h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I once read/heard a great explanation regarding signatures. I always assumed signatures were to prove to others, possibly in court, that you signed a document. We always see in court dramas on TV as a handwriting expert confirms a signature or proves a forgery. And while that does occasionally happen, a person's signature's primary purpose is to remind the signatory that they signed the document. It's a means of self-identification. For example, it could be used later to remind someone that they entered a contract willingly and with consent.


I wish I could remember the show where, I believe, I learned this. It was a show where the host would "learn" to do things everyone thinks they already know to do, like sign their name or throw a ball.


....


I remembered!

It was "Going Deep with David Rees" and here's the episode. I believe this is where I learned the above information. It's definitely what lead me to rethink my scribbly signature. I worked in a pharmacy when I was in high school and saw plenty of doctors' "signatures", almost all of which were were illegible. My signature then was basically my initials tailing off into wavy lines. After watching this, I gave it some thought and tried out several variations until I worked out a new signature I could be proud of and can be read by others, mostly.


Here's the episode, hopefully the link will work in your regions.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3ht3c9

I haven't watched that video, but I did hear some years ago that illegible or scrawled signatures are easier to forge than ones where you can actually read the name. I've always had a legible signature. Problems with writing over recent years have tempted me to switch to a scrawl, but signatures are so seldom required these days that I might as well stick with my current one.

Interesting video. I think I should slow down when signing on paper. At work, we now have a printed stamp to ensure legibility, as well as handwriting signing (initials will do).

Perhaps I also need to practice a finger on screen signature, as that's the one that bugs me!

I'm thinking I should develop a specific "fingerture", akin to a mark for illiterate signatories.

Basically, I'm thinking of using something like my former "doctor" scrawl; my initials tailing off to wavy lines. Or just my normal "initials" which is just my last initial, I, but done in my unique way that is basically like a capital Z with a vertical line through the diagonal and a long, fast bottom stroke.

Yep, after some brief consideration, that's probably the best as my first initial has a long downward stroke that doesn't fit on digital touchpad signature spaces.

My PH today is I hate petty changes...

I've had to replace a couple of large items this month, and it all seemed fine when I ordered them, that I tested the demo products in the showroom and was happy, but when the actual products arrived, they weren't quite the same as the ones I'd tested... I guess it will be OK in the end, but the fine-tuning is going to take a while...

And then I logged on to Facebook and discovered they've changed the commet layout so it is black text on blue bubbles surrounded by white space so I can't focus on the text...

Thankfully h2g2 is providing me a refuge...

I wish myself software more generally allowed one to select background color and print color and size for comfort.

Some past editions of windows and misc. other software have allowed that.

Pliny would be more comfortable wîth a dial and toggle arrangement that allowed one to select between high noon northern exposure, its current background, to western magenta sunset, to southern night, to golden sunrise, with toggles for print color and size.

Yes - I managed to find a browser plug in that has sorted Facebook out for me so it is black text on a plain grey background, which helps a lot...

h2g2 works with CTRL+ to increase the font size and CTRL- to decrease. I'm glad I'm a logged-in user so I can choose the skin preference of Brunel, as Pliny is a bit bright for me, but at least it is a plain background so I can use Pliny for looking at the Front Page Entries...

The BBC recently changed their mobile sports pages.

There's plenty of white text on a yellow background. And the progress bar is yellow on a white background with a neighbouring yellow background.

PP.

PH: misspelling the word "typo"

(it came out as tyoo)

I would have thought the BBC would comply with Royal National Institute of the Blind guidelines to ensure everything is easily readable for as many people as possible.

PH: shoelaces. Particularly shoelaces coming undone in what otherwise would have been a moment of triumph.

<BB<

I fixed my self-untying shoelaces by going to an enhanced bunny ear knot. It's like the normal bunny ear method, but you put both ears through the hole first.

http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/secureknot.htm


The only problem I ever have is if one of the loose ends slips into one of the loops and I don't notice when I try to untie them. That can create a hatchet knot if one isn't careful and pulls too tightly.

Use a double bow knot myself.

I went from elastic laces to "Easy Laces" (separate strips of plastic that stretch slightly when putting shoes on) before I had my hip replaced and haven't gone back to ordinary laces as even now it is quite difficult to get my right foot near enough to make a decent bow of any sort

My mother has no problem with putting on shoes and - at 98 - can still reach to cut her own toenails. I was amazed to see her sitting in her armchair with a towel under her foot and her knee up by her chin. But then, she was always the sportswoman. Not like me. I couldn't perform that feat because my tummy is in the way!

Petty hate; The trend for PC/phone/app/browser search boxes to be hybrid internet search engines.

When I'm in a phone app, I can guarantee 100% that all my searches will relate to people I want to call, not other random people in the world with the same name.

When I'm searching for files on my computer I can guarantee 100% that all the results I am looking for will be on my computer, so no need for a stupid 'search online instead?' prompt.

If i want to do a Web search i can do that via Google in a fraction of a second. Just because a search bar can be hybrid, doesn't mean it should be..

It's also becoming more pernicious too with some (Microsoft) apps just automatically switching to a Web search when it doesn't find what you've searched for in the place you've searched for it.

STOP IT! it's not clever, and it's certainly not useful. I can handle the disappointment of a negative result without needing to be consoled by a 'related' Web search .

That really extends to any software thinking it knows better than the user...

My pet hate is dull and very cloudy skies with no sign of any sunshine, that saps my energy.

Another occasion of wanting to buy a product again, only to find it's no longer available. This time, two kitchen/household items - presumably not popular, though I found them both very useful.

Non-brewed condiment. What a waste of time!

All it does is makes your chips wet.

PP.

My petty hate is vehicle's alarms that are bleeping for hours. I am already very sensitive to noise and I am still able to hear the vehicle's alarms going off (no-one is breaking) even when I have ear defenders on.