I use Command-Up and Command-Down in Safari all the time. They are equivalent to the home and end keys, but they are a lot easier to use because there is a Command key right next to the arrow keys on my PowerBook keyboard, but the fn key is the other side of the keyboard and therefore needs two hands. Another pair of useful keystrokes is Command-Left (Back) and Command-Right (Forward).
To make these work in Firefox, you have to edit one of the files, /Applications/Firefox.app/ Contents/MacOS/res/builtin/platformHTMLBindings.xml.
Open that file in an editor and find the section that starts <binding id="browser">. Inside that section you'll see a load of <handler event="keypress"... lines. Add the following lines somewhere in that section:
<handler event="keypress" keycode="VK_UP" modifiers="accel" command="cmd_scrollTop"/>
<handler event="keypress" keycode="VK_DOWN" modifiers="accel" command="cmd_scrollBottom"/>
<handler event="keypress" keycode="VK_LEFT" modifiers="accel" command="Browser:Back"/>
<handler event="keypress" keycode="VK_RIGHT" modifiers="accel" command="Browser:Forward"/>
Save the file and restart Firefox to apply the changes. Don't forget though, because you've edited one of the files included in Firefox.app, if you upgrade Firefox you'll need to apply the changes again. There is supposed to be a mechanism whereby you can make the change in your user profile directory, but that feature is currently broken.
Keeping fit
I've never been much of a keep fit fanatic, and anyone that knows me will tell you that that's a complete understatement. I've decided to try and rectify that by starting to do a bit more exercise, i.e. more than none.
To that end I've started jogging. I've got myself a pair of trainers, and some tracksuit trousers. A few weeks ago I went out running a couple of times with my brother, but for some reason the momentum was never quite there to go out a third time. Tonight I went out running with a colleague from work and we are planning to make it a thrice-weekly event. There are no shower facilities at work so the plan is to set off straight after work, then at least we can head straight home afterwards.
Tonight we ran for about 45 minutes, from work to Buckingham town and back. It's now three hours later and my legs still feel like jelly.
A rant about plumbers
Why is it so hard to get a plumber? Why is it just accepted that you make an appointment for a plumber to come round, then they just don’t turn up? Why did I waste my time leaving work early today?
Seriously, I’m sat here with a crap bathroom and many thousands of pounds sat in my bank account waiting for a plumber to take it off my hands in exchange for fitting a new one. If you are a plumber and want more information then please contact me at jon.evans@pobox.com. I live in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Update 24/09/2003: the plumber came round on Monday, and if his quote is OK we should be able to get the job done next month sometime. So we might be OK. Plumbers, you can stop the barrage of email now (none received as of this posting…).
Update 06/08/2005: As I’m importing all of my posts from my old site, I thought I’d add a comment to this one. We did end up getting the bathroom done by this plumber, and it cost us over £5,000. The workmanship was utter crap, and I ended up removing every bathroom fitting installed by the plumber and installing it all again myself. Moral: DIY is the way to go.
Surreal Spam #1
Sometimes you get spam which contains random words in an effort to fool spam filters. The text of these is usually quite surreal. Here's one I received today:
fire hydrant of labyrinth pee on curse about.inside inferiority complex make love to light bulb related to judge, and beyond satellite pour freezing cold water on oil filter behind wheelbarrow.He called her Dick (or was it Dick?).cyprus mulch around sheriff bounce living with cloud formation.He called her Dick (or was it Dick?). chuff cushing stock shaft coleman yemen cartilage ames Furthermore, traffic light behind hibernates, and mastadon of boogie girl scout defined by starlet. blueback katharine neurophysiology omission polonium coral
Sparkly car
I had my car valeted today. It’s something I’ve only had done (to this extent) once before, that was about three years ago when I was returning a company car that I hadn’t kept particularly clean.
Anyway, I went for the full package, including engine bay clean and prep. It cost me £79 but I think it was worth it. I am going to try and make an effort to keep it “topped up” to this cleanliness level. The valeting company I used do a cheaper Wash & Vac service at £15, which I might take advantage of every so often.
Anyway, I took some pictures.