Dsp: Thanks, I hope I don't have to hold the torch for much longer, I haven't signed the contract yet (as it hasn't been formalized to me) it's a bit weird as I did refuse the other job for something that is not quite there yet...
Lox
Mon Jul 31 23:12:55 2006

 Lox: Congrats on finishing your job! Enjoy your time between jobs, the torch officially passes to you!
dsp
Mon Jul 31 22:58:06 2006

 Thanks Tom! Will do. I'm sitting here now. Trying to "paint a portrait" of myself in as few words as possible (is this achievable I ask myself ;))
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 20:22:08 2006

 Focus on process, risk management and so on. The technical stuff in your CV should speak for itself, but the 'softer' more managerial side of security doesn't always stand out - and yet is so sought after these days.
tom
Mon Jul 31 16:19:16 2006

 Good point Lox! No challenge there!! (Well, except for my cat...!)
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 15:17:27 2006

 Thanks guys. Yes, getting back to something I'm interested in would be marvellous! I'm certainly giving it a good shot, and have most of the experience they ask for. I'll brush up on the Cisco side later and try to drop in a few key words if I can. They were only recently bought out by BT and I wonder if this strategy is behind the new BT adverts for boradband phone...
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 15:15:54 2006

 How about NSSSL (Not so Secure Socket Layer)... Maybe the hackers would let it go if the name was not appealing... I can imagine them talking about it..."AH! I cracked a NSSSL!!!"... "Yeah right! Like my cat couldn't do that!! Geee, you are really a moron!". Automatically the world is safer.
Lox
Mon Jul 31 15:14:57 2006

 Yea security is such a massive part of networking these days (nobody cared so much ten, or even five years ago), and that's all Tom's field. It's not an area I know much about, but the single most important thing I learned about security from my job in recent months is just that you don't ever call anything "secure" because it is making a promise you might not be able to keep. For example, SSL seems like a bad choice for a name - personally I would have called it just PSL (protected socket layer) or ESL (encrypted socket layer).
John
Mon Jul 31 14:55:56 2006

 Nigel: To be honest I'd give it a fair push. As TOM who is an expert of networking maybe he can help you re-engeneering the CV to look very good... I'd ask him which are the latest "cool" things that one has to know about networking and firewalls! GO FOR IT!!!
Lox
Mon Jul 31 14:46:48 2006

 Nigel: go for it! I think your talents are going to waste in your current position, not to mention your sanity!
John
Mon Jul 31 14:41:09 2006

 Hmmm, well sheer volume of people in my face I think... one after another. It's getting me confused, frankly. Plus I just found a job vacancy for BT TNS, which is near where I live... Cisco network specialists. Trying to construct a mental CV...
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 14:11:04 2006

 Whats up?
tom
Mon Jul 31 13:34:57 2006

 Well I'm all at sea this morning... Or afternoon, even...
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 13:21:17 2006

 Hang on. Ellen McCarther at sea. Was she crying?
tom
Mon Jul 31 12:49:21 2006

 (Whispers very queitly) Nor do I. SShhh!
Jimmy
Mon Jul 31 12:28:23 2006

 Jimmy: yea, but I bet Ellen MacYachtWoman wouldn't know the first thing about designing parts for race cars though would she?
John
Mon Jul 31 11:58:32 2006

 Kev you are dead right- that would certainly have been worse ...
Jimmy
Mon Jul 31 11:33:55 2006

 Jimmy, it could have been worse. You could have ended up upside down trapped in a cabin rapidly filling with water wondering if there are are any sharks in the waters off the Isle of Wight this time of year ! Meanwhile a skytv helicopter is flying overhead when you finally surface, somehow minus your trousers, holding onto an inflatable rabbit and be plastered all over national tv.
Kev
Mon Jul 31 11:17:11 2006

 To make matters worse, there was this wonderfully embarassing moment when Ellen MacArthur came past in her B&Q trimaran. She had a load of tourists on board, and (for some reason) they were all looking at our little yacht. Suddenly, something went wrong, and the boom swung unexpectedly (and very violently and noisily) across the boat. We all simultaneously yelled "AAAARRRRGH!" and thre ourselves to the deck. She must have thought "What a bunch of muppets".
Jimmy
Mon Jul 31 11:11:59 2006

 John, Kev: Well, the next three days are going to be devoted to packing, then 20 days of BUMMING in Guadaloupe, then I will have to start working seriously to start the company and hopefully a new more exciting, better and happier life... (or even just one of these three)... :)
Lox
Mon Jul 31 10:20:13 2006

 Yep being a bum is great. Its highly recommended, just try not to make it a profession.
Kev
Mon Jul 31 10:15:59 2006

 Lox: I hope you can spend at least some of your time as an unemployed person lazing around and not doing very much - i.e. generally being a bum. Take it from me and Kev - it is great!
John
Mon Jul 31 10:06:27 2006

 Maybe you just didn't have enough time to find your "sea legs" as my grandmother would say. I'm from a very sea faring family, so I'm really quite embarassed by how I feel so queasy on boats even in relatively calm weather... but I've always put it down to the factor that I've not yet had enough of a chance to acclimatise to it.
John
Mon Jul 31 10:03:41 2006

 Indeed no gills- maybe that's where I've been going wrong.
Jimmy
Mon Jul 31 09:32:12 2006

 If our creator had intended us to go to sea, Jimmy, we'd have been furnished with fins and gills... Case proven in your favour I think! (You don't have fins and gills, do you...?)
Nigel
Mon Jul 31 09:21:51 2006

 Morning all! I've had an intersting weekend- my company have hired a yacht and are racing it at Cowes every day this week. I was on the crew yesterday, but despite the near-perfect conditions I manged to be utterly sick for the entire race. Bugger bugger bugger!
Jimmy
Mon Jul 31 09:12:44 2006

 Goodmorning! Today is my LAST DAY OF WORK as an employee !!! From tomorrow I will be technically unemployed, hoping to set up my own firm soon!!!
Lox
Mon Jul 31 07:42:15 2006

 Thanks, guys. Never heard of that, but it makes sense.
Travis
Sun Jul 30 22:10:04 2006

 OK then... Afternoon! :)) Time for a beverage I think!!
How's Corsica, Sheri?
Nigel
Sun Jul 30 16:25:52 2006

 Morning!! :))
I just had the longest "lie-in" for years!! 10:30am before I surfaced!! Marvellous! Joc was entertaining the kids and I managed to get away with a rest of rests! Refreshed and invigourated I'll now embark on wonderful, productive and energetic tasks... Maybe...!! ;))
Nigel
Sun Jul 30 10:53:42 2006

 Travis: Normally Rats are the first to experience the problems of a sinking ship (i.e. a lot of water where they normally live), so that's why they leave first, one after the other. Kev is completely right, it is usually applied to business situations such as a company going pearshaped loosing a lot of people... (see my previous employer)...
Lox
Sat Jul 29 22:31:33 2006

 Rats leaving a sinking ship is usually applied to a company when people start to leave one a fter the other, perhaps because the company has problems, sort of like, well if they are leaving i had better go too before its too late.
Kev
Sat Jul 29 20:24:15 2006

 Kev: What's the sigificance of that saying?
Travis
Sat Jul 29 18:54:42 2006

 Today I was expecting loads of replies to mail that I sent yesterday, shame that the inbox was as empty as void when I checked it... :(
Lox
Sat Jul 29 10:53:11 2006

 Kev: I could translate it to "come topi che si buttano dalla nave che affonda", but I don't know if we have that saying (I am sure we do but...)
Lox
Sat Jul 29 10:48:58 2006

 Lox, You must have an Italian phrase that means "Rats leaving a sinking ship"? please enlighten us ;)
Kev
Fri Jul 28 23:34:45 2006

 Today I have started the "goodbyes" tour of the company... Interesting reactions... More people are jumping off the ship anyways, today yet another designer resigned! :) Wooooooohooooo! :)
Lox
Fri Jul 28 23:28:05 2006

 Evening all! Well back from work now and it's a weekend!! Now I know this is obvious, but, well I've had a couple of Guinnesses to celebrate and thought I'd just share my celebration with you guys! :) Cheers!
Nigel
Fri Jul 28 19:21:06 2006

 Thanks. :-)
tom
Fri Jul 28 16:23:23 2006

 Tom: It's a very "clean" site. By that I mean, good response-time, nicely laid-out (something I particularly like!!) and easy to navigate. More sites should be like yours. Good work!! :))
Nigel
Fri Jul 28 16:07:14 2006

 I've sampled the delights of Pizza Express.
tom
Fri Jul 28 16:06:50 2006

 Tom: as you've been in Wales, have you had a chance to sample any welsh delicacies? There are some great cheeses made there - I particulaly like Y Fenni - the one with mustard seeds in. Oh and if you can find a brand of ice cream called, I think, Brooke's, that is very good - especially the one they call Welsh Gold. Both Chie and Lox seemed to like this, and they both have very high standards in this department!
John
Fri Jul 28 16:05:22 2006

 I have developed a serious nose picking problem in the last couple of years. I am considering hypno therapy.
John
Fri Jul 28 15:52:20 2006

 I never did see any comments on my new squadron website: www.twoeleven.info
tom
Fri Jul 28 15:41:25 2006

 I was thinking more in the line of inserting finger, but yes, I could probably do with a smaller one. Nose, not finger.
tom
Fri Jul 28 15:40:53 2006

 Visiting the plastic-surgeon? :)
Nigel
Fri Jul 28 15:30:33 2006

 In that case, I'll pick my nose.
tom
Fri Jul 28 15:00:32 2006

 Echo ..Echoooo... Echo - Yes you are
kev
Fri Jul 28 14:43:41 2006

 Am I alone here?
tom
Fri Jul 28 14:40:17 2006

 Enjoy yourself!
tom
Fri Jul 28 12:44:33 2006

 Joh: Take plenty of pictures!!
Lox
Fri Jul 28 12:31:25 2006

 John: I am, as a matter of fact I am mixing the names that I know to come out with new exciting substances like: bullfate shitidric desossiriboxidrate... :D
Lox
Fri Jul 28 12:30:53 2006

 Jimmy: sorry I only just noticed your message now, perched as it was between two other messages, much like a superfluous tertiary anatomical entity, appropriately enough. Good work sir!
John
Fri Jul 28 12:10:11 2006

 Me and Chie are on the Shinkansen now. We're off to Nagano for the weekend - once host to the winter olympics. We're mainly just going there because it's cold.
John
Fri Jul 28 12:05:30 2006

 Lox: are you making those names up?
John
Fri Jul 28 12:00:41 2006

 John: Try ask the Japanese people in the train if they prefer bitume sofloanidridic calcidrate or bullfate shitidric desossiriboxidrate. It's important to know... NOW!!
Lox
Fri Jul 28 11:07:01 2006

 A frind of mine has three nipples. One looks a bit like a midget nipple but it is a nipple all the way!
Lox
Fri Jul 28 11:05:08 2006

 Google was surprisingly unhelpful there.
John
Fri Jul 28 10:55:03 2006

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernumerary_nipple
Jimmy
Fri Jul 28 10:54:15 2006

 I believe it is referred to as a supernumerary nipple.
Jimmy
Fri Jul 28 10:52:34 2006

 I am reminded of Mr. Scaramanga off of James Bond - 15000 bonus points for anyone who can remember the scientific term for someone with three nipples.
John
Fri Jul 28 10:20:50 2006

 I'm getting funny looks from my fellow passengers on this train, having just read the last few posts on the board, and descended into a small fit of giggles. You guys are priceless. :)
John
Fri Jul 28 10:16:03 2006

 Dsp: HOW DO YOU KNOW!?!?
Lox
Fri Jul 28 09:39:36 2006

 They all become sensitive if you pull the piercings hard enough!
Jimmy
Fri Jul 28 09:36:16 2006

 Lox: Is that instead of your insensitive other nipples?
dsp
Fri Jul 28 09:34:50 2006

 Jimmy: I was thinking about applying the mix over my sensitive nipples... :P
Lox
Fri Jul 28 09:24:02 2006

 You can do that, but *not* if you're gonna inject. You'd be much safer smoking a mix like that!
Jimmy
Fri Jul 28 08:55:05 2006

 Kev: You are right, I have to try that one, but italian cornflour is not all that good, better use some flouride calcium trilobate.
Lox
Fri Jul 28 08:29:26 2006

 lox, can't you just cut it with some bicarb or cornflour. I am sure it will be fine then!
kev
Fri Jul 28 08:21:03 2006

 The "etc" arrived today, but unfortunately it was mixed with some acidilic trifosfate so I must send it back... :(
Lox
Fri Jul 28 07:51:39 2006

 Morning Maisoneers! Well, that's my brief surf after breakfst. Off to work now... Great! :|
Nigel
Fri Jul 28 07:29:51 2006

 Presumably given the timing the Chang post was a hoax, but it wasn't put there by me! Or maybe Chang has been monitoring the board, and thought I was actually complaining about the lack of spam, and decided he should lend a helping hand. Anyway, I always had a special kind of affection for Chang's spammings - sure it was spam, but it was always a heartfelt and poetic kind of spam.
John
Thu Jul 27 23:49:46 2006

 Corsica?? I thought he was going out for a drive in his Corsa!
Kev
Thu Jul 27 19:40:30 2006

 So then Sheri... Will you be online today? To tell us of your exploits in Corsica? :))
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 19:37:23 2006

 Travis: I couldn't say it better... :)
Lox
Thu Jul 27 18:32:47 2006

 Ah.
tom
Thu Jul 27 17:45:25 2006

 Suppose it depends upon what the cetera is.
Travis
Thu Jul 27 17:43:19 2006

 What will you do with some etc?
tom
Thu Jul 27 17:17:55 2006

 Actually I did place an order for "etc", I hope they are quick with deliveries!!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 16:45:46 2006

 Lox - you should have placed an order for a ton of calci-YUMMY!!!
dsp
Thu Jul 27 16:23:22 2006

 To all: I guess that the spam is a forgery made by John who went and took it from the previous months, in any case I HAVE CALLED the number and left a message (quite insulting) on the answering machine. :) Would like to see the face of the chinese chap who will hear it tomorrow!!!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 16:09:02 2006

 Oh... and that lot *wasn't* me....! But I do suspect a hoax there... :(
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 16:07:30 2006

 Yes, John, now you mention it, the Maison has been a lot healthier since! Congrats are in order I feel!! :)
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 16:06:32 2006

 sodium silicofluoride ,sodium fluorosilicate, potassium silicofluoride, potassium fluorosilicate, magnesium silicofluoride, magnesium fluorosilicate, calcium silicofluoride , calcium fluorosilicate, zinc silicofluoride , zinc fluorosilicate, zinc chloride , sodium fluoride , arsenic, arsenic trioxide, arsenic oxide , white arsenic , arsenous , arsenous oxide , arsenous acid, arsenite, arsenolite, magnesium chloride etc. TEL: 0086-411-82827218 FAX: 0086-411-82810866 Email: lnjc@21cn.com
Chang
Thu Jul 27 16:01:07 2006

 Tom: Where are you at the moment? What do you do all day while waiting for a sys account?
Lox
Thu Jul 27 15:53:38 2006

 Travis: Sounds "uncomfortable". I'm now waiting for some long-winded security report to be started by my employers... Which will take until about 2014...
Tom: Me too. Zooooommm!
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 15:50:27 2006

 Indeed, we're coming towards the end of July, and as I glance back down the monthly version of the board, I don't think we've had a single bit of spam all month. Obviously it won't last - the worms will find their way through eventually, but for now let us bask in the relative peace of it all.
John
Thu Jul 27 15:49:16 2006

 Nigel: at the risk of tempting fate, those harsh anti-spam measures (or perhaps just all the stern warnings!) do seem to have paid off - we've been relatively spam free for a while now haven't we?
John
Thu Jul 27 15:47:05 2006

 It took me four days to get a system account here. Four days of sitting about waiting. Great huh?
tom
Thu Jul 27 15:45:09 2006

 Nigel: That's terrible! And similar to my situation. My situation is actually a bit more scandalous. This is another situation I can't really talk about until things are resolved, unfortunately. Crazy stuff. The Spring semester ended in early May. I have taught both Summer sessions. This second summer session ends in about two weeks.
Travis
Thu Jul 27 15:41:17 2006

 Wooden floors.
tom
Thu Jul 27 15:20:07 2006

 Lox: Ooops! Sorry to hear!! :(
Tom: Have you got carpet or wooden floors? As you know, this affects the speed things can happen during the bottom-shuffling stage!! :)))
P.S - I like John's message when you forget to enter a password!! Marvellous!!
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 15:04:40 2006

 Tom: Did Dominic resolve his jealous of Lucy issues? Are they best mates now?
dsp
Thu Jul 27 15:02:08 2006

 Also, Dominic is doing really really well. He's a small boy now not a baby!
tom
Thu Jul 27 14:52:13 2006

 Dsp: Lucy is doing well. She is having lots of fun bum-shuffling abotu the floor. No crawling yet, but I don't actually think she will bother for long. She likes to stand up and needs less and less help all the time.
tom
Thu Jul 27 14:51:51 2006

 Brief update... The colleague is now asking MILLIONS of stupid questions on that folder that I gave him... TRAGEDY!!!! :(
Lox
Thu Jul 27 14:33:18 2006

 Nigel: Perhaps you could counter these bad vibes with some feng shui. Take a small stone arrangement, these could always revert to weapons for hand-to-hand combat.
dsp
Thu Jul 27 13:57:57 2006

 It worked!!!! Now he's quiet!!! :) Good stuff!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 13:52:49 2006

 Nigel: NICE IDEA!!! I'll try to con him into doing something like that!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 13:46:05 2006

 Lox: There must be a big pile of folders/documents you could hand to him and say - "This is vital to your new role. You'll need to read it all cover to cover. May take days..." ;))
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 13:38:41 2006

 Yeah, you do get to feel this "general air of aggression" in this job. All-pervading. Very unhealthy feeling. Some lovely people too though, just a rotten environment.
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 13:34:13 2006

 The new salesman has nothing to do, hasn't got a computer, hasn't got a clue and hasn't got friends. As a result he's PESTERING ME with stupid questions and crap jokes. As a results my last days here are being afflicted by this person and I am getting tired of it!!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 13:27:42 2006

 Dsp, TM: Tim has always been a quick witted, smart ass guy. I have total respect and to be honest I am envious of this feature. The thing that I don't understand is how he managed to survive until now... I mean, if by mistake he gives a reply like that in a pub aroun 11ish when everyone is drunk he's sure to get a massive fight in the permises!!! :P
Lox
Thu Jul 27 13:13:27 2006

 Now that is ASKING for trouble!
Tims mum
Thu Jul 27 12:48:52 2006

 I often find that the best way to diffuse these kinds of situations is to reply to their insults as "what's your mum?"
dsp
Thu Jul 27 12:27:23 2006

 Nigel: I think that you should be allowed a gun and the guard should have beaten the crap out of that person. It's SO unfair that they get it out on you who ha NO responsibility and NO chance to make their life better... Can't they see that you are just working there? :(
Lox
Thu Jul 27 12:15:18 2006

 dsp: It's not so personal, usually! But "nutters" seem the norm around here... :(
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 11:28:11 2006

 Tom: Howdy dude! How's it going? How come you're around today? What are you doing at the mo? Working? How's little Lucy doing?
dsp
Thu Jul 27 11:26:22 2006

 Nigel - not your normal day at work then?
dsp
Thu Jul 27 11:15:16 2006

 Tom: I was kind-of hoping he'd kick-off for just that reason!! ;)
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 10:56:06 2006

 Thanks guys! (Tea consumed so back to normal again...)

Weeellll, I was walking towards the building here and this guy shouted something at me - a question about the office. I answered and moved on. Then he shouted after me - something abusive. I think I might have told him to "Grow up!" in a weary way, having just walked 20-mins from the car park. More threats ensued (this is when the guard leaped through the open window!). There was a lot of shouting but I kept walking (expecting the dagger between the shoulder-blades any moment!) Once inside the guard told me he was coming in to bounce me around the room etc.
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 10:51:47 2006

 Is there some way in which you can work this to your advantage and get the day of to sit in the sun?
tom
Thu Jul 27 10:44:23 2006

 Nigel: well you shouldn't have had to be subjected to that awful situation in the first place, but that aside you should be proud of yourself. You quite literally stood up to that lunatic, got him to back down, and no blood spilled. It's a triumph for sane, decent folk like yourself!
John
Thu Jul 27 10:27:27 2006

 Nigel: Why on earth did he want to beat you up? What have you done to him? Did you say something to scare him off or did you just play some Scorpions to scare the hell out of him? :) :) :):)
Lox
Thu Jul 27 10:16:40 2006

 Did the hairs go up on his back like a cat?
tom
Thu Jul 27 10:11:48 2006

 So that was it then! All very dramatic earlier when the security guard here (a lady!) vaulted through an open window to come to my aid! Luckily my "dignity" and "cool" held and she was not needed! (How embarrassing would that have been, eh?!?!)

So then, when he came through the door later, snarling and spluttering, I stood up... and... he backed away, as meek as a kitten. Asked for a leaflet and left...

Good grief! Do I need a cup of reinvigourating tea right now!? Oh yes! But I have to see more people...
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 10:05:38 2006

 remember, the customer is always, always, always a wanker.
tom
Thu Jul 27 10:01:45 2006

 Nigel: Jab, Jab, Uppercut... Never fails a KO!
Lox
Thu Jul 27 09:58:21 2006

 Interestingly I'm about to be beaten up by a "customer"... Could be interesting could be a bit of a farce... (He acosted me on the way in - on my own time) Doors about to open. I'll let you all know how it pans out...
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 08:56:27 2006

 Have you been wrestling again John. Trying to show off your Grecian-Roman style prowess with a random Sumo wrestler you happened to bump into ?
Kev
Thu Jul 27 08:24:55 2006

 Yeah, she did that once to me too ...
Lox
Thu Jul 27 08:21:58 2006

 Yeah, she did that to me once.
Jimmy
Thu Jul 27 08:07:03 2006

 I inexplicably woke up with a bad back this morning. On fact not just my back, my ribcage hurts too. It's as though during the night I was dragged out on to the balcony, beaten up, and dragged back in again without me knowing it. Personally I suspect Chie.
John
Thu Jul 27 07:53:01 2006

 Blimey, you lot get up early don't you? (apart from Travis of course, who was up, err, just up).
John
Thu Jul 27 07:51:14 2006

 Morning all...
Lox
Thu Jul 27 07:48:26 2006

 Morning all!
Travis: haven't you finished for the summer break? Do you work through? (And finally!) Anything scandalous??!! :))
Nigel
Thu Jul 27 07:09:48 2006

 Did someone say, "Crappy day at work?" I'm in a rare stretch right now. The past two weeks have been wholly amazing (in a bad way) on that front.
Travis
Thu Jul 27 01:38:56 2006

 Hi Sheri! Enjoy the holiday! :)
Nigel
Wed Jul 26 22:47:36 2006

 Hi everyone! Writing from Corsica. Having a great time. I'll tell you more about it in the following days. Have to go now. Bise à tous !
Sheri
Wed Jul 26 22:32:18 2006

 Ah-hem.... Of course I've no idea what I was on about there... ;))
Nigel
Wed Jul 26 21:19:22 2006

 Cooo! All you need is a verrry long cat5 then Lox!! :) Ping that sucker!!
Nigel
Wed Jul 26 21:18:44 2006

 LAN PARTY!!! Niiiiiiiceeeee It is ages since I don't have a proper 2 days Lan party... shame you are doing it in England....
Lox
Wed Jul 26 17:21:35 2006

 I just read my last past and it seems I have a 'will' complex developing.
kev
Wed Jul 26 16:46:13 2006

 Indeed.
tom
Wed Jul 26 16:42:12 2006

 Will all this talk of playboy bunnies and pirates, I fear will will be yet again inundated with spammers!!
Kev
Wed Jul 26 16:06:57 2006

 Well, you know how it is Lox. After a while Playboy Bunnies become so boring... ;)
Nigel
Wed Jul 26 15:51:17 2006

 Oh God ... somebody mentioned pirates and he's off again ...
Jimmy
Wed Jul 26 15:35:39 2006

 LAN gaming this weekend (turning it into a very long weekend). There will be, I feel, a pirate theme!!! Battlefield Pirates, Unreal Tournament Air Buccanneers to take centre stage.
Rob Lang
Wed Jul 26 15:32:31 2006

 Jimmy: Indeed... Now it seems that Nigel finished enjoying the company of two Playboy(tm) bunnies and found some time to post a message! AH!
Lox
Wed Jul 26 15:05:46 2006

 I've checked the board quite a lot today, as I did yesterday, but recently I am feeling I don't have anything interesting to say!
Errr... does anyone else like/know Adam and Joe? They have a radio show on some London radio station on a Saturday (I think). To my delight they package up the best bits each week and bung them in a podcast - so even those of us not living in London/UK/Europe can enjoy. Which is nice.
John
Wed Jul 26 15:05:22 2006

 Hi guys... Well I hate to be a disappointment... :(
Sadly work has been busy and all sorts of "big wigs" have been about and i've not been able to sneak onto the Internet!
Nigel
Wed Jul 26 14:57:27 2006

 Ahhh ... I understand. So it's just you, me and Kev. We're poor, but we're happy ;)
Jimmy
Wed Jul 26 14:55:27 2006

 Jimmy: Dsp, John, Rob, Nigel and Sheri are surely making millions, they are so busy working that they don't post anymore!
Lox
Wed Jul 26 14:53:34 2006

 Who's makin' millions?
Jimmy
Wed Jul 26 14:39:32 2006

 This week will probably pass to history as the busiest week at "la Maison", nobody have has been posting, yesterday was a desert, I am sure that you guys are earning millions of pounds! (at least I wish it for you!)
Lox
Wed Jul 26 13:36:40 2006

 Nice one Kev- that looks like a whole load of fun! I wish I was writing games! (Well, I kind-of am, but it's not *intended* to be anything other than dead serious.)
Jimmy
Wed Jul 26 09:47:41 2006

 Kev: WOW!!!! I wish I had broadband at home, I am an heavy PC games player, but I have no internet connection so at the moment I cannot join. It seems a nice project though!
Lox
Wed Jul 26 09:37:00 2006

 Jimmy, lox: I am still not allowed to say however if you look at my companies website it sort of gives it away. www.tournament.com
Kev
Wed Jul 26 09:17:18 2006

 Jimmy: I agree, KEV do tell us, or I'll be forced to release my hounds!
Lox
Wed Jul 26 09:02:37 2006

 Kev- you said a while ago that you were doing someting super-secret, but that you'd give us all the details before long. Well, I think than "Long" has now expired, and you should tell us all what you're doing. Unless you already have and I've missed your message. In which case can you tell us all again, please?
Jimmy
Wed Jul 26 08:52:15 2006

 John: Indeed. Another place where I feel at home, it's strange, I get to like it a lot more now than I did before, but that's probably because before starting Uni I was broke, and as we said before, London and being completely broke it's a BAD thing...
Lox
Wed Jul 26 08:16:17 2006

 Lox: glad you're enjoying it - it is a great city isn't it?
John
Wed Jul 26 00:45:10 2006

 I have just arrived back home from London! Nice weather, a LOT of nice girls, had a marvellous pint and a pie in a pub... I LOVE ENGLAND, God I missed going back there!
Lox
Tue Jul 25 23:05:17 2006

 Are you sure Tom, once you have the password there is no turning back. You can never escape the clutches of Dr Hawkins. Mwahahahahaaa
Kev
Tue Jul 25 19:09:23 2006

 Can I have a password. You know my html is great...
tom
Tue Jul 25 15:48:05 2006

 Simon: sorry about the line breaks it's a 'feature'. On the plus side it is quite useful when I post from my mobile.
John
Tue Jul 25 14:27:48 2006

 You need a secret password so you can do html, else it strips all 'codes' out.
kev
Tue Jul 25 14:22:34 2006

 Si, glad to hear SwiftTX magic is still magical. That must be an arse of a journey every day from high Wycombe. Good job you have a fast car ;)
kev
Tue Jul 25 14:22:02 2006

 Why doesn't the message board display my formatting (e.g. line breaks)?!
Simon
Tue Jul 25 14:19:08 2006

 Anyone here played with Google Calendar? It is *fantastic*, the missus really can now run my life and I don't need to worry about it any more. err.... is that a bad thing?
Simon
Tue Jul 25 14:18:01 2006

 Kev: Living with the missus' parents at the moment in High Wycombe, getting in early is a good way to avoid the scary traffic. That's my current excuse anyway. Jimmy: Same ol' same ol' - still working the Swift TX magic. John: Flickr support in Photo Studio. Go on, you know you want to! Also, listen to that Ben Folds stuff on iTunes.
Simon
Tue Jul 25 14:16:35 2006

 I went climbing at Symonds Yat on Sunday with the cadets. It is lovely round here.. :-)
tom
Tue Jul 25 12:29:08 2006

 I've really been out of touch with you guys. What's the story?
tom
Tue Jul 25 11:38:36 2006

 Tom: South Wales - great! OK, I can't say I yearn for Cardiff as such, but the Brecon Beacons, the Black Mountains, the Forest of Dean, the Wye Valley, Offa's Dyke, Symond's Yat. Some of the best countryside in the world round there. Marvellous!
John
Tue Jul 25 11:26:11 2006

 Hi John - Hi Tom! :))) Glad I'm not alone!
Nigel
Tue Jul 25 10:48:22 2006

 Hello all. I am in Cardiff for a couple of weeks. Living in hotels. And thought I'd say "Hi!".
tom
Tue Jul 25 10:41:22 2006

 Nigel: seems everyone else is busy too judging by how quiet the message board is!
John
Tue Jul 25 10:40:46 2006

 Morning all! Busy... busy... busy
Nigel
Tue Jul 25 10:02:12 2006

 Well, all I can say Lox is that Tim gets all his natural grace and balance from his Mum and that is why your roller boots are in my loft - for safety's sake!
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 17:40:42 2006

 Well that was cutting.
dsp
Mon Jul 24 16:28:49 2006

 TM: Define roller boots. I have no idea of what you are talking about, maybe thoose things that Tim used to wear to failproof his arse by falling with his weight on it all the time?
Lox
Mon Jul 24 16:23:49 2006

 I BET you one pair of roller boots you can get them in Italy!
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 16:07:50 2006

 If the foil seal on top of the container is intact and you don't have a case full, there should be no problem. I took mine to the States.
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 16:06:38 2006

 John: If the tablet is not fluorescent and has dragons or mushrooms on the top of it, I think I am going to be ok! :)
Lox
Mon Jul 24 15:55:10 2006

 Short business trip to London, come back loaded up with tablets, problems at customs? Surely not!
John
Mon Jul 24 15:44:07 2006

 They sell them in Boots, Holland and Barrett and Health Food Stores but Tesco are cheaper! Look among the vitamin pills and cod liver oil. They are a 'traditional herbal remedy 'Hypericum perforatum'. We've got it growing wild in our garden, but I draw the line at chewing leaves!
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 14:47:26 2006

 TM: I'll take anything, shame that I can't find those things here, I'll try popping into Boots tomorrow in London!
Lox
Mon Jul 24 14:39:10 2006

 (Of the legal, recommended-by-your-doctor variety, of course!)
John
Mon Jul 24 14:28:01 2006

 Tim's Mum: yes we are a dreary lot (well, me and Lox at least) of late aren't we...? So according to you drugs are the answer...?
John
Mon Jul 24 14:27:22 2006

 One day you too will be silver surfers with disposable income and no ties and, hopefully, good health. You've gotta work now to reap the benefits later. Now, get some St John's Wort tablets from the Health Food Shop/Tescos and take one a day till you feel better. They are happy pills. Do not take them if you are already on anti-depressants or you will go funny.
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 14:22:58 2006

 Helloeverybodypeeps! Tim's mum is back from the USA. Had a truly Great Time spending money and eating. All I can say to try and cheer you guys up is this:-
Tim's mum
Mon Jul 24 14:22:35 2006

 Marmite? wine gummies? Forzen quorn? gayness? can of beer?
Lox
Mon Jul 24 13:48:26 2006

 Lox: thanks, but I can't think of anything I want from the UK which is postable.
John
Mon Jul 24 13:31:12 2006

 So far it has been at totally utterly crapparly day at work. Plus I am bored and tired for having slept a grand total of ZERO hours this night.
Lox
Mon Jul 24 13:05:01 2006

 Actually Lox I think you wil find that sometimes John writes about Whisky too!
Kev
Mon Jul 24 12:52:16 2006

 John: Because I told you that you only wrote about beer, and you got upset, I am SURE!! :) Anyways, I also wanted to say that TOMORROW I will be in London, DO YOU WANT ME TO BRING YOU SOMETHING? I will fedex it to you at this company's expenses of course! :D
Lox
Mon Jul 24 12:20:06 2006

 was it cos John wouldn't be Loxs' biatch ?
Kev
Mon Jul 24 11:59:12 2006

 Lox: I'm not upset with you at all! Why did you think that...?
John
Mon Jul 24 11:54:06 2006

 Lox: That would be nice!! :)
Nigel
Mon Jul 24 11:17:38 2006

 I haven't got that steel in my heart, sadly Kev! So then, a bit of relevant fun - "... Man in a silk suit hurries by, catches a poor old-ladies eye. Just for fun he says: "Get a job!"..." Ok, so "Name That Tune" :)))
Nigel
Mon Jul 24 11:12:03 2006

 Nigel: It could be worst... It could be raining... (KABOOOOMM in the distance)... (quote)
Lox
Mon Jul 24 11:11:18 2006

 Nigel, to liven up the day try this. "money for You". "No Money for You". "Money for you". "No Money for you". and occasionally throw in a . "No money for you, you owe us money"
kev
Mon Jul 24 11:06:22 2006

 Morning Maisoneers!! I really *am* glad to be at work today... NOT :( Oh well, it's that "Monday Feeling" I expect...
Nigel
Mon Jul 24 10:53:03 2006

 and my little finger hurts, and I have run out of nails to bite!
Lox
Mon Jul 24 10:50:52 2006

 also, John is upset with me but I don't know why!
Lox
Mon Jul 24 10:50:30 2006

 Crappy day at work, tomorrow I must go to London and I really DONT WANT TO :(
Lox
Mon Jul 24 10:50:11 2006

 Simon- what's happening in the world of Softel then? Are things good, bad or ugly? Are you developing anything fun????
Jimmy
Mon Jul 24 08:39:22 2006

 Lol, and in early too. You must be very dedicated mate :)
Kev
Mon Jul 24 08:16:27 2006

 Jimmy: Still at Softel, of course!
Simon
Mon Jul 24 08:15:03 2006

 Sheri: Have a good holiday! Corsica is great!!
Lox
Mon Jul 24 07:54:07 2006

 Holiday, Sheri? Sounds like a nice trip! Look forward to the photos!
Nigel
Sun Jul 23 20:04:27 2006

 Yep, not busy today. I'm leaving for Corsica on Tuesday morning. But I'll able to post from there. I'll take plenty of pics. It's really a gorgeous, rather well-preserved island.
Sheri
Sun Jul 23 18:36:58 2006

 ...and then... Afternoon all! :))
Nigel
Sun Jul 23 16:02:30 2006

 Morning!

John: Well I was wondering about using Front Row, the Remote and AppleScript to allow you to remotely surf, but couldn't find any info about configuring such a task... :(
Nigel
Sun Jul 23 09:49:32 2006

 The Firefox/Mozilla engine (gecko?) seems to have been used in lots of other projects. Maybe my remote browser thing wouldn't be that difficult to write?@
John
Sun Jul 23 06:45:37 2006

 Nigel: yea probably better to stick to what you're already using then - I couldn't find any discernible benefit in Camino other than it looks pretty. Now what I want is a browser that can be controlled entirely by the remote, and displays full screen in big text so I can idly browse the web from the comfort of my sofa.
John
Sun Jul 23 04:52:37 2006

 Nigel: I have checked but there is no lipstick, I will try to get some on tonight though! :)
Lox
Sat Jul 22 18:38:28 2006

 Afternoon all!

Sheri: If I understand what you mean with the "loquacious silence"... Well I think this is actually a rather clever use of the words most English people (except members of the Maison, naturally:)) couldn't come up with... :)) I like it! There are several others we might use, from "His silence spoke/speaks volumes" to something along the lines of the American "I wish to plead the 5th amendment" !!

John: No, I haven't used Camino. I've stuck with Safari despite it's incompatibilities on occasion. I've certainly got Firefox (did you know the old MAC OS9 came with Internet Explorer and Outlook Express? Shudder!) but not really tried it... I think I'm concluding I don't want to clog up my pristine Mac with loads of superflous code, but if you recommend it i'll give Camino a spin :)

Lox: The other thing to check for is lipstick on your collars...
Nigel
Sat Jul 22 15:29:49 2006

 As for the tatoo I had it removed a long time ago, it said somethinglike "John is my bitch, I met her in BRADLEY"... Then John went off with Chie and I had to turn ethrosexual all of a sudden. :P
Lox
Sat Jul 22 14:57:39 2006

 Thanks guys for REALLY caring about me, but unfortunately I woke up by myself in my bed this morning... Unfortunately because I have had to deal with a terrible headache and annexed hangover all day, I had to argue with my mum and I had to argue with Marta too over the phone.

Tonight I am going to get plastered.
Lox
Sat Jul 22 14:55:35 2006

 Yea so I've got Firefox installed on there now as well..... no neeeed!
John
Sat Jul 22 14:43:11 2006

 Nigel: I think you may have mentioned it before (?) - I am giving Camino a go on the Mac. I don't quite get why they felt the need to make a Mozilla based browser which isn't Firefox, when I believe Firefox is also available on the Mac... What's going on there? Anyway, if nothing else it does at least look quite pretty.
John
Sat Jul 22 14:36:49 2006

 I couldn't think of any witty retorts... :(
John
Sat Jul 22 14:34:50 2006

 Now could someone tell me if I can actually say "a loquatious silence" (un silence loquace) or if I should say "A silence that speaks/speaking for itself" ? I have a doubt.
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 13:51:12 2006

 Kev: Yeah, I see the whole picture: Lox crying while rubbing his skin in vain "Porca Madonna! Perche ho fatto questo!!! Sono fottuto! Fottuto! "
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 13:42:27 2006

 Lox is probably too busy trying to scrub off the tattoo praying its just ink!!
Kev
Sat Jul 22 13:29:32 2006

 And Loxe's too...
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 13:26:31 2006

 DSP: John's silence is quite loquatious...
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 13:22:46 2006

 Sheri: worse would a tattoo saying "i am john's bitch"
dsp
Sat Jul 22 12:53:18 2006

 I would have thought that worse case scenario for Lox would be waking up with a horses head in his bed!!!!
Kev
Sat Jul 22 11:36:04 2006

 Imagine he wakes up with a painful chest and realises he got tattooed with "John is my bitch" on it! Scary...!
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 11:05:19 2006

 Sheri: logically speaking, he must have woken up with a man in his bed, unles either (A) he isn't really a man or (B) he didn't wake up in his bed.
John
Sat Jul 22 10:25:12 2006

 Hi all!! Yes, like Sheri, I hope you don't regret anything Lox! :)
Nigel
Sat Jul 22 10:24:16 2006

 Morning Maisoneers. Lox: it's hangover time. Hope you didn't wake up with a man in your bed...
Sheri
Sat Jul 22 09:53:19 2006

 All seems to be in order with the maison. Rob is out of his mind, Lox is drunk. Good times.
Travis
Sat Jul 22 00:27:08 2006

 I am totally DRUNK... had several pints of beer with some friends, I can remember an homebrew with HONEY that was quite great, and the usual guiness, but apart from that I have little memories of the evening! NICE ONE!!
Lox
Sat Jul 22 00:14:36 2006

 Nigel: I see!! I think that it was something made to help deaf or visually impaired people I think...
Lox
Fri Jul 21 17:48:36 2006

 Dear Microsoft,

PLEASE DON'T FUCK UP IE7

Thanks,
Rob
Rob Lang
Fri Jul 21 16:14:35 2006

 Hi Lox. Ok, on Windows XP try holding down a "Shift" key for 5 seconds or so... No need to press another key. See that pop-up? Hear that "beep"? Well don't get distracted by anything because when you try to clear it (if you are me!) you press the wrong option and end up locking the keyboard in upper or lower case and it's a pain to undo.... :(
Nigel
Fri Jul 21 14:05:12 2006

 Nigel: Sorry I don't get you, what's the story with these sitcky keys? Anyways..I am off to do some shopping and picture taking in Florence even though there are more than 35 degrees... I can't sit at home doing nothing much longer I am afraid! :)
Lox
Fri Jul 21 13:55:59 2006

 John: Yep now that I think of it you had it already running! :)
Lox
Fri Jul 21 13:32:16 2006

 Oh piddle...! Sorry all - have a good time MM. John: how about a cold beer? The reason for my outburst? Windows "StickyKeys". Horrible and a real blighter to reset or get rid of. There I was typing away and then noticed it all in caps. So I sit and hold the shift key for so many seconds then I reset, then it doesn't work...! Grump! Perhaps because I don't have admin access at work... Grump!
Nigel
Fri Jul 21 13:18:49 2006

 "See" you all in a week! Off to Wiltshire.
Mad Mumsie
Fri Jul 21 12:49:33 2006

 Well that's the working week over and done with for me then - I'm now on the train on my way home. I have a probably dreary and dissatisfying weekend ahead of me. Still, it could be worse!
John
Fri Jul 21 12:35:11 2006

 Thinking about Jimmy's project, I've always enjoyed those 360-degree QT "VR"s - which aren't really VR, just very wide, wrap-around photos. I have a set from Denmark. You get a real feel for the place as you "turn" your head.

I've no idea if they use some very trick camera or just stitchy software, but it's good as a way to see a complete environment.
Nigel
Fri Jul 21 11:43:35 2006

 Lox: we already had a Google Maps app running on the Maison - did you not see the map thing on my travel pages?
John
Fri Jul 21 11:22:33 2006

 Today I am in Florence and I managed already to argue with two people at work and my agent in Japan... Marvellous... I feel that the day it's not over under that point of view... .:(
Lox
Fri Jul 21 10:55:05 2006

 Jimmy: Wow we have something like GMap installed on la maison? Welcome in the community anyways! (although you were here already since a long time!)
Lox
Fri Jul 21 10:54:13 2006

 Half day today, off to cadet camp at lunchtime in Wiltshire. Super.
Mad Mumsie
Fri Jul 21 10:27:56 2006

 Glad to see you're up and running Jimmy! As I said in the email I sent just now, please feel free to have a browse around in my Google Maps code if you want to see a working example. Enjoy!
John
Fri Jul 21 10:25:41 2006

 Hooray! Google-maps is now installed. Now I just have to do all the work. Test page:http://www.maison-de-stuff.net/jimmy/test.htm
Jimmy
Fri Jul 21 09:37:55 2006

 Morning. Yay, Fridays. Home time at 4pm for me :)
kev
Fri Jul 21 09:28:52 2006

 Morning Maisoneers! Friday! (What more needs to be said?!)
Nigel
Fri Jul 21 08:45:47 2006

 Jimmy: have set up the necessary bits, and emailed you the details. Have fun!
John
Fri Jul 21 06:13:41 2006

 Jimmy: will set up a little corner of the Maison for you today if I get a chance.
John
Fri Jul 21 00:50:31 2006

 John: Japanese Beer rocks! Next time I am up in Tokyo how about a night out with Tanaka san too?
Lox
Thu Jul 20 18:33:11 2006

 Simon- what are you doing these days? I thought you weren't at Softel anymore (but can't -for the life of me- remember where it is you've gone) ...
Jimmy
Thu Jul 20 17:57:28 2006

 When you're feeling bored in the office John, how about remembering fondly the very very hot english summer days during which the Softel power always fails. Three days running so far, about 2 hours a time, boy does it get hot quickly in here! Ah, nostalgia...
Simon
Thu Jul 20 17:01:19 2006

 And remember that the aussies do not actually drink Fosters!
Simon
Thu Jul 20 16:53:46 2006

 It seem the google-maps API requires an existing web-site (you have to license it to a single publicly visible directory on a free-to-use server). Can I possibly have a small amount of space on the maison, from which to run my experiments please?
Jimmy
Thu Jul 20 16:07:28 2006

 Yes John, British lager is not to my taste. Apart from the flavour angle, there's also the business of "gas". Something British brewers seem to think is a good thing. I've never figured out why because it's usage to increase volume cheaply must be negligable. Keeping it cool to stop it coming out of solution is only good until it hits the stomach... :(
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 15:56:20 2006

 In Germany, they make beer which is sehr gut.
John
Thu Jul 20 15:47:43 2006

 I may have been spelling it wrong, it is more like kolsch.
John
Thu Jul 20 15:47:11 2006

 Kev: do you remember the Kulch?
John
Thu Jul 20 15:44:20 2006

 Nigel: one of the mitigating factors of living in Japan is that the beer here is very good (as long as you like the ice cold lager variety). Indeed, in lager stakes, I believe the only worldwide beer on a similar parr is the Kulch (however you write that) you get in Colgone/Koln, or the Estrella Damm you get in Barcelona (and presumably the rest of spain) or possibly Holland's Amstel. To be honest, I don't generally like the lagers you get in England - Heineken, Fosters, Stella Artois, Kronenbourg - none of them are really to my taste. Given that these are mostly "foreign" lagers I wonder if the problem is more to do with the way they are served in English pubs.

Of course, bitter is an entirely different kettle of fish - I've never had a really decent pint of bitter outside of the UK.
John
Thu Jul 20 15:42:55 2006

 Lox: yes he's the contractor who is far too good to work at my crappy company. He's also an excellent jazz pianist (even when drunk) and an all round great guy.

Kev: I had the extra one - normally Tanaka-san drinks quicker than I do, but tonight he had to perform so he was taking it easy.
John
Thu Jul 20 15:37:53 2006

 Ice cold beer.... (dreams).... :)
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 15:36:58 2006

 John: So who had the extra beer? Are you going to be ill tomorrow?
Kev
Thu Jul 20 15:24:22 2006

 John: Way to go!!!!! Is he the guy who works as a contractor? Did he take you to the HOSTCURABU?
Lox
Thu Jul 20 15:15:37 2006

 Me and Tanaka-san ordered 15 beers between us at a jazz bar tonight. Errrr.
John
Thu Jul 20 15:03:27 2006

 I am on for the Maison project where the enterpreneur gives us a million dollars... ONE MILLION DOLLARS (said in aDr.Evil voice pinky finger pointing at the corner of the mouth)...
Lox
Thu Jul 20 13:50:42 2006

 I'm so annoyed with myself... I've actually come back in to work early to cool down. We had a fire-drill today and normally I enjoy the disruption to precdures, but today... 40 minutes standing out in the street, the sun and the humidity, waiting for the all clear... not pleasant. I'm an old grumpy today, aren't I? :(
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 13:25:30 2006

 Or more of Wikipedia for pictures and places
kev
Thu Jul 20 12:27:07 2006

 Well, it would certainly be good to do some sort of geographical survey for us users of the Maison... we could then hope some Internet entrepreneur snaps up our system and offers us millions for it... :)
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 12:26:41 2006

 A kind of global flickr. So you can do things like. Go to your home town and see all the pictures of key ( or not so key areas )
Kev
Thu Jul 20 12:22:14 2006

 piccypedia
kev
Thu Jul 20 12:20:47 2006

 It's something we've all discussed from time to time. They could be any sorts of photos really ... all they need is a geographical link (and ideally time & orientation too).
Jimmy
Thu Jul 20 12:20:18 2006

 Hi Jimmy. Sounds like a good idea. What kind of photos though? Are they ground-level panoramas, or similar? Not much to see on my housing estate...:( But good if you have a worthy view to record. My suggested name for this would be "Georama".
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 11:47:22 2006

 What about the "Photo-Earth-Project"? Is it time to actually launch this service? As I recall, the general idea was that anybody can upload a photograph with a lat/long/time/orientation, and reference it to a map of the world. I believe there is an API for google maps, so connecting the photos a geo-database should now be a fairly simple matter. I think this is a great idea, and we should give it a go! In fact, I'm so full of enthusiasm that I'm off to google right now to see their mappin' API. Oh yes. (PS- A good name for the system is also required. C'mon chaps- send your suggestions).
Jimmy
Thu Jul 20 10:24:07 2006

 I am with rob. Name it PhotoVideo and make sure its not all poncy and stupid interfacy like ULead and Pinnacles stuff. Oh and work on it full time for free and make it open source so some c**t can steal it and release it as commercial.
kev
Thu Jul 20 10:19:22 2006

 John, with Photostudio, you rocked my world. You still do. How about creating a video editing package - free and open source?
Rob Lang
Thu Jul 20 10:02:02 2006

 Ha! :) Anyway, I appreciate French Connection stuff might be good, so why push it so down-market by aiming at the casual swearer. Yeah, I know we all do it and I'm being hypercritical, but as a brand identity it's a big turn-off for me. If I fork out a lot of money for clothes I want some sycophancy please!
Nigel
Thu Jul 20 09:27:22 2006

 I'm surprised Lox hasn't said anything so far. When it comes to scatological jokes...
Sheri
Thu Jul 20 09:21:47 2006

 How about the slogan *Aquascotum... the natural fragrance*?
Sheri
Thu Jul 20 09:18:06 2006

 Kev: it could work, mind you! If the trademark *Pocari Sweat* works in Japan, why not Aquascrotum?
Sheri
Thu Jul 20 09:15:23 2006

 Sheri, It appears that the Aquascrotum domain name is available, so I suggest you buy it up and start producing your own range of 'Sports' perfumes.
Kev
Thu Jul 20 08:58:07 2006

 It's all bollocks to me!
Jimmy
Thu Jul 20 08:34:28 2006

 Aquascrotum ?
Sheri
Thu Jul 20 07:32:11 2006

 John: I didn't like it myself, when I was in Japan there was a T-Shirt craze made by a company that would write in cubital letters "BITCH" on the T-Shirt... Oh well, AQ might be quite expensive, may I reccomend DAKS? Anyways did you see my messages about sending stuff from England to you?!
Lox
Thu Jul 20 07:30:03 2006

 Lox: I hated that whole almost swearing gimic from French Connection UK, and have refused to buy anything there with that logo on. In fact it wasn't until that died down a bit that I'd even consider going in. Now though, amongst all the fruitcake fashion of Japan, I feel a certain sense of pride in wearing clothes from a British label. Next stop Aquascutum!
John
Thu Jul 20 01:04:27 2006

 I've been keeping an eye on international weather via the widgets on the Mac. We're having a surprising reprieve from the opressive Japanese summer this week - most days it rains and the temperature never gets above 25. The UK, on the other hand, looks like somebody set fire to it!
John
Thu Jul 20 00:56:10 2006

 All I can say is thank God for air conditioning. It had cooled the car down by the time I'd gone 300 yards.
Mad Mumsie
Wed Jul 19 23:01:55 2006

 Yes, I went to collect Tim from school... That was a seriously hot car! How do you guys and gals who live in hotter climates than the UK, cope?
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 21:52:18 2006

 Sorry: 'side'. Not 'sight'.
Sheri
Wed Jul 19 20:11:42 2006

 MM. Look at the bright sight! At least you have a sauna for free.
Sheri
Wed Jul 19 20:10:41 2006

 My car has been sitting in full sun for the last four hours, that's going to be a joy to get into.
Mad Mumsie
Wed Jul 19 17:00:16 2006

 Who's upset you Jimmy?
Mad Mumsie
Wed Jul 19 16:27:55 2006

 Jimmy: Whattsup?
Lox
Wed Jul 19 15:50:23 2006

 ohwhatsthebloodypoint
Jimmy
Wed Jul 19 15:44:21 2006

 So it's official... Today's UK temperatures have beaten: Malta, Athens, Bermuda and Rome. Who says "global warming" doesn't exist?! Oh, and there's an FCUK shop in Wrexham - Fried Chicken UK, though... :(
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 15:40:10 2006

 John: FCUK is a very good brand, we try to work with them but we are too shite for their taste... Oh well. I like green too next winter it's going to be the main accent colour...
Lox
Wed Jul 19 15:34:59 2006

 So then, it seems my fashion sense is soooo yesterday!! :)) I also seem to be a blue type of person... Oh well..

Jimmy: Can't say I ever heard of them... Any hits?
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 15:32:49 2006

 I bought some trousers at the weekend which are bordering on being green, and to my surprise I quite like them. They're sort of denimy, but not quite. I got them from French Connection UK Tokyo (so many levels of indirection there, very confusing).
John
Wed Jul 19 15:22:53 2006

 Dsp: Well yes.. :) But it's also a quite popular colour in Italy during the summer.... And yes I AM A CLOWN!
Lox
Wed Jul 19 14:13:06 2006

 Lox: Red trousers? That's very "look at me" and also a bit Co Co The Clown.
dsp
Wed Jul 19 14:09:09 2006

 Dsp: Depends on the type of pleats, but it can be quite nice for a work environment. My latest trendy acquisition was a pair of red trousers with a "sawn pleat" that runs from the pocket to the end of the trouser. Extremely nice and (above all) easy to iron!

MM: Indeed do tell him, pink shirts are (to my personal taste) very nice, especially with a pair of jeans and some beige shoes.
Lox
Wed Jul 19 13:57:03 2006

 Lox: What about pleated chinos and a shirt?
dsp
Wed Jul 19 13:53:04 2006

 Jimmy: Sorry don't remember Cholo
dsp
Wed Jul 19 13:52:44 2006

 ... so nobody played "Cholo" in the late '80s, then?
Jimmy
Wed Jul 19 13:46:51 2006

 I shall have to tell Cyberdad he's "trendy" as he had a pink shirt for Rob's wedding.
Mad Mumsie
Wed Jul 19 13:40:04 2006

 Nigel: Pink is good, plus it's trendy (it has been for the last year so I expect it to change next season), but SHOCKING PINK is GAY, and it's not something that you wear at work if you are a salesman... Oh well...

Dsp: Beige chinos, simple cut, polo shirt IN (quite bad).
Lox
Wed Jul 19 12:30:27 2006

 OK by me!! No pink tie though... :(
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 12:01:40 2006

 Beige Chinos, in or out?
dsp
Wed Jul 19 11:58:48 2006

 Nice piece Rob!! :) Good plot for the X-Files... :)

As for the pink polo-shirt, Lox.... That is equally scary in my book...! :(

I've noticed quite a few men at work wearing pink ties... I find the habit distinctly disturbing...
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 11:50:36 2006

 Point is: Do I care?..... NO!! :D

Rob: I am sure that you'll find a way around your problem that doesn't involve total destruction of Redmond...
Lox
Wed Jul 19 11:31:27 2006

 Yesterday a new salesman arrived at the office, dressed with a bright pink polo shirt. So far no problem. He is quite "heavy" both phisically and in terms of personal relationships, and he sneaked (or at least so he thought) behind me when I was writing yesterday's piece. I have reasons to believe that he thinks that I was writing about him probably, as the title is quite peculiar! :)
Lox
Wed Jul 19 11:29:49 2006

 One day in a Microsoft Building a few years ago...
"Bob, thanks for coming."
"No problem, man, what can I do for you?"
"Big cheese upstairs has just handed me this..." *slam of paper on desk*
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a Web Standards document."
"A what?"
"A web standards document."
"What the hell in tarnation is that?"
"It's writing, man."
"Writing?"
"From outside."
"OUTSIDE?"
"Yeah, the big man wants me to read the damn thing."
"Fuck that."
"That's what I thought."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"That's what I asked you in here for."
"You're screwed."
"I think the boss man's gone crazy."
"No way!"
"Yes way. He was talking about Open formats and releasing source code."
"Oh shit. He's lost the plot."
"There's more. It's not just about reading the document."
"It's not?"
"He wants us to follow it."
"This is a joke, right?"
"I wish it was. The fucker wants us to code Internet Explorer 5.5 so that it works like the rest of the Web."
"That's just not possible!"
"I tried to tell him. He wants Web coding to be standardised."
"I've heard enough... you're scaring me now."
"What can we do?"
"Burn it."
"Burn it?"
"Set fire to the bastard. Pretend it never existed."
"Like we did to the last one?"
"Yeah. Then spread the ashes all over Redmond."
"We can't do that anymore, man. Not since they burned the Open Office standards, it's beginning to look like the moon out there now."
"Can we ignore it?"
"Well..."
"Do you think anyone will notice?"
"What about the people coding Web pages?"
"Fuck 'em."
"Yeah. Fuck 'em."
"It's probably a terrorist plot, anyway. This came from where terrorists come from."
"Yeah, they come from outside."
"It's got Bin Laden written all over it."
"Yeah. That's it, I'm sending it to the CIA."
"And we never had this conversation."

Rob Lang
Wed Jul 19 11:09:17 2006

 John: Yes we could also have the couple swapping night if you like, there is also a motion for a "win a war, loose the empire" night, but for that I think that you guys should let me know how to set it up, as I am no expert...
Lox
Wed Jul 19 10:22:20 2006

 That would be good, Lox! (The restaurant!) Not sure about "Coldplay". I'm a little "backward" there... Just been to the barbers... so that was a weight off my mind... ! :)
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 10:14:45 2006

 John: Good shot!! :) Have you seen them before? I think that they are a nice band, although I like Radiohead better!
Lox
Wed Jul 19 10:09:10 2006

 One of the interesting features of Lox's restaurant is that dining couples will be asked to swap places half way through their meal.
John
Wed Jul 19 10:08:31 2006

 So apparently I'm off to see Coldplay - Chie somehow got some last minute tickets. Which is nice.
John
Wed Jul 19 10:04:52 2006

 Excellent idea, Lox. When d'you intend to start ?
Sheri
Wed Jul 19 10:01:00 2006

 Dsp: What Graf is unemployed at the moment?
Lox
Wed Jul 19 08:55:34 2006

 When I will be rich I will open my chain of restaurants and I will call it "La Maison de Stuff", as the idea is to cook food from several comntires (incidentally the ones that I lived in or travel frequently to)... All the veggie part will be done with the advice of Monsieur John Hawkins, while the wine selection will be done by Sheri (for the french), Nigel will deal with the "difficult clients" policy, Rob and Dsp entertainment, MM + TM (Tim's Mum) will do the tasting and daily reccomendations...

Then I woke up and I find myself inthis office... MAMMA MIA!! :(
Lox
Wed Jul 19 08:55:08 2006

 Lox: I think you need to fight Graf for it. FIGHT!!!
dsp
Wed Jul 19 08:52:01 2006

 Morning
Sheri
Wed Jul 19 08:50:36 2006

 It just occurred to me that I AM THE NEXT HOLDER of the unemployment BATON! Since I told the Prato company that I am not going and I have not yet receiver any official contract from the Japanese company I am technically unemployed! Hardly a state that I'd like to be in for a long time, but still... the ROD TO ME!!!
Lox
Wed Jul 19 07:47:39 2006

 Buongiorno a tutti!!
John: You are right, it's just that I thought it was going to be a little bit nicer on me... Oh well, who cares, ONE WEEK TO GO !!
Lox
Wed Jul 19 07:46:03 2006

 Morning Maisoneers! Ahhhhh... that first cup of tea... :)
Nigel
Wed Jul 19 07:16:21 2006

 Lox: look at it this way. If your final days there were marked with people telling you they love you, clinging to your ankles and begging you not to leave, then you'd be wracked with guilt and wondering if you'd made a mistake. This is just an unpleasant - but necessary - part of the leaving ritual.
John
Wed Jul 19 01:01:13 2006

 MM: No - this was definately miowing I heard.
dsp
Tue Jul 18 16:05:51 2006

 Dsp/John: CATTIVI !!!
Lox
Tue Jul 18 16:03:51 2006

 MM: Fortunately I have you!!! I thought I was disappearing... :(
Lox
Tue Jul 18 16:03:32 2006

 Ignore them Lox. How could they be so unkind to you in your hour of need :)
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 15:58:23 2006

 dsp: or even meowing!!
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 15:57:46 2006

 ........
Lox
Tue Jul 18 15:45:58 2006

 Yea I thought I heard something too but I wasn't sure. :)
John
Tue Jul 18 15:43:09 2006

 Pardon? Is that a cat miowing?
dsp
Tue Jul 18 15:35:45 2006

 Dsp: You bastard !!! :D
Lox
Tue Jul 18 14:40:06 2006

 Can anyone else hear that? Did someone say something?
dsp
Tue Jul 18 14:39:25 2006

 Dsp: No, let's say that since I am leaving people are pretending that I am not here anymore and that makes me really want to scream!
Lox
Tue Jul 18 14:17:26 2006

 Speaking of retro computer games, did any of you guys ever play "Cholo"?
Jimmy
Tue Jul 18 14:17:00 2006

 Lox: Do you mean body odour?
dsp
Tue Jul 18 14:15:35 2006

 I am having quite a crap day at the office, all political and personal reasons, I can't wait to get out of this place, I already stink as dead meat and I don't like it...
Lox
Tue Jul 18 13:18:27 2006

 Sheri: Yeah, until Thursday... But... Now I know I'm a wimpy Englishman... but 32-degrees and no clouds... I have just about evapourated! :|
Nigel
Tue Jul 18 12:37:14 2006

 MM. Take your time. There is no hurry.
Sheri
Tue Jul 18 11:54:04 2006

 Thanks Sheri - its arrived. Have read first 12 pages or so, but must do some work as well. Will continue at lunch. I like what I've read so far. The format seems to be OK. I used to type television scripts many years ago, before computers, for friends of my brother's. Nice little earner it was too.
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 11:51:17 2006

 Thank you Lox. MM, the script is on its way. Nigel: on holiday, aren't you? Lazing about in your garden ?
Sheri
Tue Jul 18 11:09:53 2006

 Splendid, Sheri! Well done! :)
Nigel
Tue Jul 18 10:36:18 2006

 Sheri: Found it!
Lox
Tue Jul 18 10:27:51 2006

 Sheri: I haven't got your mail!!!!!! can you send me one at the usual address.. .:)
Lox
Tue Jul 18 10:26:57 2006

 Lox: can't imagine what the "conflict of interest" might be. Suffice to say that she will be at nursery for four days, so I might sneak out for an hour or so after dinner - if I have time, but going on usual work load I end up in the office until about 9pm. I work harder there than at work, and there's no internet access :(
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 10:24:26 2006

 MM: Will send you the mail, as for the Cadets I spot a little "interests conflict" there!
Lox
Tue Jul 18 10:19:25 2006

 Sheri/Lox/John/Anyone: As I don't want to put my email address on here, if one of you can send Sheri my work email, that would help.
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 10:12:50 2006

 Sheri: always happy to help. Lox: I was on holiday with friends in Scotland. Cadets happen this Friday when I am spending a week with the little dears at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire - which just happens to be about 4 or 5 miles from my granddaughter. I wonder why I said I go to that one!!! Ulterior motive, me, no surely not.
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 10:07:34 2006

 By the way, MM, if you'd like to read my script too, I would be honoured. Curious to know what you'd think about it...
Sheri
Tue Jul 18 10:04:15 2006

 There. It's done. The die is cast. I've sent my (reviewed) script back to the Writersroom. May the Gods be with me. I implore you, O Dionysus ! Give me that little extra push which every man needs to fulfil his destiny...! I shall not be ungrateful.
Sheri
Tue Jul 18 09:59:36 2006

 MM: Going for a short holiday overthere? Or camping with the cadets?
Lox
Tue Jul 18 09:25:13 2006

 Jimmy: Skye is a beautiful island. We have had some really good weather there, and some that was so c..p I couldn't wait to leave the place. The Road to the Isles from Fort William (where we were staying) to Mallaig is stunning, and certainly worth doing again and again. I am reliably informed that the Red label local beer is excellent.
Mad Mumsie
Tue Jul 18 09:21:50 2006

 John: Of course I can add some IT(Italian) products, name what you need (do you still have the espresso machine for example?)
Lox
Tue Jul 18 08:13:40 2006

 John: I might be going to England soon, so I was thinking that maybe I could buy some goods to send you... I am not sure if I can sneak into some Sainsburys or Tesco, but if you let me have an idea of what to buy I can then send it from here like I did with dsp...
Lox
Tue Jul 18 08:12:37 2006

 Dsp: I did ineded looked for "GAT" as a term and I found it. Incidentally it means NARROW so it was a perfect fit for what you were trying to say... :)
Lox
Tue Jul 18 08:10:20 2006

 not gat, "Great"
dsp
Tue Jul 18 07:46:24 2006

 Lox: The measure is gat! Thank you. It confirms what i always knew - we always make way too much spaghetti per person.
dsp
Tue Jul 18 07:19:13 2006

 Dsp: YES!! I am happy that she liked them, cheese should be fine if it is sweaty, as for the measures that's the best that I could find, we really don't eat more than 100grams per person...
Lox
Mon Jul 17 22:53:40 2006

 The pavesini biscuits remind me of Boudoir Lady Finger biscuits we get over here. Do you get them in Italy?
dsp
Mon Jul 17 18:28:02 2006

 Lox: The parcel has arrived! It came whilst I was at work. Thank you. Abigail loves the pavesini biscuits (so do I!). The cheese seems fine, it looks like it has sweated a little, but I'm sure it is edible. The spaghetti measure looks wrong, I think it is calibrated for Italians, at least that explains why you're all skinny!
dsp
Mon Jul 17 18:27:05 2006

 MM- my mother & father live up that way (Skye in fact). They were over on North Uist the weekend of the world cup for some sort of family get-together. "How did it go?" I asked. "Well, there was a fight due to the football" said my mother. "Oh, were there a lot of French and Italian supporters about then?" I said. "No" came the reply, "I was a Benbecula team vs. Lochmaddy".
Jimmy
Mon Jul 17 17:51:53 2006

 Well then I'm back from the wilds of North West Scotland. Anyone know who won the World Cup?!!!
Mad Mumsie
Mon Jul 17 16:43:13 2006

 No problem, Sheri. My pleasure! Ah, I did wonder about that! I viewed your file using a plain text editor and the headings were fine. I hope you managed to see all those highlights ok! :)
Nigel
Mon Jul 17 15:45:24 2006

 Still, you did a wonderful job. And thank you for your encouragements.
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 14:15:45 2006

 Oh, Nigel, I meant to tell you: the scene headings in the script are all in capital letters. I used a software named Script Smart for the layout. Now you didn't have it, hence the many incongrueties of form you met in it.
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 14:14:10 2006

 Just realised - aren't we communicating around the globe in all directions!!? :)
Nigel
Mon Jul 17 13:30:27 2006

 No problem Sheri - I have replied already! :)
Nigel
Mon Jul 17 13:28:33 2006

 Dsp: Did you get the parcel that I sent?
Lox
Mon Jul 17 12:49:19 2006

 Nigel. I sent you another mail. Hope it doesn't bother you (just a one page letter).
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 12:39:25 2006

 John, did you send it twice, to add redundancy to the posting of the backup using two differnet couriers that travel in opposite directions around the globe?
Kev
Mon Jul 17 12:14:38 2006

 dsp: glad to hear it - it was a bit quicker than I expected too (they said 7-10 days).
John
Mon Jul 17 11:07:30 2006

 Lox. You want to know, hu? You want to be part of it, don't you?
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 11:07:03 2006

 John: Your backup arrived from Japan!! Nice card!
dsp
Mon Jul 17 10:00:39 2006

 Hi everyone, hope y'all had good weekends!
dsp
Mon Jul 17 10:00:13 2006

 Aw shucks! Well, you know... It was so hot and I'd had a lot to drink.... ;)
Nigel
Mon Jul 17 09:14:59 2006

 Nigel/Sheri: The previous conversation sonds TERRIBLY dodgy to me!
Lox
Mon Jul 17 09:10:45 2006

 Morning all!! (My pleasure, Sheri!!)
Nigel
Mon Jul 17 08:36:50 2006

 Nigel. Thank you for the baby! I'll be working on it today. Thanks again.
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 08:24:15 2006

 Morning Lox.
Sheri
Mon Jul 17 08:23:22 2006

 Morning....
Lox
Mon Jul 17 08:16:48 2006

 Nigel: Interesting, you forgot to mention that you paid 100 quid for the insurance right? :)
Lox
Sun Jul 16 22:54:32 2006

 Oh what joy! A PayPal dispute I have with a seller in the US has been resolved in my favour - the seller was at fault (I knew that). PayPal were happy to tell me that I was covered by the Ebay Standard Protection Plan and so have refunded the maximum they can in my case - $0.59... Yep, 59cents or 34p in UK money!!! Good to know how helpful these guarantees are, eh? Splendid!
Nigel
Sun Jul 16 20:54:43 2006

 My tiny brain is boiling
Sheri
Sun Jul 16 16:23:39 2006

 Yes, definitely too hot here.
Sheri
Sun Jul 16 16:23:00 2006

 Sounds like the heat might be getting to you too, Sheri!! (It's certainly too hot to run about outside here, despite common misconceptions about the UK!!) So here I am drinking gin-and-tonic!! Oh yes...
Nigel
Sun Jul 16 15:13:51 2006

 Otherwize, have you heard of the new linux 6 GF type LH with 5000 megaboosters and incorporated flush ?
Sheri
Sun Jul 16 11:22:52 2006

 Lox: Blasphem! Don't you dare insulting my holy name...! Or the vengeance of God will fall upon you!
Sheri
Sun Jul 16 10:35:06 2006

 Sheri: Saint Donald uh?... Interesting, now I have another Saint to target when I have one of my famous "blasphemies runs"! :)
Lox
Sun Jul 16 09:39:56 2006

 Morning Saints and Sinners!! No early morning surfing for me today. The kids were up and running around at some unlikely hour! Looks like another very hot day out there...
Nigel
Sun Jul 16 09:25:42 2006

 And all that...!
Saint Sheri
Sun Jul 16 08:34:22 2006

 EGO TE ABSOLVO!
Saint Donald
Sun Jul 16 08:27:26 2006

 Nigel. I think I must be...! Saint Donald, priez pour nous, pauvres pécheurs... (How would I translate it ? Saint Donald, pray for us, miserable sinners that we are...)
Sheri
Sun Jul 16 08:26:03 2006

 Dsp: Too bad... but at least you can get it on Monday... To be honest I think that the chees will do just fine, but as I said in the mail make sure you try it before feeding Abi with it... :P
Lox
Sun Jul 16 00:15:37 2006

 And so it is! Ha! Are you a "Saint" then Sheri? ;)
Nigel
Sat Jul 15 20:34:19 2006

 By the way, Didn't you know it was Donald's day in the Christian calendar today ?!!! What do we say to our dear beloved Sheri...?
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 17:00:39 2006

 Script safely received ! :) Will have a read later on.....
Nigel
Sat Jul 15 15:23:47 2006

 ps. No one gets sodomized in my script, but that too could be arranged...
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 14:42:08 2006

 KEV, that could be arranged...! DSP: How about being the bad guy? Or the one who get sodomised in a basement....
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 14:40:42 2006

 i'd prefer a sitting down part at a bar ;)
Kev
Sat Jul 15 14:24:07 2006

 Donald: if the bbc like your script, can we all get walk on parts?
dsp
Sat Jul 15 14:23:25 2006

 OK Sheri - I'll "collect" it later when the kids have gone to bed and read it then... :)
Nigel
Sat Jul 15 14:23:25 2006

 Lox: my parcel arrived! :-) But I was out :-( Now I have to wait until monday. I wonder how the cheese is doing?
dsp
Sat Jul 15 14:22:02 2006

 Nigel: I sent you the script. Thanks again.
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 14:16:54 2006

 ... and of course, Isobel will not eat her lunch now because her tummy is already full!! :( Kev: Yes, the check-out lady did smile at the half-eaten bread, but it's barcode still scanned ok!
Yes, enjoy Milan Lox! How lucky to be able to just "nip down the road to Milan"!! I could just nip to Oswestry... but I think I'll give it a miss!! :))) Don't spend too much!
Nigel
Sat Jul 15 14:13:47 2006

 Lox: I think John knew it too. Enjoy your shopping!
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 13:29:53 2006

 you mean back, of course, never mind just drink lots of good wine to dull the pain!
Kev
Sat Jul 15 13:10:06 2006

 I am off to Milan today, doing some shopping and a pot of dinner with Marta's friends... I have a nasty back ache, I hope is nothing serious because it's a pain in the arse!
Lox
Sat Jul 15 13:08:39 2006

 Sheri: Look at the positivce side, putting the mail in the parcel ensures attention from the clerk, so you are sure to get a good review, and (keep finger crossed) it might be a good chance to move a step forward.... don't you think... DONALD? :) :) :) :) :) (actually now that I think of it, I might have been the ONLY ONE who knew your real name here at la maison..... .:))
Lox
Sat Jul 15 13:07:28 2006

 Nigel: yep, Donald it is! hard to believe, hu ? Anyway, thanks, I'll send you the script in the course of the afternoon.
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 12:44:09 2006

 Don't you just love it when kids do that, its a bit annoying esp. when its an apple or somethinf that clearly has to be weighed, but I suppose young kids can be excused. HOWEVER when an adult opens a can of coke or pakect of crisps that they havent yet paid for this is clearly STEALING. What if they got a phone call and had to dash off, abandoning the shopping except for the bits they stole by eating. Grrrr that made me angry just thinking about it!!!
Kev
Sat Jul 15 12:40:15 2006

 Morning all! Sure, Sheri (Donald?!?! Could this be your true first-name?) by all means I'd be happy to look at your work. There's an email address on my blog page etc.! Typical that they lost it, but pretty impressive that they actually bothered to ask for a replacement! :)

Well so far I've been shopping to Sainsbury's :((( Talk about crowded! Just me and Isobel. She took a "petit baton" which is a small French loaf apparently, and startted eating it as we walked round.
Nigel
Sat Jul 15 12:37:22 2006

 Lox: Actually, the fuckers lost it! : Hi Donald, Unfortunately, we can't seem to find your script, it is very rare that a script goes missing but simply because of the number of script we manage, this can happen. We are very sorry about this, if you'd like to send us another copy of your script we'll make sure it's considered and returned to you as soon as possible. Please mark your script for the attention of the Script Assistant and enclose a copy of this email Best Wishes BBC Writersroom
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 12:23:39 2006

 Kev: I SEeeeeeee.. .Yep there are a lot of bean counters here in Pizzaland, shame that they don't know how to do it.. :) When it comes to savings I am a bit of a bean counter myself! :)
Lox
Sat Jul 15 12:18:51 2006

 Sheri: Is it good that they are asking for a new copy? It sounds like that... Anyways let me know how I can help and if I can I will do it! :)
Lox
Sat Jul 15 12:18:02 2006

 And do not worry! If you can't (be bothered), I won't be resentful...
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 11:55:42 2006

 There is no obligation, of course, but it would maximize my potential of success.
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 11:54:11 2006

 John, Lox, Nigel: remember I sent a script to the BBC writersroom? Well, I just got a mail from them asking for a new copy. I'll give you the details later, but I take it as a wonderful opportunity to revise my script, which I'm doing now. Nigel, John: given that you're both English (or Welsh), would it be possible for one of you to check the syntax and spelling? It would require a few hours or a whole afternoon, depending on how fast you read.
Sheri
Sat Jul 15 11:51:15 2006

 I'm having a rather boring day. I don't seem to have the enthusiasm to do anything creative, so instead I've just been downloading video podcasts etc. Blimey there is a lot of complete crap out there isn't there?
John
Sat Jul 15 10:59:27 2006

 also its a derogatory label, you are not usually hired as a been-counter. you must have these people in large italian companies
kev
Sat Jul 15 10:03:50 2006

 been counters is also a british phrase, but to lox, bean counter:someone who works within the financial department. usually associated with saving money or working out prouct/profit ratios and then improving them using measuring metrics.
kev
Sat Jul 15 10:01:53 2006

 define: Bean Counter-..... ?
Lox
Sat Jul 15 09:04:59 2006

 John: Bean Counters may be an American thing originally. It's fairly common...but old.
Travis
Sat Jul 15 03:54:11 2006

 Oh well, at least I didn't send an angry email about bean counting mentality to my boss at 2AM last night when I was drunk... Oh, no, having checked my sent items folder it appears I actually did. Oh well.
John
Sat Jul 15 01:00:12 2006

 so John, what japanese for 'bean counter'. how about French, Italian, ancient greek, latin and welsh? oh and hiroshima dialect? bee-an cowntar (thats norfolk btw)
kev
Fri Jul 14 22:37:43 2006

 John, Sounds like there is potential to make a few Yen here. Black market in bug fixes. Oh Yes.
Kev
Fri Jul 14 20:03:17 2006

 ... well actually, I might just have "pushed the envelope" there a bit... Ooops! Where can I hide?
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 19:35:15 2006

 John: do you get a point deducted for creating a bug? If not, just create loads-a-bugs and then fix them. Bingo, game the system, become top dog. I hear your place loves buffers without overflow protection :-)
dsp
Fri Jul 14 19:35:09 2006

 ... and any sane person is probably consuming a carefully prepared evening meal. Whereas I've run out of beer and have now poured myself a generous Laphroaig! Oh and the family are home (:))) and I don't appear to be in trouble yet! Marvellous!
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 19:21:52 2006

 ...actually when I arrived home there was nobody here... So I'm probably going to be in trouble when they all get back and I'm drunk! :))
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 18:48:51 2006

 Oh, and "Hi!" Lox... Didn't see you there :)) (Yes, I've been drinking beer since I got home!)
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 18:17:18 2006

 Yes John... Where I work is full of them! :))
Jimmy: You are right, of course. An operating system is purely a way to get all the hardware components in the box to talk to each other. In that respect a "basic" system such as a Unix/Linux Kernel or MS-DOS is sufficient. I used to love command-line and hate buttons.
A good "crux" of your argument (and I don't want any head-banging, it might hurt!) could be how inefficiently this extra "dressing" code is written, so you need all the fancy hardware, the extra RAM, the bigger hard-drive just to accomodate it. Not really wanting to push the Mac bit too much, Apple seem to have produced a system that gives us all the "gloss" but running on pretty basic (for Windows) systems. I mean 1.5ghz processors and 128mb graphics cards?! OK dual-core, but still...
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 18:16:22 2006

 Jimmy: I agree with you, I find it stupid if that was to be the case. But remember that MS has got its hands inside most of the hardware makers nowadays, meaning that the more HW you buy the more money they get. Moreover they must DRM everything now, so that's why they are pushing for a massive switch to pieces that can be controlled, rather than letting you run the os on machines of the "old free generation". That's why my 'puters (3 at the moment) will always run XP prior to the Disadvantage (if I can continue not updating), maybe one of them will have to run the new stuff, but rigorously OFF LINE, so that they can fuck themselves with their controls and checks.
Lox
Fri Jul 14 18:16:09 2006

 Does anyone outside of my company use the term "bean counters" - it refers to brain dead management who can only evaulate performance with schoolboy statistics. Bag of bollocks if you ask me.
John
Fri Jul 14 17:59:46 2006

 I'm feeling somewhat belligerent right now, having received a particularly twatty email at work. My company seems to be obsessed with rankings and league tables, and the idiot management's only way of evaluating performance seems to be counting the number of bug fixes each developer has made. It seems irrelevant to them how much time those bug fixes take, or how important they are to the quality of the product. It is simply a case of the higher the number, the better you are. As a result developers are driven to focus on trivial and easy fixes, because that's what they'll get recognition for. This may be part of the reason that Vista is largely a pile of shit at the moment.
John
Fri Jul 14 17:51:19 2006

 If anyone is expecting me to jump in here and defend Vista, then you may not be entirely surprised to hear that I simply can't be arsed.
John
Fri Jul 14 17:38:19 2006

 dsp- it's not to concept I dislike ... it's how far they've taken it. Of course 3.11 is crap. I feel like I'm beating my head against a brick wall with you guys though ... how can anyone *possibly* justify a mega graphics card requirement to simply boot the desktop? It's so far OTT that it's utterly unbelievable.
Jimmy
Fri Jul 14 17:21:51 2006

 Jimmy: Stick with Windows 3.11 who needs 32-bit?
dsp
Fri Jul 14 17:01:46 2006

 Yeah yeah- I know that tech companies should try to "Move things forward" ... but to the extent that you need mega-graphics to load the basic desktop is utterly unreasonable. They're just trying to get you to buy a new computer. With new software. I think it has no utility at all. It's merely "Pretty".
Jimmy
Fri Jul 14 16:40:08 2006

 Rob: So does that mean that you're getting to redesign that system (or whatever it was) that was antiquated, causing problems? If it's preferred by you, congrats.
Travis
Fri Jul 14 15:24:52 2006

 Well Jimmy, it's now a mute point with me I suppose :) !However... To address your points, apart from the porn angle (let's use Ebay as an example instead!:)) you are quite right. But it could be argued that we could all drive Lada's or Skoda's or Trabants if we just wanted "utility". However design should be about improving "our lot". This is clearly where the Mac OS X shines brighter.
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 14:09:57 2006

 Jimmy you are right. It is not needed for those tasks. Some people choose to use a pen and paper. As a consumer you have the choice not to buy it. Many other people will. I myself will not until it becomes the standard offering with my next laptop.
dsp
Fri Jul 14 14:01:31 2006

 I say again: "Most people only want to use their computer for word processing, looking at their digital photos and surfing for porn." Despite what you guys have said, you don't seem to have addressed this basic point. I don't want mega-graphics to load a fecking desktop!
Jimmy
Fri Jul 14 13:45:36 2006

 I just can't figure out why it's taken MS so long to get Vista out. I mean they can't be short of resources! Why all the false starts? On the design front, I used to run StarDock's WindowBlinds and DesktopX on Windows to give me the options I wanted to change the appearance. To be honest I expected MS to actually buy-out Stardock!
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 13:38:55 2006

 Lox: You're right, but this is a long-term strategy. The work that MS has put in provides a platform for its future. Remember the difference between DOS and Windows? This is a similar shift. I think it will take 5 to 10 years before Vista gets mass uptake.
dsp
Fri Jul 14 12:47:39 2006

 I don't know much about Vista, I didn't read the new specs as I wanted it to be out and officila before doing so... Generally speaking I think that they are trying to enter that niche of the market that Mac has, i.e. the "cool" environment that might appeal to designers and people like that... Maybe I am mistaken, but it seems that computers are becoming a stable feature in everyone's house, hence the need of making it look good for furniture aspects. Macs are great at doing this, PCs are quite crap..
Lox
Fri Jul 14 12:12:49 2006

 Although I think I won't be in a hurry to upgrade to Vista, I really admire Microsoft's visionary ambition. They want to provide a 'cinematic' user experience. They kind of interface magic you would normally see in a movie. I'm sure it would be much easier for them to not bother, but where's the fun in that. But the key difference with Vista is the shift from a raster to vector based graphics. The biggest advantage is that this can look good on massive high resolution displays, whereas bitmap would look rubbish or tiny. This really will enable the evolution of Johnny Mneumonic style computer interaction (instead of teletext). IMHO it is all about screen resolution.
dsp
Fri Jul 14 11:32:25 2006

 OK- so what's Windows Vista about? I mean, most people only want to use their computer for word processing, looking at their digital photos and surfing for porn. So what's with the "Minimum spec"? Why do I need a super-computer to be able to run a fecking desktop? And "Aero GUI"?!?!? WTF?!?! Why on God's earth would I want transparent buttons? How will that make my computer more useful? I truly believe Microsoft has got its head so far up its own arse that it's lost the plot entirely. Is anybody really gonna buy this crap? I tell you what: just the other day my old laptop died. It ran Win98 (being quite old) and I never bothered to upgrade. Considering the supercomputer-tyre requirements for "Modern" Windows, and Microsoft's "genuine disadvantage" that is basically spyware (and possibly even illegal) there's no way I'm gonna buy their bloody OS. I'm gonna replace my laptop with a Mac. And when my desktop needs to be replaced, that's gonna be a Mac too. I really have had enough. Just tell me: what *is* wrong with these people, and why do they think it's necessary to have a swanky graphics card to boot the bloody desktop?!?!?!?!!!!
Jimmy
Fri Jul 14 10:53:23 2006

 Rob: I mean that must be new technology right? I am sure you remember where I got the quote from.. .:)
Lox
Fri Jul 14 09:44:24 2006

 Rob: Good one sir! I am sure that you'll do marvels in the new position, when do we get to see the "SHITTER" built for real based on the specs that you are working on now? :)
Lox
Fri Jul 14 09:43:41 2006

 I've not got a new job, just changed a little in the job that I have. I'm now working on new technologies, that I get to design, rather than slogging away, firefighting with the old system. Much preferable.
Rob Lang
Fri Jul 14 09:20:10 2006

 I had assumed an expresso was a short, quick coffee which was not shy about conveying its feelings.
John
Fri Jul 14 09:13:20 2006

 CIao everyone! I am on holiday today! Yes UBRIACO (with one "B") means drunk, while I didn't correct the expresso thingy because the important thing is the concept, I recognize it as a foreign word so.... :) If you were writing in Italian I would have mentioned it though!" :)
Lox
Fri Jul 14 09:11:23 2006

 Ah, what a pleasant feeling that the working week is drawing to a close! I have spent a large part of this afternoon moving desks, which has been an oddly gratifying experience. Plus no chance of having to stay late tonight - there's a team outing, and in order to make sure we get a table it has been decreed that we must all leave on the dot of 5:30. Naturally I'm not arguing the point. :)
John
Fri Jul 14 09:04:36 2006

 Travis: You are correct, I suspect. Lox was being too polite to correct me!! :)

Oh, and morning all! Car back in to garage after the work they did a couple of weeks ago leaked...
Nigel
Fri Jul 14 08:44:02 2006

 Travis: I think ubbriaco means totally drunk. Either that or it is something very rude (typically the case whenever Sheri and Lox converse in Italian!).
John
Fri Jul 14 03:50:43 2006

 What's ubbriaco? I hate to be the corrector, but at least in the US "expresso" is a mispronunciation of "espresso". Perhaps overseas, I'm in the wrong. What a fine Summer semester this is. I'm finetuning my Lecture Notes for Mythology (they'll be available at the end of this semester, Lox, in early August). I'm also leading a Greek study group in preparation for teaching 1st Semester Greek in the Fall. Finally, I'm working on a paper in ancient philosophy. I'm stepping away from Aristotle for the first time in a long time. This will be on the connection between the Pythagorean Number and the Platonic Form. Good stuff.
Travis
Thu Jul 13 23:11:53 2006

 Lox: My inbox wasn't as interesting as I first thought, but a friend of mine recently let his daughter marry and so sent me a whole bundle of photographs to view. So I had to offer my comments!... :)
Nigel
Thu Jul 13 22:16:05 2006

 Nigel: I wish I had emails to read on the countrary!!! :)

Sheri: Good MAN!!!! :)
Lox
Thu Jul 13 22:11:45 2006

 Sweet dreams, Sheri. I'm just sitting here trying to catch up on emails I've been ignoring for a week...
Nigel
Thu Jul 13 22:09:52 2006

 OK, off to Bedfordshire ! I believe I've reached my quota of insanities for the day...
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:52:26 2006

 VIVE LA FRANCE, VIVE PETAIN (the old fart)...!
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:50:19 2006

 DUCE, DUCE, DUCE, DUCE, DUCE.....
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:48:04 2006

 MASCALZONI !!!!
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:46:07 2006

 Lox: perdonami, amico mio, sono una volta di piu totalmente ubbriaco.
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:45:21 2006

 Sheri: I see, now we are shocked about Materazzi insults... Marvellous! :) Please DO give back the Mona Lisa plus the other gazzillion things that you stole from us! :)
Lox
Thu Jul 13 21:43:26 2006

 ABASSO GLI ITALIANI !!! Branco di Mascalzoni zenza educazione !!!!
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:42:40 2006

 Nigel: I'm there all right. Couldn't digest Materrazi's insults. I had to chill out for a while, far away from Lox and his insufferable boasting...
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 21:40:35 2006

 Nigel: Indeed... a small size cappuccino...
Lox
Thu Jul 13 16:19:03 2006

 Ahhh... Is that the expresso with frothy milk?
Nigel
Thu Jul 13 16:07:06 2006

 Rob, you have a new job? I've really been slacking of late. I haven't updated my page in a long time. Perhaps this weekend.
Travis
Thu Jul 13 15:55:27 2006

 Nigel: Already had my "macchiato"... As for Sheri coming on and off, he might be busy with his exams, although he likes the part of the shady one that is absent for long times but that in relaity lingers in the background...
Lox
Thu Jul 13 15:47:41 2006

 Yo Sheri! You *are* still here! Have you been busy?

Lox: I recommend a nice cup of that splendid Italian coffee... I could use one myself right now... :(
Nigel
Thu Jul 13 15:45:10 2006

 The second option could be nice, but I am at work, so to speak, it ain't the easiset thing to do (entertain a pussy) here... :)
Lox
Thu Jul 13 15:26:47 2006

 I don't know, Lox, get a cat to keep you busy! (Or a pussy...)
Sheri
Thu Jul 13 15:05:08 2006

 I AM BOREEEEDDDDDDDDDDD. Now that's official!
Lox
Thu Jul 13 14:02:03 2006

 Kev: I preferred the - http://www.theregister.com/2006/07/13/aol_considers_change/ - at about half way down the first page. Talking about the changes to Internet Explorer at version4. Makes for interesting reading, I thought!! :)
Nigel
Thu Jul 13 13:58:15 2006

 www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/13/zidane_headbutt_outrage
Kev
Thu Jul 13 13:38:25 2006

 Rob: How is the new job shaping up? Any improvements at all? I remember you being quite stressed about it...
Lox
Thu Jul 13 13:06:49 2006

 dsp: thanks a lot! I really must get the others up. I have been given a load more wedding photos to post up to. So much data, so little time.
Rob Lang
Thu Jul 13 12:57:17 2006

 John: Yup, anything that it's SLIGHTLY old in Japan gets destroyed forever... :)
Lox
Thu Jul 13 12:27:08 2006

 Dsp: Nope, but once it's made the plan is to live off the subscriptions and gen