Evening.
tom
- Mon Feb 28 23:54:43 2005

I have just got back from Paris. It was very cold there! Whilst there, I invested in a fresh truffle. Yes, I have spent about 28 quid on a mushroom.
John
- Mon Feb 28 22:04:50 2005

Travis, I think you are becoming English - talking about the weather.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 28 16:49:00 2005

When I awoke, it was 32 degrees (F of course). It's really foggy, but later today it's supposed to be 60 degrees, slightly cloudy, but not foggy. Strange day. Then overnight, it's supposed to drop to the upper 20s.
Travis
- Mon Feb 28 15:07:12 2005

Hi Travis: Very cold here, hard frost this morning, but blue sky and fluffy white clouds.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 28 13:51:18 2005

Brr...it's damn cold today. And raining.
Travis
- Mon Feb 28 13:29:58 2005

Right, second time. Scooby Doo was up there with Shrek, Toy Story and The Incredibles.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 28 10:00:54 2005

No, no, it must have been the Simpsons!
dsp
- Mon Feb 28 09:35:10 2005

Scooby Doo?
dsp
- Mon Feb 28 09:34:55 2005

dsp: yes thanks, after my first week back at work, Saturday was spent just doing very little, then on Sunday went to a very nice pub for lunch, so did very little then either. Did anyone else watch the 100 best cartoons last night. Guess which one won?
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 28 09:23:21 2005

Morning everyone! Hope you all had a good weekend! Mad Mumsie: Did you have a nice weekend?
dsp
- Mon Feb 28 09:02:16 2005

And now its Monday!
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 28 08:49:16 2005

ITS THE WEEKEND :)
Kev
- Fri Feb 25 17:31:38 2005

And to add: there has been a lot of discussion over safety at Henleys Corner - they want under/overpasses to keep the traffic moving. It is a very wide juntion and extremely dangerous if you are trying to cross the road.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 15:20:46 2005

No, "The Boss" has just returned to the office. It was probably a hit and run during the night, it is a particularly nasty piece of road.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 15:18:57 2005

Oh dear, that sounds pretty horrid... Couldn't find any mention of it on the BBC news website just now though - are you sure there isn't some Chinese whisper involved in that version of events?
John
- Fri Feb 25 15:12:02 2005

Have just found out that the "incident" is a body - so there are little tents, and policemen crawling all over the road looking for clues. It'll probably be shut for a week!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 14:48:29 2005

Given that the salt is intended to make the roads less slippy, olive oil hardly seems like a sensible substitute. Perhaps grated Parmesan instead? Or perhaps better still if some clever bit of technology could take advantage of the heat in toasted sandwiches (particularly anything vaguely tomatoey). These seem to stay murderously hot almost indefinitely.
John
- Fri Feb 25 14:36:28 2005

I thought that the streets would have been sprayed with olive oil because Italy is so brilliant.
dsp
- Fri Feb 25 14:28:58 2005

Incidentally, that (and this) was posted from my desk and not from a toilet.
dsp
- Fri Feb 25 14:28:23 2005

I remember I story where a British Rail employee anounced that "the delay was cause by a fertility on the line"
dsp
- Fri Feb 25 14:27:52 2005

It snowed in Italy too!!! :) And surpisingly enough there were hadly any problems with the streets and so on (they usually get sprayed with salt around midday, basically clogging all the morning traffic...)
Lox
- Fri Feb 25 14:26:56 2005

Its not snow - the traffic report said it was an "Incident", whatever that is!
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 12:53:41 2005

Blimey - the snow has hardly had any effect here in Berkshire at all...!
John
- Fri Feb 25 12:25:49 2005

North Circular still shut - its carnage out there, apparently.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 12:11:21 2005

Of course, this is pretty much the absolute cheapest and lowest spec of everything - the CPU is something like 533 MHz. Still though, that ought to be plenty for a little Linux server that sits in a corner minding it's own business, or even a DIY set top box, if you could do the MPEG decoding in hardware, as some of the DVB cards do.
John
- Fri Feb 25 11:50:35 2005

Tom, if you're interested, this was my shpping list:
VIA EPIA 5000 Fanless (£49.95)
Kingston Value Ram 256MB PC133 SDRAM (£34.95)
Seagate Barracuda 40GB 7200rpm (£32.95)
Ituner PW200V (£29.95)

Sub Total: £147.80
Next Day Delivery: £6.75
Nett Total: £154.55
VAT: £27.05
Order Total: £181.60
John
- Fri Feb 25 09:48:54 2005

Ah, sorry Tom, you'll be wanting either itx-warehouse.co.uk or mini-itx.com. I think itx warehouse was slightly cheaper in this instance.
John
- Fri Feb 25 09:37:53 2005

Lying in bed this morning, contemplating getting up, listening to the road reports, problems on the North Circular at Henlys Corner - Oh Joy - that means all the roads near me would be bunged up with people avoiding the problem - and they were!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 25 09:25:15 2005

Bloody Hell! What a fecking ice-rink!
Jimmy
- Fri Feb 25 08:26:56 2005

John: you forgot to link to where I can get a pc for 180 quid...
tom
- Thu Feb 24 22:43:50 2005

Tim: may I refer you to your earlier post: "isn't technology brilliant!".
John
- Thu Feb 24 17:11:39 2005

ooo - damn fangled infernal machine! i'm off the loo - honestly!
dsp
- Thu Feb 24 17:02:23 2005

Can i just mention that this is my first ever post from the toilet?
dsp
- Thu Feb 24 17:00:39 2005

I think that was your second post dsp, or am I seeing double
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 24 16:55:07 2005

Can i just mention that this is my first ever post from the toilet?
dsp
- Thu Feb 24 16:52:56 2005

Thank you for sharing that with us dsp
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 24 16:29:45 2005

Can i just mention that this is my first ever post from the toilet?
dsp
- Thu Feb 24 16:28:14 2005

I've been having a look around on the web and daydreaming (daybrowsing?) about building my own DVB set top box with a mini-ITX board again. I've found out I can get a complete PC for about 180 quid - motherboard, ram, PSU and even a hard drive... and given that it is mini-ITX the whole thing will fit in half a shoebox and be pretty much silent. It's just so tempting!
John
- Thu Feb 24 15:14:31 2005

Don't mention the CBinkyMangler class - I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it.
John
- Thu Feb 24 13:18:49 2005

Thanks for that God. Errr, while you're here, I don't suppose you could do something about mass starvation in Africa by any chance? I know it's a bit cheeky of me to ask, but I thought what with you being omnipotent and everything it wouldn't constitute a great deal of skin off your nose... Cheers.
John
- Thu Feb 24 13:15:53 2005

I am happy to grant your request, John. I hereby bless wikipedia.
God
- Thu Feb 24 13:10:59 2005

John- fill the documentation with lies. Mention the CBinkyMangler class, and its importance to the design. Rave on and on about the Sub-sub-system-house-keeper. And, of course, the integrity checks by an object that (for reasons you won't go into) is called CHowardHughes. All lies, but fun to invent. Also, it'll keep 'em on their toes...
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 24 13:07:39 2005

Rob, yes it's a fair cop, blaming me for just about everything. However I would like to go on record and publicly declare I wasn't responsible for the Hindenburg disaster. Did you know there was a smoking room on board? God bless wikipedia.
John
- Thu Feb 24 12:20:01 2005

I'm doing documentation too! And yes, it is sapping my will to live too!
John
- Thu Feb 24 12:14:54 2005

Morning Rob. Working from home? alright for some :D don't envy you on the documentation though. What's the best email to contact you with if you're at home.... still work?
Byrn
- Thu Feb 24 11:49:09 2005

Rob: especially if its the kind that you have to write but you know that nobody is ever going to read.
dsp
- Thu Feb 24 11:45:55 2005

I still have the old Tigger Slippers as well as new 'old man' ones. I blame John for just about everything.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 24 11:44:07 2005

Documentation really saps your will to live.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 24 11:42:41 2005

Tom: I thought that was obvious - its so they can "lose" a member of staff, and load it all on to someone else!
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 24 11:36:10 2005

Yes. And no. Now THEY can expect you to work from anywhere. Not so great. Honestly, I often wonder what all this technology is for.
tom
- Thu Feb 24 11:31:39 2005

Wahoo! this is posted from my new pocket pc via my wifi network. isn't technology brilliant!
dsp
home, lounge - Thu Feb 24 10:52:51 2005

Rob you still have the Tigger (tm) slippers?!? GREAT!!! No mention to Mr.Blobby that died inexplicably one stormy winter night in 1996.... Constable Hawkins is still investigating...
Lox
- Thu Feb 24 10:46:02 2005

Rob: I suppose that means you're not dressed yet, or shaved!! Slumming around in your Tigger slippers.
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 24 10:14:30 2005

Working from home today. Hurrah!
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 24 10:10:19 2005

Tom, you could try just bottling it all up until you snap, possibly going on some kind of rampage, maybe in a supermarket ?
kev
- Thu Feb 24 09:56:38 2005

If it can be of any help I have found that companies will try to give twice the workload to people that are really good at their job, BUT without the "honest" payrise that these people would deserve... Tom, ask for more money! If you do more it's right to ask for a payrise! Even if it's small. I have found out on my skin that not asking just dosen't get you anything in the long run...
Lox
- Thu Feb 24 09:15:47 2005

If they WERE paying me his salary as well it would mean that I would have to put up with it dont you think? Nope....
tom
- Thu Feb 24 08:14:29 2005

I'll remember to use those exact words! ;-)
tom
- Thu Feb 24 08:13:49 2005

Tom: can I suggest you have an angry meeting with whoever is in charge, and somehow try to work into it the immortal words: "God damn it, that's not all! 'Cause if one of those things gets down here then that will be all! And all this, this bullshit that you think is so important, you can just kiss all that goodbye!"
John
- Wed Feb 23 16:55:47 2005

That's a bummer Tom... and I think I'm about to do the same to people here. After today I only have 10 more days to work in this company! There was a minor panic meeting held amongst the managers yesterday afternoon, given that it dawned on them I only had such a short time left and there is still a load of stuff on the "before you leave" list that I haven't done yet. Two of our four main products are now heavily reliant on code I wrote almost exclusively, and there is a certain amount of worry now that 10 days isn't long enough to do get anyone else up to speed.... but ultimately, anyone is replacable - they've muddled through before, and I'm sure they will again.
John
- Wed Feb 23 16:52:58 2005

Do you mean 'lost' as in 'he quit'?
dsp
- Wed Feb 23 15:11:56 2005

FROM CLOUD CUCKOO LAND; They are, of course, paying you his salary as well aren't they
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 23 14:40:00 2005

We've just lost on of our senior consultants (careless, I know) and I've ended up with his workload too.. Grrr.
tom
- Wed Feb 23 14:35:20 2005

Sorry to hear that Tom - anything in particular making it shitty, or just the general hatefulness of having to sell your body from 9 to 5 to keep a roof over your head?
John
- Wed Feb 23 14:34:13 2005

What a shit day.
tom
- Wed Feb 23 14:16:26 2005

Muha muha muha muha wanky Chewbacca....
Lox "the Hutt"
Pizzaland, - Wed Feb 23 12:55:31 2005

Mmmm fibre... John, to liven up your All bran may I suggest a hand full of dried dates. Mmmm chewy! (as in they are nicely chewy - not that I fancy Chewbacca)
dsp
- Wed Feb 23 12:43:22 2005

John did you know that ALL BRANS are made by these little furry animals (called BRANS as a matter of fact), that are bred in small cages so that the adrenaline and the stress makes their meat taste like cardboard. When their size exceeds the one of the cage they are slaughtered strictly by hand (it is organic food after all), and they are left to bleed for 3 days, and eventually dried in small rectangular blocks and packed to enlight the morning of men and women all around the globe.

THERE YOU GO!
Lox
- Wed Feb 23 09:36:52 2005

Yeah! I remember that bloke advertising fags!! (as in cigarettes)... Good morning by the way.
Lox
- Wed Feb 23 09:16:05 2005

I feel uncharacteristically good and full of energy this morning - I even got into work for 9 o' clock. I'm putting this down to a combination of factors:
A) Left the heating on all night, so didn't wake up shivering.
B) Have started eating All Bran for breakfast, as otherwise there is absolutely no fibre in my diet. Can't say I like it that much, but it must be doing me some good.
John
- Wed Feb 23 09:13:33 2005

My goodness Tom, that's devotion to duty!
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 23 09:11:46 2005

Grr. At Work already.
tom
- Wed Feb 23 06:57:01 2005

Not to worry Travis, we've had far worse!
John
- Tue Feb 22 21:24:06 2005

Dear Maison: I apologize on behalf of all Americans for that last post.
Travis
- Tue Feb 22 19:27:52 2005

mp3.newruss.com mp3 Dance Latest Mp3s Collections Hits Music Charts Full Albumbs Music Rap Rock Pop Hard Rock Metal Soul Urban Jazz Blues House Albums Electronic-Dance Hip-Hop Country Country World Reggae Jungle
mp3.newruss.com <admin@newruss.com>
USA, - Tue Feb 22 17:48:17 2005

Read this board? us?
A. N. Other Chom Player
- Tue Feb 22 16:24:27 2005

Lox, Jimmy, if you email me at koprophage at gmail.com, I'll hook you up with a password for an alliance.
Travis
- Tue Feb 22 16:07:26 2005

Anonimity is very important, especially for the more experienced players who want to do well. People tend to pick on the more experienced ones, especially those who have won a game before. Eventually, everyone will know who other people are but by this time, it is normally too late to really harm the experienced ones.
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 22 16:02:38 2005

Good! Actually the fact that you don't know who is who is actually pretty good, it adds a lot to the game imo.. But it's harder for newbies!!
Lox
- Tue Feb 22 15:56:47 2005

Collect away, it's always an open invitation! The best way to get an alliance together is to bring your friends into the game. I think there is very little face to face scheming in Chom these days. It's mostly over email, personal messaging and on the system itself. A few games ago, I organised a pub gathering of 10 or so people, 7 of which were playing but desperately trying not to give anything away. Now and again you'd get these bizarre comments like. "Heinrich Himmler is going to get screwed by Strawberry Monkey"!
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 22 15:48:36 2005

That's why we stopped talking about it.. .:) Certainly the face to face contact is a great advantage in chom insis2. By the way I am collecting players for CI3, I assume that it's ok with you Rob.... Tell me if you'd rather stick to the present number...
Lox
- Tue Feb 22 15:16:08 2005

Discussing tactics on an open forum I know other players (Fish, Dwain, Pete etc) occasionally read! :-)
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 22 14:41:45 2005

Travis- I'll join ya. What's your player-name? I've been trying to get some other players together, but no luck so far ...
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 22 13:55:04 2005

Go to the Alliance screen. Click on the make alliance button (you need 50 res). Then set a password and name. Then tell people you like what the password is. From there, it's pretty self-explanatory!
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 22 13:54:10 2005

Travis: I would be interested but I haven't got a clue on how you actually do it.. .:(
Lox
- Tue Feb 22 13:29:31 2005

What a headline "French join motorised Lizard Alliance", my first thoughts involved John as he speak french and has spangly lizard fingers and has an A-level in French (if my Hawkins dossier is a correct). Anything to do with you Vegi Cat-lovin' Snitch Boy? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02/22/killer_citroen/
dsp
- Tue Feb 22 13:08:09 2005

No one interested in forming an alliance on Chom?
Travis
- Tue Feb 22 13:05:28 2005

Jimmy, no fear. I think it was my fault. I recently installed an antiviral software. Must just be a reaction to the innoculation.
Travis
- Tue Feb 22 13:04:16 2005

John, I think you should make this a prominent link on the Front page so as to protect unsuspecting googlers. http://www.securegasmask.com/
Kev
- Tue Feb 22 09:55:46 2005

You mean you didn't use a firewall...? Tut tut!
John
- Tue Feb 22 09:19:01 2005

Sorry, Travis- I should have taken ... er ... precautions?
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 22 08:09:08 2005

An interesting point, does that mean that I infected others through the web, after all a cold is a virus, isnt it?
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 21 15:51:28 2005

Do you think its at all possible that Jimmy has infected Travis via the maison-de-stuff ?
Kev
- Mon Feb 21 15:25:08 2005

Jimmy, that crap is "going around" my neighborhood as well. I blame my kids' school for introducing my family to it. My throat is quite unwell.
Travis
- Mon Feb 21 15:20:01 2005

Aw Jimmy, sounds like you've got what I had whilst I was a home, its orrible - the only thing to do is lie down in a darkened room and drink copious amounts of liquid!!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 21 15:11:40 2005

Sounds like you shouldn't be at work Jimmy!
John
- Mon Feb 21 14:51:22 2005

my nose is bunged and my throat is sore and my head hurts
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 21 14:40:25 2005

Errr hello, now that looks odd doesn't it?
John
- Mon Feb 21 14:38:09 2005

http://hotmail.com
123
- Mon Feb 21 14:04:47 2005

Nope, I have little or no knowledge of MD5 checksums. I'm more of a good old fashioned 32 bit CRC guy.
John
- Mon Feb 21 14:02:15 2005

Anyone do much with MD5 checksums?
dsp
- Mon Feb 21 13:19:04 2005

MMmmmmm somb-rer-os !
Homer
- Mon Feb 21 12:35:37 2005

Yup, with refried beans, sour cream, salsa, grated cheese, rice, chili, fajhitas, tacos. Everything except tequila and sombreros.
dsp
- Mon Feb 21 12:13:25 2005

Mmmmm Mexican food....
John
- Mon Feb 21 12:06:01 2005

Had a gret weekend thanks John. Purchasing carpet and wallpaper for the nursery, Mexican, Italian and British food was involved, some beer and whiskey... its a hard life.
dsp
- Mon Feb 21 11:10:00 2005

Point taken.
John
- Mon Feb 21 10:28:49 2005

Well, it's marginally better than day time tv.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 21 10:10:46 2005

Errrr are you sure about that Mumsie?
John
- Mon Feb 21 10:08:58 2005

Morning everybody - I'm back at work!! Lovely isn't it.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 21 09:34:25 2005

I am in the mood yet again for buying some pointless gadgetry. Tim, I assume you didn't get one of those Hi-MD thingies in the end...? Yet again the now clichéd lure of the iPod beckons...
John
- Mon Feb 21 09:26:21 2005

How was your weekend Tim?
John
- Mon Feb 21 09:22:27 2005

Chie's sister and her friend are staying so I was busy at the weekend showing them round - went to the Cotswolds on Saturday, then Stone Henge etc yesterday.
John
- Mon Feb 21 09:22:05 2005

BTW - Good morning everybody, hope you all had good weekends!
dsp
- Mon Feb 21 09:11:29 2005

Coincidentally I saw a rerun of Big Night Out the other night. It was great. "You work-shy fool Reeves... you are dealing with Lister!"
dsp
- Mon Feb 21 09:10:53 2005

I've been a big fan since they were first on TV in the early nineties, but they're not to everyone's taste. I guess to pin a label on it you would have to call their brand of humour "surreal", but I'm sure they themselves would refute that.
John
- Sun Feb 20 22:25:23 2005

Thanks for the link, Kev. I have an idea who they are now...do you lot find them funny?
Travis
- Sun Feb 20 14:26:32 2005

john, you are the preverbial fountain of all knowledge
kev
- Sat Feb 19 22:05:11 2005

There was actually an episode of Big Night Out where Vic's shirt was a bit wet, and thus "You wouldn't let it dry", as opposed to, of course, the standard "You wouldn't let it lie".
John
- Sat Feb 19 19:32:05 2005

Hi Travis, try this link http://www.vicandbob.net/ I think it should explain everything.
Kev
- Sat Feb 19 12:13:32 2005

Was busy today. It rained. I forgot my lunch at home. I don't eat much in the way of carbs so my lunch sucked. I was then late for my thesis meeting. Who are Vic and Bob?
Travis
- Fri Feb 18 22:33:37 2005

is it any wonder its quite today with jokes like that john? you probably scared everyone away ;)
kev
- Fri Feb 18 18:30:24 2005

Hmmm very quiet today.... right, I'm off.
John
- Fri Feb 18 12:30:00 2005

One of the reasons I like St. Moritz is that apparently Vic and Bob have been known to eat there, so you never know, that from dark corner of the restaurant you might hear Vic, upon being given a slightly damp plate, exclaiming "You wouldn't let it dry!", etc.
John
- Fri Feb 18 11:14:35 2005

I'm on a half day today... yippee... going into London in the afternoon, will hopefully get a chance to pop into my club and sample the new Spring bottlings... and then in the evening we're going to St. Moritz the Swiss restaurant for dinner...
John
- Fri Feb 18 10:42:26 2005

php rules
tom
- Thu Feb 17 15:48:04 2005

I wish! 3 is written in php with a mysql db. .net would be nice but a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 17 13:41:48 2005

Is v2 written in perl and 3 going to be written in .Net?
dsp
- Thu Feb 17 13:23:43 2005

It's a good idea. I'm not going to update Chom 2 anymore - I am sick of it. Big lumps of clunky code and it is really difficult to update without breaking something. Chom 3 - when it gets written will have loads of Gucci features including an update on the hour. This will give a slow trickle of funds, rather than a lump and also take away the advange for our american cousins for whom midnight is when they get in from work.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 17 13:10:34 2005

Rob - as an idea for your Chom game, why not allow all players to 'vote' to advance the turn clock?
dsp
- Thu Feb 17 10:30:49 2005

(predictable really) Travis: Beware of Lox, he'll be on your side, but when the Brits start winning he'll change over and screw you!
dsp
- Thu Feb 17 10:29:23 2005

There are a few things I get peeved about version two. They're all fixed in version three - well, in the design. Chom is supposed to be a game you can play a bit now and again (lunchtime, tea breaks), rather than constantly looking at it all day. I know people do but that was never the intention!
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 17 09:15:43 2005

Chom is becoming a pain in the arse. We should have had prawns to start with. I keep getting out-bid, which effectively sets me back *another* 24 hours.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 17 08:29:00 2005

Lox, if you're playing Chom, why not form an alliance with me? Together, we'll destroy the Brits. You may email me at koprophage at gmail.com
Travis
- Thu Feb 17 00:30:40 2005

I watched the first season of Survivor which was okay. I watched a few episodes of "My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss" which was a farical show wherein people thought they were competing for a dream job but weren't. I didnt' see the end, but it was funny (in a twisted way) to see them humiliate themselves.
Travis
- Wed Feb 16 23:49:50 2005

Well, the Doctor has cleared me to: go back to work; drive; generally cause mayhem, again. Whoopee. I may finally throw away my stick, but that will be a week or so yet. So you're not safe yet Robert.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 16 16:46:57 2005

Sky One (I think) showed it ?
Kev
- Wed Feb 16 16:34:23 2005

No I think that did actually go out on air... at least I think I've heard of it anyway... or maybe that's because I heard about it being cancelled in the same way you did Travis....?!
John
- Wed Feb 16 16:07:03 2005

I heard about a UK reality series where men competed for the hand of a woman...who turned out to be a man. I don't think it ever aired because the men sued the company? Something like that. Funny. But I'd hate to be one of those guys.
Travis
- Wed Feb 16 14:02:47 2005

Sounds like a nice show to me... If they were to do it here in Italy they probably would have some sort of "SECRET MYSTERY" (note the fact that a secret is a mystery and vice-versa) where you get to haggle with the mafia boss for protection money!!
Lox
- Wed Feb 16 10:20:17 2005

Travis - Yea I guess Dragon's Den does technically fall into the category of reality TV, which, in total agreement with Jimmy, I would normally hate... but it is different - it actually has a useful purpose, it isn't just a group of people sitting around in a house making cups of tea and going to the toilet. The basic concept is a that there's a group of potential investors (venture capitalists if you will) that get a sort of sales pitch from entrepreneurs and inventors in new startup companies, that attempt to then get funding for their businesses. So the "real people" involved are generally serious businessmen and women that are really in it for the funding, and not particularly bothered about being on TV. So, err, yea.
John
- Wed Feb 16 09:56:51 2005

Good to hear there is some sanity out there! UK TV has really gone down the pan. And here where I'm working all the women read those brainless celebrity mags non-stop.... I'm certainly Not a Celebrity but GMOOH ! :)
Nigel
Wrexham, work... - Wed Feb 16 09:55:34 2005

I *hate* reality TV. And soaps. And anything to do with celebrities. And game-shows. And politically-correct sitcoms.
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 16 08:29:28 2005

Is Dragon's Den a reality show? I have only been watching Twin Peaks lately. I'm up to episode 16. Then I'll go back and finish the first season of the Office. American TV is complete rubbish. We don't even have Kids in the Hall or Monty Python reruns anymore so far as I know. It's all reality TV.
Travis
- Tue Feb 15 19:00:17 2005

Mum, I find all my stuff from Beta: http://www.b3ta.com Some rude stuff but mostly funny things!
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 15 16:17:12 2005

My mistake, last week was the final episode. Gutted. I know what you mean John, they can be quite ruthless. But usually in those cases the people are presenting an sketch on a napkin and saying this is my company and I value it at £2M, and I want 10%, hence £200K. Usually the dragon is pointing out that they actually have squat, hence £200 is more like 90%. Cruel but fair.
dsp
- Tue Feb 15 15:43:18 2005

Yes I have watched it a couple of times and have to admit I quite enjoy it too - although the title is a little bit dubious - why not just "The Investors" or something like that? I think it is in danger of becoming a bit formulaic though:
- I'm willing to sell 2% of my company, for which I want £150,000
- No.
- Oh go on, please.
- How about I buy 90% of your company for 25 quid?
- Oh, alright then.

John
- Tue Feb 15 15:35:49 2005

Has anyone been watching The Dragon's Den? Its on tonight at 8pm on BBC2 and I love it!
dsp
- Tue Feb 15 15:05:49 2005

Rob: How DO you find this stuff?
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Feb 15 14:50:05 2005

Forget Norway!
dsp
- Tue Feb 15 13:18:08 2005

Thanks for the Kenya link Rob - love it!!
dsp
- Tue Feb 15 13:17:33 2005

It's also the fifth hit on google, if you search for kenya. Which amuses me greatly. Imagine if you're doing some serious research into kenya, so you're working your way through google, and then you get to that.
Graf
- Tue Feb 15 13:05:11 2005

BTW, Kenya is Safe For Work and has music.
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 15 10:57:31 2005

I've got Kenya stuck in my head. No, not the country, this: http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/29/
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 15 10:57:06 2005

Keep it there. I don't want it.
tom
- Tue Feb 15 10:30:15 2005

...and now I have the Dr Who theme tune stuck in my head.
John
- Tue Feb 15 10:09:09 2005

Whilst cleaning my teeth this morning I found myself humming Weird Al Yankovich's "Yoda". I particularly love the line:
I know Darth Vader's got you really annoyed,
But remember if you kill him then you'll be unemployed.
I think this has to be a strong candidate for best lyric in any song ever.
John
- Tue Feb 15 09:50:43 2005

From my Elite days I seem to remember that the key to making money was to smuggle narcotics and slaves into Lave.
dsp
- Tue Feb 15 09:47:41 2005

CHOM ROCKS! Shame that all the pawns have been already auctioned and I haven't got enough money... :(
Lox
- Tue Feb 15 08:40:56 2005

Let the beginning commence.
Travis
- Tue Feb 15 01:06:36 2005

Muppet. Will do!
Rob Lang
- Mon Feb 14 22:24:37 2005

Oh dear. Rob, I've misplaced my registration info for Chom Isis and can't recall my username. Could you be a dear and resend it? Thanks.
Travis
- Mon Feb 14 21:33:37 2005

Smuggling? Nah, you wouldn't be interested... it's more of a... Shelbyville idea.
John
- Mon Feb 14 17:25:38 2005

Smuggling eh? Now theres an idea that could make some money!
Kev
- Mon Feb 14 17:19:34 2005

You can buy from overseas but if it's done through the internet it gets taxed at customs.. So the only chance is to go abroad, put it in your bag, and hope they don't check it... Smuggling!! That was the word!
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 16:42:26 2005

Lox is the tax Point of Sale, or can you just buy stuff off the internet from overseas( or wherever is closest to pizzaland ? )
Kev
- Mon Feb 14 16:27:07 2005

Ahh, Jimmy. No. Cashpoint-Elastic-disapproval... You mean Wife/Girlfriend!! I quite agree re. the piracy issue. Paranoia is penalising genuine customers at the expense of the baddies. Take all those "tricky" audio CDs that only just about play on CD players and not in PCs. That's a standard that is being quietly dropped too as it is finally being recognised as doing more harm than good.
Nigel
Wrexham, Work, work, work... - Mon Feb 14 16:14:26 2005

Jimmy: I see... You are right. I am not an I-tune user so I didn't know that you couldn't transfer the files to mp3s... If it's done that way it's completely useless I agree..

dsp: Yep it is a storage capacity tax, I don't know how it works really, but just to give an example it made CDs (blanks) 20%more expensive (more or less), and as far as I know the bigger the unit the bigger the tax. That's why I instead go to switzerland to buy computer parts, or in Japan when I am there. It's simply obscene that they get away with that, and STRANGELY no newspaper or TV news would talk about it... :(
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 16:13:47 2005

So its a 'storage capacity tax'? Sheer genious. It must cripple your large business server costs! (unless its only a tiny tax). What's the tax cost per GB?
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 16:08:40 2005

iTunes is all part of the same general problem. When you download one of their tunes, it comes with a pair of handcuffs attached ... i.e. you can't transfer it, or convert it to MP3. But the whole thing is counter-productive, because all it does is piss-off the legitimate users. If people want a pirate copy, they'll get a pirate copy, but all the iTunes are legit, so putting the handcuffs on them is truly a shooting-yourself-in-the-foot exercise by Apple. A lot of the movie companies seem to have spotted this, and regioned DVD are (very quietly) being brushed under the carpet. Anyway, I shall certainly not be buying any non-MP3 recordings, and I doubt if I'll even buy those- 'coz I'm basically happy with CDs. Imagine what it would be like if when you went to take you money out of the cashpoint, it had a bit of elastic attached to the note, so the bank could withdraw it from your wallet if they disapproved of what you were going to spend it on ...
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 14 16:02:31 2005

Jimmy, I don't understand why not to buy I-Tunes? Maybe I missed a passage somewhere. As for DVD regions is a scandal in bright daylight, but nobody seems to care... :(
dsp: It's not just media, also hard drives, usb pens, everything that can store any piratable file is taxed. The funny side is that this form of taxation, as you correctly point out, is totally unfair as there are a lot of people who use these devices to store THEIR OWN DATA...

The real problem is that all governments are totally unprepared to deal with this revolution, and beign run but old people they think in the easiest way: "BAN them, TAX them, make it illegal!!". My hope is that these efforts will end up like prohibition in the states in the early 20's...
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 15:21:41 2005

I wonder if the Japanese dating agency will be able to set up 'Bits on the side' too? It's quite old hat, anyway. Dale was running a similar service in St. Davids.
Rob Lang
- Mon Feb 14 15:19:35 2005

On both topics - I'm looking at a new HD MP3 player. Sense tells me go for Sony. I've a lot of their kit and it's just plain splendid. Trouble is I'm put off by ATRAC and OpenMG music standards as it's clearly their paranoia over piracy. Copying my MP3s to a Sony player means converting yet again to ATRAC3. Arrg! Looking at Creative Zen. On the "race" GB-JP" issue. Take no notice John. Like I said before - it's a love job. Nothing else matters. These people are bitter, twisted and don't deserve air-time. :)
Nigel
Wrexham, Work again... - Mon Feb 14 15:07:52 2005

Hmmmm... I think I actually find the idea of that dating agency thing slightly offensive - it really turns the whole Western man and Japanese woman thing into even an bigger cliche than it is already. ... and I really despise being thought of as a cliche!
John
- Mon Feb 14 15:01:20 2005

The solution is simple. Don't buy iTunes. They'll have to get the message eventually - consider the case of DVD regioning which has gone rather quiet in recent times ...
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 14 15:00:36 2005

I'm shocked about the taxing of blank media. Does this mean you can claim back the tax for discs you can demonstrate contain data? Previously I have had a future daydreams where next to your gas and electricity meters you have a bandwidth meter where you pay by the MB.
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 14:54:15 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4010563.stm
tom
- Mon Feb 14 14:44:32 2005

Listening to Atomic Kitten would tax your ears.
tom
- Mon Feb 14 14:38:57 2005

Taxing your ears because you might use them to listen to music...?
John
- Mon Feb 14 14:12:50 2005

Jimmy: Actually the tax is payed to SIAE, which is pretty much the same thing that you have in the UK. The strike of marvel is the recent fee (payed to SIAE) on BLANK CDs and everything that represent storage, basically they say "we'll tax these supports because you could use them to copy things", thus penalizing all the people who do their daily job with cds, dvds etcetc... Plus, if I pay a tax on a support because of piracy related offenses THEN I am allowed to be a pirate! HOW STUPID can they get?
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 14:02:43 2005

Kev, perhaps as an extension of your line of thought there, DRM might have to restrict access on a person-by-person basis - people who are musically inclined, and might be able to sing a song themselves almost as well as the original would not be allowed to listen to it in the first place. Given this criteria, Atomic Kitten, for instance, would be able to listen to whatever the hell they please.
John
- Mon Feb 14 13:57:29 2005

Yeah. Whatever ;-)
tom
- Mon Feb 14 13:53:12 2005

Johnny pneumonic?
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 14 13:45:54 2005

I think it's very similar here. If he's the only one who can hear it, then it's for personal use. If others hear it, it's a public performance. I think we pay the "Performing Rights Society" in the UK, rather than a tax, but it's the same principle. Of course, it doesn't mean you get to own it either :(
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 14 13:45:30 2005

Did I tell you what happened to me here in Pizzaland lately? I was at the barber shop and while talking the guy said that he has to pay a TAX to keep a radio in the shop, because the music can be heard by other people apart from him!!!! I won't comment on the tax itself, but I told him that he's then entitled to copy everything that gets played on the radio, as he's effectively paying for it...
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 13:09:22 2005

Jonny Mneumonic..
tom
- Mon Feb 14 13:06:49 2005

On DRM, surely by the simple fact that you are watching something with your eyes and ears and remember the tune and can reproduce it by singing it (out loud or in your own head) you must have therefore illegally copied it to your brain cell thingies.
Kev
- Mon Feb 14 12:58:17 2005

In a way, as a final user (I am not a programmer like you guys) I probably wouldn't have any issue if I had to pay for a good working piece of software. The problem is that the industry seems now focused on releasing alpha versions of their work for the world to test it. In practical terms I buy a product that I know to be faulty, slander all the saints on the calendar while using it, having to wait for a patch or something that makes it better... I am really scared at what is coming on the Patents and Copyright side, I still remember Al gore wanting to install an hardware control box for the internet!!

All the fuss with music and cinema copyrights.. It's all good, but see how just by reducing prices (see i-tunes) consumers started buying again.. Here in Italy it costs 8 euro to go to the cinema, and a music cd will sell for at least 20 (30/40 for DVDs)... Isn't it the time to cut down on prices by adjusting the way the business is run?
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 12:56:25 2005

Good point Mad Mumsie, well presented.
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 12:54:35 2005

One other small point regarding Charles/Camilla and Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, the succession is assured through William and Harry, and I assume there will be no more children! There was always a possibility that Edward and Mrs S could have had children, although they didn't, who was to know that at the time.
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 14 12:27:09 2005

Anyway, DRM is plain silly. If you let me play something, be it a movie or a song, you implicitly let me copy it - at the extreme I can point a video camera at my monitor, or put a tape recorder next to my speakers (so that your mates can hear your Mum calling you down for your dinner halfway through "The Chicken Song").
John
- Mon Feb 14 12:26:39 2005

Yes Tim you're quite right. I can see any move in this direction by Microsoft being a big win for Linux etc.
John
- Mon Feb 14 12:16:17 2005

Remember, ITS YOUR JOBS!!!
John Ogden
- Mon Feb 14 12:11:17 2005

And don't get me started on software patents.
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 12:10:13 2005

For example, you want to stop people fiddling with the odometer on a car before they sell it. Similarly, if you want to do DRM on a PC then you need to treat the user as the enemy. Seen in these terms, TC does not so much provide security for the user as for the PC vendor, the software supplier, and the content industry. They do not add value for the user, but destroy it. They constrain what you can do with your PC in order to enable application and service vendors to extract more money from you.
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 12:09:41 2005

Standard industry scare mongering about the topic: http://www.againsttcpa.com/tcpa-faq-en.html
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 12:04:17 2005

I think DRM is a bad thing, and you can already see the big companies wheeling it in and geering up for it. Personally I have never, and never want to support (e.g. buy) any DRM media. MS are in the process of developing a completely DRM platform where all software is cryptographically signed for use on your installation of the OS.
dsp
- Mon Feb 14 11:57:30 2005

Morning everyone... New topic: DIGITAL COPYRIGHTS (or Copyrights in general)... I have just finished reading an article that says that the French company that runs the EIFFEL TOWER, copyrighted the lighting system, and basically got all the pictures of the tower under "protection"... Basically if you were to publish a picture of the famous tower at night they are entitles to ask for a copyright fee... What do you think about all this mess? Don't you think that maybe the legislation is too young and confused when it comes to copyrights? Any thoughts about that bittorrent "defacement" made by MPAA?
Lox
- Mon Feb 14 10:43:57 2005

Mornin'
tom
- Mon Feb 14 10:14:55 2005

Morning John. Yes, once when I was but a nipper - he was playing in a Lords Taverner's Cricket match. Twice while on walk-rounds at companies I used to work for (unrelated coincidences!) No great entourage then I recall; just a couple of BG's and a lot of fawning executives! Quite agree about his views. I don't agree with them all but it's good he has the courage to express an opinion or two and stick too them. Am I alone in thinking it must actually be hard to live a *normal* life in such conditions?
Nigel
Wrexham, Again... - Mon Feb 14 09:55:00 2005

Lorenzo - sorry didn't get you mail until this morning as I was off sick on Friday. I have replied (to your home address, not the work one). I hope it isn't too late!
John
- Mon Feb 14 09:51:36 2005

Really Nigel? Did you actually speak to him then? I've seen Charles' back through a window once - he came to Reading university once (by helicopter I'll add) for some reason or other, and I happened to walk past the building he was in. There isn't very much I can conclude about him from this encounter, and I'm fairly sure he doesn't remember it too well either. That aside I actually quite like the chap - he's good to his kids, was very close to his Grandma apparently and I even agree with quite a lot of his ideas about society etc... So good luck to him I say.
John
- Mon Feb 14 09:12:18 2005

Yes, good luck to him. Shame it causes so much bitterness. I've met Charles three times - though I seriously doubt he remembers any of the occasions. But, he *is* genuine and generous. Gor Blimey Guv - 'Ees a Toff! Life's too short not to be with soneone you love - even if you *are* priviledged and rich. Perhaps if more people thought this way there would be less hate...? :)
Nigel
Oswestry, In front of Sony Vaio - Sun Feb 13 15:45:48 2005

There's an article about the whole Simpson Nazi thing here. So it could be said that when Prince Harry dressed up as a Nazi the other day he was just following in a family tradition...
John
- Sun Feb 13 12:14:29 2005

I totally agree Mumsie, I'm personally very pleased for him. Of course, one does have to bring up the thorny issue of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, but then times have changed I suppose... and apparently it would have been OK back then, had the FBI not accused Simpson of being a nazi spy or something like that.
John
- Sun Feb 13 12:12:56 2005

Royal Weddings: Bloody good luck to him. He deserves a bit of support.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 11 21:10:19 2005

Unfortunalty John was ill today.
Kev
- Fri Feb 11 18:53:05 2005

I took the day off to go and talk to the Uni about ATC things.
Rob Lang
- Fri Feb 11 17:48:43 2005

Ciao travis, good day to you!! As for the Royal Marriage there is a strong belief here in Pizzaland that He is totally GAY so the wedding is fake as a 2 dollar bill...
Lox
- Fri Feb 11 16:08:22 2005

You lot start posting when it's something like 2 AM where I'm at...I'm just now sitting down to check email before class. Must be a slow day. I'll provide a topic: Royal weddings. Proceed.
Travis
- Fri Feb 11 15:44:48 2005

I wish I was "off" today... :) Let's hope for a nice weekend... John by the way I have sent you a mail on your softel account, if you read it reply to my presonal address not to the company one... cheers! :)
Lox
- Fri Feb 11 14:31:39 2005

Has everyone taken the day off today. Or is everyone exhausted after all those awful punny comments. Have a good weekend. Only one more week and I shall be back at work.
Mad Mumsie
- Fri Feb 11 13:16:40 2005

Rob, for some reason your last post was incredibly funny. I nearly spat out my beverage.
Travis
- Thu Feb 10 18:59:00 2005

Punks.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 17:21:21 2005

I have bepun to get tired of this.
dsp
- Thu Feb 10 16:56:32 2005

Perhaps you need some acupuncture. Or simply a punch in the face. Or some punnishment.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 10 16:53:30 2005

Can't... get.... out... of.... pun... quagmire...
John
- Thu Feb 10 16:14:02 2005

Not soon enough if the last few posts are anything to go by.
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 10 16:00:09 2005

Will you be moving to JanPun soon?
tom
- Thu Feb 10 15:23:52 2005

No, not at all. A "Pun-jab" is the pun-ishment metered out to people who pun without authority of the pun-el. Serious stuff...
Nigel
Wrexham, - Thu Feb 10 15:02:01 2005

I wonder if there are lots of jovial people ib the Punjab by any chance?
John
- Thu Feb 10 14:21:53 2005

... sorry, got a bit carried away there.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 13:36:17 2005

Don't forget: the pun is mightier than the sword.
John
- Thu Feb 10 13:32:09 2005

... or would unauthorised punners be sentenced to a stay in Puntonville?
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 13:11:50 2005

Would members of the punel drink pun-galactic gargle blasters?
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 13:11:09 2005

... and if there was a piece of software to help generate puns, would it have a "Pundo" button (in case you make a mistake)?
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 13:10:13 2005

Would the poeple who submit puns to the panel for ratification (and / or implementation) be pun-ters?
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 13:05:02 2005

I've just invented a new word - prodecure. It shall henceforth be pronounced "proddy-cure", and will be a special kind of soothing bandage used to recover after having been prodded too much. Erm.
John
- Thu Feb 10 12:32:32 2005

Of course, failure to adhere to any of the strict rules of the implementation prodecure would invoke pun-alty clauses. A good case in point is that pun right there in the previous sentence which I have just introduced without the agreement of the group. For this I must clearly be pun-ished, and more so given that extra pun right there. The sad truth is that was only the pun-ultimate bad gag in this passage (that extra one there being the last).
John
- Thu Feb 10 12:24:07 2005

Jimmy - yes, it would seem very fitting to have the name of the pun panel be a pun in itself. However this decision would have to be ratified by a majority consensus from the members of the committee, following the motion having been first forwarded and then second by two appropriately qualified executives. I'd then like to see a draft document outlining the proposal for this naming convention, and that would have to go through the usual approval process before it can be accepted as a working standard by the group. From there, we could begin to work out a roadmap for the implementation phase of the new pun name, blah blah blah rhubarb etc etc...
John
- Thu Feb 10 12:20:04 2005

And for really urgent, red-letter pun approval you could call on the Scarlett Pun-panel !!!!!
Nigel
Wrexham, Infornt of a flat panel... - Thu Feb 10 12:11:12 2005

John- I love the pun committee idea. I kind of pun-panel. A pun-el, if you like.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 12:04:02 2005

And of course I should have said "Minotaur" ... oops
Nigel
Wrexham, head hanging in shame... - Thu Feb 10 12:00:25 2005

John: May I write all that down? Sounds just the type of stuff I will need in my expanded role!! By the way, it has often been said I talk a load of bull... So maybe the Centaur description is apt :)
Nigel
Wrexham, With note pad... - Thu Feb 10 11:55:24 2005

Can I propose the implementation of a management comittee to govern the issuing of new puns? A strategy meeting could be help directly before pun publication, where all comittee members present could review and offer suggestions for tweaking of the new pun product. That way we could iron out any potential problems that may occur in the roll out, as we've just seen, without denting our brand image or losing customer focus. This would also help for other excutives to have real "buy in" for any new pun development, which would help our employees to really get behind the idea, effect synergy, and refactor our total quality vector.
John
- Thu Feb 10 11:40:51 2005

At the risk of ruining your pun there dsp, were you heading for minotaur or centaur? If it was minotaur, then shouldn't it be half man half bull? Clearly, if it was centaur then please accept my apologies and ignore this message altogether. If only there were a generic term which covered horses and cows/bulls. Errr quadraped? No, probably too broad. Livestock? No, I guess this also includes chickens. Beast of burden per chance?
John
- Thu Feb 10 11:36:17 2005

DSP: Neigh!! (Sorry - had to be said by someone!)
Nigel
Wrexham, The Stables - Thu Feb 10 11:22:06 2005

Nigel does that mean you are now half man and half horse?
dsp
- Thu Feb 10 11:02:15 2005

I was in the Shadows. I was hank Marvin.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 10 10:57:33 2005

Mad Mumsie: Ahhhh....... :)
Nigel
Wrexham, Mentoring.... - Thu Feb 10 10:56:53 2005

Nigel: I'm sure you do it very well!!! As for Joe Sat.... - was he in The Shadows?
Mad Mumsie
- Thu Feb 10 10:53:51 2005

Doh! ... Yes, I have to instill "Good business practices" into our casual staff. As if they cared....
Nigel
Wrexham, - Thu Feb 10 10:30:14 2005

A sorry, according to uncle Google that should actually be spelt Wiggum. "That's where I saw the Leprchaun. He tells me to burn things!"
John
- Thu Feb 10 10:10:54 2005

For some reason Nigel I imagined you saying "I'm a mentor" in the style of little Ralf Wigham from The Simpsons.
John
- Thu Feb 10 10:08:38 2005

Ha! Yes, good point John! Well, that's another corporate meeting over with. I'm now a "Mentor". Oh whoopee :(
Nigel
Wrexham, - Thu Feb 10 10:04:26 2005

My favourite guitarist is, oh, wossisname, Derek Smalls or Nigel Tuffnel or whoever it is in Spinal Tapp.
John
- Thu Feb 10 09:24:09 2005

binky, binky, binky ...
Binky
- Thu Feb 10 08:23:25 2005

Nigel: Maybe I just need to improve my musical knowledge. I couldn't name one instrumental guitarist...though I don't know many who could. My favorite guitarist is Brian May, who completely "owns."
Travis
- Thu Feb 10 03:52:10 2005

And I won't harp on... Honestly, I won't... But really... You haven't? "Tsk!", as they say. One of the best instrumental rock guitarists (along with Steve Vai),er, EVER! No exaggeration... Sorry, said I wouldn't harp on, didn't I? How about Yngwie Malmsteen ? Not totally my taste I admit but... Not like Satch -no. But, well... Hmmm.... Sorry... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, Later... - Wed Feb 9 23:09:31 2005

Travis: No, it's not important :( The Satriani CD I mention was first out in 1987, so...
Nigel
Oswestry, Late... - Wed Feb 9 22:55:12 2005

Nigel, is it telling that I've never heard of Joe Satriani and I'm American? John, I don't think there's anything wrong with liking a show like King of Queens. In the past I've watched some of those series pretty regularly and often laughed at them, while still finding them ultimately lacking in...oh, what do the French call it?
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 21:31:09 2005

John, I've seen King of Queens. It's got Kevin James (of whom I'm indifferent) and Leah Remini (who I like). I've never been a fan, though I should say that I don't really watch TV. I watch a ton of films, on occasion the Gilmore Girls (because I record it for my wife), and Jon Favreau's "Dinner for Five" on the Independent Film Channel. I don't think I've liked one American sitcom.
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 21:28:53 2005

Mad Mumsie: Joe Satriani is an American guitar deity of the amazing kind. A stunning rock guitarist. His first well-known CD was "Surfing with the Alien" and featured on the cover the eponymous Silver Surfer. Perhaps check out a CD cover on Amazon etc to see what I mean... :)
Nigel
Oswestry, Home again, naturally - Wed Feb 9 20:02:01 2005

binky, binky, binky ...
Binky
- Wed Feb 9 18:09:18 2005

John: 8.30am, who in their right mind is awake at 8.30am. I'm just going into my second sleep by then, apart from which the streets aren't aired!!
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 9 17:59:25 2005

Nigel: who the hell is "Joe Satriani"
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 9 17:55:33 2005

binky, binky, binky ...
Binky
- Wed Feb 9 17:50:27 2005

Travis, I may have asked before, but do you by any chance know a sitcom called King of Queens? It is currently being showed at about 8:30AM (yes AM) every weekday here in England, which ought to be something of a warning sign about how much the British TV station (Channel 4) paid for the airing rights, and therefore the sort of regard it is held in.... and yet I absolutely love it. Surely it's just another product of the formulaic American team writing sitcom machine... and yet I absolutely love it. Does this indicate a wider problem in my life? Am I on the brink of a nervous breakdown? Please advise.
John
- Wed Feb 9 17:24:47 2005

John, you ought to see Taxi Driver. It's pretty amazing. Meanstreets is supposed to be very good. The Color of Money, a classic. He's not on my top 5 list, but he's good.
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 17:15:56 2005

You're definitely right there Nigel (the day being too long). I am definitely ready to go home now... unfortunately there's still another half an hour left...
John
- Wed Feb 9 16:59:41 2005

Sounds plausible! Maybe like being told as a kid to stand facing the wall etc. Or no, I've just had a thought. How about that trick military types do when they place hands on their fellows shoulders to straighten up a line ... or is that right-dress or some such...? Hmmm, this day is too long, isn't it?
Nigel
Wrexham, Yawn... - Wed Feb 9 16:25:24 2005

Nigel - my guess is that it has it's origin in the courts of law. I have no evidence to back this up, it's purely a hunch.
John
- Wed Feb 9 15:58:56 2005

Speaking as one who is expected to sit down for most of my working day, why am I never expected to "Sit Corrected"? I know this sounds daft (most of my output is!) but does this phrase originate from some sort of tailor's "which side do you dress?" type of situation? How does one "Stand Corrected"? A spinal-splint? Toes-outward? Shoulders straight, head back? We need to know....! (Sorry! I'm getting fed up with Windows at the mo...:))
Nigel
Wrexham, Hmmm... - Wed Feb 9 15:47:26 2005

Bill the butcher should've knifed him early on in the film.
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 9 15:44:12 2005

Gangs of New York was a great film, but Leo was kinda crap as the "Hero".
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 9 15:43:26 2005

Righty-ho, I stand corrected!
John
- Wed Feb 9 15:12:58 2005

And Casino, Cape Fear, Raging Bull, The Color of Money. All famous films.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 15:10:07 2005

They're both excellent films. Classics, you could say.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 15:08:03 2005

I don't actually understand why Martin Scorsese is so famous - having consulted IMDB it seems that before The Aviator and Gangs of New York, he'd only actually directed two other films I've ever heard of - Goodfellas and Taxi Driver.... and I'm not actually sure if I've seen either of those.
John
- Wed Feb 9 14:56:44 2005

Rob, perhaps you could make a list of oversights and inaccuracies and then mail it to the director - I've heard they love that sort of thing. Like "Well, in scene 14 there's a sideways glance at an RV-72 sprocket valve attached to the main delineating conduit of a Hercules fuselage... now as any aircract engineer worth his salt would tell you, the RV-72 valve only came into use post 1950, following a defect discovered in the famous test flights based at Bradley air field, where blah blah blah etc."
John
- Wed Feb 9 14:50:41 2005

dsp, it was almost documentary in its attention to detail. From what I remember reading of the Spruce Goose (sorry, Hercules), the film accurately portrayed the aircraft. Also, I think the Hells Angels flying sequence was excellent too. It's time someone did a decent Knight of the Sky film, methinks.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 14:45:41 2005

Rob - being a aeroplane expert, were you satisfied with the technical details of the Aviator? or did you find yourself proclaiming: "Oh as if...", and "There's no way a plane could do that in third gear!", or "As if an Apple laptop could interface to an alien mothership" etc.
dsp
- Wed Feb 9 14:42:58 2005

So, Mad Mumsie... You like Joe Satriani too!! Cool!!!
Nigel
Wrexham, Still working - Wed Feb 9 14:27:01 2005

What with Rob talking dirty about Artificial Intelligence - now Jude Law who I thought was actually quite good in AI, I have to conclude that today is going to actually turn out to be some android dream rather than reality... Yes, I need tea!!
Nigel
Wrexham, Work, work, work... - Wed Feb 9 14:22:47 2005

Travis - Chie has had a long running obsession with Jude Law, and as such I have seen a significant proportion of his entire filmography. I have to admit I don't actually strongly dislike him, perhaps as a result of all this mental conditioning. I would say he is in danger of being a bit type cast though - he does just about always seem to play a self-centred, arrogant, unfaithful womanising, spoilt rich kid.
John
- Wed Feb 9 14:14:51 2005

Rob, I haven't seen Aviator. I don't mean to blaspheme but I can't stand Leo DiCaprio. Also, I know it's not a movie just about some guy flying a plane, but I'll probably wait for that to show up on cable TV. I've been renting a lot of movies lately, most recently picked up King Arther (with Clive Owen) and episodes 2-6 of Twin Peaks
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 13:58:22 2005

dsp - Do you think the fact that I am a "silver surfer" might be a give-away in the cushion stakes.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 9 13:36:16 2005

T-Boy, did you see the Aviator? I can't find a review of it on your hp, so I suppose not.
DSP, I don't need any other siblings - cushions or not.
Lola, please would you write me 2000 words on: "A Multivariate Statistical Comparison of Growing Neural Gas with Utility and the Plastic Self Organising Map in both non-stationary and stochastic environments." Thanks.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 13:30:41 2005

Yes, Lola! Thank God. I need you to write a thesis for me. It's due next month so you'll have a bit of time. Sixty pages should cut it. The topic is Aristotle on the nature and role of mental concepts. Do you take cash?
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 13:20:24 2005

I can't stand Jude Law as an actor. I thought Closer looked awful, too, John. Decided to skip it. I haven't been to the cinema in almost a month, which is nearing a record for me. Nothing looking very good until Sin City, which comes out April 1st in the US.
Travis
- Wed Feb 9 13:18:33 2005

Guys! Need custom essay or term paper, cover letter or presentation?! Take a look at http://www.proessay.com Professional custom essays term papers book reports film reviews oral presentations cover letters and resumes. They can help you to prepare PowerPoint presentation. Delivery up to 12 hours!!!! Acceptable prices. Good luck!
Lola <lola2000@aol.com>
USA, NYC - Wed Feb 9 13:17:30 2005

Mad Mumsie - I heard a rumour that pregnant women get dental treatment for free. Why not hide a cusion up jumper and save a few quid? Hope this helps.
dsp
- Wed Feb 9 13:14:43 2005

I feel the need for some retail therapy. Trouble is I can't drive yet, so am reliant on my chauffeur, and does he want to go to Brent Cross - not if he can help it!!!
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 9 13:11:26 2005

I could really get used to this life style - getting up late, reading until the early hours, having my meals cooked for me, but no, I suppose I would shortly be climbing the wall. I have a dental appointment today, which means I SHALL BE GOING OUT OF THE HOUSE, first time since Monday, when I had a doctor's appointment. Such excitement, can I cope? Probably.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 9 13:11:03 2005

It involved some time travle/paradox stuff, making it difficult fo me to re-enact on a low budget. The end of the film, that is, not the song about the GIFs.
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 9 12:37:31 2005

For some reason I am suddenly reminded of the charming little ditty me and Jimmy used to sing:
Icon theft,
Icon theft,
The greatest GIFs,
That I posess.

John
- Wed Feb 9 12:10:12 2005

How about re-creating it in Lego?
John
- Wed Feb 9 11:38:51 2005

Jimmy, perhaps you should re-enact the cinema ending and film it yourself.
Kev
- Wed Feb 9 11:32:45 2005

Jimmy, that's a really crappy thing of them to do! Why do you think they'd change the ending for the DVD and not include the original? It doesn't make sense, dammit!
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 11:20:31 2005

On the subject of films, I rented "The butterfly effect" the other day. I saw it in the cinema (which was excellent), but the rental DVD had the wrong ending! So I trawled through the alternative endings (all of which were crap) but the cinema ending (the one and only good one) was absent! Bastards!
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 9 11:05:26 2005

The Aviator is very very good. I'd go and see it if I were you. It's less about flying than it is about a man who has some serious issues.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 10:50:30 2005

The Aviator has a fleeting Jude Law in it.
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 10:49:28 2005

We didn't go to see the Aviator (that doesn't have Jude Law in does it?) - we went to see a film called Closer, which I hadn't really heard of, apart from seeing the odd advert for it on TV. I'm not sure who the intended audience was exactly, but I do know that I can't have been part of it, as the film didn't really appeal to me at all.
John
- Wed Feb 9 10:36:55 2005

What did you think of the Aviator, John?
Rob Lang
- Wed Feb 9 10:26:34 2005

We were able to use a pancake pan which was bought for us as a wedding present. It is a lot easier to make pancakes in than a wok!
dsp
- Wed Feb 9 09:47:46 2005

We didn't have any pancakes, partly because we went to the cinema to see yet another film with Jude Law in.
John
- Wed Feb 9 09:23:43 2005

Fogot all about pancakes, until we had finished dinner and cleared up. Still - there's always tomorrow. Pancakes are not just for Shrove Tuesday.
Mad Mumsie
- Tue Feb 8 20:46:40 2005

I shall destroy you all in Chom Isis. I'm in the process of assembling an alliance...of one.
Travis
- Tue Feb 8 19:37:47 2005

Right, just about to make some pancakes!! Wahoo!!
dsp
- Tue Feb 8 18:19:38 2005

Ahhh I see Travis - I had a suspicion it might have been that.
John
- Tue Feb 8 15:40:56 2005

You're in, Lox. Starts next Monday. Who's next?
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 8 15:34:27 2005

Canadien is just the way the Frenchies spell it. When I used to go to Canada (my family went a lot for vacations), we were in areas with higher numbers of French speakers I guess.
Travis
- Tue Feb 8 15:30:00 2005

Ciao Rob!! I want to play, I'll send you a mail so that you can get me registered... :) Tomorrow I am away but I am usually at the computer so....
Lox
- Tue Feb 8 14:38:55 2005

I'm starting a game of Chom Isis 2 next Monday. If anyone fancies giving it a go, please let me know! T-Boy's in the game and the usual suspects are all playing, so why not give it a try. Makes the working day go by a bit faster. Check out the web page: http://www.icar.co.uk/Chom2/ and send me the info you see there! [/plug]
Rob Lang
- Tue Feb 8 14:26:32 2005

That was the pirate of success again. Although it may not be possible to resolve fractions of milliseconds on a Win32 machine, you can count them by dividing cumulative time- thus improving overally linearity. HHHaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr! (Jim lad)
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 8 13:11:55 2005

whazzup!??
Lox
- Tue Feb 8 13:10:20 2005

Ha-Harrrrr! Harrrrrrr! Haaaaaaaarrrrrr!
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 8 13:09:27 2005

Ah.... You are right, I have Fashion Nugget, I really thought it was the first album.. Oh well, surely after a bit o f success the first step is to release a "ALBUM ZERO" for the sheer marketing value of it... Of course all of thoose songs were made in 2004, but HEY! IT SELLS!
Lox
- Tue Feb 8 11:33:57 2005

Ahem (read in anorak voice), well I think you'll find what you've actually got is the second album Lorenzo - assuming it is Fashion Nugget. The first album was Motorcade of Generosity. They're now on their fifth.
John
- Tue Feb 8 11:18:08 2005

Lox you could always go into business with John and his restaurant!
dsp
- Tue Feb 8 10:56:15 2005

Thanks dsp and John for the kind words!! Every little bit helps.. :) As for Cake I still have the first CD it's a great album, but unfortunately they are not that big here in Italy so I guess they won't come to pizzaland to play--- :(
Lox
- Tue Feb 8 10:21:44 2005

Is it you or your parents in this income tax bracket?
John
- Tue Feb 8 09:53:58 2005

I believe you had the single of "I Will Survive" didn't you? I seem to recall you playing it quite a lot in Radstock... Wasn't the B-side of that "How do you afford your Rock n' Roll Lifestyle"...? I think I remember you liking that as well... I was kind of hoping they might play that too, but they didn't, which was a shame.
John
- Tue Feb 8 09:48:09 2005

Niiiice!! I was glad you didn't clog up the 1-9.
dsp
- Tue Feb 8 09:44:21 2005

Hey Tim I got your text message the other day. I hope my little live satelite link-up wasn't too random - I would have tried to speak but it was predictably impossible to hear myself think!
John
- Tue Feb 8 09:33:43 2005

John: Not sure if you got the text, but thanks for Friday's snippet of "I will survive", loved it! I think that should classify as one of Jimmy's Random Acts of Kindness, so good karma to you!
dsp
- Tue Feb 8 09:32:11 2005

Is that a deliberate mispelling? Does Canadien mean something different to Canadian? Michael Moore seemed to like the Canadians in Bowling for Columbine.... Oooooh controversial!
John
- Tue Feb 8 09:31:56 2005

Sorry to hear you are a bit down and glum at the moment Lox. Something will be just around the corner!
dsp
- Tue Feb 8 09:30:18 2005

It could be worse...you could all be Canadien. Tink about it.
Travis
- Tue Feb 8 04:24:40 2005

I remember the camel - it was um very good!
Mad Mumsie
- Mon Feb 7 17:43:08 2005

I guess I have to take some time off (permanently) from this situation... I don't like it, I hate feeling like that, but at least I am working on it... On wednsday I am going to have a second interview with a company near Florence, and tomorrow I will send 4 more CVs (hoping that they will reach somewhat the right person) to see if I can get a strike of luck a way or another... At least I am fighting... As for pointless things I do a lot of them during the day!! Like pretending to do work, waliking up and down the company with some paper in my hand, play computer at night...
Lox
- Mon Feb 7 16:06:35 2005

Ahhhhh..... www.actsofkindness.org :)
Nigel
Wrexham, work - Mon Feb 7 15:53:17 2005

Ha! Like the ideas! I also read on some web-site about "Random Acts of Kindness". Not just plain old good manners, more actually helping. Like giving someone a pound for the parking meter when they struggle for change. There are listss of people's good deeds. I should think the looks on the recipients faces would be worth any monetary cost! Plus you'd get that self-satisfied, smug feeling as a consequence. Not that it has to be money... Lost the link now... Rats!
Nigel
Wrexham, Wales - not Milan :( - Mon Feb 7 15:37:27 2005

...or make something from papier mache. I once made a camel, it was a lot of fun.
John
- Mon Feb 7 15:22:13 2005

...or alternatively... I think I remember you telling me that you and a couple of your friends once pretended to be a television crew, and went out into the streets of Florence telling people that Ponto Vecchio was going to be knocked down or something like that... How about a repeat performance of that in Milan, where clearly people are *much* more stupid than the vastly superior Florentines. Perhaps you could tell people that the city council were considering selling advertising space on the top of the Duomo (which is, of course, nowhere near as good as the one in Firenze)?
John
- Mon Feb 7 15:17:43 2005

Why not set yourself a pointless quest? I fondly remember when I went to Milan, I was sitting on the side of this fountain thing, and after a few minutes a Japanese girl came up and asked if she could have her picture taken with me, presumably thinking I was a typical local Italian boy or something. Clearly she was disappointed to find out I was just a two-a-penny English tourist, who actually spoke some Japanese, but that isn't the point... I kind of like the idea that I randomly appear in her holiday snaps whenever she shows them to someone back in Japan. Errr.... so your pointless quest could be to see how many other people's photos you can get yourself into.
John
- Mon Feb 7 15:13:47 2005

Oh Lorenzo, you poor lamb.... I wish I could think of a helpful suggestion to help cheer up your crappy day but other than the usual recommendation of handing in your notice I have to admit I'm struggling somewhat... What I've found most effective recently in cheering myself up has been largely revolving around drinking... but also with a dose of eating nice food and going off on little whim-driven adventures, like my St. Blaise's Day outing last week. Is it easy for you to take time off at short notice? Maybe you can take a day (or just an afternoon) off and go wander round a city, or go for a nice walk in the countryside or something.
John
- Mon Feb 7 15:06:52 2005

crap DAY, John.... crap DAY... (there! I have dislexia day today, plus the usual shitty Monday that recently featured talking "aside" with my boss who thinks that I am unhappy and depressed... which I actually am, but I had to bullshit my way out of it...)
Lox
- Mon Feb 7 14:31:26 2005

Hmmm Lorenzo, not abundantly clear what you're getting at there... Care to elaborate?
John
- Mon Feb 7 14:10:14 2005

crap John.... crap John...
Lox
- Mon Feb 7 14:06:41 2005

Yes it is a bit on the quiet side today isn't it?
John
- Mon Feb 7 13:29:18 2005

The sound of a wailing, dusty breeze, the clatter-chatter of tumble-weeds... A distant vulture hungry for it's lunch....... Eerie desolation....
Nigel
Wrexham, Work... - Mon Feb 7 13:26:10 2005

Jimmy - Yes, and that's fine. I suppose I was only talking personally. As you can tell from prev. I tried a *lot* of these cataloguing progs. For me though (having some prgramming exp) I recognise superb coding, but (for me!) it's a triumph of style over substance. (I await a scolding!) Have you tried iMagic? It also has good prog skills, but takes a different approach. My favourite at the mo is an oldie called Jasc Media Center (sic). It lacks EXIF/IPTC but saves albums as a single, file. :)
Nigel
Wrexham, Work again! - Mon Feb 7 09:37:44 2005

Yep I really enjoyed Cake, no surprises there I suppose! There's a sort of review posted on the main bit of the site, if you're interested.
John
- Mon Feb 7 09:28:58 2005

Mine was funky - what was Cake like?
Rob Lang
- Mon Feb 7 09:27:37 2005

Well I hope the rest of you didn't have weekends as appallingly bland as mine (with the exception of Friday night seeing CAKE of course).
John
- Mon Feb 7 09:18:20 2005

Nigel- I couldn't disagree more. What I think is great about Picasa is its immediate ease-of-use. You don't need to read the manual before using it ... and when I eventually did have a question which required referring to the documentation, I found the help to be ... well... helpful. I think it scores massively for usability, which is a difficult thing to combine with good functionality. Also, the available features are well thought-out, and fit with my requirements surprisingly well.
Jimmy
- Mon Feb 7 08:38:17 2005

Not seen Picasa itself, but I know the sort of thing you mean...
John
- Sat Feb 5 14:41:42 2005

Sorry to harp on... The trouble with software like Picasa though is that it's a triumph of programmers' prowess over usability. Probably partly why Google give it away for free. The smooth scrolling, the KAI-like soft menus, are all clever but too fancy for real, long-term use. Install it and you'll understand. Lean, fast code doing what the average "Joe" needs is more commercial in the end.
Nigel
Oswestry, Rainy - Sat Feb 5 12:27:23 2005

Mmmmm cake ....
kev
- Fri Feb 4 20:17:17 2005

And, John, if you need me to appear in an ad for the software, I'm willing. I'll tell how it changed my life, got me an insane number of women throwing themselves at me, lots of money, etc...
Travis
- Fri Feb 4 17:13:03 2005

I purchased my digital camera recently and downloaded photostudio and picasa. I like them both...but PS is flat out easier to use.
Travis
- Fri Feb 4 17:12:01 2005

Leaving work a bit early (i.e. any minute now), and going into London to see CAKE tonight.... woohoo!
John
- Fri Feb 4 16:54:57 2005

Jimmy - yes I have Picasa too - and it's free! John - sorry old chap, you're just being negative. The people who write software that sells just persist!! You have the ability (*I* don't for e.g) and are already classed as a "pro". A lot of the other stuff available is amateurs only. Picasa is given away by Google to tease customers towards print-ordering etc. but still has comercial value. Find out about RAW camera data - add that to the code - it's the hot-potato at the mo'.
Nigel
Wrexham, Going home soon - Fri Feb 4 16:20:42 2005

Hmmmm I'm not sure there is much money in it though is there? All the innovative features are already out there and freely available. I think I would have to put in a lot of work to add enough new features to make people think about actually buying it. Besides it has been so long since I've touched the source code to that now that I'd probably have to throw lots of it away and write it again.... it would be akin to having a brief affair with an ex-girlfriend - fun at the time, but ultimately dissatisfying and in the long run potentially pschologically not very healthy. errr.
John
- Fri Feb 4 16:02:02 2005

Well, as I keep on saying - GO AND DOWNLOAD "PICASA" FOR FREE FROM GOOGLE, 'COZ ITS BLOODY BRILLIANT.
Jimmy
- Fri Feb 4 15:47:38 2005

Quite true Rob. I was prompted to make the suggestion considering how JASC started out as shareware and have recently been bought by Corel! More and more people are getting digital cameras and the packages I mention are catering for their growing photo collection. A growth market - prime for good-quality code. I rate EXIF and other MetaData as very useful. John's done the work already... :)
Nigel
Wrexham, Customer Support - Can I help You? - Fri Feb 4 15:35:53 2005

I think Nigel has a very very very good point. However, as a note of caution, things change in a big way when something goes from a hobby to a profession.
Rob Lang
- Fri Feb 4 15:18:45 2005

Forgive my impertinence John... Not being such a great programmer myself - bit of ANSI C, bit of ASM too much BASIC...:\ - but if you're looking for a new career why not develop your PhotoStudio software? It's the basis for great graphics cataloguing system. I have ACDSee, Jasc Photo Album, Adobe PA 2 to name a few and yours could be developed in that direction. Go for lean 'n' mean, conc' on the graphic i/f and a fast data structure.... You don't need me to preach... Worth a thought though. :))
Nigel
Wrexham, Work - Fri Feb 4 15:05:01 2005

John, that's FAB! Reminded me of your love for Software Engineering. I seem to remember you writing a book...
Rob Lang
- Fri Feb 4 13:20:04 2005

ah ... how about Bezier splines? They're pretty good! And you can make them entirely with integer maths if yer sneaky!
Jimmy
- Fri Feb 4 13:00:46 2005

John, are you bored by any chance ?
Kev
- Fri Feb 4 13:00:26 2005

Very good. It took me a while, but I got there.
Jimmy
- Fri Feb 4 12:59:53 2005

Oh Jimmy, that's so last week. Everyone knows the pent-tree is 25% better.
John
- Fri Feb 4 12:52:34 2005

... just to go back to a previous point, the quad-tree is my favourite data structure. Although maps are very good. DSP- you say you've implemented quicksort many times. What language are you using?
Jimmy
- Fri Feb 4 12:07:50 2005

I think you'll agree that the following evidence is pretty conclusive:

John
- Fri Feb 4 11:56:36 2005

One plausible explanation for this miracle of linguistic understanding could be that Lorenzo is in fact a robot.
John
- Fri Feb 4 10:49:19 2005

I think that the most impressive thing is that Lorenzo learnt Japanese through Scottish, Southern-English and Northern-English which he learnt through Italian. I often wondered if he lost a lot of the meaning of the Japanese through all the translation. YUMMY!!!!
dsp
- Fri Feb 4 10:31:36 2005

I think we more or less all did either computer science or cybernetics, with the exception of Lorenzo who did Japanese and economics (poser!).
John
- Fri Feb 4 09:00:27 2005

You lot are all Computer Scientists!!
Alice
- Thu Feb 3 21:08:56 2005

Can I ask what you lads (and lassies) studied at university? I'm just curious as to whether your knowledge of computers is a result/closely related to your program of study or whether it is just something you enjoy. I only use the net for information anymore. I used to do IRC a ton. I received my Bachelor's in philosophy, will get my Masters this may, and will do another masters in classics as soon as I finish this one.
Travis
- Thu Feb 3 16:57:29 2005

I don't have the slightest idea what you lot are talking about. So, my favorite message board where I do not understand 50% of the posts is, without any doubt, the maison!
Travis
- Thu Feb 3 16:55:17 2005

Rob - So do I detect some model-engineering enthusiast hereabouts? H-Bridge et al? Or maybe heavy-duty Robotics?
Nigel
Wrexham... Still..., - Thu Feb 3 16:25:06 2005

My favourite northern monkey is tim.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 15:44:16 2005

My favourite veggie computer geek is John!!
Lox
- Thu Feb 3 15:10:44 2005

John... no unfortunately I guess that we have very little chances as I am landing at 21,30.... :( I didn't even called you to ask to meet because I thought it would have been too hard.. Maybe next time, in March I should be coming again, I am sure that we can make some time... I am flying back to Italy on Friday at 17,30.... :(
dsp: Of course your average spring day is equal to a snowstorm here in Italy no wonder the students had their jackets on!! Still I don't put my ruck sack on both shoulders, I guess I got the habit back in reading... Oh happy days!!!
Lox
- Thu Feb 3 15:07:19 2005

My favourite electrical engineering geek is Rob Lang.
dsp
- Thu Feb 3 14:31:36 2005

My favourite algorithm is the quick sort. My favourite data structure is the directed graph and, because I can, my favourite motor control is 4-MOSFET H Bridge with decoupling capacitors.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 14:19:27 2005

What's your favourite data stucture? Mine's the n-branch tree.
dsp
- Thu Feb 3 14:13:56 2005

Dispite having implemented quicksort many times (including this week) - I still reckon that its complete magic!!
dsp
- Thu Feb 3 14:13:07 2005

Ah ... I'm much keener on quicksort.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 13:18:50 2005

Just done a Google on "Favourite Algorithm" to see what others might be saying. Of course I spelt the word the English way and found nothing but musical references! Wonder if this points to some computer-cultural thingy... My favourite is the "bubble sort" because it was the first one (and some say "only" one) I ever learned!!
Nigel
Wrexham, - Thu Feb 3 13:05:24 2005

It's just a scary, scary world, isn't it? No matter ... the problem is fixed now (and it wasn't in the recursive bit, but in the leaf-building bit). So: what's everybody favourite algorithm? Eh?
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 12:42:51 2005

Jimmy - how about making a specialised version of your algorithm which, rather than actually computing whatever output it is supposed to, instead generates a great big graph showing the computation path? I used to do this kind of thing using LaTex, as you generate drawing commands with simple text, and then you can end up making a postscript file which you can print out. Alternatively something like SVG, which if I recall correctly is XML based, might do the trick. Do you have an A3 printer by any chance...?
John
- Thu Feb 3 11:42:25 2005

So then a recommendation of a FOR-NEXT loop in GW-BASIC wouldn't be of any use?? No... Thought not... Sorry... Why does recursion always remind me of that snake eating its own tail?? Because it's a pain in the A@@ !! Hmmm. Need a cup of tea I think...
Nigel
Wrexham, At work - oops, another support call. Hold on... - Thu Feb 3 11:37:35 2005

It's great being able to do support calls when our engineers are out on site in far away lands, as there are so many variations of the old "it works on my machine" you can come up with, which are at the same time fun for you, and very irritating for the person getting roasted by the customers on the other end of the phone line. For example:

• It works in my country.
• It works in my continent.
• It works in my hemisphere.
• It works in my language.
• It works at my altitude.
• It works at my humidity level.
• etc.

John
- Thu Feb 3 11:30:25 2005

I've said that countless times.
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 11:08:26 2005

followed closely by 'it works on my machine'
Kev
- Thu Feb 3 10:46:05 2005

Isn't that a typical Software Engineering addidge? (spelling of addidge?)
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 10:44:37 2005

so, jimmy, the answer is to 'hope it works first time' ?'
Kev
- Thu Feb 3 10:43:39 2005

Madness, recursion through iteration. Madness, I tell you!
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 10:42:06 2005

John- you are entirely right that anything which can be programmed recursively can be programmed iteratively too. However, it's not the specific stack implementation which causes the problem, it's the fact that once you're half-way down the tree, things get very complex ... you have to step into the code a lot of times to reach a leaf-node, and it's extremely easy to get lost!
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 10:35:55 2005

You're an exchange student...
Rob Lang
- Thu Feb 3 10:32:26 2005

Mmmmm.... Italian exchange students....
John
- Thu Feb 3 09:41:40 2005

Do you need a CPU per stack element?
dsp
- Thu Feb 3 09:33:26 2005

For some reason I am reminded of a nice warm Spring day with all the Italian exchange students walking around campus with their coats zipped up, gloves and scarves, ruck sacks on their backs (with both straps on their shoulders), flapping their arms around trying to keep warm whilst complaining about the cold. Oh happy days.
dsp
- Thu Feb 3 09:32:35 2005

Jimmy - Imagine my horror once when I had to implement a recursive algorithm in Handel-C on an FPGA. As everything you write in Handel-C ends up as a bit of circuitry, there is no program counter, no stack, and therefore recursion is right out. So I damn well re-invented that wheel and implemented my own stack. That'll learn 'em. Anyway, the moral of the story is that most recursive algorithms can be replaced by an iterative one, with your own custom stack structure. This may well not be of any use to you, but there, I've told you nonetheless.
John
- Thu Feb 3 09:31:10 2005

I assume the "for the day" bit means no chance of meeting up for a drink or anything...? I'm going to be in London tomorrow night as it happens, but at a concert (finally going to see CAKE). It starts at 7, but as standard I'm not really sure what time it finishes. I assume they'll have a support band so I could well be there until 11ish.
John
- Thu Feb 3 09:27:02 2005

Actually the last couple of days haven't been too cold actually - although that is based on Enligh standards. According to the weather forecast, it is going to be colder tomorrow (9 degrees as opposed to 11 today) and some threatening black looking clouds. So I would recommend some kind of jacket, but not necessarily the thickest / most wintery, plus perhaps an umbrella, but maybe one of those "just in case" ones - i.e. not big and heavy so you don't get pissed off for carrying it round all day when it hasn't actually rained.
John
- Thu Feb 3 09:24:06 2005

Ciao everyone, is it cold in London in these days? I am coming tomorrow for the day and I was wondering what to bring....
Lox
- Thu Feb 3 09:11:35 2005

... not that it's a bad idea in itself ... just inappropriate for my application.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 08:44:35 2005

... and no, John, I don't want to hear about how an O(n-squared) task can be completed in linear time with the use of n processors.
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 08:44:03 2005

Don't you just hate it when you invent a really clever algorithm for improving the speed/scalability of an existing one, only to find that it has a small bug you have to fix and ... horror of horrors ... your clever version involved recusion, thus making it astonishingly difficult to follow? I mean- it's nice to know that your implementation is efficient, and has to be that way to do the job in time, but ... recursion? What made me do it?!?!
Jimmy
- Thu Feb 3 08:42:48 2005

So what about Gretna Green? That haven of sneaky marriages for centuries! Plus those Scots are very nice people.
Nigel
Oswestry, The Sony again - Wed Feb 2 21:38:11 2005

John - For REAL tackiness you could always get married in Las Vegas, at the Elvis Presley marriage chapel! Or how about a beach somewhere really warm.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 2 17:37:18 2005

Small boat..... plan to get married... .. travel out to sea...... lose sight of land...... sounds like a plot that would star Doug Mclure, where you would end up on an island populated by supposedly exctinct dinosaurs and would copnclude with you writing your story down on some paper and putting it in a bottle and throwing it in the sea.
Kev
- Wed Feb 2 14:23:53 2005

Yes Travis you're right - the boss character (David Brent) is played by Ricky Gervais. Supposedly Ricky is from Reading, which is where most of us here on the board went to university. The place The Office is based in - Slough - is just down the road from Reading. So all very topical.
John
- Wed Feb 2 13:37:40 2005

John, a friend recently loaned me the first season of the Office. I haven't watched all of it yet, but it's incredibly funny. The guy you're talking about is the boss on the show, right?
Travis
- Wed Feb 2 13:25:10 2005

(That was the pirate of success)
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 2 12:44:57 2005

Ha-Harrrrr! Harrrrrrr! Haaaaaaaarrrrrr!
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 2 12:44:39 2005

Incidentally Japan's immigration laws are generally much tougher than they are here, so I suspect you'd have to jump through even more hoops to get married over there as a foreigner.
John
- Wed Feb 2 12:27:16 2005

Yep I kind of like the idea of getting married on a boat. I could get my Dad to do the ceremony - who has part ownership of a small fishing boat, so therefore would be captain by default if he's the one taking it out that day... plus of course for the double whammy effect he is also a reverend.
John
- Wed Feb 2 12:26:00 2005

Alternatively, John, you could say "Bollocks" to the UK foreigner-tax, and go and marry her in Japan. Or you could use it as an excuse not to marry her (I know plenty of guys who would jump at such an opportunity). Ah- here's another one: a ship's captain can perform a marriage ceremony. All you gotta do is steam out to international waters, and get him to run through the vows etc. onboard. And you get a bit of a cruise into the bargain!
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 2 11:33:01 2005

John, if you go back to the doctors a couple of more times with some feigned illnesses you can probably get your £135 worth of marriage tax. However if any goverment representatives are reading this, I am only suggesting this as a hypothetical solution and would not condone such a waste of tax payers money in this way.
Kev
- Wed Feb 2 11:07:06 2005

Glad to hear you're making good progress Mumsie!
John
- Wed Feb 2 10:58:32 2005

Hello everybody. What a miserable lot you've been lately. I've been coming on line and not finding anything to comment on. I've had a cold to end all colds, courtesy dear Bethan, but am on the mend now. The hip is fine and I have progressed from two crutches to just my stick, indoors at least, and can come downstairs properly again. Only two and a half weeks and they might let me go back to work.
Mad Mumsie
- Wed Feb 2 10:54:15 2005

I now find I am singing to myself: "Genghis Khan, Superstar, conquered the steppes on a Yamaha..."
John
- Wed Feb 2 10:50:27 2005

Whilst in the doctor's surgery this morning, waiting to see the doctor about my knee (which apparently is fine), they were playing what appeared to be a soul version of Will Smith's "Men in Black". Towards the end I found myself begging for it to stop, however, when, to my delight, it did stop, it was replaced, to my horror, with a cover of Celine Dion's "My Heart will go on", that somehow stunningly managed to be even worse than the already hateful original. They then progressed onto a cover of "Jesus Christ Superstar", which for the sheer comedy of it I found notably more palatable than the previous two abominations, and it occurred to me that Robbie Williams' "Let me entertain you" seems to owe quite a lot to this. They finished off with "Don't Cry for me Argentina", which I don't really have much to say about. Sorry this is all totally irrelevant, but I thought it somehow important to distill into words nonetheless.
John
- Wed Feb 2 10:47:22 2005

I have got that "If I'd known, those KFC mini fillet burgers were only 99p, I'd have asked you to get me one, Sandra, can I have a bite...?" song going round and round in my head, which is starting to get really very irritating. This must mean this is extremely effective advertising... except that, for obvious reasons, I'm never actually going to buy one.
John
- Wed Feb 2 10:41:07 2005

That sounds pretty horrid Jimmy... Is it literally everything, or are there any more specific problems that are isolatable...?
John
- Wed Feb 2 10:31:27 2005

Everything (as Bob Dylan sang) is broken.
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 2 10:26:37 2005

Tim, see here for the rant version, or here for the BBC version.
John
- Wed Feb 2 09:59:20 2005

John: What's all this marry-a-foreigner-tax malarky?
dsp
- Wed Feb 2 09:29:17 2005

Ah, apparently it was the Golden Globes, in January 2004, and the exact quote was "I'm from a little place called England. . . . We used to run the world before you."
John
- Wed Feb 2 08:43:40 2005

Travis, are you by any chance aware of Ricky Gervais, an English comedian, creator of a sitcom called The Office. I think it got exported over to the US in some form or other, and he won some kind of American TV award for it. At the awards ceremony, he famously got up on stage and said "I'm from a little country called Britain, we used to rule the world before you did".
John
- Wed Feb 2 08:40:08 2005

feckfeckfeckfeckfeckfeckfeck
Jimmy
- Wed Feb 2 08:25:36 2005

John, I'd like to think that we worked hard to perfect that system begun by you. Many thanks for laying the foundation. Aside note, does your landlord/lady know you're moving? Are you definitely moving?
Travis
- Wed Feb 2 04:51:07 2005

Ha! Good to hear spirits have lifted. Glad Chie feeling better. Yes, Britain is losing it's self-esteem and I reckon that's why it (not "we" I hasten to add) is going barmy these days. No excuse of course.
Nigel
Oswestry, In front of a Sony Vaio - Tue Feb 1 23:12:57 2005

Thanks Nigel! Well the day improved towards the end - I had a nice chat with the landlady and we managed to resolve the rent issue (i.e. no rent increase). Towards the end of the afternoon there seemed to be a slight improvement in the project from hell - I think the customers will probably accept our system on the provision they can beat a member of our staff to a pulp with a stick... and Chie felt much much better by the time I got home from work. So that just leaves the realisation that my country is institutionally racist, but hey, given Britain built an empire on exploiting foreigners what can you expect...?
John
- Tue Feb 1 22:12:43 2005

Still... As Eric Idle might say... "Mustn't Grumble! Always look on the bright side of life...." Sorry. That probably doesn't help does it? My wife's Scots you know... Fit as a Butcher's Dog. I never argue... Well not without the aid of Guinness... It's the kick-boxing you know. Terrifies me. Women are so empowered, these days aren't they? I mean look... Someone has to be oppressed (name that quote!) Smiling yet? ;)
Nigel
Oswestry, Shropshire - Tue Feb 1 21:45:41 2005

Today has turned into an absolute shit of a day:

• Chie is off work with stomach trouble and has been in a really foul mood.
• Have spent half the day firefighting a "really big important project" which is on the brink of being rejected by the customers because it has all gone up in flames.
• Have found out thanks to a new fascist law I have to get a special certificate and pay £135 as a marrying-a-foreigner penalty.
• The estate agents phoned up completely out of the blue on behalf of my landlady to ask if I would mind them putting up the rent.

John
- Tue Feb 1 17:29:00 2005

No, sorry, there isn't time.
John
- Tue Feb 1 14:50:21 2005

Can I just mention that I'm working from home today?
dsp
- Tue Feb 1 14:43:55 2005

Is it something other than the space bar then Jimmy...?
John
- Tue Feb 1 11:22:02 2005

blastblastblastblastblastblast
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 1 10:29:43 2005

"Park in it... Man!"
dsp
- Tue Feb 1 10:24:41 2005

Travis: Yep that's right... It was Fire walk with me... The series was big in Italy and also the first movie. The secon passed somewhat unnoticed...
Lox
- Tue Feb 1 09:39:27 2005

Space bar broken again Jimmy?
John
- Tue Feb 1 09:28:11 2005

damndamndamndamn
Jimmy
- Tue Feb 1 08:27:50 2005

Last month's messages
John
- Tue Feb 1 08:19:49 2005

Pinch, punch. First of the month!!! And no returns.
tom
- Tue Feb 1 07:48:50 2005

Email tom-at-rowan.me.uk-nospam
tom <tom-at-rowan.me.uk-nospam>
- Tue Feb 1 07:48:22 2005