Anachronym

noun: A long dead acronym

It occured to be today that there must a vast number of acronyms that were once almost ubquitous but that are no longer in regular use. Acronyms that out of date and evocative of the era when they appeared in almost every IRQ, Email or forum conversation.

Of the top of my head, however, I couldn't think of any. So I'm looking for people to suggest some here, in the comments, or on Twitter.

• WYSIWYG - What you see is what you get. A description of user interfaces that allow you to edit text / content in a representation of how it will look in the final product. Probably no longer used because this type of user interface is now expected as the norm. Suggested by samschoolstuff.

Boing Boing has just discovered, and consequently lost, the Game.

I've been playing the Game since 2002. I blogged about it in August 2002, when I'd already been playing it for 6 months. My blog entry, or rather the original post on my first Blogger-based blog, is one of the first permanent records of the The Game on the 'Net. I first learnt it, though, on the 4Clubbers.net forums. These have undergone several changes since that time though and the original entries do not appear to have been archived.

Since then I've tried to track the online coverage of The Game, until my old arseburgers.co.uk blog died.

Since then, I tweeted evidence that 118118 plays The Game.

If you see any other online or offline evidence of The Game, please let me know. Oh, and don't forget; You've Just Lost The Game!

As of Monday, I on am notice of redundancy at my current employer. I find my self looking for a new job, therefore.

I'm looking for role as a VAT Manager or Senior Manager in the Midlands or South West but I am willing to consider other areas for the right role. I copy my CV below.

In particular, I'm looking for a role that would allow me to stretch and develop my marketing and networking skills.

Paul Taylor

Burntwood
Staffordshire

Email: paul@theaardvark.co.uk

Key Skills

• Quick to grasp, develop and apply concepts.
• Excellent problem solving abilities often producing original solutions from lateral thinking.
• Quick to follow and produce logical arguments in negotiations and technical discussions.
• Communicates successfully with a wide variety of people.
• Extensive knowledge of UK and European VAT applications.
• Good 'user level' knowledge of IT systems and some support level experience.

Career History

VATease Ltd (became BTG-Tax LLP)   2008 - present

VAT Manager 

• Provide VAT Advice to wide range of clients including accountants, solicitors and industry clients.
• Act as in-house VAT consultant for 2 accountancy firm clients.
• Manage client relationships.
• Write and edit regular VAT newsletter.
• Assist with marketing projects and administration of the business.
• Attend and/or represent clients at VAT Tribunal
• Assist clients with VAT return, EC Sales List and Intrastat return preparation.

Dains   2006 - 2008

Senior VAT Consultant 

• Founded Indirect Tax Section.
• Advised small and medium sized enterprises, charities and non-profit making bodies on all aspects of VAT.
• Marketing activities to promote new Indirect Tax Section.
• Undertook client visits and evaluations.
• Assist clients with VAT return, EC Sales List and Intrastat return preparation.

VATease Ltd   2003 - 2006

Executive Consultant 

• Provide VAT Advice to wide range of clients including accountants, solicitors and industry clients.
• Manage client relationships, billing and credit control.
• Assist clients with VAT return, EC Sales List and Intrastat return preparation.
• Write and edit monthly VAT newsletter.
• Assist with marketing projects and administration of the business.
• Attend and/or represent clients at VAT Tribunal
• Assist with use of IT

NSK Europe Ltd    2001 - 2002

Indirect Taxation Manager  

• Responsible for VAT compliance of European group.
• Prepared and submitted monthly VAT returns for 14 VAT registrations in 6 countries.
• Created and developed processes for calculating VAT returns.
• Assisted and advised on improvements made to SUN accounting system to properly account for VAT.
• Assisted and advised on project to create process to complete Intrastat returns. Oversaw submission of returns.
• Extensive use of Excel and VisionXL to extract and manipulate account data.

BDO Stoy Hayward (Nottingham)    2000

Manager of 4 person VAT team. 

• Assisted VAT Senior Manager on the creation of VAT team.
• Advised small and medium sized enterprises, charities and non-profit making bodies on all aspects of VAT.
• Carried out VAT reviews as part of audits
• Undertook client visits and evaluations.
• Oversaw development and activities of VAT consultant.

PricewaterhouseCoopers    1996 - 2000

• Started as VAT consultant and promoted to VAT senior.
• Responsible for management of "Overseas VAT refunds" team, compiling and submitting 8^th & 13^th EC directive refund claims for clients.
• Advised medium, large and global enterprises, charities, non-profit making bodies and Government agencies on all aspects of VAT.
• Carried out VAT reviews as part of audits
• Responsible for client handling and billing for small portfolio of clients.
• Assisted and managed a number of information technology changes and acted as a local representative for the IT team.

HM Customs & Excise    1991 - 1996

• Started as EO visiting officer, spent some time on enquiries section, was a founding member of the "Cash Trader District" and finally moved to EO deregistration section.
• Visiting officer responsible for reviewing the VAT declarations of taxpayers. Visited their premises, interviewed taxpayer, audit VAT records, issued assessments for over/underpaid VAT.
• Enquiries officer responding to taxpayers' technical questions. Reviewed "Self-Builder" VAT claims.
• Assisted with the creation of "Cash Trader District" using more in-depth, investigation-type techniques to determine the correct VAT liability of different types of cash oriented businesses.
• EO Deregistration managing up to 9 staff processing deregistration applications from taxpayers. Responsible for reviewing action taken by staff and dealing with any technical queries.
• Assisted with the implementation of information technology by the department.

Education

9 GCSEs

2 A levels.

Professional Experience

VAT technical work undertaken for the following industries & sectors:

house builders, registered social landlords, retailers, privatised Government agencies, overseas companies with UK branches, family businesses, multinational companies, dentists, pharmacies, charities, universities, property investment companies, manufacturers, service industries, casinos, horse & dog tracks.

Various technical courses attended throughout my career to develop, refresh and update technical knowledge and skills. Studied for professional qualifications throughout 1999. 

Currently Chairman of the VAT Practitioners Group West Midlands Chapter

Personal details

Date of Birth: 24 January 1972     Status: Married, 3 Children 

Interests include: Computers & Internet, DJing and Music, Motorsport, Reading

My gig last night was a corporate event at a hotel in Newmarket. The theme was "Best of British and they really pushed the boat out. A Beatles tribute band, a Del Boy impersonator, a Britannia human statue and Ice Sculpture centre pieces by Hamilton Ice Sculptures.

The last one is a named place card that was on each place setting.

Well that piece of crap title got your attention didn't it? Of course, I mean nothing of the sort. It just occurred to me that with unlimited SMS messaging plans and (limited) unlimited mobile internet, together with Twitter (Dabr), Gmail syncing to my phone and a decent web browser on the HTC Touch HD, I probably spend much more time on the phone sending or receiving information by text that by voice.

As a relatively early adopter of mobile phones, hands free kits and large amounts included airtime I was frequently the target of abuse / ribbing by the anti-mobile Luddites. Those who would equate anyone with a mobile with Dom Joly's "I'M ON THE TRAIN!". Quiet zones on trains felt, to me, like a sop to those individuals who wanted not a quiet area but an area where they could look uppity and annoyed and, pointing to the sign, proudly exclaim that "you can't use that thing here!".

Now, as a relatively early adopter of the communication tools and social networking resources that allow communication in (almost) complete science, and as someone who treasures the ability to be able to snooze undisturbed for the 1/2 hour train journey, I welcome an area where I can talk to my friends without being disturbed by other peoples communications. And they turn to volume down on those bloody annoying TV screens with the repetitive, out of date news service on them.

Gunk.

Sedgely High School production of Grease.
Maken a noise like a gleed under a door

1. "Graise" Frankie Valli 3:24

2. "Summa Noyits" John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John 3:35

3. "Oy Loike Yow" Olivia Newton-John 3:04

4. "Yowm the wun what I want, yowm am" John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John 2:48

5. "Oi Sandz" John Travolta 2:31

6. "Beyaty Skul Clarnit" Frankie Avalon 3:59

7. "Ark at Me, I'm Sozza Dee" Stockard Channing, Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff and Jamie Donnelly 1:40

8. "Wosha'" John Travolta 3:13

9. "It's Rennin on Prom Noyit" Cindy Bullens 2:51

10. "Aloon at the Flay Pit" (instrumental) 2:24

11. "Blaw Mun" Sha-Na-Na 2:20

12. "Rock n' Rowl Is eya to Stoy" Sha-Na-Na 2:03

13. "Those Mojic Chonges" Sha-Na-Na 2:18

14. "Howund Dorg" Sha-Na-Na 1:24

15. "Born to Donnie Dance" Sha-Na-Na 4:37

16. "Blartin on me Pilla" Sha-Na-Na 2:02

17. "Moonen" Louis St. Louis and Cindy Bullens 4:37

18. "Freddy, Mo Mon" Cindy Bullens 4:37

19. "Rock n' Rowl Crack Wench" Louis St. Louis 2:11

20. "Thess'n Wuss Thangs I Cud Do" Stockard Channing 2:22

21. "Ark at Me, I'm Sozza Dee" (agen) Olivia Newton-John 1:28

22. "We wanna gow togever" John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John 3:00

23. "Love's a Bostin' Tranklement" (instrumental) 1:23

24. "Graise" (tararabit) Frankie Valli 4:37

 

(Suggestions for changes to the above are welcomed, particuarly changing the names to Black Country appropriate names).

genuis /dʒ'iːnəis/

Synonyms: noun: Imperator defined talent

genui plural

1. Genius is very great ability or skill in a particular subject or activity defined as and when by Krzysztof D'Aardvark, The Imperator.
   • This is the mark of her real genuis as a finder of lost items.
   • The man had genuis and people revered him as the font of useless information.
   • This very blog post is a stroke of genuis.
2. A Genuis is a person capable of activities of such abilities or skills.
   • theaardvark is not just a genuis, he is incredibly modest, handsome and generous too.

This morning, the hard drive on my Philips Freevents MT2400 PC failed. Completely. I was going to say "suddenly" but I'd be lying. It's been hinting at it for months and I've done bugger all about backing all my stuff up. Mug.

Anyway, I've been out and bought myself a brand new hard drive, unplugged the old one and whacked the new one in its place. The processes that followed were not as simple as I'd hoped they would be.

Firstly, installing windows. The Philips Freevents MT2400 comes with Windows XP Media Edition 2005 pre-installed. I managed to find a set of installation disks for this and, thankfully, the Serial Number is on a sticker on the side of the desk top. So I figured it'd be easy to re-install Windows from those disks. And it is, in theory.

In practice, half way through it asked for the SP2 Installation CD, which wasn't included in the set of CDs I had. There are 2 resolutions to this:

1. I downloaded the SP2 file from microsoft.com (a self extracting installation file). I ran the file  then when the installation process asked for further input Ignored that and copied the contents of the temporary file (from the C: drive) to a CD. I then used that as the SP2 Installation CD.
2. "Slipstream" the SP" pack with the XP installation discs.

I went for Option 1, mainly because I wasn't aware of Option 2 at the time. I would recommend you go for Option 2, it's much easier (I believe).

This will take several hours. At the end of this process, you should have Windows XP installed on your machine.

There's much more work to come and I'll update this entry as I get chance.

About 3 months ago I blogged about adding a TweetMeme button to this Movable Type blog. In that entry I gave guidance on adding the button to an individual entry page on one of the standard templates where the "compact" button fits neatly along side the entry title. I promised to give guidance on adding the code to the Main Index for a Movable Type blog is anyone asked. Sure enough, someone has asked.

The template currently used by this blog uses a "Template Module" within the Main Index template. This is a separate section of code that can be called on by a number of different indexes, such a the Monthly and/or Subject Archive Index template.

It is fairly easy to confirm whether this is the case.

1. Navigate to the "Blog Template" page and select the "Main Index" link under "Index Templates".
2. Find the code "<mt:Entries>" and </mt:Entries>
   
3. If the code between these items includes <$mt:Include module="Some Text"$> then it is calling (inserting) the code in the Template Module "Some Text". For my blog and, I suspect, many others using standard templates this Module is called "Entry Summary".

If your Main Index template uses a Template Module then do the following:

1. Navigate to the correct Template Module page (i.e. "Some Text" or Entry Summary" in the examples above"
   
2. Find the code "<$mt:EntryTitle$>". This will probably be in a line that starts and ends <h2 blah blah blah> ... </h2>
3. Immediately before the "<h1" insert the following code:

   <p style="float:right; margin: 0 0 0 5px; padding:0;">
   <script type="text/javascript">
   tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
   tweetmeme_source = 'your username';
   </script>
   <script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>
   </p>

Because my Monthly and Subject Archives on this template also use the same Template Module to include the entries, making this change has also added the TweetMeme button to the entries on those archive pages too.

If your Main Index template (or any archive template) does not use a Template Module simply complete steps 2 & 3 above within the Main Index (or other) template itself.

If this has been any help RT it (using the button) and leave a comment. If you want details on how to add it to the front page let me know.