Monday, September 29, 2003

hEaven, I'm in heaven...took long enough but here it is!
posted by timesnewroman at 9:14 AM  

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Saturday, September 27, 2003

Fool. It said raspberry on the tin, the paint tin. Of course now that it's on the window sill and surrounding woodwork and door its more of a bright bubblegum pink colour. Mmph this may take some getting used to.
posted by timesnewroman at 4:05 PM  

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Friday, September 26, 2003

Holiday weekend and boy do I need it bad. Seems like the past few weeks have just flown past cos I have been extremely busy and it doesn't look like slacking any. Not that I am going to be filled with rest, no, thewife has plans that include the purchase of paint and major decor work in the bedroom. Also on the agenda is some exterior woodwork paint, so weather permitting, it looks like a fun weekend, of course a painter works up a thirst that will be slaked. One good point on the paint front is that thewife has departed from her strong desire for white woodwork around the window. She actually suggested raspberry, which I agreed with. Meant we were in and out of B&Q in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Although she did bring the duvet cover with us.....
posted by timesnewroman at 6:04 PM  

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Tuesday, September 23, 2003

It's official, Kofi Anan says that Blair and Bush are threat to world peace. Additionally, having already been politely turned down re requests for UN intervention, Dubya now wants the UN to foot part of the bill for the U.S./U.K. axis of folly. Methinks another polite "fuck off" is in order.

Likewise Blunkett should be told in no uncertain terms what to do with his irrational identity card scheme. Another moneymaking scam for newlabour.

And I used to think the Tories were bad. At least they never claimed to be sincere......
posted by timesnewroman at 5:36 PM  

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Monday, September 22, 2003

For Sale:

Large Middle Eastern Country. Apply L. Paul Bremer, Baghdad.
posted by timesnewroman at 5:33 AM  

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Sunday, September 21, 2003

Salon Mexico calling. Just had Manuel and Lady El round for dinner of Tacos with a variety of Mexican accompaniments, supplemented by a couple of jugs of damned good Margaritas. Sampled oodles of wine and beer as well, and chilled to a few rocking 60s and 70s tunes from the Rolling Stones pre-zimmer, Jethro Tull, Jefferson Airplane (Live - newly discovered wonderment at Bless its pointed little head, Joe Walsh - pre Eagles. FDollowed by thewife's homemade Mango Ice Cream. Oh and we forgot the cheese and biscuits, which still languish in the fridge.

Laugh, I genuinely thought I was going to die laughing when Manuel recalled a recent supermarket visit where Lady El had purchased a bottle of cranberry scented windscreen wash. I kid you not.
posted by timesnewroman at 6:11 PM  

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Friday, September 19, 2003

Worried about the direction the world is taking? Can't sleep at night for fear of alien abduction? There is hope KS sent this to me. Go on make a hat!
posted by timesnewroman at 10:33 PM  

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Thursday, September 18, 2003

Three arses, Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel and Gamepad Gonk. Former presidents of sorts of a variety of offbeat eastern European feudal statelets of sorts. Once upon a time I had a little bit of time for Havel, seemed like a nice bloke, liked beer and Frank Zappa, bit arty farty nevertheless was never particularly objectional unlike that wee fat ludicrous Polish electrician who probably couldn't tell the difference between a Mars Bar and a Buzzbar, Thatcher's favourite trade unionist and working man. President of a shitty big republic whose people aparently used to queue at shops with nothing to sell, but who now have shops filled with stuff only nobody has the money to buy it. The other guy, well who cares, other than Puskas and the Rubik cube what has Hungary ever given to the world?

Anyway what's the beef? Why the rant? The three amigos have written a letter - taking the piss here cos Walesa is too stupid to write, so it must have been Havel, calling for an end to Fidel Castro's dictatorship, printed no less in that fine upstanding British Newspaper of note, the Daily Telegraph. Owned by Conrad Black who I have already ranted about (22/04/03) I can picture the loathsome sight of the 4 of these getting into bed together however I am not going there, I am digressing.

Who the fuck do they think they are? Fidel Castro overthrew a brutal dictatorship and turned Cuba from a playground for rich yankees, where the people were beyond impoverishment into a society envied in not only the developing world for its education and health services. Fidel Castro fought against it actively, he didn't arse about writing a few subversive lines, or help to form a pathetic vatican inspired conspriatorial league of lazy bastards.

The freedoms that this triumvirate of shit for brains hold so very dear are evident in their own shitty countries...freedom to vote for whoever will lie to you and the freedom to be poor and exploited. Democracy is so fabulous you can eat it. People have other human rights too. The freedom to have shelter, to have food, to have love and affection, to be educated and cared for when in need. Quite frankly I know where I would like to be if I needed these and it wouldn't be the Czech Republic, Poland or Hungary guys cos you are so fucking far behind Cuba if you started running now you wouldn't begin to catch up. Which is why you want to bring it down isn't it?

What I also want to know is do we get a referendum in vetoing the EU membership of these people, cos I want bog all to do with them.

In case you think I am making this up here are some facts, from the World Health Organisation and UNESCO.

Table 1 Life Expectancy 2001

Cuba 76.9
Czech Republic 75.4
Hungary 71.7
Poland 74.0

Table 2 Current Expenditure Per Pupil on tertiary education as a percentage of GNP Per Capita

Cuba 88
Czech Republic 35
Hungary 33
Poland 44

Another fine example of just how fabulous Czech Democaracy operates here.

Funny how they are all members of the Club of Rome, except Walesa but you couldn't really invite him anywhere. Why not go and vote to let them know if you thnk its a good or bad thing, few more votes could tip the balance. Vote Here.



posted by timesnewroman at 8:20 AM  

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Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Went on training today to find out how to work the content management system that writes and uploads web pages at work. Looks not that different from blogger, which I suppose I was expecting. Lot less control but you can't have arty types arseing about with the corporate image.

I read this superbly written article about Lee Kyung Hae in the the G2 Section of the Guardian today. I thought it was incredibly sad indeed. I shall re-apparaise my views of farmers, although the British version are still almost to a foolish man, a bunch of tory voters.

In case like me you missed it, there are numerous other links worth checking.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Global Political Action of both the direct and economic kind. I like it, Papa's got a brand new bag.

Not that I eat meat but there is clearly an option to say go to hell to the agri-business multinational conglomerates and their mass produced shite. Soon it will be McDonalds burgers for all and if you don't like it tough, that's what's on offer. Whilst the French notion of trashing the burgers, sorry buggers is amusing to say the least. Economic action is the action they understand clearest. Todays rant slogan is "BOYCOTT THE SAM(perhaps a golden arch of an m)E OLD SHITE!
posted by timesnewroman at 6:46 PM  

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Monday, September 15, 2003

Blogged too soon didn't I. I did fit the tape deck and it did work. Of course that was when the vehicle was stationary. As soon as one hits the accelerator pedal, or puts on the windscreen wipers or indicates, great scratchy interference descends. I believe I need a supressor.
posted by timesnewroman at 10:18 PM  

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Sunday, September 14, 2003

Some things I have learned this weekend.

1. Colin Meldrum is not a goalkeeper.
2. Hugh Dallas is an arse.
3. Killie need to get a lot better quickly if we want to stay in the premier league.

Football aside a particularly productive weekend. Went for a walk along the beach which was nice, blustery with big surf, smell of ozone and relatively few people around. We promise, thewife and I that we shall do this more regularly. Apart from need ing the excercise, its fun and enjoyable.

Spent some time fitting a tape deck in the motor. An old thing, but at least it work so I can now play some tunes on the way to work and back. Makes for a far brighter day on the horizon.

jimty I believe has sent me a virus and I think I may have tried to send it back to him. the postmaster advises that the JS/Fortnight.gen@M virus was found in my replied to email. Having checked this out I seem to be clean and certainly none of the symptoms are showing, so I'll check it out with him.
posted by timesnewroman at 6:51 PM  

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Saturday, September 13, 2003

New term at the woodies and a discussion on food and hunger threw up a gem from rebecca, aged 10 "the cows certainly have plenty of food!"
posted by timesnewroman at 11:39 AM  

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Thursday, September 11, 2003

and so to the true power of blogging and its intricate webiness. Having just discovered eatonweb via a salam pax article, I discovered a blog locted (not physically) in western sahara, a place and people dear to my own heart. I have to link it now and I have a clever wee tool to do it with!Notes from Somewhere Bizarre
posted by timesnewroman at 5:39 AM  

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Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Slam Pax speaks to a Radio 4 Web Audience
Radio 4 - The Today Programme - Webchat: "Name: Kate D
Question: We keep hearing so much about how Saddam Hussein never allowed anyone to have satellite dishes or internet access, yet that's clearly not true if you were able to post on the internet on a daily basis. I take it you've seen a lot of what the Bush administration has claimed about life in Iraq under Saddam ... have they exaggerated the hardship of life there, or do you support the coalition's attempts to oust the regime?

Answer: Yes, I support the ousting of the regime. Most Iraqis don't have any problem with the coalition coming in. We needed their help. It was never going to happen any other way. I don't think they exaggerated the hardship of life. After 25 years it is a bit suspicious that they look at how Iraqis feel about the regime and publish Amnesty reports which were written years ago. The US was supportive of Saddam during the 80s. When Halbaja happened, the US knew about it. They sent Rumsfeld to tell Saddam not to do it again. Now suddenly they care, so this is what makes people suspicious. Iraqis and the coalition wanted this outcome for different reasons. I hope we can work it out in the end. There was a massive media campaign saying 'We're hear to liberate the Iraqis' but we're not so stupid. If they really meant it, they'd have done it 10 years ago when Saddam was killing thousands of people down in the Shia region. "
posted by timesnewroman at 5:53 AM  

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Google Toolbar Features this may well be useful tool. I've ignored it up to now, but it could weel be a fast efficient link thingy
posted by timesnewroman at 5:39 AM  

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Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Good Guys

Bad Guys

posted by timesnewroman at 6:04 AM  

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Monday, September 08, 2003

Bollocks! Bollocks! Bollocks! Just spent the evening posting a huge chunk of blog only to lose it yet again in cyberspace.

Anyway it kind of went along these lines. Weekend and a half crammed into one. Jimstewart made the 50 mark, well attended party with folk's from all over the place, London, Glasgow, Miami, Rome okay I made the last 2 up. The powerpoint presentation went well and was enjoyed by jim and the assembled throng. It was good to catch up with loads of folks, Jaykay and Ceekay who we haven't seen for a while. Made a tentative dinner invite which needs to be extended to the poet of pollok. Rumour has it he is appearing soon at a cabaret in the west end on Friday, but I can't go cos I am woodie-ing. Anyway how we laughed, danced, drank, and sang karaoke. I thought I knew James Taylor's Fire and Rain, but there you go, well pleased I pulled back from "If you tolerate this" and "Dock of the Bay" those would have been just plain daft.

Saturday and despite being a tad knackered thewife dragged me round to tb's party, which was thoroughly enjoyed.

Sunday was a really lazy day, just conquered the world in one of the harder modes of Civilisation 2 and watched Back Beat, again.

Monday seemed to come round really quickly. Back at work, the boss is off but has left jimty a wee note detailing expectations whilst away. The apprentice is off too, on a tiling holiday no less. Which leaves a much depleted team time being, with JEM Bigstepping 3 days a week.

Finally and not a moment to soon see's the development of this here blog woth the introduction of a fotolog (f'log) It will be a bit slow as I can only post 1 pic per day, but we are off to a great start with a classic of the reidboy following his scooter adventure. See post from 26/07/03, reminder once again never to drink and scoot. Coming soon is thewife does "scary" pose, her being a thespian and all. CTP will feature soon as will contributors to the comments section and pretty much all manner of things, open to suggestions.
posted by timesnewroman at 7:42 PM  

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Wednesday, September 03, 2003

On Monday, on arrival home from work, thewife asks "can we have a cat?" I knew this day would come, it has been coming regularly since the death of Bronstein a year and a half or so ago, much loved cat of many years. I reckoned I didn't want to have to deal with cat death again so I sort of avoided the question. This time I kew the question was loaded, it was not just any old cat, she had a particular cat in mind. To cut a long story short, Charlie arrived last night complete with food toys and superloo. Handsome young lad claims the wife and she's probably right. Friendly enough soul and seems to have settled not too badly. Oh joy.
posted by timesnewroman at 5:25 AM  

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Monday, September 01, 2003

Tea break over back on your heads. I hate it when you wake up 45 minutes before the alarm goes off. 1 hour would be okay, you can go back to sleep, but 45 minutes is the zone where you know the alarm is due soon so you sort of half snooze and wait for it. I would probably be better getting up but I don't.

So its back to work again and I'm not sure you would call London a restful holiday despite the enjoyability factor. Done nothing since I got back apart from go to football. Killie were sort of worth the 1 - 1 draw, certainly because the Kris Boyd goal was a contender for goal of the season. The rest of the play was a bit off at times.
posted by timesnewroman at 5:41 AM  

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