Posts by sandman

Seen this before

I've worked in the past for an international (well, sort of) company where the first level of help on the website was in the local languages, then switched to English when they would have required to pay for a technical translator ;-)

Cheapskates

£500-600 a day for the contract from hell?

We're all doomed!

It's the end of the world as we know it, but I feel fine ;-)

Personal Observation - non-statistical

I had the interesting experience of watching a non-accident happen, although was very surprised about the "non" bit. The scene is a busy junction and a driver is approaching the main road while happily talking on and looking at their phone. Coming along the main road is another driver on the phone. About to cross the junction is a pedestrian texting while listening to music on their phone. Cue blaring horns, screeches of brakes, one pedestrian paralysed with fear in the middle of the road and much swearing.

I'd like to say this was a one-off, but it's more a daily occurrence around where I live...

Individual slaughter

I did find that fragging a bunch of Nazis, aliens, etc did wonders for my temper after a bad day at t'office. Sadly, as I rose higher in the food chain, individual slaughter lost its calming effect and I had to resort to strategy games. Genocide is very soothing ;-)

Great title!

I'd like to accuse the Russians of a knee-jerk reaction, but I'm loath to use the word "jerk" in this context ;-)

Endangered Species

Bloody hell, I hope not. At present, tablets simply aren't as good for reading on. The combination of long battery life, ruggedness, ease of use and lack of glare makes e-readers fit for purpose.

I'm still using my original Kindle, sadly the damn thing simply won't die, so I've got no excuse to upgrade. It's survived tropical and mountain trekking, various beaches, getting a little damp and general packing abuse without turning a metaphorical hair.

As for ease of use, my 94 year-old mother-in-law will only have hers prised out of her cold, dead hands. She doesn't want anything more complex, just something she can read. Everyone in our family owns Kindles of various models, we are serious readers :-)

Tasty

Ah - here we have a difference between wildlife experts and animal lovers. Actually you can give some animals long term contraceptives, but then you have to catch them first, which doesn't do much for their stress levels. If you leave them you'll get all the problems associated with habitat loss and overcrowding.

Culling is a good solution - as long as it's done humanely and let's face it, venison and wild boar are very tasty. Saying which, it's Woodpigeon breasts for dinner tonight :-)

Eugh!

I really don't wan't to even think about thinking about the sexual habits of Reg correspondents - the potential mental picture has hints of Vogon about it.

Peak operating system?

Allow me to introduce the ridiculously overused concept of "peak" to operating systems. If this one's any good we'll have a glut of pretty good operating systems. We can all think of improvements to our favourites, but most of them do more or less what you want most of the time. It's getting harder and harder to get excited about new releases and in a lot of cases many of us don't bother for a year or three. Unless some startling new tech or vital security fix comes along, why should we? Operating Systems are just there to let you do other stuff, their intrinsic value is limited.

I can see a time when the only time you pay for an OS is when you eventually buy a new computer. (Linux users - possibly not even then).

US v UK complaints

Now, I'm NOT saying that this is a factor when sitting on your phone but…

Av Weight:

UK Male c84kg

US Male c88kg

UK Female c69kg

US Female c77kg

Sourced from Wikipedia, but references look OK.

Back Pockets

Why the hell would anyone put anything valuable in a back pocket? Talk about a pickpockets dream.When I was much younger I used to irritate my friends and amuse myself by demonstrating how easy it was to nick their wallets (pre-mobile days y'know) and I'm about as light-fingered as a JCB. The bendy thing - well, meh, other phones are available if you want to stuff them in your back pocket, although I'd recommend a really cheap one so the pickpocket would just drop it in disgust (making sure it's in a case so it doesn't break when he/she does so ;-)

Tempting

Oh, I'm very tempted to send my Macbook for modding. Better still, it isn't mine, so I'd love to see the look on the faces of our IT Support team when I take it into the office. Sadly, while our head of technology would think it funny, I'm not entirely sure the support guys would, for obvious reasons :-)

I've read about these...

Siberian Death Worm

Democracy RIP

I really wish people would stop pretending that there is any real form of democracy in the UK and US (I can't speak for any other countries - insufficient knowledge). Both states are run by a political class - even to the extent that there are political dynasties - think Kennedy, Bush and Clinton for starters. I was under the impression that Americans once fought to be free from dynastic rule, but obviously times change.

The political class is supported and financed by a business class and semi-controlled by a media with its own selfish agenda.

If you look at the policy choices us proles are offered, the different parties give us pretty much the same choices, ranging from slightly selfish individualist capitalism to outright barkingly selfish individualist capitalism. All our problems are blamed on the poorest and most vulnerable members of society and we accept all this is the new normal (you can now make sheep noises).

What we are governed by are self-perpetuating oligarchies, intent on keeping power and enriching themselves at the expense of the rest of the population. Their greatest achievement is convincing us that there is no alternative - something enforced by all arms of the state (to return to the original article).

Super queues

Try going into a robotised branch with your 95 year old in a wheelchair. They're perfectly compos mentis but need to deal with one of the few staff. See the 20 minute lunchtime queue for services the machines don't provide. Enjoy the sight of nurses, builders and other people you actually want on the job getting agitated. Note that there are no signs telling you what the machines can do, so the poor sod with the pad keeps a job.

When you finally get to the ONE window, the staff are on high stools so can't even see someone below them in a wheelchair and have to heave their bulk off it and stand at the end of the counter to deal with them. Then get told they've made allowances for old/disabled customers because one of the machines is lower, just like a kiddy's urinal. I'm thinking about contacting one of the disability pressure groups to have a look at this.

Normal service

Most governments spy on their friends and allies - for several reasons. Firstly, you know where your enemies stand, that's why their called enemies. Allies are a different matter, you need to know if they're going to change their policies in a manner inimical to your interests.

Secondly, information on what your allies are up to (including details of their personal lives) are very useful when it comes to negotiations with them.

Thirdly, it's easier and the consequences of discovery are generally far milder for your controllers (although their agents, if locals, may not be so lucky). It wouldn't surprise me if the vast majority of "spies" are based in "friendly" countries. As an agency chief you can then justify the numbers employed and your budget - hey, they're all busy, right?

Then of course there is all the usual spying to do, digging out commercial secrets, military technology, etc. The French and Israelis have form here - both have been caught spying in the US.

Basically, everybody does it and always have (see Venetian history, they've been credited with starting the ball rolling). The dumb thing is getting caught.

Unsung

There are a lot of people out there like him and it's nice to see someone appreciated. I worked with the IT training team in one company. These people were flying all over the world running intensive courses on the company's software for clients and partners. None of it would have worked well without Sue, a superb administrator, who could book the best flights, hotels, deal with any problem from 8000 miles away, sooth the worries (or egos) of some of the more "sensitive" trainers and techies and ignore the stupider corporate diktats.

A good admin or a problem solver like Vivin should be valued :-)

Card cloning

I haven't used my card in a garage or convenience store ever since herself had her card cloned almost certainly after using it at the local garage (try proving that one though). Fortunately the card was then used at an Argos in Essex, so it was very easy to prove that it wasn't her using it - I mean, Argos! says he snobbishly.

Fat Freddy says

Absolutely freakin cosmic :-)

Apologies - pure speculation to be found here...

He's been repaired in an NHS hospital - perhaps privately by a consultant who works both sides of the fence. Recuperation could be in a private room in the hospital or he could transfer to a private hospital. The boundaries between NHS and private are quite blurred.

If you have medical insurance in the UK, look carefully at what's not covered, a lot of the difficult stuff is done on the NHS...

Dereliction of Duty

If as Gates says, the US are the only country NOT passing on commercial information gleaned by their spies, then surely that is a shocking dereliction of duty by the government.

However, I need to run inside to shelter from the fallout of the squadrons of flying pigs passing overhead.

Unbiased Opinion

For a totally fair and unbiased opinion may I recommend - http://sniffpetrol.com/2014/05/28/google-announces-shitty-car-for-idiots/

Argh!

"Daddy, I was playing on your computer and then it all went away…"

One resource that's limitless

Stupidity.