... Jez Davey on 'serving the purposes of God in my generation...: Family

serving the purposes of God in my generation...: Family

... being back on the water

After what must be surely another 18 months of dry dock the Moose finally makes it back on the water. This time on Cardiff Bay. Seen here with Alex keeping her well trimmed.

Thanks Alex for a great afternoon out. What a fantastic way to spend an Indian Summer.

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...elegant robots

These quadrotor robots rely on 8 motion-capture cameras located around the space to allow the robots to respond to the flying ball in a very natural-looking manner. So not ready to hit the street just yet. It certainly stirs the imagination though and suggests that with new dynamic controls future robots may be agile and even graceful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CR5y8qZf0Y&feature=player_embedded

... new space opera

Discovering Alastair Reynolds and his take on the space opera has brought me back to the science fiction genre with a passion. Following a 10 year journey into historical fiction. My first taste of Reynolds was via a short story on Interzone. Now the chap cannot write fast enough for me.

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...R2D2

At the age of 9 there was Star Wars. And I was a believer. A tried to take apart my mums Aqua-Vac with designs on an R2-D2. I read all the Asimov novels and dreamed robot dreams.

Then I grew up. Well, Nearly!

At Uni' I got my hands on a 6DOF robot arm with the pleasure of writing a robot-programming language to sit atop its machine code instruction set; and discovered that a robot was merely a machine with an appetite for matrix algebra (groan).

But across the lab at Cardiff uni stood (not quite) a pair of robo legs with aspirations for the good life.

Just keeping alive those C3P0 moments.

So a glimmer of the boyhood dreams remained through all the years of practical engineering in heavy industry. Sometimes diminished by episodes of robowars.

Recently I have been managing a project that includes the installation of a couple of ABB robot arms. Naturally safety has been of primary concern. It is this I think that ensures the industrial robots remain firmly in the machines category. After all how can you build a relationship with something surrounded by double trip wires and light curtains.

Very interesting however to read about Robonaut2 built by GM and NASA. Designed from the outset to work in a human centric environment (as much as space can be). Although the higher levels of AI do not seem to have been developed it appears that significant steps have been taken regarding safe interaction.

Year by year the field of robotics advances. But the steps are very small indeed. I would suggest a lot of research has been inefficient and egotistical. There are some very basic aspects that can be developed using modelling at a much greater rate and at less expense. The insistance on a hardware realisation of a concept is more useful for maintaining enthusiasm and funding but of small value. It is this that has kept me back from purchasing a lego mindstorm and locking myself into the garage for months. Each time I consider a potential project I always come back to the AI as being the real challenge, and one that is beyond my programming ability (oh the heady days of GA, NN and Fuzzy logic written using Pascal on my Amstrad 9150)

But the next 10 years or so is surely going to be the most exciting of times for robot development. Especially when the Afghan war is over and the expanded list of drone suppliers have to find alternative commercial outlets for their wares.

...merry moose

The Moose is getting all excited having been landbound for 18 months.

The Maple makes its debut. Soon to become the paddle of choice.

Truly this was the best Madras I have tasted in mon

ths.

Left unsupervised for only 30 minutes; she couldn't be trusted not to chase the cows. BAD MOOSE!

...having fears to surmount

7th March 2009

I would class myself among those known as "nervous flyer's". 

Nothing debilitating; but enough to cause my palms to squeeze the armrests a little tighter than needed, my eyes to close as the pilot rotates and a prayer or two to the God of engineering.

Naturally I couldn't let this little trepidation go unchallenged! 

So cocking-a-hoot to fear I booked two flights in a glider and headed for the mountain ridge.

 Scene 1 - Met pilot 'Mike' who was a real cool cucumber emitting vibes of ease.

 Scene 2 - Introduced to the parachute. "When the canopy pops don't wait for instruction from me -I'll be gone already - Just jump!" says Mike, " oh, and remember to give a hard tug down on this right here." (or was it a tug right out ?).

 Scene 3 - I had watched the training vids. I knew it was not supposed to be this bad. The tug plane was flaying about like a ferret on a leash. Mikes' commentary evaporated abruptly and I could feel the control column gyrating vigorously between my legs (now now ladies- enough already!). With the mountainside filling the cockpit window and the glider being whipped violently by the tug I was just waiting for the line to break followed by an emergency landing.

 Scene 4 - Both legs where shaking more then I  have ever experienced. But I was alive. We had passed through the turbulence. We had had to be taken up another 1000 feet to do so. Mikes calm never faltered but he casually admitted that that kind of take-off was not normally metered out to newbies.

 Scene 5 - I was flying! The aircraft responding to my touch. Willing me to steer her and steady her. Perfect!

 Scene 6 - Brain too tired, I gave control back to my instructor. Feeling what he could do with the aircraft build my confidence a fair amount.

 Scene 7 - The clouds were closing in quickly leaving a 'hole' through which we needed to descend. Air brakes on and we dived! 

Scene 8 - Approach turn and down. Exciting. 

Beautiful. 

   Love to do it again.

http://www.blackmountainsgliding.co.uk/

I won the 'red letter' as a prize last Fathers Day. I chose the lucky Yorkie bar. Thanks All Nations Church!

...a little moose down the wye

The photos of our Canoeing weekend down the River Wye. I'll never make a photo journalist that's for sure. All these shots look quite tranquil. You will find no record of the trek through the nettles and wood to reach the castle. No snap of the mercifully bludgeoned rabbit s brains next to the coronation tuna salad. No shot of the rapids either I'm afraid.

We reached this point in the river after a lovely peaceful paddle during which Tom sighted more wildlife than I'd ever would have noticed without his keen eyes. Kingfishers, Grebe, long-tailed Tit, and other don't recall. We stopped having seen the battlements of Goodrich castle on the hill trying for a photo op, but the trees just took it out of sight.





Not so easy to get to this point as you may think. We had to brave a few ' no entry' signs to finally breach the castle walls.





Goodrich castle overlooks the Wye and commanded the trade route between England and Wales via a ford that existed in the river just past the tower in the picture below. The castle became a royalist stronghold in the civil war resulting in it being destroyed by a locally fashioned mortar cannon (still present in the castle grounds).



Tom, keen eyed as ever spotted this good spit of land for a nights kip. Just below a small weir (the one in which The Moose became stuck on the last trip) that rumbled throughout the night.

Tom surveys the grace of God in providing a ready supply of fire wood for the night.


Whilst I anticipate the potential for flood defence.




"..the front of the tent should come to about here".

(Which is about where the waters edge ended up the next morning !)



But by faith we held back them waters and enjoyed a most excellent stared night in all it's glory, followed by a descent breakfast.


A strong southerly held back the rain on Sunday providing us with a beautiful day to cruise down to Symonds Yat and the rapids. Tom did a sterling job at holding the canoe to the correct line through the rough and somehow managed to stay indecently dry. Whilst I received quite a lap full!


The final stretch through to Monmouth included this lovely spot of still water given us a little time out to play on the stoppers.




The Moose liked this spot.





Thanks Tom Clarke for great company on our mini-adventure down the Wye.

...the blog of prayer

When my life is such a rush
Experiencing the love and loss
I have the most to tell and share yet
All I manage is a prayer.

My diary lays with gathering dust
Calls to old friends remain a must-do
But it matters not for I still have you.

You will read my blog of prayer and
The simple truth is that you are always there
In your post I can always trust.

So now my life takes on a hush
The blog of life I can discuss
Of loss and love I can reflect though not forget
The blog of prayer is a must.

...the great outdoors

Thanks Tom Clark for organising a great walk across some of Wales great hills. All the chaps who came along did so in great spirit.







After a trek through a boggy pine forest (Blaen-y-glyn) and a stiff climb we came to the WW2 memorial.In memory of six Canadian pilots who died in their Lancaster bomber after crashing at this site. The wreckage is still visible today.



Tom guided us along the ridge to Fan y Big then he worked his psychology to get us to the top of the final peak. The wind was strong at the top. I could lean into it and let it support my weight. As many before me I added another stone onto the cairn to make the hill a little bigger!









Great day!

...the demonstration of the spirits power

Bishop Ricardo was awesome!
He did not come with theology or clever anecdotes but with the experiences of his life which themselves are a demonstration of Gods power.
It is impossible not to be inspired by the man.

But inspired to do what? Surely a fleeting emotional response is not enough. The power of the man's testimony allows me to feel the freshness of the holy spirit. But also his passion challenges my 'middle England' approach to Christianity.

Is it possible to have the passion without the bruises?

Dare I ask God to bring change?


It is heartening to hear the first hand accounts of miraculous healing. Normally it is easier to remain detached when reading reports of miracles from afar. But these accounts left me saying to myself over an' again "God is real!", "God is real!"

WOW!

...a canoe that floats

...refusing to be intimidated by the heavy downpour the foolish pair continued their journey to the elusive 'put-in'. A place near Radyr, seen on Google-maps to possibly offer access to the Taff. The condition of the 'indian' on water was yet to be determined. The many gel-coat chips adorning the watercraft did not diminish the pride with which the pair launched her down the steep, root ridden bank into the, now swollen, waters of Wales famous river.

With not a little trepidation we tested our weight against the draft of the craft and attempted our first sweep with our home fashioned canadian paddles. (two Kayak paddles sawn at the 60 inch mark with a bit of gaffa tape for a handle - neat job Bub!).

The now fast flowing river and the old 'indian' (canadian) canoe tussled for dominance during this 2 hour maiden voyage. But I think it was an even draw. The river clearly longed to swamp us, and made quite a few unsuccessful attempts. With no reference to fairness! But on the other hand we never managed to turn the canoe up river without the aid of a waterside leverage, the current always throwing us back around as it hit the side.

Here I am before the trip. Not a very "Ray Mears" look I know. And I bet he doesn't wear a shorty underneath as I am here.





My Bro Bub is seen here - umbilical still attached - with a bit of a trim problem. Hard to tell he is sporting a broken left shoulder. Then again, maybe that's why we kept circling against the current! Not his rotten J-stroke!

Can't wait for the real trip in a few weeks time. Just a coat of paint and a name required.

Is it right to name a canadian canoe? What do you think?

... my Ford Mondeo estate

I find it very difficult to give up on something! Not always a good trait (when to sell those shares at a loss for instance).
I didn't give up on my trusty high spec estate car either. Even though it had a dodgy diesel fuel pump. After six months with a top end just over 60 we finally found a garage that would fix it. So with new tow bar fitted the faithful beast got Jayne , me and the kids up to the bible week. It felt great to drive a car that accelerated! Even with a trailer!!

If it wasn't for those teenagers in the car behind at Stafford Asda round-a-bout my faith wouldn't have been tested any further.

But now alas the insurance company have written it off. Just because of this little dent in the tailgate.

But do I buy back the salvage value of my faithful car and stick with it? Or should I count it all as lost and move on? It must be so lonely stacked with all those other discards in the salvage yard.

Doh!

...Bible week

more than anything else this year I gained a feeling of belonging. Belonging to a people. Belonging to God and his purpose. Belonging to a vision. A vision for a future and the part God wants us to play in it.

I have felt again the love of the church family. I have seen the impact that we can have on those near and abroad.

I have gained again the confidence that is based on the firm foundation of the apostles and prophets. A confidence to build.

Once again I feel that I have a part to play, a calling, a purpose.
Many thanks to Andrew Hughes and his plain speaking. Will I hide in the baggage like Saul. (The baggage made out of all those reasons-why) or will I give my baggage to the baggage handler as David did before heading for the front line.
Many thanks to our brother -and father in the faith- Keri; who through integrity, an open hand and his uncompromising obedience to our God seals himself as a master builder in my heart.

Many thanks to our dear Lord who knows me through and through. And still chose me to be one of his!

...completion

Having recently sat and successfully passed the viva for my MRes I can say how great it is to have completed what I began.
This simple saying I have heard repeatedly over the years from Keri Jones. I would often re-hear it to myself during the long nights of thesis writing. "Finish what you started".
The feeling of satisfaction that I now feel is not unlike that which I would get having eaten a full 360 of Jalapeno pizza along with a cool beer.

I thank my lecturers at the IDGS, Swansea Universities school of materials. I thank Dr S Brown for his time as academic supervisor. And Dr Foularis for his efficiency and motivational skills.
I thank Corus for the opportunity.
I thank my loving wife Jayne for her forbearance during those last few weeks of editing.

...submitting my thesis

I have amazed myself with the amount I have managed to do over the last few weeks. But best of all the peace of God has been with me through it all. Excellent. Thesis is in, just the viva to go. What I really love is being able to spend the entire evening playing Half-life 2 without feeling too guilty. And I may even read some of my novel before bed.

...having only two weeks to submit my thesis

... well it is not really two weeks at all. That is just when my tutor wants it in. There are a whole extra four weeks after that for edits and binding. Why else would I be taking the time to write this. I can't blame Anna for kick starting me back onto my blog. It's my will power being put to the test, that is all.
There is something great about being on a deadline. Most of us I'm sure produce some of our best work under pressure. Today I felt good about managing to write a few pages. Not bad as I had both girls, home sick from school, to tend to! If it wasn't for the house hunting going on as well I would have been on a roll!
oh well, tomorrow.

...steam engines

I have been following the television series on Big Engines presented by
Chris Barrie (Rimmer from Red Dwarf). Without a doubt my favourite are the
steam engines. These were built is the day when an engineer could build a
world changing technology in his garage (or coach-house maybe). Is there
anything more beautiful in the world of machines than a whopping great
beast of a gleaming steam engine. I don't like the silly little ones that
power steam rollers. I like the big ones that would power ships. Maybe it
is time for another visit the maritime museum in Southampton.

...Wikipedia

This is a great resource. I only discovered it from the Firefox browser.
And what a crazy but great idea to allow readers to edit the encyclopaedia
entries. I have just spent my entire luchbreak reading through it.
http://en.wikipedia.org

...February

Life is starting to fall back into that comfortable normality. Christmas carols (which the children are still singing) receive the same welcome as last nights chinese left-overs. The maintenance period in work is over, just the pieces to pick up.
For most the Christmas chaos has been gone for weeks now, but for me it has been dragging out; but such is the lot of an engineer
Once again I'm starting to read my sailing books, dreaming of the waves and sea the breeze.

Starting to write to my blog again. And better still read the great blogs of my friends.