Articles and advice on cycling, technology, home efficiency and more - 2013

Eastern Cross 2013 Round 13: Iceni Velo Chris Cross

Cyclocross 29 Dec 2013

Conditions were bright and cool, with a light south-westerly breeze that wasn't much of a hindrance to the riders. Womens' and Vets Race ...

East & South East Regional Cyclocross Champs

Cyclocross 08 Dec 2013

Weather conditions were perfect and competition was fierce on this brand-new custom-built course at Trinity Park in Ipswich. The course was ...

British Cycling membership renewal

Cycling 01 Dec 2013

It's important that you don't let your BC membership lapse (and race licence, if you have one). The beginning of December is the ideal time ...

The Essential Geek Reading List

Technology 30 Nov 2013

These are books that every good geek and tech follower should read, for the most part because they give an important historical context to ...

Avoid big bills with Oil Fuel Poverty Solutions

Heating Oil: A Buyer's Guide 23 Nov 2013

Do you know anyone who struggles to find a large sum of money when their heating oil tank runs low? Maybe it's you. If so, that's not a surprise ...

Eastern Cross 2013 Round 9: Hempton Cross

Cyclocross 17 Nov 2013

Conditions were perfect for the Hempton cyclocross event, despite a misty start to the day and rain earlier in the week. A light breeze made ...

Rapha Super Cross 2013: round 2, Manchester

Cyclocross 20 Oct 2013

There's a blog entry on the rapha.cc website, UK Super Cross 2013 - Rounds One & Two, and they also have a page of 2013 Super Cross Series ...

Rapha Super Cross 2013: round 1, Skipton

Cyclocross 19 Oct 2013

There's a blog entry on the rapha.cc website, UK Super Cross 2013 - Rounds One & Two, and they also have a page of 2013 Super Cross Series ...

SOLVED: Fingerprint Scanner

HP Elitebook 23 Oct 2013

The fingerprint scanner - a Validity Sensor VFS451 - was not available as a login method on the initial computer configuration. It was during ...

Windows 8 and the HP fingerprint scanner

HP Elitebook 23 Oct 2013

Warning: HP's validity sensor software does NOT work in Windows 8, according to Microsoft's Upgrade Assistant. If you upgrade to Windows 8 ...

Eastern Cross 2013 Round 6: Amis Velo Hillyfields Supacross

Cyclocross 13 Oct 2013

Scattered showers in the days leading up to the event made for some very muddy and tricky riding. The early racers (under 10s and under 12s ...

Budget iPad docking stations with speakers

iPhone and other Smartphones 03 Oct 2013

Luna speaker dock £40 from Play.com Power output: 15w + 2 x 5w (RMS) / 150w (PMPO) Henson Audio HDB-400 dock £70 from Amazon 40 Watts ...

Broadband Readings for My home broadband

My broadband 24 Sep 2013

Blast from the past: beat the Y2K bug!

MySQL Programming 17 Sep 2013

I found this garish window sticker recently, buried amongst a few papers I'd gathered when I used to work at Marconi Communications (formerly ...

Dyson repaired, just inside warranty!

House and Home 17 Sep 2013

Our Dyson DC-07 upright vacuum cleaner worked faultlessly for four years and ten months, and suddenly suffered a motor failure. The noise ...

Eastern Cross 2013 Round 2: Springfield Cross

Cyclocross 15 Sep 2013

Under 10's Race Despite starting near the back, on the third row of the grid, Tristan managed to finish 4th and was very happy with it. ...

Alternatives to landline broadband

Internet Access: UK Broadband 09 Sep 2013

The vast majority of UK residents connect to the Internet using ADSL broadband, a reasonably robust technology that piggy-backs on the landline ...

Vivid red autumn sunset

Nature 02 Sep 2013

I captured this sunset as the sun dipped down over the North Norfolk coastline, and was struck by the fabulous range of colours that were refracted ...

Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens

Great Days Out 01 Sep 2013

Thrigby Hall in Norfolk (near Great Yarmouth) is a great place to visit for the day. It has a mixture of smaller wild animals that have either ...

How to Know if a Website is Safe to Buy From?

Internet Access: UK Broadband 27 Aug 2013

We found companies: There is one company match: Sorry! There are no results for . Believe it or not, all these years after ...

Fireworks at Clacton-on-Sea

Great Days Out 18 Aug 2013

If you like regular seaside entertainment, then Clacton is a great choice. However, if you get your timing right then you may get a free fireworks ...

Dishwasher powder in salt compartment

House and Home 17 Aug 2013

If you, too, have had a numpty moment.... What to do? 1. Don't panic. 2. Don't leave it or run the machine, either. The detergent can ...

How to Sell on Ebay

House and Home 17 Aug 2013

Tips for Intermediate level selling on Ebay UK.
There are plenty of starter guides to selling on Ebay, I don't want to repeat all that ...

Eastern Cross 2013 league registration

Cyclocross 23 Jul 2013

The 2013-14 league entry for cyclocross in the eastern region was opened on August 15, and is administered on the BC website: Eastern Cyclo ...

Bright double rainbow

Nature 12 Aug 2013

When the rain started falling on a hot sunny day in North Walsham, we knew that a rainbow wouldn't be too far away. Here are photos of the ...

Car Boot Sales in North Norfolk

Do It Yourself! 11 Aug 2013

Here's a seller's guide on how to maximise your profits at car boots, and minimise wasted effort. 1. Don't expect to just turn up and sell ...

Peacock butterflies feasting in the sun

Nature 10 Aug 2013

This buddleia is located in a sheltered, south-facing spot in our back garden, and on a sunny summer afternoon can provide quite a feast for ...

UK residents: claiming exemption from Irish tax

Finance 09 Aug 2013

You need to complete a Dividend Withholding Tax (DWT) form from the Irish Revenue - http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/dwt/forms/index.html. Look ...

Screen size

Showcase 😀 09 Aug 2013

This page gives an idea of how large different mobile screens are. You may initially think that a 400x240 screen is sufficient, but just think ...

Close-up of a bumble bee

Nature 08 Aug 2013

This queen bee is dead, unfortunately, but consequently I've managed to take some really close-up photos.

Bike Mileage Readings for John's training rides

My Bike Miles 28 Jul 2013

A shadow of a dinosaur!

Fun Stuff 27 Jul 2013

My youngest children saw this shadow on the fence, and were amazed at how dinosaur-like it was! It was definitely worth a picture, don't you ...

Profile Design T1+ aerobars

Sports Gear: Under Test 27 Jul 2013

These aerobars, or tri-bars as they're alternatively known, are good for getting a more aerodynamic position on pretty much any bike that has ...

Campagnolo Look pedals

Sports Gear: Under Test 27 Jul 2013

These pedals go back a long way; I bought them second-hand in the mid-90's! They probably came with a bike, but I can't really remember. ...

Dave Lloyd fixed-wheel bike

Bikes 24 Jul 2013

This track bike is manufactured from 753 tubing, and has a 52cm top tube. Feature List Lightweight 753 tubing 32-spoke cross-laced tubular ...

Drag'n'drop programming with Scratch

Fun Stuff 21 Jul 2013

This isn't programming in the traditional sense of the word, but Scratch (from MIT - a USA academy) is a colourful way of encouraging people ...

Car Performance Readings for Fiat 500

My Car Costs 20 Jul 2013

Who needs a 1024x768 LCD monitor?

Computing 20 Jul 2013

Once upon a time a 17" LCD monitor running at a resolution of 1024x768 would be state of the art, but not any more. The screen was also produced ...

Hill climbing in North Norfolk

Cycling 19 Jul 2013

Norfolk isn't renowned for its hills. In fact, I don't think that there aren't any geographical ripples in the region that can be defined as ...

A lizard in the dunes

Nature 15 Jul 2013

The sand dunes at Sea Palling in Norfolk were swarming with children on a warm, sunny (but breezy) Sunday afternoon, but one lizard decided ...

It's official: cats can melt in the heat

Cats 13 Jul 2013

Kubrick, our grumpy middle-aged bachelor cat, appeared to have actually melted in the heat of the afternoon sun today! He usually scarpers ...

SOLVED: How to remove a stuck Oral-B toothbrush head

House and Home 13 Jul 2013

Braun Oral-B electric toothbrushes are great for keeping your teeth clean, but what happens if you can't pull the head off to replace it? ...

10-mile time trial: Strada Sport

Time Trialling 11 Jul 2013

It was a sluggish evening for the riders, and even Jim Burgess (Anglia Velo) could only manage a 21:34 to win the event. Harley Matthews ...

Autocomplete in jQuery

Web Programming 09 Jul 2013

This is my solution for an as-you-type auto-suggest behaviour in an HTML form input, using jQuery. Now, jQuery plugins for doing text input ...

25-mile time trial: Norwich ABC

Time Trialling 07 Jul 2013

The weather was superb for this early morning time trial up, down and up the All. There was a fair amount of traffic (especially motorbikes ...

15-mile Time Trial: East District Championships

Time Trialling 03 Jul 2013

Conditions were excellent for all 40-odd riders in this 15-mile championship, overcast and mild with a light westerly breeze that didn't slow ...

Gas Hill Gasp 2013

Cycling 05 Jul 2013

Gas Hill Gasp

Mashape is an API marketplace!

Web Programming 29 Jun 2013

Is this the API utopia for web developers and data services? Mashape claims to be the one-stop-shop for developers to access thousands of ...

Elveden Races (round 5)

Cycling 29 Jun 2013

Here's my suffer score from the event:

The Royal Norfolk Show

Great Days Out 28 Jun 2013

I know it's sacrilege to be sniffy, what with this being the annual Pride of Norfolk spectacle. The multi-page newspaper layouts, the giddy ...

Brand Match: Price fixing by another name?

House and Home 28 Jun 2013

Supermarket shoppers are becoming increasingly familiar with "brand match" coupons that they receive after paying for their shopping. These ...

Automated Chromakey in PHP

Web Hosting 27 Jun 2013

This is an experiment in removing a photograph's background automatically, as long as the background is reasonably uniform. To create such ...

10-mile time trial: CC Breckland

Time Trialling 12 Jun 2013

A brisk south-westerly breeze made the outward leg down the A11 a bit of a slog, and a lot of riders would probably have been spinning out ...

Overlooked ways to cycle faster

Cycling 21 Jun 2013

Cycling is extremely simple as a concept: all you need is a working bike! But cycling fast, or efficiently, gets a whole lot more involved ...

When the frame starts to rot on a door

House and Home 20 Jun 2013

Our 20-year-old kitchen back door is made of hardwood, and has a hardwood frame too. The door is holding up well, although it needs some TLC ...

How to do freelancing in the UK

Work 17 Jun 2013

On freelanceadvisor.co.uk: The definitive freelancer accountancy glossary and What is a sole trader?.
The HMRC website offers lots of ...

Elveden Races (round 4)

Cycling 08 Jun 2013

Cool but dry conditions greeted the organisers, helpers, spectators and competitors for round 4 of circuit racing on the Elvedon Estate. There ...

Dark sky, bright sunshine

Nature 15 Jun 2013

I took these pictures because of the enormous contrast between the dark clouds and the bright morning sunshine. The deep green of the trees ...

UK Tour Series 2013: Aylsham

Cycling 14 Jun 2013

Youth racing on the Tour Series circuit in Aylsham

Lotus League 2013: Round 6

Cycling 12 Jun 2013

Strada Sport dominated the Regional C+ (hamdicapped) race, although the top three places were all taken by different clubs: 1 Liam gentry ...

Lotus League 2013: Round 5

Cycling 05 Jun 2013

The Team Time Trial results are courtesy of a Strada Sport tweet: "1st, 3rd & 10th for @stradasport in @lotuscycles TTT tonight." &mdash ...

25-mile time trial: East District Champs

Time Trialling 05 Jun 2013

Using the same roads as the National 10 recently, this two-loop undulating course was ideal as a semi-sporting '25. The road surface was far ...

A field of barley

Nature 04 Jun 2013

The sun is setting on this field of barley in North Norfolk, UK.

National 10-mile Time Trial Champs 2013

Time Trialling 25 May 2013

After a shocking week of rain, cold and high winds, the weather turned out nice for the big day! The sun was shining and the air temperature ...

New Chainsaw - Bosch AKE 35S

Solid Fuel Stoves and Central Heating 19 May 2013

I've just bought this chainsaw - Bosch AKE 35S - from North Walsham Garden Centre, which cost me £88 after a 10% discount. It has a ...

Lotus League 2013: Round 2

Cycling 15 May 2013

7:00PM Go Race (Cat 4 and non-licence holders). £5 fee. 7:30PM Regional C+ (E/1/2/3/4) scratch race for full licence holders. £ ...

Buxtons Haulage, now shut down

North Walsham 15 May 2013

Buxtons Haulage has been running an HGV depot for many years from the small Tungate Road on the south-west edge of North Walsham, but in May ...

North Norfolk Wheelers 100-mile time trial

Time Trialling 11 May 2013

My ride was aborted due to intense pain and stiffness around the lower back, possibly related to the disc hernia that I've been diagnosed with ...

Cheap ways to clear outside drains

House and Home 11 May 2013

Background WARNING: This is gross, I mean revolting disgusting horrible. Do not read if squeamish. John was a wee bit alarmed to notice ...

Using a road bike for Time Trialling

Time Trialling 09 May 2013

Bikes customised for time trialling are great. They are designed from head to toe with a focus on aerodynamics and comfort, making sure that ...

Lotus League 2013: Round 1

Cycling 08 May 2013

The first evening's racing got off to a smooth start, and efficient organisation meant that everyone got signed in promptly and were racing ...

Iceni Velo 2013 Road Race

Cycling 05 May 2013

There were 50 starters in this Regional B race on 10 laps of the Skeets Hill circuit in South Norfolk. The pace was high in warm and sunny ...

Efficient, minimal MySQL backup

Web Hosting 22 Apr 2013

When someone asks you about what you do to backup your website's database, you'll probably have one of these responses: "I don't think ...

Green Lanes and muddy paths in Wensum Valley

Cycling 14 Apr 2013

The excellent folks at Iceni Velo put on a perfect, fun ride around the Wensum Valley in Norfolk. There were three distances on offer, all ...

Bitcoins: currency of the future?

Computing 10 Apr 2013

Bitcoins are all the rage these days. They are a virtual currency, with their value determined by cryptographic computer effort, but can be ...

Extra McKay Family pictures

The Brainard Name 04 Apr 2013

Thanks to Rachel Humphrey for supplying these pictures from her grandmother's photo album. Lauren McKay holding infant niece Elizabeth ...

A rural sunset

North Walsham 02 Apr 2013

This is the sort of sunset we see a lot of in North Walsham. The surrounding land is quite flat and without tall buildings to block the view ...

How does £1 a litre suit you?

Heating Oil: A Buyer's Guide 02 Apr 2013

The video below is of a phone conversation between a heating oil customer and a national supplier. The supplier is quoting 97 pence per litre ...

29 March 2013: Great Yarmouth CC 10-mile time trial

Time Trialling 29 Mar 2013

If you want to get non-blurry pictures of time triallists (and you're not a terribly good photographer), then being a helper on the start line ...

Don't let your child's iPhone or iPad store payment information!

iPhone and other Smartphones 23 Mar 2013

Have you heard of in-app purchases? If you haven't now, you might have by the time your credit card bill or bank statement comes in. It's ...

17 March 2013: Great Yarmouth CC 25-mile time trial

Time Trialling 17 Mar 2013

Played out in chilly conditions, gritty and dampish roads, and a rising southerly breeze, this sporting course event tested the staying power ...

mysqli doesn't like old passwords

MySQL Programming 13 Mar 2013

mysqli, the recommended PHP interface to mysql, will not authenticate with mysql servers using old (16-bit hash) passwords. This is the message ...

02 March 2013: CC Breckland '10

Time Trialling 02 Mar 2013

Conditions were almost perfect for the region's opening 10-mile time trial, on the B10/19 course from Hingham to Watton and back again. The ...

Getting an opening: remove an internal wall!

House and Home 01 Mar 2013

Knocking down an internal wall can be a great way to make your living space seem a lot larger. Making that decision needs to be taken only ...

Cycling in the snow

Cycling 26 Jan 2013

Snow is no excuse to stop cycling, that's the bottom line. You might have the wrong tyres or clothing, but with a little bit of preparation ...

19 January 2013: West Suffolk Cross

Cycling 20 Jan 2013

Wintry conditions greeted the organisers, marshalls, helpers and riders at the final round of the Eastern Cyclocross League. Round 14 took ...

Bontrager lightweight full-length gloves

Sports Gear: Under Test 06 Jan 2013

You know how it is when the weather is dry but a bit cool, so full weather-proofing isn't required for that cycle commute or Sunday ride. ...