General – Page 5 – Micah B's Blog

Maps: Missing Post Offices

Found this map of post offices http://www.maptube.org/map.aspx?mapid=92 but the 2 closest to me in Muirhouse and Pennywell are missing. I will have to check out where data is from and why this is. These post offices get a fair bit of custom and despite new round of post office closures they both should be secure. … Continue reading “Maps: Missing Post Offices”

Found this map of post offices

http://www.maptube.org/map.aspx?mapid=92

but the 2 closest to me in Muirhouse and Pennywell are missing.

I will have to check out where data is from and why this is.

These post offices get a fair bit of custom and despite new round of post office closures they both should be secure. The government set out to undermine the postoffice network by taking the benefits payments from them pushing claimants to use bank which fleece claimants with penalties to cover costs.

Open Street Map has an icon for post offices:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Proposed_features/Post_Office
But long way to go before they all get tagged.

I am hoping to explore OSM tools parsing address tags for building into BS7666 format.
http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/gdsc/html/frames/BS7666Address.htm
In that way OSM could in future inferface with datasets that held address element in BS7666 format. or even become if not linked to a free version of the National Land and Property Gazetteer.
http://www.nlpg.org.uk
More on format of NLPG: http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/6055969
Hopefully in time the the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) from the NLPG these will become more widely know and used. At moment it is only if particular professions that it is used outside local government. http://www.searchflow.co.uk
More open access to NLPG as it is updated when developer applies for planning permission would still be a great plus however developed free alternatives get. Also by being more open feedback would improve it accuracy authorities us i.e changes of names and usage, splitting of properties.
Also each local authority should hold a register of street works against the Unique Street Reference Number (UPRN) from related National Street Gazetteer http://www.thensg.org.uk and now under the recently implemented Traffic Management Act 2004 those digging or near the road will be providing as part of permit application the exact start and end location by OS National Grid co-ordinates, which could shown on such a resource.

I have been interested in this area for awhile now but it seems there has been various discussion in various parts about more freeing of data. I posted a comment at http://www.showusabetterway.co.uk
at:
http://www.showusabetterway.co.uk/call/2008/07/a-map-of-road-c.html?commenter=Bunny
which prompted me to pull some of together info in this post.

http://www.gisconsultancy.com/blog/politics/the-royal-mail-paf-that-old-chestnut

The power of postcodes

http://powerofinformation.wordpress.com/
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advice/psi-regulations/uk-report-reuse-psi-2008.pdf

http://www.freeourdata.org.uk/blog/
http://www.freeourdata.org.uk

making our records last

I think it would be good if human knowledge and accounts of events were added to glass bottles by engraving or have stored in form by raised lettering, code or pictures. These will last longer than paper or film. Bottles go all over the world and although many get recycled the fate of many is … Continue reading “making our records last”

I noticed bbc’s iPM is looking at using Coca Cola distribution network to carry aid. This would add cost to their process and so would any engraving process or changing in molds of the large batches of bottles. But their is benefit of good image to Coca Cola.

Cycling again / addresses

After winter break I have started this week cycling to and from work. On my way back on Monday I saw the Heron under bridge from Fords Road over Water of Leith I had not seen him as far up as that and was closest I had seen him. He looked back at me, and turned around showing of his big quif like feather on his head that I had not noticed before, a pity I did not have a camera. My camera card not working well it unmounts after transferring one photo to computer.

I have recent been looking at issue of addresses.
And came across the Association of British Counties who have convinced me to now use the historic county more in addresses, especially ones where not really in located in the ‘post town’. I also use the Gazetteer they provide.

NPLG do a gazetteer of addresses but it is not freely accessible. They just seem to sell it like the Royal Mail’s PAF but at least one can search a few online.

mapping futures

2 weeks ago a street mapping party used Infoseed as a base, to go out and record GPS traces to add to Open Street Map. I like this project creating more open distributable free information. I have not got a GPS device myself. I might get one at start of next year, after looking into which ones of best use.
In UK the official maps from Ordnance Survey are not freely distributable. Which is the subject of the Free Our Data campaign.
Open Street Map only details down to street level of detail. But the some of technology behind it along with other developments could go further down to same level as that of OS Mastermap which shows buildings, walls and kerbs, and other feature boundaries. I am still getting my head round the possibilities and how they might be implemented. Tech tools include FeatureServer and GeoServer.

An interesting source of maps is the Maps done by USSR of whole world including Britain.

Utilities keeps record of pipes or cables managed often kept on a mapping system (GIS). When someone wants a new connection they send in scale plans if a new build, which merged with existing records which recorded on mapbase from ordnance survey. The new connection is then designed on top of the merged image to give a quote based on lengths, size and type of materials needed. An ‘Aslaid Template’ of the combined map is also produced so contractor can record what they actually put in the ground, and this is in turn used to update the GIS record with the pipes or cables and any new build building, roads and pavements.
Generally get scaled plans are still submitted as paper maps. But sometimes as PDF, or DWG or DXF. In an area I know PDFs are converted to raster png files with PDFcreator which has option to save a png. DWG is able to be opened in Autodesk Trueview 2007 and then turn off layers we done need and that often create congestion in route of new service. The new build image is merged with existing mapbase with pipe routes using the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It seems a pity to convert vector information into raster information for this then to be recorded back in vector format on mapping system.
But in case I know of with gas pipes the output of GIS system is only in raster format. And as the complete route of pipe is hand drawn onto the aslaid, the new build details are added from it at same time as aslaid route of new pipe. I wonder if the new build could be added to mapbase at first and then template created. In fact it would be good if architects could add there plans to open mapbase that was used, so the same activity of adding there plans to OS mapbase done in each utility is saved. One could have a distributed system which pulling in distributed data based on web of trust.

The future of recording under ground assets if being looked into by linked projects:

Mapping the Underworld (as reported by BBC)

Another MTU website

Vista DTI Project

Digital Framework (for swapping map data)

starting to Cycle to work / an oak tree in Leeds

I have recently started cycling to work; and found it to be quicker than I have to allow to get the bus as I had to get two buses. I am using the same bike I used to use in the early 90s in Cambridge. It was originally my dad’s. I used another bike in late nighties since which was stolen which was also given to me by my dad. And my dad gave me this one back last year, but it took me till now to take the plunge to cycle to work.
The route I take is mostly off the road on disused railway path and then on the path along the Water of Leith. Yesterday I saw a sawn building it’s a nest, as well as heron which looked very elegant, just standing around in same spot water for quite a while. I had seen it before near weir next to my workplace. I am looking forward to getting fitter and more in trim with cycling.
I will also save a bit of money but I will have to still get the bus on a few days and a day ticket in Edinburgh is now £2.50, whereas 4 weekly bus pass I used to use is £37; so saving are not as great as first might be though with ditching bus pass but still having to use the bus on some days. But once I have decided to ditch the bus pass I can use £2.50 saving as motivation to cycle.

The other week I stayed with my parents and also we went to my grandparents diamond wedding anniversary celebration. It was good to see so many relatives.
One thing I do every time I stay with my parents is to see how the oak tree planned in Garden in 1999 is doing. It came from a collection of Oak saplings that Marina Findley had grown from an acorn collected from Pressmennan woods. But they had become pot bound, dried out and most had died. This one was one of few that barely survived. It was either 2 or 3 years old. When it was first planted in Leeds it lost all leaves straight away but it recovered the next year and after a year or two put on a big spurt. It is now doing very well. I think about how it it look in hundreds of years.

Ulla enjoys her allotment, but I don’t get out to it much myself and don’t really wish to spend long period there. I hope we get a place with its own garden sometime, which can grow trees as well in.

Spring entry

I spend most winter looking forward to the spring equinox as I don’t like the dark of winter, and we passed it last week. The clock went forward last night so we get up earlier to give us more daylight when active. Yesterday with Ulla I visited St Andrews in Fife, as she had not visited it before and I did not properly look around last time I visited which was quite a while ago. There is a Chocolaterie-Confiserie-Boulangerie-Patisserie shop called Fisher & Donaldson that has quite a range of edible delights that would quite take a time to get through all the sorts and I got some of Easter specials, including an Easter chicken. Unfortunately, we eat them without photographing them first so share with you what they looked like. We did take quite a few photos of the sites. The sun was shining and the breeze was mild but enough to make waves look good.

I have been meaning to add more articles on various mostly tech subjects, but not able to find the time. I am not sure if I will start to do more diary posts such as this. We will see.

Taking on the banks over bank charges

Radio 4 had a programme covering the issue of reclaiming bank charges. They also just had a good one on Privacy in Peril which cover identity theft and use of information stored on us in databases such as credit card info. But back to bank charges, which it seems well worth reclaiming any that have … Continue reading “Taking on the banks over bank charges”

But back to bank charges, which it seems well worth reclaiming any that have been made against you for missing credit card repayment, bounced direct debits or cheques, or unauthorised overdrafts in last six years (maybe more in Scotland, yet to check out, but there is the lower limit of £750 at small claims court in Scotland). There are several websites with templates for letters to write and then small claims court procedure which will result in getting charges refunded. There are various other web forums where one can follow others’ success with this.

Consumer Action Group forum

Penalty Charges website includes forum

Bank Charges Hell

Martin Lewis on reclaiming bank charges

This is money on reclaiming bank charges

Basically given the government wish to save money by scrapping post office basic bank account to force us all to use banks to have benefits and pensions paid into; it is good people are taking on the banks over there unlawful use of bank charges to fund the advertising blurb of ‘free banking’ where 20% of often poorest customers who incur most charges fund wider current account system through bank charges that amount to extortion. The law says that charges that cover more than admin costs are an unfair penalty and that is unlawful.
Also, the only local cash till in my area was converted to fee-charging cash till that only warns so in blue writing in the thin font on blue background.

Possible to go overdrawn if just using a Visa Electron debit card

There is a popular misconception that as payments made in shops and on websites with Visa Electron debit card are checked with the bank to see if there are sufficient account funds, that one can’t go overdrawn if one just uses Visa Electron, but one can, as unlike withdrawing cash from an ATM the amount is not debited from the account straight away but takes 3 to 5 days, so one can make multiple payments with a check being against the only balance that does not include the other payments. This was not clear to me, and on that card, I was unable to check my balance as it did not work in ATMs or at Post Office, only for debit payment at shops, but that is another story. I found this all this to my cost in unauthorized bank charges but I will try to reclaim, even though that is a real hassle.

This makes all the more problem that government is insisting people have benefits and pensions paid into bank accounts where they fall into this trap as well, which would not be the case if just paid out as cash at the post office.

And also with under 18s often getting accounts with visa electron, which they can use online, and it seems according to an article at gambling sites.

Phone Call Costs

Ok, after my post the other week on phone call costs, I though I would post up a summary Here are some pre-dial numbers for having cheaper UK mobile calls: 0844 428 0004 (4p/min) 0844 428 2525 (4p/min) price comparison from: http://niftylist.co.uk/calls/to/uk/mobile/ or for UK landlines: 0844 721 2525 (1p/min) 0844 861 2121 (1p/min) 0844 … Continue reading “Phone Call Costs”

Ok, after my post the other week on phone call costs, I though I would post up a summary

Here are some pre-dial numbers for having cheaper UK mobile calls:

0844 428 0004 (4p/min)
0844 428 2525 (4p/min)
price comparison from:
http://niftylist.co.uk/calls/to/uk/mobile/

or for UK landlines:

0844 721 2525 (1p/min)
0844 861 2121 (1p/min)
0844 861 3838 (1p/min)
0844 721 0001 (1p/min)
from:
http://niftylist.co.uk/calls/to/uk/landline/

The Niftylist website is best viewed with CustomizeGoogle enabled in Firefox web browser.

Another Phone call cost comparison site which is worth checking out does not have adverts but is more garish.

Note: you get charged for time to answer even if not answered but at these prices compared with BT/Telewest/NTL etc. this not significant factor in decision to use over default with line supplier.

If you wish to verify rates and who supplies service use:
http://www.magsys.co.uk/telecom/codelook.asp

Also another aspect of using these pre-dial numbers is the follow through number actually called does not show on itemised bill.

Also you can view web and have you can access phoneline clear at same time you can get some minutes of landline calls hassle free from JaJah and Webcalldirect. I think it gets max trial minutes from number used rather than cookie which could drop or IP which could change via Tor ( http://tor.eff.org )

These can still be used after switch to The Phone Co-op as default service which I recommend for reasons over immediate cost comparisons but is slightly cheaper than BT but still worth using these pre-dial access numbers to get the cheapest rates.
I recommend The Phone Coop because it is a customer coop and so is more stable and can’t be taken over by another company which causes disruption. Also one can have share and influence the company policy through that as well as get a dividend. Also it is worth getting a Phone Coop account if you use Cable phone line to get fixed cost calls in evening.
For directory inquiries use 118114 which is cheaper than most of others.

Martin Lewis’s take on phone and broadband costs

Rip off ATMs and bank charges

BBC have a story today about rip off ATM charging. This comes after the goverment forced pensioners and those on benefit to get bank accoutns to receive dole in. There was a previous story on Scottish TV.
In our area the only ATMs that charge. One is in a location that used to be non-charging can they keep the bank symbols on it and only warning that it charged Â£1.75 was on screen in a blue thin font on a blue background. Often wehn people using told it charges people don’t use it, so in many case people go to use it unaware of charge. Obtaining money from these charges is deceiving people and in my view amounts to fraud.
Also a friend went into a shop and first asked if they accepted cards and they said they did then later at till they told him to go use charging machince in the store.

Also now with admin charges on bills people are encouraged to used direct debit but it is not as straight forward to set it up so fits in with weekly or fortnightly pay. I have a friend who has several time including last 2 months had bank charges to pay because out of sync direct debits with income. I would advise them to move to bank that has buffer zone (such as the HSBC) where it is preserved by not being able to dip into it with solo/eletron card or atm withdrawals but if direct debit attempted will be able to. But I doubt can switch bank with resulting bad credit rating due to previous uncovered direct debit attempts.

For basic accounts the co-operative bank has a lower charge than most, but still it is pretty unbearable to get one of these let alone several. HSBC may be not charge.
Someone elses advice on bank charges