Monday 15 April 2013

(I'm so glad that there are) 101 things you can't do with a Chromebook

I've had a (Samsung) Chromebook for a couple of weeks now, so here's an update. It's still the best word-processor out of the blocks that I've ever experienced. It's start-up speed still amazes me. I can switch on, check mail, write a blog post, then switch off in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Three if it's a really long post.

Luckily my printer is google print compliant, so no problems there, although it looks like I'll have to scan to my printer's SD card and then plug this into my Chromebook. That's a minor inconvenience, I have to admit.

The keyboard's good, the screen's fine, and the battery life is great. And yes, there are still a hundred-and-one things that I can't do with it. Hopefully things will stay that way.

Because it's the simplicity that needs to be experienced. It's very elegant, chilled even. There's a certain amount of conscious rethinking that helps get things done more efficiently. Habit pruning, you might say.

Sunday 14 April 2013

Grieving on both sides over the Thatcher years

The BBC's decision not to play 'Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead' on the chart show today is understandable; you have to sympathise with any grieving family and friends.

However, I think that we should remember that some of the people who will be protesting (and, yes some celebrating) the death of the Iron Lady over the coming week may well be grieving too. They may be grieving for the loss of their communities, their way of life, livelihood, and even the lives of loved ones who were destroyed during the Thatcher years. They need to be able to express their grief too.

Friday 12 April 2013

Religious decline in Wales 2001 - 2011

Religion in Wales, 2011 CensusReligion in Wales, 2001 Census

Religion is some kind of a marker. Belief, tradition, gullibility - you will have your own terms. The change in religious beliefs in Wales over the last decade has been nothing short of seismic, as can be seen from the above charts. The 2011 census was taken before the Church of England's vote on women bishops, in case you were wondering.

I won't suggest that you add 'Religious belief not stated' to the 'No religion' numbers, but Christianity has taken a heavy fall no matter how you look at it.

The statistics put Wales ahead of (or behind depending on your viewpoint) the rest of the countries of the UK as they currently stand for non-religious percentages. From a land of churches and chapels, of revivals and Sunday school outings, this is a staggering shift of world view. You don't have to be a statistician to see that, should the trend continue, Christianity will soon be a minority.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v. 1.0.

Monday 8 April 2013

My utterly top favourite computer of all time is a... Chromebook?

It'll pass, I'm sure. But once you're plugged into Google's system the multiverse seems to take on a different form entirely.

Simply stated, Google have made the device I've been looking for for years. Decades, actually.

A cheap, portable word-processor with a decent display. That's it. Everything else is a bonus, Jonas.

Ah yes, I hear you scream, but it can't do this, it can't do that. Can it? Nope. Can't... won't. But then the possibilities of what anything cannot do are enough to give anyone a headache, won't you see? My dog can't fly, my clone can't make a decent Lasagne. The possibilities of inability are endless.

But open the case, type in a few words. Just think of what it can do.

It's almost tomorrow already and I think my clone needs a cookery lesson.

Saturday 6 April 2013

A Quiet Mind

A quiet mind is something very close to my heart at the moment. About two feet, I guess. Haha.

Reading the final version of my new pocketbook 'Getting Quiet' has convinced me that if you're reading this then the book is well worth a look. The Kindle version also provides an optimum reading experience.

It's all about diverting the mind to experience reality. www.gettingquiet.com is where it is at. Here and now.