FCHouse

New flat, same old problems…

Posted by Carlo - 27/02/08 at 01:02:18 pm

It has been the third time in a row that the men who should have changed a stupid bath tap did not show on my door this morning. For the third time I have not been notified by the property manager, and just to clarify: the bath tap is still broken (it did not fix by itself)

Right now I am not in the mood to call the property manager again this morning, because I am tired of speaking to a damned answering machine. The professionalism of Foxtons has reached abysmal levels, but I do not know  how to behave right now… I think that sending a should be the right thing to do.

I am amazed by how unfairly the tenants are treated! For now the experience with Foxtons is bad, really really bad. If you are looking for a flat in London you have to face it: they have a lot of things (and some very good ones) but the treatment you will have to expect is pure rubbish! I think that I will think twice before going to Foxtons next time!

Is there anyone else out there who had problems with these kind of Property Management? Did you solve the problem? How?

Chen iu spik in inglisc, plis?

Posted by Carlo - 26/02/08 at 12:02:04 pm

I know my English is not perfect (…). I know that the first posts I have written in this blog were… well… rubbish. At least I have never considered myself a journalist of a national news agency…

The title was hilarious enough, but for more laughs you can read the brief article!

Faby in a Studio Mood

Posted by Carlo - 24/02/08 at 09:02:51 pm

Today Fabiana helped me with some “Studio-Like” shots.
I was using the built-in flash and a reflector. The results are good!

Toshiba has lost: HD DVD discontinued

Posted by Carlo - 19/02/08 at 10:02:39 am

I must admit: I was hoping for Toshiba to win. I did not like Blue Ray, mostly because I do not like Sony. The market, however, has just decided who is the winner, and HD DVD is the clear loser.

Toshiba has discontinued its HD DVD business.

From a certain point of view having a single standard removes a lot of fuss. No doubts if to buy an HD DVD or a Blue Ray reader. But has this been the right market choice? The story has already taught us that not always the best win (Do you remember VHS vs Betamax?).

StartupCamp and the Web 2.0 dreams

Posted by Carlo - 18/02/08 at 06:02:52 pm

Initially this post should have been like an announcement. “I am going to StartupCamp in London!” The fact is that there is much more than this going on right now.

From one side there is my job, and from another there is the dream of creating something different, something new. I cannot be alone in this. I need a team to create something new.

To pursue our dreams sometimes we are asked to accept compromises.

Right now I am looking at my dreams, and the StartupCamp is part of them. At the same I am evaluating the roads that depart from where I am right now. Some of them are easy, but without rock’n'roll, others are hard and without warranties, but fun and enjoying.

I will attend the StartupCamp also to understand if what I am looking for is feasible. I am looking for partnership that are very delicate and precious. By now I have missed the first step: building a solid and committed team.

The Startup Camp is another great networking event in which I will try to meet people whose interest in Startup and commitment to an idea is similar to mine.

I am trying to look myself from an external perspective. This is hard to realise, but I hope it will help me growing.

 

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Gandhi

Barcamp Brighton 2

Posted by Carlo - 18/02/08 at 02:02:09 pm

Even if the second wave of tickets run out in less than five minutes, I was able to grab a ticket! On the 15th and 16th of March I will be in Brighton for my third BarCamp.

It is interesting to notice that Fabiana and I have never been to Brighton before. This will be a good “first time”, even if in this way we will not be able to see the city. Well… I am a geek, so what I will see will be enough! :D

You can have a look on the blog of the Brighton Barcamp for more information. This time I will use my camera more than in my previous Barcamp!

The calendar is getting busier and busier, with camps and other social events.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Posted by Carlo - 18/02/08 at 02:02:06 pm

The big question is: should we expect a film capable of being compared with its predecessors? I hope so, because Indiana Jones has been one of the few film series I have loved.
This time the “professor” is back, even if Harrison Ford is 66. What should we expect? Well, hard to say.

Daydreaming

Posted by Carlo - 16/02/08 at 11:02:06 pm

Portobello Market was fantastic today. Despite the cold, the day was sunny and I could not ask for more to take some shots.
This is one of those who were good. I like the daydreaming pose of this girl.

Data Portability: a (very) nice thread for the next London Geek Dinner!

Posted by Carlo - 15/02/08 at 03:02:43 pm

Thanks to Cristiano for bringing on the London Geek Dinner with interesting themes. I missed the last one thanks to the naughty bug who stopped me at home for some days, but the next one on Data Portability cannot be missed.

Ready to go on the 27th of February at Ye Olde Cock Tavern. More on Upcoming…

The importance of Managing People

Posted by Carlo - 15/02/08 at 03:02:47 pm

When you taste the delightful flavour of being treated like a valued member in a company, when you became a number again the fallout is pretty naughty.

Looking the problems in the eyes and solving them using the human relationship is fantastic. Resolving the diversities analysing what people can do, raising the stake to reach a level of awareness that an alone human being cannot reach is something that creates value. On the other side of the managerial approach the questions can be settled in a clean, cold environment, where the risk of being personally involved are extremely limited is a safety net.

These two representation of approaching team problems is something that defines, from my point of view, the joy of working or the boredom of executing.

I like people, I like hating them because they have ideas better than mine, I like challenging them to get over their limits, I like making them smile for a job well done.

I hate when the numbers are pretty good and nobody receive a slap on the shoulder, I hate when the company get together with the exception of the management, I hate when the information are divided in airtight seals, I hate when numbers come before people.

In the end everyone of us have to face the fact that sooner or later we will have to fight the numbers, but in my vision I believe that a close team can fight the problems much better than an aseptic, measured management.

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Carlo Nicora is at home in London.