Some quick links:
Look, you'd have to be absolutely insane not to realise this, but there's MAJOR SPOILERS at these links:
What does Silent Bob think of Star Wars ROTS?
George Lucas talks about something other than Star Wars. No really, don't faint.
and What George did next.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Dear christ, I'm glad I'm going shopping right now:
BBC1 - Fucking snooker
BBC2 - "The nun's story" I mean, puh-leeze
ITV1 - "Midsomer Murders", or Bergerac in Buckinghamshire
C4 - Horse Racing
FIVE - Pee Wee fucking Herman's Big Adventure
If only I could rely on the freeview channels to be better. Looks like it's Radio 2 till Dr Who then.
BBC1 - Fucking snooker
BBC2 - "The nun's story" I mean, puh-leeze
ITV1 - "Midsomer Murders", or Bergerac in Buckinghamshire
C4 - Horse Racing
FIVE - Pee Wee fucking Herman's Big Adventure
If only I could rely on the freeview channels to be better. Looks like it's Radio 2 till Dr Who then.
Been a bit quiet of late. This is for two reasons:
1) Everyone else is making the points I want to make much more eloquently
and
2) I'm busy trying to recover my business plans from a major setback so that we can actually afford to live this year
So when I've found a cheap supplier of PC components that charges by invoice, or worked out how to make more than a tenner a week out of the stuff I've got ready to sell right now, I'll get back to sticking some interesting articles up here.
I have had some good news, though. I thought I owed someone £500 but it turns out I only owe them £200, so that's good. I now have a working wireless network, thanks to my Dad's experiments with networking his own house. And The Beast is back on the road (not in my name, but it's a better solution than having it rusting away under a SORN notice for three months).
There's so much I want to get done. I'm building a long list of people I want to talk to about my business ideas and jobs and soforth and it's so completely frustrating knowing that I can't deal with anything until Tuesday. I've already had one sleepless night rearranging finances and goalposts and I can see a few more coming up.
I need a steady £150 a week in order to clear all my debts, learn to drive and take us on holiday, but it's ridiculously hard to arrange when you're relying on selling tat on Ebay, looking to build PC base units for under £150, looking for a job in Adult Education and trying to work out how to go about setting yourself up as a freelance I.T. troubleshooter.
If everything would just go right - for example, if I could secure a small business loan of maybe £1500, then every one of my plans would come to fruition in less than a fortnight. Just another rainbow to chase once the Bank Holiday's over and done with.
So in the meantime, I'm putting loads and loads of washing on the line while the weather's nice and I'm just about to sod off up the shops for an hour to look for a new mop and bucket. But I can't get the frustration out of my head. It doesn't help that there's 6000 more people looking for work than there were two weeks ago around here (slight good thing about the Rover kickout is that everyone who's on a new pilot signing-on scheme that means you don't have to visit the godforsaken jobcentre eevry two weeks has been suspended until the jobcentre is a bit less busy, which means I have another month free in which to compile a comprehensive list of the jobs I've ahem "applied for" ).
[Current Mood: Deeply Frustrated]
1) Everyone else is making the points I want to make much more eloquently
and
2) I'm busy trying to recover my business plans from a major setback so that we can actually afford to live this year
So when I've found a cheap supplier of PC components that charges by invoice, or worked out how to make more than a tenner a week out of the stuff I've got ready to sell right now, I'll get back to sticking some interesting articles up here.
I have had some good news, though. I thought I owed someone £500 but it turns out I only owe them £200, so that's good. I now have a working wireless network, thanks to my Dad's experiments with networking his own house. And The Beast is back on the road (not in my name, but it's a better solution than having it rusting away under a SORN notice for three months).
There's so much I want to get done. I'm building a long list of people I want to talk to about my business ideas and jobs and soforth and it's so completely frustrating knowing that I can't deal with anything until Tuesday. I've already had one sleepless night rearranging finances and goalposts and I can see a few more coming up.
I need a steady £150 a week in order to clear all my debts, learn to drive and take us on holiday, but it's ridiculously hard to arrange when you're relying on selling tat on Ebay, looking to build PC base units for under £150, looking for a job in Adult Education and trying to work out how to go about setting yourself up as a freelance I.T. troubleshooter.
If everything would just go right - for example, if I could secure a small business loan of maybe £1500, then every one of my plans would come to fruition in less than a fortnight. Just another rainbow to chase once the Bank Holiday's over and done with.
So in the meantime, I'm putting loads and loads of washing on the line while the weather's nice and I'm just about to sod off up the shops for an hour to look for a new mop and bucket. But I can't get the frustration out of my head. It doesn't help that there's 6000 more people looking for work than there were two weeks ago around here (slight good thing about the Rover kickout is that everyone who's on a new pilot signing-on scheme that means you don't have to visit the godforsaken jobcentre eevry two weeks has been suspended until the jobcentre is a bit less busy, which means I have another month free in which to compile a comprehensive list of the jobs I've ahem "applied for" ).
[Current Mood: Deeply Frustrated]
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Regular readers might remember that I wanted to validate my new template with the World Wide Web Consortium, W3C.
Well today I did the deed and while the body of the template pops up 200+ errors, mostly to do with blogger's scripts, my own, hand-coded Style Sheet validates perfectly, so I'm awarding myself one of these:
Chuffed!
Well today I did the deed and while the body of the template pops up 200+ errors, mostly to do with blogger's scripts, my own, hand-coded Style Sheet validates perfectly, so I'm awarding myself one of these:
Chuffed!
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Over the years, I 've had plenty to say on the subject of the erosion of Teachers' Rights. Teachers can't even raise their voices to instil discipline in their own classrooms and this has inevitably led to widespread disrespect.
To be fair, would you respect any teacher who, when faced with an out of control class simply sat at their desk and shouted something non confrontational about it being "a bit loud in here"? My class would have ripped them apart!
Here's an article from ABC news about a five year old who was led away in handcuffs by the police after a tantrum. I kid you not.
To be fair, would you respect any teacher who, when faced with an out of control class simply sat at their desk and shouted something non confrontational about it being "a bit loud in here"? My class would have ripped them apart!
Here's an article from ABC news about a five year old who was led away in handcuffs by the police after a tantrum. I kid you not.
When I read this one at Katya Coldheart's blog, I couldn't come up with answers to all of them, but as I've got nothing better to do while I wait for the latest episode of "24" to hit Bittorrent, I thought I'd rack my brains for a while...
What Is Your Most Embarrasing Moment
Let's see, stumbling while walking off stage after recieving a merit certificate at school so everyone thought I was taking a bow, or maybe the time a kid walked past me and my mum walking the dog in the street and announced in a loud voice the rumour about what me and my girlfriend of the time used to get up to, or maybe the celebration party at Boys' Brigade when I made staff Sergeant, getting tonguetied and introduced my dad by saying "He's my son".
Or, more recently, dancing anywhere near my ex at nightclubs where her idea of headbanging would be to stick her arse WAYY up in the air and sweep the dancefloor with her hair, and her habit of wafting her arm high over her head and marking the beat with one finger. Gotta be bad when a preferable option is to dance with your mate whose favourite trick was to dance in a way that guaranteed her breasts escaped from her top. Or maybe the same ex's habit of wailing "NOOO! That's not FAIRRR" when the hero would get beaten up in a movie, then storming out the cinema in protest.
If You Could Be Any Animal, What Would You Be & Why
A cat i think.
What Band/Singer You Would Never Admit Listening to
Some of the stuff that comes on Radio 2 - especially the Hammond Organ bloke on a Wednesday night.
What is The Cheesiest Move You Could Watch Over & Over Again
Weekend at Bernies. I dunno, something just appeals to me about that film.
I know, I know.
Which Superhero would you be
Zenith
or Slaine
Or Finn
Which Movie Character Do You Most Identify With
Bilbo Baggins
What Book Would You Would Recommend
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Steven Donaldson
The Seafort Saga by David Feintuch (Who just started writing again. Hallelujah!)
What is the Last Dream you remember
I tend not to remember my dreams. They tend to be quite mundane, like I'll dream about a perfectly normal trip to the shops, or the school run or something. Talk about a wasted opportunity.
What is Your Favourite Board Game
It's a game that comes from africa where two players have seven pots each. Six of them have four stones each and the aim is to get all the stones into your empty seventh pot by taking all the stones from one pot and moving them one-by-one into the other pots.
You get a version of it on Nokia phones. I kick ass at it.
I'd love to play the ancient egyptian game of Senet, but no-one knows the rules.
What is Your Unusual Talent
I can make daffodils out of card
What Is Your Most Embarrasing Moment
Let's see, stumbling while walking off stage after recieving a merit certificate at school so everyone thought I was taking a bow, or maybe the time a kid walked past me and my mum walking the dog in the street and announced in a loud voice the rumour about what me and my girlfriend of the time used to get up to, or maybe the celebration party at Boys' Brigade when I made staff Sergeant, getting tonguetied and introduced my dad by saying "He's my son".
Or, more recently, dancing anywhere near my ex at nightclubs where her idea of headbanging would be to stick her arse WAYY up in the air and sweep the dancefloor with her hair, and her habit of wafting her arm high over her head and marking the beat with one finger. Gotta be bad when a preferable option is to dance with your mate whose favourite trick was to dance in a way that guaranteed her breasts escaped from her top. Or maybe the same ex's habit of wailing "NOOO! That's not FAIRRR" when the hero would get beaten up in a movie, then storming out the cinema in protest.
If You Could Be Any Animal, What Would You Be & Why
A cat i think.
What Band/Singer You Would Never Admit Listening to
Some of the stuff that comes on Radio 2 - especially the Hammond Organ bloke on a Wednesday night.
What is The Cheesiest Move You Could Watch Over & Over Again
Weekend at Bernies. I dunno, something just appeals to me about that film.
I know, I know.
Which Superhero would you be
Zenith
or Slaine
Or Finn
Which Movie Character Do You Most Identify With
Bilbo Baggins
What Book Would You Would Recommend
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Steven Donaldson
The Seafort Saga by David Feintuch (Who just started writing again. Hallelujah!)
What is the Last Dream you remember
I tend not to remember my dreams. They tend to be quite mundane, like I'll dream about a perfectly normal trip to the shops, or the school run or something. Talk about a wasted opportunity.
What is Your Favourite Board Game
It's a game that comes from africa where two players have seven pots each. Six of them have four stones each and the aim is to get all the stones into your empty seventh pot by taking all the stones from one pot and moving them one-by-one into the other pots.
You get a version of it on Nokia phones. I kick ass at it.
I'd love to play the ancient egyptian game of Senet, but no-one knows the rules.
What is Your Unusual Talent
I can make daffodils out of card
Take the Which Brat Pack Character Am I? Quiz
Well, when I actually was at school I definitely wasn't, but that's cool. And I get to bang the popular chick who can put her lipstick on with her tits. How's that for class?
Friday, April 22, 2005
You've got to have a play with this South Park character generator (via Mark's blog)!
This kicks ass dude!
This kicks ass dude!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Thanks to Memoryanddreams for this one:
| You scored as Existentialism. Your life is guided by the concept of Existentialism: You choose the meaning and purpose of your life. “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” “It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” --Jean-Paul Sartre “It is man's natural sickness to believe that he possesses the Truth.” --Blaise Pascal More info at Arocoun's Wikipedia User Page...
What philosophy do you follow? (v1.03) created with QuizFarm.com |
I started a Teacher Training course today.
OK, that in itself is great and all that. Another rung up the ladder of my masterplan, but it happens to be based at the local Resource Centre that hapens to be on the frontline of support for the recently redundant Rover workers. When I walked in there, I walked past at least fifty despondent, embarrassed, defeated faces. Human detritus, washed up on the polluted shoreline of corporate bullshit.
And now we learn that the Chinese company that let Rover go to the wall may be planning to build Rover cars anyway. Just let them fucking dare. The human misery those people have caused! I'm speechless..
OK, that in itself is great and all that. Another rung up the ladder of my masterplan, but it happens to be based at the local Resource Centre that hapens to be on the frontline of support for the recently redundant Rover workers. When I walked in there, I walked past at least fifty despondent, embarrassed, defeated faces. Human detritus, washed up on the polluted shoreline of corporate bullshit.
And now we learn that the Chinese company that let Rover go to the wall may be planning to build Rover cars anyway. Just let them fucking dare. The human misery those people have caused! I'm speechless..
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Maybe it's my sheltered life, maybe it's the natural result of spending my formative years a) On the breadline and b) hooked up with a social regressive, but I found myself shamefully unable to tick off one match on Mark's list of bands whose gigs I might have been to.
So here's my own list, which may not reach thirty artists, and which relies heavily on the Phoenix Festival, 1996:
1) Peter Gabriel
2) Sex Pistols
3) Wet Wet Wet
4) Kylie Minogue
5) The Fall
6) Dodgy
7) Sinead Lohan (there's a story to this one)
8) Heather Nova
9) David Bowie
10) Bjork
11) Cypress Hill
12) Massive Attack
13) Skunk Anansie
14) The Specials (OK, I listened from outside, but it was a tent, y'know. Slight lack of walls to muffle the sound)
15) Stereolab
16) Alanis Morissette
17) Foo Fighters
18) The Wildhearts
19) Fun Lovin Criminals
20) Frank Black
21) Placebo
22) Gene
23) Strangelove
24) Scheer
25) Holy Barbarians
26) Terrorvision
27) Echobelly
28) Glenn Miller's Big Band (VE Day 50th anniversary)
29) King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys
30) Stan Tracy's Big Band
Christ, that was a push.
Anyway, Sinead Lohan is an Irish folk singer and in 1996 she was playing to a tent with all of twenty people in it. It was probably the most intimate gig I could ever go to I have to admit to finding her rather attractive. It may have been the lovely green eyes and dreadlocks, or maybe it was that she stared directly at me for three songs straight. Yes, definitely a gig that's indelibly etched on my memory. I don't remember a single song.
So here's my own list, which may not reach thirty artists, and which relies heavily on the Phoenix Festival, 1996:
1) Peter Gabriel
2) Sex Pistols
3) Wet Wet Wet
4) Kylie Minogue
5) The Fall
6) Dodgy
7) Sinead Lohan (there's a story to this one)
8) Heather Nova
9) David Bowie
10) Bjork
11) Cypress Hill
12) Massive Attack
13) Skunk Anansie
14) The Specials (OK, I listened from outside, but it was a tent, y'know. Slight lack of walls to muffle the sound)
15) Stereolab
16) Alanis Morissette
17) Foo Fighters
18) The Wildhearts
19) Fun Lovin Criminals
20) Frank Black
21) Placebo
22) Gene
23) Strangelove
24) Scheer
25) Holy Barbarians
26) Terrorvision
27) Echobelly
28) Glenn Miller's Big Band (VE Day 50th anniversary)
29) King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys
30) Stan Tracy's Big Band
Christ, that was a push.
Anyway, Sinead Lohan is an Irish folk singer and in 1996 she was playing to a tent with all of twenty people in it. It was probably the most intimate gig I could ever go to I have to admit to finding her rather attractive. It may have been the lovely green eyes and dreadlocks, or maybe it was that she stared directly at me for three songs straight. Yes, definitely a gig that's indelibly etched on my memory. I don't remember a single song.
Quick note to The Urban Fox:
Just started reading Dice Man. Dunno how you did it, but you were spot on. Cheers!
Just started reading Dice Man. Dunno how you did it, but you were spot on. Cheers!
Pope Benedict XVI
According to his Fan Club: "As Grand Inquisitor for Mother Rome, Ratzinger keeps himself busy in service to the Truth: correcting theological error, silencing dissenting theologians, and stomping down heresy wherever it may rear its ugly head."
Many millions of thanks to mr_zog and redryder52 for their excellent help with fixing my Internet Explorer display problems.
For those of you viewing this in Internet Explorer, you'll need to be told that there's a nifty bit of alpha transparency going on right at the edge of the white panel which shows up very badly because IE doesn't handle transparency.
the frankly wonderful mr_zog and redryder52 did point me at a solution to this slight problem, and I'll try and follow their advice later on today. In the meantime, you can sit and contemplate the beauty you're missing out on by using a crap browser.
For those of you viewing this in Internet Explorer, you'll need to be told that there's a nifty bit of alpha transparency going on right at the edge of the white panel which shows up very badly because IE doesn't handle transparency.
the frankly wonderful mr_zog and redryder52 did point me at a solution to this slight problem, and I'll try and follow their advice later on today. In the meantime, you can sit and contemplate the beauty you're missing out on by using a crap browser.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Site Statistics time again.
No increase in staying time, 85% of you are still google click-throughs. The next most popular way of getting here is by following the link in my Usenet posting signature. Of the 15% that stay, most - the vast majority - stay for long enough to read the top posts, so that's kinda gratifying.
Something a little misleading is the Browser statistics: At the moment, I see that 85% of you are using Internet Explorer. Oddly enough when I started thinking about making this post last week, the statistics were almost down to 65% for Internet Explorer, but it's crept up again since.
Yet again, I'm getting no visits from Linux users.
Also similar are the screen resolution stats, with almost everyone at 1024x768, with the rest split equally between 800x600 and 1152x864. I'm now using 1600x1200.
The best news is the increase of traffic. When I last posted about the Site Stats, I was just ticking over the 2,000 mark. Now, just four months later the counter's just about to tick over another thousand, so it seems we're looking at a 25% increase in traffic this year, which is fine by me!
So keep it coming, hello all you click-throughs, and for those of you who come here looking for spells, invocations, herbal remedies and the like, which seems to be the standard fare of the other results when you search google for "hedgewitch", then you'll be looking for a long time.
However if you're more into BEING than DOING, more interested in how a genuine, lifelong hedgewitch lives a spiritually free life in unnatural surroundings, well, stay a while and look around. Here's an insight into the mind and soul of someone who took the title "Hedgewitch" not because he liked the word but because he found a label for what he'd been all his life.
No increase in staying time, 85% of you are still google click-throughs. The next most popular way of getting here is by following the link in my Usenet posting signature. Of the 15% that stay, most - the vast majority - stay for long enough to read the top posts, so that's kinda gratifying.
Something a little misleading is the Browser statistics: At the moment, I see that 85% of you are using Internet Explorer. Oddly enough when I started thinking about making this post last week, the statistics were almost down to 65% for Internet Explorer, but it's crept up again since.
Yet again, I'm getting no visits from Linux users.
Also similar are the screen resolution stats, with almost everyone at 1024x768, with the rest split equally between 800x600 and 1152x864. I'm now using 1600x1200.
The best news is the increase of traffic. When I last posted about the Site Stats, I was just ticking over the 2,000 mark. Now, just four months later the counter's just about to tick over another thousand, so it seems we're looking at a 25% increase in traffic this year, which is fine by me!
So keep it coming, hello all you click-throughs, and for those of you who come here looking for spells, invocations, herbal remedies and the like, which seems to be the standard fare of the other results when you search google for "hedgewitch", then you'll be looking for a long time.
However if you're more into BEING than DOING, more interested in how a genuine, lifelong hedgewitch lives a spiritually free life in unnatural surroundings, well, stay a while and look around. Here's an insight into the mind and soul of someone who took the title "Hedgewitch" not because he liked the word but because he found a label for what he'd been all his life.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
In the interests of true balance, here's some links to a couple of site that exhort you to exercise your democratic right of abstension:
Spoil Your Vote who should hurry up and get a usable logo
and
Where you can leave a note specifying your reasons for not voting.
While I'm at it here's the breakdowns of the results of every post-war General Election, and the turnouts for each, courtesy of the Electoral Reform Society
Not very surprisingly, it reveals that only around 25% of the population votes for the winning party in any given election. The voice of the people indeed...
I mentioned Andrew Neil and Michael Portillo doing an "Amarillo" in one of my questionnaires. Well this page has a link for you to watch this bizarre occurrence. What's worse is that Tony Christie himself actally rewrote the song to include the chorus "Election Fever's in the air"!
Hate to break it to you chaps...
Spoil Your Vote who should hurry up and get a usable logo
and
Where you can leave a note specifying your reasons for not voting.
While I'm at it here's the breakdowns of the results of every post-war General Election, and the turnouts for each, courtesy of the Electoral Reform Society
Not very surprisingly, it reveals that only around 25% of the population votes for the winning party in any given election. The voice of the people indeed...
I mentioned Andrew Neil and Michael Portillo doing an "Amarillo" in one of my questionnaires. Well this page has a link for you to watch this bizarre occurrence. What's worse is that Tony Christie himself actally rewrote the song to include the chorus "Election Fever's in the air"!
Hate to break it to you chaps...
Who should I vote for?
Your expected outcome:
Liberal DemocratYour actual outcome:
Labour -33  | |
| Conservative -21 | |
 Liberal Democrat 48 | |
| UK Independence Party 16 | |
| Green 65 |
You should vote: Green
The Green Party, which is of course strong on environmental issues, takes a strong position on welfare issues, but was firmly against the war in Iraq. Other key concerns are cannabis, where the party takes a liberal line, and foxhunting, which unsurprisingly the Greens are firmly against.
Take the test at Who Should You Vote For
* * * *
Well well well, I was looking at their website yesterday as it happens, but this is a big surprise! I probably will vote Lib Dem however, as I can't in all conscience vote for the local Labour candidate that let at least 20,000 jobs go to the wall. I'd love to see the Lib Dems come in as the second party. Thanks to Graham again for the link.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Last Cigarette: Wasn't just tobacco
Last Alcoholic Drink: Hell, I dunno. Pint after work I think.
Last Car Ride: Yesterday afternoon. Mad dash back from town with heavy shopping.
Last Movie Seen in Theaters: LOTR
Last Movie Rented: Blimey. Stumped me there. It's been years and years. Probably Bridget Jones' Diary. We kept it because the rental shop went bust. Or the shop went bust because we kept it. You decide!
Last Cuss Word Uttered: "Fucking" - under my breath, as in "my fucking head", as in don't wake up with hayfever folks, it's bad for your attitude.
Last Beverage Drank: Orange squash. We're running low.
Last Food Consumed: Cheese and onion roll.
Last Time Showered: Last week.
Last Phone Call: To the Taxi company or from her folks.
Last Text Message: "Knock knock"
Last TV Show Watched: Newsnight review, with Andrew Neill and Michael Portillo doing a very bizarre "Show me the way to Amarillo" skit. We put the radio on then.
Last Shoes Worn: Para boots
Last CD Played: Sepultura "Chaos AD"
Last CD Bought: "Antbox" Adam Ant Boxset, obviously.
Last Annoyance: spiky thing on kitchen floor, just now when I got up to check what the last CD I played was.
Last Disappointment: Dunno.
Last Thing Written: By hand? Driving License application.
Last Word Spoken: probably some variation on "stop that"
Last IM: Some horny idiot IMing Charlie.
Last Weird Encounter: I'm usually weirder than the people I meet.
Last Ice Cream Eaten: Ice cream in a scalloped shell with a flake and marshmellow.
Last Time In Love: Every time I see her.
Last Time Hugged: Last night, taking daughter up to bed.
Last Shirt Worn: Black grandad shirt.
Last Webpage Visited: Swansea Girl's Blog, from whence this came. Eyethangewe.
Last Thing Lost: Hours of sleep thanks to stupid body clock.
Last Regret: Life's too short for regrets.
Last Alcoholic Drink: Hell, I dunno. Pint after work I think.
Last Car Ride: Yesterday afternoon. Mad dash back from town with heavy shopping.
Last Movie Seen in Theaters: LOTR
Last Movie Rented: Blimey. Stumped me there. It's been years and years. Probably Bridget Jones' Diary. We kept it because the rental shop went bust. Or the shop went bust because we kept it. You decide!
Last Cuss Word Uttered: "Fucking" - under my breath, as in "my fucking head", as in don't wake up with hayfever folks, it's bad for your attitude.
Last Beverage Drank: Orange squash. We're running low.
Last Food Consumed: Cheese and onion roll.
Last Time Showered: Last week.
Last Phone Call: To the Taxi company or from her folks.
Last Text Message: "Knock knock"
Last TV Show Watched: Newsnight review, with Andrew Neill and Michael Portillo doing a very bizarre "Show me the way to Amarillo" skit. We put the radio on then.
Last Shoes Worn: Para boots
Last CD Played: Sepultura "Chaos AD"
Last CD Bought: "Antbox" Adam Ant Boxset, obviously.
Last Annoyance: spiky thing on kitchen floor, just now when I got up to check what the last CD I played was.
Last Disappointment: Dunno.
Last Thing Written: By hand? Driving License application.
Last Word Spoken: probably some variation on "stop that"
Last IM: Some horny idiot IMing Charlie.
Last Weird Encounter: I'm usually weirder than the people I meet.
Last Ice Cream Eaten: Ice cream in a scalloped shell with a flake and marshmellow.
Last Time In Love: Every time I see her.
Last Time Hugged: Last night, taking daughter up to bed.
Last Shirt Worn: Black grandad shirt.
Last Webpage Visited: Swansea Girl's Blog, from whence this came. Eyethangewe.
Last Thing Lost: Hours of sleep thanks to stupid body clock.
Last Regret: Life's too short for regrets.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Lazy autoblogging courtesy of Graham
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Hedgewitch
Birthday: June 1973
Birthplace: Selly Oak, Birmingham
Current Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham.
Eye Color: Black to brown.
Hair Color: Black to grey. Hints of ginger in the chinfuzz. Not happy about that.
Height: 5ft 10 I think. Always wanted those last two inches.
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
Your Heritage: Thai, Toon and Taffy.
The Shoes You Wore Today: Para boots
Your Weakness: Can't resist sex that includes chains and leather.
Your Fears : Alzheimers, debt spiralling out of control and losing everything.
Your Perfect Pizza: The thin and crispy hawaiian one that the cheapo freezer food shop used to sell three for a quid. I could eat them all day.
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: To break even. Current target: £5,600.
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: Wotcha.
Thoughts First Waking Up: Ugh.
Your Best Physical Feature: I like my hair.
Your Bedtime: Between 2am and 4am
Your Most Missed Memory: My old flat. They blew it up.
Pepsi or Coke: Ick. Orange and lemon squash.
MacDonalds or Burger King: Benji's
Single or Group Dates: Oh, gotta be the old one-to-one. Group scenarios can be interesting however.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Earl Grey, in the fridge, lemon to taste.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Depends. Apple.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cappuccino, so long as there's a toilet with a good supply of reading matter and loo roll within sprinting distance. Don't get IBS folks.
Do you Smoke: Been known to roll the odd reefer.
Do you Swear: More than I should. Have thougth up some wonderful euphemisms for use infront of the kids.
Do you Sing: There's plenty who wish I didn't.
Do you Shower Daily: Hate showers, which is a shame because we don't have a bath.
Have you Been in Love: Not before Charlie, which will come as a surprise to someone whose name starts with Z.
Do you want to go to College: Only if I was taking the class.
Do you want to get Married: We have a deal. When she gets down to a size 16, we start planning. When she hits a size 14, we set the date.
Do you belive in yourself: Oh yes!
Do you get Motion Sickness: Nope.
Do you think you are Attractive: Sometimes.
Are you a Health Freak: Hahahahaha! Ha! Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA! Oh stop!!
Do you get along with your Parents: Bettter than they deserve but worse than I should.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Nature's fireworks. Spectacular!
Do you play an Instrument: I like a good fiddle sometimes... (b'dum tish!)
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: Actually, no. For shame!
In the past month have you Smoked: Yup.
In the past month have you been on Drugs: It doesn't count if you grew them yourself, right?
In the past month have you gone on a Date: Not much point really.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Yep, twice a week.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: Foul! Who decided to mould dust in a biscuit shape?
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: Nup.
In the past month have you been on Stage: Not bloody likely.
In the past month have you been Dumped: Hardly.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: Nope.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: moments of peace and quiet.
Ever been Drunk: Yep, but not recently.
Ever been called a Tease: Yes. And great fun it was.
Ever been Beaten up: Erm...no. I'm gonna say no to this one.
Ever Shoplifted: The tube of toothpaste just didn't make it out of the trolley before I paid the bill, honest.
How do you want to Die: Well, you know I'd rather not, but peacefully or in a blaze of glory would be great.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: Solvent.
What country would you most like to Visit: Gondor.
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Hedgewitch
Birthday: June 1973
Birthplace: Selly Oak, Birmingham
Current Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham.
Eye Color: Black to brown.
Hair Color: Black to grey. Hints of ginger in the chinfuzz. Not happy about that.
Height: 5ft 10 I think. Always wanted those last two inches.
Right Handed or Left Handed: Right
Your Heritage: Thai, Toon and Taffy.
The Shoes You Wore Today: Para boots
Your Weakness: Can't resist sex that includes chains and leather.
Your Fears : Alzheimers, debt spiralling out of control and losing everything.
Your Perfect Pizza: The thin and crispy hawaiian one that the cheapo freezer food shop used to sell three for a quid. I could eat them all day.
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: To break even. Current target: £5,600.
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: Wotcha.
Thoughts First Waking Up: Ugh.
Your Best Physical Feature: I like my hair.
Your Bedtime: Between 2am and 4am
Your Most Missed Memory: My old flat. They blew it up.
Pepsi or Coke: Ick. Orange and lemon squash.
MacDonalds or Burger King: Benji's
Single or Group Dates: Oh, gotta be the old one-to-one. Group scenarios can be interesting however.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Earl Grey, in the fridge, lemon to taste.
Chocolate or Vanilla: Depends. Apple.
Cappuccino or Coffee: Cappuccino, so long as there's a toilet with a good supply of reading matter and loo roll within sprinting distance. Don't get IBS folks.
Do you Smoke: Been known to roll the odd reefer.
Do you Swear: More than I should. Have thougth up some wonderful euphemisms for use infront of the kids.
Do you Sing: There's plenty who wish I didn't.
Do you Shower Daily: Hate showers, which is a shame because we don't have a bath.
Have you Been in Love: Not before Charlie, which will come as a surprise to someone whose name starts with Z.
Do you want to go to College: Only if I was taking the class.
Do you want to get Married: We have a deal. When she gets down to a size 16, we start planning. When she hits a size 14, we set the date.
Do you belive in yourself: Oh yes!
Do you get Motion Sickness: Nope.
Do you think you are Attractive: Sometimes.
Are you a Health Freak: Hahahahaha! Ha! Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA! Oh stop!!
Do you get along with your Parents: Bettter than they deserve but worse than I should.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Nature's fireworks. Spectacular!
Do you play an Instrument: I like a good fiddle sometimes... (b'dum tish!)
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: Actually, no. For shame!
In the past month have you Smoked: Yup.
In the past month have you been on Drugs: It doesn't count if you grew them yourself, right?
In the past month have you gone on a Date: Not much point really.
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: Yep, twice a week.
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: Foul! Who decided to mould dust in a biscuit shape?
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: Nup.
In the past month have you been on Stage: Not bloody likely.
In the past month have you been Dumped: Hardly.
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: Nope.
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: moments of peace and quiet.
Ever been Drunk: Yep, but not recently.
Ever been called a Tease: Yes. And great fun it was.
Ever been Beaten up: Erm...no. I'm gonna say no to this one.
Ever Shoplifted: The tube of toothpaste just didn't make it out of the trolley before I paid the bill, honest.
How do you want to Die: Well, you know I'd rather not, but peacefully or in a blaze of glory would be great.
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: Solvent.
What country would you most like to Visit: Gondor.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
BREAKING NEWS!
And this really is.
MG Rover has called in the receivers.
I grew up next to the Rover factory. Our neighbours worked there, our neighbourhood relied - relies on it for its livelihood. Because of the Rover plant thousands of homes - nice homes - have been built over the past hundred years. MG Rover was the lifeblood of the community for miles around.
And now, as of 10pm, ten minutes ago, it's gone.
So here's a retrospective:
Herbert Austin, founder of the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge in 1905.
A history of the plant.
And an article on the prospects of the 50,000 people whose lives just became a shitload less certain.
I need a 12,000 job to break even this year. The prospects of me finding one just got nigh on impossible. If things get too bad, and believe me, they might very easily, we're going to have to move away - and that's not a prospect I relish.
* * *
Edit: I backdated this post to when I actually wrote it, even though I actually posted it on Saturday morning. Blogger's been messing me about so I posted it to my livejournal first.
And this really is.
MG Rover has called in the receivers.
I grew up next to the Rover factory. Our neighbours worked there, our neighbourhood relied - relies on it for its livelihood. Because of the Rover plant thousands of homes - nice homes - have been built over the past hundred years. MG Rover was the lifeblood of the community for miles around.
And now, as of 10pm, ten minutes ago, it's gone.
So here's a retrospective:
Herbert Austin, founder of the Austin Motor Company at Longbridge in 1905.
A history of the plant.
And an article on the prospects of the 50,000 people whose lives just became a shitload less certain.
I need a 12,000 job to break even this year. The prospects of me finding one just got nigh on impossible. If things get too bad, and believe me, they might very easily, we're going to have to move away - and that's not a prospect I relish.
* * *
Edit: I backdated this post to when I actually wrote it, even though I actually posted it on Saturday morning. Blogger's been messing me about so I posted it to my livejournal first.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
An update to something I wrote four months ago on national ID Cards:
The bill has become the first casualty of the election. The tories apparently defeated the motion on it's third reading in the House and it's been shelved. Conspiracy theorists watch out. When Labour get back in (yes, when - realistically there's no competition. The fight this time is between the Tories and Lib Dems to see who becomes the official opposition) they will try to sneak this through quietly once all the hoo-ha has blown away.
The report I've linked to has a list of other casualties. Interesting collection of inconsequentialities there.
Something else Labour have done a deal over is the legislation needed to build SuperCasinos. Where there were going to be eight dotted around the country, there will now only be one. Blackpool is suggested as being the most likely location. What's the betting Wembley will put in a rival bid and suspiciously win, no matter how crap the arrangements, or how expensive the project?
The bill has become the first casualty of the election. The tories apparently defeated the motion on it's third reading in the House and it's been shelved. Conspiracy theorists watch out. When Labour get back in (yes, when - realistically there's no competition. The fight this time is between the Tories and Lib Dems to see who becomes the official opposition) they will try to sneak this through quietly once all the hoo-ha has blown away.
The report I've linked to has a list of other casualties. Interesting collection of inconsequentialities there.
Something else Labour have done a deal over is the legislation needed to build SuperCasinos. Where there were going to be eight dotted around the country, there will now only be one. Blackpool is suggested as being the most likely location. What's the betting Wembley will put in a rival bid and suspiciously win, no matter how crap the arrangements, or how expensive the project?
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Am I alone in finding this totally hilarious?
I was listening to the news this morning on my phone and just burst out laughing on the bus, then carried on giggling through Jeremy Vine's show while the comments came flooding in. Best one I heard was about how the Vatican was being thoughtless by scheduling the Pope's funeral to clash with Prince Charles's wedding. Next best was someone who said "Isn't the Church of England a global religion too?".
I was listening to the news this morning on my phone and just burst out laughing on the bus, then carried on giggling through Jeremy Vine's show while the comments came flooding in. Best one I heard was about how the Vatican was being thoughtless by scheduling the Pope's funeral to clash with Prince Charles's wedding. Next best was someone who said "Isn't the Church of England a global religion too?".
Monday, April 04, 2005
You never say sorry to a child.
You're not in charge if you show you care.
Life is a hard and bitter place.
Home is his chance to learn unfair.
You never say sorry to a child.
The harm is done. You're in the wrong,
But stay the boss, keep in control.
Teach him your way of being strong.
You never say sorry to a child.
We all make mistakes again and again.
And soon he'll learn how not to cry.
(And that's the way to deal with pain.)
You never say sorry to a child.
The years whisk by, and later on
You'll find you're speaking to a man
Who will not hear. For the child is gone.
Lucy Berry
04.04.05
You're not in charge if you show you care.
Life is a hard and bitter place.
Home is his chance to learn unfair.
You never say sorry to a child.
The harm is done. You're in the wrong,
But stay the boss, keep in control.
Teach him your way of being strong.
You never say sorry to a child.
We all make mistakes again and again.
And soon he'll learn how not to cry.
(And that's the way to deal with pain.)
You never say sorry to a child.
The years whisk by, and later on
You'll find you're speaking to a man
Who will not hear. For the child is gone.
Lucy Berry
04.04.05
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Karol Wojtyla 1920 - 2005
So that's it then. Half eight. At seven o'clock I posted a message to rec.arts.drwho speculating whether the Pope would last the episode out. Seems I was only an hour out.
Don't take my flippancy for disrespect. I've never had any truck with Catholicism, but I do have the utmost respect for the Pope. An amazing man.
Well the new template's here, coded by hand.
But it doesn't work in Internet Explorer yet. What a shame.
So do yourself a favour and get Firefox!
***
UPDATE
I think I've got it fixed in IE, but bloody blogger's not letting me republish! How's that for annoying?!
But it doesn't work in Internet Explorer yet. What a shame.
So do yourself a favour and get Firefox!
***
UPDATE
I think I've got it fixed in IE, but bloody blogger's not letting me republish! How's that for annoying?!
Well, April 1st has been and gone and Christopher Eccleston's still quit. Bollocks!
The Salmon and herby potatoes were lovely by the way.
I bought a couple of Trout today, but we're damn well not having them tomorrow. Chicken Kieeev, veggie fried rice and a bit o' salad is on the menu for tomorrow.
And I opened a Livejournal page. There's the odd entry on there that won't be on here. And when Blogger goes tits up, that's where you'll find me, so bookmark it, add it to your feed reader, or whatever and read on McDuff.
The Salmon and herby potatoes were lovely by the way.
I bought a couple of Trout today, but we're damn well not having them tomorrow. Chicken Kieeev, veggie fried rice and a bit o' salad is on the menu for tomorrow.
And I opened a Livejournal page. There's the odd entry on there that won't be on here. And when Blogger goes tits up, that's where you'll find me, so bookmark it, add it to your feed reader, or whatever and read on McDuff.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Blogger's being a pain in the arse, but what the hell:
I cooked my first fresh fish today. A pair of mackerel wrapped in tinfoil and shoved in the oven while I made Singapore noodles and a little mushroom and cherry tomato stirfry.
Very nice, very filling. The joy of simple food.
But is it really necessary for fish to have quite so many bloody bones?
Tomorrow it'll be Salmon Loins, herby new potatoes and salad.
Not only am I a HTML nerd, I'm a bloody good cook too. If they ever decided to rewrite "Get Carter" with Harry Palmer as an IT geek, they'd be writing about me.
I cooked my first fresh fish today. A pair of mackerel wrapped in tinfoil and shoved in the oven while I made Singapore noodles and a little mushroom and cherry tomato stirfry.
Very nice, very filling. The joy of simple food.
But is it really necessary for fish to have quite so many bloody bones?
Tomorrow it'll be Salmon Loins, herby new potatoes and salad.
Not only am I a HTML nerd, I'm a bloody good cook too. If they ever decided to rewrite "Get Carter" with Harry Palmer as an IT geek, they'd be writing about me.
I'm working on a new template. Writing it from scratch, by hand, in a text editor. None of yer Dreamweaver/Frontpage/Word for Windows for this Hedgewitch, oh no.
It's neat, it's minimalist, bright and easy on the eye and I think it'll be here before the weekend's out.
I'm very chuffed - and very aware of the geekiness of the whole thing. I'm almost at the point of uploading it to one of my test blogs and integrating the blogger codes into it. Then I'll find one of those "written by hand" buttons to add to the bottom. I'm also planning to get it validated at w3c. Oh yes, I'm a HTML god. All bow to the Lord High Hedgewitch Nerdiness!
In the meantime, Mark and Ellen have added to the human race, Prince Charles is having a bad day and the Pope won't be having many more days at all.
Peace!
It's neat, it's minimalist, bright and easy on the eye and I think it'll be here before the weekend's out.
I'm very chuffed - and very aware of the geekiness of the whole thing. I'm almost at the point of uploading it to one of my test blogs and integrating the blogger codes into it. Then I'll find one of those "written by hand" buttons to add to the bottom. I'm also planning to get it validated at w3c. Oh yes, I'm a HTML god. All bow to the Lord High Hedgewitch Nerdiness!
In the meantime, Mark and Ellen have added to the human race, Prince Charles is having a bad day and the Pope won't be having many more days at all.
Peace!
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
I forget how, but the other day we got into a conversation about globalisation and the less well advertised activities of large companies, specifically the Coca Cola corporation. I've been following events above- and under-ground about Coca Cola and other multinationals for over sixteen years now and I've frankly forgotten more than most people would dare guess or believe about the atrocities performed in their name.
We got to talking about the global domination, the human rights violations and the death squads. Charlie's reply to all of this was "It's only a bottle of Coke". She had trouble coming to terms with how an incongruous item like a bottle of Coke could really stand for all that evil.
So as she's taken to reading this blog (yes, after 18 months, she's finally started looking over my shoulder, so I'm afraid, dear reader that the juicy tales of my clandestine conquests will have to stop), I thought I'd have a quick trawl and post some links to some interesting information and news.
First off, the brandlist from Coca Cola's own site.
Note the list only goes up to "S" and only includes foodstuff brands. Bear in mind there are other markets they're involved with. But still, just read down that list and see how many Coca Cola products you have in your house right now. More than you thought, I bet.
Coca Cola is Africa's biggest employer. Have a read of this statement on their reach. Even in their own literature they come across as nothing less than vast, omnipresent and bent on expansion and domination.
Killercoke.org concentrates on Death Squad activity in Columbia, South America. The Socialist Worker has an article about Coca Cola's paramilitary activities, as does the Austrailan Green Left Newsletter.
The Coca Cola Africa Foundation professes to work with UN organisations to combat AIDS on the continent, but has come under constant criticism for not extending treatment to the families of its workers.
We got to talking about the global domination, the human rights violations and the death squads. Charlie's reply to all of this was "It's only a bottle of Coke". She had trouble coming to terms with how an incongruous item like a bottle of Coke could really stand for all that evil.
So as she's taken to reading this blog (yes, after 18 months, she's finally started looking over my shoulder, so I'm afraid, dear reader that the juicy tales of my clandestine conquests will have to stop), I thought I'd have a quick trawl and post some links to some interesting information and news.
First off, the brandlist from Coca Cola's own site.
Note the list only goes up to "S" and only includes foodstuff brands. Bear in mind there are other markets they're involved with. But still, just read down that list and see how many Coca Cola products you have in your house right now. More than you thought, I bet.
Coca Cola is Africa's biggest employer. Have a read of this statement on their reach. Even in their own literature they come across as nothing less than vast, omnipresent and bent on expansion and domination.
Killercoke.org concentrates on Death Squad activity in Columbia, South America. The Socialist Worker has an article about Coca Cola's paramilitary activities, as does the Austrailan Green Left Newsletter.
The Coca Cola Africa Foundation professes to work with UN organisations to combat AIDS on the continent, but has come under constant criticism for not extending treatment to the families of its workers.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
It's probably a sign of my non-addiction to the Internet that I haven't heard of this despite it apparently being "all over the place", but it's compelling nonetheless:
The Postsecret project.
What would you put on your card?
The Postsecret project.
What would you put on your card?
This weekend I are been mostly watching...
I started the weekend by watching "Logopolis", Tom Baker's final story, which I ashamedly fell asleep in the middle of. After that I watched the "New Dimension" documentary on BBC1, followed by the dire but enjoyable-in-an-"I-also-like-pot-noodle"-way Paul McGann TV Movie while Graham Bloody Norton introduced his camp and crap dancing programme was on.
Then we get to the main event. The thing that British Sci-fi fans have waited sixteen years for. The twenty-seventh series began. Not with a whimper but with a dirty great, soundbite generation grabbing B-A-N-G!
I was in an IRC chatroom through the episode and a constant presence on Usenet (rec.arts.drwho) afterwards and the majority of comments were positive, with half of them being about how their kids loved it. I spent a couple of hours saying the same thing over and over to the naysayers:
"This isn't the Who you grew up with. The world has moved on and if you want Dr Who to continue, comments like 'my kids loved it' is exactly what we want to see."
I don't think the 45 minute format works. When they decided to split Colin Baker's stories into 40 minute episodes, I stopped watching. There's not enough time to tell a decent story. This is something American TV is just coming to terms with. "Enterprise" is drawing near its strongest series by producing two-and three-part serials instead of 22 individual episodes where everything gets wrapped up nicely after 45 minutes. They've learned the lesson that Russel T Davies is hopefully just about to learn.
"Rose" was great, though. It set up the new companion just right and proved that even after 42 years, with the right attention, a series can be compelling, relevant and fresh.
I started the weekend by watching "Logopolis", Tom Baker's final story, which I ashamedly fell asleep in the middle of. After that I watched the "New Dimension" documentary on BBC1, followed by the dire but enjoyable-in-an-"I-also-like-pot-noodle"-way Paul McGann TV Movie while Graham Bloody Norton introduced his camp and crap dancing programme was on.
Then we get to the main event. The thing that British Sci-fi fans have waited sixteen years for. The twenty-seventh series began. Not with a whimper but with a dirty great, soundbite generation grabbing B-A-N-G!
I was in an IRC chatroom through the episode and a constant presence on Usenet (rec.arts.drwho) afterwards and the majority of comments were positive, with half of them being about how their kids loved it. I spent a couple of hours saying the same thing over and over to the naysayers:
"This isn't the Who you grew up with. The world has moved on and if you want Dr Who to continue, comments like 'my kids loved it' is exactly what we want to see."
I don't think the 45 minute format works. When they decided to split Colin Baker's stories into 40 minute episodes, I stopped watching. There's not enough time to tell a decent story. This is something American TV is just coming to terms with. "Enterprise" is drawing near its strongest series by producing two-and three-part serials instead of 22 individual episodes where everything gets wrapped up nicely after 45 minutes. They've learned the lesson that Russel T Davies is hopefully just about to learn.
"Rose" was great, though. It set up the new companion just right and proved that even after 42 years, with the right attention, a series can be compelling, relevant and fresh.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
According to reports, recording industry profits rose by something like 3 percent last year in the UK. The US album and music DVD market is described as being "robust", the cost of CD's dropped to under a tenner thanks to high street price wars and on average, every person in the UK bought at least three CD's last year.
So tell me again how illegal downloading is crippling the industry?
So tell me again how illegal downloading is crippling the industry?
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Monday, March 14, 2005
# If you could be instantly fluent in one other language that you currently do not read or speak, which would it be?
Klingon, or Elvish
# If you could have the starring role in any film already made, what would it be?
Ford Prefect
# If you could receive one small package this very moment, who would it be from and what would be in it?
It would be from a Lottery winner who'd decided they couldn't cope with having all that money and decided to pass it on to me.
# If you could own one painting from any collection in the world but were not able to sell it, which work of art would you select?
Something of Thomas Kinkade's. There's a gallery of his not far from me and I go in there and just stare...
# If you were instantly able to play one musical instrument perfectly that you never have played before, what would it be?
Guitar. Like Clapton.
# If you could possess one supernatural ability, what would it be?
Shapeshifting
# If you had to choose the most valuable thing you ever learned what would it be?
Be true to yourself. Don't put on an act. Stop saying "No".
# If you could have only one piece of furniture in your house, what would it be?
One of those "L" shaped sofas.
# If you could read the private diary of someone you know personally, whose diary would it be?
There's a few people I'd like to get into their heads a little more, but I wouldn't read their diary. Do unto others and all that. Don't want mine read.
# If you could have one person you know as your well-paid and cared-for domestic labourer for one month, who would it be?
Not telling, but there is someone.
# If you could choose the way you will die, how would you want it to happen?
In a way that would secure my eternal fame.
# If you could wake up tomorrow to learn that the major newspaper headlines were about you, what would you want them to say?
Shock win for new political party, Hedgewitch moves in to number ten!
# If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Buy a derelict farm and turn it into a kick-ass outdoor pursuits centre. Set family and friends up for life. Build a roman villa.
# If you could choose the music at your funeral, what would it be, and who would play it?
"Danny Boy" Brighouse & Raistrick colliery band.
"I will see you tomorrow" by a decent blues band.
"In my life" by someone who could do it justice.
# If you could take away the vocal cords of any person, who would it be?
Celine Dion. Or my father in law.
# If you had to describe your idea of the perfect mate, how would you do it?
Charlie, with more energy.
# If you had to have a personal friend redecorate your house, who would you pick to do it?
You've got to be kidding!
# If you had to choose the worst home you've ever lived in, which one was it?
All my homes have been quite decent. Maybe staying over at my ex's, or her mum's place in Milton Keynes.
# If you could have prevented one thing from happening between you and a friend, what would it have been?
I would notice that my friend was standing stock still in the middle of the dance floor because she actually wanted me to kiss her as well as putting a lump of ice down her back.
# If you could learn the total number of hours you have spent in your life doing one thing, what would it be?
Having sex, I think.
# If you had to describe yourself as a child in one word, what would it be?
Weird
# If you could own a single prop from any film ever made what would you choose?
A working Holodeck.
Klingon, or Elvish
# If you could have the starring role in any film already made, what would it be?
Ford Prefect
# If you could receive one small package this very moment, who would it be from and what would be in it?
It would be from a Lottery winner who'd decided they couldn't cope with having all that money and decided to pass it on to me.
# If you could own one painting from any collection in the world but were not able to sell it, which work of art would you select?
Something of Thomas Kinkade's. There's a gallery of his not far from me and I go in there and just stare...
# If you were instantly able to play one musical instrument perfectly that you never have played before, what would it be?
Guitar. Like Clapton.
# If you could possess one supernatural ability, what would it be?
Shapeshifting
# If you had to choose the most valuable thing you ever learned what would it be?
Be true to yourself. Don't put on an act. Stop saying "No".
# If you could have only one piece of furniture in your house, what would it be?
One of those "L" shaped sofas.
# If you could read the private diary of someone you know personally, whose diary would it be?
There's a few people I'd like to get into their heads a little more, but I wouldn't read their diary. Do unto others and all that. Don't want mine read.
# If you could have one person you know as your well-paid and cared-for domestic labourer for one month, who would it be?
Not telling, but there is someone.
# If you could choose the way you will die, how would you want it to happen?
In a way that would secure my eternal fame.
# If you could wake up tomorrow to learn that the major newspaper headlines were about you, what would you want them to say?
Shock win for new political party, Hedgewitch moves in to number ten!
# If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
Buy a derelict farm and turn it into a kick-ass outdoor pursuits centre. Set family and friends up for life. Build a roman villa.
# If you could choose the music at your funeral, what would it be, and who would play it?
"Danny Boy" Brighouse & Raistrick colliery band.
"I will see you tomorrow" by a decent blues band.
"In my life" by someone who could do it justice.
# If you could take away the vocal cords of any person, who would it be?
Celine Dion. Or my father in law.
# If you had to describe your idea of the perfect mate, how would you do it?
Charlie, with more energy.
# If you had to have a personal friend redecorate your house, who would you pick to do it?
You've got to be kidding!
# If you had to choose the worst home you've ever lived in, which one was it?
All my homes have been quite decent. Maybe staying over at my ex's, or her mum's place in Milton Keynes.
# If you could have prevented one thing from happening between you and a friend, what would it have been?
I would notice that my friend was standing stock still in the middle of the dance floor because she actually wanted me to kiss her as well as putting a lump of ice down her back.
# If you could learn the total number of hours you have spent in your life doing one thing, what would it be?
Having sex, I think.
# If you had to describe yourself as a child in one word, what would it be?
Weird
# If you could own a single prop from any film ever made what would you choose?
A working Holodeck.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
| English Genius You scored 93% Beginner, 86% Intermediate, 81% Advanced, and 88% Expert! |
| You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!
|
| |
Damn right, too.
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Commonly Confused Words Test written by shortredhead78 on Ok Cupid |
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Next time you're slagging off the government or the police for their attitude to terrorism consider this:
We haven't suffered an attack lately. Why is that? Is it perhaps because they're biding their time, making their plans and picking a venue? Are they waiting for a major gathering to blow up?
Or maybe, just maybe, the authorities are actually doing their job.
For months, the press has been howling for proof that we're under threat from terrorism. For months, we've been told by the government that the threat, although it probably won't happen tomorrow, might happen soon. I'm a cynical sort and as a rule, I don't believe a thing that comes out of a politician's mouth, but I have to believe the evidence of my own eyes. We haven't been blown up.
Despite all these alerts and heightened states of emergency and marathon sessions of parliament and airport and seaport closures, we still haven't been blown up. I feel quite cheated. Why can't we have a vast monument to the honoured dead, like Manhattan? Where's our garden full of trees planted in memory of the victims, like Madrid? Why don't I have to walk past the sombre building site where there was once a nightclub and where my friends died , like Kuta, Indonesia?
Let's face it, we don't need all these heightened security measures, do we? Nobody's attacked us, so obviously they're not gonna bother. So let's push for an end to all this anti-terror legislation. Disband the Anti-terror squad, open the ports to all and sundry. We haven't been attacked because there's so many terrorists living here, they're scared of blowing their own people up. Yeah, just like they were on Sept 11th 2001. Just like they are in Iraq every day when someone else straps on their high-explosive waistcoat and goes for a walk.
More than 200 terrorists living in Britain. According to "Spearhead Online" we're becoming the terror haven of the world. They're apparently flooding into the country because we don't lock them up and throw away the key. Because we don't care. We love terrorists here, don't we? We're inviting them all here because our friends in Afghanistan and Iraq can't organise things freely over there, so they'd better come here where the vast islamic networks run unchecked, recruiting like mad and making their plans.
So here's the situation: The Government is playing fast and loose with the democratic process in order to bully legislation through Parliament that means they can lock innocent people up in their own homes at the megalomaniacal whim of the home secretary. Regular people have their civil liberties walked all over every day when they have to stop and open their bags for the fascist police pigs. The country's gone mad. The goverment's paranoid and they're all trying to scare us into believing that we need draconian measures in order to deal with a threat that doesn't exist.
But there's hundreds of Bin Laden trained operatives in the country. Every street seems to have its own terrorist cell. They're flooding into the country daily. They're hatching their plans and gathering supplies.
But something doesn't gel. We still haven't been blown up. Why is that? Are they really scared of hurting their own people? After all, that's the reason Birmingham only got bombed once. Is there such a huge ultra-devout muslim community in Britain that nowhere at all, no nightclub, no football stadium, no train station, no airport, no office building is completely free of Al Quaeda activists, to the point that it would be counterproductive to plant a bomb and kill 'em all?
Perhaps they're worried about the bad press. Yes, that's got to be it. If they blow a load of Brits up, the backlash would be huge wouldn't it? I mean, everyone in Britain would think that "Muslim" immediately meant "terrorist". The result of an attack in Britain would be rampant xenophobia and they can't afford that, can they?
So of course they're not attacking us, they're not going to attack us because we love them. We embrace our terrorist brothers in this strict Islamic state. Bin Laden loves us because we're all such good Muslims, aren't we?
Or maybe, just maybe the laws and legislations being passed, the safeguards being put in place and the alerts being announced are actually working. Hands up who would prefer to have the shit blown out of them before we start doing something about it.
We haven't suffered an attack lately. Why is that? Is it perhaps because they're biding their time, making their plans and picking a venue? Are they waiting for a major gathering to blow up?
Or maybe, just maybe, the authorities are actually doing their job.
For months, the press has been howling for proof that we're under threat from terrorism. For months, we've been told by the government that the threat, although it probably won't happen tomorrow, might happen soon. I'm a cynical sort and as a rule, I don't believe a thing that comes out of a politician's mouth, but I have to believe the evidence of my own eyes. We haven't been blown up.
Despite all these alerts and heightened states of emergency and marathon sessions of parliament and airport and seaport closures, we still haven't been blown up. I feel quite cheated. Why can't we have a vast monument to the honoured dead, like Manhattan? Where's our garden full of trees planted in memory of the victims, like Madrid? Why don't I have to walk past the sombre building site where there was once a nightclub and where my friends died , like Kuta, Indonesia?
Let's face it, we don't need all these heightened security measures, do we? Nobody's attacked us, so obviously they're not gonna bother. So let's push for an end to all this anti-terror legislation. Disband the Anti-terror squad, open the ports to all and sundry. We haven't been attacked because there's so many terrorists living here, they're scared of blowing their own people up. Yeah, just like they were on Sept 11th 2001. Just like they are in Iraq every day when someone else straps on their high-explosive waistcoat and goes for a walk.
More than 200 terrorists living in Britain. According to "Spearhead Online" we're becoming the terror haven of the world. They're apparently flooding into the country because we don't lock them up and throw away the key. Because we don't care. We love terrorists here, don't we? We're inviting them all here because our friends in Afghanistan and Iraq can't organise things freely over there, so they'd better come here where the vast islamic networks run unchecked, recruiting like mad and making their plans.
So here's the situation: The Government is playing fast and loose with the democratic process in order to bully legislation through Parliament that means they can lock innocent people up in their own homes at the megalomaniacal whim of the home secretary. Regular people have their civil liberties walked all over every day when they have to stop and open their bags for the fascist police pigs. The country's gone mad. The goverment's paranoid and they're all trying to scare us into believing that we need draconian measures in order to deal with a threat that doesn't exist.
But there's hundreds of Bin Laden trained operatives in the country. Every street seems to have its own terrorist cell. They're flooding into the country daily. They're hatching their plans and gathering supplies.
But something doesn't gel. We still haven't been blown up. Why is that? Are they really scared of hurting their own people? After all, that's the reason Birmingham only got bombed once. Is there such a huge ultra-devout muslim community in Britain that nowhere at all, no nightclub, no football stadium, no train station, no airport, no office building is completely free of Al Quaeda activists, to the point that it would be counterproductive to plant a bomb and kill 'em all?
Perhaps they're worried about the bad press. Yes, that's got to be it. If they blow a load of Brits up, the backlash would be huge wouldn't it? I mean, everyone in Britain would think that "Muslim" immediately meant "terrorist". The result of an attack in Britain would be rampant xenophobia and they can't afford that, can they?
So of course they're not attacking us, they're not going to attack us because we love them. We embrace our terrorist brothers in this strict Islamic state. Bin Laden loves us because we're all such good Muslims, aren't we?
Or maybe, just maybe the laws and legislations being passed, the safeguards being put in place and the alerts being announced are actually working. Hands up who would prefer to have the shit blown out of them before we start doing something about it.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Taken from Digital Spy:
Jordan has spoken about her disappointment after losing out on the chance to represent the UK in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest.
Former Popstars contestant Javine was picked by viewers of the BBC's Making Your Mind Up showdown last night.
However, Jordan is insisting that she was the best performer on the night, and is blaming "bitching" from her rivals for the result.
She told the News of the World, "I know I'm the best performer of the lot but there's been so much bitching about me from the other contestants the country's been swayed to vote against me.
"Javine said I shouldn't enter because I'm pregnant and Gina G has been just as bitchy, going on about my boob job as if having big boobs is a crime. She's obviously just ridiculously jealous.
"It made me even more determined to win so naturally I'm disappointed. But I'm a fighter and I always get what I want. I'd love to fly the flag for the UK. And if I can't do that I'll just have to wear it!"
***
Yes I can see how she could think that she's a better singer than a trio of classically trained opera singers, two almost-were popstar contestants and a previous Eurovision winner.
And oh the bitchiness! Was it ever proved that her last kid didn't turn out blind because of her drug taking and boozing during her last pregnancy? Yes, I can see why it would be bitchy to suggest she doesn't go to Kiev - irradiated, leukemia ridden Kiev - while eight months pregnant to sing live on stage during a five hour live event she's got no hope of winning.
For god's sake woman, you're crap, now get over it!
Jordan has spoken about her disappointment after losing out on the chance to represent the UK in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest.
Former Popstars contestant Javine was picked by viewers of the BBC's Making Your Mind Up showdown last night.
However, Jordan is insisting that she was the best performer on the night, and is blaming "bitching" from her rivals for the result.
She told the News of the World, "I know I'm the best performer of the lot but there's been so much bitching about me from the other contestants the country's been swayed to vote against me.
"Javine said I shouldn't enter because I'm pregnant and Gina G has been just as bitchy, going on about my boob job as if having big boobs is a crime. She's obviously just ridiculously jealous.
"It made me even more determined to win so naturally I'm disappointed. But I'm a fighter and I always get what I want. I'd love to fly the flag for the UK. And if I can't do that I'll just have to wear it!"
***
Yes I can see how she could think that she's a better singer than a trio of classically trained opera singers, two almost-were popstar contestants and a previous Eurovision winner.
And oh the bitchiness! Was it ever proved that her last kid didn't turn out blind because of her drug taking and boozing during her last pregnancy? Yes, I can see why it would be bitchy to suggest she doesn't go to Kiev - irradiated, leukemia ridden Kiev - while eight months pregnant to sing live on stage during a five hour live event she's got no hope of winning.
For god's sake woman, you're crap, now get over it!
A little thing that's getting passed around the blog circuit.
I read about it at Mark's Blog
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
Kudos to anyone who can name the book this comes from:
If it wasn't for rule 5, I probably would have plumped for the Christopher Marlowe poetry book a bit further away. Great writer, taught Shakespeare everything he knew.
I read about it at Mark's Blog
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
Kudos to anyone who can name the book this comes from:
'Anti-muggle pranksters,' said Mr Weasley, frowning. 'We had two last week, one in Wimbledon, one in Elephant and Castle. Muggles are pulling the flush and instead of everything disappearing - well, you can imagine.'
If it wasn't for rule 5, I probably would have plumped for the Christopher Marlowe poetry book a bit further away. Great writer, taught Shakespeare everything he knew.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Why am I still awake? Why is putting the bins out a more enticing prospect than grabbing the 90 minutes sleep that's left to me?
I've been inspired, that's why.
I've just read a blog entry on bullying and it made me think about my own school experience.
I was never particularly outgoing, didn't really have any interest in the boistrous games my peers would try and drag me into. At Boys' Brigade, I was always the goalie. Didn't find the whole thing of chasing a ball around very rewarding, not being inventive, fast or aggressive enough to tackle the ball away from anyone.
So from the age of six, I was called names - names which questioned my sexuality and poked fun at my name. For a while it bothered me, quietly. I was never out-and-out bullied in the sense of having my head flushed down the lav, or having my bag nicked by the big boys, but to my adolescent brain, the name calling was enough. So I bottled it all up, and eventually it came out and in class five of infant's school, I pinned one of my antagonists up the classroom wall and called him a fucking bastard. It was the first time I'd sworn and it did the trick. As it was done infront of the whole class - bar the teacher - it gained me a measure of respect and the big boys started looking at me with tolerance instead of hunger. I wasn't a target anymore, I was the quiet one who got physical when you pushed him too far. And I was eight years old. I think I also got a little kudos for some other things I did at infant's school.
I had a reputation, you see. From about the same time, I had a steady girlfriend. We used to snog under our coats in the playground while a sizeable crowd tried to get a glimpse. I distinctly remember greatly enjoying the attention. A whispered conversation on my table turned one day to our worldly knowledge, a routine test of coolness. I was challenged by one of the girls (whose name I remember and whose face is swimming across my mind's eye but who I will refrain from naming here and now) as to which finger was my "pussy finger". I knew what a pussy was and guessed that it had to be the longest finger. More kudos.
I discovered many years later that I'd had a certain reputation in junior school. Well, I wish I'd known. Maybe I'd have got laid more at Seniors if I had.
With hindsight, it was probably because of this reputation that the big boys left me alone - apart from a couple of notable exceptions. On my first day of Juniors two big lads with green parkas and biro'd canvas bags pinned me against the playground fence and asked me if I was a Mod or a Rocker. I wasn't an idiot and answered "Mod". They made me promise I'd be one forever and walked off.
Well, I like Paul Weller, but fellas, I was always a rocker. Ner ner.
My next real exposure to bullying was just plain stupid. In Seniors I started riding my bike to school. Then one day a kid who shared my route home started getting stupid, cutting me up and walking into the road to try and knock me off as I went past. He used to threaten me with stuff I can't remember but at the end of the day, I was on a racing bike and he was on foot. I'm afraid I found him more annoying than scary.
At Senior school I took to cultivating an annoying smile, just to piss people off - and it worked. The hardest kid in the school once offered to knock my head off after school. I was there, he wasn't.
The key to my success, or at least my lack of ritual humiliation and beatings is something I've wondered about for years, or more correctly, something I've took for granted and contemplated from time to time. I suppose it might have something to do with my attitude, which is somewhat languid, very open minded and quite resilient. My reply to the name-calling became "Oh, that's number 1,999,999" which put across the accurate impression that I was actually very bored of being called names. The name-calling didn't stop, but because I believed what I was saying back to them, it stopped affecting me. Now, when dickheads in the park, or in the backseat of their mate's nicked Escort, or drunk in a club start mouthing off to me, my reply - inside and out - is disinterest. You see, these people don't know you, so how can their words be true? And if someone tries to insult you by lying, well it's them that look stupid, not you.
* * *
Update: I think I do actually remember having my bag nicked by the big boys now and again, but it hardly mattered as the most interesting thing in there would have been my nice not-Casio-and-therefore-better-than-everyone-elses scientific calculator.
Other random memories:
- I once talked myself out of a birthday egg 'n flouring. Dunno how. I think the chap behind me was percieved as being even more pathetic and therefore a more satisfying target.
- There was a group of kids who would retire to someone's house and masturbate over biscuits. One member of the gang acquired the nickname Tommy the Tank. Highly hilarious. I was not involved.
- On one uniform-free day, I dressed all in white. My girlfriend made me walk several paces behind her when I met her for lunch.
- I can't remember for the life of me why, but I never used to meet her for lunch, despite both of us leaving school over dinnertime.
- At junior school, a bunch of girls from my class decided I should come with them to talk to my girlfriend whom I'd recently dumped. I didn't want to, so as I was being dragged physically across the playground by a group of about seven or eight bigger girls - slapped, kicked and dragged - I lost it in a display of temper, no, rage, that scared the shit out of me. I bit the one who was slapping my face, I whirled like a dervish, lashing out at the rest of them. I got taken to the headmadster for that. I also decided there and then that I wouldn't let that rage dominate me again. So I began cultivating my quiet placidity that I think I'm known for today. I was nine.
- A girlfriend I had in Senior school had a baby. I didn't find out the kid's birthday for ages. It turns out he or she was concieved just a couple of months after I'd told her to forget I existed. I think. There's still an outside chance that one day a fully grown child of mine will turn up on the doorstep.
That's about it for now. And yes, this post took me five days to finish.
I've been inspired, that's why.
I've just read a blog entry on bullying and it made me think about my own school experience.
I was never particularly outgoing, didn't really have any interest in the boistrous games my peers would try and drag me into. At Boys' Brigade, I was always the goalie. Didn't find the whole thing of chasing a ball around very rewarding, not being inventive, fast or aggressive enough to tackle the ball away from anyone.
So from the age of six, I was called names - names which questioned my sexuality and poked fun at my name. For a while it bothered me, quietly. I was never out-and-out bullied in the sense of having my head flushed down the lav, or having my bag nicked by the big boys, but to my adolescent brain, the name calling was enough. So I bottled it all up, and eventually it came out and in class five of infant's school, I pinned one of my antagonists up the classroom wall and called him a fucking bastard. It was the first time I'd sworn and it did the trick. As it was done infront of the whole class - bar the teacher - it gained me a measure of respect and the big boys started looking at me with tolerance instead of hunger. I wasn't a target anymore, I was the quiet one who got physical when you pushed him too far. And I was eight years old. I think I also got a little kudos for some other things I did at infant's school.
I had a reputation, you see. From about the same time, I had a steady girlfriend. We used to snog under our coats in the playground while a sizeable crowd tried to get a glimpse. I distinctly remember greatly enjoying the attention. A whispered conversation on my table turned one day to our worldly knowledge, a routine test of coolness. I was challenged by one of the girls (whose name I remember and whose face is swimming across my mind's eye but who I will refrain from naming here and now) as to which finger was my "pussy finger". I knew what a pussy was and guessed that it had to be the longest finger. More kudos.
I discovered many years later that I'd had a certain reputation in junior school. Well, I wish I'd known. Maybe I'd have got laid more at Seniors if I had.
With hindsight, it was probably because of this reputation that the big boys left me alone - apart from a couple of notable exceptions. On my first day of Juniors two big lads with green parkas and biro'd canvas bags pinned me against the playground fence and asked me if I was a Mod or a Rocker. I wasn't an idiot and answered "Mod". They made me promise I'd be one forever and walked off.
Well, I like Paul Weller, but fellas, I was always a rocker. Ner ner.
My next real exposure to bullying was just plain stupid. In Seniors I started riding my bike to school. Then one day a kid who shared my route home started getting stupid, cutting me up and walking into the road to try and knock me off as I went past. He used to threaten me with stuff I can't remember but at the end of the day, I was on a racing bike and he was on foot. I'm afraid I found him more annoying than scary.
At Senior school I took to cultivating an annoying smile, just to piss people off - and it worked. The hardest kid in the school once offered to knock my head off after school. I was there, he wasn't.
The key to my success, or at least my lack of ritual humiliation and beatings is something I've wondered about for years, or more correctly, something I've took for granted and contemplated from time to time. I suppose it might have something to do with my attitude, which is somewhat languid, very open minded and quite resilient. My reply to the name-calling became "Oh, that's number 1,999,999" which put across the accurate impression that I was actually very bored of being called names. The name-calling didn't stop, but because I believed what I was saying back to them, it stopped affecting me. Now, when dickheads in the park, or in the backseat of their mate's nicked Escort, or drunk in a club start mouthing off to me, my reply - inside and out - is disinterest. You see, these people don't know you, so how can their words be true? And if someone tries to insult you by lying, well it's them that look stupid, not you.
* * *
Update: I think I do actually remember having my bag nicked by the big boys now and again, but it hardly mattered as the most interesting thing in there would have been my nice not-Casio-and-therefore-better-than-everyone-elses scientific calculator.
Other random memories:
- I once talked myself out of a birthday egg 'n flouring. Dunno how. I think the chap behind me was percieved as being even more pathetic and therefore a more satisfying target.
- There was a group of kids who would retire to someone's house and masturbate over biscuits. One member of the gang acquired the nickname Tommy the Tank. Highly hilarious. I was not involved.
- On one uniform-free day, I dressed all in white. My girlfriend made me walk several paces behind her when I met her for lunch.
- I can't remember for the life of me why, but I never used to meet her for lunch, despite both of us leaving school over dinnertime.
- At junior school, a bunch of girls from my class decided I should come with them to talk to my girlfriend whom I'd recently dumped. I didn't want to, so as I was being dragged physically across the playground by a group of about seven or eight bigger girls - slapped, kicked and dragged - I lost it in a display of temper, no, rage, that scared the shit out of me. I bit the one who was slapping my face, I whirled like a dervish, lashing out at the rest of them. I got taken to the headmadster for that. I also decided there and then that I wouldn't let that rage dominate me again. So I began cultivating my quiet placidity that I think I'm known for today. I was nine.
- A girlfriend I had in Senior school had a baby. I didn't find out the kid's birthday for ages. It turns out he or she was concieved just a couple of months after I'd told her to forget I existed. I think. There's still an outside chance that one day a fully grown child of mine will turn up on the doorstep.
That's about it for now. And yes, this post took me five days to finish.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
1. What time did you get up this morning?
Between 6 and 8 depending on who decides to stand in front of me and whisper "Dad"
2. Diamonds or Pearls?
Did you know you can have yourself turned into a diamond after you die? And pearls are Oyster gallstones
3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Lord of the rings.
4. What is your favourite TV show at the moment?
The stuff I download.
5. What did you have for breakfast?
Toast. Food of the gods.
6. What is your middle name?
Yeah, as if I'm gonna tell you.
7. What is your favourite Takeaway?
King's Hill chinese
8. What food do you dislike?
Sainsbury's sweet n sour veg. And custard. Not together.
Oh and anything with that Sudan 1 in it, which is apparently everything.
9. What is your favourite crisp flavour?
Cheese and bacon quavers.
10. What is your favourite CD at the moment?
Mandrake Linux Installation Disk 2
11. What kind of car do you drive?
Audi 80. Very scarily.
12. Favourite sandwich?
Bacon and cheese bagel.
13. What characteristic do you despise?
Apathy
14. Favourite item of clothing?
Green T-shirt with anonymous rasta type and the message "free your soul" on it. Nothing to do with the message, it just fits really well. And my camoflage coat.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
Snowdonia. After it stops snowing.
16. What colour is your bathroom?
White and chrome. Which sounds much more classy than it actually is.
17. Favourite brand of clothing?
British Army.
18. Where would you retire to?
Not Eastbourne.
19. Favourite time of the day?
3am. When the kids are asleep.
20. What was your most memorable birthday?
Um, none of them really. But that might be down to my terrible memory.
21. Where were you born?
Hospital
22. Favourite sport to watch?
Cricket, on sundeay, in the park, in Summer.
23. Who do you least expect to send this back to
you?
Everyone
24. Person you expect to send it back first?
No-one
25. What fabric detergent do you use?
Tesco Non Bio.
26. Coke or Pepsi?
Lemon squash, orange squash, water. Black fizzy drinks bad.
27. Are you a morning person or a night?
Morning. Kinda have to be or no-one gets to school.
28. What is your shoe size?
Ten in boots, nine in trainers. But sometimes ten in trainers. Whatever's comfy and cheap.
29. Do you have any pets?
One rabbit, one dog, six puppies, two children.
30. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
I'M BAAAAAAACK!
31. What did you want to be when you were little?
Journalist. Politician. Then I found out what wankers those people are.
Between 6 and 8 depending on who decides to stand in front of me and whisper "Dad"
2. Diamonds or Pearls?
Did you know you can have yourself turned into a diamond after you die? And pearls are Oyster gallstones
3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Lord of the rings.
4. What is your favourite TV show at the moment?
The stuff I download.
5. What did you have for breakfast?
Toast. Food of the gods.
6. What is your middle name?
Yeah, as if I'm gonna tell you.
7. What is your favourite Takeaway?
King's Hill chinese
8. What food do you dislike?
Sainsbury's sweet n sour veg. And custard. Not together.
Oh and anything with that Sudan 1 in it, which is apparently everything.
9. What is your favourite crisp flavour?
Cheese and bacon quavers.
10. What is your favourite CD at the moment?
Mandrake Linux Installation Disk 2
11. What kind of car do you drive?
Audi 80. Very scarily.
12. Favourite sandwich?
Bacon and cheese bagel.
13. What characteristic do you despise?
Apathy
14. Favourite item of clothing?
Green T-shirt with anonymous rasta type and the message "free your soul" on it. Nothing to do with the message, it just fits really well. And my camoflage coat.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
Snowdonia. After it stops snowing.
16. What colour is your bathroom?
White and chrome. Which sounds much more classy than it actually is.
17. Favourite brand of clothing?
British Army.
18. Where would you retire to?
Not Eastbourne.
19. Favourite time of the day?
3am. When the kids are asleep.
20. What was your most memorable birthday?
Um, none of them really. But that might be down to my terrible memory.
21. Where were you born?
Hospital
22. Favourite sport to watch?
Cricket, on sundeay, in the park, in Summer.
23. Who do you least expect to send this back to
you?
Everyone
24. Person you expect to send it back first?
No-one
25. What fabric detergent do you use?
Tesco Non Bio.
26. Coke or Pepsi?
Lemon squash, orange squash, water. Black fizzy drinks bad.
27. Are you a morning person or a night?
Morning. Kinda have to be or no-one gets to school.
28. What is your shoe size?
Ten in boots, nine in trainers. But sometimes ten in trainers. Whatever's comfy and cheap.
29. Do you have any pets?
One rabbit, one dog, six puppies, two children.
30. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
I'M BAAAAAAACK!
31. What did you want to be when you were little?
Journalist. Politician. Then I found out what wankers those people are.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
On September 16th 1992 John Major's government came under financial attack from currency speculators taking advantage of our unnaturally high exchange rates due to the UK being part of the EU's Exchange Rate Mechanism. It became known as "Black Wednesday" and heralded the downfall of John Major's government, a resettling of interest rates and eventually an upturn in the economy - as discussed here.
Wikipedia has the story in layman's terms.
As you'll see from the end of the Wikipedia entry, there are others who say that this led to an upturn in the country's fortunes. I would have expected the Labour party to be one of them, but apparently not, as they've decided to hold back some of the more juicy details from that day's activities when they release papers later today.
It's not a particularly interesting story, but it's one that got me suspicious. For the conspiracy theorists among you, it should be one to delve further into.
Now what was the address of that site that published details of Tony Blair's daughter's suicide attempts?
Wikipedia has the story in layman's terms.
As you'll see from the end of the Wikipedia entry, there are others who say that this led to an upturn in the country's fortunes. I would have expected the Labour party to be one of them, but apparently not, as they've decided to hold back some of the more juicy details from that day's activities when they release papers later today.
It's not a particularly interesting story, but it's one that got me suspicious. For the conspiracy theorists among you, it should be one to delve further into.
Now what was the address of that site that published details of Tony Blair's daughter's suicide attempts?
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Today is Imbolc, the pagan festival of light. It's also the festival day of the Goddess Bride, who presides over poetry and midwifery, so it's rather appropriate that today our dog, Suki, decided she was going to have seven puppies!
Photos later as I haven't tried installing the Infra-red link for the phones yet.
In the meantime, here's the usual entry from Byzant Scriptorium.
Photos later as I haven't tried installing the Infra-red link for the phones yet.
In the meantime, here's the usual entry from Byzant Scriptorium.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
In the latest episode of "24", Jack Bauer is rescued by a troop of marines. They used actual marines for the sequence, giving maybe one of the best reasons I've ever heard:
"They've got all the helicopters"
Here's an article about the episode and the dedication to a marine pilot killed a few weeks previously, just before the Squadron came home:
"They've got all the helicopters"
Here's an article about the episode and the dedication to a marine pilot killed a few weeks previously, just before the Squadron came home:
At the end of Monday's "24," a photo of a military pilot appeared, with
these words: "This episode is dedicated to the memory of Lt. Col. Dave
Greene of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775."
The screen then faded to black, and these words appeared: "His sacrifice,
and the sacrifice of all our men and women of the military, will never be
forgotten."
Greene, who died in Iraq in July, had been part of the Marine unit that
appeared on Monday's episode. On the episode, which revolved around the
freeing of the show's fictional secretary of defense from terrorists, those
were real Marines who swooped in on helicopters and rappelled down ropes in
the rescue attempt.
"That group [of Marines] had just come back from Iraq, just weeks before we
shot that episode" in October, says "24" producer Tim Iacofano, who worked
with the Marines' film and TV liaison office to arrange the unit's
appearance.
After filming was completed, Lt. Col. Eric Buer, who had served with Greene
for 13 years, asked Iacofano if the show could pay tribute to Greene.
"I asked around Fox and the people I work for and everyone kind of felt it
was the least we could do," Iacofano says.
Maj. Mark Voelker, who knew Greene, set up a screening of Monday's "24" at
Camp Pendleton, Calif., where the reserve unit Greene belonged to is based.
Voelker watched it with about a dozen other Marines who had served with the
fallen pilot, including Buer.
"As we watched, at the end it got pretty quiet," Voelker says. "After the
ending played, the response was that it was perfect. It was exactly what
anyone would have liked to have seen."
The squadron took Greene's death hard, Voelker says, because it was very
close to returning to the U.S. when Greene's helicopter was shot down.
"Everyone had started to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and thought
everyone [from the unit] was going to come back," Voelker says.
"He was one of the most impressive lieutenant colonels we had, that's what
made his loss that much more unfortunate," Voelker says.
Not only was the tribute to Greene appreciated, Voelker says, the depiction
of what Marines do was also well-received.
"What was done for the TV show was extremely accurate," Voelker says.
"That's how things would have looked in reality. We were saying today that
the show must have good advisers or are pretty in tune with the reality" of
Marine combined air-land operations.
For the October shoot, there were between 50 and 75 Marines on the "24" set:
six pilots, dozens of Marines aboard the helicopters and an array of safety
and training instructors.
"For them, it was a training mission, so we had to conform to all their
rules for safety," Iacofano says.
As for why "24" ended up calling in real Marines to rescue William Devane's
fictional defense secretary, Iacofano says, "Helicopters are really hard to
come by. They have all the helicopters and the guys trained to do that
stuff. We've done roping with stunt men, but that's pretty tricky.
"There's a weight distribution problem -- guys have to go out either side of
the helicopter at the same time, or the thing could tip over. It could get
quite dangerous. But that's something these Marines are trained to do."
Maj. Jeff Nyhart, who works in the Marines' film and TV liaison office, said
that given the armed forces' many duties around the world these days, it's
sometimes difficult to find what film and TV producers are looking for.
"It's not easy," Nyhart says. "Training cycles are so intensive right now,
and anything that interferes with operational commitments is not
supportable."
But after a bit of looking around, the Marines entertainment-industry
liaison office in L.A. was able to find a unit that does the kind of
land-air operation that the "24" producers were looking for.
As for the on-screen depiction of "calling in the Marines," "it was great,"
Nyhart says. "It was Marines doing what they do."
Friday, January 28, 2005
Micheal Moore's "Farenheit 9/11" was on Channel 4 last night.
Ever since the invasion of Iraq was announced, I've been forced to sit on the fence. I have never managed to find a convincing enough argument either for or against the invasion. As many times as someone points out how Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 (true) and didn't have a working relationship with Al-Quaeda (true) and he shouldn't have been invaded, but negotiated with, someone else points out that Saddam was an evil man who murdered mutilated and terrorised his own population for 25 years (true) and he deserved to go.
In strict terms of being part of the War on Terror and an attack on a terrorist regime, the invasion was unfounded. But undeniably Saddam had to go.
I'm on the fence about the resulting American occupation of Iraq. On one hand, it's evidence of the US's arrogance, corruption and imperialism, but on the other hand, Iraq actually doesn't have any military force which could take over. The country would rapidly descend into bloody civil war or simple all-out chaos if the coalition troops left.
I really can't see how I can fall into one side of the argument or the other.
So I was very interested in "Farenheit 9/11"
What a dissappointment. Moore doesn't provide any easily checkable proofs, but relies on pathos and emotional blackmail to present that which comes across as a personal vendetta against George Bush. Now, there's no reason why this isn't a good thing, but it also strips any credibility from the film.
I can see as much wrong and as much to criticise in this film as I can about the whole situation.
So I'm still on the fence.
Iraq goes to the polls this weekend for the first time since 1954. Good luck to them.
Ever since the invasion of Iraq was announced, I've been forced to sit on the fence. I have never managed to find a convincing enough argument either for or against the invasion. As many times as someone points out how Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11 (true) and didn't have a working relationship with Al-Quaeda (true) and he shouldn't have been invaded, but negotiated with, someone else points out that Saddam was an evil man who murdered mutilated and terrorised his own population for 25 years (true) and he deserved to go.
In strict terms of being part of the War on Terror and an attack on a terrorist regime, the invasion was unfounded. But undeniably Saddam had to go.
I'm on the fence about the resulting American occupation of Iraq. On one hand, it's evidence of the US's arrogance, corruption and imperialism, but on the other hand, Iraq actually doesn't have any military force which could take over. The country would rapidly descend into bloody civil war or simple all-out chaos if the coalition troops left.
I really can't see how I can fall into one side of the argument or the other.
So I was very interested in "Farenheit 9/11"
What a dissappointment. Moore doesn't provide any easily checkable proofs, but relies on pathos and emotional blackmail to present that which comes across as a personal vendetta against George Bush. Now, there's no reason why this isn't a good thing, but it also strips any credibility from the film.
I can see as much wrong and as much to criticise in this film as I can about the whole situation.
So I'm still on the fence.
Iraq goes to the polls this weekend for the first time since 1954. Good luck to them.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
I have wanted to leave Windoze behind for so long! Every now and then, I'd visit the Mandrake and Redhat websites and hover over the downlaod links for the latest version, but only bothered once, backed the three disk set up to CD-r's and forgot about them.
Until I had to use them to recover my knackered WinXP installation a few weeks ago.
I couldn't find my XP install disk, so had to install Linux in order to access the hard drive and rip the disk image I keep there.
So I did a bit of research, made sure I knew how to get the modem working, made sure I had all the files I was likely to need if I ran into problems, and decided "to hell with it".
We're two days in things are going fine. Did have some teething troubles with the modem, but that was easily sorted out with a little application of common sense.
And I got QUAKE working today! Ages ago, I found a copy of Quake 3 Arena for Linux and decided to pick it up. Never even looked at it since until I needed the CD key last year. Since then I've mistaken it for the Windoze version dozens of times, so I decided to see how it went. The in-game graphics are still not working, but the menus work and that's a good start.
Suck on that Bill Gates!
Until I had to use them to recover my knackered WinXP installation a few weeks ago.
I couldn't find my XP install disk, so had to install Linux in order to access the hard drive and rip the disk image I keep there.
So I did a bit of research, made sure I knew how to get the modem working, made sure I had all the files I was likely to need if I ran into problems, and decided "to hell with it".
We're two days in things are going fine. Did have some teething troubles with the modem, but that was easily sorted out with a little application of common sense.
And I got QUAKE working today! Ages ago, I found a copy of Quake 3 Arena for Linux and decided to pick it up. Never even looked at it since until I needed the CD key last year. Since then I've mistaken it for the Windoze version dozens of times, so I decided to see how it went. The in-game graphics are still not working, but the menus work and that's a good start.
Suck on that Bill Gates!
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Saturday, January 22, 2005
One of the funniest shows on the radio is Punt & Dennis's "It's been a bad week" on Radio 2. This week's edition has been a goldmine of excellent stories, including this one:
17 year old Greg Bulmarsh applied for a job at his local McDonalds restaurant. This is his application form:
17 year old Greg Bulmarsh applied for a job at his local McDonalds restaurant. This is his application form:
He got the job.
NAME: Greg Bulmarsh
SEX: Not yet. Still waiting for the right person.
DESIRED POSITION: Company's President or Vice President. But seriousley, whatevers available. If i was in a position to be picky, i wouldn't be applying here in the first place.
DESIRED SALARY: $185000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovits style severance package. If thats not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.
EDUCATION: Yes.
LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.
SALARY: Less than i'm worth.
MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it-notes.
REASON FOR LEAVING: It sucked.
HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK: Any
PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30-3:30pm., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?: Yes, but they're better suited to a more intimate environment.
MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?: If I had one, would i be here?
DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM LIFTING UP TO 50 LBS?: Of what?
DO YOU HAVE A CAR?: I think the more appropriate question here would be "Do you have a car that runs?"
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?: I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.
DO YOU SMOKE?: On the job no, on my breaks yes.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS TIME?: living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blond model who thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually I'd like to be doing that now.
DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE?: Yes, absolutely
SIGN HERE: Aries
Friday, January 21, 2005
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Another idea stolen from the Merry Piper:
Paste the first line from the first post of each month for 2004:
Paste the first line from the first post of each month for 2004:
- January: Plenty of things to write about I hope...
- February: God January went fast!
- March: It's been a while eh?
- April: OK, just installed NewsGator into my copy of Outlook, along with the Blogspot posting plugin, so I’m posting this to test it out.
- May: Saturday Morning TV is not improving!
- June: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
- July: There's been a bit in the News lately about the poverty gap, or specifically, the percieved difference in affluence between north and south.
- August: Get this: My results from the Neuroses-o-matic!
- September: As I posted an article on the Democratic Convention (see July's archive), I thought it would only be fair to post something about the Republican Connvention going on this week in New York.
- October: Urgh. Got a cold. Don't feel like blogging.
- November: We've been in the news! And helped lower the crime rate in the area to boot:
- December: Meet Stew
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
As promised...
For one reason or another, presumably the forthcoming election, drug abuse is back on the agenda in the media.
Usually, I'm averse to bandwagonism, but here's my two-pennyworth for the hell of it:
I'm not a user. Never touched a pill or a powder or a needle in my life. I was once offered a wrap of speed in exchange for bus fare. I turned it down because I wouldn't have had a clue what to do with it.
What I do like, however, is half a joint before bed. That's it. A very mild marijuana cigarette. I've been laughed at for how little I put in. I get more of a buzz off a pint of beer to be honest, but it's a pleasant and satisfying way of relaxing before bed. It's not something I miss when I run out.
Out of sheer curiosity and to see if it was possible without all the growlights and hydroponics and tinfoil, I once grew a couple of plants. I wasn't secretive about it, it sat on my living room windowsill, it was lovely and bushy and it produced nice strong stuff. I called him "weedy" and he was my friend. Unfortunately, cannabis plants have a limited life on British windowsills, especially considering how much pruning takes place, and he ended up dying and being all smoked up.
Anyway...
Lots has been said over the years about the pros and cons of legalising hard drugs like Heroin and Cocaine. The cons all allude to the death of modern society and anarchy and rampant addiction. What they seem to be forgetting is that not so long ago, all these drugs were not only legal, but were being used in pharmaceutical products and food. Famously, cocaine was part of "original recipe" coca cola, Speed was used as a slimming drug, heroin (or morphine) is still used in all kids of healthcare products: Codeine turns to morphine in your brain and cocaine is called novocane when the dentist injects it into your gums.
The fact is that these drugs have been or still are perfectly legal and society didn't come to an end.
Drug MISUSE, which is what the debate is all about, is a direct result of the profiteering immorality of the dealers.
Legalising and regulating hard drugs can only have a positive effect. Why would anyone go to a shady dealer for their £20 bag of horse laxatives and crushed paracetamol when they can pop to the local chemist for a hit of pure stuff for the same price or less?
The authorities are losing the war on drugs, the dealers are increasingly violent and drug abuse now affects every corner of our society. It's time to take a new angle, because what we're doing now just isn't enough.
You can't control something by driving it into the hands of more and more desperate criminals.
For one reason or another, presumably the forthcoming election, drug abuse is back on the agenda in the media.
Usually, I'm averse to bandwagonism, but here's my two-pennyworth for the hell of it:
I'm not a user. Never touched a pill or a powder or a needle in my life. I was once offered a wrap of speed in exchange for bus fare. I turned it down because I wouldn't have had a clue what to do with it.
What I do like, however, is half a joint before bed. That's it. A very mild marijuana cigarette. I've been laughed at for how little I put in. I get more of a buzz off a pint of beer to be honest, but it's a pleasant and satisfying way of relaxing before bed. It's not something I miss when I run out.
Out of sheer curiosity and to see if it was possible without all the growlights and hydroponics and tinfoil, I once grew a couple of plants. I wasn't secretive about it, it sat on my living room windowsill, it was lovely and bushy and it produced nice strong stuff. I called him "weedy" and he was my friend. Unfortunately, cannabis plants have a limited life on British windowsills, especially considering how much pruning takes place, and he ended up dying and being all smoked up.
Anyway...
Lots has been said over the years about the pros and cons of legalising hard drugs like Heroin and Cocaine. The cons all allude to the death of modern society and anarchy and rampant addiction. What they seem to be forgetting is that not so long ago, all these drugs were not only legal, but were being used in pharmaceutical products and food. Famously, cocaine was part of "original recipe" coca cola, Speed was used as a slimming drug, heroin (or morphine) is still used in all kids of healthcare products: Codeine turns to morphine in your brain and cocaine is called novocane when the dentist injects it into your gums.
The fact is that these drugs have been or still are perfectly legal and society didn't come to an end.
Drug MISUSE, which is what the debate is all about, is a direct result of the profiteering immorality of the dealers.
Legalising and regulating hard drugs can only have a positive effect. Why would anyone go to a shady dealer for their £20 bag of horse laxatives and crushed paracetamol when they can pop to the local chemist for a hit of pure stuff for the same price or less?
The authorities are losing the war on drugs, the dealers are increasingly violent and drug abuse now affects every corner of our society. It's time to take a new angle, because what we're doing now just isn't enough.
You can't control something by driving it into the hands of more and more desperate criminals.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
There's quite a debate going on in the DigitalSpy forums about the suitability of former Happy Mondays manc dancer Bez to stay in the Big Brother house whle suffering quite obvious signs of Cannabis withdrawal.
A lot of people are suggesting that he be arrested. Despite the fact that he hasn't actually DONE anythign illegal in the house. Despite the fact that maybe he went into the house kniowing it was a sealed environment and a very public way of going through cold turkey.
Undoubtedly, he has a habit. Undoubtedly, the withdrawal has hit him hard. But if these people want to see him off the drug, then by god, let him win. Keep him in the house until the very last second and keep him in the public eye for a week or two afterwards. The longer he stays in the house, the longer he stays off the weed and the better his chances of kicking his habit.
They want him kicked out now. Well, isn't that exactly what he wants? Isn't that the worst thing you could do for a recovering junkie?
At the end of the day, I very much doubt that past Big Brother contestants have been squeaky clean and drug free (with the notable, glaring exception of Cameron), and I doubt that everyone who's lambasting Bez is completely innocent either. He hasn't made any secret of his habit - his last words before entering the house were that he'd miss his weed the most. We knew this would happen, unless as I suspected, he was allowed to take a bit of stuff in with him as the luxury item he was cagey about when he walked in. It's quite a shame I was wrong. Would have loved to see them all getting stoned, with Endemol trying to cover it up.
So let he that is without vice cast the first stone. And if you've ever got wasted on a few too many bevvies, or dropped a couple of tabs on a friday night, or toked a bit of the wacky baccy at college, well, just leave the Bezmeister alone, alright? Addiction metes out it's own punishment. Rest assured, he'll get his due in time.
(More on my opinions on drugs later)
A lot of people are suggesting that he be arrested. Despite the fact that he hasn't actually DONE anythign illegal in the house. Despite the fact that maybe he went into the house kniowing it was a sealed environment and a very public way of going through cold turkey.
Undoubtedly, he has a habit. Undoubtedly, the withdrawal has hit him hard. But if these people want to see him off the drug, then by god, let him win. Keep him in the house until the very last second and keep him in the public eye for a week or two afterwards. The longer he stays in the house, the longer he stays off the weed and the better his chances of kicking his habit.
They want him kicked out now. Well, isn't that exactly what he wants? Isn't that the worst thing you could do for a recovering junkie?
At the end of the day, I very much doubt that past Big Brother contestants have been squeaky clean and drug free (with the notable, glaring exception of Cameron), and I doubt that everyone who's lambasting Bez is completely innocent either. He hasn't made any secret of his habit - his last words before entering the house were that he'd miss his weed the most. We knew this would happen, unless as I suspected, he was allowed to take a bit of stuff in with him as the luxury item he was cagey about when he walked in. It's quite a shame I was wrong. Would have loved to see them all getting stoned, with Endemol trying to cover it up.
So let he that is without vice cast the first stone. And if you've ever got wasted on a few too many bevvies, or dropped a couple of tabs on a friday night, or toked a bit of the wacky baccy at college, well, just leave the Bezmeister alone, alright? Addiction metes out it's own punishment. Rest assured, he'll get his due in time.
(More on my opinions on drugs later)
Monday, January 17, 2005
Saturday, January 15, 2005
After my little speech about the comics I used to read, I started thinking about some other things that had inspired me through the years.
Here's one of them: The view from Harlech, looking towards Snowdonia and the majesty of the mountains.
OK, there's more spectacular sights in the world, but to me, growing up going on holiday there every year for a decade or more, waking up, opening the caravan curtain and seeing that view...well, inspiring just isn't the word.
To this day, I'm totally in love with Snowdonia, but I haven't been there for over ten years. As soon as I've passed my test, I'm going there: packed lunch in Bala, trip through the mountains, hairpin bends, whispering waterfalls and all, round the coast from Ffestiniog, Harlech, Dyffryn, Barmouth, then back home through the mountains.
Wonderful.
Here's one of them: The view from Harlech, looking towards Snowdonia and the majesty of the mountains.
OK, there's more spectacular sights in the world, but to me, growing up going on holiday there every year for a decade or more, waking up, opening the caravan curtain and seeing that view...well, inspiring just isn't the word.
To this day, I'm totally in love with Snowdonia, but I haven't been there for over ten years. As soon as I've passed my test, I'm going there: packed lunch in Bala, trip through the mountains, hairpin bends, whispering waterfalls and all, round the coast from Ffestiniog, Harlech, Dyffryn, Barmouth, then back home through the mountains.
Wonderful.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Just a mention of this big non-story:
I don't know what the fuss is about. He's just carrying on a long line of British Royal louts and layabouts, from the wonderfully outrageous George 3rd to the larger than life and hugely popular George 7th.
I can't help laughing when I hear about the latest exploits of Charles' offspring. It's about time we had an anarchic monarchy again. I know I'm gonna be happy growing old under King William 4th, anyway.
I don't know what the fuss is about. He's just carrying on a long line of British Royal louts and layabouts, from the wonderfully outrageous George 3rd to the larger than life and hugely popular George 7th.
I can't help laughing when I hear about the latest exploits of Charles' offspring. It's about time we had an anarchic monarchy again. I know I'm gonna be happy growing old under King William 4th, anyway.
Blair vs Brown:
While Gordon Brown's safely tucked away in the heart of Africa, pledging £1billion in debt relief for the third world (nice one Gordon!), Tony's been taking (cautious) advantage.
In a speech in Kent yesterday, he praised his competitor, calling him the "most successful post-war chancellor" but then went on to insist that Labour's third term would be "Unremittingly New Labour" which will enrage Gordon and his supporters, as the chancellor is truly of the old guard.
And why is Gordon in Africa? Well, it looks hopeful: he's visiting AIDS-ravaged areas of Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa and attending a conference where he hopes to help beat out an agreement on a multilateral plan to write off the IMF and World Bank debts of some of the poorest countries in the world.
However, the pill has already been bittered by everyone's favourite thorn in the side, Claire Short. She says, rightly, that merely eradicating the debt won't solve much. What needs to happen is stability and an end to corruption and conflict in the affected countries. And that can't be done by holding conferences.
Here's an article about his visit.
While Gordon Brown's safely tucked away in the heart of Africa, pledging £1billion in debt relief for the third world (nice one Gordon!), Tony's been taking (cautious) advantage.
In a speech in Kent yesterday, he praised his competitor, calling him the "most successful post-war chancellor" but then went on to insist that Labour's third term would be "Unremittingly New Labour" which will enrage Gordon and his supporters, as the chancellor is truly of the old guard.
And why is Gordon in Africa? Well, it looks hopeful: he's visiting AIDS-ravaged areas of Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa and attending a conference where he hopes to help beat out an agreement on a multilateral plan to write off the IMF and World Bank debts of some of the poorest countries in the world.
However, the pill has already been bittered by everyone's favourite thorn in the side, Claire Short. She says, rightly, that merely eradicating the debt won't solve much. What needs to happen is stability and an end to corruption and conflict in the affected countries. And that can't be done by holding conferences.
Here's an article about his visit.
Look at these people:
She wouldn't (or couldn't - reports are contradictory on that point) have kids, so a few years ago they decided to try and adopt. At the end of 2002, they started a 13 week trial placement of three little kids, rescued from neglectful parents - Christian, aged 3, Nathan aged 2 and Chloe, just five months old. They'd thrived in Foster Care and Social Services insisted that they be placed together as they were incredibly close - as young, traumatised children would be.
The couple took care classes from a local nursery and were shown videos on the effect of neglect on children by Social Services. She couldn't be bothered and eventually, neither could he. They knew all of this, they'd read it all in books after all. They were graduates for god's sake, what could they learn from nannies and Social Workers?
These two wanted a perfect, ready made family and the children just didn't fit the bill.
The wife couldn't cope, so went back to work. The husband claimed he couldn't bond with them, phoning their Social Worker and insisting that their three year old prospective foster son was "brainless", "a vegetable" and "a zombie".
A few days later, he was dead.
He didn't bond with his prospective father. And is it any wonder, when he's being described like that to a Social Worker? Children with problems like Christian need unconditional love, vast patience, deep understanding and care. This was obviously something beyond the university educated engineer's understanding. Not everyone can be a parent. It's a tough life when your kids are your own, and well adjusted, and taking on someone elses emotionally damaged children is a challenge I as a father of two manic powerhouses would balk at.
Ian and Angela Gay, however were sure they knew better. They were convinced that the children they adopted owuld be pleasant, well adjusted, pictures of perfection and on the off-chance that they might not fit the required profile, well they'd just have to be punished.
Punished by being force fed spoonful after spoonful of salt. Punished by being shaken and slapped around the head. Punished so severely that it produced a brain haemorrhage. In a three year old child.
Little Christian was sent to his sister's cot for misbehaving. Ian later found him comatose and the couple rushed him to hospital. He was placed on life support. Angela went back to work.
Four days later they switched off his life support.
Yesterday, Ian and Angela Gay were convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison for five years. Five years for torturing a defenceless toddler to death.
This is a picture of him:
And here's a couple of links to the story in the press:
A report on the outcome of the trial
and details of the help the couple were given
My opinion? They're selfish, evil bastards who should be banned from contact with children for life. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.
Am I being harsh? Take note of what Angela's father says after the trial:
"We're totally shocked. They know they have done nothing wrong. It's an injustice."
She wouldn't (or couldn't - reports are contradictory on that point) have kids, so a few years ago they decided to try and adopt. At the end of 2002, they started a 13 week trial placement of three little kids, rescued from neglectful parents - Christian, aged 3, Nathan aged 2 and Chloe, just five months old. They'd thrived in Foster Care and Social Services insisted that they be placed together as they were incredibly close - as young, traumatised children would be.
The couple took care classes from a local nursery and were shown videos on the effect of neglect on children by Social Services. She couldn't be bothered and eventually, neither could he. They knew all of this, they'd read it all in books after all. They were graduates for god's sake, what could they learn from nannies and Social Workers?
These two wanted a perfect, ready made family and the children just didn't fit the bill.
The wife couldn't cope, so went back to work. The husband claimed he couldn't bond with them, phoning their Social Worker and insisting that their three year old prospective foster son was "brainless", "a vegetable" and "a zombie".
A few days later, he was dead.
He didn't bond with his prospective father. And is it any wonder, when he's being described like that to a Social Worker? Children with problems like Christian need unconditional love, vast patience, deep understanding and care. This was obviously something beyond the university educated engineer's understanding. Not everyone can be a parent. It's a tough life when your kids are your own, and well adjusted, and taking on someone elses emotionally damaged children is a challenge I as a father of two manic powerhouses would balk at.
Ian and Angela Gay, however were sure they knew better. They were convinced that the children they adopted owuld be pleasant, well adjusted, pictures of perfection and on the off-chance that they might not fit the required profile, well they'd just have to be punished.
Punished by being force fed spoonful after spoonful of salt. Punished by being shaken and slapped around the head. Punished so severely that it produced a brain haemorrhage. In a three year old child.
Little Christian was sent to his sister's cot for misbehaving. Ian later found him comatose and the couple rushed him to hospital. He was placed on life support. Angela went back to work.
Four days later they switched off his life support.
Yesterday, Ian and Angela Gay were convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison for five years. Five years for torturing a defenceless toddler to death.
This is a picture of him:
And here's a couple of links to the story in the press:
A report on the outcome of the trial
and details of the help the couple were given
My opinion? They're selfish, evil bastards who should be banned from contact with children for life. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.
Am I being harsh? Take note of what Angela's father says after the trial:
"We're totally shocked. They know they have done nothing wrong. It's an injustice."
I used to read a sci-fi comic called 2000ad. Brilliant comic. I've still got hundreds of issues of it lounging in my parent's loft.
Also up there is an almost full collection of a spinoff comic they produced in the early 90's called "Crisis". It didn't last long and was really a mouthpiece for the editor and writers to sound off about the state of the world we live in. The main strip in the comic was one called "Third World War" which was set at the turn of the millenium.
The premise was that Multinational Corporations co-opted workers from Britain and sent them to work in South America and so forth. This gave the writers an opportunity to show the corporate horror machine in all it's glory. The interesting bit though were the notes and references peppered throughout the story, references to essays, economic reports, articles, books, Chumbawamba and Dead Kennedys lyrics which backed up the stories they were writing.
Following those notes clued me in about all the things I care about in the world. What I learned from reading "Crisis" has kept me watching the Business News for twelve years, led me to predict the current downslide of the American economy post-9/11, pre-warned me to look into the economic backstory of the tragedies we hear about. Because let's make no mistake - the enemy isn't some shady figure with diabetes hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, the real enemy is on our feet and issuing our Credit Cards and providing us with Big Mac, Coke and Fries to go.
One soundbite from the comic has always stuck with me though. It refers to the almost constant state of civil war in Africa and the battle between Multinationals and the populations of Africa and South America. It refers to what our Governments and Big Business do in our name in those countries and how the populations of thoes countries really feel about what's happening to them.
And even though it wasn't relevant at the time, it refers just as much to the actions of our glorious Western Alliance and the Islamic Fundamentalists they're supposed to be looking for.
The quote is this:
Also up there is an almost full collection of a spinoff comic they produced in the early 90's called "Crisis". It didn't last long and was really a mouthpiece for the editor and writers to sound off about the state of the world we live in. The main strip in the comic was one called "Third World War" which was set at the turn of the millenium.
The premise was that Multinational Corporations co-opted workers from Britain and sent them to work in South America and so forth. This gave the writers an opportunity to show the corporate horror machine in all it's glory. The interesting bit though were the notes and references peppered throughout the story, references to essays, economic reports, articles, books, Chumbawamba and Dead Kennedys lyrics which backed up the stories they were writing.
Following those notes clued me in about all the things I care about in the world. What I learned from reading "Crisis" has kept me watching the Business News for twelve years, led me to predict the current downslide of the American economy post-9/11, pre-warned me to look into the economic backstory of the tragedies we hear about. Because let's make no mistake - the enemy isn't some shady figure with diabetes hiding in a cave in Afghanistan, the real enemy is on our feet and issuing our Credit Cards and providing us with Big Mac, Coke and Fries to go.
One soundbite from the comic has always stuck with me though. It refers to the almost constant state of civil war in Africa and the battle between Multinationals and the populations of Africa and South America. It refers to what our Governments and Big Business do in our name in those countries and how the populations of thoes countries really feel about what's happening to them.
And even though it wasn't relevant at the time, it refers just as much to the actions of our glorious Western Alliance and the Islamic Fundamentalists they're supposed to be looking for.
The quote is this:
"If you want to avoid wargasm, stop fucking the third world"
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Did you buy the "Band Aid 20" single? Did you watch the Vicar of Dibley on New Years Day? Then you might know about the "Make Poverty History" campaign.
If you don't, well, you can click on the white band over there <--- or you can click on the link up there ^
But please do one or the other.
Third world debt is a subject I've followed for almost half my life. Poor countries are being made poorer - far poorer - because of repayments our Governments demand from them. We don't need the money, we mostly don't get the money and when we originally gave the money, it went into the pockets of corrupt, even warmongering politicians.
What we've needed to see for years now is the abolishment of third world debt. We're making the poorest countries in the world far poorer by demanding they repay the money they were lent decades ago.
And because of that debt, thousands of people die every day for no other reason that they just don't have enough. Of anything.
I remember Michael Burke's news report from Ethiopia in 1984. I remember how it affected me. I can bring to mind everything I've read since about how the situation in Ethiopia and other places in Africa came about and it devastates me. I feel shame that I can't do more, but I also need to put food in my children's mouths and because of this, I can do very little.
Something I can do is spread the word about campaigns and organisations that CAN make a difference, or that have more of a chance of being heard.
I've talked before about how America has a duty of care to the rest of the world as it's the most powerful country. Well, it's not just America. We all have a duty of care to those who are worse off, and that duty becomes more important as the people become less well off.
I've been down. By god, I've been low. We've had days where everything looked lost, where our home, our lives looked to be at risk, but we pulled through. We coped and we came out the other side of the crisis. Thousands of people every day don't pull through.
Every day, thousands of men, women, children, babies have nothing left to do but lie down in the dust and die because their Governments and our Governments value money and power over basic human compassion.
So what I'm going to do now is steel myself, take my burden of shame and grief that I live in a country that contributes to the deaths of tens of thousands of people on a daily basis and I'm going to walk out among people who would rant at me and hurl abuse at me because I'm not patriotic, because I don't feel proud to live here.
I'm going to let my knowledge guide me through my life and focus me into doing my best to get into a position where I can make a difference. One day, and it might take another thirty years, I'll get there.
Until then, I'll watch and weep with everyone else.
If you don't, well, you can click on the white band over there <--- or you can click on the link up there ^
But please do one or the other.
Third world debt is a subject I've followed for almost half my life. Poor countries are being made poorer - far poorer - because of repayments our Governments demand from them. We don't need the money, we mostly don't get the money and when we originally gave the money, it went into the pockets of corrupt, even warmongering politicians.
What we've needed to see for years now is the abolishment of third world debt. We're making the poorest countries in the world far poorer by demanding they repay the money they were lent decades ago.
And because of that debt, thousands of people die every day for no other reason that they just don't have enough. Of anything.
I remember Michael Burke's news report from Ethiopia in 1984. I remember how it affected me. I can bring to mind everything I've read since about how the situation in Ethiopia and other places in Africa came about and it devastates me. I feel shame that I can't do more, but I also need to put food in my children's mouths and because of this, I can do very little.
Something I can do is spread the word about campaigns and organisations that CAN make a difference, or that have more of a chance of being heard.
I've talked before about how America has a duty of care to the rest of the world as it's the most powerful country. Well, it's not just America. We all have a duty of care to those who are worse off, and that duty becomes more important as the people become less well off.
I've been down. By god, I've been low. We've had days where everything looked lost, where our home, our lives looked to be at risk, but we pulled through. We coped and we came out the other side of the crisis. Thousands of people every day don't pull through.
Every day, thousands of men, women, children, babies have nothing left to do but lie down in the dust and die because their Governments and our Governments value money and power over basic human compassion.
So what I'm going to do now is steel myself, take my burden of shame and grief that I live in a country that contributes to the deaths of tens of thousands of people on a daily basis and I'm going to walk out among people who would rant at me and hurl abuse at me because I'm not patriotic, because I don't feel proud to live here.
I'm going to let my knowledge guide me through my life and focus me into doing my best to get into a position where I can make a difference. One day, and it might take another thirty years, I'll get there.
Until then, I'll watch and weep with everyone else.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)