aboynejames

Sunrise rock November

2011-11-06T16:41:00.002Z

The weather, clear sky and my motivations combined this morning to take in a sunrise. I think the last time I opted for a 3am July morning, this time November. The sun rises much later, 7.33am to be exact for Aboyne so 5.35am rise wasn't too bad. Of course the best views are from Sunrise Rock, 1500ft, first a walk up the Fungle path in dawn light, pretty light except going through the trees. Luckily the moon had already set so no fear of werewolves this morning. It's not until the last 10 minutes approaching sunset rock that the Deeside, North Sea Coast broad views are everywhere but before, golden amber's were flickering through the trees, a band of coastal cloud or mist was producing the magical colours before the sun made the horizon. 10 minutes to sunrise but who's counting the atmosphere is expectant. The colours intensify and yellows start to win out. The sun has arrived and new light starts to transform the landscape. Lochnagar corrie, crisp crags of granite folded from the anvils of time are clearly visible in great detail. Then Ben Avon's looks like its hills are covered in blooming heather as the amber light reaches. Then immediately, the light around me becomes alive, a intensity of light we expect every mid day had arrived. I'll never tire of these experiences, the only thing that I can think of to make it better would be to share it with someone, some sunrise.

Sunrise rock November, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Requiem by Mary Butterworth Artist

2011-10-25T13:43:00.005+01:00

Yesterday evening marked the opening of the Butterworths Exhibition of paintings at the Foyer Restaurant Aberdeen. A walk down a dark Union Street and a turn left on to Crown Street until the welcoming light glow to the entrance to the restaurant and Gallery. An aptly reflective glass cube with a double door combination gave the first view of the art work on offer and what a welcome for the eye. A mauve night sky with its last tints of blue the full width of the Old Brig O'Dee over the River Dee lantern lit. A painting entitled, Requiem. Mary Butterworth, artist and the painting below for you to enjoy too.

Requiem by Mary Butterworth Artist, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

The lanterns had me puzzled for a start as I matched up the street lights with the reflections on the water, but the artist soon put me right on the story behind the extra lights, the lanterns. Howard Butterworth paintings reminded me of good times at Kings College Aberdeen University as the leaves gathered along the Chanonry. West coast Island crags and hills of Skye allowed Howard to capture their dark and moody nature in textured oil paint. Add in great conversations with friends old, new and reacquainted made for a very enjoyable evening out. Thank you for the invite and good luck with the exhibition.

Pulsar

2011-05-29T16:50:00.011+01:00

Last week I became the owner of my first Mary Butterworth print. The painting is called Pulsar and I collected it on Friday from the @BallogieGallery that Mary's sister Sarah runs. I have been lucky enough to see Mary develop this ability to capture dynamic night time scene of Aberdeen, so I am really pleased to own Pulsar. The reason I like this painting is that is combines a place I know well with the mystic qualities of space (where does that tunnel go to?), captured in the picture's name. Now, this might sound a bit geeky, but I asked Mary to write the opening sentence describing a Pulsar from Wikipedia on the print, which she kindly did. Coolio. By the way, that white light in the photo is not a Pular, nor is it in the painting, it is the flash from the camera!

Pulsar, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Lochnagar Spring Skiing 2011

2011-05-05T11:43:00.002+01:00

I did eventually make it out back country skiing in late March.

Lochnagar Spring Skiing 2011, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Just 5 weeks ago and now not to far from this location heath fires have been raging this week! This picture shows some turn on the Glas Alt valley, super fast spring snow, so much fun I climbed up again for a second go. Then a more substantial walk up (in ski boots) Cuidhe Crom 1083 meter summit. Some tricky boulder fields to cross before the steep ski down the east side. An excellent 8 hours out on Lochnagar shame the snow melted so fast this year.

skiing 2011

2011-01-08T11:30:00.002Z

I have not got my 2011 ski season underway yet. 2010 was such a rare year, backcountry skiing opportunities nearly every month, Jan to May and even December has enough snow depth for skiing but I did not make it out, well with the skis on. The South facing slopes around Deeside are hold the best cover and those west facing so I was planning on a trip up Pressendye this weekend, or somewhere up the back of Tarland but this cough bug keeps too big a hold for now. The back side of Gathering Carin is also loaded with snow but that is a 3-4 hike in, I'm not in that shape yet but give me a few weeks.

CharityHack presentations

2010-09-19T14:44:00.013+01:00

1. mobile webapp for scan in quirk icons

2. Volunteer Report Card (team I was part of)

3. Mobile app of recognising change, adding it up and making a donation

4. givey.me pre approved payments, all platforms single sigin on arcross devices track plus api for charity or developers

5. mobile swear app to give to charity and chuggr little game text adventure, avoid chuddr

6. pitchinin for artist to unlock or release content once enough of the community have donated to the profile.

7. aggregating amounts for a whole event ie adds up the donations of all the volutneer for a particular event

8. rollcall mobile app. eg. list of kids on a school trip

9. charityschock.com internet shock like online version of through sponges at people at a country fayre.

10. veryhardchoices.com improving donation forms capturing data behind the scenes

11. biggive take out reason that stop people giving on the street. Hostile profile, each homeless person, hit list what they want/need e.g. food to haircut

12. charitybox browser extention buy e-commerce links and converts to affiliate lists, so the charity get the commission on the affiliate link.

13. blesstheweb.com feel good confess your sins

14. trainwreck remote control train and move train by donating

15. justrunning.com e.g. maps real time a runner ie. marathon api mashup

16. wegive aggregate friends round a charity twist, challenge friends to add more, make it sort of a social game

17. mycharity aggregates your charity twitter followers in a list, links to donations

end

Charity Hack Richmond london - live blogging

2010-09-18T11:18:00.020+01:00

Welcome to event from Paypal wizard.

Participants introduced themselves.

Now, presentation on 'how to give to charity'

e.g direct indirect now use digital world to reduce friction.

Types of charity, oxfam, now lots of different types. Gives wider appeal to audience. Tap into online GOODNESS? (what does that mean) A. Look cool, UI , ie stack up against commercial alternatives.

New govt. big society, need to self fund (charities). Charities now feel pain more now as reality of credit crunch arrives.

iphone app charities like e.g ihobo

red campain example, perception tech is free? But from tech point of view they are in ie6 world not bang up todate, ie listen to what charity is at.

Not aware of the data the charity creates and how they can use or share.

How, can the charity be FOUND? google ranking, communicate what they do twitter, location based

Urgent charity needs, how to keep stories in the media after the initial top story status

giftaid use api to make this easy, automate the paperwork

relationship between giver and direct impact on cause, not just handed over into admin box. Feedback, update on impact/change. Like tangible benefit to giving, what does it buy box of medicine, one item or change of stuff?

Make everyone 'feel good' of why to give to charity, change the world.

MISSION FISH

ebay, paypal api plug in for charities

donations as a services

api to get into payment api s a e.g. paypal ebay and others (probably) Self service within a widget? (my understanding)

JUSTGIVING - expanding the market for

get rid of the friction via tech.

what they do:

e.g. fund raising page, e.g. kid bike round the park, got into media raise 200k

take away the giftaid hassle, provider takes 5% of giftaid part.

now expand from their website to any distribution social network to mobiles etc.

start. rss widgets then on to API

tech run throught .net api url or api xml rest method and sdk for .net developers

JUSTDOIT

Olly

do-it charity hack

volunteering now opening up through api xml rest search to application form etc.

PAYPAL

now able to syndicate donations and like direct debt payments (puts limits on the value ie group donating)

now in app mobile (apple donate does not allow like ) but way round it option 2 paypal

MEC hosted as a service

APP's are check but takes days rather than weeks.

Winter clothing 2010-11

2010-09-06T11:29:00.004+01:00

The first Autumn long range weather forecast I read has been issued. Looks like the Scottish hills might be in the running for an early winter coat again. This would not be that unusual, the last two Novembers have produced heavy snow falls and skiing has gotten underway. Late epic and long lasting snow in the Deeside hill meant my skiing jacket took a fair amount of wear and tear, plus it was getting on, it now in the recycling bin. What is the best new jacket to look for? In terms of extreme performance I was taken by the performance of the new hilltrek ventile Nikwax outdoor jacket. It been tested to the extreme in arctic conditions. The noticalbe feature I liked about in this review is its performance in removing moisture after exertion. As a back country free skiier this is a big deal. The effort of climbing up a hill or mountain produce a lot of body sweat but once you stop this moisture chills you and even on a clam day the windchill produced by speed of skiing down hill makes descents chilly. So, I am keen to explore this jacket for next season. Hilltrek's made to measure tailoring allows for personalization of the pockets and design, us free skiing like pockets as the rucksack will be holding our ski boots!

NAFCO review

2010-07-21T10:41:00.002+01:00

NAFCO, the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention 2010 was held in Aberdeen last week. This was the first time I had attended the Convention although two others have been held in Aberdeen and a couple overseas too. The Convention covers a wide range of activities, a conference, workshops both music and dance, concerts and ceilidhs, and not forgetting sessions.

I attended three workshops, the first two were to do with learning new tunes, by ear and by learning techniques to memorise a tune from the music script. Both were great. The first tutor was Carley Williams and the tune to be picked up was 'The Road to Banff'. But no fiddle was required initially only the voice. Carley's no.1 starting tip, learn to sing the tune out loud. Not the whole tune but measure by measure. So, as a group we repeated back and forth with Carley the first measure. The structure of a tune often follows a pattern, first question, first answer (second time round might have first answer part b) and second question, second answer (again second time through the second answer might have an answer b, or even repeat a previous part of a tune). With this new insight, the fiddles were tucked under the chin. And the same process was repeated, a section at a time was repeated between the group and the tutor until the first measure was put together. Then the second measure was tackled. Could we remember the first measure after reaching the end? It was time to find out. OK, not every note but not bad effort, sounded good as a group.

Learning from sheet music was the next workshop. James Alexander was the workshop tutor and he started by pointing out some gernalism about the structure of tunes and how to find certain bars that were easier to memorise, e.g. a scale run. If you could remember these then the rest of the tune could be built around that or many years down the line after not playing a tune that bar might ignite the rest of the tune back to life. Again the same technique was used. Tutor played a section, the group played and eventually the tune was completed. Along that journey James shared technique, bowing to finger placement, even the benefits of practicing a tune at half speed. Then we had some time to learn about improvisation. Techniques that help learn new tunes but also how to contribute to a session while learning a tune. I'm not all the savvy with musical theory so learning about Chord, counting to 5 notes to the fifth chord and then using the arpeggio notes to. The key being to add to the rhythm of the tune and to play quietly i.e. not over sound the main tune. Other main take away, was to trust the ear, if it sound good, it will generally but a good addition to the tune. A great workshop again.

The third workshop was to put some of that learning in to practice, learning a brand new retreat march, a pipe march. Carol Anderson was the workshop tutor this time and learning to play pipe style was the theme of the class. But first the tune had to be learnt. By ear was the technique, building the tune bar by bar. Ok, we did this for this first measure and then we started the learning about how to make the March sound more Pipe like. Adding grace notes was the first step, but where and what note or notes? Carol started with the basic, not above or below or the note before. The goal to find that pipe like 'drone' or spirit via the fiddle. Finding a tame piper was recommended. The music was then handed out, a 9/8 march, no key signature in pipe music. The grace notes were indeed along the lines Carol mention, however, the piper can get in 4 grace notes and what would be across 2 strings on the fiddle, which requires amazing skill at speed and thus need to be tackled in a different manner. A triplet or burrell can be used but not with a loose wrist as normally taught but with a stiff bow arm, right up to the shoulder so the bow sort of vibrates of the string to bring out a pipe like character. One to be practice alone until mastered. In this style of march two the main beat would often be in the middle of a bar and each bar would start down bow, up bow alternative, unlike the 2/4 4/4 down bow to start each new bar.

There was much more learning shared over all three workshops. Hopefully, I can put all the teaching to make me fiddle better.

Overall, a great 5 days. From opening the Woodend Barn concert with Banchory Starthspey and Reel Society to a 3am session at the Bluelamp. The organisers laid on the best of events.

2010-05-05T11:10:00.006+01:00

What to do on a bank holiday Monday? Answer: walk from Aboyne to Aberdeen. The warm sunny days had slipped away, so the vision of wearing shorts and t-shirt for the walk was no longer on. What to wear on a day when the weather forecast suggested a band of rain early morning that would clear the sky come evening along the coast but with a northly wind, stronger nearer you get to the coast? Well, when I woke at 5.15am it was a clear sky and frosty in Aboyne, -2c but with a quick scan of the radar image, a band of rain was steaming south. So, I chose my ventile ‘made to measure’ hilltrek walking trousers and the inner lining of my skiing jacket. Sure enough it started to rain just after crossing Aboyne bridge. My first leg of the trip was to walk to Potarch Bridge via the south deeside road, 6.6 miles according to google maps. By then the rain had past and it cloudy but with sunny spells, and it remained like that for the rest of the day. The Deeside Way, was the walk I was wanting to follow, the only snag is, that it does not exist between Aboyne and Banchory so I free walked it along the river bank to Invercranny before walking along the road to enter Banchory, a 6.9 mile leg.

Then I met up with a friend in Banchory and we started on the official Deeside Way path, the old Deeside Railway line walk. The train was in operation at Milton of Crathes and 6.5 miles from Banchory we arrived at Drumoak. Not far from the edges of Aberdeen, Peterculter being the first sign of Urbanisation. It was windy by now keeping it cool but feeling warm in the glimpses of the sun. Now I thought, my 4 month old ventile trousers may still be in need of some wearing in but no, they felt great the whole way. More than I can say for me feet. I chose my hiking boots but by Peterculter I opted for my trainers. Us hill walkers are used to soft hill tracks or soft peaty ground but the deeside way path is hard and tarred for good stretches. I met up with another friend for the last 7 miles from Peterculter to Duthie Park but the finishing line for me was the north seas at the beach esplanade. I think about a 32 mile walk in about 10 hours.

lochnagar backbowl skiing

2010-04-11T09:58:00.002+01:00

A Spring day that turned just about into summer at the valley bottom still provided a great day of spring skiing on Lochnagar yesterday. Two hours of walking brought the arrival of the big snow patches but still enough gaps to make walking quick snow free. I left the carpark just after 6.30am and arrived at the summit of lochnagar just after 9.30am. A strong wind gave moderate buffering but that became light around lunch time as the milky sky turned more blue. The front of lochnagar corrie has snow but was more patchy in nature, the apple core run was complete but narrow, even the front of Meall Corie Na Saobhaidhe wasn't that inviting but I skied down the ridge to its summit for further investigation. But the funny thing is the closer you get the less you can see, the wind was still buffeting. The big story of the winter has been the snow coming on an east wind and loading the west facing slopes with snow and they are still loaded. The decision on where to ski was easy to make. See the photo.

lochnagar backbowl skiing, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

The new snow of last week was only spring for about 2cm, but still soft snow below and sitting on a hard frozen spring base. On the steeper slopes, I felt the avalanche risk, it was rated moderate for the day and there was evidence of a couple of cornice collapse avalanches in The Stuic Corrie. I navigated my way quickly out of the soft stuff and on to harder spring snow. The firmer snow made for marking a good stair case for walking up the slope again. Ended up walking up four times. Then it was time to think about heading back home. I had noticed on the way up that the west facing slope of Cuidhe Crom was sitting with snow top to bottom and the Glas Alt valley was full of snow but with the burn now returning to site in place, the snow bridges looked real dodgy! The ski across to the Crom was difficult soft snow but it firmed as I climbed again. Skiing down was great up top, and fairly steep but then the soft stuff returned, up to 12 inches of loose spring granular snow. A cross between powder skiing and spring skiing. Tough technically but I eventually got some rhythm going. Then it was a case of following Glas Alt, well until the snow ran out and that was at the waterfall. Then it was a tiring walk back to the car park in the heat of the afternoon sun. Maybe 20c or so. What a day. Scotland you are magic place.

Carnferg to Aboyne 7 km ski run 1200ft vertical

2010-03-08T09:37:00.004Z

Saturday morning was damp with light rain. The weather forecast earlier in the week said blue sky and heavy frost but I got myself ready for a hike up Carnferg with my skis. By 10.30 things were brighter, the snow was real wet and spring like on the valley floor. I was hoping a freeze thaw cycle during the week had built a bit of a base but as I got half way up the fungle I realized this was not going to be the case. The snow was still real deep and hadn't really started consolidating into spring snow. It was tough going to reach Rest and Be Thankful, lots of walkers foot steps to follow meant progress was good. It was a t-shirt and ski jacket day, trying to keep cool is warmer temps is hard. At the top of the fungle the foot steps disappeared at the point where the track leads to Carnferg, it was a bit of a blow as that meant slogging through deep wet snow for miles, cutting the first tracks. After you cross the fungle burn there is a marshy meadow, the snow depth there was up to 70cm and required great energy not just to walk forward but to prevent yourself from getting stuck, one of my ski poles disappeared right in and I had to dig it out. But to my surprise in the trees some foot prints appeared again. I was longing to get into the trees as the snow is usually a lot less deep, but not today, there was mass of it. A masses of tree branches littering the snow. Following the tracks allowed for better progress until a small burn crossing where I caught up with a couple of walkers. I don't think they knew the path that well as they made their way East, whereas I know this area like the back of my hand but even for me on Saturday, the woodland was like a new place. The snow makes everything look the same, but I knew where the edge of the wood was and how far South had to be walked and the snow just kept on getting deeper and deeper. Two hours in I reach the open moorland and the base of Carnferg. The landrover track a smooth blanket of snow. In short, the most solid cover of snow I have ever seen on Carnferg. The powder snow was deeper earlier in the year but this snow cover was solid and vast. I did not have the energy to make it to the summit on that last occasion and while I knew it was going to be another 40mins of sheer effort I was motivated to make it to the summit. Lunch was had and even the sky was looking optimistically brighter, with that I started the climb. The snow gave some encouragement as it was firming up but it was unreliable the whole way up, sometimes, 6 inches of sink in, the next I was up to my thighs. Photos stops were used as rests, Lochnagar was in the sun and it was heading my way. The tip of the Carnferg pyramid Monument appeared and with a couple more minutes I was there. A bit of a wind but the day was brightening up for me just at the right time. Photos were taken, hiking boots taken off, socks rung out and warm ski boots put on. The snow cover was wind swept at the summit. However, I wanted to check out the snow cover on the back slope, its the steepest on the hill and I didn't fancy the ski back down where I had just walked up, skiing on porridge equals a broken leg to me! The back bowls were loaded and seemed firmer, probably been baking in the sun earlier in the week. Back I walked to get the skis on. The wind drifts were skied over, bump, bump, bump, then some porridge, then as the sloped steepened, the snow firmed up some descent turns could be made and all that effort to reach the summit was forgotten. A quick stop before a clump of heather and then a keen look up the hill so see the ski tracks in the snow. Not bad. A buzz. But then the skis need to be taken off and the tiny matter of hiking back up a much steeper slopes in the ski boots this time. While heavier they have a larger surface areas so I found them beneficial in the climb out. The back bowl stretched the whole width of the hills. I tried further west for the second run but hit a soft patch and a nose plant in to the hill was the result. The snow still so soft that my skis went straight in, obviously crossed over so it was a bit awkward to get untangled. Not deterred I skied out the slope finding firmer snow. A longer climb out and while I'd have liked another few runs, time was getting on, plus I was knackered and had 3 hours ski/walk back to Aboyne!

Now, how to tackle skiing the front of Carnferg, not very steep and deep wet snow on no base? Simple answer: long traversing turns and I mean across the whole hill. Turned out to be great fun, it would take you hours to skip across that hill as I did, a view of Aboyne-Westhills, a view of Lochnager etc. Gradually loosing height each turn. Now, some where on the way up I had lost my ski goggles from my pocket so I wanted to trace my tracks back. I kept my skis on and headed into the trees. A lot more pleasant riding on top of the snow than sinking in to it. It was a bit rock and roll at times (but not actual rocks, they were buried), burns skied over and even jumped the fungle ski burn with my ski boots on, risky. With one short hike up I was back at the top of the fungle. As a kid, I've always wanted to ski the Fungle so I had to go for it. The snow was real wet and the slope was just steep enough to keep forward momentum with a light push from the poles. The first steep descent approached through the trees, well trodden snow meant my speed accelerated, now the tack is 3 to 4 metres wide and my skis are 2 metres long, how to stop, a choppy snow plough ski style. The snow was less deep and even solid ice as the last steep approached, snow plough, ski straight into a tree, a turn, straight down the ice track and a turn to stop. A run I'd not recommend. Then a fun skim across an ice blistered track running with water, the odd bare patch of cover and then the valley floor was reached. 7 km of downhill skiing and 7 1/2 hours of ski adventure.

Glenshee ski report 1 March 2010

2010-03-02T09:58:00.005Z

With a calm blue sky day forecast the only place to head was Glenshee yesterday. The road was reported as closed between Breamar and Glenshee due to drifting first thing but that must have been precautionary as the road was black all that way. After the storm on last week the snow blower and snow plough had cut through the snow all the way to the ski resort. Even the remains of an avalanche remained. The worst road conditions were between Ballater and Breamar on the way up but even that had disappeared in the strong sun light.

Approaching Glenshee the hills became increasing wind swept. The narrow valley must channel the wind big time as it reaches the summit. In lower deeside the hill cover appears more uniform. The place looks great, mountains of snow around the car park and cafe, a ticket was purchased and up sunny side chair I went. The Clunny slopes was hard packed, OK, bullet proof snow. Up Meal Odhar poma and down Corrrie Fionn, two width groomed snow, soft snow but the rest was bullet proof hard snow. The wind had scoured and polished the snow hard on all none west facing slopes, did a couple of runs there before Glas Maol opened. The black run was closed due to avalanche risk so it was a tuck position across the top, but a head wind meant a bit of shushing was in order all day but it was worth it all day. The snow on west facing side of the gully was soft, ranged from wind blown powder (very little) to Sastrugi (like sand dune markings in a dessert) and the best of it all wind packed powdery snow with the odd major lip of powder. That required the furthest traveling to but worth it all day.

Skid back for a late morning refreshment. Meall Odhar has a great Mogul run near the poma track and sunny side is in magic form, fast soft silky snow. While having a drink I watched a few skiers have a go on the Tiger and that is where I headed. Did two runs, god it was hard, hard and steep but a challenge to get to the bottom in one piece. There was some grip in the snow but if you happened on scrapped smooth part on a steep section then, even the sharpest of edges could not get grip. Up the chairlift again but to head across to Cairnwell, the top section smooth and icy, any soft snow near the fence, the rest of the piste was fast loose snow most of the way, especially near the fence. Lastly for the morning up Cairn Aosda, baking in the sun all morning. Nice silky fast snow and deep at that, making the top steep part a mogul field. A ski through the fully plastered gully to the back of the cafe to stop for lunch.

The afternoon I headed back to Glas Maol via the Meall Odhar T-bar, Ok now a poma, took me into the Corrie Fionn gully, great snow and lots of lips, jumps if you are into that. Skied until the legs, well the knees had had enough and spent the last half hour on Sunnyside Chair, if only every piste has a chair lift, it does bode for a good rest. All sunny side chair slopes were in great form, just the old worn icy patched. Blue sky to the last.

Photo from the day

New made to measure trous

2010-01-30T20:29:00.003Z

Aboyne Mid Deeside, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

First outing for my new Cabrach ventile 'made to measure' walking trousers from Hilltrek.co.uk this afternoon. A cold and high wind chill day and I am please to say the new trous kept out the wind. A wee bit of powder snow around and that sometimes blew up my legs, maybe an inner elastic finish in future designs? This is my first ventile material product. I like the feel of the finish, felt like I had been wearing the trousers for months. My last pair of hiking trousers were more high tech and involved washing them to keep them waterproof, while yet to see these trousers in the wet the work in a more natural way, the fibres expand thus preventing the water from getting to you. This appeals to the eco in me, sort of fits in with the natural environment I like to be part of. So, bring on the rain through it looks like it will be more snow. . .

Huntly Castle

2009-11-17T22:17:00.001Z

Huntly, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

From my limited history, this was the seat of the Gordon Clan, the so called 'Cock of the North'. The castle now in ruins the current head of the Gordon, The Marquis of Huntly resides at Aboyne Castle, Deeside. But how did that switch of homes come about?

Scotland - England - Wales - Scotland

2009-11-16T15:44:00.004Z

I made my first ever visit to Wales last weekend, friends wedding took me there. What a great place, when I first found out where I was going I looking up their website and when I saw a picture of the scenery I commented, looks like home from home. And so it proved to be, we arrived in darkness that hide Wales but when I woke up, the Valley shone bright and I even managed to scale a local hill that opened up the whole of the Brecon area.

I then crossed the border to England before heading home to Aberdeenshire.

Measuring guide

2009-11-16T15:35:00.004Z

Following on from my last post on my made to measure trousers I am getting made by my local outdoor clothing manufacturer Hilltrek. I am lucky in that I am a 10 minute walk from their store but I did use their website to place the order. Their website has a form to input your personalized measurements on and this comes with instructions on taking those sizes but nothing beats learning from doing, so I volunteered myself as a 'model' in a video entitled, The HILLTREK Made to Measure Guide. Hopefully this will make it clearer and easier for inputting those personalized measurements.

hilltrek - made to measure hiking trousers

2009-10-30T13:47:00.010Z

I started the process of buying a new pair of hiking trousers today from Hilltrek, the local outdoor manufacturer and retailer in Aboyne.

The specific trouser is the Cabrach Ventile® Trousers - Double - Made to Measure . My last pair were purchased from Hilltrek but they were not made to measure, but after years spent in the hills walking to free skiing they have seen better days.

I am a big fan of product personalization so I am real excited to be purchasing a made to measure trouser this time around. In the past I have purchased a few made to measure items, water proof over trousers, mainly used in my student days and back then I did more biking so I asked Hilltrek to add reflectors and Velcro to keep the trousers tight to my legs. You just cannot do that on an item purchased from the peg.

A fleece and a long time ago I got my first ski jacket made. I recall getting to visit the store to select the colours and to get sided-up. This was a long time ago but the jacket is still great, it has picked up a couple of repairs but it still does the business at Glenshee, even on the wildest of days.

We are going to document the whole process of making my new hiking trousers on this and the hilltrek blog. The first stage was to enter my leg size, leg length, waits and knee level on this webpage. We will next pick up the story at the Hilltrek store to see how the information from the website turns into a real personalized product.

Fungle burn alternations again

2009-10-22T11:19:00.001+01:00

Autumn Settled In, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

In the summer the fungle burn took a pounding with flood water and I was in shock to see parts of the burn re-configured. I had been just a couple of weeks since I had passed the burn but yet again I was surprised to see a new look fungle burn. This time man-made. A narrowing of the weir, I expect it will allow the wee trouts easier access up the burn.

Brave Butterworth @ Autumn

2009-09-28T22:25:00.005+01:00

The Butterworth Gallery hosted the opening of the Autumn Collection of paintings at the weekend. The headline painting is this one by Howard.

A brave use of colour that illuminates the Aberdeenshire country side in harvest. The darkness in the sky holding an insight into the shorter days ahead. The painting looks even better when you see it in the Gallery.

Mary also brought a standout painting to the exhibition. This time the subject was more personal, a character filled portrait of her niece complete with pink party dress. If you are in Deeside, take the turn at Potarch and head for Ballogie to give you eyes some autumn cheer.

Aboyne Spring - a poem

2009-09-15T14:55:00.019+01:00

Green greets the eye
A celebration of vert
New neon tips prick forth
Bursts of brightest green

The theatre of the valley
An audience of dressed trees
Needles new pristine
A patchwork quilt land

Scenery sets the picture
Green tints exhaust
The artists pallet
Buds break and bloom

Broom bristles tickle
Then shoot golden drops
Rhodies blossom bold
Pink, magenta colors glow

Evening light sets low
Bark lit amber
The greens grow up
Days lengthen
Spring smiles at summer

Ben MacDhui & Back

2009-09-12T12:49:00.011+01:00

Friday 11 September started in the dark but soon it was crisp blue skies, perfect for the day I had chosen to head to the summit of Ben MacDhui, highest peak in the Cairngorms and second highest peak in the island we call Great Britain. Unlike my usual walks, this one required a drive to Breamar and onwards to the Linn O'Dee for parking. Once there the walking legs would get warmed up (after a trip to the compost toilet, OK too much info.) as I headed toward Derry Lodge. The walk was soft undulations on a good track and meandered along with a young river. Driving up you get to see into the heart of the Cairngorms, the first rays of morning where lighting up the corrie faces with cracked lines of granite. Out from behind the shoulder of a hill, the first view from two feet into the Gorm's. Derry Cairngorm, smooth feminine top with an aggressive corrie lurking in the background. Even though the hills were miles in the distance I was surprised how small they looked (I felt I was sure to reget that thought later). All my life I have looked across to the Gorms from near my home in Aboyne, Carnferg Hill, the roof of mid Deeside walk or on trips to Morven or Mount Keen. Views to a mass of mountains as a whole, often wearing the white crown of Scotland, now I was in amongst them.

MacDhui Walk

At Derry Lodge (boarded up unfortunately) you cross a wooden bridge and from there on danger was a constant companion. While stopping for second breakfast a fellow walker past by and as we skipped and hopped across bogs, we struck up conversation. A magical morning and enriched by sharing the experiences of times in the hills. But we had different routes planned so with a right turn the first gradients of the day guided me upwards.

The narrow path rose up the valley until a sudden roar filled my ears. I first looked to the sky to see if a jet was passing but in a few more steps a buoyant stream was thundering away. The path fragmented as many walkers before decided where best to cross? There did not seem to be an easy stepping stone combination on offer so a decision had to be made, off with the boots and into the cold (freezing) waters or as I chose, a couple of large strides to get half way across to take stock again. One leap was required but the landing looked slippy and one slip would mean a broken ankle. I untether my rucksack and threw it across. The jump was too marginal so I opted for a human bridge sort of, you know where you fall straight forward and catch yourself on the suspension of your arms. It worked my hands were across, the legs did their best splits and they too were over, just skimming the burn.

Steep slopes were now the order of the day. I got into a brisk rhythm and got stuck into the hill. By now the sun was higher in the sky and well it was hot, real summer hot, frequent outings for the water bottle were in order until it was time for lunch, 10.30am. I needed re fulling and it looked crazy steep ahead and sure enough it was. Very steep and grassy gravel soon became a boulder field acting like a drunken staircase. I couple of descending walkers passed by, happy chappies I thought, blue sky sun, already been at the summit. Employing a zig-zag technique I drove up and up, large chunks of black granite passed by and then to my surprise I was on the platau. With fresh enthusiasm in the legs, skipping through the smoother boulders I was on my way to the Ben MacDhui summit. The summit trig point was not alone, I was greeted with a hand shake from a fellow hiker, a German hiker at that.

The blue sky was now milky and looking north, grey was soon to approach too. It was quiet, the immediate views around felt prehistoric, dangerous and uninviting. I soaked it all in, photos to be taken and the views to all parts of Scotland, you did feel like you were in the middle of the middle of Scotland.

The blue sky was gone now, streaking darker and the atmosphere was less bright too. Time to head for home. I decided to follow the loop walk on the map rather than go back the way I came up, I did not fancy the steep boulders in reverse, but there was to plenty more boulders waiting for me. There are paths worn into the hills, but there was no guiding path waiting for me on the way down initially. You had to trust your map and yourself. A turn right had to be made but too soon the crags for the corrie would call you in, but too far a new corrie awaited. Gingerly I climbed up a smooth sloped hill eager to view over it and bingo, I was in the saddle between the two corries, Derry Caringorm ahead, while conical in shape, no smoothness, just big boulders, and it was steep too. But they were navigated through, not without a couple of wobbles that got the heart fluttering. Back high up the view to the car park could be seen and also the realization that another 2 lower summits had to be reached and it looked like boulders all the way and it was, I kicked about half a dozen of them, my black and blue toes tips collected as souvenirs. I met quite a few walkers in this stretch, mainly older folks, we all had time for a good chat, they were on they way up but as so was their enthusiasm for being out in the hills. I walk a lot and rarely see another person but today I met people all along the way, maybe an hour at most between chats, I enjoyed that.

I kept forgetting how high up I was. A lot of descending had taken place but one more thigh burning section was head before the tree line and valley floor. Before then a 'Lord of the rings' styled ledge had to be passed, it was the closest I had been to the edge of a steep plummet I had been all day, I wasn't enjoying it. I kept thinking - add a bit of snow and ice and death is ready for you. Un-at-ease I completed the ridge.

The softer woodland path brought me to the Derry Lodge bridge, I crossed and sat down on the safe side, danger was now over. I shared a tree trunk with a couple, I was raiding my rucksack for food, still lots to eat but they offered their crisps, nice and salty, hmm. We had a pleasant chat but I still had an hour of walking to complete the trek. While only 2.30, the day now felt long, I was tired, the crisp blue valley on the way up was cool but calm. My first trip to the Ben MacDhui was now over, it was 3.30pm.

The Silver Darlings HTM Aberdeen

2009-09-04T10:55:00.007+01:00

I splashed through the puddles and rain to arrive at HMT to meet-up with my parents and auntie to watch the Show, The Silver Darlings . First I had to skin myself of my waterproofs, an action the fishermen of the north sea no doubt do daily. The Silver Darlings is a novel written by Neil Gunn based on the backdrop of the Highland Clearances, formation of the herring industry in the north of Scotland and central to this performance a story of love.

Heartache starts as our companion as the uncomfortably harsh tone pregnant lass's love leaves for the sea. A son is soon born and it was real clever the fast forwarding in time as a baby became a jacket adorned by young loon, Fin. We were then reminded of the harsh and strict rule the Kirk exercised over communities in those times. But optimism and enthusiasm was in the air for the enterprising as silver herring prices boomed, more boats took to the seas. Plenty of water around, including from a leak in the theatre roof. A real life prop and this was complemented by the digital background scenery, that worked real well for me.

The sea continued to provide danger for those in boats and worry for those onshore but worse was ahead, the Plague . Lives were lost. Journeys into the unknown taken to find medicines, new languages to be learnt and with nothing, food and directions appeared from the kindness of strangers. Disease passed, time passed, the seas remained dangerous. Not just from the forces of nature but of those of man, the exciseman's (taxman) soldiers of the sea that took life enforcing the 'law'. Time was passing and the patience of a 'all comes to he of waits' love of a skippers moment arrives. Marriage and new life is born again, and boats are again set sail for the sea. The cast skillfully narrated the story, often playing a couple of parts. It all worked a treat and while it was a tough story, it was an excellent performance to watch. Well done to them all.

The Lochnagar Collection - Paul Anderson

2009-08-17T09:34:00.007+01:00

Last night Paul Anderson launch his second book of Scots Fiddle tunes, The Lochnagar Collection. Paul invited family and friends to gather at the MacRobert's Hall, the Square, Tarland. The evening started with the finest Piping from Jimmy, heart warming bothy ballad singing by Shona and the evening concluded with dazzling fiddle playing from Paul.

The Lochnagar Collection, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

The book contains 308 Scots fiddle tunes all bar two composed by Paul, his brother David Anderson adding those (page 43 he pointed that out out for me). In addition to the many cracking tunes the book includes many photos and stories about the tunes that brings extra character to the publication. Paul also includes an informative introduction including 'A rough guide to the Scots fiddle' which I have just started to read.

Many hours (years!) of fiddle practice ahead for me as I fiddle my way through the pages. A CD entitled, 'Home and Beauty' was also released with the book. The Press and Journal also has a piece on the book release today.

Classical Violin - Aboyne

2009-07-14T10:17:00.002+01:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to listen to Leland Chen at Aboyne Theatre on Saturday evening. Solo violin with piano accompaniment, Chen played in a mainly aggressive style but with mastery throughout. The event was hosted by the Strathdee Music Club.

Mary Louise Butterworth - Artist

2009-07-08T16:08:00.004+01:00

The Modern Reflective era is how I describe the art produced by my friend Mary Butterworth .
On her site Mary gives a fuller description of her style. Some of the earliest pictures I saw from Mary where from places I know real well, Glen Tanner bridge for example. This painting did not include the bridge but by capturing just the Tanner burn, trees and glossy reflective water I knew where she was standing. And it has been this early reflective style that has been combined with night City scenes to produce Art like the picture of HMT Aberdeen, included in this post. There are new pictures from Edinburgh coming and I am looking forward to seeing those.

flocklocal.net activity no.1

2009-06-21T12:29:00.003+01:00

The Flocklocal @sicamp team discovered and flash mob-ed Glasgow Wood Recycling this morning. Peter Lavelle welcomed us to his recycling center where we helped with with weeding inside and outside the area, painting and then a load of recycled wood was unloaded. 60 minutes of volunteering to make a positive impact to their centre, many hands make light work. Photo of the event here.

flash mob group live blogging

2009-06-20T10:33:00.003+01:00

@sicamp twitter

Build a ________ that will match volunteer + resources

LOCATION TIME INTEREST TASK

People volunteer
short term
compulisive
no commitment

ORG
needs something done what tools dv???

project manager

volunteer = individuals

community / individuals

Volunteer
How do people want to volunteer location, type, time length

Diff. Technique
website
map
mobile
widget
FBconnect
twitter

Widget
sell $

Financial

Tools
Rating

Matching
Expertise
Past Activity
Interest/complexity
sector

Tools
online community
event-y site
maps pins
pledge banks

sicamp live blogging

2009-06-20T09:25:00.002+01:00

Intro. morning talk

5 things need to happen

1. have chat
2. hack together software
3. think, stain idea, business model
4. name, people use it branding etc???
5. what going to do, to take forward

Up to teams to do that rest.

Open Space
Law of two feet, feel free to move to different groups

Ask for help
SIcamp team / twitter to at any time

Ballater Kirk Stainglass window

2009-04-13T12:31:00.003+01:00

I met up with the Butterworth Clan and friends on Sunday to attend the service to commit the new Ballater Kirk stainglass window in legacy of Mike Sheridan the late local butcher. Howard Butterworth designed the stainglass window. The window is best viewed from inside the kirk but the spring sunshine shows some of its magic from outside. The van is on the window too if you look closely. Later in the day I visited the Butterworth Gallery to see the Spring collection by Howard and Mary. Howards Daffodils were my favorite, reminded me of this photo I took recently.

Ballater Kirk Stainglass window, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

BarCampScotland 2009

2009-01-14T19:23:00.003Z

Barcamp Scotland comes around again, in Edinburgh, full details on wiki.

Peace & Abundance

2008-12-31T16:13:00.002Z

War fills the airwaves again.

A world of abundance will give the world its best chance of peace.

That is the opportunity the Internet give us all.

aboynejames.co.uk goes social

2008-12-05T14:43:00.001Z

I've added a google Friends Connect Gadget to the home page. Now I can say, see you on the site.

Internet Identity conference

2008-11-11T13:07:00.003Z

For those in the Mountain View, Bay Area:

life as a trader

2008-09-30T09:45:00.002+01:00

My early entrepreneurial days focused on the commodity markets. Future and options markets, more complexity called derivatives. During that time, I met Ron Carmichael, a trader that started in his successful career from his dorm room. He is now sharing is trading insights and lessons an a new website and blog.

What a time to be involved in the financial markets. Ron's thought, observations and lessons are worth a read.

Beetles, Bees & Butterfiles

2008-09-09T23:39:00.002+01:00

As I walked the gravel paths I noticed that the end of summer/start of autumn was being marked in a manner that I hadn't taken notice of before. The bumble bees were mainly dead, the butterflies were inactive or soaking up a glimpse from the sun, the only happy insects seemed to be the black beetles as the moved with purpose across the land.

fungle roof mid deeside walk, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

blogging more than ever but not in public

2008-07-31T23:16:00.004+01:00

The volume of blog posts here has diminished dramatically this year. This is because I blog/twitter etc in other places but mainly because most of my blog posts are on an internal wiki blog for mepath . This is my first startup where blogging has been available. As a founder with ideas, we have a need to share our ideas. Blogging is an expression of your ideas, hyperlinked to supporting information or a prediction on the future now, which later gains support months down the line. We are in the game of making thin air real and blogging is a tool to help us achieve that. A fun lifestyle, everyday.

aboynegames 2008

2008-07-29T23:32:00.003+01:00

AboyneGames is round again, the first Saturday in August every year.

This year the games will bring back a fiddle competition for juniors and seniors. I've entered, its solo, Slow Air, March, Strathspey and Reel. About 6 minutes of play time, probably a bit quicker on the day when the nerves kick in no doubt.

See you on the green.

snow cover on the gorms

2008-06-13T08:37:00.001+01:00

The Cairngorms and the higher peaks in Scotland get a reminder of winter today.

Fiddling at HMT

2008-05-05T19:27:00.002+01:00

The fiddlers spectacular show runs for a week.

queens loch, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Scotland Land of Food & Drink

2008-02-14T14:30:00.003Z

The First Scotland: Land of Food and Drink Conference was held at Gleneagles this week.

A two day conference, with each day starting with a look at trends, retailing trends day, one and on day two, tourism/food market research from visitor to Scotland. Then the rest of the days talked about 'farm to fork'. The supply chain to service retail demand. The retailer seemed to be used a lot as the customer for the supply chain. The end individual consuming the product is surely the customer. The second day saw smaller entrepreneurial farmers and hotelier share their stories. Stories that focused on the end customer, the individual. Much more enthusiasm and innovation from these speakers than on day one.

The CEO of Scotland Land of Food and Drink clearly articulated an ambitious agenda. There is clearly a big opportunity, thinking 'small' may however be the best way to realise those goals?

Scotland Land of Food & Drink, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

dataportability barcampscotland2008

2008-02-02T16:17:00.000Z

www.dataportability.org

friend of a friend

opensocial example. ref semantic

user in control in profile

Authentication is important e.g openID

WC3 to ratify?

Needs to be Free Patent Policy

Presenter Harry Halpin

barcampScotland 2008

2008-01-02T15:42:00.000Z

It's hard to believe its approaching a year since the first barcamp in Scotland. A month earlier this year, we have barcampScotland 2008 on 2nd February, Edinburgh. Full details on the wiki and a party Friday evening too this time. A barcamp is an unconference event where participants freely and openly share learning and experiences, web2.0 to software to eduction etc. etc. if you have a topic or interest you want to share, get it on the schedule.

What is important

2008-01-01T16:22:00.001Z

me & my DNA

2007-12-05T13:47:00.000Z

The Richard Dimbleby lecture was given by Craig Ventor last night, entitled, A DNA-Driven World .

At the heart of his lecture was Life.

He touched on a couple of topics that are core to me. Focus on life outcomes rather than transactions.

Transforming education from memory factory to real world problem solving.

Prevention agenda on all fronts health to war.

Ben Avon white with snow

2007-11-24T13:24:00.001Z

The first good covering of Snow wraps itself around the Cairngorms. The Westward or each facing slopes are holding most of the wind blown snow on Ben Avon. Will this be the start of the skiiing season? The free skier and snow boarder were out on the hills on Friday. Powder was to be had. Great.

Ben Avon white with snow, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Butterworth Jigtime 68 minutes

2007-11-13T14:09:00.001Z

I teamed up with a couple of friend to enter the Butterworth JigTime competition this weekend. You get a puzzle, in this case, a Howard Butterworth painting of Dunnator Castle, 250 pieces and you have to put it together in the quickest time. Our time 68 minutes, took second place, 13 minutes behind the winners. Now, 250 does not seem a lot of pieces but this is no ordinary puzzle. No corner pieces and harly a straight edge to find. Watch out for JigTime 2008, it is a lot of fun.

Image013, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Whisky live Glasgow

2007-11-05T12:15:00.001Z

I attended Whiskylive Glasgow on Friday and Saturday. A celebration of whiskies of the world. Most were Scotch, with single malts leading the way but one Irish whisky attended too.

I liked the format. You get a whisky glass and vouchers to exchange for a sample of the water of life from a product of your choosing. My favourite single malt was The Benromach Single Highland Malt from Gordon & MacPhail, the world's only organic certified Scotch. Warm and smooth.

Cheers to all for making the event a great experience.

Whisky live Glasgow, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

coder not= designer

2007-10-25T17:00:00.000+01:00

Being able to write software code does not mean you have an eye for the design of a website but you can learn. New three column css layout for aboynejames.co.uk now has a better three panel back ground.

Learning design by doing.

Being able to hack

2007-10-10T15:49:00.000+01:00

Being in the company of software engineers, Internet developers and geeks it's not long before you hear the word 'hacking'. Hacking the code. Now, I can join in this hacking. The word is so appropriate, I find myself hacking through the html/CSS/PHP code, like a forest some pages of code are thicker and more difficult to navigate than others. I get hacking.

aboynejames php

2007-09-29T14:54:00.000+01:00

Now that my coding experience is expanding I am re-hosting aboynejames.co.uk
at a new ISP and making it all html, php based. So you will see parts of the site, probably more accurate to say, all of the site disappearing from time to time as I learn some new tricks.

Taste of Scotland Exports Conference

2007-09-27T16:52:00.001+01:00

I spent the day at The Gleneagles hotel attending the Taste of Scotland Exporting Conference. A day of learning from those that have led the way in breaking into new markets a broad. The talks ranged from the product labeling to legal paperwork. The market and advertising used to enter market from USA to Taiwan.

Image041, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Countryside geeks Highland geeks

2007-09-17T17:07:00.001+01:00

When I am not travelling, home is in the countryside. Thanks to the Internet, epically with the arrival of broadband, we can develop websites and write software and publish instantly to the web.

I am keen to hear from others that have chosen a countryside or Highland (as in Scotland for me) base for the Internet development or entrepreneurial base. james (at) aboynejames (dot) co (dot) uk

Anita Roddick

2007-09-17T15:34:00.000+01:00

I was travelling from Southampton to Brighton a week past Friday on the train. Sign posts pass by quite frequently and one was for Littlehampton. That means one thing to me, Anita Roddick and the founding of the Bodyshop. Little did I know by the time I arrived back in Scotland on the Monday that I would be reading about her death.

Equipped with entrepreneurship of the most able kind she trail blazed the causes of human, animal and environmental rights and put them at the heart of her business. Profits would come from caring for these causes. Her 'change the world' attitude and this wider meaning of what the word profit should mean, made her a entrepreneurial inspiration. I was fortunate enough to meet Anita a few times, while this will no longer be possible, she has left us many tales to read in her books and online and from observing the results of her actions, Bodyshop to volunteering.

barcampBrighton

2007-09-17T15:24:00.001+01:00

I attended my first barcamp in England the other weekend, barcampBrighton. It was an intense learning experience as always and the range of topics range from Internet to some eclectic. Thank you to all the co-planners and sponsors for hosting a great camp. Here I am participating:

Gorms first snow today

2007-09-17T15:18:00.000+01:00

The first snow of the new season covers the top of the Gorms.

drupal 2 session barcampBrighton

2007-09-09T13:42:00.000+01:00

drupal

open source, free, impressive support, modular and themeable, wordpress plus, plus

Why choose? need to byspoke SME clients.

themes:bocks, and regions, you can ask the drupal engine.

beware, end website all look like drupal websites. UI needs more differenciation. This is now happening, more needed.

how to build

starting a theme
garland, default drupal theme. good XHTML layout, non tabular. Then striped of styling, as much as you can do.

removed CSS, chopped modular includes
removed what you can not use.

PHP template files underpin templates. nodes on page related to templates.php files.
Need to hardcode, to fix whole page look. PHP coded directly.

Site structure:
drupal good at flaksonomic or flat sites.
poor structured sites
one standard stcure, neu heirarch

can use category module. Had to create duplicate much core menu code. To make your own menu drop downs.

Content Construction kit
get more complex form from standard page or story page format

adds content hooks to node workflow
then create submenus, add extra fields, declare and create widgets and eit them

contributed code, NOT CORE. but well supported.

Forms, used plug in standard modules, signup etc.

Hacking the core.
NEVER EVER DO IT. core keeps moving

multiple development on the site, use subvertion to manage code base. use seperate files for each developer

depression in a geeks world barcampbrighton

2007-09-09T10:48:00.001+01:00

presenter David Thompson fatbook 'fatty' domain name

.net developer c# asp

depression:

lack of motivation

geeks excess motivation

big contrasts, but what happens when you have both???

treatment, medication or exercise. Talk

Community, geek e.g. barcamp, understand what you say/mean. Feel accepted. Celebration of what you do.

Satisfaction in work, showing what you have done.

drupal cms barcampbrighton

2007-09-09T10:14:00.000+01:00

Grant talk

Test alot of cms. Took open source stance.

Look to roll out new site press of a button.

Chose drupal, quick setup.

Client, low cost, $2k website.

losts of benefit of drupal.

cons, lot of work to understand api? Some contraints.

walk through of how to use. Very useful.

Warewolf barcampbrighton

2007-09-09T01:38:00.000+01:00

Been playing a new team/group game called Warewolf. They tell me their is lots of info. on the game on the web so this is a reminder to search.

Involves in short, villagers, a seer, a healer and warewolf(s). Villagers need to find warewolf before vice versa, who ever does first, wins.

barcampBrighton hacking session 11.45

2007-09-08T12:46:00.001+01:00

Presenter Tom Shannon

7 deadly sins.

1sql injection
2javascript injection
3cookie injection
4email injection
5file uploads
6corss domain
7

1, happened UN website, 2 days to notice. basically insert commands in username/password input boxes
.net most prone to this, but php an other happen. You need to watch that data processing and pass around by the application is secure and not intercepted.

2. e.g. myspace worm , ajax code to attract new users took down wholesite.

3. store data on server better than cookie

4. spammer include cc in email box to send out virus.
dont put user email in headers, tip

5. uploads, set proactively the stuff you want.

6 cross domain form submission

risk e.g. one click buying access. or risk for emali apps within socialnetworks, e.g. flickr mail, use token with form to stop.

7 Cross domain api

www.ts0.com blog url for Tom

Learning to code

2007-08-25T10:04:00.000+01:00

I've resisted for a while but I have decide to learn to code, ie. write software. I sort of do that today anyway but I am extending my range to PHP and Ruby on Rails. Both open source web scripting languages. I have never been taught at Uni or on a course so I am learning all the basics via excellent blog posts on web. I was going to buy a book, might yet, but I often find the best book is the blogosphere. Not quite as well organised as a book but boasts many more benefits. For example a book is written in one style, however, in the blogosphere you can get different styles or different levels of knowledge. I am two weeks in, one week focused on PHP and one on Ruby on Rails. This has helped teach me the basics of programming. Now I need to focus on one? One of the initial challenges I faced was just installing the correct setup environment and then getting apache talking to mysql and mysql to PHP and Ruby (OK, I use the rails server for now).

I am enjoying the code and not so much the bugs!

video will be reborn every time the image quality improves

2007-08-01T14:51:00.000+01:00

I capture and publish a lot more video these days. The quality play back on my local laptop is good but most views are via a flash or media players on the web. We upload our content in high quality but that is not what gets published. The service providers still have the original files, so as Moores Law continues to reduce costs with time we will see video services up-grading the play back quality, again and again until the quality that is captured is the same as the quality seen on the Internet.

Morven walk 2003

2007-07-30T12:56:00.000+01:00

Join me on a walk up Morven Hill, Deeside, Scotland.

The media makes everything entertaining

2007-07-28T11:20:00.000+01:00

The media, broadcasting, stuff on the tele to the web try to make everything entertaining? Not entertaining then no one watches. It's just a take on information. Take the weather. We watch weather forecasts, but the level of personalization in minimal. However, you can go to the source of the information that the Weather 'experts' use to make us the weather entertainment. What is the weather like this afternoon. Lets look up the paper or twich on the tele. It will come but why not switch on the local radar piciture to see if it rain near by and see if the wind is blowing it our way. We can do this today but for me very few do. Inertial is with the media. Is entertainment what we always want? Not the reality that is personal?

And an add on point. I have realised that social weather casts will becoming along. We need all the source weather forecasting informaiton and more as technology allows. However, I guess that one of the best sources of informatoin someone visiting Aboyne in Royal Deeside could do looking for a weather forecast and linking it to the outdoor things they want to do or any activity would be to ask me. Why I have lived here all my life. I can map the information to the experince of life. I have the most informaion on the subject.

Aberdeen OpenCoffee Club

2007-07-25T17:03:00.001+01:00

I have setup up an Aberdeen OpenCoffee Club event on Upcoming.org. While in Silicon Valley I attended the Palo Alto, OpenCoffee meetup which is part of the OpenCoffee Club community. They are great places to talk to fellow entrepreneurs, Internet developers and all those interested in startup businesses, Internet or other wise.

If you are interested, sign up to upcoming website and I'll see you there.

The opencoffee club are also promoting the SEEDCAMP unconference in London in September.

The Industrailist The Digitalist

2007-07-18T12:07:00.000+01:00

I have observed that as an entrepreneur you will be swept along or crushed by prevailing trends in society. Now your vision may be to create one of these but the total game is a lot larger than a vision.

I read an interesting slide and document linked in this blog posting. It describes how we are at an impasse between The Industrialist and The Digitalist. The former driven by scarcity and the economics of Adam Smith and the latter driven by abundance and of a new 'adam smith' science that is just starting to be understood. The article uses history to show that when such shifts in society take place, the incumbent, in this case The Industrialist, will fail to see the new world, even if they are looking directly at it. Conversely, The Digitalist will be discounted.

We are living in such times. The Digitalists do exist, the author lists, CEO of Google, as an example of how they drive a different message to the State (Government) and the rest of the corporate world.

As a startup entrepreneur and visionary I put myself in the Digitalist category and have been so for 10 years or so. I am not sure I knew or appreciated this until very recently. Looking back on my experiences it easy to see some repetitive lessions and feedback. I can see the way to how tomorrow will be but virtually no one around me would see it, they didn't even understand the vocabulary I use, words they know but in combinations foreign to their thinking.

Moving to silicon valley surrounded me with Digitalists. Conversations can be engaged with no schooling required. But its not just a case of moving to find like minded people, I need to learn as an entrepreneur new ways to communicate and show a stable and sensible or business case to encourage industrailists large and small to change. I feel more equipped to do this.

comparison shopping entrepreneurship lesson: never waiver

2007-07-17T12:58:00.000+01:00

In 1998 I turned my startup energies to comparison shopping. This involved moving to Edinburgh to live for the first time. After a couple of years of bootstrapping I raised some angel funding and Prosumer Solutions was incorporated. I used my primative graphics skills to illustrate my thoughts on comparison shopping for financial services. The business quickly moved into content management tools and eventually the business stopped trading.

Today, just some 7 years on, comparison shopping websites are selling for hundreds of millions and romnours of $4bn UK floatation. The industry is profitable.

As an entrepreneur you have the vision to see these times, ahead of time. That is the easy part. The part I failed in back then was sticking to my guns, using my creative abilities and engery to guide a team throught the tough and often dark times to see the market opportuinty realised further along the line. You learn from failure and are better equiped to lead next time on the startup rollercoaster.

The Greens of Aboyne

2007-07-11T12:07:00.000+01:00

A range of greens fuelled by all the rain and some sun.

aboynejames TV live?

2007-07-09T14:04:00.001+01:00

I set up this ustream account a few months ago. I am working out side today, as the sun is out, two days in a row. This allows me to share it.

A dry day in Aboyne, at last

2007-07-08T20:53:00.001+01:00

No rain today!

Image029, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

active aboyne

2007-07-03T13:53:00.000+01:00

Its July and time of the Aboyne and Mid Deeside Festival. I noticed this website, activeaboyne that list more active activies, walking, water sports or even geocaching. Some evening event too that have a more social focus.

Craigendinnie Hill Trees growing tall

2007-06-20T12:33:00.001+01:00

The hill was cut bare, the tree saplins were inches high when planted, years add on, knee high, shoulder to shoulder and now way over my head.

Image012, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

all the greens and noise quiet

2007-06-19T17:35:00.000+01:00

Deeside is full of all the colour greens of the world right now. And the whole valley is full of quietness, well relative so silicon valley.

aboynejames back home trip 4

2007-06-14T20:42:00.001+01:00

Image064, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

best trip

2007-06-07T22:46:00.000+01:00

This is my fourth trip to Silicon Valley and by far the best. Last year was all about putting out the vision: lifestyle linking, learning and meeting people. The most notable difference with this trip is that people I had not met last year but had seen me demo mepath.com or heard me talk would come up and ask how we are getting on. That provided much positive energy to our venture.

Mountain View is a great place to live, my 'Aboyne' of Silicon Valley. I have swam and trained more on this trip, still not consistent but enough for me to compete in a master short course championships and my first ever competitive open water swim. Not every thing went to plan but you learn and let the vision guide you forward.

All the above is possible because of the great people I have met and now call friends from co-founders, entrepreneurs, swimmers, co-workers, event organisers, people that have listen to me pitch, and many more. Thank you all for making my time here the best.

interesting

2007-06-07T22:45:00.000+01:00

no.1 word used to describe mepath.com on this trip to silicon valley.

Lake Berryessa Open Water Swim

2007-06-03T06:09:00.001+01:00

Image008, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

the great health mashup

2007-06-01T21:51:00.000+01:00

I attended a Stanford healthcare event last week, the guest speaker pointed out the importance of the mix of people present, medicine, engineering and computer science. This is great to see and many other participants are required, the food industry, pharma, biotech, fits, wellbeing, car, travel etc etc. The great health mashup is required to re-purpose the economy on life.

We created healthcamp to help in getting those conversation going.

smiling on the streets

2007-06-01T21:13:00.000+01:00

I was walking towards downtown San Franciso yesterday when a girl passed running, in a skipping motion, clearly in a hurry. Ahead was a homeless man, street coloured. As the girl approached he extended his had in slow motion. But just quick enough for the girl to high five his palm. Watching this brought a smile to my face. One character full of the beans, one in shock of the speed of what had just happened.

p3, s3 and WAR as a constant

2007-06-01T21:05:00.000+01:00

I have taken in a couple of movies in the last three weeks. The third episode of Siperman and Pirates of the C. S3 wasn't as good as the other two, however, P3 was better than P2. However, what has taken me is the constant theme of war in movies right now, the trailers are full of battles, the ad's were of real war and new releases will focus on war.

His Dark Materials, will launch in December, with The Northlights for us UK readers, The golden compass or something like that for the US. Why the name change, will lords of the rings, ring gold, gold compass. Some producers behind both films. Looks like they are making a good adaptation of the book.

War theme, I have also been reading more history than usual. War is a constant happen there too. Are we bound to follow this trend. Inevitable?

healthcamp TV live

2007-05-26T02:08:00.000+01:00

I will try streaming live video from healthcamp2 Saturday 26 May, 10.30am US Pacific Time Zone.

healthcamp2 tomorrow

2007-05-25T19:32:00.000+01:00

healthcamp2 is tomorrow in Palo Alto, all info. is on the wiki.

For those that can not attend, I am going to experiment with the websites that allow you to stream video live. If I get it working I will post the link on the wiki.

Looking forward to meeting all you health2.0'ers tomorrow

3 months to 3 weeks

2007-05-20T05:02:00.000+01:00

Three months is such a short period of time. And as soon as I step foot in Silicon Valley it is like weeks turn into days. There is always an air of new-ness around. New ideas, technology, observations, debates etc. etc.

open spaces identity workshop

2007-05-16T17:56:00.000+01:00

I am big fan of unconference's, they use open space techniques to allow participants to share and learn in an open way.

Of all the unconferences I have attended, this one's use of open space has been the best. I am learning a lot.

identity workshop

2007-05-16T17:32:00.000+01:00

Empowering individuals with their identity.

Using open space to explore Internet Identity.

judgement - information

2007-05-09T01:19:00.000+01:00

I listened to a story of great depth last week, told by Carly Fiorina. She talked about the need for diversity in your team and how information overload, how to deal with vasts amount of information was one of the top 3 skills to have (probably no.1).

I think, those two combine to set up a great metaphor for the use of the Internet. We have choice. We can choose where to search, we bias what we are looking for by what we type in. The search engines are not reading our minds (they are starting to try). So, we have access to all this information, make sure you get diversity of content and remember, all possible interpretation of information will be presented. Judgement is require, our judgement, don't assume all the judgements taken to retrieve your information align with you. Hone your judgement skills and you will get more out of the world of information on the Internet each and every day.

weThink open spaces

2007-05-09T01:13:00.000+01:00

What happens when you open source a conference?, you get an un-conference. I first participated in these last year and found them the most valuable of all the experience and learning I gained. This hold true this year and such is the power of the format it holds the opportunity each and every time to deliver that experience.

Open space techniques are used at un-conferences to help people meet the right people at the right time in the right context. Or the complete opposite, if that is what is required to gain the knowledge to empower our paths forward.

A simple concept at heart. No rules, no cost to participation. I would guess that if such experiences are not in your life right now, they will be real soon, whether that be a rest, work or play.

4 tokens plus 2 plus 1 eventually seven in total mepath.com

2007-05-08T22:13:00.001+01:00

4 tokens plus 2 plus 1 eventually seven in total mepath.com, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

mepath.com entered the speedgeeking yesterday and picked up 7 tokens in the end.

More importantly we were asked great questions and we thank you all for the feedback and support.

iThink

2007-05-07T02:52:00.000+01:00

The third section on aboynejames.co.uk is called iThink. This section aggregates my latest blog postings. I decided to have more than one blog as I find it more helpful to separate my thoughts that way. And that gets me thinking. The content of the postings are not always thoughts. They are stories on what I am up to, review of past events I have attended, looking forward to future events or talking about a vision. I use picture, video and text and diagrams and not to forget hyperlinks.

At their heart they are all authored by me.

ribbons Pacific Masters

2007-04-24T03:05:00.001+01:00

Sunday brought more ribbons to MVM. I swam the 100 freestyle, going under the 1 minute barrier by 0.49 of a second. 200IM was all about technique with a bit more speed in the breast stroke and freestyle legs, 2.34. Lastly, and like the first race back to breast stroke 100 yards, 1.16.

In all that was my favourite race of the day the mens 200 freestyle relay, I took the third leg and we were placed in the top 8.

It was a fun weekend being part of the Mountain View Masters Swim team.
Image004, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

A third and forth place first day Pacific Masters

2007-04-22T02:10:00.001+01:00

Image015, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

Swam, 200 breast stroke for the third placing
50fly for the fourth
100IM 12th

And one relay for MVM where we were 11th but this is where I had my swim of the day 27.50 for 50 fly. I was flying!

Scotland2.0 Demo Opportunity

2007-04-20T00:02:00.000+01:00

Here is an opportunity/offer to all those back in Scotland2.0, especially those that attended barcampScotland in March. StartupCamp2 is just about upon us in May. I will be attending and the event follows the un-conference format of event so I propose to host a session on Scotland2.0. I will present demo's from startups in Scotland with you guys/girls on skype for Q&A. That is where you come in. These will be your demo's so get in touch via the comments section in this posting or my contact info at http://www.aboynejames.co.uk. Give your startup the opportunity to be exposed to the brightest minds in Silicon Valley.

I look forward to hearing from you.

web2.0expoOpen thoughts

2007-04-19T23:53:00.000+01:00

To start, thank you to all those that put the effort in to make web2.0expoOpen happen. For all those that gathered for health2.0 session, cheers for participating. A great event, my video review before, maybe I should wait for longer after I go swimming, check out the google eye ring marks!

Scottish Champs - Pacific Champs next weekend

2007-04-14T23:26:00.000+01:00

The Scottish Master Swimming Championships are next weekend. Good luck to SilverCityBlues Masters Swim Club. I am competing to next weekend for Mountain View Masters Swim Club at the Pacific Masters Short Course Championships. I expect it is no coincidence that they are both on the same weekend?

healthcamp2

2007-04-12T00:25:00.000+01:00

For me health is the new money. The grass roots of a health centred economy are sought to gather again for healthcamp2. The wiki is up and the ideas are being expressed. Are you ready to participate?

Commitment 07

2007-04-12T00:17:00.000+01:00

Each year, (which starts in August each year for me) I set a 'me' mantra for the year ahead. Top of the list for '06 was the word Courage, be bold, make a bold move, make the vision even purer and this years top mantra word also begins with the letter C, C for Commitment. With courage demonstrated you need the commitment to realize your vision and dreams. Commitment is more about persistence and determination, than one off bold moves to create opportunity. Commitment is a span of time that lasts a life time.

back no1. on google for .. . . .

2007-04-11T19:10:00.000+01:00

A bit of an ego trip, but I noticed the other day again that if you type the words James Littlejohn into the google search engine, that aboynejames.co.uk comes up as the no.1 result. It's not been that for at least a year. Trip over.

Debut on Second Life, aboynejames Shepherd

2007-04-03T03:48:00.001+01:00

I made my first appearance on Second Life today. You get this pretty stereo type character. I'll need to invest some Linden Dollars on a hair cut!

aboynejamesshepherd, originally uploaded by ecotorch.

too far behind too far ahead

2007-04-02T19:23:00.000+01:00

I upgraded to Windows VISTA Business last week. A 7 year fast forward from Windows 2000. Windows2000 is being phased out as new services don't work with it or are not supported anymore. However, I am now received a message from a website that I can not use their latest player as they do not support Vista.

Over all, VISTA business is OK. Nothing wow about it. It works, still crashes on hibernate too much for my liking. The biggest difference is the new screen on the Vaio. I am not sure the new screen has anything to do with Microsoft except the new icons are 3D'ish.