ICANN verification

D'oh! 

I've just found out that as of the 1st January 2014 it has now become a mandatory requirement from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Name and Numbers (ICANN) that all ICANN accredited registrars verify the WHOIS contact information for all new domain registrations, domain transfers and registrant contact modifications.

Unfortunately, my domain provider has my current email details, but ICANN still holds my contact details when I first registered my domain over 10 years ago.

It is clearly a gotchya that people will hit from time to time, especially when we move around the internet so much:  Over time we change our mobile and ISP providers so much, that we forget sometimes that the old accounts are still needed.

I have old AOL, NTL and BT emails for example that I haven't used in a long time.  Naturally I tend to use my domain email now for everything,  but when that stops working (like on this occasion) I need to dig out old emails that don't exist any more!

A lesson learned - keep all contact information on ALL sites current.

https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/contact-verification-2013-05-03-en

Summer has arrived

finally my Brazilian wife has ventured into the garden now that it's 32 degrees. The hammock helped!

My love - hate relationship with technology.

It must be said, that like many of my age, I am often seduced by modern technology, and can rarely resist the next new big thing.

When I grew up in the '80s computing was still in its infancy, and mobile phone technology was barely off the ground. But it was the possibilities of what technology might bring that certainly drew me in as a teenager. I remember the films of the late '70s and early '80s, from Star Wars, Explorers, Back to the Future, Computer Games, and the more adult Blade Runner all suggested a wonderful time technology could bring. I even remember watching an episode of Tomorrow's World where a presenter suggested that one day robots would do all the menial work, giving humans more leisure time.

Move on 30 years or so, to the present day, and we're working harder and longer hours than normal, we are not being transported around in flying cars, nor are we feeling particularly optimistic about our future.

So, what went wrong?

Basically the reality of competition, greed, caution and fundamental technical limitations have stifled the progress we were hoping for. Plus everyone wants everything for free now-a-days. We take for granted the miniaturisation of mobile phone technology, and the sheer growth of the TV sizes, and the speed of change of the little things that make the world we live in today an exciting place to be.

Sure we don't expect flying cars and robot butlers anytime soon, but there are still things to wonder at.

Perhaps because we haven't got the laser guns and flying cars that we were promised in all those films, my generation get so excited about the latest mobile phone or tablet, or drool over the latest Lamborghini or whatever. But should we be so excited? Do the younger generation , who seem take these small advancements in their stride, appreciate and get excited about what is to come, or, as I suspect, are blase about technical advancement and just expect it to happen.

Should we be demanding our flying ships and robot butlers?

The Honeymoon

I've just come back from my honeymoon in Brazil, and I've started putting entries into my holiday blog about my three week stay. (see the link on the right)

We were to fly from Norwich "International" Airport on the 22nd March at 6:15am, and return around 5:30pm on the 14th April.

The trip was to be broken up by a transfer via Amsterdam, so we would have a chance to get a bite to eat as a late breakfast before our daytime flight down to Sao Paulo.

We planned to stay in Sao Paulo for only one day or two before we would drive to Ilabela (via Guaruja) to stay in a plush B and B for 5 days before we would move on up to Paraty for a further 4 days.

Then we were to return back to Sao Paulo, and possibly meet up with various friends and relatives close by for the remaining holiday.

December is upon us

Boy, the year went quickly.
It's the start of December tomorrow, and it feels like Christmas has crept up quietly behind me, while I was focused on work.
There are there office Christmas parties over the next 10 days, and thankfully many of the shops have only put up the decorations over the last week or so. So, although I'm unprepared (I am a guy), I'm thankful this year feels less commercial somehow.
Saying that, I predict the Tablet to be a big seller this Christmas. Not a cheap present!
Talking of presents, best get shopping.
On second  thoughts, perhaps not today. Big strike amongst the public sector. Way too many people out shopping today!!

Wedding Day!

So, I'm married!  No going back now.


I've posed a few pictures here, but many more will be posted on a separate site.

Rethink - heart or mind.

One of the final documents the bank asked me to complete was the deed of consent, which, although just a legal document from the bank defining who actually owned the property has, by definition, the right to kick any other person staying in the house (who's over the age of 18 and not on the mortgage) should the mortgage not be paid.

Basically meaning Gina didn't have any legal rights to her home.

A rethink on the mortgage was in order.

After a brief conversation we agreed that we need to get back to our original plan of both our names be put onto the mortgage, so that she, like me, had rights and ownership of our new home.

It does complicate who actually owns what, and any solicitor in the land would scream at me to "protect my interests", but being a new family unit, I can't let Gina think I don't trust her or our commitment to each other.

To her this whole episode of ownership is tantamount to a prenup, and hates the whole concept. I'm personally in two minds about the whole thing. I need to protect my interests, but in the same breath protect my relationship and demonstrate trust.

There's no easy answer to this - be cold and financially secure, or demonstrate a trust in our relationship and risk everything for love.

Only time will tell, but on this occasion we'll put the house in joint names and make a will to bolster the agreement with the security that should one of us die, the other has a home.

Love it is.