Smokers…

…As a whole, get right on my tits at times. Ever since the government introduced this country-wide public smoking ban (yippee!!), I’ve heard nothing but whines and moans about it. For fuck’s sake, you’ve still got the street and your own homes to do it in! There’s nothing worse than sitting in a restaurant, with the smell of second-hand cigarette smoke mingling with whatever you happen to be chomping on at the time. And the smoke from the smoking area DOES float over to the non-smoking area, so don’t give me that bullshit about it doesn’t. Besides which, isn’t having a non-smoking section kind of like having a non-peeing section in a swimming pool?
All I can say is, bring July 1st on and make the walking cancer tumours WHINE like they’ve never whined before! At least I’ll be able to finally go to the boozer and not come out stinking like an ashtray.

Rock Out With Your Pension Book Out!

I saw the following video on YouTube yesterday, and nearly cried with laughing when I saw it…

I think what these guys have done, with the help of the various music industry folks and the BBC on board, is simply awesome. It’s about time this country started taking notice of our elderly population, instead of simply dismissing them and shoving them away in care homes to be quickly forgotten.
And in case you’re wondering, it is available to buy on CD (has been since 28/05/07). Please go and buy one, and show the government the the elderly aren’t quite read for the knackers yard just yet!

Things are looking up…

I could have a job within the week. About time too… I’m sick of companies not bothering to get in touch to tell you whether or not you’ve got the position, after you’ve gone and filled out a bazillion page long application form, enveloped it, stamped it, posted it and crossed your fingers. Even a letter just I get it, it’ll be a temporary contract for 13 weeks, with a possibility of being taken on permanently after that. So, fingers crossed. Oh, and for those that are interested, it’s for a data entry position.
Just bought my ticket for Retro North. Looking forward to that now, and all I’ve got left to do is book the hotel room. Oh, and a train ticket to get me to Coventry. Should be a good weekend!
One more thing… I probably won’t be including the various technology posts any more, as the sites I find them on are just as easy to visit yourselves.

Ciao for now.

No, I’m Not Dead…

I’m still here. It’s just that things are a bit humdrum at the moment, and not really worth writing about.
Sure enough, as soon as something worthy happens, I’ll let thee know.

Joost Invites For The Masses.

Apparently, some time yesterday, Joost beta users had their invite number increased to infinite. So, I am finally able to hand some out.
You’re more than welcome to have one, in return for one little thing. All I ask is that you add me either to your site, or to your blogroll, depending on which one you have, obviously.

That’s all folks!

The Steampunk Mouse

Now, most of you may already be familiar with the steampunk series, as several places on the webernets have already covered them, such as Gizmodo UK with the Steampunk Laptop and Steampunk Keyboard. And just like those 2 there, this is just as awesome. It’s the daddy of mice.

The developer gets into the spirit of it too with the following description…

“One holds the device in a manner similar to the way a wood-worker holds a sanding block. The palm rests upon the “ball” in the foreground, with the fingers extending forward. The middle digit is placed upon the spiked cog, while the pointing-finger and the ring-bearing finger sit on the studded levers on either side. The thumb and small-finger rest comfortably on the side of the cylinder, helping to grip the contraption. The “Bug”, as the Professor calls it, is slid about upon a table top–thusly controlling a mobile indicator upon the Telecalculograph’s display. Push the device away from one’s self, and the arrow “moves” towards the top of the viewing window. When the arrow has been positioned appropriately so that it is pointing at the desired “item” on the glass, the user pushes down upon the various levers to elicit his desired effect. Turning the wheel in the center produces an action similar to turning a page in a book, or cranking a kinetoscope.”

Genius. Jake Of All Trades [via Gizmodo UK]

Reporting For Duty, SAH!

Although I’ve not much to report I’m afraid.
I’m in the process of looking for work, as my current employer is royally fucking me about. Only trouble is, nearly every time I apply for a job, I get no reply. I don’t know about you, but I find this not only rude, but an example of extremely bad manners and management. I’d be quite happy to receive a letter saying something along the lines of ‘sorry, you weren’t successful this time, but we’ll keep your details on file should another position arise.’, but I don’t even get that.. not even a phone call. Ah well, I guess something will turn up sooner or later… sooner rather than later I hope.

New HD Camcorder

No, not mine, but a new one from Sony.
Now, those that know me, know I’m not in the habit of praising Sony very often, if at all. They’re worse than M$ for money grabbing. But that’s besides the point, because I happen to think their new camcorder is quite tasty.

Apparently, it’s gonna be sporting some pretty nice features, such as a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens… good for 10x optical zoom, and something called ‘Face Index’, which allows you to highlight someone in particular upon playback.
But in true Sony style, they have to cock it up. How this time? They’ve made the storage medium their own Memory Stick technology… forcing you to part with more notes.

No UK price yet, but the US price equates to around £600. Nice. I’ll have 2.

Read the full story @ Gizmodo UK

Commodore’s Back… Apparently

Yea, ok, I know, this is fairly old news, as they were unveiled at Cebit or something a few weeks back. But the thing is, I’m all for Commodore rising once more (some of my friends would say different, eh Koops?), but why the Colin & Justin-esque in-your-face paint work? I mean, look at it!!

Would you spend (starting from) £1800 on a PC that looked like that? Come on Commodore, sort it out…

Commodore Gaming [via Gizmodo UK]

Cats

My Dad sent me this in an e-mail the other day. It is funny, I’ll admit, but it just makes me disklike the little shites even more.

Calling in sick to work makes me uncomfortable. No matter how legitimate my excuse, I always get the feeling that my boss thinks I’m lying.
On one recent occasion, I had a valid reason but lied anyway, because the truth was just too darned humiliating. I simply mentioned that I had sustained a head injury, and I hoped I would feel up to coming in the next day. By then, I reasoned, I could think up a doozy to explain the bandage on the top of my head.
The accident occurred mainly because I had given in to my wife’s wishes to adopt a cute little kitty. Initially, the new acquisition was no problem. Then one morning, I was taking my shower after breakfast when I heard my wife, Deb, call out to me from the kitchen. “Honey! The garbage disposal is dead again. Please come reset it.”. “You know where the button is,” I protested through the shower pitter-patter and steam. “Reset it yourself!”. “But I’m scared!” she persisted. “What if it starts going and sucks me in?”. There was a meaningful pause and then, “C’mon, it’ll only take you a second.”.
So out I came, dripping wet and buck naked, hoping that my silent outraged nudity would make a statement about how I perceived her behavior as extremely cowardly. Sighing loudly, I squatted down and stuck my head under the sink to find the button. It is the last action I remember performing.
It struck without warning, and without any respect to my circumstances.
No, it wasn’t the hexed disposal, drawing me into its gnashing metal teeth. It was our new kitty, who discovered the fascinating dangling objects she spied hanging between my legs. She had been poised around the corner and stalked me as I reached under the sink. And, at the precise moment when I was most vulnerable, she leapt at the toys I unwittingly offered and snagged them with her needle-like claws. I lost all rational thought to control orderly bodily movements, blindly rising at a violent rate of speed, with the full weight of a kitten hanging from my masculine region.
Wild animals are sometimes faced with a “fight or flight” syndrome. Men, in this predicament, choose only the “flight” option. I know this from experience. I was fleeing straight up into the air when the sink and cabinet bluntly and forcefully impeded my ascent. The impact knocked me out cold.
When I awoke, my wife and the paramedics stood over me. Now there are not many things in this life worse than finding oneself lying on the kitchen floor buck naked in front of a group of “been-there, done-that” paramedics. Even worse, having been fully briefed by my wife, the paramedics were all snorting loudly as they tried to conduct their work, all the while trying to suppress their hysterical laughter … and not succeeding.
Somehow I lived through it all. A few days later I finally made it back in to the office, where colleagues tried to coax an explanation out of me about my head injury. I kept silent, claiming it was too painful to talk about, which it was.
“What’s the matter?” They all asked, “Cat got your tongue?”
If they only knew!