I’ve recently had to move an ecommerce site from a .com domain to a .co.uk. Since the .com was well indexed by the search engines I wanted to use a 301 Permanent Redirect method. The site is hosted on Windows 2003 using IIS6 so I set about finding a solution. It turns out (although it is poorly documented) that you can set it up in IIS directly. Since I found it a struggle to maintain the querystring when redirecting, this is how to do it… [Read more →]

Google are now offering overflow storage space to those that need it. If you are one of the people who have managed to use up the free quotas of 1GB on Picasa and 2.8GB for Gmail accounts then you can go and buy yourself another 6GB of storage for just $20/year. Sounds like a bargain, but judging by my current usage (see picture) they won’t be getting $20 from me for quite some time.

I was quite pleased today to see that one of my photo’s of Cologne Zoo in my sleeping flickr pages has been selected to be used as part of an online travel guide. I don’t think the photo is that great, but I guess they wanted a picture of a reptile. The Schmap!! Guide to Cologne can be found here with my picture.
TEST

I’m sure I could rant on for hours about how pointless most of the social networking sites are but I really can’t be bothered. It does makes me chuckle how people defect from one site to the next ‘cool site’. Are you one of the 192 million people still using Myspace? Haven’t you heard it’s not cool anymore and that people are moving to Facebook? Think for a minute - is there any point to any of these sites? If after thinking and you think there is then I suggest you get yourself along to each of the following that you have never heard of yet and sign up to each and every one of them and share your ‘world’ with the advertisers.

Bebo
Myspace
Windows Live Spaces
orkut
Hi5
Xanga
Facebook
Classmates.com
Reunion.com
Broadcaster.com
Friendster
Twitter
Netlog
Pizco
Faceparty
…

If you are a proud member of all these then all I can suggest for you is that you join what looks to be the very latest in the long line of these pointless sites - the ’soon-to-be-cool’ VelvetPuffin. We have been working on Corduroy Seagull for some time now and think they must have a mole in our office to have come up with their name.

As a side note, I wonder how long it will be until we are ranked number 1 in Google when searching for Corduroy Seagull?
UPDATE: It took just 2 days to top Google and Msn Live with searches for Corduroy Seagull. Have a look at the following screens for it. Also note the idiots who don’t take any care about their sponsored ads. Surely they should be a little more specific and not be showing up for phrases such as Corduroy Seagull.

My first time eating at The London Bar in Driffield tonight was a pleasant surprise. Having not really intending to eat there, after a day at Driffield Show and a lazy beer the moment took us and we got stuck into a very decent burger. The menu used to be more tapas based and we never did get around to trying it, however, there has now been a shift towards simple quality food and it works well. Heartily recommended by the three people in our party so give it a go.

They don’t appear to have a website yet and I can’t even find a phone number for them so I suggest you just go along.

Got a new phone delivered today - the Sony Ericsson W850i. It’s going straight back tomorrow. After putting the battery in and leaving it on charge I went to then put my SIM card in to get started. Only the battery cover is completely stuck and refuses to move even after ramming screwdrivers in it. It turns out I am not alone with this problem so back it goes.

Well, you are probably reading this as a result of searching to see who has called you from 08000191774. I’ll save you the hassle of calling them back by letting you know it was a marketing call from Excell Contact Centres who work on behalf of various ‘clients’. A recorded message tells you that “we do not need to speak with you at this time…” (why call me then?) …”as we will call you back at a future date” (great)

You can opt out of their calls by ringing 0845 130 7252 which is a bit of a con since that will cost you money. You could just keep ringing the 0800 0191774 number back and listening to the message - each time you call it then costs them money.

We managed to survive yesterdays flooding, although Sonia’s journey back from Hull that normally takes 40 min took 5hrs 30 mins yesterday after numerous road closures and traffic chaos.

Pictures above courtesy of www.msh.co.uk

I was privileged to be invited to the first test flights of Matthew’s helicopter. I couldn’t resist taking the camera along…and be sure to read the full story for exclusive video footage of the crash!

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Following on from our efforts to be green, I am currently involved in two fights.

1 - To replace my overflowing home made wooden composter I ordered two large compost bins on 14th March that are yet to turn up.

2 - I also changed our electricity/gas tariff with Scottish Power to their ‘Green Energy H20′ power option. This means they will buy the same amount of energy I use from Hydro sources. However, switching to this has revoked my ‘online account’ and they now want to send me paper bills again. So my fight is to get them to change their billing procedures so that I can have green power and ‘paperless’ bills. Apparently I am the first person to spot their stupidity and they are looking into it and will keep me updated.

On a more positive note, all lights in the house with the exception of 2 that we rarely use are now energy saving bulbs using 1/5th of the power of the others