The World According to Tim Skipper

I’ve spent the past few days finally adding the domain name registration system to our IntoNET Technology website. I say finally as I’ve been meaning to do this for a long while!

We’ve been selling domain names for getting on for 10 years, but along with our managed web hosting offering it’s mainly been B2B and through personal recommendation, rather than a shotgun open-to-the-public approach.

However from the Domain Names page on our web site you can now the check availability of and purchase UK domain names directly off the site. It integrates nicely with the NOMINET Domain Availability Checker service and NOCHEX for payment. I’m really pleased with the end result.

As with most things, I’ve written it using C# and the .NET Framework 4.0. I have a nice class library for integrating the NOMINET DAC, which I may package up and sell to other NOMINET Members.

Here’s the link: Buy UK Domain Names from £4.30 per year

Following a recent birthday trip to the Imperial War Musueam Duxford, see my Flickr pics here, my fascination with the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was rekindled. I thought I’d see what books I could find on the subject, and settled on buying “Flying the SR-71 Blackbird: on a Secret Operational Mission” by Col. Rich Graham.

This is a very technical book, with explanations about how the SR-71 Blackbird and the airmen were prepared for missions, a complete run through of all the check-lists and every single control in the cockpit, along with many tales and stories concerning the secret missions themselves.

Don’t let the technical nature of this book put you off th ough, it’s very well written and easy for a layman to understand. I can’t put it down!

I bought the Amazon Kindle version, which I’m reading on my Apple iPad2 using the excellent Kindle application.

Amazon hardback link
Amazon Kindle link

Tags: Blackbird, Lockheed, SR-71

On Tuesday 11th May 2011 series 7 of the BBCs hit show The Apprentice hit our screens once again.  I love this show, it polarises opinions and makes you shout and laugh at the TV in equal proportion. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

I’m a big fan of live Tweeting through TV shows like this, it adds another dimension to the experience. With this in mind I’ve compiled a Twitter List of all the BBC Apprentice candidates I can find, including Lord Sugar and Nick Hewer.

Follow my BBC Apprentice Twitter list to keep up with the commentary.

Incidentally, if you’ve not read Lord Sugar’s autobiography “What You See Is What You Get” then I highly recommend it.

Here’s the complete list of BBC Apprentice accounts on Twitter that I have. Please comment  you find any missing!

Offical BBC Apprentice feed
Lord Sugar
Nick Hewer
Bridge Cafe

Joanna Riley
Elizabeth Locke
Shibby
Howard Ebison
Alex Epstein
Raleigh Addington
Noorul
Christopher Farrell
Ruth Badger
Debra Barr
Laura Moore
Michelle Dewberry
Raef Bjayou
Philip PantsMan
Kate Walsh
Claire Young
Chris Bates
Kimberly Davis
Sandeesh Samra
Lee McQueen
Katie Hopkins
Paloma Vivanco
Jamie Lester
Stuart Baggs
James McQuillan
Ben Clarke
James Max
Mona Lewis

Tags: Apprentice, BBC, Business

So last night I was driving home along the A140 when I noticed in my mirrors that an Ambulance was fast approaching. So I slow up and pull left as far as possible. Only the 4×4 behind me is in a world of his own and is now right up my chuff and over towards the white line looking to overtake.

Now the Ambulance is right up his chuff with its blues and twos going – and he still hasn’t noticed! Finally the penny drops and he swerves into the hedge.

What the hell is wrong with these people?!

The question on religion in the 2011 UK Census is optional, yet it’s an important one as it will be used to guide government spending on such things as faith schools and other religions organisations.

If you are not religious, then please tick the “No religion” box.  This website explains it much better than I can.

Do the right thing, for all our sakes.

Tags: 2011, census, religion, uk