State of the Union

Friday, September 21, 2007 ~ 16 comments so far

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 so far

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 so far

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 so far

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?

Too.. many.. posts..

Saturday, January 27, 2007 ~ 10 comments so far

Anyone else get this?

Over the past couple of weeks I struggled to find inspiration for posts, I kinda clawed at a few things just to fill the space but I was aware it was an effort. Didn’t bother all that much, I’d just started a new job and my brain was busy processing a gazillion other things, but it still annoyed me.

This week though, bloody hell, I can’t STOP coming up with post ideas. So, and with the caveat that this may, or may not, be expanded at a later date (ohh who am I kidding, I’ll chuck them in this post and forget about them), here are some of those potential blog post topics in brief:

News item 1
Prisoners should have the right to vote.
My thought: They lost that right when they broke the law!

Driving thought 1
Just what IS the percentage of guys that pick their nose whilst sitting at traffic lights?

Bloggies 2007
Naked Blog for lifetime achievement, but.. dammit.. beautiful revolution or unreliable witness. I’m torn!

Good to see Pandemian in there too, well deserved. Blog of the year for me is Lifehacker (from the choices).

Although the entire thing is getting a little samey in some categories. Surely Heather and Zoe should retire from the competition to give the other poor buggers a chance!

And yes, once again I wasn’t shortlisted for “best kept secret”. Tell you what, next year I don’t WANT to be nominated. Reverse what? Sorry, no idea what you are talking about.

WordPress 2.1
Is worth an upgrade SOLELY for the auto-save feature. Never lose a blog post again! Start writing, accidentally close your browser after three paragraphs… and your post is still there! GENIUS!

This site
Or more accurately, a new site that I’m toying with starting. That’s what triggered the minipost query about shuffling the blog to a subdirectory. Or possibly a sub-domain of blog.gordonmclean.co.uk… still to be decided.

Driving thought 2
When you are on a dual-carriageway, and you want to overtake the car in front, pulling out into the outside lane is fine. But is there any chance that you could check the road behind you first? I don’t mean for the car that is already in the outside lane (that’s a given to be honest) but could you also check what’s BEHIND that car.

‘Cos if there is nothing behind him for, say, a mile or so, then pausing for a split second to let him past BEFORE swerving out into his path might just stop him almost ending up in your boot and calling you a “WANKFUCK” at the top of his voice.

And for the record I was doing about 74mph at the time, and he didn’t fucking indicate.

Education
Mine that is. I’m toying with doing an MA in Technical Communications. I don’t actually have any formal qualifications for my profession you see. This won’t be until September, as I’m hoping my company will pay for it (or part of it) and asking them to do that in February when I’ve only been there a month is a bit cheeky (mainly because I also want them to send me to a couple of conferences first). Still just an idea, and I’m holding off committing to it too much as I’m aware I’m still in the ‘enthused zone’ as I’ve just changed jobs.

News item 2
Well not one item as such but a variety. From the catholic adoption agencies, to the football (soccer) team in the USA, it’s so disheartening to see such horrible horrible prejudices still alive and well. Is this really the world we live in?

I is not racist

Thursday, January 18, 2007 ~ 15 comments so far

Deary me. Such a silly little TV programme causing such a stir. Let me just mount my “I haven’t been watching it this time” high horse, and we can get started.

Firstly I’ll state that I’m not interested in who said what, as my firm belief is that any kind of racist statement is a deplorable outcome of ill-education.

Secondly I’ll state that whilst I haven’t really been following this, it does seem to be very much a “reap what you sow” kind of situation, with the sickening implication that Channel 4 are probably, privately, pleased with the increased viewing figures and profile for the show.

Thirdly, it would seem that the main conflict isn’t race but intellect*.

After an exchange of words with Shetty, in which Shetty told Goody she needed elocution lessons, Goody launched into an expletive-ridden rant to Lloyd and O’Meara in which she said “fake” Shetty needed “a day in the slums”. [via]

The key issue, for me, is not how we correct this now, but how we MUST act to correct this for the future. And yes, as ever, it’ll be back to that old adage, education, education, education.
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Thank you

Monday, December 18, 2006 ~ Comments Off

*sniff*

First of all I’d like to say what an honour it has been to be a part of this, what an incredible privilege that has been bestowed on me, one which I will treasure and keep with me at all times. I certainly never expected to receive anything like this and I’m both surprised and thrilled that is has been awarded.

Of course I need to thank some people. My parents, without whom I wouldn’t be standing here today, my family for keeping me grounded and never letting me forget my roots, and last but never ever least my darling wife. She completes me and without her this award would be meaningless.

Thank you again to everyone else involved, we are ALL wonderful people and richly deserve this honour. I feel decidedly under-equipped to receive this award on behalf of you, but I shoulder the burden as best I can.

We ARE the people. YOU are the winners.

Thank you Time magazine, thank you.