John: Your late well-wishing has likely doomed Lox. Now we'd better concentrate extra hard. Bleah. I had a late night, woke up early for a dentistry appointment and now I'm at school...and I have a translation exam today in Greek. Not a fun day so far.
Travis
- Wed Nov 30 15:49:41 2005

I heard in France that hospitals give you a glass of wine with your meals, not sure if that is true, maybe the same applies in Italy...?
John
- Wed Nov 30 13:51:57 2005

lets just hope the surgeon wasn't out on the lash last night :)
Kev
- Wed Nov 30 11:01:24 2005

http://www.lendingscorp.com
Anthony Kalowski
- Wed Nov 30 10:30:52 2005

Is Lox 'under the knife' as we speak? Let all concentrate and send good vibes. Good luck Lox!
dsp
- Wed Nov 30 10:00:56 2005

I think I'm a bit late now, but I'll add all my best wishes to Loxy boy regardless.
John
- Wed Nov 30 04:51:31 2005

Lox: Bona fortuna.
Travis
- Tue Nov 29 22:50:46 2005

Good luck, Lox! :-)
Rob Lang
- Tue Nov 29 16:58:58 2005

Good luck with the op, Lox! Fast recovery.
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 29 16:32:48 2005

Sheri: Don't be so hard on yourself! Dying it's not a matter of what one does in life, it happens, there is no control over it. I am sure that you are worth every living cell in your body! :)
Nature doesn't care if you are good or bad, tall or short, it simply walks its path. It's a shame that it happened to a relative of yours, but I guess it would have happened even if you won 2446 Nobel Prizes!
Lox
- Tue Nov 29 16:08:17 2005

Tim'sMum, Sheri: Thanks a lot, I'll be posting on Thursday if everything went ok :) The hardest part is not the op itself but the rehab. It seems that every person I speak with has a different opinion/experience, so it's hard to make up my mind on WHAT to do and HOW... Oh well, we'll see after the surgery now... :)
Lox
- Tue Nov 29 16:01:10 2005

Rob, Lox : What bothers me is that Cristelle's cousin was a hardworker who deserved more from life whereas I... I'm a lazy git who is a perfect example of substandart performance. Lox: in boca lupo for your operation.
Sheri
- Tue Nov 29 14:28:29 2005

Hi Lox, Good luck with the operation, it will soon be over and done with and you will have a big fuss made of you by your friends and family, I hope.
Tim's Mum
- Tue Nov 29 13:53:21 2005

Where can you buy one of these "Wonky"es? I might be interested... :)
Lox
- Tue Nov 29 13:11:21 2005

Ciao everyone, last day walking, at least for a good month....
Sheri: Rob is completely right, you are being honest. There is no shame in it in my opinion...
Lox
- Tue Nov 29 13:06:11 2005

Sheri: I don't think you're heartless. I think you're honest. If you didn't care that Crystelle was upset, then you'd be heartless.
Rob Lang
- Tue Nov 29 11:41:34 2005

Now there's a thought!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 29 10:09:16 2005

"Ice formed on her upper slopes" PG Wodehouse
Tim's Mum
- Tue Nov 29 10:08:21 2005

PG Wodehouse - Wooster to Jeeves: "I say, Jeeves. Do you know absolutely everything?" Jeeves to Wooster, after thinking for a moment: "Hmm, I don't know Sir." !!!!!!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 29 10:05:28 2005

Strawberry Creams all round!!!
Tim's Mum
- Tue Nov 29 10:01:35 2005

What do you call a Donkey with three legs? A "Wonky" !!!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 29 09:48:25 2005

I say, I say, I say : What do you call a man with a spade on his head? "Doug"! What do you call a man without a spade on his head? "Douglas" !!!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 29 09:42:56 2005

Fact is, I never really felt sorry for anyone who died in my entourage. Not even for my father who died when I was 15. I don't believe it has something to do with a disproportional ego. Or does it ? Many things saddens me in this world - global warming, pollution, extinction of species, the receding biodiversity, the anarchic reign of concrete -, but not the misfortunes of the human kind. I must be misanthropic. Yes I am.
Sheri
- Tue Nov 29 08:42:12 2005

Christelle's cousin died last night from a cancer. I feel sorry for her, but I hardly share her sadness. I didn't hate him, but I didn't like him either. We were mutually indifferent. At least for my part. Am I heartless ?
Sheri
- Tue Nov 29 08:16:27 2005

Did anyone know today is the 333rd day of the year? Isn't it amazing?
John
- Tue Nov 29 04:13:14 2005

lol nigel :)
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 20:57:43 2005

Kev: The up-side is that I can log into your network from here.... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Mon Nov 28 20:21:00 2005

Lox: As far as rehab, why not launch right into running a marathon preceded by drinking a glass of grain alcohol and rain water?
Travis
- Mon Nov 28 19:37:06 2005

today I flashed my Linksys WRT54G - it now has a setting to uprate the power output from 28mw to 251mw. I am current have it sitting next to me. Also I have noticed I seem to have aquired a tan.
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 17:06:24 2005

I like strawberry creams too!
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 17:03:27 2005

Well Lox, if you come to our office you can have all the Strawberry Creams left in the Quality Street tin. That's all that's left - apart from fluff and discarded wrappers :o)
Tim's Mum
- Mon Nov 28 16:50:59 2005

Tim's Mum: Mmmmm hard to say, I do like Creams though... Maybe because I am a foreigner :D
Lox
- Mon Nov 28 16:47:43 2005

Tim: I would be interested in having an account "at la maison etc etc et", where do I sign up?
John: Why don't you get a gmail account (I can send an invitation for ya if you need), I use their smtp for all other accounts and it seems to work ok...
Lox
- Mon Nov 28 16:46:23 2005

If nobody likes Strawberry Creams, why do Quality Street keep putting them in?
Tim's Mum
- Mon Nov 28 16:36:51 2005

John: One very neat and undocumented feature of fasthosts is that every domain hosted by them comes with free webmail support. Which you can use to send and receive email. For example: if you go to http://webmail.maison-de-stuff.net/ you can login as your email account and send/receive email. How neat is that?
dsp
- Mon Nov 28 15:51:56 2005

I was so surprised by the incident (and she walked away fairly quickly) that my immediate reaction was simply to look very surprised. As did everyone else around me. Having considered it though, I regret not returning the slap.
Jimmy
- Mon Nov 28 15:37:38 2005

I see. Totally uninteresting people.
Sheri
- Mon Nov 28 14:57:49 2005

Sheri: long link to chavs: http://www.chavscum.co.uk/4images/categories.php?cat_id=29&sessionid=7e7c792399ab750ee09e5251decbfb26&sessionid=7e7c792399ab750ee09e5251decbfb26
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 14:43:02 2005

John, if you do carry on drinking like this, you won't have much grey matter left in your brain. Like a certain Mr Bush Junior, you won't be able to talk and walk at the same time...
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Mon Nov 28 14:25:18 2005

KEV : Just read the description, but it is still hard for me to picture it in my mind. A photo would be more explicit. Have you got one by any chance ? JIMMY : What was your immediate reaction ?
Sheri
- Mon Nov 28 14:13:19 2005

sheri; have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav this probably explains it quite well.
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 14:01:04 2005

What means 'chav' ?
Sheri
- Mon Nov 28 13:58:55 2005

John: Unfortunalty I have not become a bum. I hardly drink at all now. On Friday I even seriously considered applying for a job. Fortunately I came to my senses and didn't. I am considering purchasing a bottle of whiskey though.
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 13:54:20 2005

Kev, can I recommend you walk straight out of　your house, go to the nearest place with a decent whisky selection, and get yourself a bottle of Caol Ila (either cask strength or the 18 year old, depending on your preference - popular opinion holds the 18 year old as better, personally I think I prefer the younger cask strength bottling). Then spend the rest of the day drinking that.
John
- Mon Nov 28 13:41:26 2005

Incidentally, is anyone else quite drunk...? I am! It is a cruel trick of the time difference that often makes me inebriated at the same time everyone else is being sensible and doing their job, etc. I'm sort of relying on Kev for a yes here, after all it is lunchtime already and he is our current resident bum.
John
- Mon Nov 28 13:34:11 2005

Yes Jimmy, I think Kev is right there. She looked at you and thought "hey, this bloke has some prospects in life", and in a moment where she completely forgot her chav instincts she determined to try it on with you. Clearly you weren't going to play ball with a seventeen year old sporting a stupid haircut, and replied in the only way a decent human being like yourself could. Then she reverted to type, and I bet her name was Tracy.
John
- Mon Nov 28 13:31:10 2005

Jimmy, the typical retort to that is a Boot In The Flange. John: I normally use Webmail when away from normal resources.
Rob Lang
- Mon Nov 28 13:29:19 2005

I think that was Chav foreplay Jimmy ;)
Kev
- Mon Nov 28 13:17:47 2005

Chavs! What's all that about? I was playing pool and drinking beer with a couple of friends, when this grotty-looking chav-girl approached me. "Can I have a swig of your beer?" She said. "No" I replied "go and buy your own". "I can't buy my own- I'm seventeen" she protested. When I continued to refuse, she slapped me hard round the face and marched away. What the hell was that about? What is wrong with these people?
Jimmy
- Mon Nov 28 12:58:27 2005

Incidentally, when we do eventually get a more permanent appartment I plan to buy a nano ITX based PC (just released in Japan), and have a tiny little server which is always on - so hopefully this will sort out my SMTP shortfall. In the meantime though I may need a stopgap measure!
John
- Mon Nov 28 12:54:01 2005

Apologies for a brief interjection of nerdiness, but can I ask you all about SMTP servers...? At the moment, my main email account is a fasthosts one, but unless you use fasthosts as an ISP, they don't provide you with an outgoing mail (SMTP) server. When the rest of you are all travelling, do you just use purely webmail? I like yo use a proper mail client (in my case thunderbird) as I find it a lot nicer to use than the webmail offered. At the moment I am using Reading Uni as my outoing SMTP server, but I got an email from them saying my account is going to be closed any day now, so I need to find an alternative. What should I do...?
John
- Mon Nov 28 12:52:28 2005

LOX : at least you have options ! ROB : Thank you. JOHN : You are the wise one.
Sheri a.k.a 'Ze Mean Frog'
- Mon Nov 28 11:02:34 2005

Mmmmmm not a good start of the day for me.. I have been trying to sort our WHAT I need to do after the surgery (rehab-wise) and so far I have had a million different oipinions.... :(
Lox
- Mon Nov 28 10:43:21 2005

A rather belated (late) Happy Birthday to Sheri! :-)
Rob Lang
- Mon Nov 28 10:32:57 2005

Snow here in Italy, both where I live and where I am at the moment (Florence).... Good morning everyone!!
Lox
- Mon Nov 28 09:42:50 2005

Hiya everybody! Snow up here in the North! Not enough to have fun with, just a spinkling. But news-worth none-the-less. Anyone else got snow?
dsp
- Mon Nov 28 09:21:04 2005

Sheri - I'm sure it's only a couple of bad apples spoiling it for everyone else. I mean, you're an ethnic minority yourself (Belgian!) and so am I now... All us minorities ought to stick together!
John
- Mon Nov 28 08:44:06 2005

Sheri: Ahhhh nice old sex talks! :)
Lox
- Sun Nov 27 20:34:13 2005

Sheri: While not PC in the least, that made me chuckle.
Travis
- Sun Nov 27 20:33:01 2005

Travis, Lox, Kev, Nigel, John : thanks to you all. Christelle (my lovely wife), Brinsley (my three years old son) and I spent a snowy afternoon with a couple of friends. As usual, we talked about sex (the best topic to revive a dying out conversation), education and... arabs. There is a large algerian community here and they're not particularly restful. We debated whether it would be wiser to nuke them once and for all...
Sheri a.k.a 'Ze Mean Frog'
- Sun Nov 27 19:19:16 2005

Sheri: feliz cumpleanos. It's windy beyond belief today. Unfortunately, today is the last day of our brief holiday. It was very nice. 24 hour drinking? Nice. I think 2am is closing time here. That's really late enough, but never know when you'll need a pint at 4 or 5 am.
Travis
- Sun Nov 27 17:03:17 2005

happy birthday Sheri and are you going to get crazily drunk ?
Kev
- Sun Nov 27 12:40:22 2005

Sheri: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! How many? I hope that you have aspledid Sunday out with your family + ,millions of presents!
John: Yeah it's a bit of a shame for the put thing, but as Sheri was saying I don't think that it will change the drinking patterns a lot.
Lox
- Sun Nov 27 10:53:21 2005

John, for your eyes I'd postone it gladly. Got some eau de toilette (Fahrenheit), books and a digital camera. Plus all the love from wife and son. Leaving now. I'll be away for the afternoon. I'll get back in touch tonight.
Sheri
- Sun Nov 27 10:45:20 2005

Funnily enough I too was watching Seattle TV the other day too, although I achieved this by the substantially more low-tech method of actually going there.
John
- Sun Nov 27 10:34:58 2005

Sheri - any good presents? Planning to drink irresponsibly at any point?
John
- Sun Nov 27 10:33:43 2005

Morning! Happy Birthday Sheri...! Travis: I was being a bit "vague" there. What I really meant was TV from the US in general.... Not particularly Lubbock etc. As I must be the only person without satelite TV, living in an area which cannot receive FreeView (free digital channels via a set-top box and standard aerial), the novelty of being able to watch _any_ digital TV from anywhere else is pretty cool. I was watching Seattle TV the other day...
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sun Nov 27 10:08:59 2005

Happy Birthday Sheri! Unfortunately you've picked a bad day on the message board to get a year older - not many people usually checking on a Sunday to send you their best wishes! Any chance you might consider postponing until tomorrow?
John
- Sun Nov 27 09:48:05 2005

John. About pubs remaining open after eleven. I understand it's highly frustrating for you. I wonder if it is wise? People rushed to drink as much as possible before the closing . I seriously doubt they are going to change their consumming habit just because they can remain longer...
Sheri
- Sun Nov 27 08:39:27 2005

My pleasure sheri !
Sheri
- Sun Nov 27 08:25:04 2005

Oh thank you Mr Sheri !
Sheri
- Sun Nov 27 08:24:45 2005

Happy biiiirthday to meee, happy biiiirthday to meee, happy biiiirthday to me Mr Sheridan, Happy biiiirthday to meee...
Sheri
- Sun Nov 27 08:24:09 2005

Did I read correctly that the new pub licensing laws have now come into effect in the UK...? What a nerve! 28 years I've lived in that country, and within a month of me officially moving abroad they decide to finally get around to fixing this!
John
- Sun Nov 27 04:15:51 2005

One wonders if Mr Al Hall is aware of the widespread proliferation of his one-time off hand remark...?
John
- Sun Nov 27 03:13:07 2005

As we used to say a long time ago.... GOOD MORNING GAYLORDS ARE YOU STILL GAY?
Lox
- Sat Nov 26 23:58:19 2005

Nigel: What, pray tell, do you watch from my neck o' the woods?
Travis
- Sat Nov 26 21:38:24 2005

Thanks Nigel. I'll try it first thing tomorrow.
Sheri
- Sat Nov 26 21:23:06 2005

Sheri: Yes, I have an eMac too! (And an iBook :)) The "widget" for internet TV is called - Widget Television VF2 - http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/movie_tv/widgettelevisionvf2.html . It was a bit temperamental to start with but seems to be improving with each download... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 26 21:00:21 2005

Nigel, I've got a mac too (emac OS X). What do I have to do to be able to watch internet TV ?
Sheri the Frog
- Sat Nov 26 20:37:44 2005

Travis: True! And the women were always "real" women!! TV Sci-Fi seems to have gone all P.C these days. No fun at all!! Sheri: Yes indeedy! If you've got broadband Internet radio is really quite good, isn't it? I even manage to watch Internet TV from Travis's part of the world on this splendid little Mac I have. A dock "Widget" if anyone's interested... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 26 20:26:52 2005

Hey, just realised I could listen to BBC radios through the net. That's so wonderful ! Feels like importing a bit of England home. Enjoy listening to BBC 3 and BBC 7 in particular. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/
Sheri the Frog
- Sat Nov 26 20:05:56 2005

I also love that the "leaders" in those sci fi shows were always lady killers...Kirk, Buck, Flash, Starbuck and Apollo, and I'm sure there were more. Great stuff. But Kirk was the best.
Travis
- Sat Nov 26 19:32:12 2005

Travis: Ahhh - green spandex cat-suits. Those were the days!!
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 26 16:58:05 2005

I used to love Buck Rogers...and I've of course got the soundtrack to the Flash Gordon film for which Queen provided the tunes. Great stuff.
Travis
- Sat Nov 26 16:48:21 2005

Part 2 - Buck Rogers and BattleStar Galactic, plus a host of lesser creations were copying the same formula. I tried to watch the first of the "new" SW films but as it was squarely aimed at kids, I gave the follow-ons a miss.
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 26 16:13:13 2005

Afternoon! Yep Kev - got it on one! As I'm a wee bit older than the "mean" round here I can confirm it was the fact that the original SW films were very new and novel. They maintained the 2001/Space1999 notion of white spacecraft, rather like NASA was producing. The fact that they were in no way meant to be in "our" Galaxy and time was also novel.
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 26 16:12:04 2005

The thing I liked about Star Wars and the other two that followed was the single threaded simplicity of the plot especially in IV. The new films have too many characters and the plots are just too complicated. Also they do seem primarily aimed at kids- at least IMHO much more so than the orginal trology - perhaps times where simpler then and the basic ideas and special effects were new and fresh.
Kev
- Sat Nov 26 16:01:47 2005

In the 3 newest films, the acting is largely bad (Christensen ruins episode II; Portman nearly annihilates episode III), the writing is completely terrible, and there's absolutely no chemistry between Portman and Christensen. And if Yoda's so good, why can't he just destroy Dooku? Loved seeing him toss around people in Episode III, but he couldn't land a shot on Dooku.
Travis
- Sat Nov 26 15:44:47 2005

I loved the 3 original SW films. I even prefer that universe to Tolkien's. Sorry, Brits. I must say, however, that of the 3 newer movies, episode I was bad, episode II was completely horrible, but I liked episode III. Would it have been good without the other 5 movies? Maybe not, but it did its job, I thought. Err...I need a password, it seems, to write longer messages...
Travis
- Sat Nov 26 15:42:52 2005

err... to break my balls cease you must ! Copy do you ?
Yoda
- Sat Nov 26 14:20:25 2005

John, Sheri: I think that the 3 movies have failed do update the novelty value that the original 3 had at the time they came out. The story is also another drawback as we all know how it ends. They still remain important movies as they are part of the SW universe, but the first 3 are far better than the sequels...
Lox
- Sat Nov 26 14:07:46 2005

Now that's a good case in point, is Yoda ordering us to stop pissing him off, or is he indicating that by stopping we would piss him off....?
John
- Sat Nov 26 13:36:22 2005

To piss me off stop you must... !
Yoda
- Sat Nov 26 13:30:15 2005

Let's pretend Yoda's speech disorder is the result of a cerebral haemorrhage (or a stone, your choice)...
Sheri
- Sat Nov 26 13:09:26 2005

Exactly my point !
Sheri
- Sat Nov 26 12:38:19 2005

Yep that's the fella. Interesting you should mention his speech difficulties - considering how old and clever he was you really would have thought he'd get a basic grasp on grammar wouln't you?
John
- Sat Nov 26 12:21:28 2005

John : you mean the little green hairy bogey stuffed with amphetamines and afflicted with a constant, irritating syntactic disorder ?
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Sat Nov 26 11:16:17 2005

What I did hugely enjoy from the new films was any bit in which Yoda got a bit tasty and kicked off - particularly at the end of Attack of the Clones where he has a bit of a tussle with Christoper Lee (Count Dooku?). In the original films you only ever got to see this feeble little thing that lived in a swamp, and I thought it was really cool seeing him flying about all over the place and knocking seven barrels of crap out of whomsoever was unfortunate enough to get in his way. He was pretty ghetto fabulous.
John
- Sat Nov 26 10:43:46 2005

Sheri - no doubt it has been said a million times before, but I think the fundamental problem with all three of the newly made Star Wars films is one of age. We were all (I think!) children or teenagers when the first films came out, and they had a certain sense of wonder because of that. I think if you take a cold, analytical look at the original three films you will find they are far from perfect, but I love them as much as the next man, largely because they somehow manage to re-invoke that childhood sense of wonder every time I watch them. Kids of today, however, probably think they are old and boring, and prefer the new three, Ja Ja Binks and all.
John
- Sat Nov 26 10:37:00 2005

Kev: The only complication that I can think of is an infection of the stiches. As for the rest it should be a fairly non-complicated surgery, I mean, I am not getting a brain operation!! As for recoverywe shall see, the aim is to play football in 6/7 months time. :)
Lox
- Sat Nov 26 09:54:05 2005

Just rented the last episod of StarWars (Revenge of the Sith). Dialogues are tedious if non existant, and the whole movie relies only on its special effect. A galactic crap.
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Sat Nov 26 09:39:01 2005

Apparently New Zealand is GMT+12 - a whole new extra time zone to get used to. Although Japan is GMT+9, they don't do DST here, so the effective difference is 4 hours. I.e. if it is 9AM Saturday morning here (breakfast time!) it is 1pm Saturday afternoon in NZ (lunch time).
John
- Fri Nov 25 23:57:03 2005

New Zealand eh? Aren't we doing a brilliant job of world coverage here on the message board?!? I think that is the first post from the Southern Hemisphere, at least to my knowledge...
John
- Fri Nov 25 23:48:45 2005

A very quick post from New Zealand, I have 1.35 mins left, then I have to go shopping. \\ Really great here, in the Bay of Islands, weather super, and scenery spectacular. Lox. Good luck with the surgery, it's never as bad as you think its going to be, trust me.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 25 21:05:46 2005

Sheri: Ahh, yes. Pledge of Allegiance. Well, that's not said in any public school past the elementary level. And it's disappearing from elementary schools every year (elementary is children from 5 through 12 years of age or so). It's not really a prayer, but I'm opposed to the recitation thereof...and it's not mandatory in any public school either. It once was, however.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 20:26:34 2005

Lox, are you actually in pain ?
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 19:21:00 2005

As for the "prayer" I referred to, I meant the "oath of allegiance" (for lack of a better word) to your nation (and its flag) that pupils have to recite aloud when starting class and in which God is mentioned.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 19:19:42 2005

Travis: Chirac is a complete scoundrel and our Belgian prime minister (cose, as you know, though living in France I'm Belgian) a flemish peasant. So you see, you have no reason to envy our leaders. In my previous post, I was mainly talking about secularism. I find it amazing how in USA religion mingles with politics. In France one is clearly separated from the other.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 19:11:16 2005

lox; what kind of complications ? the main reason i haven't done anything about my knee is because i worry about it going wrong and being worse than it is now.
kev
- Fri Nov 25 18:57:54 2005

Lox: Best of luck there, sir. Several of my friends have recovered from the surgery nicely. If you wear some sort of support, you should be fine for years.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 18:11:21 2005

John: They say that it will take 1 day of hospitalisation (1 night too by the way) but after that if there are not complications I should be able to go back home...
Lox
- Fri Nov 25 17:45:33 2005

As for the president, I don't know the quality of leaders in other countries, but I'm disgusted by the cloth from which our leaders come. I don't think that any of them in my lifetime are intelligent, moral people. On the other hand, neither were any of the people who ran against them and lost. You simply have to vote for a lesser of two evils or don't vote. It's a shame.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 17:00:04 2005

John: I think you're right. It's like Christmas minus the presents. Sheri: I'm not sure what you mean about praying everyday. It's not really allowed in public schools anymore. At least, it cant' be mandatory.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 16:58:13 2005

I shall be thinking about you on the 30th then Lorenzo! I hope it is not to painful for you afterwards... Will you have to stop in hospital afterwards at all, or is it a straight in, straight out job...?
John
- Fri Nov 25 14:57:01 2005

A proposito, ti ho mandato un mail.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 14:15:34 2005

Yes, that's the one.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 14:03:19 2005

Sheri: You mean BENIGNI?
By the way I am now in Florence and I'll be getting the famous surgery oon the 30th at 7,30 Am...
Lox
- Fri Nov 25 13:22:29 2005

Lox. Could you tell me more about Benini's latest feat. Heard he made polite gestures to his great friend Berlusconi last week. On a tv show.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 09:58:24 2005

On a more serious note, Travis, don't you think it's a bit misplaced to pray at school every morning and to mention "God" everytime a politician takes the oath or makes a comment ? When I hear your crazy though charismatic preachers addressing thousands if not millions of followers, it scares the shit out of me. Gives me the feeling America is a fundamentalist state. Fundamentalist and hypocritical.
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Fri Nov 25 09:51:40 2005

Moderation, John, moderation...
Sheri
- Fri Nov 25 08:08:00 2005

Well it is just after 5pm here, and my thoughts are turning to leaving the office. Unfortunately everyone seems to work until really late in this building, but today I am just going to be brave and walk out that door at 5:30. To hell with all the disapproving glances - my favourite whisky bar is beckoning me (and my pay packet)!
John
- Fri Nov 25 08:07:04 2005

WHAT !!!!!!! Travis, you, an american, ATHEIST ??!!! What would your beloved and most devout president, Protector of the right thinking Christians, Slaughterer of the Bearded Infidels, think of it !!!!!
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Fri Nov 25 08:05:48 2005

Hmmm, Thanksgiving always sounds a lot like Christmas #2 to me Travis!
John
- Fri Nov 25 08:04:07 2005

Two posts ago, "think" = "thing". Night, all...well, it's actually just past midnight. Bed time...
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 06:25:15 2005

On menu today...turkey, ham, filling/stuffing, carrots, broccoli and cheese, sweet potatoes/yams, corn, pumpkin pie, cranberry, and rolls. Good stuff. I was pretty pleased with the meal.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 06:24:03 2005

John: You may think ill of me, but Thanksgiving to me is just a big meal and football on TV. I'm an atheist so I've got no one special to thank. When my grandparents were all alive, I do recall people going around the table and saying one think for which they were thankful.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 06:22:00 2005

Oh yea Travis - I almost forgot - happy thanksgiving! Tell me, do you choose anything specific to give thanks for each year, or is it just the general roof over your head, food on your table, shoes on your feet etc....?
John
- Fri Nov 25 04:03:12 2005

I take your point Kev - I was hardly starved of alcohol during my period of unemployment! Well, it's the principal though...!
John
- Fri Nov 25 03:55:15 2005

Do it, John. As we were unable to find a palatable wine to go with the turkey, I ended up drinking beer. It was nice at any rate...Julius Echter, I believe. I even had a "dopple bock" which isn't my style in the least, but wasn't bad.
Travis
- Fri Nov 25 02:29:01 2005

the last comment made no sense but i think you get the jist?
kev
- Fri Nov 25 00:08:07 2005

congratulations john, although perhaps you should do something special and different than usual instead :P
kev
- Fri Nov 25 00:07:10 2005

Wahey I got paid today! First time in almost nine months! I am going to get soooooooo pissed when I finish work tonight....!
John
- Fri Nov 25 00:00:25 2005

yay, its snowing here great yarmouth.
kev
- Thu Nov 24 22:06:20 2005

As I was preparing the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner a few minutes ago, I wondered where I could find industrial chemicals. Not for the food or to poison my family. I mean, it's just a good thing to know.
Travis
- Thu Nov 24 16:29:13 2005

( some of it must have 'rubbed off' on Lox whilst he was living here! )
Kev
- Thu Nov 24 14:13:29 2005

Sheri, toiliet humour is the backbone of british society ;)
Kev
- Thu Nov 24 14:11:41 2005

Rob, Lox, Jimmy : And I thought I was graphic...
Sheri
- Thu Nov 24 12:53:48 2005

Yerk yerk yerk...
Sheri
- Thu Nov 24 12:45:31 2005

"Testicle dioxide" ?! .......... John, I can genuinely say your posts are always unpredictable, I never quite know what to expect next...!
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Thu Nov 24 12:43:10 2005

There is in fact a substance named cummingtonite.
Jimmy
- Thu Nov 24 11:41:11 2005

I wouldn't mind a liter of Titstenum Magnasside
Lox
- Thu Nov 24 11:02:40 2005

I would like a large lump of Buttockium.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 24 10:32:22 2005

John: I gather that you have not been fired for the firefox offence.
Lox
- Thu Nov 24 10:21:31 2005

That's a joke chemical isn't it? Not to mention arsenolite... Isn't that what scientists run round the lab shouting after an accident 'twixt a bunsen burner and their derriere....? My arse-on-alight! My arse-on-alight! Next thing they'll be trying to sell us willynillium or testicle dioxide!
John
- Thu Nov 24 10:07:32 2005

Great, dsp. I woke up this morning and thought that what I really needed was some 'arsenous oxide'. It's incredible how the internet spammers can read you mind. When I first read the post, I started giggling at 'arse' and lost the plot a bit after that.
Rob Lang
- Thu Nov 24 09:29:57 2005

Hi everyone, I checked their website and they do fun-size packs of potassium manganese ideal for the kids' lunch boxes.
dsp
- Thu Nov 24 09:21:55 2005

Jimmy: Funny. I was thinking to get the arsenic trioxide... On a second thought I was wondering if it pays to spam the world with these types of messages. I can barely understand "enlargments" and "blue pills" spam, there are a lot of sick people out there, but INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS!? I mean, it's hardly a consumer product isn't it? Who tought of this marketing plan must be a complete idiot!
Lox
- Thu Nov 24 09:07:17 2005

Think I'll get me some of that Chinese magnesite ...
Jimmy
- Thu Nov 24 08:54:55 2005

Good morning everyone by the way!
Lox
- Thu Nov 24 08:16:14 2005

Ciao MM!! How are you? Hope everything is well, will wait for posts from NZ! As for the spammer: bugger off, please?
Lox
- Thu Nov 24 07:32:38 2005

sodium silicofluoride ,sodium fluorosilicate, potassium silicofluoride, potassium fluorosilicate, magnesium silicofluoride, magnesium fluorosilicate, calcium silicofluoride , calcium fluorosilicate, zinc silicofluoride , zinc fluorosilicate, zinc chloride , sodium fluoride , arsenic, arsenic trioxide, arsenic oxide , white arsenic , arsenous , arsenous oxide , arsenous acid, arsenite, arsenolite, magnesium chloride etc. TEL: 0086-411-82827218 FAX: 0086-411-82810866 Email: lnjc@21cn.com
lianchuan yang <talc8888@sina.com.cn>
dalian, china - Thu Nov 24 07:05:26 2005

talc, brucite , dead burnt magnesite, caustic calcined magnesite, magnesium oxide, magnesite (magnesium carbonate), fused magnesia, saponite, chlorite, talcum etc, Best regards. Lianchun Yang. China haicheng pin yang talc mining co., ltd. Tel: 0086-411-82827218; 82903218 Fax: 0086-411-82810866 Email: lnjc@21cn.com talc8888@sina.com.cn http://www.talc-talcum.com
lianchuan yang <talc8888@sina.com.cn>
dalian, china - Thu Nov 24 07:04:31 2005

Sorry, this message was too big.
lianchuan yang <talc8888@sina.com.cn>
dalian, china - Thu Nov 24 07:03:51 2005

Sorry, this message was too big.
lianchuan yang <lnjc@21cn.com>
dalian, china - Thu Nov 24 07:03:35 2005

wollastonite, fluor, fluorspar, fluorite, calcite, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, barite, barytes, barium sulphate precipitated etc, you can go and view our web site at: Http://www.china-wollastonite.com Lianchun Yang. China jilin shanwei wollastonite mining co., ltd. Tel: 0086-411-82827218, 82903218 Fax: 0086-411-82810866,84602138 Email: lnjc@21cn.com talc8888@sina.com.cn http://www.china-wollastonite.com
lianchuan yang <lnjc@21cn.com>
dalian, china - Thu Nov 24 07:02:06 2005

That sounds spiffing MM! Nice to have you on this side of the world for a change! I rather fancy Singapore myself, all those hangovers from the glory days when we ruled the world (before America took over!) - afternoon tea etc... Marvellous.
John
- Thu Nov 24 06:53:04 2005

Well here I am in Changi airport in Singapore 7.30am, waiting for our fight to Auckland. Have to be at the gate in 35 minutes. So as there wasa terminal free I took the opportunity ....... Singapore is a super place, very very warm at the moment and a bit damp. Had High Tea in Raffles yesterday afternoon, very civilised. All for now, have an email or three to do. Will be in touch again from New Zealand.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 23 23:28:17 2005

supposed to be snowing here in the east on Friday YAY;)
Kev
- Wed Nov 23 23:07:28 2005

John: Or table sawing.
tom
- Wed Nov 23 17:38:26 2005

Not sure about the weather elsewhere, but I mowed my lawn in shorts and a sleeveless shirt moments ago (11am here). It's shaping up to be a very nice day for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Travis
- Wed Nov 23 17:14:43 2005

Lox. Not sure, Mum's only there for 3 weeks. I am sure she'll try and get on to show emails and the like but it will be quite sporadic!
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 23 16:11:45 2005

Rob: Good to hear! Will she be posting from there at all? It would be the first message from Down Under (or that area anyways)... :)
John: I hope they don't check also the party stealing / puking from the windows incidents, not to speak for strange fingers and general gayness.. .:)
Lox
- Wed Nov 23 12:29:56 2005

John, just pray their background checks don't include chair destruction.
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 23 10:30:00 2005

Mum has arrived safely round the other side of the world. Of course, that particular fact isn't that interesting to you globe-trotting lot!
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 23 10:29:07 2005

Yes the same Cheltenham Lox. I'm fine, thanks for asking! Yea work has been OK so far this week. Today is/was a national holiday, so I have been using the time trying to find an appartment. We found one place we quite liked, and have filled in all the necessary application forms etc... apparently though they have some quite stringent background checks and it is not uncommon to be rejected. Oh well, we just have to wait and see!
John
- Wed Nov 23 09:58:26 2005

As in Cheltenham where Jon Ellis lives? Or was it some other place? How are you Johnny boy? How's work and all things Japanese?
Lox
- Wed Nov 23 09:46:38 2005

I like Cheltenham! In fact Chie and I went there in January for a weekend away, and had a lovely time of it.
John
- Wed Nov 23 09:30:58 2005

Goooooood Morning CHELTENHAM!!! :) (or 'Nam, as it's known)
Jimmy
- Wed Nov 23 08:56:13 2005

Was anyone else up at o'silly'o'clock?
tom
- Wed Nov 23 08:43:07 2005

Goooooood Morning VIETNAM!!! :)
Lox
- Wed Nov 23 08:20:02 2005

The company in question is called "Network Rail". It owns all the track, all the stations and is responsible for all the infrastructure maintenance. It is a private company and is run in the usual commercial way, but isn't allowed to make any profit- so anything left over has to be re-invested. Is it efficient? Only time will tell ...
Jimmy
- Wed Nov 23 08:03:22 2005

Gooooooooooooooooooood mooooooooooooorning everyone.
Sheri
- Wed Nov 23 07:19:51 2005

Sheri: I'm not sure who runs it. If you mean the railroad, there is one company that owns the track and like 25 that own the stations and the like, I think. Is it efficient? I don't know. Like with any business, public or private, that varies.
Travis
- Wed Nov 23 00:29:10 2005

I mean, who runs it ? And is it efficient ?
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 18:35:00 2005

Travis: thanks for the link. But if it works for charity or humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross and Amnesty International, how does it work for the management of British railways ?
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 18:34:09 2005

Sheri: Non-profit organizations can make money...but they come out to a net zero profit because they pay out all of their earnings or re-invest them in new equipment. Let's see what our good friend has to say: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-profit
Travis
- Tue Nov 22 18:25:32 2005

Lox, how is it going on with your boss ?
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 18:23:23 2005

Jimmy: "Privately-owned but not-for-profit company". How could it work if it's private and doesn't make any profit ? It wouldn't be economically viable. Any economist would say it's a nonsense. I guess I miss something there. Could you tell me how it works ?
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 18:19:29 2005

Travis, enjoy your turkey !
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 18:07:27 2005

Sincerely doubting that any of you celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday, I must say that I'm probably in a better mood than any of you. Today is my last day at school/work until Monday. Huzzah!
Travis
- Tue Nov 22 14:44:52 2005

Jimmy: You are right, but non profit doens't stick too well into today' society.. :(
Lox
- Tue Nov 22 09:57:25 2005

Actually, I seem to like the word "Actually" today, don't I? Actually?
Jimmy
- Tue Nov 22 09:48:02 2005

Actually, I think that a privately-owned but not-for-profit company is quite a good compromise. It doesn't have the inefficiency of statge ownership (for example it is allowed to borrow money) but doesn't put shareholders before customers. Sadly, it seems that its commitment to the less-popular services is very low.
Jimmy
- Tue Nov 22 09:47:26 2005

Jimmy: Privatisation it's usually only a way to get more money in the hands of few people. Completition is non existant here in Europe, mostly because national laws prohibit foreign players to enter the market and also beacause the players are usual colluded in unofficila cartels (see Insurance companies). On the other side the state owned system is most of the times inefficient. In all cases consumers and customers are the one at loss, the only way to re-gain something is, as Sheri said, to become a stock holder.
Lox
- Tue Nov 22 09:42:32 2005

Actually, I don't think it was the privatisation of the British railway network that caused the problem ... it was the way it was split-up to maximuse profit rather than performance. The companies that ran the trains didn't own the lines, and had to kind-of rent them. The people that you talked (and complained) to at the station were not the same company that ran the trains, and each service seemed to be the responsibility of a unique operator. In the end, accountability went out the window (and safety and quality of service with it) because it all became a huge game of finger-pointing whenever something went wrong. Typically, the owners of the track would subcontract its maintenance to a third party, so it was difficult to decide who was acocuntable when the rails broke and the train crashed. There was no competition at all, so p[rices became very high, and if you didn't like it ... tough! The other trouble with railways is that there is very little in the way of redundancy/duplication of lines, which (from an engineering perspective) means that every stretch of track in the country is effectivly a single point of failure- if youy have to repair a part of the track, you need to shut the whole line, and there's no easy route the trains can take around the problem. Co-ordinating maintenance between track owners and train operators was, of couse, disastrously bad. I'm glad to see the UK railways being operated by a single company, because it can oversee and co-ordinate the whole system. The company is also non-for-profit, and I think that's an improvement too.
Jimmy
- Tue Nov 22 09:15:00 2005

Ciao guys.. .posting from work.. The first day has been hilarious, we had a COLLECTION MEETING!!! I am getting the operation soon and I have millions of things to do, so cannot post anything... Sorry. Today I am also going to be part of the "moving to a different place" meeting, it's going to be fun too! :)
Lox
- Tue Nov 22 09:12:01 2005

Yes, John, I've seen it. "Riff Raff" too. I woudn't venture to say that Ken Loach is well known over here, still his films attract an fairly big audience. At least I believe (I'm not really representative of the common people...).
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 06:43:43 2005

Yes Sheri, I have seen that actually! I am surprised anyone outside of the UK has heard of it! Have you seen it then? It paints a very dismal picture of that time, immediately post privatisation. It gave a very specific account of how prioritising profit over safety can lead to fatal accidents. It was also very good at depicting the dramatic drop in morale that occurred in rail workers at that time.

However, I can't avoid the fact that Travis has a very good point - when the British train system was the envy of the world (in Victorian times) it was actually largely (if not completely) privately run. Having said that I think society was somewhat different then, and personal responsibility was taken far more seriously. Clearly I wasn't around in the latter part of the 19th century to give a first hand account, but I get the impression when people complained something actually was done about it, unlike today.
John
- Tue Nov 22 04:09:27 2005

Sheri: Nice find! I've not seen it. I do get to see some obscure documentaries on the Independent Film Channel and Sundance, but I've never heard of this one. http://imdb.com/title/tt0279977/ Sounds good!
Travis
- Tue Nov 22 03:54:18 2005

John. I suppose you have heard of "The Navigators" (Ken Loach) which is an eloquent illustration of the problem. Have you seen it, Travis ? http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000063KMY/qid=1132624741/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/202-9431231-4084606
Sheri
- Tue Nov 22 02:04:09 2005

John: A (very) quick bit of research shows that during the 19th century, a privatized railroad system in the UK was very successful, but in the 20th century, the government exerted greater influence until taking over control. Even now (or as of 2000), it's not quite privatized. The track is held by a monopoly company designated by the government. Unless the article was wrong or I misread. Obviously, there is both good and bad either way.
Travis
- Mon Nov 21 23:02:20 2005

As an added, "oh and another thing" environmental reforms become much harder to implement with privatised energy companies. No doubt les verts in France were very against this privatisation!
John
- Mon Nov 21 22:02:40 2005

Privatisation in the UK has generally led to a few people becoming very well off, whilst the public at large received a worse service. I think it is generally agreed that a botched privitisation effort is at the root of why the British train system is now the butt of the world's jokes. It is also hard to ignore the fact that fatal train accidents have increased dramatically since privitisation - we seem to get almost one a year now.

Yes, clearly there are two sides to the coin, a poorly run nationalised system can also produce terrible results, especially where a corrupt government is involved. However, privatisation always leads to the re-ordering of prorities in any institution, and most of these sorts of companies aren't even embarassed about saying that they prioritise shareholder profit over safety, and customer satisfaction is several places further down the list.
John
- Mon Nov 21 21:59:57 2005

Sheri: As a skeptic of nationalized (or nationalised) anything, I'm intrigued to hear how this works out. Well played, France. Well played.
Travis
- Mon Nov 21 21:24:25 2005

The French national electricity company is in the process of being privatized. At least partially. People rushed to get stock options. One buyer has been interviewed today. The classic "français moyen" (middle class Frenchman). The journalist: Are you against the privatization of our national companies ? The man: Absolutely! The journalist: But you just bought stock options...! The man: Yes, like everyone else (je fais comme tout le monde). How logical... and so typical!
Sheri the Desperate
- Mon Nov 21 19:18:54 2005

So Lox, how was your day at work. Did you get flowers from your boss ?
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 16:56:55 2005

Well, one and all that's me done and dusted until the middle of December. If I get a chance I shall contact you all from the other side of the world!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 21 15:02:31 2005

MM. 1) My stepparents are leaving for Thailand today. On holiday too. Amusing. 2) You are very photogenic. 3) Have a pleasant flight.
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 11:40:40 2005

Why would she shout such a fine word, John ? What is the context ?
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 11:36:11 2005

Thanks Rob - I'm still at work, of course, better than being wound up all day by "'im indoors". Leaving here at 3pm.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Nov 21 11:33:31 2005

Happy Landings to Mum and Dad who will be leaving for NZ today! Have a happy holiday!
Rob Lang
- Mon Nov 21 11:27:41 2005

Strangely there is an Italian Tv program on the telly here in Japan at the moment, and there was a woman shouting "bastaaaaadi" just now. Which was nice.
John
- Mon Nov 21 11:07:19 2005

It's FREEZING COLD here !!!!! We passed from summer directly to winter. no autumn. The weather seems to be capricious.
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 10:51:40 2005

Err, that's great Sheri! It's nice to have it all out in the open (quite literally it sounds, in your case)!
John
- Mon Nov 21 10:36:56 2005

John, that's part of my charm, isn't it ? Yes, I plead guilty, je suis un obsédé sexuel, I'm a sex maniac. But, have no fear, I'm not dangerous...
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 07:22:49 2005

Lox, we were naked all right. Just that the smoke sticks to your skin and hair. We were too dead tired to have a shower when coming home. Anyway, good day to everyone.
Sheri
- Mon Nov 21 07:10:50 2005

Ahh, good luck, Lox. A friend who was an avid bike rider and skateboarder suffered a similar injury years ago and hasn't had it repaired. It's not a big deal (not painful), but he can't play any sports...I couldn't give 'em up personally.
Travis
- Mon Nov 21 00:24:52 2005

Travis: Yes, it's the same. I have a ruptured ACL or anterior cruciate ligament, football injury that I have got in July.. I could avoid surgery, but I want to do sports at least for another 10 years, so it's better to get on with it... Ad for the advancements, I hope that everything will go well, and yes I know that compared to some years ago the recovery is now faster, but I think that I'll have to wait 6 months at least to get back to normality...
Sheri: Now that's interesting, I have had a similar effect, but only on clothes. Therefore while copulating I would have not been in a position of smelling anything as normally I am naked...
John: You forget that we are Europeans... :P
Lox
- Sun Nov 20 23:36:21 2005

Sheri, I can genuinely say your posts are always unpredictable, I never quite know what to expect next...!
John
- Sun Nov 20 20:47:57 2005

Is a keyhole surgery the same as arthroscopic surgery? Lox: What's your injury? I was recently reading about knee surgeries...the recent advances are incredible in terms of invasivness and recovery time.
Travis
- Sun Nov 20 16:25:51 2005

Ah Lox, welcome back. Sia il benvenuto da questa parte del mondo. Sai una cosa ? Yesterday, I went with Christelle to a party. Too much smoke. Our clothes and hair went impregnated with it. Came home late. And stamattina, when copulating, felt like two ashtrays having convulsions. Quick, quick, a shower.
Sheri
- Sun Nov 20 09:19:54 2005

I am back!!! Kev: It sounds like a cartilage problem all right... It's an easier operation and you can walk evry very quickly after that (usually 3 weeks). Mine it's a little longer on the recovery side (6 months) and it will take some time for me to walk properly (2 months for 100% walk), but all in all is a standard surgery nowadays. And Yes it is keyhole surgery!
Lox
- Sun Nov 20 08:59:28 2005

Last night I slept naked. Felt weird.
Sheri the Naturist
- Sun Nov 20 08:42:52 2005

According to the Watsonian school of medicine these kinds of war injuries can be affected by changes in pressure etc. Perhaps being back by the sea has somehow had an effect Kev...?
John
- Sun Nov 20 00:17:25 2005

lox; are you getting keyhole surgery ? travis; my knee is an old football injury from school- ironically i hate football! yesterday i think some cartilidge got trapped in the joint, really hurt- usually i can sort of 'poke' it back in place but this time it jamed up lol till this morning. its ok now now but my knee status is "elevated and wary" :)
kev
- Sat Nov 19 20:10:16 2005

Kev: What's your injury? I've got some shaky knees...think I've got some loose cartilage as well. When I run without wearing a brace, I'm virtually guaranteed to get some inflammation and pain when I try to bend it with weight on it. Unfortunately, walking puts weight on it so it's a pain. I'm avoiding surgery.
Travis
- Sat Nov 19 19:55:24 2005

Kev: Ciao Kev! The knee was very bad at first, mostly because I had a fair and I had to stand up ALL day for 3 days.. After that it did act funny a bit, esecially as I am carrying around more than 50Kg of bags, but it held in place. Will have my surgery on the 30th, after 6 months I am planning to be back playing football. Hopefully all will go well, I am a bit scared to be honest...
Lox
- Sat Nov 19 19:18:20 2005

lox, hows your knee holding up under all this travelling, my old 'war' injury starting playing up yesterday, hurt like heck, but is ok now. I think I have loose cartelidge or something!
Kev
- Sat Nov 19 18:57:39 2005

Nigel: Nnnaaaaaa I have a strong hate for Duty Frees... won´t buy anything from there!
Lox
- Sat Nov 19 18:40:07 2005

Nearly there, Lox! Don't forget the duty-free!!
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 19 17:43:04 2005

Quick post from Frankfurt, hoping that I can get home soon... I really can´t take this trip anymore... :(
Lox
- Sat Nov 19 17:39:49 2005

Hi all! Well, another Saturday wasted in the crush of an overcrowded city centre. Why do we do this? :( Glad you're back with Chie, John!
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 19 16:46:09 2005

Back in Tokyo now then, and it is currently I-don't-know-what-the-hell-it-is o' clock.
John
- Sat Nov 19 10:10:44 2005

Travel safe you guys... And GoodNight from Oswestry... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Sat Nov 19 00:24:23 2005

9:00 Am here in Korea getting ready to go... Next message will be either from the Airport of from Europe!
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 23:38:04 2005

MM: WAY TO GO!
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 23:14:13 2005

MM : edifying picture !
Sheri the disrespectful
- Fri Nov 18 18:13:41 2005

He is The One
tom
- Fri Nov 18 17:24:33 2005

You're so Cyber, you shit binary, John!
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 18 16:48:14 2005

Right, well I'm off then. Next time I write will be in Tokyo, another confusing time difference to get to grips with!
John
- Fri Nov 18 16:46:58 2005

Great picture Rob! You look a bit like somebody famous there MM, but I can't quite work out who...
John
- Fri Nov 18 16:46:28 2005

Cyberdad will get left at home, if he's not careful. I've had any number of offers to take his place
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 18 16:45:59 2005

Perhaps it should be mentioned that I was actually playing the witch in Into the Woods in this photo - used for all the publicity. Mind you, that hat would do for....................
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 18 16:44:13 2005

Safe Journeying, John-boy! Happy Landings!
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 18 16:42:16 2005

Something to scare you all with. It's Mad Mumsie:



(Thanks to Cyberdad for the image)
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 18 16:41:36 2005

Something to scare you all with. It's Mad Mumsie: (Thanks to Cyberdad for the image)
Rob Lang
- Fri Nov 18 16:41:30 2005

Well, it's 8AM here, I have to leave my hotel in one hour to go to the airport, and I'm not in any way packed at all. I am wondering what is the minimum possible effort I can get away with.
John
- Fri Nov 18 16:02:12 2005

Lox. Ok. No need to say it twice. Actually I didn't know you had a place in Florence. Excellent !
Sheri the Bloke Who Knows Where He'll Spend His Next Holiday
- Fri Nov 18 15:54:00 2005

Nigel, do you by any chance look like a rugby player... ?
Sheri
- Fri Nov 18 15:46:30 2005

No problem, Sheri. I wish I was drunk! But... Why do you want a Rugby Player on your arm?!? Are you trying to tell us something?!?!? :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 15:29:05 2005

Sheri: Me casa, su casa! Really! If you wanna come down to Florence we can certainly arragnge, of course you'll stay at my place. As for the hookers, it might be an expensive part that one... Though I am sure that with some wits and charms we might be able to pull some lass...
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 15:23:12 2005

Of course, you'll have to invite me. I don't have the means...
Sheri the Decadent
- Fri Nov 18 15:14:54 2005

What d'you reckon ?
Sheri the Decadent
- Fri Nov 18 15:13:34 2005

Lox, one day we'll have to meet in Florence and get pissed together, a hooker in each arm, plus a nice cigar.
Sheri the Decadent
- Fri Nov 18 15:13:00 2005

Oh, the days of drinking at work...how I long for them.
Travis
- Fri Nov 18 14:57:11 2005

Graf: Exactely, but the problem is that my current laptop is rather "crap" and doesn't have a dvd burner... So the idea was to put the image on the usb drive, then I use the other proper computer (only windows there) to burn the image... I am now copying the chunks that I hae created with the java thing, let's see if it works!
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 14:56:50 2005

Sheri: I am drunk mate! Shochu from Korea, evil stuff and rather strong... they don't drink water at dinner here so it's impossible NOT to get drunk considering that everything is SOooooo spicy!
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 14:54:52 2005

Yep, it's Lox. Sorry Nigel. Read too fast. Thought it was you.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 18 14:54:15 2005

Or is it Lox who's completely drunk ?
Sheri
- Fri Nov 18 14:52:30 2005

Nigel. You are drunk ? I think I'm going to follow your example. Just realised I made a mistake in one of my (technical) drawings. I have to start all over again. Another two days work. Fuckedoodledo.
Sheri
- Fri Nov 18 14:51:17 2005

Lox: I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to achieve with moving you DVD image to a different machine. Presumably you're going to burn it to a dvd, but from windows or linux? If it's linux, you might be best off reformatting the usb drive to ext2fs. You can get software to read ext2fs from windows too, though I've never tried it.
Graf
- Fri Nov 18 14:46:47 2005

Kev, Nigel: Thanks for the help I might have found a good solution... A JAVA SPLITTER!! :) Cross platform and there you go! Considering that I am drunk like a madman it's quite an achievement! :)
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 14:42:15 2005

lox, Vmware is a virtual PC, you can install any OS on it. Sort a Computer in a computer. The 'inner' computer can talk to the 'outer' and vice-versa.
Kev
- Fri Nov 18 14:16:04 2005

Travis: Hmmm. And how does it "stick" where it is too? Just imagine turning a corner abruptly and leaving your mind behind...!! Facinating!! Actually, now that I think about it... Perhaps I shouldn't have gone out in to town at lunch time!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 14:10:48 2005

Oh, I now see that Kev mentioned vmware. I don't know what it is :)
Travis
- Fri Nov 18 14:00:13 2005

Lox: I don't know. What is vmware? Nigel: Sure that's relevant in terms of "placing" the mind. How can something that's non-physical have any causal power over something that's wholly physical? That's a serious problem.
Travis
- Fri Nov 18 13:59:14 2005

Good man, Lox! Cheers! And, yes LINUX should, depending on which variety you are using. My own SUSE 9.3/10 and Xandros sees my NTFS partitions fine - not so sure about Ubuntu.
Nigel
Wrexham, ,,, - Fri Nov 18 13:44:34 2005

A small notice: I am COMPLETELY DRUNK.

Nigel: No problem to convert some of the Fat32 USB Drive to a NTFS one, but would linux see it?
Travis: What is vmware exactely? I'll google it to see what I come up with...
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 13:19:54 2005

"The sun has got his hat on, hip-hip-hip horray, the sun has got his hat on and some one has closed the blinds...! :(
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 11:15:30 2005

lox, how about get vmware for linux, install 2k on virtual drive and voila you can copy file from linux to windows ;)
kev
- Fri Nov 18 10:34:52 2005

lox, i take it your using 98 or me, fat32 can't support greater than 4gb, you need ntfs - 2000 or xp i think which is probably not the best news.
kev
- Fri Nov 18 10:10:50 2005

Well, I guess your 4.7GB file is a *.ISO image, right? If so, burn it to DVD. Another option (if you have all day and a powerful CPU!) use an archiver. This might get it below the 4GB limit. Otherwise convert to NTFS with Partition Magic.... Or an external USB HD... Or just order the Linux distro from linuxemporium.co.uk :)))
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 10:03:09 2005

Fat32....: I have still the same problem with that basta*d 4,2 gigs file... I have SPLITTED it, copied it to the HD (Fat32) but then if I re-build it it's going to give me the same error isn't it? More than 4 gigs will be impossible... So my questin is, there is no way to trasnfer files bigger than 4 gigs from Linux to windows? Anyone can help there?
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 09:54:58 2005

Why "Norbury"?
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 09:51:10 2005

Splendid! I'll file that one away too!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 09:39:28 2005

Before I retire for the evening, may I leave you with a current favourite closing line from The Yellow Face in the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes:

"Watson", said he, "if it should ever strike you that I am getting a little over-confident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whsiper 'Norbury' in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you."
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:34:20 2005

No worries John. Nothing I say on any given "Friday" can be classed as important or earth-shattering!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 09:29:25 2005

Ah, Sherlock Holmes - or should that be Jeremy Brett ??? (Synonymous in my opinion) "Trousered" is a phrase I plan on using more often! :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 09:27:58 2005

Sorry Nigel, my efforts to fix my shameful HTML error may have lost your message from the monthly version of the board. I shouldn't be allowed to write anything sophisticated when I've been drinking!
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:26:55 2005

MM: GREAT STUFF, it's one of my "I'll certainly set my foot there" locations...
Jimmy: Scary dream that is! Did you wake up all sweatty and scared in the night? I wouldn't go so far into the meaning of the dream itself, but it certainly is a weird dream!! Compliments :P
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 09:22:51 2005

Nigel, yes, the one colleague from the Tokyo office who is still here put in a very respectable effort this evening.
On a completely unrelated note (for a change) I finished reading the Sherlock Holmes novel The Sign of Four a couple of days ago. What I particularly enjoyed was the bit towards the end, where Holmes had devised a plan to catch the villains (involving a boat chase), however for some reason they couldn't execute the plan for a few hours, so in the interim him, Watson and the guy from Scotland Yard (Mr. Athelney Jones) sat in Baker Street and got really tanked up on wine and port. You've got to admire that - they went out on a life threatening mission, where they narrowly escaped a painful death from a poisoned blowpipe dart, and they were all absolutely trousered. Marvellous.
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:22:32 2005

I salute you Sir, for being able to say you're tiddly, *despite* it being only 09:09 and with a sound reason!! Did your colleagues also imbibe or where you "rushing in where angels fear to tread" ???? !!! :))
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 09:11:16 2005

Jimmy/MM/John: Or "Wind" !!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 09:08:49 2005

There is something quite embarassing about reporting having had a bit to drink, when the time of the message says it is 9AM. I hope you all appreciate the time difference!
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:08:01 2005

MM - New Zealand - now that sounds fab! I think me and Chie have got this penciled in as a potential honeymoon location...
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:06:04 2005

Now I read a bit of Jung a few years back, and one of the most important things I took away from that was that interpreting dreams really needs to be a case-by-case basis. Although some subconcious symbolisms are common amongst people, generally speaking you have built up your own internal storage mechanism and thus symbols have a different meaning to me as they would to you. In very broad terms I would suggest the symbolism in your dream implies a feeling of isolationism, and perhaps concerns over inadequacy with respect to your role in life, tempered with possible uncertainty about your stance on religion. However, all of these observations need to be taken with a huge pinch of salt, given that (A) I am not a trained psychiatrist (B) I have not conducted a full study of your psychological profile and (C) I've had a fiar bit to drink.
John
- Fri Nov 18 09:04:43 2005

Nigel, he probably had red wine as well.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 18 09:00:00 2005

Great minds, MM !!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 08:58:50 2005

It seems that half of the Maison is on the move somewhere, John to Japan, Lox to Italy and me - I'm off to New Zealand for three weeks on Monday.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 18 08:58:36 2005

Travis: I'd expect you *would* need a stiff drink after a talk like that!! Read an interesting comment the other day about the separateness of mind from body - our cells die and regenerate many times over life but the mind/memories continue. We don't have the same body now as a few years ago... Is this relevant?? :/
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 08:58:04 2005

Jimmy, stop eating cheese before bedtime.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Nov 18 08:56:51 2005

Jimmy: You had both cheese *and* curry before you went to bed??? :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Fri Nov 18 08:54:07 2005

Sorry, but I have to tell you all about this weird dream I had last night. The Catholic church offered me the job of Pope. Not sure why, but there it was. The thing is, when somebody is offered this job, it's highly embarassing for everyone involved if they turn it down. So to avoid this problem, after the offer is made, they all sing a hymn and the potential Pope can politely signal his refusal by singing an alternative version of one of the verses. Both versions are printed in the hymn-book, and everybody listens very carefully to what he sings ... to see whether or not he accepts the job. The trouble was, I didn't know which verse meant "No thanks" and which meant "Oh go on then". There was a description in the hymn-book as to which was which ... but sadly it was full of double-negatives (and worse) so I coudln't work out which one to sing. I didn't think I really wanted the job, but I thought it would be a big shame to turn it down by singing the wrong verse accidentally! Now what the hell does that dream mean?!
Jimmy
- Fri Nov 18 08:39:28 2005

Finally I am back at the hotel... I still have the last dinner out with my agent and then the trip will be practically finished. Tomorrow morning I will fly away from Korea back to Italy.
There is a piece of good news, the surgery, originally delayed till the 10th of January, has been anticipated after the surgeon remembered that he promised me to be "cut" before the end of the year. So now the new date is the 30th of November, I couldn't hope for a best date, as it will give me just enough time to sort our work related problems and off to Florence for a good 1 month and half (even though I will be in great pain and with crutches)...
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 08:18:07 2005

The highlight of the evening, after searching for a parking spot for literally 40 minutes, was finding a new dunkel at the pub. It was very good...
Travis
- Fri Nov 18 06:02:43 2005

John: Have a safe flight! I guess we'll be flying during the same time slot, I will arrive Saturday night too...
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 04:52:10 2005

Well that's my last day in the office here in the US all over and done with... Going for one last all expenses paid blow out to celebrate now! Flying back tomorrow lunch time (US time) so will get to Japan late Saturday afternoon (Japanese time).
John
- Fri Nov 18 02:58:21 2005

Yea, East Grinstead Kev. I'm not sure why that was the first word that popped into my head. Was it in the news recently or something?
John
- Fri Nov 18 01:59:48 2005

Leaving shortly for a talk on the mind-body problem and free will. Afterwards, I'll enjoy my first trip to the pub in months. Literally. So sad...
Travis
- Fri Nov 18 00:50:11 2005

To la Maison: I have added reviews and links on Google Base of the recipie page and the site itself... (didn't have anything to do you see...)
Lox
- Fri Nov 18 00:24:57 2005

as in East Grinstead?
kev
- Fri Nov 18 00:10:26 2005

I notice Nigel suffers the same indecision I do about where to put the e and o in "emperor". This gives me an idea - you know how US English has adopted some different spellings etc to "conventional" English, presumably to help keep things simpler (color, gray, aluminum, words ending with ize, etc)... Well, maybe we could restandardise English for the 'Maison, to make life easier for ourselves. I have particular difficulty with the word "separate", and would prefer it instead to be spelt "grinstead".
John
- Thu Nov 17 23:37:42 2005

... or "you crazy fool!" (if you're B.A of course)
kev
- Thu Nov 17 23:15:02 2005

Ah yes Sheri, as Nigel said it is jester. Or sometimes we say just "fool" instead, pretty close to the French there. Yes please feel free to criticise away to your heart's content!
John
- Thu Nov 17 22:41:44 2005

Ah, Sheri - you mean the "court-jester"!! I understand now. Mind you, John's comparison with "the emporer's new clothes" is pretty good! Right, off to play with the new iPod!
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Thu Nov 17 20:21:18 2005

Hi John. 1) Last day, you say. I'm happy for you. Have a safe journey back to Japan. 2) "Le fou du roi" was a servant who - in the Middle Ages - would stand next to the king and, being considered (or at least dressed) as a fool, was allowed to speak up his mind and criticize freely his master. I wanted to use it as a metaphor and play the role of the "fou" on your blog.
Sheri
- Thu Nov 17 19:04:05 2005

John: I can say that the US has been a better place during your brief stay. Bonnes chances.
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 16:46:46 2005

Nigel, I don't know what I'd be giving up, to be honest :) I receive a stipend as a Graduate Instructor here. I just need to defend my thesis to get my philosophy MA and I'll get my Classics MA in 3 more semesters. I'm going to be in school for a long time, probably. I'll do a PhD in philosophy after this. Unless, of course, I become filthy rich off of my writing.
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 16:45:03 2005

Do you fly tomorrow John, if so, Safe Journey.
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Nov 17 16:40:18 2005

Good luck John!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 16:23:18 2005

Downside to owning a MAC... You will find it hard getting an HD MP3 player, other than iPod, which will work with it. I'm not a one-make guy these days and had seen another nice player... but it wouldn't play ball with the MAC. I know other manufacturers are all trying to copy and even surplant Apple, but the least they should do is make their machines compatible and so viable alternatives! Had to buy an iPod Mini in the end... Still VERY nice, though so "yesterday" :/
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 16:22:13 2005

About to embark on my last day in the office here in the US - yippee!
John
- Thu Nov 17 16:21:08 2005

I have to ask Travis, so did you give it all up to go to Uni and study Classics and Phil.? Not the "normal" career route I would have thought :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 14:55:41 2005

Lox: There are certainly scary people in american football. Some very scary people. But hitting is part of the game. I was a tailback (the guy who runs the ball) from the time I was 9 until I was 18, in formal leagues. I almost never minded getting hit. You don't really notice it until after the game. Now, if I didn't have pads...yikes!
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 14:05:59 2005

Argh! DEBUG build works fine. RELEASE broken to pieces. Typical!
Jimmy
- Thu Nov 17 10:22:13 2005

Nigel: I guess you are right... I have lost much of my love for football (before coming to England I used to go to every match of Fiorentina, both home and away), but now it's just a big showcase for adverts and businesses in general. On the other side, I still like the game, I play it (I will once my surgery gets underway), and I like to wach it... American football? They are scary people, I have a friend who played college level and he told me that the armor is just an excuse to hit harder...
Lox
- Thu Nov 17 09:38:45 2005

By the way "Morning All"!! Lox: well done on sussing-out SPLIT unaided! As for football - that American Football looks terrifying given the size of those blokes! All kitted out in their armour they must be slightly daunting to encounter! "Soccer" though is certainly skilled - I used to love it as a lad. Now though it's more about money and celebrity - big turn-offs for me so I don't bother (my Mum used to date a goal-keeper!)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 09:23:10 2005

Sadly I have to agree I feel the "present" version is too modern - especially in the use of the word "atishoo" (or similar) BUT it's not just the ryhme itself that counts; there are also actions that go with it making up the playground participation. You may know but it involved several people holding hand in a ring, dancing round and then all falling to the ground at the end. A good "pseudo-proof" I feel!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 09:16:37 2005

Travis: I thank you Sir! Though I doubt I can live up to your confidence :/ I'd counter by asking why dispute? Empirical proof is unlikely given time-span. However, why was the link only made in modern times, if there was no actual connection historically, or no thread to follow? Was it introduced in a reformation play perhaps? I think not! We might as well end the rhyme in a more modern way with "... an iPod, an iPod, we all listen to music!"
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Thu Nov 17 09:10:45 2005

Naaaa I managed to find the way no probs there !!
Lox
- Thu Nov 17 09:06:26 2005

Tom, Nigel, Dsp(?): Sorry to bother again guys with the Linux situation.... I managed to SPLIT the 4,2Gig file but how do I put it back again!? :(
Lox
- Thu Nov 17 08:48:00 2005

Sheri: Best Compliments!
John: The point of living abroad is that you also take the good things of the country in which you are living. Of course you are going to miss England, it's your homeland, but also in Japan you'll be able to find something nice... If that is not the case, then you can go back, it's what is keeping me alive, the backdoor that I can use to walk away from the show if it's becoming unbeareable...
Lox
- Thu Nov 17 08:08:06 2005

Eureka ! I finally know how to knot a tie properly. Love the Windsor knot ! http://www.tie-a-tie.net/
Sheri the Magnificent
- Thu Nov 17 08:01:56 2005

I find patriotism rather embarassing, even frightening, and I never want to be the sort of English person who makes Spanish tourist resorts a nightmare... but having said all of that, the more time I spend outside of Britain, the more I realise just how much I love my country.
John
- Thu Nov 17 05:23:46 2005

Tim - Alan Partridge is a very good analogy for my current state of mind! Yes though, like you say, it is only a few more days now... Can't wait until I can get back to Japan, so I can then resume whinging about how everything there isn't as good as it is in the UK either :)
John
- Thu Nov 17 05:20:03 2005

Lox: I honestly have nothing against soccer...and it's surely not for sissies. Those guys are insane. I just don't play it. I really do love american football though. It's the sport closest (in my estimation) to a battlefield...none of this "don't use your hands" business...but far safer than getting stabbed with a spear.
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 04:20:11 2005

John: Your recent blog posts remind me of Alan Partridge living in the Norwich Travel Inn living off Ginsters pasties from the Elf garage. Only a week left, chin up!
dsp
- Thu Nov 17 03:10:57 2005

Travis: I KNEW that you were going to say that! Well, doesn't matter, american football is ok I guess, nothing like Rugby though! If Soccer is for sissies (but yet again there are no protections), american football compared to rugby is for pansies!
Lox
- Thu Nov 17 00:41:05 2005

Nigel: Well, what of the claim (I don't know that it's fact) that no one wrote this down until the late 1800s? And four of the versions from that time have no ties at all to the plague. I still don't see why the plague version is the priveliged position. If you're going to stipulate a connection between two things, the onus is on you. Why are the versions that best fit the plague interpretation any more legit than the others? I'll give you the last word on this. Have at it!
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 00:40:23 2005

Lox/Nigel: Crap. Forgot who was talking about football. I LOVE American football. I follow both college and professional football. I also play on occasion...and played all through my youth. Love it. Soccer? :) Nah...it's for sissies.
Travis
- Thu Nov 17 00:32:54 2005

John: I like that event thing. Is that how they double proof their software at MS? Interesting....
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 23:32:36 2005

John: As a matter of fact football was invented by English people, believe it or not. Then we simply perfected it.
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 23:31:56 2005

Mmmmm... dirty evil starbucks espresso.
John
- Wed Nov 16 23:30:00 2005

Nice John, nice!
dsp
- Wed Nov 16 22:16:30 2005

Oh my other newly acquired nugget is that analysts here have estimated that SetEvent gets called all over the world about 1 billion times a second in total. As a consequence they were able to conclude "We're pretty sure it works OK". You've gotta love that kind of reasoning.
John
- Wed Nov 16 22:11:44 2005

Yes I'm afraid there aren't many of us that are that into football here Lox. Clearly for you it is somewhat more ingrained in your culture being Italian and everything... In fact, was the game actually invented in Italy? This could explain why they change ends at half time! (sorry)
John
- Wed Nov 16 21:53:48 2005

Sheri: no doubt my response is hoplessly too late, but does "le fou du roi" mean "the stupidity of the king"...? Here at (well known software company) I have heard a lot of references to the emperor's new clothes which I believe may be a similar phenomenon. People here say "Who is going to tell the emperor he's naked?", meaning who is going to inform the know-it-all developer that his code sucks. I liked this.
John
- Wed Nov 16 21:50:06 2005

Ah, we were all going home, Sheri! Then we had to kiss the family, have our dinner and put the kids to bed.... Now I'm ready for ... not much really!
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Wed Nov 16 20:08:01 2005

Curious. No one's here ? Ah well ! .................................. ALL BY MYYYYYYYYYYYSELF...
Sheri the Lonely
- Wed Nov 16 18:49:14 2005

There, I'm back... and in one piece.
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 18:15:56 2005

Thanks for your support, Nigel. A tout à l'heure.
Sheri, Who By "Nonsense" Means "Life"...
- Wed Nov 16 17:04:42 2005

Going out for a walk. See you later... if I come back.
Sheri, the Poor Guy Who Keeps Wondering About the Meaning of All This Nonsense...
- Wed Nov 16 16:59:54 2005

Ha-ha!! The perfect line to use at your next job interview! Guaranteed to get results!! If I tried that one here, they would just laugh and then say "Answer that, will you Nigel?" :/
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 16:58:43 2005

Anyway, I'm pissed, fucked up and still trying to find a way to get rich quickly.
Sheri the Desperate
- Wed Nov 16 16:52:22 2005

Nigel, very good. You're making perceptible progress.
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 16:43:06 2005

Catherine Deneuve ? You ARE a queen, aren't you ?!
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 16:40:54 2005

No, Lox, I don't "shit" on football. "Exécrer" doesn't mean "defecate". You have a dirty mind, which doesn't surprise me, given what I saw in one of your pics from your last article. Naughty boy !
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 16:39:14 2005

Je suis Catherine Deneuve.
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 16:36:46 2005

Ahhh! Si vous thinkez nous can talk un bit de Franglais, Je pense Je can join in too!! Je avez deux pied gauche so Je just keeps falling sur mon tete!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 16:32:39 2005

Sheri: You shit on football?! Tragedy and terror strike the lands of la maison! Gosh am I the only one on this site who likes foodball?
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 16:29:54 2005

Dsp. Je déteste jouer au football. J'exècre le football.
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 16:27:21 2005

LINUX guys: I managed to split a file using the "split" command... How do I put it back together now?
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 16:24:18 2005

Here is the last instalment of the Taiwnese trip. Got rid of the riddler...
I guess that there are moments when we all feel like we could use some....




Lox
- Wed Nov 16 16:23:18 2005

Ring a Ring a Quality Street...
dsp
- Wed Nov 16 16:03:16 2005

And if I stop playing Devil's Advocate here for a moment, I have to admit I feel the present day words of the Rhyme are a bit too "modern" for my liking, however this might just be the ongoing modernisation of a core of truth that did actually originate in the mid-14thC... :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 16:00:39 2005

dsp: You little tinker! Travis: Ok then, I'll bite... here goes!!! Chaucer lived 1343-1400 - all manuscripts that survived were 15thC so presumably copies. He was 0-young when the plague swept (1347+-ish) and there was the 100-years war going on 1337-1453 too. He moved in elevated circles and wrote in that weirdy olde-Englishy middle oojimaflip. Why *should* he specifically mention one nursery rhyme??? Did he catalogue and chronicle all such?? :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 15:53:23 2005

Dsp: You love to play football? Since when?
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 15:35:36 2005

J'aime jouey au football.
dsp
- Wed Nov 16 15:14:50 2005

Obviously certain oral traditions have continued for years without being recorded (most of the Roman and Greek myths, for instance), but the 14th through 19th centuries were far different. Seems that someone would have recorded something...the lack of anything similar in Chaucer's work strikes me, for instance.
Travis
- Wed Nov 16 15:07:24 2005

Nigel: I don't want to turn this board into a place of argument, but two points in return: First, I don't think that it is the first explanation, chronologically; the first would be that it's just a nursery rhyme; second, I think the point about a rhyme continuing for 500 years without ever being recorded is a very good one. Oh, the first known mention of the plague connection was apparently in 1961. Dubious at best.
Travis
- Wed Nov 16 15:04:53 2005

...and sadly I don't have a time-machine to go back and check!! And if I did, my jabs probably aren't up to date!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 14:51:40 2005

Ahhh! Travis! Well, there are two very good reasons... One, despite detractors the rhyme has *always* (ie, in written records and living memory) been assoc with the plague. Any alternative view is purely a "modern" idea. Two, it's the way cautionary tales have always been propagated throuhgout history. No need to prove anything, being the first theory, it's the precident. Gainsaying is down to doubters who should prove the accepted view is wrong and their theory right.
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 14:46:09 2005

Well, I don't know about the bias of Snopes, I'm sure there is some, but what are the arguments in favor of the nursery rhyme being connected with the plague? I'm certain the onus of proof would lie with those saying that there IS a connection.
Travis
- Wed Nov 16 14:13:49 2005

That's me done for today. Off to Wootton Bassett for a spot of baby sitting tonight. Super. Enjoy the rest of the day.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 16 13:53:03 2005

np, Sheri! :-)
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 16 13:43:35 2005

Guys I might have to ask additional help with the file splitter in Linus... I have tried the HJ splitter, but it comes at me with an error that prevents it to work... Are there any embedded commands that I can use to split a file in two bits?
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 13:20:28 2005

Ciao all, I am now in Seoul for the last leg of the trip... Had a nightmare transfer from the airport to the hotel... :( Will post something later! Ciocia
Lox
- Wed Nov 16 12:32:57 2005

Nigel: And I'm supposed to be a bachelor of Arts in History... ! You and Rob know more than I do.
Sheri the Ignorant Who Believes He Knows Everything
- Wed Nov 16 12:24:37 2005

Not burned to ashes in most cases - dumped in a big hole more likely. Worried about catching the desease from the smoke etc. Often archaeologists find "Plague burial pits" on the outskirts of towns.
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 11:41:45 2005

Sorry, Rob, I didn't read the post you sent to Travis. Apparently you've read the article. Actually, I thought the word 'ashes' referred to the fact that the victims of the plague were literally burned to ashes.
Sheri the Humble Penitent
- Wed Nov 16 11:18:55 2005

Dsp. You're talking about the right of 'Parley' ,aren't you ? The exact translation for 'Vous parlez' is 'You speak'. 'I speak' would be 'Je parle'. I didn't get the second bit of your comment, though. Could you explain ?
Sheri a.k.a. the Insufferable Know-it-All
- Wed Nov 16 11:10:07 2005

Rob. Thanks for telling me, but I knew it. I consulted the site mentioned below by Travis. Apparently, 'Ashes' belongs to another version. ;-)
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 10:55:54 2005

dsp: Excellent!! :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 10:33:01 2005

I was amazed that the playground rule of 'barley' which means you're in base and cannot get the deaded lergey stems from 'vous parlez' which is French for "I'm talking" which presumably is understood by girls to mean: "Get lost" and "God! Boys are so immature!"
dsp
- Wed Nov 16 10:28:57 2005

I agree Rob. The Snopes article makes mistakes too. Its was the "Black Death" or "Bubonic Plague" not Black Plague. "Buboes" were large puss-filled "boils" generally in crotch or arm-pits. Easy explanation why changes sprouted in the late 19thC could be because the writers are corrupting the original, older rhyme! Word-of-mouth generation-to-generation is how a lot of older customs have propagated.
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Wed Nov 16 10:24:22 2005

T-Boy, a lot of the snope article is madly biased! Their arguments against include sch madnesses as "No one wrote it down before the 19th Century, can't be any older" and it fails to offer any other reasonable explanation for the widespread prevalence of the nursery rhyme. It's well known that the Victorians were excellent at recording the past from their own bias. It also fails to mention that the Rhyme is prevalent in all British Colonies but does not really appear elsewhere except from the proliferation of Mother Goose. I think we won't know truly where the rhyme came from but one thing is sure, if a nation assumes ownership of something, then they fiercely fight off any attempts to show otherwise!
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 16 09:22:03 2005

Rob: So you DO remember all those little rhymes we used to sing.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Nov 16 09:19:50 2005

Morning all! Sheri, it's not 'ashes ashes', it's: "Ring a round the rosies, a pocket full of poses, atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down." It's a rhyme about the black death. Ring-around the rosies, represents the rash people got. People used to use a pocket full of posies to ward off the plague and 'atishoo' is the first sympton (flu-like symptom) and finally, falling down is the end result.
Rob Lang
- Wed Nov 16 09:05:51 2005

John. I believe you speak French. How would you translate "le fou du roi" ?
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 06:46:56 2005

NIGEL, let me reassure you, I didn't have sex. No time for that, unfortunatly (work, kid, wife always out on a ramble with her lover). JOHN, though you were not refering to me, you mentioned an "all possible taboo subjects" checklist. I fear that if I abide by it, I won't have anything left to say... You would condemn me to eternal silence (to Rob's great pleasure).
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean (Belgian) Frog'
- Wed Nov 16 06:41:52 2005

"Ring around a rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down."
Sheri
- Wed Nov 16 06:13:09 2005

Big fan o' the urban myth (we generally call them urban legends). I pointed out this one just last week to a classmate who foolishly asserted it as truth: http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/rosie.htm
Travis
- Wed Nov 16 03:24:09 2005

Urban Myth, eh? Would that be potential marriage to an Urban Mister?
Nigel
Oswestry, ... - Tue Nov 15 21:48:03 2005

It is interesting to note that these kinds of urban myths (involving loss of fingers) never happen to unmarried men. This only goes to prove what a dangerous occupation marriage is!
John
- Tue Nov 15 21:23:27 2005

There is a popular urban myth around Nottingham (and no doubt many other sausage producing regions) that one day in the Pork Farms factory somebody's finger accidentally got caught up in the machinery, but the line manager refused to halt production. Naturally, as urban myths go, some time later an unsuspecting customer bit into a sausage roll and found a wedding ring.
John
- Tue Nov 15 21:21:06 2005

Ahhhh cannibalism... I think that was the last tick box on the "all possible taboo subjects" checklist. I feel champagne is in order!
John
- Tue Nov 15 21:16:17 2005

Tut-tut... You Belgians...!!! None of that Malarky over here!! Ho-no! Stiff upper lip and all that... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, .. - Tue Nov 15 21:11:50 2005

Gonna fetch a glass of wine, given that I don't smoke.
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean Little Frenchy Boy'
- Tue Nov 15 17:25:18 2005

Guys, I'm exhausted. Too much sex.
Sheri a.k.a. 'Ze Mean Frog'
- Tue Nov 15 17:22:57 2005

A musical by Stephen Sondheim.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 16:35:12 2005

So this show was some sort of musical? And what about the bones, surely they had to dispose of those as well... I guess meat, and other parts you can mince and serve allright, though apparently human meat is sweet-ish, very strange to the taste (I have never tried, I read this story on a newspaper)... Mmmm wonder if they sold the pies allright...
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 16:17:28 2005

Lox, The song in question was called "Priest". And was very funny. The whole body was used, not just the normal bits, just the bones were left. There was a whole raft of different types of people mentioned, mainly those in authority.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 16:12:03 2005

This is getting SCARY !!!! :/
Nigel
Wrexham, Finished training for the day... - Tue Nov 15 16:09:22 2005

MM: Nice one! But I neve heard of a Human Kidney Pie, or a Human Liver and Mushroom Pie... :) I'd stick with more "conventional" recipes to start.. :)

Sheri: Yes, at first the idea was to make Lorraine, but I had the leftover Onion and Spinach plus I really wanted to open the mustard, so I changed its name! :)
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 15:58:16 2005

Quiche LOXaine... ah ah ! (Dooo ! I'm so slow-minded)
Sheri
- Tue Nov 15 15:57:04 2005

Sorry, first six words shouldn't be there
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 15:55:43 2005

So, Lox you want to know about pies...............
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 15:54:48 2005

Fuuuuck. I also just realised it was named after you !!!! What an idiot (talking about me) !!!!
Sheri
- Tue Nov 15 15:54:05 2005

filming of a live stage performance. When Sweeney Todd returns after a long voyage at sea, he learns that his wife has died. Mad with grief, he vows to take revenge upon the world that took away his love. Opening up a barber shop, he begins murdering his customers as they sit in his chair. As for the bodies, Sweeney's new friend Mrs. Lovett, who just happens to own a meat pie shop, has thought of a perfect way to dispose of the evidence...
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 15:53:48 2005

Well Lox, once upon a time I was in a show call "Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street! I played Mrs Lovett, who was a pie maker - but her pies were a little different.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 15:52:44 2005

Sorry Lox. Just read the recipe. Didn't realise it was different.
Sheri
- Tue Nov 15 15:50:46 2005

I believe it's QUICHE LORRAINE, Lox. La Lorraine is a region of north eastern France renowned for its 'quiche'.
Sheri
- Tue Nov 15 15:44:17 2005

MM: Yes, that would be the correct name for it... Sorry, feel free to update the recipe (edit), I didn't remember the correct term... I LOVE bacon, shame that it's so bad for our health! :P
Do you have any nice recipe for PIES? I am a great lover of this aspect of British cusine, but I have never done one myself...
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 15:39:17 2005

That looks delicious, Lox. May I enquire, is that streaky bacon, and did you mean 15 rashers.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 15:30:26 2005

Added a new recipe : QUICHE LOXAINE hope you like it!
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 15:21:15 2005

Travis: Though I am very much into experimenting new food and drinks, I really couldn't force me to dring an ASPRAGUS extract!?
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 15:12:54 2005

Lox: I thoroughly enjoyed Mega Holdings. I don't suppose you tried one of those beverages? Yikes...
Travis
- Tue Nov 15 14:52:47 2005

Rob, John, Tim, Tom: I have noticed that the board tries to connect to a site "www.newsimg.bbc.co.uk" is it normal? Some IP check site?
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 14:10:37 2005

MM: Well I don't mind packing for holidays too.. :P It's just the work related packing that appears to be extremely heavy...
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 14:04:24 2005

More Taipei Marvels: (I'll post the old ones as well you never know someone might have missed them) EXHIBIT N.1 - A new business is in town! (the riddler will reveal the treat!!)


EXIBITH N.2 - It seems a perfect name for a James Bond crime syndacate!


EXIBITH N.3 - Very popular drink over here... Yuck!


EXIBITH N.4 - In Italy that Surname means "fellatio"... nuff said


Later the GRAN FINALE!
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 14:02:39 2005

Lox, I shall shortly be packing (or "pecking" if you want it in New Zealander) for my holiday. I'm sure I shan't mind that!
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Nov 15 14:02:36 2005

Unfortunately the planned trip to the night markets in Taipei had to be cancelled due to rain... Fortunately I have avoided another Karaoke type thing like yesterday, had quite a good dinner, almost packed up everthing.. .P I hate packing!
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 13:54:00 2005

Rob: I see... Interesting and good to know, next time I'll amke sure I edit properly... Or wait for one of you guys! :)
I was speaking to a mobile phone guy (i.e. he works for a famous mobile phone company), and he said that with the mobile on, if you triangulate the signal that is received from 3 different antennas, you can be found anywhere in the world, with a 15mt error. So next time you rob a bank, don't carry the mobile phone with you and don't use the credit card to pay for some soda or the likes...
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 13:42:39 2005

.. at least thats the lie the 'want' you to believe!
Kev
- Tue Nov 15 13:20:45 2005

GPS won't trace you. Only *you* can discover where you are ... it's impossible for anybody else to know.
Jimmy
- Tue Nov 15 11:12:48 2005

Ahhh... Coffee.... ! :)
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 15 11:07:47 2005

Lox, the board monthly and daily pages are separate html pages. Both need to be edited to update them. If we moved over to some fat content management system, then they would all be stored in one place (like I do on the Icar site) but this is unlikely to ever happen! Having a single update place is not likely to happen and after all, it's not too difficult to update two files instead of one!
Rob Lang
- Tue Nov 15 10:20:17 2005

Nigel: Now that's a thought! Though I STILL find not easy to grasp the use of being able to be traced everywhere in the world with an error of 1mt or so...
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 09:20:02 2005

Morning all! Hmmmm... Gadgets!!!! I like...!! So John, all you need to do now is knock up a little taskbar applet to display name of location and altitude alongside the world-time clock and gain golden praise from your employer! Maybe it would be in the next PowerToys edition?!?!?!
Nigel
Wrexham, ... - Tue Nov 15 09:01:30 2005

John: Yep I see... But the point is, WHY did you buy it? Is it just out of a gizmo spending madness? Another question about the board: how comes that correcting the board doesn't update the daily page? Is is stored/made in a different way? Any chance to get the changes univeresal for all the pages that are created?
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 07:46:22 2005

John: Yep I see... But the point is, WHY did you buy it? Is it just out of a gizmo spending madness? Another question about the board, how comes that correcting the board doesn't update the daily page? Is is stored/made in a different way? Any chance to get the changes univeresal for all the pages that are created?
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 07:46:18 2005

If you're really interested in the fine details of what information the receiver delivers (and I doubt that you are!), I found this website good for a quick explanation of the NMEA protocol.
John
- Tue Nov 15 05:52:56 2005

Lox - actually the "campus" is a bit further South - my hotel is in a sort of shopping centre, next to a park, either of which may look campus-ish but aren't really.
As for what the GPS receiver - well coordinates is pretty much it actually! It can also give you very accurate time, and work out your altitude, as well as your speed if you're moving. Oh and direction too (or maybe that is done in software). There are quite a lot of mostly useless numbers it generates too, giving information about which satellites it is chatting with, etc.
John
- Tue Nov 15 05:50:46 2005

John: Care to explain what the GPS thingy does on the top of finding your exact coordinates? By the way you are right into Redmond campus there!
Lox
- Tue Nov 15 05:31:06 2005

Hey boys and girls, I can say with some authority that I am at 47.672 deg N, 122.121 deg W. I am al