In the spirit of things
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 ~ 2 Comments
I got told off by our security guard as I entered the building this morning. We met at the door just as he was leaving and he politely asked me not to smoke there.
It’s nice that he was concerned for my health, although as I was huddled over trying to listen to my mobile at the time it was a little confusing. That and the fact I don’t smoke of course.
It’s funny, but any time I start thinking about this topic I end up considering smoking jackets and from there it’s a short hop to smouldering jackets (which belch smoke from the jacket itself), I’m sure it’s a comedy sketch from somewhere but I can’t recall where. I digress.
Having never been a smoker I really don’t see what all the fuss is about and as far as I’m concerned it’s a vile habit. Admittedly I choose to kill myself by slowly hacking off my limbs a millimetre at a time so I reckon my lifespan is about the same as that of a smoker but at least I’m not polluting those around me…
My grandparents smoked, my Grandpa more than my Gran and after several strokes left him wheelchair bound and in need of permanent care. He couldn’t talk and had very little control over his body, meaning that my abiding memory of him is an angry old man, banging on the table to try and communicate. He still had a smile and twinkle in his eye but for a young boy he was quite scary. Lord knows what my sister thought of him.
I know it’s a hard habit to break and I know it’s a bit twee (not to mention self-righteous of me) to suggest you thinking about it on this particular day, simply because someone, somewhere, decrees today as No Smoking Day but, if not today, when?
Today I am mostly…
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 ~ 7 Comments
He may be a new addition to our house but little Ollie is already well settled. We understand his moods and wants, and he’s already squirmed his way into our hearts.
Which made leaving him at the vet this morning all the harder, doubly so as, when I bent down to say goodbye he stuck a little black paw through the railings of his carrier cage. Bless.
Ahem.
In other news, the Conservative Party plan to make people to ‘community work’ if they have been unemployed for over two years. If they don’t do it, they don’t get their benefits.
I quite like the sound of this, given that the perception is that a fair number of people who are claiming benefits are doing so with no good reason and are quite happy leeching off others and not contributing to society then I welcome this kind of scheme.
Yes, yes, of course there are people who are genuinely unable to work, and I’d hope this scheme deals with such cases, but I like the sound it! Let’s get those lazy buggers contributing to society!
But, of course, this is likely to be an infringement on their civil liberties, human rights, or somesuch. In other words, there will be some way of getting out of this scheme as well.
And finally, I am still without Wii, thanks to Amtrak courier services for not allowing me to specify a pickup time, and as they only allow you to pick it up from their depot after TWO failed attempts, I won’t get it until Wednesday at the earliest.
Still, I’ll have a poor wee cat, tottering about with a cone round his head for the next few days, so I guess I’ll have my hands full as it is.
For the Fallen
Sunday, November 11, 2007 ~ 1 Comment
There is little else to mention here today as everything else pales into insignificance. Draft posts have me pondering the moaners of the world and listing pet peeves, all of which seems so petty.
Remembrance Sunday seems old-fashioned and trite at times but fundamentally it is worth taking time not to remember but to consider.
The life we live in 2007 bears little to no resemblance of that in either of the World War eras. Much has changed and it is all too easy for us to forget, or worse, to stop teaching the lessons learned.
The conflict in Iraq is all that should be needed, the war on terror may invoke different thoughts yet it too remains a conflict. Men will die for their cause, exploits and bravery beyond anything I’ll ever know will continue.
I studied history at school, and have some understanding of the horrors of war. I have no idea how I would react if placed in such a situation, it is unlikely I ever will.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
State of the Union
Friday, September 21, 2007 ~ 16 Comments
Some council workers got sacked because they spent too much time on the internet (eBay in particular). Apparently this isn’t really their fault, with Union officials blaming bosses for “putting temptation in their way” - by allowing access to the internet.
Now, I’ve never had access to, or worked within an organisation that has, a Union but I thought they were supposed to help protect the workers? If so, how does this help?
And, without wanting to come across all curmudgeony, what is it with people these days? Can’t they just fess up and admit they were in the wrong?
There seems to be a feeling that if you make a mistake you no longer have to say sorry, you can just feign embarassment, mumble something about understanding that you made a mistake and then point the finger at someone else.
To those council workers who got sacked. I’m sorry you don’t have a job anymore, but IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT.
I say this whilst sitting in work, typing up a blog post but then again I don’t work in a prescriptive environment, I don’t have “tea breaks” or “lunch hours” I just have a contract and it’s down to me to be professional and thorough and get my work done. I can stop and start when I like. I’ve always worked in this kind of environment, and find anything else utterly bewildering.
There is a further thread to this, about the fall in moral values, work ethic and so on, part of which is aimed at the education system (kiboshed as it is by the people who, ultimately, run it) and an understanding the Unions are there to protect those who can’t protect themselves. But I’m going to leave it alone as, from this ivory tower in which I’m installed, EVERYTHING looks worse than it probably is…
Mixed Fruit
Thursday, September 6, 2007 ~ 15 Comments
I do feel a little guilty doing this kind of post for the second time in as many days but.. well.. see the previous post as to why.
So let’s start with, and you knew it would be this way, the recent Apple ‘event’ (product launch). If that doesn’t interest you, skip the next paragraph and read on from there, can you help me get out of my contract with Orange!
Is the “iPod Touch” a fallback position because they couldn’t garner contracts with the mobile telecoms in Europe? Why DID they add Video to the Nano, it was perfectly suited as a music only player and if they are keeping the Shuffle as a highly focussed product, why are the others all starting to converge? Why WILL it take Starbucks until 2009 to roll out their partnership stuff and, frankly, do I even care?
Apples and Oranges, purely coincidence I promise.
I have a contract with Orange which lasts another 8 months or so (it’s an 18mth contract). However, I’m less than happy with their services, coverage at our house is appalling, and the handset whilst not broken is full of annoying faults which force me to hang up on calls now and then (the sliding mechanism doesn’t always seem to lock in).
I’ve spoken to them about the handset but, and I think I’ve got this correct, if the fault isn’t listed on their system then they can’t offer replacement handset. I argued that one for a while but eventually gave up, as even the ’supervisor’ (presuming it was actually said person) confirmed that the ’system’ wouldn’t allow such things. Handy that, eh?
That, coupled with various other interactions with their customer service department, has me cringing every time something goes wrong with my account or my mobile phone. So I wanna ditch them before the end of my contract? Any suggestions? Saying that I’m going to working abroad for the next year is an option perhaps??
So it’s R.I.P. for Pavarotti. I’m not a fan of opera, but he seemed a nice big chap, didn’t he. Couldn’t half warble. Admittedly I’m less than thrilled that the airwaves will be filled with Nessun Dorma for the next day or so as I’m sure that he had better highlights but, well you’ve got to pander to the proles don’t you. I’m sure Gert will be expressing her sadness.
And finally, bananas. I used to work with a woman who found them wholly disturbing things, couldn’t even look at one. Isn’t that odd?
Terror! Inept?
Sunday, July 1, 2007 ~ 16 Comments
Some brief thoughts that sparked through my head after the “terror” attack on Glasgow Airport.
1. Glasgow, my home city. All of a sudden it’s close to home. Doubly so as I drive right past the runway every day on my way to work every day.
2. Glasgow, isn’t a capital city, why didn’t they hit Edinburgh?
3. If they HAD gotten the vehicle inside it would have been awful.. queues of people waiting to checkin would’ve been about 15 feet from the doorway the car hit.
4. Ummm the car was too wide for the doors?
5. Ummmm they only used one car, and were targetting one end of a long narrow building. Even if they HAD have gotten in… the building would probably still be usable…
6. Can we stop reporting that the terrorists are Asian? It’s wholly pointless really.
7. Who was the last white terrorist?
8. BBC News 24 is awful. The fact that “some ministers have been seen heading for No.10″ is NOT news!
9. I seem to be de-sensitised to this already. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
So today I’ll watch the French Grand Prix, do a little work and try, again, to get my Wifi connection to play nicely with my Mac.
Just another Sunday really. Except it’s not, it’s now tainted with thoughts of car bombs and suspicion is creeping in… paranoia to follow?
Hit me, baby, one more time
Tuesday, April 17, 2007 ~ 4 Comments
Another tragic day in the US, another gun related crime (amongst many).
The same arguments will be wheeled out, debated, and forgotten as we move on with our daily lives, the blessing of the unaffected.
Spare a moment, a thought, for those who won’t be able to move on, who will suffer, who are in pain.
And then pause and wonder when it will change. If it will change. Will it change? Will it? How long must it take? How many dead bodies need to be piled up?
