Sitting here on a Friday afternoon safely tucked up in nice dry room, while the weather is atrocious outside, it's been pouring with rain most of the afternoon and now it's hammering down.
I'm thinking of the people travelling home along the A13 from London to South East Essex as I did from 1995 till late last year.
Friday nights was always "carnage night", people rushing home on a Friday night seemed to forget basic road sense in the hurry to get home for the weekend.
Even if the weather was ok, there would usually be one "prang" on the way home, and if it was raining like today you could almost guarantee that their would be a major pile up.
I can't remember how many mangled and wrecked cars I've seen and a fair share of body bags and bloodied drivers and passengers, and the many motorcyclists who rarely survive the impact after being hit by a lorry.
Certainly a contributing factor in my decision to leave, as I felt I'd ridden my luck pretty well in not being involved in any accidents in my 6-7,000 journies to and from East London.
Maybe I am a good driver (I think I am) or maybe I was just very lucky?
I've seen people taken out by lorries crossing the central reservation, lorries demolished by other lorries while parked on the hard shoulder, scaffold boards and pallets flying off trucks straight into oncoming traffic, and just too many dead motorcyclists.
Friday 28 September 2007
Unreasonable Hatred
A confession "I'm Classist".
I don't know if there is such a thing, but I definitely suffer from it.
To explain, I had to renew my car tax yesterday and the nearest post office that does car tax is located in a nearby Waitrose supermarket.
I don't go there normally as the prices are usually 50-100% higher than the local Morrisons, and it tends to be inhabited by the people who I have an irrational dislike of "the rich".
The car park is full of "Chelsea tractors" and the store has all those types that wander around in their Sunday best discussing whether to have Veal or Venison for dinner tonight or should they try the Wood pigeon or Wild Mallard duck.
Anyway I get my car tax and as I'm there I remember I need to get some Bread and milk, it might cost a bit more but saves me having to go in a different direction to another store.
I don't help my cause by being dressed in my usual scruffy attire, jeans with tears to knee and crutch (through use, not bought ready torn), paint splattered trainers and my usual Lonsdale T-shirt and jumper from the local cheapie sports shop.
So straight away I'm picking up on the "down the nose" looks from the customers, and the members of staff who seem to be glancing in my direction more than they should be.
After a 10 minute wander around trying to find the milk (and lots of head shaking about the unbelievable prices) I get what I came for (even the milk is divided into various speciality versions?).
I get to the till and some middle aged woman in her expensive clobber is in front of me, basic common decency should usually exist in that she would put the "next customer" sign on the belt after her shopping, but No I just get the down the nose look as she stands in my way while her shopping disappears down the belt.
So I reach across to pick one up without touching her and she turns and says in her posh sarcastic voice "excuse me".
Now what I really want to say at this point is "Fuck you, you stuck up cunt" but I just say "sorry" and start putting my milk and bread on the conveyer.
Hatred is growing fast and is compounded by her "oh so posh" son turning up with her copy of "Horse and hound", "oh good you found it" she says as the till operator puts her stuff through.
A basket full of goods £28!! (could do a weeks shopping in Morrisons for that).
Finally I leave, hoping to see a busload of Muslim students with backpacks going in (sorry), with the words "stuck up cunts" going round in my head.
Jump in the car and an appropriate record comes on my CD player "Down in the sewer" by the Stranglers, crank it up as I drive through the car park.
I don't know if there is such a thing, but I definitely suffer from it.
To explain, I had to renew my car tax yesterday and the nearest post office that does car tax is located in a nearby Waitrose supermarket.
I don't go there normally as the prices are usually 50-100% higher than the local Morrisons, and it tends to be inhabited by the people who I have an irrational dislike of "the rich".
The car park is full of "Chelsea tractors" and the store has all those types that wander around in their Sunday best discussing whether to have Veal or Venison for dinner tonight or should they try the Wood pigeon or Wild Mallard duck.
Anyway I get my car tax and as I'm there I remember I need to get some Bread and milk, it might cost a bit more but saves me having to go in a different direction to another store.
I don't help my cause by being dressed in my usual scruffy attire, jeans with tears to knee and crutch (through use, not bought ready torn), paint splattered trainers and my usual Lonsdale T-shirt and jumper from the local cheapie sports shop.
So straight away I'm picking up on the "down the nose" looks from the customers, and the members of staff who seem to be glancing in my direction more than they should be.
After a 10 minute wander around trying to find the milk (and lots of head shaking about the unbelievable prices) I get what I came for (even the milk is divided into various speciality versions?).
I get to the till and some middle aged woman in her expensive clobber is in front of me, basic common decency should usually exist in that she would put the "next customer" sign on the belt after her shopping, but No I just get the down the nose look as she stands in my way while her shopping disappears down the belt.
So I reach across to pick one up without touching her and she turns and says in her posh sarcastic voice "excuse me".
Now what I really want to say at this point is "Fuck you, you stuck up cunt" but I just say "sorry" and start putting my milk and bread on the conveyer.
Hatred is growing fast and is compounded by her "oh so posh" son turning up with her copy of "Horse and hound", "oh good you found it" she says as the till operator puts her stuff through.
A basket full of goods £28!! (could do a weeks shopping in Morrisons for that).
Finally I leave, hoping to see a busload of Muslim students with backpacks going in (sorry), with the words "stuck up cunts" going round in my head.
Jump in the car and an appropriate record comes on my CD player "Down in the sewer" by the Stranglers, crank it up as I drive through the car park.
Call Centres
Not had many dealing with Indian call centres, but this last week I've had to ring them up twice due to my credit card.
I have a Crapital One card which I use now and again for internet purchases, it's got a low limit so if it did fall into the wrong hands they wouldn't be able to rip me off for more than I can afford (that's the theory).
Anyway I tried to buy something over the weekend and the company I was buying from contacted me to say the card company had refused payment, as I only had a balance of £6 owing I rung them up thinking someone had ripped me off?
So I get the first Indian lady on the phone after being passed around the automated options for ages, I don't know if she's based in India or Southall but it was obvious that English wasn't her first language.
After several attempts she finally understood my name, even after spelling it out she still repeated it as a completly different surname? the conversation went something like this -
Me "Can you tell me why my payment was refused, when I have enough funds to pay it?"
Her "do you want to make a payment?"
Me "No, as I said I want to find out why my card was refused"
Her "What method of payment will you be using"
Me "I don't want to make a payment, I want to know why my card has been refused"
Her "Who do you share a card with"
Me "No one it's my card"
Her "You have £6 outstanding, would you like to make a payment"
Me "(pause to compose myself) I would like to find out why my payment of £x to xxxx has been refused"
Her "I will pass you on to another dept, hold the line"
Several minutes pass and I get another Indian lady, and we have to go through the same ritual including explaining my name? after more exchanges about the balance and amount owing it seems to dawn on her what I am saying, so she tells me that she is going to connect me to the fraud department!! now I'm getting worried.
Eventually the phone is answered and I get a guy called Mohammed, and we go through all the previous stuff (name, account details, passwords etc), and then he starts asking me about previous use of the card -
Him "we see you used the card for a national newspaper in July"
Me "yes" (a football competition)
Him "this is the reason, we thought someone else was using your card"
Me "well you billed me for it and I've had no letters from you telling me your fears"
Him "now we've spoken to you we can unblock your card"
Me "why is it if I'm 2 days late with payments you ring me up 3 times a day to find out when I'm paying, but you couldn't ring me up once about this?"
Him "no harm has been done your card is free to use now"
................ SCREAM ...............
Then this morning my statement comes through for this card, I set up a direct debit to pay the minimum at the beginning of August so they wouldn't hit me with late payment charges again.
So I expected it to say I owed £6 as they were supposed to take the payment out during last month, but my balance is now £18 due to a late payment charge.
Another 5 minutes of automated button pressing and I get through to someone who I can't really understand, and he obviously doesn't understand me, not helped by a phone line which keeps cutting out.
Every statement by both of us has to be repeated very slowly, as I tell him a direct debit was set up and he claims there isn't.
I point out that I have a letter from them dated the 2nd August saying thank you for setting up a direct debit, and he says there is no debit set up and I have to make a payment now to avoid further charges.
Despite trying to hammer it home that I have proof of a debit being in place, he won't have it!
So what do I do, no point ringing up someone else at the company as I'll probably get someone worse and who's just reading the set answers again.
....... aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhh ...........
A good reason to never have a credit card.
I have a Crapital One card which I use now and again for internet purchases, it's got a low limit so if it did fall into the wrong hands they wouldn't be able to rip me off for more than I can afford (that's the theory).
Anyway I tried to buy something over the weekend and the company I was buying from contacted me to say the card company had refused payment, as I only had a balance of £6 owing I rung them up thinking someone had ripped me off?
So I get the first Indian lady on the phone after being passed around the automated options for ages, I don't know if she's based in India or Southall but it was obvious that English wasn't her first language.
After several attempts she finally understood my name, even after spelling it out she still repeated it as a completly different surname? the conversation went something like this -
Me "Can you tell me why my payment was refused, when I have enough funds to pay it?"
Her "do you want to make a payment?"
Me "No, as I said I want to find out why my card was refused"
Her "What method of payment will you be using"
Me "I don't want to make a payment, I want to know why my card has been refused"
Her "Who do you share a card with"
Me "No one it's my card"
Her "You have £6 outstanding, would you like to make a payment"
Me "(pause to compose myself) I would like to find out why my payment of £x to xxxx has been refused"
Her "I will pass you on to another dept, hold the line"
Several minutes pass and I get another Indian lady, and we have to go through the same ritual including explaining my name? after more exchanges about the balance and amount owing it seems to dawn on her what I am saying, so she tells me that she is going to connect me to the fraud department!! now I'm getting worried.
Eventually the phone is answered and I get a guy called Mohammed, and we go through all the previous stuff (name, account details, passwords etc), and then he starts asking me about previous use of the card -
Him "we see you used the card for a national newspaper in July"
Me "yes" (a football competition)
Him "this is the reason, we thought someone else was using your card"
Me "well you billed me for it and I've had no letters from you telling me your fears"
Him "now we've spoken to you we can unblock your card"
Me "why is it if I'm 2 days late with payments you ring me up 3 times a day to find out when I'm paying, but you couldn't ring me up once about this?"
Him "no harm has been done your card is free to use now"
................ SCREAM ...............
Then this morning my statement comes through for this card, I set up a direct debit to pay the minimum at the beginning of August so they wouldn't hit me with late payment charges again.
So I expected it to say I owed £6 as they were supposed to take the payment out during last month, but my balance is now £18 due to a late payment charge.
Another 5 minutes of automated button pressing and I get through to someone who I can't really understand, and he obviously doesn't understand me, not helped by a phone line which keeps cutting out.
Every statement by both of us has to be repeated very slowly, as I tell him a direct debit was set up and he claims there isn't.
I point out that I have a letter from them dated the 2nd August saying thank you for setting up a direct debit, and he says there is no debit set up and I have to make a payment now to avoid further charges.
Despite trying to hammer it home that I have proof of a debit being in place, he won't have it!
So what do I do, no point ringing up someone else at the company as I'll probably get someone worse and who's just reading the set answers again.
....... aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhh ...........
A good reason to never have a credit card.
Dabs
Had an e-mail from Dabs.com today saying "Dear Lee, This week, as one of our best customers, we thought we'd show you these mega-value offers before they sell out completely!".
Considering I've only ever bought one thing of them for under £100 about 3 years ago, it makes you think they are in trouble if I am one of their best customers?
(I know it's a standard advert, but that's how my mind works :) )
Considering I've only ever bought one thing of them for under £100 about 3 years ago, it makes you think they are in trouble if I am one of their best customers?
(I know it's a standard advert, but that's how my mind works :) )
Wednesday 26 September 2007
Collecting
When I first started collecting mp3's a mate gave me the complete Beatles collection on 3 cd's, all the commercial albums plus some other stuff.
So although I was never really a fan of the Beatles, everytime I saw something on the net labelled "rarity, never available" etc I downloaded it to keep the collection going.
I nearly gave up a couple of years ago after downloading a mis-labelled 12 album set of out-takes and demo's, but I spent days listening to them and renaming them for posterity.
Including all the solo projects by the various ex-Beatles it runs into thousands of tracks, and at the end of it I'd struggle to put together a 20 track compilation CD of tracks that I'd really want to play more than once a year!!
I've just been browsing the blogs and seen a 22 album set of "lost" John Lennon tapes, and the first thought was I must download this in case there is something I haven't got, but luckily the other part of my brain has kicked in and said "is there anything here you'd actually listen too twice", and the answer is a big no, so I'm not going to bother.
Easy to justify when you think about it, as previous lost tape, live, demo versions of Lennon's music have been bloody awful especially with Yoko doing her cat being choked impressions in the background.
Just got to wean myself off anything I find from The Sex Pistols, Clash, Stranglers, Queen, Elvis, David Bowie and all those other bands and artists who seem to have been recorded at all points of their life, and have a never ending supply of unreleased, recorded in the bathroom tracks.
Elvis Presley a prime example, although I like about 90% of the stuff he put out I've ended up with sometimes over 100 versions of the same song due to there being 20-30 takes at the original recording session plus 24 years worth of live versions and multiple takes of anything in a movie etc etc.
As far as I can find out he only sung just over a thousand different songs in his career, and I'm sure I got all of those years ago, but it doesn't stop me checking the Elvis newsgroups every couple of weeks for more?
Something that upsets me when thinking about Elvis is that I had a superb collection of Elvis singles and EP's back in the day when the record collection was massive, and due to lack of money I had to sell them all, usually for a fraction of the actual value :(
So although I was never really a fan of the Beatles, everytime I saw something on the net labelled "rarity, never available" etc I downloaded it to keep the collection going.
I nearly gave up a couple of years ago after downloading a mis-labelled 12 album set of out-takes and demo's, but I spent days listening to them and renaming them for posterity.
Including all the solo projects by the various ex-Beatles it runs into thousands of tracks, and at the end of it I'd struggle to put together a 20 track compilation CD of tracks that I'd really want to play more than once a year!!
I've just been browsing the blogs and seen a 22 album set of "lost" John Lennon tapes, and the first thought was I must download this in case there is something I haven't got, but luckily the other part of my brain has kicked in and said "is there anything here you'd actually listen too twice", and the answer is a big no, so I'm not going to bother.
Easy to justify when you think about it, as previous lost tape, live, demo versions of Lennon's music have been bloody awful especially with Yoko doing her cat being choked impressions in the background.
Just got to wean myself off anything I find from The Sex Pistols, Clash, Stranglers, Queen, Elvis, David Bowie and all those other bands and artists who seem to have been recorded at all points of their life, and have a never ending supply of unreleased, recorded in the bathroom tracks.
Elvis Presley a prime example, although I like about 90% of the stuff he put out I've ended up with sometimes over 100 versions of the same song due to there being 20-30 takes at the original recording session plus 24 years worth of live versions and multiple takes of anything in a movie etc etc.
As far as I can find out he only sung just over a thousand different songs in his career, and I'm sure I got all of those years ago, but it doesn't stop me checking the Elvis newsgroups every couple of weeks for more?
Something that upsets me when thinking about Elvis is that I had a superb collection of Elvis singles and EP's back in the day when the record collection was massive, and due to lack of money I had to sell them all, usually for a fraction of the actual value :(
Gambling Update
Gambling bug resurfaces.
Realised at the weekend that after my flirtation with gambling earlier in the year, that I hadn't actually placed a bet in months :)
Had nearly lost my original stake, so it just wasn't fun anymore so I just didn't bother.
Anyway the footie seasons back and as that is a specialist subject of mine, I found my password and logged back in for a go on Saturday.
Lack of funds meant finding a cheap way of winning a few quid, so a £1 accumulator was placed on 10 teams results with a possible £510 payout if it came in.
So near yet so far as 9 were correct with only Liverpool letting me down :( after I chose them for a home win of 1/5 on, which is as near to a dead cert as you can get.
Another attempt on Tuesday's Carling cup saw me put another £1 accumulator on 8 teams for a possible £295 win, 7 of the 8 came in but this time West Brom let me down by losing at home to Cardiff? but luckily I backed the bet up with 56 x 5p bets on 5 of the 8 coming in, which returned a nice £44.57 for a £40.77 profit :)
Going to stick to this low cost alternative for tonights games and the weekend, and hopefully one of the big wins will come home (and the missus might get her fridge/freezer).
Realised at the weekend that after my flirtation with gambling earlier in the year, that I hadn't actually placed a bet in months :)
Had nearly lost my original stake, so it just wasn't fun anymore so I just didn't bother.
Anyway the footie seasons back and as that is a specialist subject of mine, I found my password and logged back in for a go on Saturday.
Lack of funds meant finding a cheap way of winning a few quid, so a £1 accumulator was placed on 10 teams results with a possible £510 payout if it came in.
So near yet so far as 9 were correct with only Liverpool letting me down :( after I chose them for a home win of 1/5 on, which is as near to a dead cert as you can get.
Another attempt on Tuesday's Carling cup saw me put another £1 accumulator on 8 teams for a possible £295 win, 7 of the 8 came in but this time West Brom let me down by losing at home to Cardiff? but luckily I backed the bet up with 56 x 5p bets on 5 of the 8 coming in, which returned a nice £44.57 for a £40.77 profit :)
Going to stick to this low cost alternative for tonights games and the weekend, and hopefully one of the big wins will come home (and the missus might get her fridge/freezer).
Music Player
First the colour goes wrong then it disappears altogether?
Seem to have got it back now, so fingers crossed.
Seem to have got it back now, so fingers crossed.
Monday 24 September 2007
New Fridge?
The fridge in the picture is mine, I've had it over 20 years and it was second hand when we got it.It still works fine, although the handle is broken and if you leave anything at the back it will get frozen to the back of the fridge? also pools of water mysteriously appear on the top?
But the missus wants a new one, and she likes those double door American style ones, I agree they look nice but wonder what we'd fill it with?
Being an old fashioned ale drinker my beer never goes in the fridge, and most food is gone within days due to the gannets in my family :)
Anyway off I trot to Curry's this morning to have a look around.
Found a couple of suitable ones, the problem being all the ones I liked didn't have prices on display, so I hang around looking for an assistant for ages and they're all hiding, so after 10 minutes I give up and go looking at the big TV's.
After pressing a couple of buttons on the TV's I get 2 assistants racing to offer me help :)
so I drag them back to the fridges and ask the prices, both stand there staring at the fridge doors looking for the price that isn't there, one finally offers to find out for me and the other assistant wanders off relieved.
About 10 minutes later she comes back and tells me the price of one, so I ask a technical question and she's wishing she was somewhere else, finally we go off to a computer terminal but she's forgotten her password,.
Another 10-15 minutes later I'm handed a print out of the 2 fridges I've inquired about.
Happy about this as I can go home and check the models out on the net to get a cheaper price.
As I was in a slightly bolshie mood after the delays I enquired about deals if I bought a new washing machine as well (as in how much could I get off for buying 2 things), I get the standard response of "I'll have to ask the manager" and the expected "he's not here at the moment" line.
Oh well a waste of an hour, but it was pouring with rain when I went in, and the sun was out when I left :)
Saturday 22 September 2007
Player Update
Just updated the music player, have to do this once a month or they delete my account.
So gone are tunes from Spear of Destiny, Super Furries, Linkin Park, Vangelis and I-Monster.
Added 3 from Billy Bragg including Walk away Renee which has my favourite ever song lyric "then she cut her hair, and I stopped loving her".
Violence grows by the Fatal Microbes which I used to own on 12'' vinyl and am gutted I sold it.
Also the Fink Brothers - Mutants in Mega city One, which I picked up for 10p in a bargain box and loved, only recently found out it was a Madness spin off project.
Changed the Members suburbs for the proper single version which was different from the album version, got this on clear vinyl but had no way of ripping it so I've been waiting for it to turn up on the net, and it finally did :)
Here's the 3 Billy Bragg tunes in a slightly better quality
http://rapidshare.com/files/58285942/Bragg.rar
Enjoy
So gone are tunes from Spear of Destiny, Super Furries, Linkin Park, Vangelis and I-Monster.
Added 3 from Billy Bragg including Walk away Renee which has my favourite ever song lyric "then she cut her hair, and I stopped loving her".
Violence grows by the Fatal Microbes which I used to own on 12'' vinyl and am gutted I sold it.
Also the Fink Brothers - Mutants in Mega city One, which I picked up for 10p in a bargain box and loved, only recently found out it was a Madness spin off project.
Changed the Members suburbs for the proper single version which was different from the album version, got this on clear vinyl but had no way of ripping it so I've been waiting for it to turn up on the net, and it finally did :)
Here's the 3 Billy Bragg tunes in a slightly better quality
http://rapidshare.com/files/58285942/Bragg.rar
Enjoy
More Reflection
Sitting here after another interrupted nights sleep due to shoulder pain, thinking about life.
The time that I woke up, was it a sixth sense?, as just seconds after getting up and going to the loo I heard my mobile phone ringing, which could only be one person - Son no.2 who works at a nightclub, because no one else I know would ring at 4.30 in the morning.
So I go downstairs and I've figured out it's one of 2 things, 90% chance his mate can't give him a lift home for some reason and he wants me to pick him up, or a 10% chance he's been mugged and is in hospital.
Despite the overwhelming odds it's the first option, I still have to ring him back in case it's something bad.
To explain the dilemma - over the last year or two he's become a selfish, vain, self obsessed individual who will only bother to speak to me or his mother when he wants something, he will only do things around the house if you have a moan, or offer payment despite living here rent free and owing me a load of money for the last 2 years holidays he's taken, typical teen I suppose!!.
But the parental thing kicks in and it's "are you ok?", fortunately it's as expected so off I go to pick him up, as his mates car has broken down.
A quick "thank you" from him, and I'll probably get a "goodbye" when he goes out tomorrow after sleeping all day.. the joys of being a parent.
Son no.1 might pay a visit soon if he needs to borrow some money, although he hasn't bothered to pay the last loan back as he's just set up home with a new girlfriend after his last failed relationship, and the CSA are taking a fair amount out of his wages for the grand daughter I'll probably never see again, so I won't press him for it.
Both decent kids but it makes you wonder what you've done wrong? or is this just the normal way of things and I'm living in this TV sit-com dreamland where kids never go far from home and help out their parents?
I suppose what they are doing is not too different from the way I treated my parents, as a teenager going out with mates, listening to music in my room, going to gigs and football was far more important than sitting with Mum and Dad watching TV, and when I got hitched and left home visits back home started to get less frequent as I had my own life to live and I would often only call on my parents when I needed to borrow money or food, suppose I'm a hypocrite!!, although I'll comfort myself with the knowledge that I used to do a lot for my parents while still living there (gardening, washing up, errands etc).
Oh well, pain killers seem to be working now, so I'll go back to bed and attempt a few more hours sleep.
The time that I woke up, was it a sixth sense?, as just seconds after getting up and going to the loo I heard my mobile phone ringing, which could only be one person - Son no.2 who works at a nightclub, because no one else I know would ring at 4.30 in the morning.
So I go downstairs and I've figured out it's one of 2 things, 90% chance his mate can't give him a lift home for some reason and he wants me to pick him up, or a 10% chance he's been mugged and is in hospital.
Despite the overwhelming odds it's the first option, I still have to ring him back in case it's something bad.
To explain the dilemma - over the last year or two he's become a selfish, vain, self obsessed individual who will only bother to speak to me or his mother when he wants something, he will only do things around the house if you have a moan, or offer payment despite living here rent free and owing me a load of money for the last 2 years holidays he's taken, typical teen I suppose!!.
But the parental thing kicks in and it's "are you ok?", fortunately it's as expected so off I go to pick him up, as his mates car has broken down.
A quick "thank you" from him, and I'll probably get a "goodbye" when he goes out tomorrow after sleeping all day.. the joys of being a parent.
Son no.1 might pay a visit soon if he needs to borrow some money, although he hasn't bothered to pay the last loan back as he's just set up home with a new girlfriend after his last failed relationship, and the CSA are taking a fair amount out of his wages for the grand daughter I'll probably never see again, so I won't press him for it.
Both decent kids but it makes you wonder what you've done wrong? or is this just the normal way of things and I'm living in this TV sit-com dreamland where kids never go far from home and help out their parents?
I suppose what they are doing is not too different from the way I treated my parents, as a teenager going out with mates, listening to music in my room, going to gigs and football was far more important than sitting with Mum and Dad watching TV, and when I got hitched and left home visits back home started to get less frequent as I had my own life to live and I would often only call on my parents when I needed to borrow money or food, suppose I'm a hypocrite!!, although I'll comfort myself with the knowledge that I used to do a lot for my parents while still living there (gardening, washing up, errands etc).
Oh well, pain killers seem to be working now, so I'll go back to bed and attempt a few more hours sleep.
Friday 14 September 2007
Religion
Never really seen the point of religion, to me it's always been one of those things that some people believe in with no basis in fact, like ghosts, flying saucers, fairies, reincarnation etc.
I suffer from it slightly in that I believe one day I will win the lottery and West Ham will win the European cup! probably more chance of God speaking to me personally, than either of those :)
The main problem with religion is that the people who believe in it feel the need to convert you to their way of thinking, I had to put up with hymn singing and Bible readings during my school years, luckily my parents weren't particuarly religious so I wasn't brainwashed at home.
Other than disease and famine, religion must be the cause of more unnecessary deaths than anything else, most wars throughout history have religious beliefs to blame.
So the simple answer must be...... BAN RELIGION
Here are the ten commandments, the basis for Christian, Catholic, Jewish and a few other religions, from a novel by Moses I believe.
Adapted by other religions to suit whatever they believe they can get away with.
1 I am the Lord your God/Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Freedom of choice is a no no, just like dictatorship).
2 Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol (Wish Simon Cowell had read this, and all reality TV junkies).
3 Thou shalt not make wrongful use of the name of thy God (Support this if only to stop all those morons on TV saying "oh my god" every 30 seconds).
4 Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Another good one, day off every Sunday).
5 Honor thy Father and Mother (Good manners, this one should be enforced).
6 Thou shalt not murder (Good advice again, shame religious nuts seem to be the ones who do most murders like Bush and most terrorists, although both of these seem to follow the Muslim version of this one which includes the line "without just cause").
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery (If you do, it probably justifies no.6).
8 Thou shalt not steal (Never steal from family, friends or people worse off than yourself. Big companies and supermarkets have been stealing your money for years and are fair game).
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness (Don't lie it makes things worse. Doesn't it Mr Bush).
10 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house or wife (because the house is probably the same as yours with different wallpaper, and his wife is probably worse than yours).
If there is a God can he pop round for a chat, as I need to ask him why he's such a bastard (for reasons I won't go into here).
I don't really expect God to knock at my door, unless it's some religious fruitcake who's monitoring my blog who'll probably murder me, rape my wife, steal my computer, and then lie about it if they get caught.
I suffer from it slightly in that I believe one day I will win the lottery and West Ham will win the European cup! probably more chance of God speaking to me personally, than either of those :)
The main problem with religion is that the people who believe in it feel the need to convert you to their way of thinking, I had to put up with hymn singing and Bible readings during my school years, luckily my parents weren't particuarly religious so I wasn't brainwashed at home.
Other than disease and famine, religion must be the cause of more unnecessary deaths than anything else, most wars throughout history have religious beliefs to blame.
So the simple answer must be...... BAN RELIGION
Here are the ten commandments, the basis for Christian, Catholic, Jewish and a few other religions, from a novel by Moses I believe.
Adapted by other religions to suit whatever they believe they can get away with.
1 I am the Lord your God/Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Freedom of choice is a no no, just like dictatorship).
2 Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol (Wish Simon Cowell had read this, and all reality TV junkies).
3 Thou shalt not make wrongful use of the name of thy God (Support this if only to stop all those morons on TV saying "oh my god" every 30 seconds).
4 Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Another good one, day off every Sunday).
5 Honor thy Father and Mother (Good manners, this one should be enforced).
6 Thou shalt not murder (Good advice again, shame religious nuts seem to be the ones who do most murders like Bush and most terrorists, although both of these seem to follow the Muslim version of this one which includes the line "without just cause").
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery (If you do, it probably justifies no.6).
8 Thou shalt not steal (Never steal from family, friends or people worse off than yourself. Big companies and supermarkets have been stealing your money for years and are fair game).
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness (Don't lie it makes things worse. Doesn't it Mr Bush).
10 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house or wife (because the house is probably the same as yours with different wallpaper, and his wife is probably worse than yours).
If there is a God can he pop round for a chat, as I need to ask him why he's such a bastard (for reasons I won't go into here).
I don't really expect God to knock at my door, unless it's some religious fruitcake who's monitoring my blog who'll probably murder me, rape my wife, steal my computer, and then lie about it if they get caught.
Friday 7 September 2007
Wednesday 5 September 2007
Global Warming again
Quite depressed after the latest version of events that will be caused by global warming.
After all the experts blamed last year's hot weather on global warming claiming Britain would become the new Mediterranean, then the same experts saying the lack of a decent summer this year was down to global warming causing increased rainfall and we should get used to it.
Now I'm reading the "experts" are saying due to global warming melting the ice caps and causing untold tons of fresh water into the sea, this will cause the Gulf stream which brings our warm weather to be diverted away from Britain, which will basically turn Britain into a cold Arctic region in a few years!!
I think we're totally screwed, at least till we stop paying experts to explain why it's sunny some years and rainy others, just as it has always been.
Without going "too deep" on the racism debate
On a side note the previous thread about African workers is the first time in my life I've really experienced the overt racism that is portrayed as the norm by some people.
Due to growing up in a multi cultural area it's never really been a part of my life, for as long as I remember I've had friends of West Indian origin and they were just "friends".
My best mate Dave (made up name) is just Dave, or Dave from down the road not black Dave.
Anyway I couldn't believe how some of the people I worked with treated the African cleaners, more than once I was asked why I spoke to "those people!", we had cleaners sacked because they took home left-overs from company buffets? supervisors would stand there and make sure all the left-overs were thrown away.
Another similar incident I was told about was when the girls put some food in the fridge for people to have later, which after a complaint was all thrown away because they had touched it.
One famous case occured when one of the girls from Ghana was seen wearing a company coat (which had been loaned to her as it was pouring with rain that day and she had to walk to another part of the company), we were all interrogated to find out who had given her the coat, the manager concerned would not lower himself to actually speak to her and ask why she was wearing it (not that it really mattered anyway?).
Finally the person who loaned it to her became aware of the fuss and put the manager right, and we were all warned not to give contractors (meaning the cleaning contractors) anything?
The manager concerned was off sick for a few months afterwards, and I later found out the girls supervisor (a great guy from Uganda, who just happens to be a part time law student :) ) had made an official rascism claim (which it certainly was) and the company took the easy option of suspending him for 2 months while telling us he was ill.
Should have sacked the moron, he wouldn't have been missed.
Although an arsehole is an arsehole no matter what colour they are, and I was once accused of racism by a supervisor because I called him an arsehole during a heated argument, the fact he was black really wasn't an issue with me but I was hauled up in front of the management after he accused me of being racist, luckily a couple of other black workers who had witnessed the argument spoke up for me and told the management that at no time did I make any racist remarks and that the supervisor concerned acted like a complete arsehole and I had been provoked, and should be applauded for not making any racist remarks during what was a very heated confrontation.
Incidents like this do no favours for racial harmony, just as racism is unacceptable so using the racist card when there is no racism present is just as unacceptable.
Due to growing up in a multi cultural area it's never really been a part of my life, for as long as I remember I've had friends of West Indian origin and they were just "friends".
My best mate Dave (made up name) is just Dave, or Dave from down the road not black Dave.
Anyway I couldn't believe how some of the people I worked with treated the African cleaners, more than once I was asked why I spoke to "those people!", we had cleaners sacked because they took home left-overs from company buffets? supervisors would stand there and make sure all the left-overs were thrown away.
Another similar incident I was told about was when the girls put some food in the fridge for people to have later, which after a complaint was all thrown away because they had touched it.
One famous case occured when one of the girls from Ghana was seen wearing a company coat (which had been loaned to her as it was pouring with rain that day and she had to walk to another part of the company), we were all interrogated to find out who had given her the coat, the manager concerned would not lower himself to actually speak to her and ask why she was wearing it (not that it really mattered anyway?).
Finally the person who loaned it to her became aware of the fuss and put the manager right, and we were all warned not to give contractors (meaning the cleaning contractors) anything?
The manager concerned was off sick for a few months afterwards, and I later found out the girls supervisor (a great guy from Uganda, who just happens to be a part time law student :) ) had made an official rascism claim (which it certainly was) and the company took the easy option of suspending him for 2 months while telling us he was ill.
Should have sacked the moron, he wouldn't have been missed.
Although an arsehole is an arsehole no matter what colour they are, and I was once accused of racism by a supervisor because I called him an arsehole during a heated argument, the fact he was black really wasn't an issue with me but I was hauled up in front of the management after he accused me of being racist, luckily a couple of other black workers who had witnessed the argument spoke up for me and told the management that at no time did I make any racist remarks and that the supervisor concerned acted like a complete arsehole and I had been provoked, and should be applauded for not making any racist remarks during what was a very heated confrontation.
Incidents like this do no favours for racial harmony, just as racism is unacceptable so using the racist card when there is no racism present is just as unacceptable.
Profit Vs Health
Health and safety issues are an occupational hazard for most profit driven companies these days, just ask anyone in the National health service.
My dad (now sadly departed) was lucky to survive MRSA picked up while having an operation in a local hospital, for all their talk of improved standards we all know that when it comes to things like cleaning contracts the cheapest tender wins the contract.
Given the choice of a reasonable package from a reputable cleaning company and a half price alternative from a company who promise to put as more people on the job for a fraction of the cost, it's no surprise who health bosses choose given fixed budgets and the current trend in employing admin over workers (Chiefs Vs Indians).
Then they all act shocked when basic standards of hygiene are not kept up because the East european cleaner (on less than the minimum wage) is less than enthuasiastic about their job.
I saw it at my last job where despite a top quality service the cleaning contractors were thrown out due to a lower price alternative company tendering for the contract.
The new company only employed African workers mainly from Nigeria and Ghana, the turnover of staff was immense usually due to immigration catching up with them, which was a shame as some were extremely nice people, who when you spoke to them
made you realise what a nightmare world we live in! several had told me that they were only here on visitors passes and were seeing how long they could get away with staying, although only earning around £3-£4 an hour it was worthwhile as it was a hell of a lot more than they could earn at home, and a couple of months pay here would cover a years living expense at home.
I have to admit most were really nice genuine polite people and the tales of home were harrowing and makes you understand why people travel around the world to be exploited by these companies, as they saw it they were doing the best for their families and you can understand that, but the fact some fat cat bastard was making a huge profit out of it makes your blood boil.
My dad (now sadly departed) was lucky to survive MRSA picked up while having an operation in a local hospital, for all their talk of improved standards we all know that when it comes to things like cleaning contracts the cheapest tender wins the contract.
Given the choice of a reasonable package from a reputable cleaning company and a half price alternative from a company who promise to put as more people on the job for a fraction of the cost, it's no surprise who health bosses choose given fixed budgets and the current trend in employing admin over workers (Chiefs Vs Indians).
Then they all act shocked when basic standards of hygiene are not kept up because the East european cleaner (on less than the minimum wage) is less than enthuasiastic about their job.
I saw it at my last job where despite a top quality service the cleaning contractors were thrown out due to a lower price alternative company tendering for the contract.
The new company only employed African workers mainly from Nigeria and Ghana, the turnover of staff was immense usually due to immigration catching up with them, which was a shame as some were extremely nice people, who when you spoke to them
made you realise what a nightmare world we live in! several had told me that they were only here on visitors passes and were seeing how long they could get away with staying, although only earning around £3-£4 an hour it was worthwhile as it was a hell of a lot more than they could earn at home, and a couple of months pay here would cover a years living expense at home.
I have to admit most were really nice genuine polite people and the tales of home were harrowing and makes you understand why people travel around the world to be exploited by these companies, as they saw it they were doing the best for their families and you can understand that, but the fact some fat cat bastard was making a huge profit out of it makes your blood boil.
Toxic Toothpaste
Not really about toxic toothpaste but I love that title :)
Counterfeit products from China back in the news, including fake toothpaste!
When I saw a report on all the dodgy goods that were finding their way into the country from China, that one stood out as I couldn't get my head round why (given the choice of millions of products) anyone would bother making fake toothpaste?
But then I went to the supermarket and found out it's quite expensive, so there must be a big enough profit margin in it.
When you think about counterfeit goods the obvious spring to mind like CD's, DVD's, name brand clothing etc, basically the sort of things you find down the market cheap, and in the back of your mind you know it's probably fake but faced with a bunch of kids all wanting Nike brand names on their trainers and clothes it's reasonably safe option as they will never spot the difference and a pair of trainers are unlikely to harm your kids.
The recent trend into faking products that could harm you is worrying, as a smoker I'll admit to smoking ciggies from the old communist block when I was young usually brought in by lorry drivers from Poland or Czechoslovakia etc looking to earn a few bob on their trips to England, as far as I know these were no more harmful than the standard cancer sticks you bought at the local newsagent but were a quarter of the price.
But today if you buy cheap fags you're risking more than usual as there is a healthy trade in really dangerous counterfeit fags containing all sorts of nasties.
The main news at the moment is Mattel attempting to save face (and their business) after a lot of their "Barbie" range was found to have high levels of lead in the paint.
All the suspect toys are imported from China, a fact that probably wouldn't have come to light if this scare hadn't occured, now their trying to recall all the dodgy toys claiming a small counterfeit batch had sneaked in.
When I was a kid, if you were poor you ended up with toys "made in Hong Kong" and even at the age of about 5 you knew they were crap and later on you found out they contained lead paint and were just cheap and nasty, whereas name brand toys were made in the UK or USA and were high quality.
Nowadays even if the name is famous it's more likely it will be manufactured in China (possibly Hong Kong?) or another far eastern country, for the simple reason of cheap labour means more profits.
I hope Mattel go bust after the Americans start sueing them for millions of dollars because their kids have unknowingly been chewing on a high lead content toy, I'm sure the thousands of former workers at Mattel who lost their jobs when the manufacture of the toys was moved to the far east won't worry in the slightest.
In fact I hope every company that has taken to buying in from cheap labour markets, while shutting down our own industries goes the same way.
Never trusted a company that named it's main product after a nazi war criminal (Klaus Barbie the master butcher of Leigh-on-sea), although I'd hazard a guess that "Sindy" now probably has Chinese roots as well?
On the other hand if it can be proved the Chinese aren't expoiting their massive population and are paying a decent living wage to all, then it seems fair for them to compete in an open market.
But we all know that maximum profit is everything these days and while there is someone to exploit, someone will be making a profit out of it.
Counterfeit products from China back in the news, including fake toothpaste!
When I saw a report on all the dodgy goods that were finding their way into the country from China, that one stood out as I couldn't get my head round why (given the choice of millions of products) anyone would bother making fake toothpaste?
But then I went to the supermarket and found out it's quite expensive, so there must be a big enough profit margin in it.
When you think about counterfeit goods the obvious spring to mind like CD's, DVD's, name brand clothing etc, basically the sort of things you find down the market cheap, and in the back of your mind you know it's probably fake but faced with a bunch of kids all wanting Nike brand names on their trainers and clothes it's reasonably safe option as they will never spot the difference and a pair of trainers are unlikely to harm your kids.
The recent trend into faking products that could harm you is worrying, as a smoker I'll admit to smoking ciggies from the old communist block when I was young usually brought in by lorry drivers from Poland or Czechoslovakia etc looking to earn a few bob on their trips to England, as far as I know these were no more harmful than the standard cancer sticks you bought at the local newsagent but were a quarter of the price.
But today if you buy cheap fags you're risking more than usual as there is a healthy trade in really dangerous counterfeit fags containing all sorts of nasties.
The main news at the moment is Mattel attempting to save face (and their business) after a lot of their "Barbie" range was found to have high levels of lead in the paint.
All the suspect toys are imported from China, a fact that probably wouldn't have come to light if this scare hadn't occured, now their trying to recall all the dodgy toys claiming a small counterfeit batch had sneaked in.
When I was a kid, if you were poor you ended up with toys "made in Hong Kong" and even at the age of about 5 you knew they were crap and later on you found out they contained lead paint and were just cheap and nasty, whereas name brand toys were made in the UK or USA and were high quality.
Nowadays even if the name is famous it's more likely it will be manufactured in China (possibly Hong Kong?) or another far eastern country, for the simple reason of cheap labour means more profits.
I hope Mattel go bust after the Americans start sueing them for millions of dollars because their kids have unknowingly been chewing on a high lead content toy, I'm sure the thousands of former workers at Mattel who lost their jobs when the manufacture of the toys was moved to the far east won't worry in the slightest.
In fact I hope every company that has taken to buying in from cheap labour markets, while shutting down our own industries goes the same way.
Never trusted a company that named it's main product after a nazi war criminal (Klaus Barbie the master butcher of Leigh-on-sea), although I'd hazard a guess that "Sindy" now probably has Chinese roots as well?
On the other hand if it can be proved the Chinese aren't expoiting their massive population and are paying a decent living wage to all, then it seems fair for them to compete in an open market.
But we all know that maximum profit is everything these days and while there is someone to exploit, someone will be making a profit out of it.
Saturday 1 September 2007
Stunning Advert
Love this new advert for Smirnoff Vodka.
I thought it was a movie trailer the first time I saw it.
I thought it was a movie trailer the first time I saw it.
Links
Apologies to anyone that clicked one of my links for a blog called "Share your Knowledge" (Now removed), I'm sure it used to be a good blog but it seems to have been replaced by one of those annoying trojan/malaware sites offering a product like "Win Cleaner" or "System doctor" that try to take over your PC and tell you that you've got 3,000 viruses and for a small price and your credit card details they will fix it for you ..... Bastards.
Advice for anyone that gets hit by these sites is close your net connection down straight away (ctrl, alt, del), then run Spybot and Ad-aware to get rid of the malaware trojan, otherwise it keeps popping up everytime you go on the net.
Advice for anyone that gets hit by these sites is close your net connection down straight away (ctrl, alt, del), then run Spybot and Ad-aware to get rid of the malaware trojan, otherwise it keeps popping up everytime you go on the net.
For sufferers of "Frozen Shoulder"
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis).
Frozen Shoulder Syndrome is an extremely painful and debilitating condition characterised by pain and stiffness of the shoulder.
It lasts for an average of 30 months.
Pain due to frozen shoulder is usually dull or aching.
It can be worsened with attempted motion.
The pain is usually located over the outer shoulder area and sometimes the upper arm.
The hallmark of the disorder is restricted motion or stiffness in the shoulder.
The affected individual cannot move the shoulder normally.
Motion is also limited when someone else attempts to move the shoulder for the patient.
Some physicians have described the normal course of a frozen shoulder as having three stages:
Stage one: In the "freezing" stage, which may last from six weeks to nine months, the patient develops a slow onset of pain. As the pain worsens, the shoulder loses motion.
Stage two: The "frozen" stage is marked by a slow improvement in pain, but the stiffness remains. This stage generally lasts four months to nine months.
Stage three: The final stage is the "thawing", during which shoulder motion slowly returns toward normal. This generally lasts five months to 26 months.
Great.... so only another 2-3 years and I'll be as good as new.
Fuck I'm really depressed now.
Frozen Shoulder Syndrome is an extremely painful and debilitating condition characterised by pain and stiffness of the shoulder.
It lasts for an average of 30 months.
Pain due to frozen shoulder is usually dull or aching.
It can be worsened with attempted motion.
The pain is usually located over the outer shoulder area and sometimes the upper arm.
The hallmark of the disorder is restricted motion or stiffness in the shoulder.
The affected individual cannot move the shoulder normally.
Motion is also limited when someone else attempts to move the shoulder for the patient.
Some physicians have described the normal course of a frozen shoulder as having three stages:
Stage one: In the "freezing" stage, which may last from six weeks to nine months, the patient develops a slow onset of pain. As the pain worsens, the shoulder loses motion.
Stage two: The "frozen" stage is marked by a slow improvement in pain, but the stiffness remains. This stage generally lasts four months to nine months.
Stage three: The final stage is the "thawing", during which shoulder motion slowly returns toward normal. This generally lasts five months to 26 months.
Great.... so only another 2-3 years and I'll be as good as new.
Fuck I'm really depressed now.
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