This trip wasn’t really planned, and grew out of a comment from Dani’s Mum that she’d like to visit her family in Italy sometime. It eventuated into also taking my Mum back to the UK, meeting up with my Son and his family there, and then everyone except the Nonnas spending 7 weeks touring Italy by Train! I made a big mistake on this this trip though. I decided NOT to pack a real camera and to depend on my phone for pictures instead. Although it was certainly easier not carrying around a camera case, chargers, etc it really took the enjoyment of taking pictures away, and I ended up taking much less and really not enjoying it. Phones take great pictures nowadays, but the process and feel is really sub-par IMHO.

More Pictures HERE

And view the day by day blog below

Here's a small ( but annoying) problem which has arisen a few times for me, and it always takes me a while to either figure it out or find somebody else who has..

Opening a new Tab in Google Chrome suddenly defaults my location to Google.uae instead of google.com.au.

The solution is simple - try this..

Right-click in the URL bar, and select "Manage Search Engines"

In the top box, you'll see the currently available Search Engines.

Most likely your default Search Engine will be some variant of Google.

Select a Different search engine (any one!) and make it your default by clicking on the "Make Default" button on the right of the selected engine.

Now, delete the Google entry with the delete button, far right of the line.

Scroll right to the bottom of the search engine page, where you'll see these input boxes.

Enter a description (Google) in the first.

Enter your choice of google country (eg google.com.au) in the second.

And paste this into the third : http://www.google.com/search?{google:RLZ}{google:acceptedSuggestion}{google:originalQueryForSuggestion}sourceid=chrome&ie={inputEncoding}&q=%s

When you press Enter, your entry will disappear, and put itself up in the alphabetical list of "Other Search Engines". Locate it, and click on the "Make Default" button.

This will move it to the top Search Engine box as your default, and fix your problem!

You may have heard of Cryptolocker or Ransomware.

If you haven't then the chances are that you will soon enough, possibly the hard way.

What is it?

Ransomware is big business, and a major risk and potential expense to everybody who uses a Windows Computer.

Ransomware is a program that will encrypt every file on your hard drive with a secret, personalised password which is known only to the people who wrote the program.

How do I get it?

Ransomware usually finds its' way onto a victim's computer (or computers) by way of an email opened by an unsuspecting user.

The emails can sometimes be crude and easily picked as a spam-type message, but the ransomers are constantly getting more professional, and emails seen recently have looked 100% authentic – even directing users to a legitimate looking website address to collect their own little “bomb” instead of attaching the payload.

Unfortunately, the software is constantly being developed and additional weaknesses exploited. For example, a recent variant can make it's way to you via files shared to you on Dropbox.

Which types of files are affected?

The program attacks ALL types of data files – word processing documents, spreadsheets, powerpoints – even all your photos! The program will look for files all over your hard drive(s), any attached USB or Network device (like a NAS), even your cloud storage like Dropbox or Drive.

What does it do to my files?

Your files will be encrypted, often even the filenames and extensions are changed. You will be unable to open or read any of your files unless you take corrective action – read on.

What can I do if I get it?

You have three (practical) choices.

1. Pay the Ransomware. Remember you are dealing with thieves here. You may get your data back, you may not. The process will involve making an untraceable payment via an electronic currency such as Bitcoin. This can be a whole adventure all by itself. Not to mention - Expensive!
2. Restore your data from backups. You have backups, right? See further down..
3. Format your computer and lose all your data. This can be really painful. You may lose all your photographic memories, all your business or household records, all your email history – everything you store on your PC.

What can I do to keep my files safe?

You do have some options here, at least BEFORE you get attacked.

1. Unless you have a compelling reason to use Windows, use Linux. At this time linux PC's are not being attacked (this will change,no doubt). Mac users are safe at the moment too.
2. Backup your files regularly, and keep your backup drives UNPLUGGED from your computer. Keep at least two sets of backups and rotate them each time. NEVER have them plugged in at the same time and never leave them attached to the computer unless you are actually backing up. External USB Hard Drives are cheap, and reliable. And very cheap insurance.
3. Disconnect yourself from any shared folders on Dropbox, Drive, or any other cloud service. Never open a file from any of these services unless you know EXACTLY what it is and where it came from.
4. If your PC is networked to others, make sure that users of those machines read this article too, and that they understand it, and the implications if they mess up.
5. Keep your Virus and anti-malware products up to date always – they MAY help, but they aren't a guarantee.
6. Make sure you install Windows Updates promptly. Same deal, probably won't help, but you never know.
7. Examine incoming emails CAREFULLY if they have an attachment or links to websites. They may appear to originate from somebody you know, or from a legitimate organisation. For instance, in australia emails from Australia Post and AGL (an electricity provider) are constantly being sent around, with deadly payloads. Ask yourself WHY you are getting this email – if it looks strange, feels strange. or if you have any doubts, contact the sender and confirm that they actually sent the email, and what the contents are. Any email that contains a threat as a result of inaction should be deleted immediately.

Finally, if you subscribe to a Spam filtering service, forward any suspicious emails to them – it may save somebody else who isn't as aware as you are now!

For quite a while now, I've had a personal Weather Station running.

With the availability of low-cost solutions with a PC interface, I recently updated and put my Station on-line.

The page is updated every 5 minutes 24/7, and has a comprehensive history also.

Click Here to check it out!

The site also automatically updates a page on Wunderground

How this for nuts?

Nautilus Drive, West Beach...

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How To Make A Paper Airplane Fly Forever..

Brilliant video of the making of Sydney Harbour Bridge!

The narration on this one was done by the cleaner on his tea break!

I've not been very adventurous when it came to shaving my face.

I tried safety razors, but ended up looking like somebody trying to take the piss out Norman Gunston.

An electric shaver was somewhat less painful and more dignified, and the Phillishave I received from my folks for my 21st served me very well for years and years.  Eventually the power lead started playing up, so the old girl was replaced with a shiny new Phillips cordless, which worked better.

Then I got interested in the Braun range. Shavers that could clean themselves?  That'll do me!  So I bought a top of the line Braun and all was going to be well in the world.

But no..  The Braun wasn't all that I expected, right from day 1.

• It was horrendously noisy (I thought there was something wrong with it the first time I switched it on!)
• IT takes AGES to get a reasonably close shave! And some spots just never get shaved properly, as you can't get the bloody razor in there at the right angle. A Half Hour to get a half reasonable shave would be about right.
• The running costs are incredible!  Every few weeks it wants a new foil or a replacement cleaning cartridge!  Braun may have no friggin idea about how to make a shaver, but they sure know how how to charge for one! And I had to replace the charger lead too, at about $50.

So, this week I gave in.  I pulled the old Phillishave out again.  The battery was flat, but it charged up again just fine.  I can now shave in about 5 minutes and not be deaf afterward.

The only real downside is that I'll have to clean the thing now and then.

The worlds smallest gasoline engine concept is 15 mm long, 5 mm wide and 3 mm tall, and is being developed at Cambridge and Birmingham Universities in the U.K. Below is an image of this micro engine taken whislt under development.

WORLDS SMALLEST ENGINE.