John: Actually I had a feeling that we made a blatant mistake and broke into someone's place, but on the door it had an unmistakeable sign that went like "GIRO - Petit Restaurant"... I guess on the Petit he's rather right.... :P
Today I am going to have dinner with a Japanese girl who speaks english and Italian and wants to work in fabrics... I really don't know if I should tell her all the truth about this crappy industry or not.... :(
By the way, anybody has an interesting job for me? :) ('part from BAKER, I am sure coalition forces could use my bread to destroy some enemy installations...)
Lox
- Tue Nov 30 23:36:34 2004

 doh- JH http://www.ilovecheese.com/cheese_profile.asp?Cheese=Muenster
Kev
- Tue Nov 30 19:33:20 2004

 You'll find Muenster perfectly at home on a veggie tray with tomatoes, baby carrots and zucchini. Add some crackers, rye or whole-grain breads on the side (don't forget the mustard for dipping) and you've got a complete entertaining platter" - isn't t'internet brill
Kev
- Tue Nov 30 19:32:25 2004

 Taken from http://www.ilovecheese.com Muenster - Mun-ster "Pale, milky white except for its light sprinkle of paprika coating, Muenster is mild in every sense of the word. Its smooth, slightly salty and buttery flavor almost melts on the tongue. Slicing through it is like slicing through a stick of butter with a hot knife.
Kev
- Tue Nov 30 19:32:15 2004

 Err you weren't confusing that restaurant with somebody's house were you...?
John
- Tue Nov 30 15:40:56 2004

 Wasn't the Munsters a Frankenstein-esque TV comedy show? Actually, I do remember it being quite cheesy.
tom
- Tue Nov 30 15:02:52 2004

 AHA, yesterday I have had a rather interesting experience. Basically we wente to eat in this French/Japanese restaurant. Of course the interesting bit is that the place caters max 4 person as it is as big as Jon Ellis room in the first year at radstock!!
Lox
- Tue Nov 30 14:48:10 2004

 Good luck Tom!!! I hope you get well soon... Mad mumsie, good luck you too!
Lox
- Tue Nov 30 14:45:20 2004

 Travis, last hip took six weeks before I went back to work - and I was nearly climbing up the wall. Might be a bit longer this time as it is my "accelerator/brake" leg.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 30 14:22:58 2004

 Seems as if there are both German and French varieties. It does seem more likely German by origin though.
Travis
- Tue Nov 30 14:16:00 2004

 Travis - any idea which part of (presumably) Europe it originates from? Sounds sort of German or Austrian or perhaps Swiss to me...
John
- Tue Nov 30 13:56:59 2004

 John, I've been reading. Seems that the Muenster you can get is probably far different than the rubbish we get over here :) Ho-hum. I like it...
Travis
- Tue Nov 30 13:24:13 2004

 John, the Americans who posted about cigarettes. Tom, good luck indeed. Mumsie, my father had two knees and a hip done, was out of commission for some time. Good luck with that.
Travis
- Tue Nov 30 13:22:27 2004

 Yea Tom keep your chin up mate, I hope it all goes well. I think it's one of those operations where short term it is pretty unpleasant, but long term it leads to a better quality of life, so to speak... So I guess you just have to keep on being untiringly optimistic!
John
- Tue Nov 30 11:18:12 2004

 Good luck Tom. I'm going in on 5 January for the other hip. At least I had a bit of notice. I shall then be truly bionic!
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 30 10:35:18 2004

 Good luck, mate! Get well soon and all that.
Rob Lang
- Tue Nov 30 10:35:04 2004

 Best of luck Tom!
dsp
- Tue Nov 30 10:29:20 2004

 On Thursday, I am going to hospital for another stomach operation. In fact, it's a repeat of the previous one with added bits. Thanks to the NHS for plenty of notice!
tom
- Tue Nov 30 10:03:38 2004

 Travis - which American are you referring to...? Muenster? To be honest I haven't heard of that one, but I shall seek it out... Sounds a bit German to me, and conveniently I am going to Germany the weekend after next.
John
- Tue Nov 30 09:45:55 2004

 Apologies for the American's behavior. The past weekend was decent, as it was our Thanksgiving break. A few days off from hustle and bustle were nice. Incidentally, referring back to a question from months ago, I can say with confidence that my (new) favorite cheese is Muenster.
Travis
- Mon Nov 29 18:16:09 2004

 Oh Yeah!!!! It would be lovely along with a nice mince pie.... doh!
tom
- Mon Nov 29 15:07:35 2004

 How about just not having mince pies at all, and drinking neat Port Ellen instead...?
John
- Mon Nov 29 14:43:33 2004

 Mmmmmmm Port Ellen.....
John
- Mon Nov 29 14:32:18 2004

 But you don't like mince pies Rob, they're like fruit cake. Ah, I see, forget the mince, just give you the glug glug.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 29 14:30:14 2004

 Are they veggie mince pies? I mean - the pastry has no evil dead stuff in it does it? Suet. that's it.
tom
- Mon Nov 29 14:21:27 2004

 I like the way your mind works, Kev!
Rob Lang
- Mon Nov 29 14:15:31 2004

 what about a couple of glugs of your "Fortnum and Mason Port Ellen 21 Year Old". You could make the most expensive mince pies ever :)
Kev
- Mon Nov 29 13:46:09 2004

 Traditionally it should be brandy, but I suppose the other stuff would do. (goes with the brandy butter and christmas pud). Nothing else to add. Except once had christmas cake that two people had a hand in making, and each thought the other had forgotten to add the brandy. Super cake!!
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 29 13:06:51 2004

 The hard stuff? What, gravel? Lead shot? Ball bearings? Or do you mean booze? Actually no I didn't put any booze in at all and I'm really regretting that decision now. However, this was very much a trial run - I only made 6 in fact. I am looking to greatly improve the process over the coming weeks. Any other advice apart from the old alky-hole...?
John
- Mon Nov 29 12:51:47 2004

 Did you put a drop of the hard stuff in the mince pies?
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 29 12:40:32 2004

 My weekend was a tad on the bland side actually. Although I do appear to have succumbed to the fact that christmas is on its way by making some mince pies.
John
- Mon Nov 29 12:24:13 2004

 I doubt they care.
tom
- Mon Nov 29 12:00:12 2004

 Ok maybe we won't sue then... But still, I'm sure that can't be entirely legal.
John
- Mon Nov 29 11:28:06 2004

 AND Did everyone have a super weekend. I did, watching large son, playing with small grand-daughter, hugely entertaining.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 29 11:14:54 2004

 Trouble is, they're American! (I think) or they could be from some dodgy country where they would think nothing about taking out a contract on you. Be warned.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 29 11:13:42 2004

 I'm sure we must be able to sue that person somehow, given that they are advertising cigarettes without the required goverment health warnings.
John
- Mon Nov 29 11:08:34 2004

 F U C K O F F
tom
- Mon Nov 29 09:41:49 2004

 Famous brand cigarettes with delivery around the world ! Marlboro $15.95 / Kent $18.95 Camel $15.95 / B&H $14.95 WEST $14.95 / Captain Black $26.95 BOND $12.95 / M.Carlo $13.95 Davidoff $20.95 / Vogue $20.95 Magna $14.95 / More $14.95 Dunhill $21.95 / Rothmans $17.95 Cigaronne $29.95 / L&M $13.95 Winston $15.95 / Parliament $19.95 Dunhill International $22.95 / Lucky Strike $15.95 www.mcity4.com www.mcity4.com www.mcity4.com
mcity4
usa, - Mon Nov 29 09:40:09 2004

 Is (k)nicked spelt with a K....?
John
- Mon Nov 29 09:18:57 2004

 Oh that was me by the way. I just knicked it out of Photo Studio - if anyone can find one more appropriate then please feel free to change it!
John
- Mon Nov 29 09:14:01 2004

 Funnily enough that episode of the Simpsons was on the other day - the one where Homer eats Fugu and thinks he is going to die.
John
- Mon Nov 29 09:12:36 2004

 Not sure who is responsible, but I love the Maison browser fav icon!! Good egg!
dsp
- Mon Nov 29 09:11:45 2004

 Lox: Now you're just showing off!!
dsp
- Mon Nov 29 09:11:03 2004

 Yesterday I went to a Fugu restauran (the deadly blowfish)...Nice enough... I had some HOT SAKE with the Fugu Finns in it!! It was really marvellous... :) Shame that the bill was rather marvellous too.. .:(
Lox
- Mon Nov 29 01:26:59 2004

 Hi Lorenzo! Hmmm yes maybe you're right about my description there... it is very hard to conjure up the words though! Hope you have a good time in Nihon. Drink lots of sake for me!
John
- Sat Nov 27 10:13:17 2004

 Ciao everyone, posting from Incheon (Korea) about to go to Japan... John: I have read with great interest the articles about management, I was wondering what made you write it in the first instance... Some fight with your bosses? Ah and on the article about the fortnum and mason whiskeys, you speak about a chunky flavour, ALMOST MEATY!! I'd like to remind you that you have been a veggie for ages, are you sure you didn't want to write "Quorny"... :)
Lox
- Sat Nov 27 08:24:16 2004

 Hey boys and girls, almost the end of the day... Hope you all enjoy your weekends....
John
- Fri Nov 26 17:07:15 2004

 Blurry eyes, the need to pee, the need for a kebab. All good story lines.
tom
- Fri Nov 26 12:51:00 2004

 Nice, john. You need to write a post. Pick a starting point (I suggested the Blue Safuu) and start writing in the third person. Something like: "Beer!" shouted Gult to the winsome girl behind the bar... And then keep going. Tell a story. Or interact with some others in the BS: Gult listened into Character X and wondered what he was talking about. In his best drunken voice he wondered over and subtley shouted "OI! Wassat then?". And then keep going.
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 26 11:16:11 2004

 Have you developed a Rennie dependency then Tom...? Or do you get something altogether more hardcore...?
John
- Fri Nov 26 11:08:27 2004

 I feel like that everyday with the mess my insides are in... You poor alcoholic rice fiend you!
tom
- Fri Nov 26 10:15:36 2004

 I think I subjected myself to that Chinese rice torture thing last night. I came home late and drunk and decided to make some form of food. I decided it would be a great idea to make some sushi rice. I got the amount of water right and everything, but I think I cooked it too fast or something, so it was a bit hard still when all the water had gone away. I thought sod it, ate it anyway, and then because I'd had a few beers, knocked back a couple of pints of water to make sure I didn't have a hangover. So, err, uncooked rice and then a load of water - which is almost exactly what that Chinese rice torture consisted of. I can tell you there was a right party going on in my intestines last night. This morning I feel better, but am still finding myself perusing: http://www.deflatine.co.uk
John
- Fri Nov 26 10:04:04 2004

 OK Rob so I've been approved by two moderators it seems. What do I do now...?
John
- Fri Nov 26 09:56:32 2004

 John/Tom: You've been bored all day? Imagine what it's been like here - no e-mail and no Internet!! Feels like being locked in a dark room (padded cell?) :/
Nigel
- Thu Nov 25 20:47:40 2004

 Tom: Glad you're making good use of the 560! I've been off-line all day as the network has gone belly-up at work... Which Linux do you run on it? I recently found a New screen and plastics on Ebay (£14.95) so now the old machine looks pretty much good as new! Also found the genuine IBM memory upgrade too. Can there have been an easier to maintain laptop than this one?
Nigel
- Thu Nov 25 20:45:42 2004

 Ooooh one of the moderators has already approved my application... This is quite exciting isn't it?!
John
- Thu Nov 25 16:35:01 2004

 It's a fab idea. I think too many of them get too serious and they need lightening up once in a while. The posts of Barnabus of Hangul are well worth looking out. He's like a viking looking for a fight and can be bloody funny. He's owned by Rob 'Sumdood' Barrows, a moderator.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 25 15:21:59 2004

 Yea, you're right, it is Gult. I saw a fair bit of mention of the inn on there, but couldn't find any drunks. I can't see how you can have one without the other! Having seen a couple of (failed) character suggestions from obvious "power roleplayers" as we used to call them, I rather liked the idea of taking on a character who is basically inept on account of always being too drunk... and has a mysterious past, errr, as an architect.
John
- Thu Nov 25 14:57:31 2004

 WOW! YOU JOINED THE REALM!!!
Glad you liked Moggle, I enjoy writing the Moggle posts.
I'm willing to pay good money it is Gult! Nice work mate. I hope you enjoy it. I like to write during the odd spare lunch break. There is the odd wanker about but don't let them put you off - the number of cool people FAR outweights the few who spoil it.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 25 14:52:06 2004

 Is it the one called "Lizard Fingered Snitchboy"?
tom
- Thu Nov 25 14:45:13 2004

 Rob - I read some of your posts - they are really well written! I was sort of inspired by this, so have posted a suggestion for my own character in the characters bit of the forum. I had to rush it a little bit as I was running out of lunch hour, but I have to admit I really enjoyed doing something that used my imagination a bit for a change - it feels like it has been ages. See if you can guess which of the new characters is mine!
John
- Thu Nov 25 14:13:57 2004

 Bored 2.
tom
- Thu Nov 25 14:10:52 2004

 Bored, John? Try reading http://www.maison-de-stuff.net/rob/moggle.html Might cheer you up.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 25 12:18:40 2004

 Oh god I'm bored. Bored, bored, bored, so boredy boredy bored bored bored.
John
- Thu Nov 25 12:12:10 2004

 You can see old ones on the TVW website. Each unit shoul d get one in the post... It's quite good and we put a laminated copy up on the noticeboard. http://www.tvwing.org.uk/tvw_site/Wingspan/JulAug04.pdf
tom
- Thu Nov 25 10:28:52 2004

 Oh Wingspan. Is that some sort of Wing Mag?
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 25 10:25:56 2004

 On the second page. Pictures from the Wing Dinner.
tom
- Thu Nov 25 10:23:44 2004

 Eh, Tom? I don't know what you're talking about... Although I'm scared.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 25 10:22:58 2004

 Very nutritious John.
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Nov 25 10:11:56 2004

 Mmmm smoky bacon crisps for breakfast.
John
- Thu Nov 25 09:30:22 2004

 Rob - nice picture in WingSpan!
tom
- Thu Nov 25 08:00:49 2004

 I've got a Thinkpad 560. 166Mhz, 48Meg, 1 Gig disk. It's sitting on my desk here at work and I use it as an X terminal as an additional screen for my main Linux box.
tom
- Thu Nov 25 07:52:51 2004

 There certainly is! I have an old laptop at home (Thinkpad circa 1996, 120mhz) to which I added a WiFi pcmcia card. This connects to the wireless network at home, a breeze. It may be old and slow, but the power/memory it has is more than enough to view broadband Internet content (as long as I don't go in for MPEG or other video streams of course!) So it's a kind of backup that cost virtually nothing - and is probaqbly worth nothing except that it works!
Nigel
- Wed Nov 24 16:20:57 2004

 I have about 65 hours of jazz in MP2 format (the broadcast cousin of MP3) recorded on my PC here at work. The only downside has always been that I'm constantly having to restart my PC or test software that requires audio, so it is often near impossible for me to listen to music without interruptions. So my second Frankenstein-esque PC, with Linux running on it, is setup as a sort of jukebox, (whilst, incidentally at the same time streaming out MPEG transport streams over ASI for testing). There's something deeply satisfying about making something useful out of old equipment that was on the "soon to be thrown out" pile.
John
- Wed Nov 24 16:05:03 2004

 So is that Jazz, as in "video streaming" then? Or asomething more general/specific? Audio?MY fave Jazz of a few years back is Brubeck - UnSquare Dance et-al/ TheLP is full of odd time-signatures. Modern jazz is coming on leaps and bounds too... Not too familiar yet, but trying!!
Nigel
- Wed Nov 24 15:48:31 2004

 Today I have successfully converted a knackered old PC plus a bit of DVB hardware that was hanging around on a shelf into a non-stop jazz playout engine. I'm rather pleased with it.
John
- Wed Nov 24 15:36:41 2004

 The Scot is Ray McCooney and the chap in the wheel chair is Andy. I do like the Scot too, he makes me larf with "Yeeeeeahs".
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 24 15:11:32 2004

 Possibly the yes but no but character - can never remember names - or the scottish man maybe I will or maybe I won't with his penny whistle, and the guy in the wheel chair
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 24 14:56:57 2004

 I like Mr Mann - you know the guy who goes into the shop every week and asks for something impossibly specific... the shopkeeper always has to ask his wife Margaret. The classic "pirate memory game" one is probably my favourite, but I have also really enjoyed the dating agency, and last night's record shop. I think part of what I like about it is that it is soooooo Pythonesque - think cheese shop sketch or even dead parrot sketch, but on it's head (i.e. the customer is being awkward rather than the shopkeeper). Or, even closer still, the less well known book shop sketch - Charles Dikkens, the famous Dutch author, spelt with two Ks, and "Ethel the Aadvark goes Quantity Surveying".
John
- Wed Nov 24 14:49:37 2004

 Is this Lorenzo's long lost twin advertising for Maplin? http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/Promotion/P12P13_Cover.gif
Graf
- Wed Nov 24 14:45:18 2004

 Mumsie, I'm glad you like LB. I love it, as does Kate. I bought the DVD of the first series some time ago and we have all become addicted to it. My Boss (ATC), Nick, is writing a fan website with it. Whose your fave LB character, mum? Mine's Anne: the man dressed as a woman pretending to be a mental patient!
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 24 14:33:30 2004

 Hmmm, know what you mean. I gave up the main IT thrust of my job a couple of years back when I was told I was "too specialised" to be considered for a promotion! So dedication and hard work counts for nothing, eh? Most certainly! I suppose becoming self-employed as a consultant might be possible for you guys - you knowledge is more current than mine. I do the standard failed programmer's job - customer support now :(
Nigel
- Wed Nov 24 14:09:42 2004

 ...but it pays the bills.
tom
- Wed Nov 24 12:43:37 2004

 I don't like IT much either...
tom
- Wed Nov 24 12:39:12 2004

 I keep missing the beginning of Little Britain. Didn't see it last night as I was out, but it is one of the most amusing bits of TV around at the moment. Cyberdad only has to say "no but......" and we go into the whole routine - sad or what.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 24 11:51:31 2004

 John: May be my dream about you running a vegetarian restraunt was a preminition.
dsp
- Wed Nov 24 10:57:05 2004

 On the plus side, did anyone watch Little Britain last night? It was tres amusing, I thought.
John
- Wed Nov 24 10:05:00 2004

 I was off sick yesterday. I'm back in the office today but am already in a pissy mood and it isn't even 10 yet. It could be that I'm still unwell, but my current favourite theory is that I just don't want to work in software any more. I'm thinking of going into catering instead.
John
- Wed Nov 24 09:55:47 2004

 Thanks for all the info Angus - I will be in touch by email...
John
- Wed Nov 24 08:48:08 2004

 Coffee. Now THAT is a good idea.
tom
- Wed Nov 24 07:35:56 2004

 Oh ... and their grini (chocolate covered coffee beans) are especially good!
Angus
- Tue Nov 23 23:09:43 2004

 b) the cultivar they grow on Principe is the original imported to that island from Brazil in the early 19th C. i.e. low yield, high quality as opposed to high yield, low quality modern hybrids used in candy bars etc. As far as I know F&M is the only UK outlet. They just won a prize at the Eurochocolate trade fair in Italy. They also grow and market coffee, cultivated on the island of Sao Tome
Angus
- Tue Nov 23 23:01:44 2004

 Re the Corallo chocolate - it was featured on BBC2 Full on Food last week. What's unique about it is that a) the Corallos are one of the few or maybe the only chocolate producers worldwide who control the whole process i.e. growing their own cocoa trees thro to producing the chocolate.
Angus
- Tue Nov 23 23:00:53 2004

 Oi. Leave the mutts alone.
tom
- Tue Nov 23 17:02:57 2004

 Off to Korea today (and Japan Later)... DOGS BEWARE!!!! MuhaMuhaMhua
Lox
- Tue Nov 23 09:29:00 2004

 Look I was lonely... working long hours for little pay...
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 21:02:33 2004

 "Went through a phase of grinding my own beans" - make your own joke...
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 20:41:06 2004

 Hmmm well I can't speak for normal coffee but espresso has a lot to do with pressure, and it is harder to get decent pressure in the sort of equipment people normally have at home...
John
- Mon Nov 22 17:40:32 2004

 Seen those - quite fancy one. Apart from the tisane I do have a filter m/c and even though I use the "unbleached" eco-friendly paper filters I struggle to get a decent cup. Went through a phase of grinding my own beans, but began to suspect the shop's storage facilities as most tasted pretty foul and samey. What annoys me is how good coffee can taste when you are out and about. How do they manage it? Cona seems nice for eg...
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 16:48:49 2004

 I only really drink espresso - I've got one of those little stove-top espresso makers of which I am rather fond of. Yea, I use filtered water too - or sometimes bottled water in it. The quality of the water makes a huge difference!
John
- Mon Nov 22 16:34:08 2004

 Yeah, I know what you mean. Truth be told I get most of mine at the local supermarkets. It just seems to be tasting much the same nowadays. I've bought a water filter to purify the water a bit but still only get good-ish results using a mug with a kind of elongated "tea strainer" a-la tisane. You put in a good heap of the grounds, pour on the hot water and wait. I've heard good results come from one of these new (expensive) machines that take coffee-bag things.
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 16:20:19 2004

 Hmmm I'm not really that sophisticated when it comes to coffee - I've pretty much only ever buy from supermarkets, and I don't think I've ever bought your actual beans...
John
- Mon Nov 22 16:15:35 2004

 Talking about decent coffee... So where can I buy the good stuff? There's a Whittards within weekend striking distance and I used to love calling in and sampling the various brews (though recently they only off the teas for tasting) I have a grinder etc so can cope with beans.. Any good mail-order you peeps know of?
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 16:11:17 2004

 Well that's our combined repertoire of oscillator jokes exhausted then.
John
- Mon Nov 22 16:10:52 2004

 Yea, it's an industry that just can't stay still.
John
- Mon Nov 22 15:31:54 2004

 I hear that it's all ups and downs in the oscillator business.
tom
- Mon Nov 22 15:20:52 2004

 I bet it has something to do with oscillators.
John
- Mon Nov 22 15:16:04 2004

 Whos chose that number? Bloody Yanks.
tom
- Mon Nov 22 15:13:23 2004

 Ah-hem! Well of course... I knew it was something simple... Cough... Never watched "24", but I don't suppose the marketing people would have had so much success with "23.998".
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 14:23:13 2004

 Errmmmm.... PAL runs at 25 frames a second, whereas NTSC is something silly like 29.97 (i.e. not quite 30). So you get something called "drop frame" where to sort out timecodes properly, every now and again a frame is skipped, a bit like leap years. Most seconds contain thirty frames, but every now and again you get a second with only 29 in. So I imagine you might get some kind of problems when converting from PAL to NTSC or vice verse.... or something.
John
- Mon Nov 22 14:11:01 2004

 That would be rubbish if you were watching "24".
tom
- Mon Nov 22 14:00:30 2004

 Yes, true. I was just thinking about TV standards too... Is it true that watching a different format video (I suppose NTSC as opposed to PAL 50) the film is speeded up and actually finishes sooner than the correct format, due to the converted referesh rates? In the light of all this I'm begining to see why "Time is an Illusion".
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 13:27:49 2004

 Another example of the 1% rule.
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 13:00:04 2004

 Well I was kind of thinking along the established route... if we all lost a second, ney even a minute, each day, the year would be ~6hrs shorter. We would not notice (though resetting our quartz watches would be a bind). Four years on we'd have lost a day... Oh grief! Why does that corroborate the "Leap Year" thingy... ? It wasn't meant too... Sorry, I'll leave the figures alone...
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 12:56:37 2004

 I have to admit I'm not familiar with the sexagesimal rule - possibly some relative of murphy's law...?
John
- Mon Nov 22 12:34:47 2004

 You see, just when they put you on an "early lunch" you get a phone-call at precisely 11:59am :( Takes ten - blurry minutes! Maybe this has something to do with the Sexagesimal rule...
Nigel
- Mon Nov 22 12:12:51 2004

 In fact, I'm so pleased with that little nugget I am going to make it my mission over the coming weeks to hang around in pubs near theatres just on the off chance...
John
- Mon Nov 22 12:06:34 2004

 Tim - you've just given me a wonderful conversation starter should I ever meet a theatrical lighting engineer.
John
- Mon Nov 22 12:02:48 2004

 Clearly this is more like the 10% rule.
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 11:56:23 2004

 An interesting example of the 1% rule. Humans cannot notice the difference between stage lights at 90% or 100% brightness, yet the bulbs will last over 4-times longer if they're only ever powered at 90%.
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 11:56:01 2004

 Welding Mask Wednesday?
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 11:54:40 2004

 John: Are these improvements in your (collective - not your as in you) favour?
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 11:54:09 2004

 I'd like to see more surreal management strategies to try and improve productivity and profitability. For example, make Thursdays "Donkey day", where a donkey comes into the office, and hangs around the photocopier. Or a rule that all employees should wear aprons - sounds a bit masonic, but it would certainly make me feel more industrious.
John
- Mon Nov 22 11:52:43 2004

 Some other cost saving measures inspired by Tim's 1% rule:
John
- Mon Nov 22 11:50:00 2004

 Tim: Does your company do that on yearly basis? I mean "cut 1% off the photocopy bill next year", something like that? Unfortunately they tend not to do that here (stupid behaviour) as they prefer to massively shift business unit and targets instead that fine tuning what they have in hand...
Lox
- Mon Nov 22 11:48:54 2004

 Tim: could that include reducing the lunch hour by 36 seconds...?
John
- Mon Nov 22 11:40:15 2004

 One handy technique is the 1% rule. If you tweak lots of business parameters by 1% in your favour, the compound effect can be massive. There are lots of surprising cost saving to make. Established suppliers become complacent with your custom. Shop around and phone for better than advertised deals. We saved over 12K/pa with one phone call to an existing supplier.
dsp
- Mon Nov 22 11:30:47 2004

 Lorenzo, you'll be pleased to know I'm currently enjoying some lovely Illy espresso, which I have carried over the road from home, not that craaaap from our vending machine.
John
- Mon Nov 22 11:30:44 2004

 Back onto that nice topic on friday about management trying to let off people to save costs, funnily enough we have exactely the same issue here in Italy... Instead of looking at the real problems they try to cut "live" costs such as workforce. The puchline is always the same "we are doing bad, people will work more to keep their job, let's kick out a couple of employees!!"... In the meantime the company keeps loosing money and eventually closes... How nice!
Lox
- Mon Nov 22 10:44:53 2004

 More or less, went to see COLLATERAL, not bad but I think that "Incredibles" and "Shrek 2" are going to be better.. :) How about yours?
Lox
- Mon Nov 22 10:41:48 2004

 So, did everyone have a good weekend...?
John
- Mon Nov 22 10:40:42 2004

 What?!
Lox
- Mon Nov 22 10:40:42 2004

 Thankyou Claudio's friend... Maybe I'll give that email address a go. All I'd really like to know is where you can buy Claudio's chocolate in Britain though (Fortnum and Mason's...?).
John
- Mon Nov 22 10:39:55 2004

 I'm Claudio Corallo's friend , he produce a great cocoa in Principe and make his chocolate in Sao Tomè, for more information ccorallo@cstome.net. Bye P.R
Corallo's friend <ccorallo@cstome.net>
- Sun Nov 21 23:05:01 2004

 MMM. I can;t wait to get hame and have a 'brew' either.
tom
- Fri Nov 19 17:07:25 2004

 Thanks. Well, I feel a couple of bottles of Tiger coming on - as they are in my fridge - and maybe a Guinness or too. (My excuse for the latter is that I'm run-down and need building up etc. Seems to work...)
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 16:43:09 2004

 You're more than welcome Nigel! Any ideas on what you might be planning on drinking this evening? Tonight I'm going to a Japanese "gig" followed by a Thai meal, so I suspect I'll be drinking Asahi, followed by, err, some Thai beer (Singh?) later on.
John
- Fri Nov 19 16:31:35 2004

 Yes, thanks for allowing me to contribute.. Much appreciated. I'm probably "in" tonight, after the 'orrible drive home, but that doesn't mean I won't be imbibing!
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 16:22:54 2004

 Still, hey, Friday is almost over and we can all go out and get horribly, horribly drunk to forget all about it.
John
- Fri Nov 19 16:11:14 2004

 I always enjoy those kind of stories, where management tries to cut costs by pissing off the workers, the workers show them the finger metaphorically speaking and then management realise their little cost cutting venture has just shot themsevles in the foot, ankles, shins, kneecaps and groinal area all at the same time. I sometimes wish people in my company had a bit more fight in them like that... but I guess what some people would see as spinelessness, others would identify as a kind of loyalty.
John
- Fri Nov 19 15:17:50 2004

 Lok at this: http://www.funken.net/zoomquilt/zoom.htm and this: http://www.tpd.tno.nl/Pics/DII/gigazoom/Delft2.htm
tom
- Fri Nov 19 15:14:16 2004

 Annoying how people tend to go and do that, isn't it? Which, of course, brings us neatly back to fluffy puppies and toliet paper...
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 15:08:55 2004

 I was told that the last time there were pay freezes here was in 1999 - at which point 3 people left and went to earn a metric shit load more in the city.
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 19 14:53:42 2004

 Yup! Stinks doesn't it? That's probably why I didn't make a particularly big mark for myself in the sales dept.... :/
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 14:48:49 2004

 Isn't that a bit like telling an office worker you're going to cut his wages, but it's OK because he can come in at the weekends to make up the shortfall...?
John
- Fri Nov 19 14:47:19 2004

 Ok, business head on now... You have to convince the agent that he will earn more by accepting lower commission but turning over more product. You have to sell it to him that the product practically walks off the shelves (sorry, I don't know what the "product" is) and so by making more people notice the product, they will naturally want to buy more - demand and supply, to turn the cliche on its head - hence his increase in eventual earnings. Can't see any other way...
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 14:22:14 2004

 Sorry, that wasn't very positive, was it...?
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 14:00:57 2004

 Some are more equal than others, eh? I think for the commission problem it depends on what percentage etc is paid and if it is the agent's sole income. Also if the product being sold is unique - would the company mind if the agent said goodbye? Unless you can offer a "sweetener" you might have to tell it as it is... Trouble is, in the UK a pay freeze or reduction often points to the company emulating the Titanic...
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 13:59:14 2004

 When we've had pay freezes here, they've generally consoled us by saying that they're across the board, so nobody feels singled out... Although when probed further it transpires they were actually across the board, but with a few exceptions. So what it really meant was nobody was going to get a pay rise, apart from those people who were getting pay rises.
John
- Fri Nov 19 13:27:22 2004

 It's a toughie Lorenzo. Clearly I have no experience whatsoever in this situation... Is it possible to persuade your boss to change the timescales a bit...? For example, suspend the change in commission for six months, on the basis it will only take place if things don't improve...? I think that might be an easier pill to swallow for the agent than telling him as of today he's going to get less money. Alternatively (or perhaps in addition) can you present it as a short term arrangement - say just for the next year until things improve? That again might make it easier to accept. Presumably your agent is male, so a compensatory shag is out of the question.
John
- Fri Nov 19 13:24:15 2004

 Nigel: I think that I have never seen the Mr.Potatoes in Japan as a matter of fact... :P
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 12:58:16 2004

 I have an interesting trivia to submit to your attention...

I am going to Korea next week and of course I will be with my agent all the time. My boss decided that since the company is going bananas we need to reduce the commission of the agent. How the hell do I tell him that he has to do it?!? To my boss it all seems easy, to me (front line) it's not. I told him that reducing a commission is not the best way to get an agent to sell more, but the best is that my boss wants me to ask him to INCREASE volumes and turnover!!! Marvellous... So, guys... What do I tell him!?
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 12:57:14 2004

 So, do they sell that plastic and potato game called "Potato Head" in the Orient then? You can just imagine some marketing person thinking, yes, let's go for it, and committing some great expensive faux pas! (As marketing people do)
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 12:42:55 2004

 Well it is actually, in a country where the highest degree of offensiveness is "I will kill you" you can expect that potatoes are pretty high in the sewar scale!
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 12:38:54 2004

 Hmmm.... "You have the characteristics of a starchy root vegetable."... well as insults go it's not the most scathing I've ever come across, but I guess it's one of those cultural things...?!
John
- Fri Nov 19 12:27:48 2004

 Better than "imo yarro"... (Japanese for potato guy -it's actually a rather offensive thing to say:) )
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 12:19:59 2004

 No actually she really likes dogs, in fact she has recently started calling me baka inu (Japanese for "stupid dog"), which I assume to be a term of affection. Errr...
John
- Fri Nov 19 12:01:11 2004

 Excellent work on the slogan there Nigel. Perhaps we could give some of the profits to charity, and invite our customers to "wipe out poverty".
John
- Fri Nov 19 11:59:33 2004

 The idea is actually spot on!! On the other side it would be interesting to know why Chie likes small puppies on bog rolls, I mean is she a dog hater?
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 11:22:21 2004

 Ha! Great idea. Sell 'em on Ebay - "Get to the bottom of fiscal probity with G Brown". Under the brand-name of "Kissmai" perhaps.
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 11:05:02 2004

 Wouldn't that be touching when you then bump into your ex-girlfriend in the street: "Every time I wipe my arse I think of you."
John
- Fri Nov 19 10:52:13 2004

 Which gives me a good product idea - what about putting pictures of hated politicians on toilet paper...? Or you could get "custom made" rolls, with pictures of your boss, ex-girlfriend, etc on.
John
- Fri Nov 19 10:51:30 2004

 Chie pointed out that one of the brands has these cute little puppy dogs printed all over, and I pointed out that yes, that's very nice, but after you've used them they're going to be cute little puppy dogs covered in sh.... I think you can see where I'm going here.
John
- Fri Nov 19 10:49:30 2004

 Good to know we are not alone on this cold island - Italy's "Daylightrobberyland" and Britain's "Ripoffbritain". So where is "Everything'spricedjustasitshouldbe" I wonder? The US? Hong Kong? Mind you, this can never apply to toilet paper. As you say John, who actually looks at the stuff? Let's not go there... Still sunny here. Glorious swathe of reflecty sun over my monitor...
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 10:45:26 2004

 I know I'm a bit late with this, but our car said it was 3 degress in Winnersh this morning. It also displayed a little snowflake in the display. I'm hoping that means "It's cold outside" rather than "The engines frozen and you shouldn't drive me".
Graf
- Fri Nov 19 10:34:28 2004

 (Yoda voice) Ahhhhh the perfect consumer are you....(back to Lox) Actually I spend some time comparing things, I mean in DaylightrobberyLand (Italy) you have to be extra careful. Prices have sky rocketed and you can easily end up spendign twice what you spent last year buying the same things... :(
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 10:18:08 2004

 Errrr I'm not sure exactly how much she saved in the end, I try very hard to take as little interest as possible. If it's up to me I'll just grab pretty much the first one I see that looks reasonably priced. I don't want to spend 15 minutes there weighing up the pros and cons of something I'm going to be wiping my arse with. When I get to 80, I don't want to look back on my life, and realise I've spent about a week of it comparing prices of toilet roll.
John
- Fri Nov 19 09:47:25 2004

 Nope Mr.Corallo is quite unknown to me, but I wouldn't trust italian chocolate, made in AFRICA?!? Oh well, maybe he's good...
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 09:44:21 2004

 Speaking of food made me think about a new idea that I am now using to save money and eat well, saving time too!
It's all about sauces.
Basically since here in Italy every time you buy your ordinary PASSATA (tomato sauce), you must buy 1 liter of it, which is rather a big portion for only 2 people. So the idea is to buy 2 liters and on the same day spend a bit of time cooking the whole lot making different sauces (Bolognese, normal tomato sauce, curry sauce et cetc).
THEN you deploy all the products in hefty ice cube makers and dive them later into plastic bags or something similar... I have found that 3 ice cubes are enough for 2 people, so now when we need something quick we just cook the pasta (10min) and then we put it in the pan with the ice cubes and there you go. The quality of the sauces is really good even after 2 months! We tried it with cream sauces and vegetable sauces and it works perfectly!
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 09:43:14 2004

 I have only one word to tell you:

GRANDE!!!

I was actually speaking abut that with Marta yesterday. She bought a cheap version of Pasta and we were both rather unsatisfied, I guess that the Italian consumer is hard to please.. Still I should consider a move back to England to start my own "Lorenzo's Magazine" I have got the punch line already sorted thanks to you! :)
Another question... How much did she save on the bog roll?
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 09:37:09 2004

 Incidentally Lorenzo, have you heard of Claudio Corallo (may have got the name wrong there) he is from Florence, and apparently makes "the best chocolate in the world" on the island of Principe (off the coast of Africa or something?). I think you can buy it in Fortnum and Mason's.
John
- Fri Nov 19 09:34:43 2004

 Hey Lorenzo, I went to the supermarket last night, and whilst Chie was spending half an hour comparing prices of toilet paper, I slinked off to the coffee section. Chie would have me buy whatever was cheapest or on special offer, but given that she was busy with bog roll, I rather sneakily slipped in a nice new tin of Illy, with your words "It's the Ferrari of Coffee" resounding in my head. When confronted about my supposedly extravagant purchase, I reminded Chie that it's the one Lorenzo recommended, and that seemed to justify it.

Whilst on the subject, I'd like to also thank you for allowing me to: (A) put a lot of salt in the water when cooking pasta (B) not buy the crappy supermarket brand of pasta, and get something I've actually seen in Italy instead (C) use lots of olive oil on everything in general (D) buy tomatoes on the vine etc, not the "economy" ones... It would make a good advertising campaign don't you think? "....because Lorenzo said so!"
John
- Fri Nov 19 09:31:55 2004

 Morning Gents. Well it's clear blue here now! -1 on the car's temp gauge... I know it's a bit naff talking about the weather, but we don't often get snow before Xmas, do we?
Nigel
- Fri Nov 19 09:13:42 2004

 Gosh! We are talking about the weather... :(
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 09:03:08 2004

 Believe it or not but after a shitty week finally there is a tad of sun coming out timidly.... It's cold here but not soooooooo cold... :P
Lox
- Fri Nov 19 09:02:26 2004

 Comparatively it wasn't/isn't that bad here. There was a light frost this morning, had to scrape the windscreen on the girlfriend's car a bit, but that's all.
John
- Fri Nov 19 08:59:45 2004

 Yes, makes you wonder! I take it then that the weather is more clement in your neck of the woods?
Nigel
- Thu Nov 18 17:34:58 2004

 Is that Wrexham, Wales, or the lesser known Wrexham in Alaska...?
John
- Thu Nov 18 17:32:48 2004

 Yes, for the last couple of hours. Just craning my neck here... looks like about an inch on the rooves here in Wrexham. Cars covered, slow crawl... Glad to be leaving late I guess.
Nigel
- Thu Nov 18 17:25:35 2004

 Seriously...? It's snowing....?!
John
- Thu Nov 18 17:21:18 2004

 Didn't he have a dog? Conspiracies everywhere... (Hope you guys don't mind me "gate-crashing" here. Thick snow out there and I'm on a late shift...)
Nigel
- Thu Nov 18 17:20:22 2004

 John: <columbo>Just one more thing...</columbo>
dsp
- Thu Nov 18 17:07:02 2004

 Well actually you're right though - I was reading someone else's copy! Aha!
John
- Thu Nov 18 16:39:38 2004

 John: You could be reading someone else's copy. (No I hadn't)
dsp
- Thu Nov 18 16:35:55 2004

 Tim, did you not see the message about four below your last one?
John
- Thu Nov 18 16:33:54 2004

 Do you get Computing too? (Dilbert and InfinteCats)
dsp
- Thu Nov 18 16:19:33 2004

 Cat conspriacy, obviously. The ring-leader maybe my own "Cleo". She can be shifty at times... A sideways glance of the type that says: "You'll be first against the wall when the revolution comes...!" And all because I complained about the fur-balls... I saw her once sitting next to my monitor... Thought of taking a cute picture and sending it in... Then I realised she had a mouse in her paws. My mouse! She was on-line!....
Nigel
- Thu Nov 18 15:22:23 2004

 Yep I know Dilbert, it's one of my favourites... it's increadible how some of the strips are SOOOOOOOOOO close to the work environment where I am placed (and I assume it's the same for you guys/gals too)... Still the other question is: How the heck a (respectable?)computer magazine finds about the cat loving site? (which I must admit is nice involving cats...)
Lox
- Thu Nov 18 14:18:52 2004

 Lorenzo, I am assuming you are familiar with Dilbert, if not, initiate yourself via: http://www.dilbert.com
John
- Thu Nov 18 14:11:55 2004

 No it is far more shameful than that, it was on the back page of Computing magazine, which, in my defence, I only read for Dilbert.
John
- Thu Nov 18 14:10:00 2004

 Now the question is... How did you manage to stumble on that page?!? I mean it can't be that you simply pushed the "I feel luky "button on google....
Lox
- Thu Nov 18 14:05:49 2004

 I think you've seen through it (almost a pun there) Nigel, this pitiful visage of supposed feline cuteness is naught but a thinly veiled exhibition of downright monitor snobbery.
John
- Thu Nov 18 12:20:48 2004

 Some people have got some seriously nice Monitors there, haven't they?
Nigel
- Thu Nov 18 11:55:59 2004

 Tom/Lorenzo: being cat lovers, have you visited the infinite cat project per chance....? http://www.infinitecat.com
John
- Thu Nov 18 10:24:02 2004

 I have no knowledge of Barmouth.
John
- Thu Nov 18 09:40:29 2004

 Welsh Rap. W-Rap. As in, "It's a.."
tom
- Wed Nov 17 17:37:21 2004

 Bob Marley? Nah, you want Bob from Barmouth.
tom
- Wed Nov 17 17:35:35 2004

 Hmmm I hate to point out a flaw in your plan Lorenzo, but I can't help thinking your average Korean might fail to see the funny side of having his country's music called crap, even if it is spelt with a 'K'...
John
- Wed Nov 17 16:57:08 2004

 We have a few Systems Hardware Integration Testers at our company, but that's a wholly different story...
John
- Wed Nov 17 16:55:28 2004

 WOOOOAHAHAHAHAH... John you have a future in comedy! I'll try to explain this to my Korean agent I wonder what he's going to say (assuming that he uderstands and that he switches off the "KOREANS ARE THE BEST AT EVERYTHING" mode)...
Lox
- Wed Nov 17 16:54:59 2004

 For example - I was a Network Management Associate.... I'm from England. Would this look good on my international CV?
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 16:27:10 2004

 Ho-ho-ho-ho....! Sorry, someone has just asked me why I'm laughing.... Tee-hee........ This could be a new trend. Now we live in such a multi-cultural society, adding the originating country's initial to a word or phrase would help a lot.
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 16:25:09 2004

 Hmmmm Korean rap. Now then, in Japan they have a habit of adding a J to any musical style that they do, thus J-Pop, J-Rock, J-Jazz, etc... Now the Koreans seem to have picked up on this as well, as I've occasionally heard of K-Pop. So then, Korean rap. I suppose that would be K-RAP then. I guess that says it all.
John
- Wed Nov 17 16:18:54 2004

 Rats! Just looking through my address book... I could have sworn they were there somewhere...
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 16:14:36 2004

 I completely agree. After hearing KOREAN RAP I think that I have re-defined the concept of worst that can be heard on the face of the planet (musically speaking)...
Lox
- Wed Nov 17 16:05:39 2004

 Okee doke then... does anyone have Andrew Lloyd Webber's and/or Ben Elton's address...?
John
- Wed Nov 17 16:04:47 2004

 Considering what else is "put on" I don't think your idea is so "left of field" !! Think "Starlight Express" and ... shudder! ... "Annie". Welsh Reggae sounds fine to me...
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 15:06:54 2004

 To be honest Nigel, I'm not sure the world is yet ready for my particular brand of entertainment. I think I may have to shelve my plans for a west end smash hit, for the time being at least.
John
- Wed Nov 17 15:01:02 2004

 Hmmmm yes maybe we could work in David Copperfield and Paul Daniels having a sort of musical duel using their "powers of illusion", errrr, but with a welsh/reggae theme... somehow...
John
- Wed Nov 17 14:59:33 2004

 Hey Wow! Schofield and Blessed playing both major parts!! Maybe you should ask David Copperfield to perform the Amazing Vanishing Leek illusion at the end to counterpoint the slightly surreal aura of the production...?
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:56:52 2004

 Oh I see Nigel - I have to rather shamefully admit I don't actually know Marley's music that well - probably only the "famous" ones... The more I think of it, the more I like the idea of a "yet" on the end, it adds a whole new dimension of nuance and intrigue... So anyway, do you think my musical can make it in the West End? I was thinking about Philip Schofield for the leading role, obviously only on the condition that he can do a convincing welsh accent. Failing that, perhaps Brian Blessed, or for a bit of controversy, Salman Rushdie.
John
- Wed Nov 17 13:45:49 2004

 Quite right John. But give the record a spin... I think there a kind of surrupticious (?) "yet" tagged on in there... Maybe I'm going on the Clapton version, not the Marley... Maybe my memory is playing tricks!!
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:39:06 2004

 Did I really write "leaks" ? Bet you all laughed! "Leeks" obviously...
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:36:49 2004

 Hmmmm not sure I follow your meaning Nigel - isn't it then one syllable too many with yet on the end...? Let me demonstrate by lining up the original and "revised" versions:
...but I did not shoot the de-pu-ty. ...but I did not get to Lam-pe-ter.
John
- Wed Nov 17 13:35:07 2004

 Ha! Excellent! Yes, Wrexham would be a trip too far... May I also be so impolite as to add a correction? "...but I did not get to Lampeter - YET". Ho-ho!! I have to admit that until me and Joc came "west" I'd never had leaks before. They're great, gently cooked in butter, sprinkle of pepper... (or Welsh Cakes which I had to rename W-Cakes as their taste belies their origin).
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:31:34 2004

 That reminds me Nigel, I wrote a musical (!) a while back with a distinctly welsh theme, that I forgot to post on the the web at the time... So I have posted it now: http://www.maison-de-stuff.net/archives/00000175.html
John
- Wed Nov 17 13:20:21 2004

 And buying a house to rent is probably a great idea - you'd be one of those rare creatures - a decent landlord! They could probably use you. Quite why I went on about "geographically" is now confuing even me... What I mean is I live in Shropshire and travel over the border to Wrexham to work... Must be jet-lag...
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:06:34 2004

 John: I'm in Wrexham at the moment, but live geographically in Shropshire. I know exactly what you mean about Bangor Uni. There's a lot of Chinese people as well (there and Aberystwyth too). They are all delightful and generally happy, well-mannered people. In stark contrast to the indiginous populace :/
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 13:00:50 2004

 Whereabouts are you then Nigel...? Bangor per chance? Apparently there is a little Japanese population in Bangor (presumably because of the university which specialises in marine biology). I toyed with the idea of buying a house there and letting it out to Japanese students at one stage...
John
- Wed Nov 17 12:06:34 2004

 Ahh, yes. So then I am prompted (via that little subconscious thing that does this) to say: "Sudetenland? - Splitters!" Life of Brian etc... Pwllheli - Hmmm, even further west than me! Great scenery but scary pubs. Reminded me of the Old West - open the door and walk in, it all goes silent. Gulp! "I'll just have a half I think...!"
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 12:01:05 2004

 Well, I was thinking of the usual thing. Few friends round. A few drinks. Some loudish music. Some philosophising. Some singing. Some cheese on sticks and then we'll annex the Sudetenland.
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 17 11:51:28 2004

 Nigel: I think it was the "Dartmoor in January" that prompted "Springtime for Hitler", it sort of had the same ring about it.
John
- Wed Nov 17 11:46:15 2004

 Nigel: my Dad lives on the Llyn peninsula, I guess the nearest town of any size of probably Pwllllllhelliili (not sure if I used enough ls there). He is really out in the sticks. I love it there actually, but I can imagine it might get a bit limiting after a while, so I can appreciate you wanting to leave. Funnily enough I recently read JKJ's Three Men in a Boat (which I suspect you may have worked out somehow, thus prompting you to suggest that book). I absolutely loved it - it is so whimsical and foppish and fabulously English...
John
- Wed Nov 17 11:45:12 2004

 Eeerrr. too abstract for me I fear...
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 11:42:10 2004

 Why am I reminded of that Mel Brooks (?) song: Springtime for Hilter and Germany... Deutschland is happy and gay!
John
- Wed Nov 17 11:38:54 2004

 North Wales! Oh dear I'm here/there - and trying to escape... Arggg!!! Which bit?? John, have you read "To Say Nothing Of The Dog" by Connie Willis? Humourous trip along the Thames (ala JKJ) with a sci-fi time-travel element. A great read. Possibly you'd enjoy given your photo-trips etc.. :)
Nigel
- Wed Nov 17 11:37:27 2004

 Don't tempt me, you wicked man you...
John
- Wed Nov 17 11:37:06 2004

 Rob: Now I know you're mad - Dartmoor in January?!!!!!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 17 11:32:27 2004

 At present? Does this mean you might be up for one of my wacky ideas? How does Dartmoor sound?
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 17 11:19:35 2004

 It is looking like I'll be spending new year's eve with the family up in North Wales at present...
John
- Wed Nov 17 11:14:52 2004

 What are people doing for New Year's Eve? I'm thinking about hosting a pissup. What about you peeps?
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 17 10:46:35 2004

 Do you know, John, I was thinking exactly the same thing. Good morning, by the way. Still the sun is shining, just, and its only two days to the weekend!
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 17 10:14:18 2004

 Well I have to say this is the first time this week that I have encountered a day as overtly wednesday-ish as today is.
John
- Wed Nov 17 10:01:19 2004

 That post had a kind of poetry about it Nigel.
John
- Tue Nov 16 18:08:22 2004

 Yes, I wanted some and went to the post office - they have one of those machines in the foyer (ok, smelly passage where people get to barge past you shouting...) You push in £3, select a design, write something marvellous about yourself and await enlightenment. Only it didn't work and I lost £3
Nigel
- Tue Nov 16 16:22:26 2004

 Quite... Yea I think your card-making website looks better than the one I went for, I wish I had been a bit more patient now!
John
- Tue Nov 16 15:27:57 2004

 How bored are you today?
tom
- Tue Nov 16 15:17:12 2004

 http://www.vistaprint.com/ Brilliant
tom
- Tue Nov 16 15:16:41 2004

 I grew impatient and ordered some from the first website google found for me.
John
- Tue Nov 16 14:05:36 2004

 John, why don't you design them yourself, print them on card, then cut them up. I did this for one of our members of staff, with logos and everything else. I used Powerpoint, I think, and looked extremely professional.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 16 13:48:18 2004

 On a completely unrelated note... I'd quite like to get some sort of "business cards" made. A number of times recently I've been wanting to give people my email address, or perhaps my mobile number, but not wanted it to be my work address (as often it has related to future job prospects etc). Does anyone know of a good place to get this sort of thing from?
John
- Tue Nov 16 13:27:42 2004

 Actually no I don't have any life insurance whatsoever, don't you generally only get that if your existence is somehow worthwhile...?
John
- Tue Nov 16 12:28:12 2004

 It would rather a pain though, if after causing all that kerfuffle, it turned out you had no life insurance :) or forgot to renew theh policy.
Kev
- Tue Nov 16 12:22:03 2004

 Is that slurping metaphorically, or does it create a genuinely audible slurping sound? Do refined upper-middle class ladies look indignant when walking past?
John
- Tue Nov 16 12:20:18 2004

 Cheers Karl!
John
- Tue Nov 16 11:41:55 2004

 As an aside, a very interesting industrial slurping machine has just come down our road to slurp the drains. It has a yellow flashing light ala Police Squad's red light.
dsp
- Tue Nov 16 11:39:10 2004

 More serious point, don’t' 'slit your throat to spit your face', besides, I will miss your company.
Karl
- Tue Nov 16 11:06:27 2004

 Let me get the off site backups up-to-date for Christ's sake! Some of us have got drink habits to think about!
Karl
- Tue Nov 16 11:04:07 2004

 Just dump the charred body of a tramp in your place. No one would be able to tell the difference.... ;-)
tom
- Tue Nov 16 10:41:53 2004

 You might have to singe your hair a bit as well, just for authenticity
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 16 10:22:32 2004

 Incidentally, how would I go about pretending to have died in the blaze...? Is this just a case of roughing my clothes up a bit, smearing some soot on my face, and then lying very still for a bit in the car park...?
John
- Tue Nov 16 10:07:12 2004

 Weeeelllllll, it's only arson, insurance fraud, falsifying official documents and gaining entry into a country under false pretenses... I think you'd probably get off with a caution.
John
- Tue Nov 16 10:05:49 2004

 All of it?
tom
- Tue Nov 16 10:03:04 2004

 Hmmmm Tom now tempting though that cunning scheme is, I have a sneaking suspicion that some aspect of it may not be entirely legal, although I can't quite put my finger on which bit....
John
- Tue Nov 16 10:01:03 2004

 [note to self: don't post your cunning plans on the internet]
tom
- Tue Nov 16 09:51:33 2004

 What you should do is pretend to be working late, burn the place down and pretend to have died in the blaze. Get chie to claim all your life insurances and sneak off to Japan under a false passport. Well, that's what I'd do.
tom
- Tue Nov 16 09:41:39 2004

 Letters of resignation are for pansies. Real men just slink off into the night. More seriously, I wouldn't leave the job unless I really hated it if I didn't have another line of employment lined up or was filthy rich.
Travis
- Tue Nov 16 00:25:48 2004

 Thanks guys for some very useful advice! I decided not to hand it in today in the end, but tomorrow is another day!
John
- Mon Nov 15 21:34:15 2004

 Alternatively, email kodak and/or US department of defense and sell them photostudio lock, stock and barell. Buy yacht, sail to Japan, meet Chie there in the summer. No guts, no glory.
dsp
- Mon Nov 15 16:09:50 2004

 Demand the the club sandwich, the cold Mexican beer and your shirts laundered like they do at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
dsp
- Mon Nov 15 16:05:37 2004

 Have you spoken to an agency about short-term contract work prior to Japan? You may be able to maximise on the uncertainty of Chie's position by doing contract work (do it the easy way take a position paid via an agency - they assume the risk of non-payment cos they pay you via PAYE). I think first and foremost you should sound it out with Chie. Don't leave your job to pressure Chie. Second, consider that you will always work and should find no difficulty getting another job, even if it is 'pay the bills easy-HTML etc.' Have you seen the current C++ contract rates? You may be able to negotiate short-term work with softel.
dsp
- Mon Nov 15 16:03:30 2004

 I think that you have to look at the situation in a "strategic way":