Journal Entries
Crack... Hiss... BANG! No more hair
Posted Apr 30, 2005
My lighter was jammed. There was something not quite right about it.
It's only a cheapo freebie thing; the like of which are given out by the handful to British shoppers when they go and buy cigarettes in bulk from Belgian tobacco stores. Still, they're useful to have around.
Anyway, there I am flicking the damn thing and nothing is happening.
I tip it up and start banging it on the (grey) desk, whilst still flicking it. This blockage is getting annoying now. I've got a cigarette to light for heavensake
Then there was a cracking sound.
Followed by a hiss as a whole lighter load of butane is ejected out of the lighter casing and all over the desk.
Did I mention that I had been flicking the lighter? Yes I thought I had.
The fireball engulfs the keyboard, both of my hands and most of both forearms.
Fortunately butane in its free state burns very quickly. I have about two seconds to scream and jump back in my seat, and it's all been burnt up and gone.
I'm left a little shaken, and with practically no hair on my hands and arms. What little is left has shrivelled right up and is dropping foul smelling burnt-hair ash everywhere.
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Latest reply: Apr 30, 2005
I've always liked The Register
Posted Apr 23, 2005
Firstly, because it is a fast and furious source of news.
Secondly, it's well written and in a style that appeals to slightly cynical curmudgeons such as myself.
And thirdly, because they don't half come up with some crackingly named URLs with their news indexing - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/22/coppers_love_porn/
Discuss this Journal entry [6]
Latest reply: Apr 23, 2005
Opera 8.0
Posted Apr 22, 2005
Yesterday I upgraded to the newly released Opera 8.0
At the moment I'm still getting used to it. But I have to say, at first sight it is a great improvement over 7.54. The layout is much cleaner, and much more intuitive. Also it now fully supports GMail, which is going to make my life so much easier.
Discuss this Journal entry [15]
Latest reply: Apr 22, 2005
A politcal journey
Posted Apr 8, 2005
I have been variously a Liberal, an anarchist, a revolutionary socialist, a member of the Labour Party, and an apolitical grumpy old git.
My best friend at school was the local organiser for the National Front, and was very keen that I joined them. I pointed out that there weren't any black people living in West Somerset for him to be prejudicial about, and that by that token he was quite frankly wasting his and everyone elses time.
I got very excited once upon a time about Stop the City actions. Then the broad anarchist theme in the UK split into two: Green Anarchist based in Oxford and Class War, neither of which particularly appealed.
I wound up in my local Labour party branch, where I shut down the actions of Militant and their take over of the Young Socialists, and that group's places on the GMC. I did it not because I particularly disagreed with their analysis, though it was very simplistic and highly dogmatic. It was more that they were a bunch of tits and needed a good spanking.
Time drifted on.
I found an enterist group that I did identify with - Socialist Organiser. I spent a happy couple of years flogging their paper around town and engaging in horizontal recruitment. But not at the same time, obviously
The forces were massing to kick me out of the Labour party. I resigned of my own accord, and resigned from SO at the same time. I was getting bored and disenchanted with the whole thing and wanted a change.
More time drifted on.
I've not been a member of a political party since those days in early 1992, and I can't see myself joining another any time soon.
Over the years I've been entitled to vote in four general elections. I've voted every time, and each time for a different party, only one of which is what would be generally considered as one of the three main political groups.
The point of this journal? Not much really, I guess I'm rambling a bit.
All said and done, just make sure you vote come May 5th. As Ben has said - people died so that you could do so
Discuss this Journal entry [23]
Latest reply: Apr 8, 2005
GD's Sportdaq trading
Posted Apr 3, 2005
I'm vaguely getting the hang of how to play this:
- an 81.99% growth in the last week
- currently 5,404th in the overall league, with an all time high of 4,537th
- second place in the H2G2 Superstars MkII league, behind the mighty Bottletop.
The purpose of this journal is so that I can keep track of what I'm doing in my trading position, and why.
Sunday 3rd April:
I've cashed out most of my F1 shares - Alonso, Button and Michael Schumacher - I've still got some Fisichellas that will be cashed out probably tomorrow.
The proceeds of F1 clear out have gone on Souness, who I'm going to hold until Thursday when I expect to get a pretty good dividend payout. The rest are in Strachans which is a resonable holding investment.
The next target will be to sell everything but my Sounesses on Monday evening and put it into Keiron Dyers in expectation of a fat dividend payment on Thursday.
Discuss this Journal entry [686]
Latest reply: Apr 3, 2005
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