Does this bug affect everyone? Try installing said pathetic excuse for a media player, and then in ‘Player Preferences’ untick ‘Show Content Guide at startup’. Exit and reopen the program, then try to maximise or resize it. If you’re getting the same result as me, you’ll know instantly that Apple have screwed this one up pretty badly.
As Katie mentioned it was Queen’s Park Day today – which is my annual excuse to eat a bag of candy floss. (I did feel a bit sugary and nasty afterwards though.) The stalls and events are not particularly interesting themselves, especially since I missed the QPCS Jazz Band, but it’s more of a chance to wander round and see people you don’t run into very often.
Oh, and Tasha and Alex (Trafford) are both in big trouble for leaving their litter on the grass 
Right – tomorrow I’m planning to actually buy the Guardian for once instead of reading it all for free online. It’s their big relaunch with the new Berliner-size format which I can say from experience on holiday is far easier to hold and read. I wonder if the Telegraph and the FT will remain the last stand of broadsheet bulkiness for long…?
Incidentally, for anyone interested in software user-interface design I found a great blog today. Check out flow|state. I’ve always found this kind of stuff fascinating for some reason, despite not being a designer at all.
It’s 1996. You’re the world’s largest software company and you’ve got a groovy new product fit for the information superhighway: MSN. It’s hip, it’s cool and it’s like, totally radical dude. So how will you get this across to the restless sport-obsessed youth of the day?
MSN Advert
Enter these two! That’s right – it’s marketing, 1996 style. Download and enjoy for your viewing pleasure! You’ll never look at MSN the same way again.
And remember kids… Get on the ball, get MSN!
OK, I don’t know why I bothered with the whole ‘Year 7 – 11’ thing because Sixth Form is so, so much cooler in every single way. Here’s why!
- Every teacher you have is great. They save them up for Sixth Form and tell them to be friendlier too
- You get your own common room to eat in, instead of perching uncomfortably on the benches outside.
- You also get your own room by the library, with its own exclusive computers, and no uniformed young people in sight!
- Just in case one wasn’t enough, you get multiple teachers for each subject. In the case of History – three!
- You don’t have to wait outside for the bell in the morning – you can go straight in and avoid the crush. That is going to become very useful in the winter.
Lessons are great too. New electronic registration is, ur, having a few teething problems but looks fancy. And I’ve already installed and customised Firefox on my user account (my special extra-privileges account I should add)… because if nothing else, tabbed browsing is vital for research.
Now I’m off – I’ve got a week to read Wise Children…
And so tomorrow it starts, officially. For the first time in ages I’ll be going to bed at a reasonable hour, getting up and then staying up. That’ll be odd.
I’m excited though! Doing nothing for too long gets annoying… and I actually want to be back in the system of tasks to complete by deadlines, work to get done, timetables to follow. And no uniform to wear while doing it 
I saw the Year 7s (who get a first day on their own) coming out of school today – so small! We were never like that! We were big and grown up…
Nic tells me that in his school, they’ve implemented a new system of ‘mixed age tutor groups’ – and not even the Sixth Formers are safe. That sounds utterly bizarre and my deepest sympathy to anyone having to work in that.
Helen on It’s (waiting) time.: “Fabulous news, congratulations to you both! X” Jun 8, 21:51
