Author Archive

A Souvenir of Japan

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

This was the item I purchased to remind me of Japan! I purchased this 4GB USB Flash drive from the Apple store in Ginza, Tokyo.

LaCie iamaKey v2 USB-Stick 4GB

LaCie iamaKey v2 USB-Stick 4GB

Ginza is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffee houses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion clothing flagship stores are located here, being also recognized as having the highest concentration of western shops in Tokyo. Prominent are Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. Flagship electronic retail stores like the Sony showroom (four floors of tech!) and the Apple Store of course! (a four floor building, MacBooks and iPads – 1st floor, chargers and accessories – 2nd floor,  TV from around the world – 3rd floor, technical support and repairs – 4th floor).

Sony Building in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

Sony Building in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

Lindsey purchase souvenirs of chopsticks, bags, Japanese doll….

well I am the computer geek!

Tokyo Council Building, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Well I think it’s better known as Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, located in Shinjuku, Japan was the tallest building in Tokyo. Shinjuku also has the busiest train station in the world! (and it’s busy!).

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building

It has a two panoramic observation decks, one in each tower on floor 45, we went there one evening 7 days before the big one of March 11, and we also had dinner in the resturant.

View from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building

View from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building

View from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building At Night

View from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building At Night

and just to prove we were there, here’s a screenshot from an Ipad, using Assisted-GPS (it annoys me when people keep telling me they are using GPS with an iPad or iPhone!) of Google Maps in the  Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Google Maps view on iPad with GPS at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building

Google Maps view on iPad with GPS at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building

Big in Japan

Thursday, March 31st, 2011
Snow Monkey in Onsen in Nagano

Snow Monkey in Onsen in Nagano

The link from the last post yesterday is… for the last four weeks I’ve been craving Ambrosia Devon Custard! (hence not many posts for March)

Harajuku Girls

Harajuku Girls

7 days ago we returned from Japan, where we’ve travelling around Japan for 3 weeks (and if you didn’t know, yes Lindsey and I were there, when the Big 8.9M Earthquake Hit and all the tremors afterwards!) – we are okay – and the holiday wasn’t affected – other than the occasioanal room and bed shake! Overall a Fanastic, exciting time in Japan, and I’m looking forward to going back soon!

We’ve travelled over 2000km around Japan. Tokyo to Nagano, Nagano to Matsumoto, Matsumoto to Takayamma, Takayamma to Kanazawa,  Kanazawa to Hiroshima, Hiroshima to Kurashiki,  Kurashiki to Kyoto,  Kyoto to Togendai, Togendai to Tokyo, Tokyo to Nagoya.

An evening (1hr) with a maiko (an apprentice geisha) called kofuku, in Kyoto, visiting the Snow Monekys in Nagano, riding Shinkansen (bullet trains) at 182mph (confirmed and verfied!),  eating conveyor belt sushi, visting temples, japanese gardens, road cable cars and pirate ships, witnessed a rare site of Mt Fuji over two days, visited outdoor art, Henry Moore, Barbra Hepworth, and Pablo Picasso sculpture and art, and saw the plum and cherry blossom.

plum blossom

plum blossom

Lindsey has taken lots of digital photographs which will be uploaded soon. I’ve almost finished ‘An evening with a kofuku DVD’. But also have another 180 minutes of Japan to edit.

Shinkansen (bullet train)

Shinkansen (bullet train)

Ambrosia Devon Custard

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
Ambrosia Devon Custard

Ambrosia Devon Custard

Yes, I’ve gone bonkers! What’s new! I’ll explain tomorrow!

Bye Bye TiVo after 1 June 2011

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

I have four Series1 TiVos, one was purchased early 2000, the second one a few years later, followed by another two. Two are production (they are two important to alter, because they have a job to do!), and two are research and developement.

if you’ve never seen what a TiVo looks like, it’s a metal silver/gold box, these are pictures of my four, not very interesting, just boxes

Two Series1 TiVosq

Two Series1 TiVos

Another Two Series1 TiVos

Another Two Series1 TiVos

On the 4th Feb 2011, this was the first message we received from the TiVo Team.

From:    The TiVo Team
Date:    Fri 4th Feb 2011
Expire:    Fri 18th Feb 2011

If you are on the cable footprint, you can get Virgin Media’s top TV package and a brand new TiVo box at a very special price. Find out about more and be one of the first to get this offer at virginmedia.com/tivoupgrade.

It would seem that TiVo had struck a deal with Virgin Media to offer new TiVo boxes at very special prices to existing TiVo customers, that’s okay if you live in a cable footprint area, but of no value if you don’t live in a cable footprint area.

On Valentine’s Day we had another special message from TiVo HQ.

TiVo Service Ends - 1 June 2011

TiVo Service Ends - 1 June 2011

Subject:    Free Service Continues until 1 June 2011
From:    The TiVo Team
Date:    Mon 14th Feb 2011
Expire:    Mon 28th Feb 2011

On 1 June 2011, TiVo will be discontinuing the service for Series1 TiVo Recorders in the UK. Your current service will continue to be provided until that time at no charge. For further information, go to tivo.com/UKSeries1.

So that’s it, TiVo US have dumped us, and from the 1st June 2011, these silver/gold boxes will become door steps after 11 years of use, and still the BEST ever PVR on the market.

The reason for this blog, so UK Series 1 TiVo users can continue to receive service after 1 June 2011, and continue using our beloved TiVos, a group of us from the TiVo Community have banded together to try and replace the service. We our gathering at TiVoland.com.

We will need resources, TiVo testers, and if you have a TiVo which you can loan or donate to the effort, it will be returned once the new service is up and running. Contact me or head over to the forums and register.

If you are also interested in receving details of the new service in the future, also contact me.

The Zebrafish also known as the Zerba Danio

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

I’ve been getting enormous amounts of traffic to Andysworld! and Andys Aquatics searching for ‘Zebrafish’, I’ve also had many emails asking if I have some for sale! I suspect the rise in interest in this little fish has been since National News reported on TV

‘Scientists believe that the zebrafish’s astonishing ability to regenerate its cardiac muscle might lead to the discovery of new drugs and treatments that will one day allow the human heart to heal itself after being damaged during a heart attack.’

The British Heart Foundation, has also been running TV aderts in the UK ‘Mending Broken Hearts’

I’ve never heard of this fish in the Aquatics trade called the Zebrafish, but we refer to it as the Zebra Danio, (Danio rerio or Brachydanio rerio). Maybe you have heard of the Zebra Danio.

Zebrafish, Zebra Danio, Danio rerio, Brachydanio rerio

Zebrafish, Zebra Danio, Danio rerio, Brachydanio rerio

Yes, I keep and breed these fish, they are ideal tropical fish for begineers and very hardy. They are available in many different forms, pink, gold and purple, long finned strains also exist.

They are part of a large family of Danios, Leopard, Pearl, and Giant.

So now you know the real name of this  miraculous little zebra stripped fish!

WOW! Man, look at the pretty colours!

Friday, February 4th, 2011

Our television has started to fail, the left and right side of the picture has turned into a quivering jelly. So as long as you concentrate on the centre of the picture, you’ll not get motion sickness. This television was purchased in 1989! I’ve decided not to purchase a replacement television until the end of 2012. (but I’ve just checked an they’ve brought if forward to August/September 2011 – Digital Switch Over that is!). But to try and snag one from Freecycle. This is proving difficult, but today, my request was accepted, and this is our new Television.

Freeycle TV - Rubbish!

Freeycle TV - Rubbish! - WOW! Man, look at the pretty colours!

So this is the TV, described as  “Large, probably 28inch remote control Toshiba TV. Good working order.” – So I’ve got two broken TV’s in the lounge now. Me thinks they just wanted a mug to take it to the tip!


So Lindsey & I have decided we not need a TV anymore, and we’ve turned off the lights, and listening to  Creedence Clearwater Revival!

Peace and Love Man!

The HDi is back on the road again!

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
HDi Engine Cover on Citroen Xsara MkII 2.0 HDi

HDi Engine Cover on Citroen Xsara MkII LX 2.0 HDi

Two weeks since the starter motor failed, my Citreon Xsara MkII LX 2.0 HDi is fixed and back on the road again.

Most of this time has been taken up by finding the existing model in the car, (aided with mirror) and matching and finding the part, but CM Motorspares came through and supplied me with the exact same model, a M001T80481 – Mitsubishi, although the label on mine had scorch marks and I couldn’t read three numbers in the middle, I cross referenced the part against the Citroen Service Site (details here) this came from a Citroen Xsara Mk2 2.0 HDi starter motor, taken from 2002 5dr hatch with 65,000 miles.

My delivery arrived yesterday at 3.00pm, and 15 minutes later I had the starter installed waiting for the ECU/BSI to initialize before starting (Important! you wait 2 mins after connecting battery, before starting!), the only little snag, trying to hold starter motor with one hand, whilst bolting with the other, (only to find the bolts two arms lengths away and I couldn’t reach!)

Starting the car is much better, in  fact it’s the best it’s ever been, I did think this was caused by the battery in December so purchased a new one not required! But I did find that the battery in the car, was wrong for a Turbo Diesel, as it had a low cold crank value. So always good to have a new battery and a spare!!!

Hall of Fame, and thanks to the following:-

Mum & Dad

Lindsey

Esther, Angus and Matilda

Boot Ferrule Man @ http://www.jlbelectronics.com

Bargaincottage Man @ http://www.bargaincottages.co.uk

The “Un-sung Heros” @ the Citroen Xsara Owners’ Club (yes it does exist!!!)

Mike & Fran @ http://www.oakhousekunekune.co.uk/

Jon, Battery Solutions York Ltdhttp://www.batterysolutionsyork.co.uk/

Andrew@ CM Motorspares

Starter Motor Removed on Citreon Xsara LX 2.0 HDi

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

I successfully managed to disconnect the electrical (ground) and postive electrical connections from the start motor on Wednesday, but I couldn’t shift the 8mm hex bolts with my current 8mm hex bolt “adaptor”, they’ve been bolted in very well, and I also need a 6mm hex bolt socket to remove the power steering pipes as well, to gain access to the final 8mm hex bolt.

So a trip to Halfords was required to purchase an 6mm and 8mm hex bolt socket. (I also had a little difficulty this morning, because I had put my tools in the boot of the car, and since found there is no way to open the boot with the central locking working, there is no boot lid lever in the Xsara, so I had to climb into the boot from ther back seats!)

M001T80481 - Mitsubishi Starter Motor for Citroen Xsara MkII 2.0 HDi

M001T80481 - Mitsubishi Starter Motor for Citroen Xsara MkII 2.0 HDi

FISH FIGHT

Thursday, January 13th, 2011