork.
Day 5:
Leave Cork and a beautiful drive along the coastal route to known fishing and sailing towns of Kinsale, Clonakilty, Bantry and Glengariff. Pass the Beara Peninsula through the spectacular Healy Pass and arrive in Killarney. You will stay three nights in a B&B in Killarney.
Day 6:
Today, drive the world famous Ring of Kerry "on the Iveragh Peninsula. The many attractions such as the Kerry Bog Museum, Staigue Fort, the House and the Skellig Islands Derrynane will make this trip an unforgettable experience.
Day 7:
A day at the beauty of the Dingle peninsula to explore. So you can enjoy a stroll along the picturesque fishing port and the many souvenir shops in Dingle, the spectacular Slea Head drive route, with magnificent views and many prehistoric and Celtic remains of a boat trip in search of Funghi the dolphin, who has been in the Bay Dingle 'lives'.
Day 8:
From Killarney you drive to Tarbert and cross the Shannon River by ferry. In County Clare, visit the spectacular Cliffs of Moher. From here you drive a scenic route through the fascinating landscape of slate, called the Burren. At the end of the route arrives in Ballyvaughan. You stay two nights in a B&B in Ballyvaughan.
Day 9:
Today you drive a magical route through the Connemara. This area is known for its magical lakes and mysterious landscapes. The route takes you past the world famous National Park, the stunning Twelve Bens and the picturesque town of Cong.
Day 10:
From West coast to coast, crossed the Irish Republic today two very special places where you pass, Clonmacnoise with the remains of a religious city, and after Brú Bóinne (Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth), a valley full of Neolithic remains. You arrive in Dublin where you again two nights stay in a B&B.
Day 11:
A whole day and night in Dublin with sufficient time for any sightseeing. If you can not just visit 'standard' highlights like the world famous Trinity College, the Guinness Brewery and St. Patrick's Cathedral, but you can also stroll through the Phoenix Park, a selection of museums, fine dining on the south banks of the River Liffey, and end the evening with a pint or two in the Temple Bar nightlife area.
Day 12:
Transfer to airport for departure.
Sunday 29 November 2009
Mixed feelings weekend
Nice dinner and Gala at Saturday, lost game at Sunday.
The Saturday evening started out with a very nice dinner. We were with 3 veterans teams, A, B and C. Around 50 people in total, all dressed up to go the Gala afterwards. The Gala itself was in a very nice venue, especially the quality of sound was terrible, still feel my ears. It was less interesting compared to earlier Gala's. There were less people, and lot's of older member were no there this time, a real pity.
The Day After was starting with a game to Xenios, a team like a "angst gegner", we many times lost. Again Sunday, we lost 4-3, not good at all. Next week to our brothers of B and that is the last game for the winter stop.
Saturday 28 November 2009
thisMoment
Today I discovered a very interesting way of sharing info; thisMoment
thisMoment is the new way to save and share the moments of your life. Combining the latest technology with a simple to use interface, thisMoment lets you create a digital reflection of your life - the moments you've experienced with family and friends, or through work, travel, school, and much more. As you create moments, they are saved on a timeline, providing a sense of the flow of your life, past, present, and future
Check my test at http://yimvmd.thismoment.com/
Below my embedded test.
Friday 27 November 2009
Ireland
Although extremely early to think about ... I might opt for a close by and much cheaper Holiday in Summer 2010. Ireland is high on the list. It is a mix of sceneries of what I experienced last years and has a lot of culture to add to that.
About Ireland from Wikipedia:
Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɪrlənd/ ( listen), locally [ˈaɾlənd]; Irish: Éire, pronounced [ˈeːɾʲə] ( listen); Ulster Scots: Airlann, Latin: Hibernia) is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. The sovereign state of Ireland (official name Ireland, description "Republic of Ireland") covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) covering the remaining one-sixth of the island, located in the northeast.
The first settlements in Ireland date from around 8000 BC. By 200 BC Celtic migration and influence had come to dominate Ireland. Relatively small scale settlements of both the Vikings and Normans in the Middle Ages gave way to complete English domination by the 1600s. Protestant English rule resulted in the marginalisation of the Catholic majority, although in the north-east, Protestants were in the majority due to the Plantation of Ulster. Ireland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. A famine in the mid-1800s caused large-scale death and emigration. The Irish War of Independence ended in 1921 with the British Government proposing a truce and during which the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed, creating the Irish Free State. This was a Dominion within the British Empire, with effective internal independence but still constitutionally linked with the British Crown. Northern Ireland, consisting of six of the 32 Irish counties which had been established as a devolved region under the 1920 Government of Ireland Act, immediately exercised its option under the treaty to retain its existing status within the United Kingdom. The Free State left the Commonwealth to become a republic in 1949. In 1973 both parts of Ireland joined the European Community. Conflict in Northern Ireland led to much unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s, which subsided following a peace deal in 1998.
The population of Ireland is slightly under six million (2006), with nearly 4.25 million residing in the Republic of Ireland and an estimated 1.75 million in Northern Ireland. This is a significant increase from a modern historic low in the 1960s, but still much lower than the peak population of over 8 million in the early 19th century, prior to the Great Famine.
The name Ireland derives from the name of the Celtic goddess Ériu (in modern Irish, Éire) with the addition of the Germanic word land. Most other western European names for Ireland, such as Spanish Irlanda, derive from the same source.
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Busy weeks to come
This week some interesting parties, Saturday the Pinoke Gala. Next week I will be in Berlin again for Online Educa, where we have a booth with one of our partners for their product SharePointLMS. With Christmas I am at home with my family and for New Year's Eve I am traveling for the first time to Rome. Returning beginning of January to hopefully start a better year.
link: Weebly - Website Creation Made Easy
Monday 23 November 2009
New Malicious Worm Affects Jailbroken iPhones in Netherlands
BBC reports that a second worm has been discovered that attacks certain jailbroken iPhones. The malicious software was discovered by security company F-Secure but appears to be isolated and specific to the Netherlands. It is specifically targeting people in the Netherlands who are using their iPhones for internet banking with Dutch online bank ING. It redirects the bank's customers to a lookalike site with a log-in screen. F-Secure estimates the number of affected phones to be only in the "hundreds" at this point, though it could theoretically spread. The worm appears to exploit the same users as the harmless Australian worm which displayed a photograph of popsinger Rick Astley. Only individuals who had specifically jailbroken their iPhones, installed SSH and not changed the default password seem to have the potential to be affected. This particular worm, however, is potentially far more serious as according to F-Secure it also "enables the phone to be accessed or controlled remotely without the permission of its owner." Update: Additional information from Intego reveals that the worm also steals personal data as well as opens the iPhone up to further access/control. When active on an iPhone, the iBotnet worm changes the root password for the device, in order to prevent users from later changing that password themselves. It then connects to a server in Lithuania, from which it downloads new files and data, and to which it sends data recovered from the infected iPhone. The worm sends both network information about the iPhone and SMSs to the remote server. It is capable of downloading data, including executables that it uses to run and carry out its actions, as well as new files, providing botnet capabilities to infected devices
link: Mac Rumors: Apple Mac Rumors and News You Care About
Sunday 22 November 2009
Good weekend
Saturday perfect weather and with my parents strolled through de 9 straatjes in Amsterdam. It was rather busy and terraces were full op people. When there is some sun we act like it is Summer again, but actually the temperature was only 14 degrees Celcius, but with no wind and a clear sky it was rather welcoming after a bad week.
Sunday we finally won again with hockey and also the first mens team did, so it was a good party afterwards.
The weekend I also worked on Weebly, a very nice blogging solution, which might become a favorit of mine, see the started site.
Saturday 21 November 2009
Friday 20 November 2009
Saturday Vimeo Video: Ommwriter
A wise man once said "We are all at the mercy of our wild monkey minds. Incessantly swinging from branch to branch.” With multiple windows and applications all vying for our attention, we have sadly adapted our working habits to that of the computer and not the other way around.
Ommwriter is a humble attempt to recapture what technology has snatched away from us today: our capacity to concentrate.
Ommwriter is a simple text processor that firmly believes in making writing a pleasure once again, reinvindicating the close relationship between writer and paper. The more intimate the relation, the smoother the flow of inspiration.
If you are a scriptwriter, blogger, journalist, copy writer, poet or just someone who enjoys writing, welcome back to concentrating.
Thursday 19 November 2009
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Sunday 15 November 2009
Sinterklaas
I have had my nephew over this weekend, one of the things we did was go to Sinterklaas' entry on Dutch soil.
About Sinterklaas:
Sinterklaas (also called Sint-Nicolaas or De Goedheiligman in Dutch [ pronunciation (help·info)]) and Saint Nicolas in French) is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and Belgium, celebrated every year on Saint Nicholas' eve (December 5) or, in Belgium, on the morning of December 6. The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of, among other things, children. It is also celebrated in parts of France (North, Alsace, Lorraine), as well as in Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and in the town of Trieste and in Eastern Friuli in Italy. Additionally, many Roman Catholics of Alsatian and Lotharingian descent in Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate "Saint Nicholas Day" on the morning of December 6. The traditions differ from country to country, even between Belgium and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve (December 5) is the chief occasion for gift-giving. The evening is called "sinterklaasavond" or "pakjesavond" ("presents evening"). In the Netherlands, children receive their presents on this evening whereas in Belgium, children put their shoe in front of the fireplace on the evening of December 5, then go to bed, and find the presents around the shoes on the morning of the 6th.
link: Sinterklaas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We went to Almere, the weather was bad, rain and rather cold, so for the little kids not that nice, but all together it was a great Saturday.
Thursday 12 November 2009
Google plans Chrome Mac beta for December
Google plans to release a Mac beta of Chrome in early December, judging by some chatter on a mailing list for the browser. Chrome 4.0 is available today as a beta version for Windows but only as a rougher developer-preview version on Linux and Mac OS X. The standout feature of the new version is customization through extensions, a technology that long has been a core asset of another open-source browser, Firefox. Google has been moving to a new extensions presentation technology called Browser Actions that let people interact with extensions through a small button toward the upper right of the browser window. "We've noticed that many of you have updated your extensions to take advantage of the new UI. We'd like to encourage the rest of you to do so as well," said Nick Baum, a Google Chrome product manager, in a mailing list posting. But here's the hitch: Browser Actions only work on Windows and Linux right now. That means those building extensions will leave Mac Chrome users behind for a time. But in telling those developers they won't have long to wait, Baum mentioned the deadline for the beta version. "The earlier you switch, the more time you will have to polish your experience for our Beta launch in early December," he said. And Google is on the case for adding Browser Actions to the Mac version of Chrome. "We realize this means dropping Mac support for a couple of weeks, but we already have people working on that," Baum said. "If you prioritize the Windows and Linux versions, we'll bring you cross-platform parity as soon as we can!"
link: Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone - CNET
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Testing Blogs.mu
As I am still a big fan of Wordpress I am testing now a multi Wordpress installation at Blogs.mu.
It seems to be working fine and for a mere 9$ a month you can have 10 blogs running, all connected to each other.
Problem I see is there is no way of installing any other plugin ... not sure how to use it this way ... will check.
Tuesday 10 November 2009
Monday 9 November 2009
Saturday 7 November 2009
Friday 6 November 2009
Today "Mosselmaaltijd"
It is a yearly eating party at our Hockeyclub Pinoké and most times I am/was present. It is all about eating "mosselen" or mussels, drinking Wine and networking all evening. It will be cycling home :-).
Wednesday 4 November 2009
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Square Space iPhone App
Writing my first mail in the new Square Space iPhone app and I really like it. I also have iBlogger which actually works with different blogging systems. The app is very modern, includes taking direct pictures and what is unique is you also get a statistics report of activity. Very nice.
Monday 2 November 2009
USS New York Warship Is Made With Steel from the Twin Towers
NEW YORK—The symbol of American spirit and integrity, the USS New York arrived on Tuesday, sailing along the Hudson River and finally docking at Pier 88 on the west side of Manhattan ahead of its official commissioning on Saturday, Nov. 7.
The patriotic ship was built with 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center welded into her bow.
Crew members from the ship were filled with enthusiasm for the USS New York and its namesake.
“New York can rebound back from any kind adversity. No other city can rebound as fast as New York,” said nine-year Marine and native Bronx resident Jim Purekal, who sailed back to New York on the USS New York.
Marine Jessy Johnson requested his assignment to the USS New York. “It is like phoenix rising out of the ashes,” said Johnson. “It is touching. … When I looked out onto the ship, I felt bigger than myself.”
“The message of this ship and what it symbolizes is the rebirth or the transformation of something very evil to something good,” said another marine.
The USS New York arrived on Tuesday after sailing from Norfolk, Virginia.
It is the sixth ship to hold the New York name with the original ship dating back to 1776. The last ship to hold the New York name was constructed on Sept. 11, 1911, exactly 90 years before the 9/11 attacks.
Because state names are usually reserved for submarines, Gov. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, petitioning for the name to be given to a surface ship for honoring the lives lost on Sept. 11 and those fighting the war on terror. The request was granted.
"The USS New York will ensure that all New Yorkers and the world will never forget the evil attacks of Sept. 11 and the courage and compassion New Yorkers showed in response to terror," said Gov. Pataki.
Sunday 1 November 2009
Oasis of the Seas
My Alaskan ship was big, but this one ...
MS Oasis of the Seas is a cruise ship in the fleet of Royal Caribbean International. At approximately five times the size of the Titanic, the ship displaces the Freedom-class cruise ships (also owned by Royal Caribbean) as the world's largest passenger vessel, carrying 5,400 passengers. The ship was completed and delivered to Royal Caribbean on October 28, 2009. Two days later, it departed for its intended home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Its maiden passenger-carrying voyage is expected to take place on December 1. The ship will operate year-round cruises to the Caribbean.
Oasis of the Seas will offer passengers features such as two-story loft suites, an amphitheater with poolside performances, zip-lining, a mini-golf course and a carousel.
The Royal Promenade will have many of the same features as the ones found on the Voyager and Freedom Class ships, but there are some new amenities. These include a skylight; that will let natural light flow inside from above, and the Rising Tide bar, which is a bar that will move between three decks of the ship. There will also be a shopping mall of sorts aboard, with some shops and cafes including: a champagne bar, Cafe Promenade, Sorrento's Pizzeria, a Close Shave men's groom and barber shop, clothing, jewellery, a general store, and a bar. The space will still be the length of a football field but the width will be 19 meters, more than two times the width of both the Freedom class Royal Promenade and Voyager class Royal Promenade.
Less social?
The Netlog behaviour made me think if I should use these kind of systems any further. We all know that whatever you write in the open is also there to stay. It can be to your advantage or disadvantage, especially when writing something negative and/or special.
I am not sure yet if I will quit most of the newest tools, but it is for sure a lesson not to have a company/website/tool takeover your agenda like Netlog did.
Saturday 31 October 2009
Netlog, bad behaviour
Yesterday I saw on a well known website in the Netherlands the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands. Netlog was number one. I wanted to test it out, it is functional comparable to Hyves and Facebook.
When adding some info the system asked if it could search the address book for people already in in Netlog. That seemed not to be a problem, ... it was/is. Because at the same time it sends an invitation to all people in your address book, extremely bad behavior. So do NOT use Netlog, it is a rather like spamming.
Today it is ... but what is Halloween?
Halloween (also spelled Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints. It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones.
The colours black and orange have become associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the colour of fire or of pumpkins, and maybe because of the vivid contrast this presents for merchandising. Another association is with the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, [it is] more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain or Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)". The name is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced kalan-geyf).
Snap-Apple Night by Daniel Maclise showing a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The young children on the right bob for apples. A couple in the center play a variant, which involves retrieving an apple hanging from a string. The couples at left play divination games.
The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes regarded as the "Celtic New Year".
The celebration has some elements of a festival of the dead. The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames. Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.
Snap-Apple Night, painted by Irish artist Daniel Maclise in 1833. It was inspired by a Halloween party he attended in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The caption in the first exhibit catalogue:
There Peggy was dancing with Dan
While Maureen the lead was melting,
To prove how their fortunes ran
With the Cards ould Nancy dealt in;
There was Kate, and her sweet-heart Will,
In nuts their true-love burning,
And poor Norah, though smiling still
She'd missed the snap-apple turning.
On the Festival of Hallow Eve.
link: File:Maclise.snap.apple.night.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Another common practise was divination, which often involved the use of food and drink.
The name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditions derive from the Old English era.
The term Halloween, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows' Even – e'en is a shortening of even, which is a shortening of evening. This is ultimately derived from the Old English Eallra Hālgena ǣfen. It is now known as "Eve of" All Saints' Day, which is November 1st.
A time of pagan festivities, Popes Gregory III (731–741) and Gregory IV (827–844) tried to supplant it with the Christian holiday (All Saints' Day) by moving it from May 13 to November 1.
In the 800s, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were once celebrated on the same day.
Friday 30 October 2009
Thursday 29 October 2009
Affordable Art Fair
A very interesting Fair in Amsterdam. This evening it was opening night, extremely busy, extremely nice.
It is a a four day event, with over 80 galleries selling art at an affordable price, from 100 euro to max 5.000 euro.
I have seen very nice pieces, but a bit too expensive for me, but eventually bought some smaller photographs from Richard Heeps.
Although many pictures are like mine :-), the colors are great and the below were only 60 euro per piece.
One of them, actual color is much better:
About the Westergasfabriek
Welcome to the Culture Park Westergasfabriek. As a former gasworks on the edge of the vibrant city of Amsterdam, the Westergasfabriek oozes a unique mood of adventure and energy.
Organisation
The Westergasfabriek can provide space for creative and cultural businesses. The industrial monuments and the surrounding park form a multifunctional space and a modern city park of international standing. There are trees, meadows and streams, dozens of offices, spaces for large and small events, bars, restaurants, a cinema, a theatre and much more.
Vision
Our policy towards the use of the space offered by the buildings and the park helps create fertile and desirable surroundings for creativity, art and enterprise. De Westergasfabriek is a leading provider of space for creative enterprises and an expert in redeveloping industrial heritage sites into multifunctional assets. Artists, entrepreneurs and the Amsterdam public find new energy in the Westergasfabriek and they are inspired to innovate, co-operate as well as relax.
Open to the public
The Westergasfabriek is freely accessible all day. From early in the morning, there's fresh bread and fine coffee at the Baker’s Shop and the Espresso Factory. There are various galleries and shops, Pacific Parc cafe restaurant and the food-design studio Proef. The Ketelhuis Cinema shows the latest films and in the Flex Bar you can dance late in the night. The modern park surrounding the site offers plenty of space, peace and nature; for a picknick, to throw a frisby or a pleasant walk. You are most welcome.
Tuesday 27 October 2009
Sunday 25 October 2009
Nice Germany weekend
I am back from my weekend to Mannheim. It was fine weekend, although rather busy at the roads. It took my an hour longer to get there, driving back even more but that was partly because I did touristic route.
Saturday we visited the center of Mannheim to do some shopping. I bought several headsets for the office to use with Skype.
The afternoon we went to the Odenwald for some hiking. Perfect weather and great Autumn colors, although I think we were a week too early.
When arriving at the parking lot an ambulance was arriving to help an old lady who fell on here face. Her husband did not know what to do, so we drove their car to the Hospital.
The Sunday as said taking the touristic route. I went to Winningen first, taking a scenic Mosel
route to Koblenz and from there partly along the Rhine to Bonn. At Cologne a traffic jam as in the Netherlands. But all together not that bad. Great weekend, good food, good wine, great weather and nice company.
Friday 23 October 2009
Long weekend Germany
Will be driving to Mannheim again to visit my sister. Hope it will not be so busy on the roads, Holiday here and in Germany, so you might not know. I already see several traffic jams.
Not sure yet what we will be doing, but going into the mountains is a favorite pastime as is eating and drinking. But Mannheim itself is a very nice city to shop.
About Mannheim
Es ist eine schicksalsreiche und wechselvolle Geschichte, in der die „heimliche Hauptstadt der Kurpfalz“ ihr heutigen Stärken als urbane, offene und tolerante Handels- und Dienstleistungsstadt entwickelte: Seit Kurfürst Friedrich IV. von der Pfalz im Jahre 1606 den Grundstein zum Bau der Festung Friedrichsburg legte, musste die Stadt insgesamt vier Mal nach Zerstörungen wieder neu aufgebaut werden. Stets erhalten geblieben ist jedoch das einzigartige gitterförmige Straßennetz der Innenstadt. Deshalb kann sich in Mannheims City auch niemand verlaufen. Denn wo in anderen Städten Straßen die Namen berühmter Menschen tragen, gibt es in Mannheim stattdessen Buchstaben und Zahlen. Das Rathhaus findet man in „E5“, das Stadthaus in „N1“. Mannheim wird deshalb auch von vielen einfach „die Quadratestadt“ genannt. Und oft hört man den Mannheimer sagen: „Ich geh mal ums Quadrat“.
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Barnes & Noble's e-book reader
I am not in to this (yet), but this is an interesting alternative to Amazon's Kindle.
Barnes & Noble's reader has a 6-inch diagonal E Ink display, just like the Kindle 2, but the clever folks at B&N have also added a 3.5-inch color LCD screen below the E Ink screen. That ancillary screen is used to navigate books via a Cover Flow-like interface, display an on-screen keyboard, and generally operate the device. The Nook comes with 2GB of internal memory, which Barnes & Noble says will hold about 1500 e-books, though that can be expanded by using the included Micro SD slot. You can even listen to MP3s on the nook, either through the built-in mono speaker or by plugging in headphones. And should you wish, you can remove the Nook's battery, for fun and profit—and B&N will sell you an extra battery if the 10-day charge without using wireless isn't enough for you.
link: Meet Nook, Barnes & Noble's e-book reader | Entertainment & HDTV | Playlist | Macworld
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Apple overhauls iMac line, with 21.5-, 27-inch models
Apple on Tuesday announced a major update to its iMac line of desktop computers, replacing the old 20- and 24-inch models with new 21.5-inch and 27-inch models featuring a true widescreen 16x9 aspect ratio and impressive high-end features previously found only in the Mac Pro line, including the first quad-core processor ever in an iMac.
As is common with new Apple products, these new iMacs offer more features than their predecessors, but start at the same $1199 base price. The new models feature a new enclosure that’s wider, to encompass the wider aspect ratio, with an all-aluminum back.
The displays on both models are backlit by LEDs, marking the first time Apple has integrated this bright, instant-on lighting in a desktop computer. The 21.5-inch display has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the equivalent of a 1080p HDTV, and features 90 percent of the resolution of the old 24-inch iMac model. The massive 27-inch model’s resolution is 2560x1440 pixels. Both use the IPS display technology used previously only on high-end iMacs, meaning both systems have good color fidelity and a 178-degree viewing angle without color shift.
Following the lead of the MacBook Pro line, these new iMac models feature an SD card slot right below the optical-drive slot on the computer’s right side. The systems ship standard with the new version Apple’s wireless keyboard and the new Apple Magic Mouse, also announced Tuesday. (Users who prefer wired input devices will be able to opt for them as a configure-to-order option from Apple, for no price change.)
These new models offer a new RAM ceiling of 16GB, double the maximum memory of previous models. The iMacs can now can be configured with up to 2TB of storage.
The low-end 21.5-inch iMac model, priced at $1199, features a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M video circuitry. A $1499 model features the same specs other than a 1TB hard drive and the Radeon HD 4670 video card. The $1699 27-inch model features the same specs as the $1499 model, but with the 27-inch display. All of those models are available immediately.
The $1999 high-end model, which won’t be available until November, brings the iMac product line to new performance heights. It’s powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 quad-core processor and features a Radeon HD 4850 video card. A configure-to-order option will swap in the Intel Core i7 chip for the Core i5.
Based on the Linfield processor that’s part of the same Nehalem chip family found in the Mac Pro line, the Core i5 is a four-core processor that features “turbo mode,” technology that allows the chip to shift automatically from a slower clock-speed, four-core mode into a faster-speed mode with only two cores active. The turbo-mode speed of the Core i5 chip can go as high as 3.2GHz, and the turbo-mode speed of the Core i7 can good up to 3.46Ghz.
In a clever touch, all these new iMacs have a new feature that dramatically increases their versatility. Via a series of adapters Apple says will be available shortly, users will be able to attach external display sources, such a DVD players or even other computers, to the iMac’s display. At that point, those sources will take over the iMac’s display, effectively turning it into an external monitor or an HDTV.
In addition, the iMacs sport redesigned speakers, which Apple promises deliver better bass response with less distortion. They're also super-quiet, sporting three ultraquiet fans which operate at just 18 decibels when idle. The larger chassis has also allowed Apple to introduce more space between heat-intensive components such as the CPU and graphics chip, for better cooling.
Finally, the new iMac is the most environmentally conscious consumer-level desktop Mac to date. Not only has Apple removed toxic chemicals such as mercury by opting for the LED-backlit display, but it's also finally managed to remove PVC from the external power cords, the last remaining source of that chemical in the machine. (The PVC-free cable is only available in certain countries, however.) As with the rest of its computers, the new iMac meets the EPA's Energy Star standard and also earns a EPEAT Gold rating.
Before this update, the last round of iMacs were released in March of 2009 and featured a 20-inch model powered by a 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor for $1199, and a series of 24-inch models with processors at 2.66, 2.93, and 3.06GHz for $1499, $1799, and $2199 respectively.
White MacBook gets unibody design
Apple on Tuesday announced an updated version of its low-end MacBook laptop, which will be available immediately. The new model, while still clad in white polycarbonate, now features the same unibody construction and bright LED-backlit screens as Apple’s other laptops, as well as the same glass multi-touch trackpad found in the MacBook Pro line.
The new 13.3-inch MacBook bears the same $999 price as the old model, but is powered by a 2.26GHz processor. It also features 2GB of 1066MHz RAM, a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics chip, and a 250GB hard drive.
This new MacBook has a familiar look, but it’s thinner, with curved edges. It's also slightly lighter—4.7 pounds compared to 5 pounds for the old design. Like Apple’s other MacBooks, it’s got a self-contained, non-swappable battery. Apple says that will boost battery life for the MacBook to seven hours, up from five hours in the previous model; it also means users will have to pay $129 for replacement batteries from Apple. As a result of the battery change, the bottom of the laptop has no feet—instead, the entire bottom surface is rubberized, save for eight screws.
The redesigned MacBook case introduces at least one other change from the previous model—the FireWire 400 port is gone. Apple’s MacBook Pro offerings are now the only Apple portables with FireWire ports.
The previous MacBook model was a holdover from the previous generation of MacBooks, and became the only MacBook when the aluminum-clad models became MacBook Pros in June 2009. It was available in a single $999 configuration, powered by a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo processor, with 2GB of 800MHz RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The white MacBook has featured Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics since January.
Apple unveils multi-touch Magic Mouse
Apple on Tuesday banished the 2005-vintage Mighty Mouse and its wireless sibling to the ash heap of history, replacing them with a new wireless Magic Mouse that features a multi-touch surface on its entire top side. The new mouse, which ships standard with the new iMac models announced today, does more than let you right- and left-click. You can use a single finger to scroll around—not just up and down or side to side, either. Within supported apps, such as Preview, you can scroll in any direction. The Magic Mouse also supports swipe gestures, though not the same ones you’ll find in Apple’s multi-touch trackpads. Swiping left with two fingers in Safari will move you back a page, and in a stack of images in iPhoto, swiping left or right with two fingers will take you to the previous or next photo, respectively. If you'd prefer to eschew the Bluetooth Magic Mouse, you can still pick up a wired version of the Mighty Mouse—now rebranded the Apple Mouse, after the company lost its rights to use the "Mighty Mouse" trademark earlier this month. In addition, the Magic Mouse uses laser tracking instead of optical tracking to make it usable on different types of surfaces. The Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries, and Apple says they’ll power the mouse for approximately four months. The device can detect when it's not in use and manage power appropriately—a power switch on the bottom can turn it on or off. In addition to being packaged with the new redesigned iMac, the Magic Mouse is available on its own for $69. It requires Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later with Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0.
link: Apple unveils multi-touch Magic Mouse | Input Devices | Macworld
Monday 19 October 2009
Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac
It is finally there. I am not a professional photographer but like many of the functionalities of Photoshop, but the product itself is way too expensive for me. At the same time I do not want to use illegal software, so I am always looking into alternatives. There is a rather good alternative, Pixelmator, but that one is also lacking one of the features I use often and that is making books. In Photoshop Elements the mix is I think very good.
Their info:
Photoshop Elements 8 is the perfect complement to iPhoto for consumers who want to go beyond the basics and tell amazing stories with their photos. The software is loaded with new options to make extraordinary photos with ease. For media management, Mac users have access to all the features in Adobe Bridge CS4 software, which provides quick organization with a custom viewing workspace and full-screen preview with one-click close-ups. Keyword tags and a variety of search options also make it easy to find photos quickly. Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac now includes all of the intelligent photo-editing options as the Windows version. In addition to Photomerge Exposure, Recompose and Quick Fix previews, Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac features Scene Cleaner for brushing away unwanted elements, such as tourists or cars, from a series of photos to create the perfect scene. The Smart Brush helps users apply incredible effects to a specific area of a photo with a single stroke and Touch-Up brushes make common editing tasks quick, such as whitening teeth or making bright blue skies. When creations are ready to be shared with family and friends, users can display their photos on the Web with gallery templates or personal Web pages, by e-mail and on CD or DVD.
Sunday 18 October 2009
Lost twice
Some weekends are not so good ... I played two games, one in the morning with my own team, 2-1 loss, one in the afternoon with the Veterans B team and that one was lost with 3-1. For the last team it was worse as it playing against another team very low in the standings.