Richard Mackney

Creative Technologist

Richard Mackney

Garage Brewery Kit

It's been a long time since I've mentioned brewing so here's an update showing some of the improvements Martin and I have made to our garage brewery (Pacific Way Brewery). After taking our previous brew in a bag setup (BIAB) to the next level by designing and commissioning a gravity fed brew tree we moved from Pacific Way (Martin's house) and into my garage. We've been adjusting and upgrading … [Read more...] about Garage Brewery Kit

Visiting Devon

Devon is a massive County! As a family we visit on a yearly basis and there's still many areas we haven't yet travelled to. It's hard to resist the old favourites and it's interesting to see how they change each year - Croyde for example has become such a tourist hot spot and is becoming pretty crowded since we first discovered it's charms in the mid nineties. This year our base was once again in … [Read more...] about Visiting Devon

The Electric Commute

Ever since driving and reviewing The Worlds First Electric Campervan I've wanted to get an electric vehicle. Ideally I wanted a small electric car that I could use for the daily commute but another small car didn't really fit into the needs of the family (we have two Mini's and a Campervan). The opportunity recently came along to get a company car through my business and the sensible option was to … [Read more...] about The Electric Commute

Wales Road Trip

The first camping trip in the campervan this year was to Wales. The route was governed by a visit to some friends that had recently moved out of Belper to Llandrindod Wells and then by us wanting to venture North to take in some sights and places we've always wanted to see. Belper, Derbyshire to Llandrindod Wells, Powys took about three hours on a sunny Sunday morning in early April. Catching … [Read more...] about Wales Road Trip

Portable Folding Solar Panel

Since installing a Biard 100W solar panel on the roof of the campervan, I've experienced the benefits of solar power while away with the family. I've also noticed a few downsides to a permanently fixed installation and the biggest problem came when we needed to park the van in the shade due to the sun's heat or the physical location of the pitch - obviously when in the shade the panel … [Read more...] about Portable Folding Solar Panel

UK Coast Tour

When someone mentions "Coast to Coast" in the UK I usually think of the popular route across the country that starts in the Lake District and ends in Whitby. Our recent campervan road trip version of Coast to Coast followed a slightly peculiar route based on the weather forecast at the time - from Cornwall to North Devon through Derbyshire to Lincolnshire! Here's a few panoramic photos … [Read more...] about UK Coast Tour

Travel Tech for PhotoBlogging

Many years ago I would blog about the kit I was carrying and post each time the kit changed as the technology developed - It embarrassingly started with a MASSIVE bag containing everything,  including the kitchen sink. I would always upload to "What's In Your Bag" on flickr and love seeing the changes ...        Today a friend asked for suggestions of tech when travelling and PhotoBlogging … [Read more...] about Travel Tech for PhotoBlogging

Campervan Solar Panel Installation

I've been running a rigid frame 50W solar panel at home for a number of years to provide 12V lighting with the intention of using it on the caravan and then the campervan but I just couldn't bring myself to mount such a big frame on the roof of a moving vehicle. After noticing a deal over at BestEcoShop for a Biard 100W Semi Flexible Solar Panel Kit I thought now would be a good opportunity to … [Read more...] about Campervan Solar Panel Installation

A pilgrimage to find the World’s best beer

I have a reoccurring daydream that I elaborate on each time I think of it. I find myself walking around an ancient village with cobbled streets and wooden framed buildings, there is the hustle and bustle of people trading from the fronts of the buildings and a mass of people moving from store to store browsing the wares on offer. I ask one of the shopkeepers if he could direct me to a store where … [Read more...] about A pilgrimage to find the World’s best beer

Minecraft PE Server on Raspberry Pi 2

Owning a ten year old son has meant that for the past few years Minecraft has become a staple diet in our house. If he's not playing it, he's watching DIAMOND MINER* or STIMPY* or BALISTICFISH* on YouTube. He plays it on iDevices, Xbox 360 and PC and we only got him a PC because he winged about not being able to ride a horse in the other platforms. The thing is, I don't actually mind it - It's … [Read more...] about Minecraft PE Server on Raspberry Pi 2

The Electric Campervan

After helping launch the world's first electric campervan at the NEC last October (2014) I finally got the chance to take it out and give it a right good thrashing! Over the last 6 months, Fish Media has been working with a Derby based campervan conversion company - Hillside Leisure - to update their website and create new social media channels and I finally got the opportunity to test … [Read more...] about The Electric Campervan

My 2014 Year in Blogging

It's nice that Wordpress/Jetpack sends me a yearly overview of my blog. It helps to see which posts were more popular than others and reminds me that there are a few people out there that actually read what I write. It's not the most visited blog in the world, but I enjoy sharing anything that I find interesting and hope some of the posts help others. Click below to see the fireworks: 2014 … [Read more...] about My 2014 Year in Blogging

BrewTree – Gravity Fed Homebrew Stand

When I first started thinking about brewing in the garage I researched homebrew stands and tables - mainly on Pinterest. I was amazed at the weird and wonderful sculptures that I found, a lot of these coming from the US. I found two main types of stands that interested me, one using a step system and one using a tree like frame. The main design feature for both being that you can transfer liquid … [Read more...] about BrewTree – Gravity Fed Homebrew Stand

Testing The Grainfather – All Grain Brewing System

In July I noticed an all-in-one brewing system being tested for the UK market by James Kemp, I was curious as this product resembled the Still Spirits Turbo 500 boiler that Martin and I started all-grain brewing with a year ago. A quick search confirmed that Imake Ltd the parent company for Still Spirits based in New Zealand had launched a new product - taking the Turbo 500 as a base boiler and … [Read more...] about Testing The Grainfather – All Grain Brewing System

Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014

It's that time of year again when we nip over to the NEC for The Motorhome and Caravan Show. This year I visited on behalf of a Derby based client, Hillside Leisure who create beautiful bespoke micro campers. After we built them a new Hillside Leisure website where they can upload details of the vans, I've been writing the campervan news blog and have introduced social channels with a large … [Read more...] about Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014

Normandy and Brittany Road Trip

Last year in 2013 we took a road trip in the campervan from the UK to the South of France, it was a pretty epic route of 2,260 miles but it made us realise that travelling in the campervan is a much better experience if we break the route into three hour sections to make the most of exploring as we go. This year we decided to on a Normandy and Brittany trip hugging the northern coast of France … [Read more...] about Normandy and Brittany Road Trip

Brewing a Black IPA

How time flies in the World of brewing! Mart and I have just finished brewing our 7th all grain batch of beer (see the full list on Untappd) and this time we decided to go all out and begin brewing a Black IPA. If you are new to beer and brewing, a black IPA probably sounds wrong and many posts and articles on the internet will tell you it is wrong! But the idea is that you produce an overly … [Read more...] about Brewing a Black IPA

River Dart Country Park

We've just returned from a three night break at the River Dart Country Park Campsite and managed to go outside of the school holidays as the school had Thursday and Friday as inset days. We went in the campervan with two other families who were in a caravan and a tent (6 adults, 6 kids) - each allocated pitch was one of the biggest I've been on. The place was empty on the Thursday and Friday … [Read more...] about River Dart Country Park

Tap A Draft conditioning and serving beer

After attending the Twissup in Burton Upon Trent (2010) I was sent a demonstration of the Tap A Draft Coors Home Draft system (see the post by Andy) and at the time we speculated that this would be great for homebrew if the CO2 canister could be replaced. However, this particular Coors system was designed to be recycled and it is manufactured for single use only. Just before Christmas I started … [Read more...] about Tap A Draft conditioning and serving beer

Adventures in HomeBrew

It all started in 2009 when I was discovering the different styles of beer and exploring micro breweries in my area (Derbyshire, UK) I was invited to Nutbrook Brewery to learn about the process of making beer. These guys were making beer from water, grain and hops (as you do) in their garage and I realised that this was something I wanted to do myself. In 2010 I went with Twissup to visit … [Read more...] about Adventures in HomeBrew

Tracking Android – Mobile Data

For the last few weeks I've been thinking about GPS tracking and the technology available to us to do this cheaper than it used to be. Amazon and Ebay are selling matchbox size devices that take a PAYGO SIM card and when you ring the device, it answers (silently) and you can listen in. When you hang up, the device will send you a text message with it's location. An SOS button on the device will … [Read more...] about Tracking Android – Mobile Data

Touring The South Of France

“Living The Dream” … what an amazing phrase. When I first wanted a campervan the dream was to start touring the South of France, hopping from one site to the next, enjoying the views and the local customs. Getting to a point in life where I could actually afford to live the dream meant growing up, forging a career and saving. Part of growing up often means starting a family and this usually means … [Read more...] about Touring The South Of France

WiFi Security Camera

If you want a little bit of security but don't want a load of holes and wires around the house, consider a WiFi Security Camera. For about £60 Foscam have a range of cameras that simply need a power source (could be a solar battery) and they connect to your home WiFi signal (or a MiFi if using in the field or a repeater if using at the bottom of the garden). This is a quick post showing the … [Read more...] about WiFi Security Camera

Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2013

Sunday saw the 11th Annual Charity Garden Party at Thornbridge Hall and it was the 4th time visiting for us. The first year I concentrated on creating images with my SLR but then I got lazy and now just use my iPhone. Although it's a garden party, the actual hall is open to the public for the day and it's a great opportunity to have a quick peek at the modern restoration. It's … [Read more...] about Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2013

North Devon

Wow, last week turned out to be a pretty good week to get away. A trip to North Devon was on the cards - this time in a group of 15! We got down a day early and stayed at a site where we once had a seasonal pitch, Willingcott Caravan Club Site. I wasn't sure about the weather ... Then we cheated, and moved onto Willowfield Lake Cottages for the week - complete with personal hot tub, … [Read more...] about North Devon

Derby City Bimble #RIPScoop

I'm lucky to live in an area where real ale is in abundance. I'm also lucky that in 2009 I met a Master that has taught me a great load about beer. Sometimes I get invited to all day events that involve learning about beer, drinking beer, meeting people who appreciate good beer and generally having a SMASHING time. Saturday 18th May 2013 was just one of those days and it was all thanks to … [Read more...] about Derby City Bimble #RIPScoop

The Lakes

This Bank Holiday weekend we took the opportunity to jump in the bus and drive North. After 160 miles we landed in the Lake District and pulled up to Windermere Camping And Caravanning Club Site. We took the Quechua Base Seconds XL living area which literally popped up in seconds and then took a few minutes to peg out six guy ropes. The last time I visited the Lake District it was … [Read more...] about The Lakes

iPhone Panoramic from Cornwall

On a recent trip to Cornwall I decided that the only camera I was going to take would be the iPhone. I love the quality of the image from my SLR, but the extra bulk and fact that I would already be carrying my iPhone made me want to see if I could be happy with the results from one device. A cool feature of the iPhone is the inbuilt panoramic function and I tried to capture the atmosphere of … [Read more...] about iPhone Panoramic from Cornwall

LED lighting for the Campervan

In the caravan I fitted LED bulbs in the existing light units. This saves a massive amount of battery power when you are off grid - meaning you can stay away longer before you need to re-charge. Basically one 15 Watt halogen bulb can be replaced with a 3 Watt LED bulb meaning the battery will last 5 times longer on this bulb. The campervan came with halogen bulbs and no way to illuminate the … [Read more...] about LED lighting for the Campervan

Make A Simple Twitter Header With iPad

I was messing about on the iPad last night creating a new avatar for 2013 and wanted to also update my twitter header image. This is what I did: Found seven squared instagram images that related to me or my interests and saved them to the camera roll Added each image to a new iPad album with the name of "." Screen grabbed the album screen using the home button and power button Uploaded the … [Read more...] about Make A Simple Twitter Header With iPad

Real Ale Pubs in Derbyshire

Using the Foursquare list functions I started listing pubs that I found serve good beer in Derbyshire*. The map is embedded below but if you are on a mobile device and are currently searching for pubs to visit in Derbyshire, then have a look at the list directly on the Foursquare App and check in to a few! ... https://foursquare.com/richardmackney/list/real-ale-pubs-in-derbyshire *pub list … [Read more...] about Real Ale Pubs in Derbyshire

Limiting Your Social Media History

A few years ago I decided to run scripts to automatically delete old posts from Facebook and Twitter. If you've landed on this page following a link from one of those accounts, this post from 2012 explains why ... Since the worries about Instagram's (owned by Facebook) new Terms of Service I've been re-thinking about my historic traceability and the data mining that is most certainly being … [Read more...] about Limiting Your Social Media History

Motorhome & Caravan Show 2012

I've only just realised that the name of the show which displays lots of caravans, motorhomes and other general outdoor type things changed it's name slightly at some point. Since 2008 I've been attending and uploading pictures to this blog from The Caravan and Motorhome Show but now it seems to be called The Motorhome and Caravan Show! Is this a sign of the times? I'm not sure if it's because … [Read more...] about Motorhome & Caravan Show 2012

Meet The Bus

Let me introduce "The Bus" - I don't usually name my cars, sometimes we go out in the "Mini" and we used to have the "Honda", but now we have "The Bus". After touring with the caravan for five years we decided to change - mainly due to the painfully slow journeys covering hundreds of miles at 50mph. Taking the Honda and a tent to France this year was a bit of a test to see if the family could … [Read more...] about Meet The Bus

WordPress as a PhotoBlog

Since I posted "Life after Posterous – a search for a new blog tool" in March I have exclusively used WordPress as my PhotoBlog and ScrapBook. I had previously used WordPress and built up knowledge but since moving from Posterous I've been through a pretty steep learning curve. Much of the curve has been to do with the server installation and configuration on Amazon EC2 but I have also … [Read more...] about WordPress as a PhotoBlog

A View From The Saunton Sands Hotel

I'm falling back in love with my SLR. This weekend I packed for a couple of nights in my most favourite place in the World (Saunton Sands in Devon, UK) and it was only a last minute decision to chuck my SLR in the MINI. I thought I'd be happy with just my compact camera and iPhone - but I was wrong, the SLR wins every time. Here are a few RAW shots that I've downloaded onto the iPad and had a … [Read more...] about A View From The Saunton Sands Hotel

Facebook Cover Photo Dimensions

Like most I'll do a Google search when I'm making a new Facebook cover photo to find the dimensions. Most sites will tell you what Facebook themselves tell you, it's 851px x 315px and these have been the dimensions I have used when creating cover photo's for our client pages. However, I recently uploaded a personal photo to my own profile and was surprised to see that within the mobile view on … [Read more...] about Facebook Cover Photo Dimensions

Road Trip around France

A couple of years ago I took our touring caravan across the ferry for a trip around France but due to the fact that towing a caravan from Derby to Poole takes so long (220 miles at 50 miles an hour) we decided to stay only 15 miles from Cherbourg in Normandy. This year we decided to leave the caravan and hop further by having short stops in a tent - It sounds easy, but with two small children to … [Read more...] about Road Trip around France

Willowfield Lake Cottages

If you are looking for a family holiday in North Devon you should consider Willowfield Lake Cottages. Set in Braunton Burrows - a Nature Reserve, with 5 miles of stunning golden sands and surf close by at Saunton and Croyde. The complex has it's own swimming pool, games room and adventure play area as well as some of the cottages having their own private hot tubs! Armed with my SLR and edited … [Read more...] about Willowfield Lake Cottages

New Photography Studio

  Here are a few before and after pictures of the new Mackney Photography Studio in Darley Abbey, Derby. I'm really impressed that my brother Simon and Wendy have done such a fantastic job on an empty un-used space. Simon had the foresight to plan the new studio with multiple areas for shooting, meeting, changing, relaxing and viewing. He's also created a secure office area where the … [Read more...] about New Photography Studio

Should Facebook use your face?

I read that Facebook had settled a lawsuit with five users whose profiles were being used in advertising on the site. The 'sponsored stories' facility allows brands to use your photo's and names if you have 'liked' the product. The problem is that some people don't actually want their likes known to everyone, especially If your face is showing up as liking something like Partypoker and you might … [Read more...] about Should Facebook use your face?

UK Cookie Law

Last year a new privacy law came into effect in the EU that requires website owners to get permission BEFORE they plant web cookies (or any technology for storing information) on a visitors machine. This has MASSIVE implications for not only businesses but for bloggers and personal website owners too as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has the power to slap you with a penalty of up to … [Read more...] about UK Cookie Law

How to get seen as an Author in Google

Google are taking it social and you might wonder why some search results are now showing the author of the result and others are not (this is different to the "Richard Mackney shared this" that you might see if you follow me). In the above example Edgar Cervantes is clearly attributed with writing the post and his Google+ avatar appears under the result. This also applies to YouTube video … [Read more...] about How to get seen as an Author in Google

Life after Posterous – a search for a new blog tool

Twitter has acquired Posterous – hooray! I'm happy for the Posterous team, they made a great product and are now moving onto greater things. Posterous users might rejoice at the thought that Twitter will be enhancing the service, but the recent demise of Gowalla from the Facebook acquisition has left users wondering if Posterous will go the same way. This feeling is reinforced by the … [Read more...] about Life after Posterous – a search for a new blog tool

Crich Stand – The iPad Edit

This morning we drove the 5 miles from our house to Crich Memorial, it was a beautiful crisp morning with blue sky and only a few clouds. The view of Amber Valley from here is amazing, especially if you go to the top of the tower. There was an ice cold wind this morning, so the 360 degrees of exposure meant we couldn't stay up there for long. The tower was built in 1923 to commemorate the 11409 … [Read more...] about Crich Stand – The iPad Edit

UK Caravan Sites

Here are links to the sites we've visited in the last few years, some we've visited more than once and are planning on returning again this year. If you are planning on touring this year, have a browse through the links as they give you a good idea of the quality of the site. View Caravan sites we've visited in a larger map   Carsington MAY 2008 Hawthorn Farm MAY 2008 … [Read more...] about UK Caravan Sites

Painting Layer Masks on iPad

I love using layer masks in Photoshop, it's probably one of the most used features when I'm editing photos. When I started looking at iPad photo editing appsI wanted layer masks to feature. Here are a few screenshots of the apps I'm now using. The above image is from an iPad app called Fotolr Photo Studio Pro HD (£1.99) - it seems to be mainly for touching up faces, but I found it could be used … [Read more...] about Painting Layer Masks on iPad

Photo editing with iPad

Here are a few photo's I took today with my SLR and imported onto the iPad for editing. I mainly used Snapseed and an app called Finishing Touch to remove the number plate. At the moment I'm not sure if the RAW file was used or the JPEG version. I think I need to find a decent RAW importer for the iPad. I have no idea how this is going to look on a large screen, but it is still the original … [Read more...] about Photo editing with iPad

The New Three MiFi (Huawei E586)

Well I didn't think they could improve on the older (second generation) Three MiFi, but I was wrong! This Huawei E586looks like sex on a stick! don't you think? ;) It now comes with a nice little cradle for docking the MiFi and is much faster as it uses HSPA+ Quoted speeds: Maximum Download Speed: Up to 21.6 Mbps Maximum Upload Speed: Up to 5.76 Mbps The PAY AS YOU GO price … [Read more...] about The New Three MiFi (Huawei E586)

I Do Web Sites

When I meet people for the first time they ask "What do you do" and sometimes I sort of forget. I think it's because I've become a Jack of all trades, but I can't just say this can I? My twitter bio doesn't mention my day job, I've always used twitter on a personal level rather than for business. My first twitter account was @mackney in July 2008 which I handed to my Brother 10 months later. My … [Read more...] about I Do Web Sites

VLOMO11 Video Blogging month

It's November and that means it's Video Blogging Month. The idea is to post one video for each day in November and a fair number of vloggers from around the World take part. There aren't really any rules, it can be a video that wasn't necessarily shot on that day as long as it is the first time it's been uploaded to the internet. It certainly gets you thinking about what to post each day and the … [Read more...] about VLOMO11 Video Blogging month

Profile Snapshots – Nov 2011

In May I posted some profile snapshots and the idea was to create a range of profile snapshots when things change. I've changed my custom Posterous theme and profile skins again and this time I've gone for minimal white. I see many online identities constantly evolving and I love looking back at old profile screen-grabs to see how things have moved on. In May we didn't have Google Plus, but we … [Read more...] about Profile Snapshots – Nov 2011

The Really NOT Very Mobile Solar Project

The caravan has been put away for the winter so I decided to try and use my 50W solar panel for something at home. First thoughts were based around a test project to see if a 50W panel could be used to keep all my tech charged during winter in the UK. But then my thoughts turned to my current electricity usage and I started thinking what would be the best use of the Sun's power on a daily … [Read more...] about The Really NOT Very Mobile Solar Project

Baavet – because you’re worth it

We sleep half our lives. We need a good night of sleep to function efficiently. With this in mind, surely we should be ensuring we have the right equipment to allow us to maximise our time asleep? We spend a lot of money on the things we use during the day and now it's time to start 'investing' in a good night's sleep. So here is a video I shot on the iPhone today showing the 'Sleep Technology' … [Read more...] about Baavet – because you’re worth it

Motorhome & Caravan Show 2011

The show this year is running from today until Sunday (11-16 Oct) at the NEC Birmingham. We went on our annual pilgrimage today and as usual, here are a few shots taken and uploaded direct from the iPhone. The show is THE place to go to see the full range of caravans and motorhomes available in the UK and gives you a chance to look inside at all the layout and design options. Technology also … [Read more...] about Motorhome & Caravan Show 2011

What’s In Your Bag?

Here's a quick 'What's In Your Bag?' update. As usuall check out the photo on flickr to view the notes over each item (and of course the popular flickr group). A few things have changed recently, mainly that I've decided to carry a compact travel camera (a 40th present) with GPS for logging locations for my Google Earth Panoramio account and that means extra power and chargers required. … [Read more...] about What’s In Your Bag?

Fishy QR Codes

After seeing a post by Terence Eden I was inspired to test out the areas of a QR code that could be blanked off and still work. I moved a white box around on screen while scanning a QR code with the RedLaser iPhone app and was surprised to see the amount of error correction present in the code. So I created a couple versions of a code with a simple link to Fish Media to test if they still … [Read more...] about Fishy QR Codes

Design a Beer – Brewday

Two years ago I went to Nutbrook Brewery in West Hallam, Derbyshire and recorded a series of videos on my iPhone documenting the process of making beer. I was told about a special 'Brewing Experience' where you can design your own beer using the brewery's bespoke software. I was lucky enough to have been given this as a gift for my 40th Birthday and this weekend I spent a day at their one … [Read more...] about Design a Beer – Brewday

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10

It was my Birthday a couple of days ago and a I received a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10. I'm really pleased. Having the iPhone everywhere I go is obviously very handy when I need to take a shot and share it. I take my DSLR with me when I'm going to a special event or when I'm wanting to capture really high quality images. But I wanted a compact travel camera with GPS for when I'm traveling … [Read more...] about Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10

INOV8 12v Battery Charger

In the quest to run everything from 12v I needed the ability to recharge my camera batteries as well as other general purpose AA batteries. I found this product called INOV8 Universal li-ion Battery Charger on play.com for £11.99 delivered. It comes with a 12v car adapter and can be used to charge any lithium-ion battery including 3.6V,3.7V,7.2V & 7.4V and also AA/AAA & NICD/NIMH. It's … [Read more...] about INOV8 12v Battery Charger

Twin USB and Twin 12v Adapter

This is a car twin 12v cigarette lighter power adapter supplied by Cables and Leads from Derby. When I'm away in the caravan I struggle with the limited 12v power sockets. This device will provide two USB sockets at 500mA and two further 12v cigarette lighter sockets which can be used with extra 12v to 5v USB converters such as the Powertraveller Motormonkey I'm considering hard-wiring this … [Read more...] about Twin USB and Twin 12v Adapter

Powermonkey eXtreme – Mobile Power Review

When I first saw the Powermonkey eXtreme listed in the 'coming soon' section of the Powertraveller website I got a little excited. I had previously seen they had a larger battery called the Startmonkey200 and thought this could be a backup power consideration for campers but I somehow thought they must be developing a dedicated mobile high power solution; they were. The Powermonkey eXtreme is a … [Read more...] about Powermonkey eXtreme – Mobile Power Review

Indicknowle Farm Cider

This is Geoff. He makes cider with equipment that is over 200 years old! The West family have been making cider using the same methods since the 1870's. He wanted me to try most of the different types he makes, there are four types of dry cider alone! Four pints of his 7-8% cider is only seven pounds of your English money. It's delicious! Indicknowle Farm Long Lane Combe … [Read more...] about Indicknowle Farm Cider

I made the Posterous Inspiration Center

So, YAY! I made the Posterous Inspiration Center ... does this mean my site is 'Inspirational' ... No? ... didn't think so. Anyway, here is the guff ...   Richard Mackney "I'm an early adopter and I've been helping people and sharing information online for well over a decade. My site is a photoblog and digital scrapbook documenting and sharing things that I find interesting. I post … [Read more...] about I made the Posterous Inspiration Center

Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2011

Today we went the the Thornbridge Hall Garden Party. Emma and Jim (I don't know them, but I pretend I do) really know how to throw a charity event! The grounds were full of children's activities from pony rides to archery and for the adults there was live music, a craft fair and lashings and lashings of beer from the Thornbridge brewery. I thought it was great last year, but this year it … [Read more...] about Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2011

How I Increased my Klout

Like many of the early adopters I follow on twitter I have had my Klout profile setup for quite a while but with so many new services popping up it’s very tricky to know which ones deserve time and which ones have the commitment to development to stick in the online social World. YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter all have made the grade and stuck. Each have their own area of … [Read more...] about How I Increased my Klout

My Artwork on Canvas

One of my friends asked me if they could get one of my images (Saunton Beach Hut Extreme) on a canvas wrap for their living room wall. It was the first time I've enlarged any of my digital work and to be honest was interested to see the final quality of the picture. I prepared the digital file and made a few adjustments to the layers as my friend wanted a slightly less looming sky. Here is the … [Read more...] about My Artwork on Canvas

Off-Grid Power Research

Once again I'm investigating ways of generating electricity off-grid (not necessarily green power). Part of the emphasis will be on mobility, this doesn't mean it will fit in my pocket, but certainly could be used for living in a caravan, boat, tent or nuclear bunker ;) The main point is to create electricity from a generator - how you power the generator is what I'm investigating. I'll update … [Read more...] about Off-Grid Power Research

Owning a Holiday Home at Ruda, Croyde

In all the years we have been coming to Ruda Holiday Park in Croyde Bay, North Devon we have dreamed of owning a holiday home here. Whenever we've asked about it we've been met with the response 'no chance' - this is because the park has a very low number of owner plots and they 'never' become available because it is such a popular holiday destination. A few years ago we purchased a touring … [Read more...] about Owning a Holiday Home at Ruda, Croyde

Profile Snapshots – May 2011

I'm always changing the themes on my profiles, it's evolving as my tastes or targets change. I'm going to start capturing them for reference - sometimes it's good to revert to an old theme. I'm currently in the 'Eating My iPhone' phase, and this is echoed on the platforms that allow background images. Not every platform allows you to customise the theme (Google Profiles, Flickr) but you can still … [Read more...] about Profile Snapshots – May 2011

On Tour with Social Hiking

Recently I've had a few conversations with Phil Sorrell (@DaylightGambler) about his geo-blogging site called Social Hiking (in alpha) and we've been discussing ways in which it could be used outside of hiking and for geo-event-blogging type of shizzle (see my post on The Social Media Portal). He's amazingly pro-active and has already added extra geo-tagging services like Gowalla. I think it's … [Read more...] about On Tour with Social Hiking

World’s First Personal Brewery

This is what happens when you combine the five thousand year old process of making beer with technology! The WilliamsWarn is an all-in-one brewing machine capable of creating commercial-quality beer in as little as seven days I don't know about the taste, but it certainly looks good! I'd even consider moving my Classic Mini Cooper out of the garage to make room for it ;) After … [Read more...] about World’s First Personal Brewery

Backstage Pass tour at Derby Museums

Today I was invited to an event called #glamderby (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) - it was a backstage tour of Derby Museums aimed at sharing the expertise of cultural institutions with Wikipedia editors. As I am neither a cultural institution or a Wikipedia editor, I was there to help photoblog and amplify the events of the day. If you follow me on twitter, you may of been annoyed … [Read more...] about Backstage Pass tour at Derby Museums

Social Media Portal

It seems that when you move in the circles of early adopters one thing comes across very clearly "early adoption is not early enough" and by this I mean that we all seem to want the next step and go to great lengths to try and facilitate it. This is good, it pushes boundaries and gives others the ideas to push their own products that ultimately lead to mass adoption of that product. It also means … [Read more...] about Social Media Portal

Geotagging with Panoramio and Google Latitude

I like geotagging my photos and the iPhone does this with ease. But sometimes I want to use my DSLR which doesn't have a GPS device built in and it can be a pain when I am adding my DSLR photos to Panoramio as I have to try and remember my location when I took the photo. Enter Google Latitude, which I already run in the background on my iPhone to let me friends stalk me. I noticed that there was … [Read more...] about Geotagging with Panoramio and Google Latitude

How I Use Dropbox

I've realised that some of the video's I uploaded for VLOMO10 Video Blogging month might of actually contained some useful information! So I thought I'd pull a few of them out into their own posts. The two videos below mention how I use Dropbox. VLOMO10 Day 6: How I Use Dropbox ... VLOMO10 Day 8: Remote Working ... Related: Add Twitter to Posterous using Dropbox … [Read more...] about How I Use Dropbox

How to backup flickr

It's a sad reality that in recent times there has been talk about the stability of some online social services. Since Delicious determined that there is not a strategic fit at Yahoo! many flickr members are starting to think that this service may go the same way. I don't think flickr is going anywhere anytime soon, especially as it's a paid for service. However, it's always important to have an … [Read more...] about How to backup flickr

Add Twitter to Posterous using Dropbox

(Update September 2012: Twitter have A New Twitter Widget that has blocked the ability to have a widget on Dropbox!) One of the current issues with Posterous is the lack of support for JavaScript. One way to add widgets to your site is to host the JavaScript on another site and display it on Posterous using an iframe. Some people don't have the web space to host widgets, but not everyone … [Read more...] about Add Twitter to Posterous using Dropbox

How to publish your RSS feed to twitter

Sometimes I'll motor along and grab the latest online tools available to solve problems. It's easy to forget that not everyone has their head stuck inside the arse end of the Internet and could use a nod or wink in the right direction when trying to solve their own problems. So here is a quick review on how I automatically publish blog content to a twitter account. Before you start moaning about … [Read more...] about How to publish your RSS feed to twitter

My Essential Stout Selection

Treat someone with a special Beer this Christmas, here is my Essential Stout Selection (in no particular order): BrewDog Paradox Smokehead 10% (Fraserburgh, Scotland) Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout 7% (Tadcaster, England) Marble Brewery Chocolate Marble 5.5% (Manchester, England) Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 10.6% (Brooklyn, New York, USA) Spire Brewery SGT. Pepper Stout 5.5% … [Read more...] about My Essential Stout Selection

The Freebees Challenge

Last week I got one of those calls from Christian Payne, you know the ones where he tells you something really really interesting (and often hush hush) and then asks if there is anything you could do to help out ... no? - must just be me then ;) Anyways, it turned out he had agreed to travel from Lands End to John O'Groats - but get this, he has to do it with no money for travel, food, water … [Read more...] about The Freebees Challenge

VLOMO10 Video Blogging month

I've decided to take part in National Videoblogging Posting Month 2010 (#VLOMO10) but don't worry I won't subject you to thirty idividual Posterous posts of me rambling away, I'll just keep updating this post with the latest video and thumbnail links for the rest. Click to view the VLOMO10 Playlist: The idea is: One video per day, every day in November. Any length, any subject, … [Read more...] about VLOMO10 Video Blogging month

Experiencing Rochefort 10

Rochefort Trappist Brewery have been making beer since 1595. Tonight I've had a chance to try their Rochefort 10 (blue cap) for the first time in my life. The house is deadly silent apart from the rain against the window, and the first slow sip of this dark thick foamy ale instantly conjures thoughts of the 15 Trappist monks appreciating their creation in silence. I think this ale was designed … [Read more...] about Experiencing Rochefort 10

Caravan & Motorhome Show 2010

This post will update throughout the day with live images :) As usual, it was an amazing show. This year it even had a CAMRA Ale bar! I took the opportunity to sample a few ales as I was not driving and also try out a couple of electric bikes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBDux-dApfw   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJjRwChFEWE     You might also like … [Read more...] about Caravan & Motorhome Show 2010

Experiencing Pauwel Kwak

Pauwel Kwak isn't an actual style of beer but it holds a special place in my heart as the first continental ale I experienced. I purchased the signature Kwak glass in Paris in 1992 as a present for my Dad and couldn't resist trying my first bottle of Kwak at the time. Strong (8.4%), sweet, malty, boozy distinctive amber Belgian ale - when I smell it now, it instantly brings back memories of … [Read more...] about Experiencing Pauwel Kwak

Experiencing Saison Dupont

For the next instalment of my 'Experiencing Beer' series - tonight I tried the Saison style of beer for the first time. Saison was the name given to beers brewed in farmhouses from the French speaking region of Belgium. They were light and low in alcohol and perfect for the farmers to drink during a hard days harvesting. Modern Saisons are generally over 5% abv and this Saison Dupont from The … [Read more...] about Experiencing Saison Dupont

Pushing the brand

Today was a thought provoking day, Christian Payne (aka @Documentally) paid a visit to the Fish Media office and I got the opportunity to show him around the Mackney Photography Studio before we grabbed a bite to eat at one of the local ale establishments. We all had so much to talk about and it seemed as if we were talking at a hundred miles an hour to fit the conversations into the schedule. … [Read more...] about Pushing the brand

My Essential Travel Tech

My essential travel tech gets lighter each year, mainly because tech gets upgraded, gets smaller and some gadgets have enough multi-functions to replace other separate items. Power has always been the key and each time I've replaced an item I've tried to ensure that it can be charged from either USB or AA batteries to reduce what needs to be carried When traveling I once thought that I needed the … [Read more...] about My Essential Travel Tech

6.5W Folding Solar charger MMP4

This week I've been testing a portable folding solar panel. It's called the "6.5W Folding Solar charger MMP4" it costs £110 and was provided on loan from @Select_Solar I'm trying to find a lightweight panel that can easily be carried and would provide a decent enough current to charge the Kensington USB battery (http://j.mp/df3uGI)This panel actually outputs 12 volts and the operating current is … [Read more...] about 6.5W Folding Solar charger MMP4

Touring Caravan Energy Systems

If you grew up in the UK then a fairly high percentage of you will of been away in a caravan. I spent many a happy six week school holiday with my brother and sister totally off grid with only foot pumps for water and a gas bottle for light and heat. Things have got a little bit easier these days and the whole energy system built into caravans gets more sophisticated each year. Our current … [Read more...] about Touring Caravan Energy Systems

Experiencing Trappist Tripel

Once you start learning about beer - different brewing styles, regions, hops malts and everything in-between there start to appear recommended or well regarded breweries and brews that stand out above the rest. Trappist beer is brewed by Trappist Monks and is among some of the most famous styles available. This is my first Westmalle Tripel (9.5%) which is said to be the founding beer of the … [Read more...] about Experiencing Trappist Tripel

The Derby #Twissup

Here are a few pics from the Derby #Twissup that I took part in yesterday. The itinerary and list of pubs can be found on the Tweetvite page ... http://twvt.us/twissup It started at 10am and finished after 11pm, we traveled by public transport for the whole day and I had a great time with a great bunch of beer appreciators or #Twissartists. The #Twissup … [Read more...] about The Derby #Twissup

iPhone 4 Glass Replacement (Rear)

I thought I'd post an update following my entry "Warning: Smashed iPhone 4" last week. I took a gamble and ordered a replacement glass panel from eBay at £8.99 delivered. The listing said that it did not contain the frame or lens, and I assumed I would be able to transfer these bits. Well you know what they say about assumptions ... As you can see in the pics above, the frame, camera … [Read more...] about iPhone 4 Glass Replacement (Rear)

Three MiFi Mobile WiFi

I've had my eye on a Three Mobile WiFi unit for a while, I managed to blag  one of the original Three units from @Documentally which used my USB dongle but wasn't battery powered. @ThreeMobileBuzz contacted me via twitter and asked if I would like to trial the new unit - luckily I was destined for two weeks in the caravan, so a perfect opportunity presented itself.The unpacking in the pic above … [Read more...] about Three MiFi Mobile WiFi

His Masters Choice (of beer)

This is what you get when you ask a professional beermonger (It's like a fishmonger, but with beer) to educate your taste buds. I asked Simon Johnson (@reluctantscoop) if he would do the honours and pick out a range of international beers that he felt would be a good selection of tasty beers that I may not of had before. The above picture shows the result in all their glory. This is Simon … [Read more...] about His Masters Choice (of beer)

Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2010

Yesterday I took the family to the Thornbridge Hall Charity Garden Party in Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire. Now, some reading this (does anyone read this?) may be thinking that this was in fact a selfish act, as we all know Thornbridge also have a superb brewery ... well, I didn’t have a drop of beer .... actually, that’s a massive lie, but the family did have a lot of fun and plenty of money … [Read more...] about Thornbridge Hall Garden Party 2010

ALL BEER EXPERIENCE

This is the All Beer Experience pack that I got for Fathers day. What a great gift for anyone wanting to learn about the different styles and flavours of beer. You get a glass, some malt sachets and a nice thick spiral bound book detailing everything you need to know about beer! It's very cool. It currently costs £19.95 plus £3.95 postage, but you can grab a £4 discount if you use the code … [Read more...] about ALL BEER EXPERIENCE

Home pulled English beer

I suppose you could call this 'Home Draft' and it's not to be confused with the recent launch of the Molson Coors Home Draft system. This is THE WAY to enjoy 32 pints of beer with your mates, at home using a traditional hand pump. If you are lucky enough to live near a microbrewery and are having a party or BBQ, then maybe you should think about giving them a ring, having a sample of their beers … [Read more...] about Home pulled English beer

My Twist on #Twissup – Brewing in Burton Upon Trent

These are my thoughts on the recent #Twissup in Burton Upon Trent. This was an event arranged through twitter and was organised in the main by three people; Andy Mogg, Mark Dredge and Kristy McCready. #Twissup followed on from #Beerswap, another initiative arrange by the gruesome twosome Andy Mogg and Mark Dredge and as I was involved in the first #beerswap I was interested in attending … [Read more...] about My Twist on #Twissup – Brewing in Burton Upon Trent

Baavet Natural Wool Duvets

  In my day to day role at Fish MediaI do 'stuff' that I am proud of but mostly can’t be talked about or linked to for one or another large corporate reason, so when I noticed a tweet requesting some design help with a great new project one evening, I thought I could help and maybe even shout about it for a change. I’ve always used the little knowledge I have to help people. I like helping … [Read more...] about Baavet Natural Wool Duvets

Twissup

Today (May 15th 2010) is #twissup You can read all about #twissup here Here is a list of handy URL's to get me through the day: http://twitter.com/twissup - The official twitter account http://twitter.com/Twissup/twissup-burton-upon-trent - The twitter attendance list http://gowalla.com/trips/6178 - Gowalla trip bit.ly/twissup - A Google map of the points View #Twissup in a … [Read more...] about Twissup

Wizard Ales Brewery

A couple of years ago a bottle of beer caught my eye in a specialist drink shop in Braunton, Devon. It was called 'Druids Fluid' and was produced by a local brewery called Wizard Ales based in Ilfracombe. I purchased a bottle, took it back to the campsite and predictably sent a picture of it to Twitter. When returning to the area in April this year I was pleasantly suprised to see a couple of … [Read more...] about Wizard Ales Brewery

Touring Caravan Freeview Reception

Not far from where I live, a company in Nottingham called Grade UK have been making antennas for caravans, motor homes and boats since the early 80's at one time it seemed that their Omni-Directional antenna (flying saucer) could be seen on all UK caravans.   With the advent of Freeview, Omni-Directional antennas just haven't had enough power to get a good digital lock in weak areas, so … [Read more...] about Touring Caravan Freeview Reception

Energizer Rechargeable Solar Flip

    As mentioned in the video above, this is an AA or AAA battery charger from Energizer. It comes with an AC adaptor but also a solar panel to recharge your batteries. The pack also includes 2 x 2000mAh rechargeable Energizer batteries and feels quite solid with a rubberised finish. It claims to be weather resistant, so the solar panel can be left outside on a table … [Read more...] about Energizer Rechargeable Solar Flip

Good Bottled Beer shops in Derbyshire

One of these lucky retailers will be getting my custom this weekend so that I can stock up on some lovely ale for Christmas day. I've always been on the hunt for bottled beer shops and aim to update this post whenever new shops appear. The map below shows the locations using the Foursquare app which should make it easy for you to find good bottled beer shops in Derbyshire when you are out and … [Read more...] about Good Bottled Beer shops in Derbyshire

Innis and Gunn IPA Perfect Pour

Slight change of format tonight ... a bit of a vlog. Don’t worry it’s not going to happen very often, at the moment I prefer photo’s, text and a bit of video when it’s required to capture something not involving me. It was quite nice however, to set up the iPhone 3GS on a tripod, hit record, talk, hit stop and send to YouTube direct from the phone without much fuss. Anyway, onto the subject … [Read more...] about Innis and Gunn IPA Perfect Pour

Jaipur India Pale Ale

This evening my wife was nipping across the road to our hyperlocal Tesco Express and asked if I wanted any beer - "Of course" was my cry, "what have they got on at the moment?" What came next still makes me chuckle - "Mad Goose, Old Intentional, Harvester Pale and a beer from India called Jaipur" Surely she must know by now that our Tesco is stocking 'local' beer and that the beer 'from … [Read more...] about Jaipur India Pale Ale

Photography for BrawnGP F1 Winners

I've written a blog post for the PhotoBlog on Mackney Photographyand just wanted mention and link to it here ... As you may know I work with the Formula One Champions Brawn GP through my Derby based web design and development company Fish Media producing their eNews that gets sent out to a rather large database of fans. You may also know, I work with my Brother Simon Mackney and his photography … [Read more...] about Photography for BrawnGP F1 Winners

Freshcase saves on back pain

Well that's it, both the Freshcases empty and recycled! If you haven't heard of freshcase then let me enlighten you ... Freshcase is a new system for packaging wine and keeping it fresh for up to six weeks after opening. The bag in a box system uses a specially designed tap to ensure air is not sucked back into the bag when pouring. The freshcase for red wine, stands upright and it's … [Read more...] about Freshcase saves on back pain

Punkdog Label Designer

Head on over to http://www.punkdog.com/label-designer and have a go at creating your own customised beer label and order a few bottles ... Great as a gift, for a party or for Christmas! You can order as little as a 6 pack for £18.99. The online interface is quite nice, allowing you to name the beer and upload an image. Now who wouldn't want to drink from a bottle with my face on? ..... … [Read more...] about Punkdog Label Designer

BeerSwap – Buy, Send, Drink then Blog

OK, so you may of picked up on the fact that I'm involved in a little thing called BeerSwap. It's one of the reasons for researching local Microbrewery beers for the past few months (honestly, it's all in the name of blogging and not about drinking beer) and today the list was published showing all the blogger/tweeters involved in the swap. I'm quite surprised at the size of the list and how … [Read more...] about BeerSwap – Buy, Send, Drink then Blog

Brewing Beer at Nutbrook Brewery

Once upon a time I bought a selection of local beers and made some Stout Cakes with a stout called 'Midnight' by Nutbrook Brewery. As per the usual, I blogged about it and took a couple of snaps. The guys at Nutbrook Brewery in West Hallam, Derbyshire got in touch to say that they loved the blog post and asked if I would like to come down for the day and watch the brewing process ... well, … [Read more...] about Brewing Beer at Nutbrook Brewery

Mission to sample local Breweries

The map you see before you is my one man mission to sample local brewery beer ... Click on a icon to see the brewery details. View Breweries near me in Amber Valley in a larger map Amber Ales Amber Ales Ltd PO Box 7277 Ripley Derbyshire DE5 4AP UK Leadmill Brewery Ltd Leadmill Brewery Ltd Unit 1 Park Hall Farm Park Hall Road Denby Ripley DE5 8PX … [Read more...] about Mission to sample local Breweries

Caravan & Motorhome Show 2009

As you may of noticed from a few live uploads earlier, we went to the Caravan and Motorhome Show at the NEC today. Here are a load of iPhone snaps of the kit on show ... the most expensive motorhome we saw today was £187k ... Crazy machines! You might also like ... Motorhome & Caravan Show 2012 Motorhome & Caravan Show 2011 Caravan & Motorhome Show 2010 Caravan … [Read more...] about Caravan & Motorhome Show 2009

Things you should setup on Posterous

Most users of Posterous will have already optimised the tools and settings provided and performed all of the usual tasks when setting up a new Posterous ... If you haven't then here is my list of things that I need to remember when setting up a new Posterous ... Decide if you would like http://yourname.posterous.com or a custom domain name http://yourname.com and set-up the A record. Add … [Read more...] about Things you should setup on Posterous

Roaming into France

Bonsoir ... I'm in France and wanted to jot down a few of my experiences with roaming data and costs. As we sailed out on the ferry leaving Poole Harbour, the first thing I noticed was how far the O2 signal stretched. It seemed I could still twitpic at no extra cost (on the iPhone data bolt on) quite a long way away from land. The second thing worth noting was that when the signal did die, … [Read more...] about Roaming into France

Self powered WiFi webcam

(As this is an old post from 2009, please note that I now use £60 WiFi security cameras with solar batteries and a MiFi) I like the idea of IP based webcams that can exist without being connected to a PC, but they are still fairly expensive. I've always thought that it must be fairly simple to use an old mobile phone and create a remote webcam using it's inbuilt camera. Hopefully you would be … [Read more...] about Self powered WiFi webcam

The Kit Co at The Gadget Show

Tickets for The Gadget Show Live SOLD OUT! It started today and is on the 17th, 18th and 19th April at The NEC in Birmingham. I went with an Exhibitor's pass provided by www.thekitco.co.uk and discussed their ultra modern kitchen design. I spoke to Liz Scott from TheKitCo and she explains some of the kit ... listen to ‘Thekitco.co.uk’ on Audioboo … [Read more...] about The Kit Co at The Gadget Show

Stout Cakes

Yesterday I bought a selection of local beers, one of them was called Midnight by Nutbrook brewery, West Hallam, Derbyshire. This evening I made Stout Cakes with my son. The Stout was so good, I almost regretted using half of it in the cake ... This is what 'I used' and how 'I did it' (follow at your own risk ;) ... Stout Cakes Recipe A good Stout 250ml Margarine 250g Cocoa … [Read more...] about Stout Cakes

BEER from BEERmerchants.com

Today I had a package of BEER delivered by BEERmerchants.com. We filmed the opening! and here is the raw unedited 720p - straight from SD card footage. (Sorry for the out of focus camera work, the auto focus is just tooooo slow on this HITACHI DZ-HV564E when using the 5x Optical zoom!) This pack was selected and arranged by @beermerchants on twitter - THANK YOU. As I open each bottle I will … [Read more...] about BEER from BEERmerchants.com

Photoblog, Moblog, Microblog, Vlog …

I thought I would make a blog post about my experiences with the different types of blogging. So much has developed over 2008 for me and more and more great free online tools are available and getting better. It used to be that when I wanted to send a mobile pic or a message to my mates I'd use email with GSM data on my mobile phone. The ability to take a photo and send it to multiple … [Read more...] about Photoblog, Moblog, Microblog, Vlog …

Toshiba NB100 Netbook

OK, so this is my first blog post written on a Toshiba NB100 netbook Firstly the specs: Toshiba NB100 Netbook 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 1GB RAM 8.9" WSVGA 1,024x600 screen 120GB 5,400RPM SATA hard drive Win XP Three USB ports SD card reader Front Headphone and microphone jacks Webcam VGA out (on rear) 10/100Mbit ethernet 802.11g WiFi Bluetooth Claimed battery life of just under … [Read more...] about Toshiba NB100 Netbook

Twitter Taste Live

(foreword: this blog post will update throughout the day, so please refresh for the latest post) I'm quite excited! ... it's nearly 2pm and I'm looking forward to a live UK wine tasting event that I am taking part in - the interesting fact is that it is being done via social media, mainly twitter 12seconds and twitpic! The wines arrived on Monday and the online tasting is to be held in … [Read more...] about Twitter Taste Live

Rover Mini Cooper Racing (RC Mini)

I've got a load of big boy's toys that I'm just dying to share with my kids - this one is a radio Controlled Mini Cooper replica of my real full size Mini that I built with Jane's brother on Christmas day 2001 (wow, 7 years ago!) It is a Rover Mini Cooper Racing Model 58211 - M03. There wasn't enough space to go anywhere near full speed, plus I don't have the skills to control it properly! but … [Read more...] about Rover Mini Cooper Racing (RC Mini)

Chicken Tikka Masala in Slow Cooker

I got a slow cooker recently after seeing and tasting it's benefits at a friends and have since made a few dishes, but the time came last night to invite Nige and Alison over to return the favour. I think the slow cooker is ideal for a curry, the flavours are totally marinaded over a long time and the slow cooking of meat just makes it melt in the mouth. Using a slow cooker is also great if you … [Read more...] about Chicken Tikka Masala in Slow Cooker

Touring Caravan Kit

So at the start of 2009 I've been thinking about last year and the touring Caravan we bought in March 2008. We have been thinking about where we might go in 2009 and what extra kit we might need. When I first got 'the van' I was totally unprepared for the onslaught of kit required and also surprised at what kit does not come standard when shelling out for a van. For example you wouldn't dream … [Read more...] about Touring Caravan Kit

HV564E HD SD Video Camera

For years I've been using my Canon IXUS to take short video onto SD card at 640x480 resolution and fairly recently got a camera add-on for my Sony PSP that captures at 480x272 in more of a widescreen format, but for a while I've been thinking that we should really have a proper camcorder to capture the kids as they grow up. The problem is, I've always been into quality photography rather than … [Read more...] about HV564E HD SD Video Camera

Solar Power Trickle Charger for £30

So here is an idea I had to get cheapish solar power via a trickle charger. I bought a portable Jump starter from Maplin for £19.99 and a 12V 1.5W solar panel for only £9.99 to keep it topped up with power. Total cost £29.98! I removed the tyre air compressor from the back and replaced it with a perspex plate and removed the jump leads. The Starter has a 12volt 17Ah/20HR battery as can be … [Read more...] about Solar Power Trickle Charger for £30

Shared Hosting and SAN Servers

Re-seller hosting account: Once upon a time in early 2001, I signed up with Fasthosts and offered website hosting as a re-seller on a shared server with hundreds of other websites. The sites were managed only via a control panel. Dedicated Servers: The time came to move on from re-selling and a partnership was formed with another young Derby company to purchase our own 1U servers and … [Read more...] about Shared Hosting and SAN Servers

Yahoo PIPES

Yahoo Pipes is pretty amazing stuff and great for a visual person such as myself! ... Great for use with Flickr RSS feeds or with the Flickr API if you know a bit more about what you are doing! Basically I have used it to pull all my social media RSS feeds into one mashed up feed. Nothing new but this stuff is much more powerful than the basics I have worked with. Browse the Pipes directory for … [Read more...] about Yahoo PIPES

3G/4G WiFi Mobile Internet Bridge Router

The concept: Use four 3G USB pens from different mobile internet providers, plug them into a Belkin wireless hub, power it all with a Solar charged PowerMonkey and bridge all connections to get the best speed from all four networks while in a mobile location .... I made this image to demonstrate the concept ...   This would enable a multiple mobile 3G access point for laptops or … [Read more...] about 3G/4G WiFi Mobile Internet Bridge Router

The Mobile Internet

There is a lot of noise at the moment about netbooks and netbooks with built in 3G. A lot of mobile phone providers are giving away netbooks with bundles of mobile phones or mobile internet USB dongles It's all looking good and things are moving ahead quite fast at the moment in the world of mobile internet. The problem I am finding is the misuse of advertising in terms of data speeds from the … [Read more...] about The Mobile Internet

Caravan & Motorhome Show 2008

People on my facebook account have asked what the hell was going on at the weekend with all the live postings of caravans and motorhomes! ... well, we went to the NEC in Birmingham for the Caravan & Motorhome Show - it was pretty good with a lot of nice new stuff for the kids to jump around and 'clamber' over. It's also a good chance to catch up on new mobile technology ... which let's face … [Read more...] about Caravan & Motorhome Show 2008

Hillhead Holiday Park Caravan Club Site

We had Hillhead Caravan Site pre-booked for months and was really looking forward to spending two weeks there – I’m glad to say we were not disappointed! After the 250mile trip we arrived at the site and found the entry layout to be very clearly marked with two lanes for arrivals and one lane for site traffic, all with key code barriers. The reception was extremely helpful and we mentioned we … [Read more...] about Hillhead Holiday Park Caravan Club Site

Hawthorn Farm Caravan Club Site

We had a week here in May 2008 and I really liked the site. Initial booking and reception was very friendly. Pitches are half hard standing and half grass - we selected grass. We had two options for Water, waste and bins from our pitch. The wardens were driving around regularly in their tractor and very friendly . I got the impression they are very strict and enforce all the rules (as they … [Read more...] about Hawthorn Farm Caravan Club Site

Blackwall Plantation Caravan Club Site

First impression of the site was how nice it was to be surrounded by pine trees. Most of the site is hard standing, but we wanted grass - it was roasting hot and it seemed no-one else wanted grass! we got a great spot in front of the under 5 play area - not so great if you don't have kids and don’t like to hear then playing! – We could sit outside the van and watch them. We did not need levelling … [Read more...] about Blackwall Plantation Caravan Club Site

My Second Life

Pictures of my avatar in Second Life. Sadly, I haven't been 'in world' since the end of 2007 - maybe about the time my Flickr addiction took over! Anyway, I thought it would be good to document the stage of my avatar in 2007. I created skins and clothing in Photoshop using downloaded templates and applied them as skins in Second Life. The wings were bought from a shop in Second Life from a guy … [Read more...] about My Second Life

The Italian Job scalextric

The Italian Job (remake) was on TV again the other day, what a great film. Not as good as the original of course but being a 'classic' Mini and a 'new' Mini owner/fan I can appreciate the need for progress! Anyway, It made me remember my Italian Job Scalextric models in the loft - I got them down and placed them in the display cabinet with the other classic Corgi mini's (shock, … [Read more...] about The Italian Job scalextric

British Classic Mini Cooper

A short film about a man and his Mini. Richard Mackney talks about his pride and joy and takes it for a short ride in the Derbyshire countryside in Britain. Filmed in 2001. I had a full restoration with new body panel and re-spray and cleaned and painted the engine bay and fitted various extras. The specification over and above the usual Copper 1.3i spec is: Dunlop SP Sport 290's … [Read more...] about British Classic Mini Cooper

The Barcelona Pavilion Chair

Having just returned from 2 weeks in the Costa Brava, I'm slightly miffed that we didn't drive to Barcelona. There was no way we would be able to walk around a city in 40 degree heat, we needed to stay by the pool and the sea! One of the main reasons I wanted to re-visit Barcelona was to go to the (re-built) German National Pavilion originally built for the 1929 Barcelona International … [Read more...] about The Barcelona Pavilion Chair

Hard Grit – Rock Climbing

I was just thinking about the time when a friend Mark Turnbull and I climbed a route in Milford in 1989 and we were listed in the book Chatsworth Gritstone (1996) (page 349) as Mark named and catalogued the route He is a filmaker now, and one of his early climbing films seems to be labeled as a classic in the rock climbing world ... I think I'll have to buy a copy and boost his royalty cheque … [Read more...] about Hard Grit – Rock Climbing

What happened to Mackney.com?

There has been a big change ... for years (since 1999) mackney.com has been a personal site with a personal profile and blog, but the time came to promote Mackney Photography as a business concern. My brother Simon Mackney started a photography business over seven years ago and ran it under simonmackney.co.uk. Now after a complete re-jig of usernames and online identity Mackney Photography is … [Read more...] about What happened to Mackney.com?