bookmark_borderThrobbing

Happy Birthday to the Big Chuffer! I hope the coming year is as good as the last one.

Stirling was OK. Hungover. Still. Bummer. Mind you at least I didn’t run ‘over’ a car… tut tut tut… LOL.

Holiday in a week’s time. A week of no work. In fact probably a week of not much at all. Might try and do some exercise, and I’ll be making the most of the last few days of the 24/7 internet access. Hey, I might even get the re-design finished, and start on… ohhh what’s the point. I might do SomeTHiNG, I might not.

bookmark_borderOpen mouth, insert foot

Foot in mouth disease is a terrible thing. Thankfully this time it wasn’t me, but it’s always worrying when someone says SomeTHiNG without (obviously) thinking about it. Result – one upset person, one conversation and more than likely no improvement. We’ll see if any effect is filtered down to me, but it has been a long problem that is only gradually improving, no names, no pack-drill, but they should know better, and other people have mentioned it as well. Ahh the joys of office politics.

Was that cryptic enough? LOL

Progress at work, can’t say what yet though.

Re-design on going. Stirling tonight. Might finish the design, but this is highly dependant on my hangover…

bookmark_borderFiasco

Survived footie. Night out (company thing) in Stirling, should be fun, haven’t been drunk for ages!

I’ve downloaded NextStart in another step to finding a system I can use – very customisable, skinnable etc etc. Might even lead to me rekindle my interest in design software skins, but not until I’ve finished the website re-design…

The internet fiasco in the UK continues, my unmetered 24/7 access ends soon (end of month), and I’ll probably switch to BT’s evening and weekend deal. I’ve hunted about, but looks like I’m going to have to rely on the regulatory body to do SomeTHiNG!

Hewlett Packards current adverts over here make me laugh – a newspaper straight to your PC, presuming you can afford to have a permanent connection of course. Maybe the governments 1billion initiative will make a difference, just like their actions over the petrol dispute did…. hmmmm.

bookmark_borderCatchup

Finishing post in sight… maybe… the re-design deadline is the end of the month… LOL

So, anyone got any petrol? Scary stuff this, and beginning to get out of control, I’ve read a couple of reports of ambulances without petrol, not good.

On a lighter note – MSN Messenger has enabled me to have a quick ‘chat’ with a good friend in Oz. I knew I would find a good use for this technology (other than the illegal acquisition of software and music… kidding… emm, honest!).

I must start exercising, had a couple of weeks off and I just know that footie will be painful this week.

bookmark_borderPetrol

“That is not the way to make policy in Britain and as far as I am concerned it never will be.” – Tony Blair.

Totally agree Tony. Well said. We can’t have a government that is dictated to, that’s the entire point in voting, elections and the democratic process.

Slight problem though, aren’t the people we voted for supposed to act on our behalf? Aren’t they supposed to listen to what we say, take it on board and at least consider it? Mr.Blair’s reaction seems rather childish. He is already lifting what is a simple campaign, based around one simple idea (we pay too much for our petrol) into the political arena, and trying to stamp his authority on the matter. Aside from that small matter of not being able to take someone… who uses pauses…. far too much…. when speaking to…. the public, seriously, I think this is another example of the basic flaw that every politician develops.

We think we are paying too much for our petrol. The government says, we’ll sorry…tough. So we ask again and start a small scale campaign (the ‘don’t buy on the 1st of the month’ one). Response from the government, yes we do hear you, but we can’t do anything. We start a blockade. The government gets twitchy and starts getting authoritative.

So, we ask, and ask, then act. The government politely declines us twice, then clamps down (to stop the matter getting out of hand, no doubt). What is stopping them acting? What are they afraid of?

They have just launched a £1billion initiative to get more of the UK online. What the hell are they spending it on? The last published figures, from the government, stated that around 60% of households in the UK are online, with over 85% owning and using a computer. Schools all have computers (usually shiny new iMacs that no-one uses, the staff not having received any training).

We work longer hours than every country in Europe, pay more tax, and earn less. So, the government receives, per head, more money from us than any other company. We have less in our pockets, so obviously we shouldn’t mind paying high prices for just about everything.

What is the government afraid of? They are afraid that if they act over the current petrol dispute, they will very soon be put under pressure to lower prices, tax etc on many, many other things.

We need a strong government. I don’t doubt that. I am fully aware that there is no quick fix. Mr.Blair and the Labour party need to learn one thing very quickly. What they are doing right now is not being strong. They have been pushed into a corner, and want to come out fighting. This is not a display of strength, this is a display of petty schoolboy (public schoolboy?) arrogance. I’m all for keeping integrity, and stay focussed to reach goals that will benefit everyone. The hardest part of keeping your integrity is learning when to give it up.