Alan Wanwierd

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since Jun 30, 2004
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Recent posts by Alan Wanwierd

So far I'm stumped.

I've tried using the New>>WebService>>WebServiceClient wizard - and pointing it at the WSDL (http://www.myserviceprovider/service/thingstodo.asmx?WSDL) and it does find the WSDL ok (thats a good thing presumably?)

But the next step has me infuriated. It deosnt seem to want to allow to generate a simple Java Application - or a Utility Project for theclient -= it wasnt me to create a whole web project and EAR file.... not ideal - but I'd settle for that (I'm just trying to right some test stuff at the moment).
Unfortunately attempts to do that after selecting a WAS6.1 runtime and JAX-RPC webservice runtime (I dont really undertsnad what this means) result in an error:

Unable to add the follwing facets to project WebServiceProject: Dynamic Web Module, Java.

<--love the misspelt error message!

Now I can see lots of links to stuff talking about how to publish webservices - but very few about how to create simple WS consumers.

I did this before about 4 years ago (WSAD 4? days)- and the old client is working within the context of our web application - but with errors. I just want to recreate a new one and test the WS part of the code - but it seems to be almost impossible.

THis document: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/websphere/library/techarticles/0803_yee/0803_yee.html talks about importing definitions into a service registry - but as far as I can tell I dont have a service registry. Does this mean I can no longer do WebService development for Websphere using RAD? DO I need to concede defeat to the .NET boys at the other end and tell them that clearly their toolset is far superior and they should redevelop our ENTIRE j2ee application simply because web service development is no longer possible?

Or is there a better way? Any hints would be appreciated!
13 years ago

...why get on a 2 wheeler in the first place? ...



Mike was basically right here:

1) Fun - riding a bike is fun. Cruising around attractive countryside all day with a group of mates is a great way to spend time. The feeling of leaning over and powering through a corner is SOOO much nicer than just lurching around in a big soggy car!

2) Cost - my bike cost me a fraction of what I'd pay for a roadworthy car. My insurance is cheaper on the bike than it would be in a car. I use less fuel than the most efficient of hybrid cars, and as a commuter I pay $0 parking a day instead of $30 a day for a car. I weighed up very carefully the cost of purchasing gear, getting trained and licenced and all my onroad costs and decided that for the budget I had I could not afford to purchase and run a reliable car - a bike on the other hand fell comfortably within my budget.

3) Convenience - I could have settled with public transport as a means to get to and from work. It would have worked out similar in cost to the bike (weekly bus fare is about twice the amount of fuel I use, so allowing for bike maintenance and registration costs would even out). Obviously the bus would dramatically reduce my 'danger of death' - but I'd be looking at 60-80 minutes each way to work instead of 15-20 minutes. Furthermore with bike parking being free and easy (for me at least) I cut out that nasty walk to the bus stop and rushing around to get places in time to synchronise with public transport timetables.

Yes I recognise that my safety is somewhat reduced being on the bike - but like all things in life it doesnt have to be all or nothing. The bike makes sense for all these reasons - it makes more sense to me to ride it in a manner that keeps me a safe as I can. Saying "Well I'm putting myself at risk here - so theres no point in bothering to put on any safety gear" just seems daft....
15 years ago

...the biggest cause of bike crashes ...is cars turning left in front of you



Turning left? pah... its those right turners you've got to watch out for!

(In case anyone isnt aware - here in Australia we drive on the left, hence making a **right** turn means crossing the opposing traffic)
15 years ago

I think if you believe that bad stuff will happen to you while riding then it just might.



Theres a big difference between believing something will happen and taking steps to reduce the consequences if it does!

If you follow your philosophy through to other areas of life we coudl assume:
1) You never take backups or your work (no need for any of that pessimistic version control nonsense)
2) You dont pay ANY insurance for anything...
3) You dont have a lock on your door at home
etc etc etc...

I dont think I'm going to have a crash - but I'm aware that most riders are like that and every now and then someone does. Sometimes through their own negligence and stupidity (screaming round a corner waay too fast), sometimes because of poor conditions (wet roads, oil or gravel patches) which are harder to avoid and sometimes through insane actions of other road users that can not be avoided.

If I am unexpectedly knocked from my bike by a careless car driver I want to make sure my chances of walking away bruised and angry but not seriously injured are as good as possible.

This is not fatalistic acceptance of the inevitable - its a sensible 'ride to survive' attitude.

... fact riding carefully could get you in more accidents.


In that case you need to re-assess what you mean by riding carefully! Riding carefully means scanning the environment arround you and assessing the risks your exposed to. It means weighing up those risks and taking steps to reduce them wherever possible. In the case you outlined it *may* be true that zipping past the bus is less risky than remaining behind it - in which case you ARE riding carefully by getting yourself out of a potentialy dangerous situation before it develops.

Scanning for hazards is arguably the most important skill of motorcycle riding (certainly in an urban environment) and it may be true that the number and variety of those hazards is greater in somewhere like India. In that case I would have thought safety gear would be EVEN MORE appropriate in that environment than the slightly less anarchic developed world.
15 years ago
A Brisbane summer would be up there with the hot stuff in Texas (many days of 35C+ and high humidity, occasional days of 40C+)

but the general attitude is 'If its too hot to ride wearing the gear, its too hot to ride'...

Of course I havent yet experienced riding in the summer (only been licenced for 3 weeks now) - so I cant comment on how uncomfortable my kevlar padded jeans and cordura jacket will be!

Heres a picture of me from this weekend where amongst a group of 40 riders I would have been one of the least protected as my gear is not leather:
15 years ago
A couple of threads recently have highlighted to me that attitudes to motorcycle safety vary widely around the world.

Here in Australia, whilst legally the only requirement is for a AS compliant helmet (some full face, some open-faced) - the majority of bikers choose to do the sensible thing and wear:

full faced helmet
some kind of armoured jacket (either leather or heavy-duty cordura)
armoured pants (leather, cordura or kevlar lined denim)
suitably designed boots (leather, NO laces...)
leather armoured gloves

Of course there are exceptions and you do see the odd fool in plain jeans, sneakers and a tee-shirt - together with the obligatory helmet. On these occasions I wince in anticipatory pain having seen and heard too many stories of people having their legs and arms scrubbed by an E.R. nurse with a wire brush to get the gravel out.

The growing trend of scooters (low powered, less stringent licensing requirements - automatic gearboxs) - means that lax safety gear is becoming more commonplace and every day I see guys and girls with bare legs, arms and open toed footwear just cruising through the city streets waiting for their hospital appointment to happen! Hospitals workers have stated that the number of horrendous injuries from low-speed scooter 'offs' is growing all the time and clearly the standard 'urban chique' dress code for scooter users is exposing them to this unnecessarily high risk.

So what the biker dress code in your part of the world? If inadequate gear is the norm - Why? Do people not realise the likelyhood of injury? Do they believe themselves to be untouchable with a 'wont happen to me' attitude? Is it a cost thing? (Good gear can be expensive) - or is there something I'm missing?
15 years ago
Vishal,

I have no problem with spitting - I dont feel the need to spit and even if I did (and wasnt properly helmeted) then spitting whilst riding would be more likely to end up in me spitting on myself than anything else!

Singing? - yeah no problem I have the occassional sing to myself in the cosy confines of my helmet. Why do you think a full face helmet would prevent you from singing?

As I tried to point out earlier (but probably not very clearly), the big advantage of a full face helmet is that it offers decent protection to your face when you come off the bike. Riders with open faced helmets are frequently admitted to hospital with horrendous facial injuries and its not unheard of to have a lower mandible completely ripped off in an accident. A full face helmet will prevent these injurues and could mean a face-first collision with the ground results in a little more than a few bumps and bruises. (Provided of course the rest of your body is appropriately covered to prevent you from gravel rash as you slide down the road).
15 years ago

Originally posted by Mani Ram:
Wear a masked helmet...



Hell yeah - if I were to spit whilst riding I'd regret it pretty soon!

(Plus full faced helmet does give the benefit of standing a good chance of preserving my beatiful face should I decided to have a close introduction to the road surface one day!)
15 years ago

...I was riding my BWM R90 to a business meeting. I was wearing a white dress shirt....



Did you learn your lesson? Do you still ride with such an appalling disregard for appropriate protective clothing?

Perhaps the wasp is doing you a favour by highlighting how an air-mesh jacket would not only protect you from wasp stings (which according to this thread seem to be more common than I would have imagined) - but also will stop you leaving valuable quantities of skin behind on the road when the unthinkable happens and an inconsiderate driver 'helps' you to part company with your bike at speed!

(Does the term 'squid' mean anything to you?)


ETA: Sorry I dont mean to be condescending - just showing a genuine concern for the fuuture wellbeing of a fellow rider!
[ July 15, 2008: Message edited by: Alan Wanwierd ]
15 years ago

I am looking for accomodation over the net. My office is in Aldersgate Street.

Can someone please let me know areas which are not far off from this area or areas from where I can easily commute using public transport.



What is probably more important than being 'not far off' would be being on a convenient line.

Aldersgate St is close to The Barbican which is on teh following lines:

Hammersmith & City: (Handy if you want to live in East London)
Metropolitan: (Good for North/NorthWest London)
Circle: (All central any accomodation will be expensive)
AND National Rail network. (Handy for North London)

If you look at this map:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/tube-dlr-trams-and-train-travelcard-zones-map.pdf

and check any accomodation options against stations you should be able to find a decent compromise between expensive central living and overly long commutes.

Good luck
15 years ago
Couple of ideas:

1) Given the vast size of the DeathStar, some eco-systems were introduced to aid waste processing functions. Perhaps the snake was a vaulable part of the presumably vast system that helped breakdown trash into useful (or at least easier to transport) components

2) Stowaways - Human history is littered with stories of unintentionaly introduced species making transcontinental migrations. Witness Fire-ants in Australia - not native, not deliberately introduced - but now well and truly established. Perhaps the "trash snake" somehow was intentionaly introduced into the Death Star environment and miraculously found an environment in which it could thrive.
15 years ago

If you fall off, which is far too often, you need leather or some of the new microfiber stuff. Yes, its hot. I dumped my bike at about 130 MPH ~~200kpm. While I was in the hospital, they talked about another guy who had crashed that same day. A bit later, I saw him, covered in road rash head to toe, torn clothes, etc. We talked a bit. I asked "what happened" and he said "hit some gravel on my moped at 20pmh, you?" and I replied "seized at 130", I had two small holes where my leather gloves wore thru. I was wearing racing leathers (I was on a race track). That was all that was wrong, altho I had a really bad headache.


Indeed - I have no intention of cutting corners on my gear. If its too hot to bearably ride in the gear (and there are some high durability, armour plated, breathable abrasion resitant fabrics that are well suited to summer riding), then its too hot to ride.


Do you mean 'lane splitting' where you drive up between stopped cars at a light? Its fast, but very dangerous. Its legal in California, but illegal where I live. Be warmed, it really makes the dudes in cars angry. They tend to open car doors in anger.



Semantics: around here theres a distinction between illegal "splitting" (riding between cars moving in adjacent lanes - effectively carving out another narrow lane for yourself) and legaly permitted "filtering" (passing stationary traffic between lanes to get to the front and clear of traffic and danger).

Since by far the most common collision on the road is running into the back of someone stopped at an intersection theres good reason to believe that bikes 'filtering' are improving their safety. (Someone running into the back of you in a car is annoying and a quick exchange of insurance details... someone running into the back of you on a bike is a trip to hospital if you're lucky )

Recently in Melbourne Police have been cracking down on bikers in peak hour conditions and finding fault with riders 'filtering' (legally lots of grey areas for which they seem to be able to generate tickets if they wish). This has upset the biker community LOTS. Last week a guy didnt filter at an intersection he had previously been booked at and was run into from behind. He died.... Needless to say the biker community are very upset and advising their members to continue to lane filter regardless of police advice.

price of filtering: $100 when police are in the mood...
price of not filtering: DEATH....

Easy choice
15 years ago

..Right, you buy a $6K bike that does 150 MPH to save gas?



Actually its a AU$3.5K bike and I doubt very much it'd reach 150MPH its only a 250cc. In fact with me on the back it's highly unlikely to ever get beyond about 120kmh (about 80mph?).

Fuelwise I'm told this bike will use less than 4lt/100km (strange measurement I know but thats how economy is measured here in Australia). By comparison a good economical 1.6lt hatchback car will struggle to use less than 8lt/100km and I'd be lucky to find something roadworthy for under AU$10K. Add in $20 a day parking vs $0 a day parking, $600 year vs $300 vehicle registration etc etc and pretty soon this bike looks like a good budget option.


and of course yes - it should be fun!!

I had my 1st day of rider training yesterday and spent ages humiliating myself stalling on hillstarts (clearly my clutch control needs a little work!) - it'll be a while before I'm confident enough to take on the peak traffic.

No concerns over snow & ice here in Brisbane - but there is a mild concern that in midsummer out in 40C heat all the necessary protective clothing is going to be SERIOUSLY hot! I've even heard riders comment that lane-filtering at lights is absolutely essential to avoid sitting still in traffic for 30 seconds and getting heatstroke!
[ May 25, 2008: Message edited by: Alan Wanwierd ]
15 years ago
A combination of lifestyle factors together with rising fuel prices, increased congestion and limitied parking options has led me to drastically change my transport options a few times over the last few years.

I did drive a Diesel Landrover Discovery for a while - which was fun, but diesel prices have skyrocketed even faster than petrol (now costs 30% more for diesel than regular unleaded).

Eventually the impending huge maintenance bill scared me off and we sold the Disco - ..

I've been catching buses for a bit - but the WAITING, the poor timetabling, lack of reliability and the overcrowding is driving me insane - I just cant handle it - by the time I get to work I'm compeltely enraged and ready to go on a gun-totting rampage against anyone who iritates me..

So my next plan - fuel efficient, traffic beater, goes where and when I like and with $0 parking costs. The only downside is the ever present danger of death as other road users do their bit to try and reduce the road-using population:

15 years ago
My Golf hypothesis would be lots of people watch it simply because lots of people play it - and gain something from watching the skills displayed and dreaming that they might be able to play in a similar manner...

The reason golf is popoular to play would have to be that in terms of 'sport' its one where peak-fitness is not required - nor is coordinating large groups of people. So its easy to get in to since you and a mate can go down the local course and have a game without too much preperation AND you can keep playing the game long after your legs and lungs have deteriorated well beyond the point where playing more energetic sports woudl be possible.

... By the same logic - how come Darts hasnt really caught on in the international community? - theres a sport with low fitness requirements, low entry costs, low organisational requirements AND plenty of advert breaks for the attention-span limited American viewers!


oh and just for balance - Whilst Amercians may struggle with the appeal soccer and worry about the lack of goals and time between scoring events, the rest of the world struggles with the Amercian sports and their complete lack of flow! How can anyone get absorbed in a game where everyone stops and regroups after every 30 seconds? The joy of soccer is that in a good game the play builds gradually - with increasing tension and anticipation. Most of the time the 'goal' itself is a minor detail in terms of the play and TV highlight packages tend to do a complete diservice in this regard often showing a relatively uneventful goal whilst missing the poetic and graceful build up moves and team interplay that it spawned from.

There have been many a 0-0 game of soccer that have been rivetting, exciting and tremendously entertaining!
[ May 13, 2008: Message edited by: Alan Wanwierd ]
15 years ago