Android Spam Notifier bar - How to Remove Zoosk

Ah well, that was nice while it lasted...you know, having my device all to myself, the only apps running being the ones *I* want to run...about a week ago a strange little star started appearing in my notifier bar prompting me to "Find local singles in my area" from a company called "Zoosk" (this was after I updated a few apps), so I knew *something* had installed some push advertising onto my 'droid without my permission. The only problem? I kind of like all my apps...

Thankfully there was a fairly simple, two step solution to the problem (follow me in this direction if you have a similar issue) -

1) Go into the "Market" app, hit the "Menu" button, choose "Settings" then scroll down and uncheck the box next to "Receive interest-based ads", then hit back until you get back to the home screen...
2) Next, go into "Settings", choose "About phone", choose "Phone identity" then go here on your PC browser - http://www.airpush.com/imei/ - carefully type in your EMEI number (from the phone screen) and then hit "Submit"...

...and that, for the time being at least, should be the end of the spam messages and (for bonus points) let you carry on with your existing apps without interruption or removal...if, by some horrible development those steps don't work, then make sure to only update/install one app at a time, keeping an eye open for spam and then leave very negative comments in the marketplace for the evil culprit... >:(

Oh, and for the record, the evil app in question on my phone was "Blogger-droid" (which I still think is very useful and good, *despite* this little hiccup)...

BBC UK 3G Survey App

Thought I would give the BBC's new Android App a little try, basically it's does two things -

1) Gives you access to graphs and (Google) maps showing where your signal has been either 3G (full internets), 2G (crap or zero internets) and no signal at all
2) Upload this information to a company called Epitiro who are going to put it into a highly detailed map (with everyone else's results) and make it available to all on the BBC website (most mobile provider's coverage maps are extremely vague, so this will be just about the biggest independent survey of UK network coverage ever conducted, assuming enough people join in, of course)...

It's *only* available on Android at the moment, and I strongly suspect it won't ever appear on the iPhone/iPad simply because Apple don't want you seeing the holes in their coverage (and can control which apps are approved for use on their devices), they have even hidden signal strength information behind an engineers code (as I mentioned previously)...bit silly...

Anyway, I've been running it for three days now, my preliminary results are as follows - 80.2% of the time I have 3G coverage, 16.8% of the time I only have access to 2G and 3% of the time I have no network coverage at all...so actually not *all* that bad (considering the amount I travel around the place), but that does equal 12 of the 72 hours I have been using the app where (had I needed to) I wouldn't have been able to use the Internet on my telephone...hrm... :S

Anyway, I'll keep you posted with results (if they change dramatically) and let you know when the map is up and running (it's supposed to be ready sometime late July, early August)...read more about it over here (if you are interested in this sort of thing)...

Back in the Witterings...

So last week we were lucky enough to have a week staying in "Caravan Bella", the last time we were there (Flyingpops reminded me) she was still breastfeeding baby Thomas(!), this time he was all *over* the place, exploring (almost) as excitedly as the Apartamento in Spain... ;)

The first day of the break we spent largely on the beach, Thomas finding plenty of mischief to get into, splashing -

- digging with his "Bob the Builder" Backhoe loader -

- sliding down the dunes -

- and snacking on sand (and a little food) in his little UV tent -

- and when we got tired of the beach we came back to the caravan and had a little walk in the fields out the back (although the terrain was a bit challenging for Thomas with all the churned earth) he still had a great time trying to work out where the "Wabbits!" were hiding... ;)

Back from Holiday...

...updates to follow, as usual, but suffice it to say we had a lovely time, had great weather, and pretty much the beach to ourselves (most of the time)...

Sneak peek at some of the pictures over here (if you are interested)...

On the beach...

On the beach...
Originally uploaded by finkangel.

...in beautiful West Wittering...wish you were here! :)

Finks Links #143

Friday!! Link time!

Proof that Dyson Airblades are definitely from the future...

How to Tennis!

An optical illusion in Paris...

A lovely new (live, streaming) camera for the ISS... ;)

109 tube journeys that are quicker on foot...

Baroque Obama

Working in an Indian call center...

NASA's got a brand new bag!

Listen to a Thunderstorm on Saturn...

Polar Bears originated in Ireland (of course)...

STEP AWAY FROM THE BELL!

...and finally a McDonalds Maths fail and a great emergency escape priority fail...

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ;)

Toddler Memory (or Ramps and Rainbows)

Once...just *once* (and this must have been at least six months ago), when Thomas and I went on one of our highly-prized "Daddy Walk(s)!" (a very popular weekend occupation thanks to the close proximity of a) SWINGS! b) COWS! c) TRAINS! and d) AIIIPANES!/HEWICOPTERS!) instead of doing our usual walk into the woods (I forget why) we decided to head towards the hospital (just to start with) where we found a big ramp in the footpath and zoomed down it - Thomas laughing hysterically ("That was a ramp Thomas, did you enjoy that?" and next on our "long-way-round" route we then happened upon some paving where (presumably) a child had spent some time carefully drawing a rainbow with lots of colours of chalk...I stopped the pushchair and pointed it out to Thomas, telling him what it was (which he repeated "Oooh...Wainbow!") and then off we sped to find the cows, dogs, cats (etc.) without a backward glance...

Last weekend we had to get some money out (ready for the aforementioned hair cuts) which was a great excuse for a Daddy Walk, and the nearest free cash point happened to be in that sort of direction, so (Thomas strapped into his push chair and equipped with plenty of dried mango and "Agua por favor!") we followed a similar route...not only did Thomas get *very* excited when we approached the location of the ramp (saying "RAMP! RAMP! WHEEEEE!!!!") *astonishingly* when we passed the (obviously now completely plain) paving slab where the chalk rainbow had been all those long months ago (where we had spent all of about 6 *seconds*)...he pointed down and said "WAINBOW!!!", I frowned for a minute, observing the total lack of clouds/rain and then suddenly the memory returned to me (OMG! Are you *serious*?) "WOW! Yes Thomas! VERY clever boy! There was a rainbow drawn here, a chalk rainbow"...and spent the rest of the walk home in a slight daze...absolutely staggering...

So, one *very* important lesson (from one impressed, but slightly shaken parent to another) - Watch *very* carefully what you say around your little one (it's *ALL* going in)...

More information over here...

Toddler Cooking

Flyingpops gave me pause the other afternoon by saying "This is what you were waiting for wasn't it? It's so good to see you two pottering around together"...and I was like "Eh?", but on reflection I actually think it's true, just lately Thomas' comprehension and ability to intelligently participate has absolutely *rocketed* (not that he wasn't extremely clever before) meaning we've been able to engage in increasingly complex ways...rather than just "What's this Thomas?", or "Can you see the (whatever)?" it's becoming conversation - "What do you fancy doing Thomas?" "DRAWINN!", "Okay, what shall we draw?", "Outside! Chalk!", "Oh, okay, you want to draw on the blackboard outside?", "Blackboard!" (once outside) "Okay, what are we drawing?", "House! Tree!", "Okay, here we go" (scribble, scrape)..."Daddy, Chalk Thomas!!", "Oh, okay, here's some chalk for you", what are you drawing?" "A CIIIIRCLE!!!" (and he draws a large, messy oval - Saying "Egg!" as if he meant to do that all along) etc. etc. ;)

Cooking is another fine example, when I'm in the kitchen rattling pots and pans, Thomas is usually to be found standing at the gate yelling "OPEN! OPEN! COOKIN' PEEEZE!!", if allowed, he runs in shouting "STEPS!! UP!! SEE!!" (and again, if allowed) he climbs up the steps and hangs on at the top, pointing out and naming everything he can see (and trying to eat anything tempting looking). When it comes to preparation he knows how to add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan, add a pinch of salt to heating water (he, in fact, reminded me the last time we boiled some potatoes) season meat with pinches of salt and pepper, can go to the garden on request and retrieve chives, rosemary and/or thyme (usually mixing them up, of course as they all look fairly similar, and admittedly gets lost trying to find mint, but that's a bit high up for him) and obviously also stands a better-than-average chance of being distracted by the odd ant/woodlouse...it's amazing how enthusiastic he is, and how generally *capable* he is becoming...he can even (when watched) carefully stir sauces on the hob (as long as you remind him they are hot each time he goes to put the spoon in his mouth)... ;)

Another of his tricks is to help crack the black pepper for the week using the pestle and mortar (although I have learned only to put a *few* pepper corns in there for him to bash away at or he just eats it by the handful, much to Mummy's displeasure and Daddy's stifled snigger)... ;)

The most impressive achievement so far? Asking him to tell me how we went about making pasta the other day (retrospectively) and him (thoughtfully) answering (including some fairly long finger sucking pauses) "Onion...chop...OIL! Frying! MEAT! Maaato! COOOKING!!!" - Okay, there were a few more things that went in there, but that's a basic bolognese recipe right there (quoted from his memory) if I have ever heard one, and he, not even two years old!

Well done, clever boy! :)

Thomas' first (real) hair cut

Okay (I admit) he's had a tiny little trim once before (just to stop his fringe getting in his eyes), but this was the first time he has had a *proper* haircut (as he was starting to look like a 70's version of Owen Wilson from the film The Wedding Crashers)...although when we asked him first thing in the morning if he wanted one, the curt response was, of course, a firm "NO".

Anyway, bribed with a great big handful of "TWIGETTS!!!" he practically flew up into the high chair and sat there very quietly, watching his hair vanishing onto the floor-

-where Mummy harvested a little handful to put into the baby memories book before Daddy swept it up and put it in the bin...the good thing, unlike some of his little friends, whose first haircut permanently removed their cute baby curls, Thomas' just sprang back up (the minute the "HAIR TIP!" was removed (just a little bit shorter)...looks like he's got something more in common with Daddy then... ;)

Finks Links #142

Friday again, already!! Where are the weeks going? Anyway, on to this week's links-

An incredible (advertising - but still cool) game - Magnum across the Internet...

A juggler giving up on the dream...

Runaway truck ramp...

A very large cactus...

Meanwhile, in Belgium...

Watch a video of Volvo's crash avoidance technology in action...

History of the Giant Squid...

...and finally just a very slight translation fail...

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ;)

Online marketing show...

Online marketing show...
Originally uploaded by finkangel.

...bit of a mission to get here, but finally arrived... ;)

Thomas and "dip dip!"

Sunday had been a "FOOD!" themed day from the off, Thomas had started by snaffling some baby wipes while I was doing his morning nappy, then proceeding to (violently) clear every work top at his height (his little cupboard and the incidental table etc.) of any toys while I was in the kitchen doing his milk drink, forcing me to issue a sharp "QUIET Thomas! Mummy is sleeping!"...when I turned around and opened the stair kitchen gate I realised he had cleared the tops of toys in order to thoroughly clean them with the wipes...So, he got a "Very clever boy!" for that, which was answered by a quick dash across the living room, the words "FOOD PEEEEZE DADDY!!!" and a firm point at the play box containing his little saucepans and plastic and wooden food items...Okay, no problem... ;)

We spent the next hour repeatedly, but happily, eating chopped wooden pears prepared in various ways (pear a la kettle, fried pear with potato, oven baked pear with asparagus) each time Thomas saying "All Cooked Daddy!", me taking a pretend nibble and then saying "Mmm, thank you, that's delicious! Yum yum!"...

So him being in a bit of a foodie state of mind, when it came time for breakfast and I asked him what he wanted he said "Bread - DIP DIP!" and then "Pasta!", "Okay" I said as he reached up to be lifted into his high chair...after slicing some nice, fresh granary bread and pouring him a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a dish I popped them down on his high chair and went back to the kitchen to collect him some olives at which I was suddenly subjected to the most horrific gagging/drowning sound I think I have ever heard, causing me to immediately drop everything and rush quickly back into the living room where I was *just* in time to see him *drinking* the last drops of the dip (blinking tears from his eyes with a very miserable look on his face)...I handed him his water double quick saying "Thomas, drink this it will make it feel better" (which he did)...and (thank goodness) his normal colouration and rate of breathing slowly returned...

The next words (croakily and quietly) out of his mouth ?

"More...dip...dip.......peeze"

*face+palm*

Finks Links #141

Friday!! Thank goodness...time for a few links...oh and sorry for not posting much lately, promise I'll get around to it soon...!

Fvision - a nice Japanese glasses free 3d table...

Chill guy is *chill*...

Disposable Camera goes through the post... ;)

Protect your caterpillar from Kimbo Slice...

Rush hour in the Netherlands...

Who says nothing ever happens in Margate?

Heavy Metal flowchart...

Have a play with a Lytro picture(I sort of want one)!

...and finally the break-dancing cat incident...

Have a relaxing weekend everyone! ;)

Thomas and Spiders...

So on Sunday, Thomas was busying himself noisily making a huge mess with water and sand in the garden (as he does) when all of a sudden he comes flying through the patio doors holding his dripping spade yelling "Pider!!! Pider!!!" (and looking a bit freaked out) - which was rather unusual as the last *two* times he came across one - while on holiday in Cornwall and while in Reigate Fort - it required great restraint to stop him crushing them to death in his enthusiasm to become more intimate...So, stepping outside (him clinging, wetly, to my leg) me clutching a newspaper (picturing some sort of Shelob type encounter) we prowled the garden cautiously until I saw the source of his alarm, a little bumble bee, suspended in the rain water half-filling his sand table..."That's not a spider Thomas, it's a bee" I explained and suddenly all his nervousness disappeared..."Hewwo Bee" he said and poked it with the spade at which it gave a very unenthusiastic twitch, but was certainly still in the land of the living, so, I grabbed the spade from Thomas before he accidentally crushed the poor little creature to oblivion and we lifted it from the water and set it in the sun, sitting and watching as it slowly dried out, finally (after much experimental wing flapping) flying away to it's hive (much to Thomas' delight - "FLYINNNN!!!" he said pointing into the air and jiggling up and down...so when this morning he announced "PIDER!!!" again I was quick to correct him, "No Thomas, it was a bee wasn't it, did we save it from drowning in the water?" but such was his insistence as he said "PIDER!!!" again, I left the kitchen to come and check...and yep, there was a little spider cowering in terror as Thomas' huge hand hovered inches about it's head, so I got a bit of tissue paper and we rescued it into the garden (to a little wave and "Bye bye pider!") but I have to say, I am a bit confused as to exactly when spiders became something to be (if even just ever-so slightly) wary of, rather than to chase and attempt to eat (like ants/woodlice/grapes etc.)...is this something we have unconsciously managed to pass on to Thomas (even though on each occasion we've encountered one together before I've been *very* brave) or is this some sort of genetic defense mechanism manifesting itself?

I'll have to do some research... ;)

Finks Links #140

Friday!!

Chain Reaction!

TRON cave!

Wunderwaffen...WW2 German "wonder weapons"...

REM concert...

Goodbye Spirit...

Toothpaste cross section...

Soyuz's user manual...

A heart with no beat..

Urm, what?

...and finally, deep down, advertisers obiously don't like people very much... ;)

Have a relaxing weekend everyone! ;)

Spotted this in the Wharf...

...the other day, a massive commemerative plaque to the building of West India Quay, it's about two stories high...! Bet they never imagined for a moment what would become of the place... ;)

Racing things...

So yesterday, after spending an awfully long time watching the rain Formula one, Thomas came over clutching a number of objects (his latest fad is to try and hold at least three things at once, preferably more, while he is walking around), the first was put on the table in front of me and Thomas announced "Racing Car!" to which I replied "Yes Thomas, that's right! Racing Car! Have we been watching racing cars on the television"? He Formula-One-car-noised it rapidly over the table a few times and then turned to the little model horse he was clutching under his arm. "Racing Horse!" he said, putting it carefully down - "Yes" I said "You can have *race* horses..." (correcting him slightly) and he clip-clop-noised it quickly across the table stopping next to the little racing car...last but not least, down went the final object...(and after thinking carefully for a moment) "Racing Cow?" he proposed..."Urm" (I said, pausing to think for a moment myself) "no...no not usually" I was forced to admit..."Okay" said Thomas, and pushed it onto the floor... ;)

Finks Links #139

Friday!! Link time -

Some incredible behind the scenes shots from classic movies...

The most creepy potato sack in the world...

On the subject of passswords...

The future of food?

An important film to watch about Planking!

Cat cuddle...

IBM's basement...

Deep inside the world's longest tunnel...

It's honestly incredible that hard drives ever work at *all*!

A nice organised desktop...

...and finally, a fairly non-typical checkout guy...

Have a lovely relaxing weekend everyone! ;)

Teaching a Toddler about Colours (etc.)...

Well, Thomas seems to be finally starting to get his colours, the trick was to divide the statements into two when instructing him, our first approach had been to explain to him "That's a Red Car", the trouble was, he had already imprinted that the correct answer to the question "What colour is it, Thomas?" was "Lellow"...He hasn't nailed it yet by any means, but (Daddy trying very hard to remember) saying "That's a Canoe - The Canoe is the colour Orange", in much the same way as he constructs little sentences like "Stones - Lots!" (at Brighton Beach) he has begun to say "Canoe - Orange", I think it would be wise to try and limit the colours at this stage, but at least we've managed 2 or 3... ;)

On the bad side? An oddly negative Baby Einstein experience...each morning (at the moment, a few weeks ago he was obsessed with "Mr Men") he emphatically demands one of the episodes (usually "Animals!", "Shapes!" or "Go!") and they *are* brilliant, they have helped to add so many words to his vocabulary including things like "Macaw", "Trigger Fish" and "Meerkat", the only problem was catching him the other day (only the once, but still) saying the word "Giraffe" in a perfect American accent...hrm...have to keep a close eye on that one! ;)

CONGRATULATIONS!

To G & S on the birth of their new daughter (and my niece) after *quite* a while spent at East Surrey Hospital, can't wait to meet her...! ;)