Stand and Deliver.......

Stand and Deliver .....................

 

David's going Ghost mad again.

 

As I have "mentioned" before, I do have a liking for Living TV's Most Haunted program, and over the nights of the 29th , 30th and 31st of December they are trying to follow in the the ghostly footsteps of the famous highway man Dick Turpin.

 

There are several sites on the net that go into the myth that is Turpin in greater detail, ( Dick Turpin, The Spurious Highwayman and Dick Turpin, the real History )but the basic story, for those of you who don't know is this.

 

Romantic history has him as a dashing thief, holding up the carriages of the rich in the then forests of 18th Century north London, astride his famous horse, Black Bess. After many adventures, he then makes the famous dash to York to escape the authorities, which of course eventually capture Turpin ( the actual "ride" is believed to have been taken by another highway man - John "Swift Nick" Nevison). Even at his execution , Turpin is supposed to have continued being the showman, but in the end "they got him"

 

Of course, the reality of Dick Turpin is far (or maybe not that far) from the myth.

 

John Palmer alias Dick Turpin Richard Turpin

 

There is some discussion in the history books as to where Turpin was born, but it is generally thought to be either Thackstead or Hempstead,  near London. But what is known is that he was baptised Richard Turpin on 25th September 1705. He started out life quite "ordinarily", being apprenticed to a Whitechapel Butcher.

 

But it didn't take long for the darker side of his character to come through, although not the successfully. He was caught stealing two oxen. He then turned to smuggling, again with little success. He , in time, became part of a Gang of cut throats known as the Gregory Gang (Thomas Barnfield, Mary Brazier, John Fielder, Jasper Gregory, Jeremy Gregory, Samual Gregory, Herbert Haines, John Jones, James Parkinson, Joseph Rose, Thomas Rowden, Ned Rust, William Saunders, Richard Turpin, Humphry Walker, and John Wheeler to list the main members, although it is known that there were others). They "robbed" their way around the houses and forests of the Home Counties. The King offered a reward of £50 for their capture (although by the end of his escapades there was a bounty of £200 for Turpin alone)

 

Eventually, local constables captured two of the gang, Turpin himself narrowly missing capture by bursting out a window. 

Turpin headed back into the familiar East Anglian countryside and lived rough for some time., until he began working with 'Captain' Tom King, one of the best-known highwaymen of the day and the kind of swashbuckling, devil-may-care character into which legend would later transform Turpin. From a cave in Epping Forest from which they could watch the road without being seen, they robbed virtually anyone who passed their hiding place. Even local peddlers started to carry weapons for protection. By 1737, Turpin had achieved such notoriety that another bounty of £100 was placed on his head- a reward that unwittingly transformed him from a common footpad into a murderer. On 4th May, 1737, a gamekeeper named Morris tracked Turpin to Epping Forest, but when he challenged him at gunpoint, Turpin drew his own gun and shot Morris dead.

 

However, it could be said that what happened next was really the start of his eventual capture. One night Turpin took a liking to a fine looking horse, the only problem being it already belonged to a Gentleman by the name of Major. After Turpin "persuaded" Mr Major to "swop" horses, he then rode off. The pity for Turpin was that Mr Major was made of sterner stuff. He issued handbills around the pubs of London, describing the horse and naming Turpin as the thief. Eventually Mr Majors horse was found at the Red Lion pub in Whitechapel, where Turpin had stabled it. When Tom King came to collect the horse, he was arrested. Turpin, who had been waiting nearby, rode toward the constables holding King and fired at them. Unfortunately, he was a dreadful shot, and the bullets hit King rather than his captors. 

Before he died, King provided the constables with sufficient information to force Turpin to again live rough in Epping Forest. Realising that he could not long escape capture if he remained in the London area, Turpin set off for, first Long Sutton in Lincolnshire, and then Yorkshire., where he settled under the name of John Palmer.

 

He rustled horses, and then even set himself up as a horse dealer, so , the now John Palmer lived as a Gentleman. However, the smallest error, began the biggest of tumbles. On returning home from a hunt near the Yorkshire town of Brough, he foolishly shot the local Landlords prise cock, for which he was then brought before the local magistrate.

 

Unable to explain his actions, and how he made his money, he was held in custody in the Cells at York Castle. Further investigations showed no proof of employment - where WAS the money coming from. It was then found that complaints had been made against "Mr Palmer" when he lived in Lincolnshire. Then came the rumours.

 

Whislt in the York Cells, Turpin wrote to his brother, asking for help:

 

Dear Brother,

I am sorry to acquaint you that I am now under confinement in York Castle for horse stealing. If I could procure an evidence from London to give me a character, that would go a great way towards my being acquitted. I had not been long in this country before my being apprehended, so that it would pass off the readier.

For Heaven's sake, dear brother, do not neglect me. You will know what I mean when I say

I am yours

John Palmer.

Unfortunately for Turpin, at that point in history, it was the person that received the letter that paid the postage, and his brother was to mean to put his hand in his pocket, so the letter was returned to the Post Office. In one of those twists of fate that so often occur in history, Turpin's former schoolmaster, Mr James Smith, saw the letter and recognised the handwriting. The letter was opened with permission of the local magistrate. Although it was signed John Palmer, Smith identified the handwriting as belonging to the man he knew as Richard Turpin. Mr Smith was then asked to go to York and identify Palmer as Turpin, which he duly did.

 

Turpin was then tried on two charges, found guilty and sentenced to be hanged.

 

On 19th April, 1739, Dick Turpin was hung at the Tyburn which is on the modern day Knavesmire or York Race Course.

 

Sadly , the spirit of Dick Turpin has been disturbed several times. His body was buried a number of times as people kept on digging it up. Finally he was buried in quicklime across from St. George's Church in York England.

That is the story of Dick Turpin. Tomorrow will be the complete story, if that's the right way to put, of the Smudger view on the three nights of the most haunted trail of Dick Turpin (and the first to nights have been fascinating)

Nearly New Year......

And now we wait for the new year.......

 

I always find this time of year a little "odd" , the old year is on its last legs, yet the new year is waiting, coiled and tense, ready to spring out on the world.

 

The Sunday papers are full of the "reviews of the year". Its not that hard to point at the major events to happen to the UK, and the World this year. I shall not make any more mention of the conflict in Iraq, other than to say my thoughts are with the Soldiers and their Families at this time of year. It is good that they have Sadam, but I'm sure he may well be an even bigger problems now they have him, than is was when they were looking for him.

 

This last year has also seen the "last flight" of Concord.

 

I still think that Richard Branson should have been allowed to buy one of these wonderful aeroplanes, but that is that.

 

One of the other major news stories here in the UK was the trial of Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr for the killings of Holly and Jessica in Soham.

 

Again, everything that could be said , has been said, one way and another. I still find it inconceivable that anyone could harm any child in that way, but then it is equally obvious that there are people out there who have no qualms about injuring an innocent child.

 

For the last few days, we have had my Brother in law staying. I mention this in passing as this sort of sets the scene for what is next. Jim (my brother in law) and Liam (my "small" son - ) both wanted to watch "The Scorpion King" on Sky movies, whilst Cathy and Laura (wife and daughter) wanted to watch Casualty on the BBC. So I migrated up to the bedroom (which wasn't such a bad idea anyway, as I still feel awful), turned to BBC2 to find it was showing one of my all time fav films.

 

The Great Escape, with that memorable motorbike chase across the border fencing, was playing. Being based on a real War time escape attempt, in which a number of the escaping Officers were murdered by the local Intelligence forces, this is probably one of the best known, well loved films in movie history.

 

Filled with the actors that I grew up with, many of whom are now sadly departed, it is one of those films that is part of my history, "my growing up". Information on the real people and the real attempt can be found at this site - http://www.elsham.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gt_esc/ . Perhaps it was one of those "realisation" moments. I remember asking my Dad why had the soldiers shot all those "goodies" in the Lorry at the end of the film, expecting the "well it's just for the film" sort of answer. What I got was the real reason, if that is the correct way to put it. That , although this was a film, real men, real humans, had really tried to escape, really tired to get home and had paid the highest price that anyone could pay. And on top of that was the beginnings of the realisation of darker side of human nature.

 

See right : James Coburn

 

 

Chances are, with going back to work tomorrow, that this could well be my last posting before the New Year.

 

So, don't get too merry on Wednesday Night

 

an to all

 

A Happy New Year

 

 

 

God bless

 

Dave

 

 

Christmas Day.......

Twas the morning of Christmas.............

 

And Dad is up before the kids - (and I am too)

 

I shall not bother you for to long, but all I would like to say is,

to everyone, a quiet and peaceful holiday,

 

 and to my Family , Friends and all those I know and love:

 

A very Merry Christmas

 

and enjoy a peaceful day

 

God Bless

 

 

    Dave

Christmas is coming .........

Christmas Day is only two days away..........

 

but it doesn't feel yet like Christmas , to me at least.

 

Everyone is full with coughs and colds, some getting better, some getting worse (and guess who that is -  ).

 

I always feel a little sad at this time of year. I miss my Dad. He loved this time of year, family, trimmings, decorations - the full set. He adored Christmas, he adored his grand kids, and they are all mad about the festive season.

 

I nearly cried the other day. Laura found some of the fun Christmas badges that my Dad had given them a few years back. They lit up, and, surprisingly, even after all this time they still work. Anyway, looking all angelic and apologetic as little girls can do sometimes (how do they do that?), she asked if it would be "alright" to wear them for a family party - because they were "Grandad's".

 

I know everyone will have lost someone at sometime, and he could be a right miserable devil at times (I wonder where I got it from - LOL), but when he enjoyed something, the whole thing became infectious.

 

Never mind - my worry!!!!

 

_____________________________________

 

Been digging across the net again for a few news stories of interest to me

 

_____________________________________

 

I like space related stories, and this one is particularly poignant at this time of year. The beagle module is scheduled to land on Mars on Christmas Day.

 

Beagle launches successfully Beagle 2 has successfully separated from its "mothership" for the final leg of the journey to Mars.

[via BBC News | UK | UK Edition]

Nearby Star May Have Planetary System Like Ours "Astronomers scanning the skies for far-flung planets have found that the area surrounding a nearby star is very familiar. A report published in the current issue of the Astrophysical Journal suggests that Vega, located 25 light-years away from our sun, may have an orbiting planetary system that is more similar to our own than is any other yet discovered. Mark Wyatt of Edinburgh's Royal Observatory designed a computer model based on observations of a faint disk orbiting Vega, which is three times bigger than the sun and is part of the constellation Lyra, the Harp. Images taken in 1998 by the world's most sensitive submillimeter camera, known as SCUBA, showed extremely cold dust orbiting the star. 'The irregular shape of the disk is the clue that it is likely to contain planets,' Wyatt says. 'Although we can't directly observe the planets, they have created clumps in the disk of dust around the star.' The calculations indicate that the formation of a planet similar in size to Neptune--and orbiting the star at a distance comparable to that between Neptune and the sun--can best explain the observed structure of the disk."...

[via Lockergnome's Technology News]

Christmas Day Mars Landing "It's wintertime in the northern hemisphere of Mars, and a flying saucer is about to land. Back on Earth where it comes from, the craft is known as the Beagle 2, sent to Mars by the European Space Agency in search of life. More accurately, the Beagle 2 will be looking for chemical traces of life--telltale signs that life once existed, or perhaps, exists right now on the red planet. Touchdown is scheduled for Christmas Day 2003. The Beagle 2 will precede two NASA rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, slated to land in January. Named after the ship that carried Charles Darwin, the Beagle 2 is a self-contained laboratory shaped like a saucer, or a pocket watch, about three feet in diameter. Although it carries many powerful scientific tools, it weighs a mere 70 pounds. Being so light and compact, the Beagle 2 was able to hitch a ride to Mars onboard the ESA's Mars Express spacecraft launched last June. While Mars Express, an orbiter, surveys the planet from a few hundred miles up, the Beagle 2 will be able to stick its devices right into Mars, sampling rocks and soil on the surface and below. NASA's Everett Gibson, the interdisciplinary scientist for the Mars Express/Beagle 2 mission, explains: ?We have two [ways] to get samples: a rock abrasion tool, and a burrowing mole." Both are embedded in the Beagle's robotic arm."...

[via Lockergnome's Technology News]

 

I do wonder sometimes though. Mankind has sent numerous "vehicles" into space, and quite a few have "bombarded" Mars. If there is/were/could be (delete as appropriate - ) life and Mars, intelligent life on Mars, and you saw all this metal falling from the sky, obviously not of your world, and from somewhere else , peopled by some other intelligence, you would have to wonder WHY?

 

_____________________________________

 

Colombia hostages freed at last A Briton and four Israeli hostages are released by their Colombian rebel captors after three months.

[via BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

Colombia hostage tastes freedom A British hostage released by Colombian rebels after 102 days marks his freedom with a meal of cheese and cola.

[via BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

 

I have been watching this story, on and off, over the last few months. His parents have been on TV several times. And in all that time they have carried themselves with dignity and great self control. And in all that time they have always maintained that they knew that their Son would be released.

And yesterday they got the "Christmas Present" they really wanted - a call to say their beloved son was on his way home.

_____________________________________

Are You Addicted To Google? An opinion piece from the BBC is wondering if people are addicted to Google. The premise is that Google searches are no longer as relevant as they used to be, and are increasingly cluttered with advertising. However, we all still use it everyday. In many cases, "searching the internet" and "Google" have become synonymous, and so the writer worries that we're all stuck on Google. There's a simple solution, of course: come up with a better search engine. Others are trying, and are probably thrilled with articles like this one.

[via Techdirt]

 

I like this one, addicted to Google. Most of the people I know are "addicted" to their Computer, the Google phenomena is just a little extra on the back of that.

 

But I do know what they are getting at though. Google is becoming "swamped" in adverts, and there are definitely other "good" search engines out there, but is it an addiction or is it just being lazy. I know which mine is. I have a Google Toolbar on my browser, and have just recently tried the Desktop Toolbar (although that has now been removed).

 

Is that "addiction", or is it a case of trust, if that is the right word. I know how it works, I know that it DOES work, and even more importantly it does what I want it to do - so why should I change

 

 

Christmas is coming and.....

Christmas is coming and ................

David's fed up already.

Don't get me wrong, Christmas is still a great family time, but it's the build up that is beginning to tee me off.

It just seems that Christmas has been building up since last year. Christmas Cards for sale in July, trees from September. It just seems to me that it is just the money that counts now.

The pressure to buy your loved ones that "special gift" (as long as its the most expensive item on that shops shelf) seems to be un-avoidable and insatiable, and it goes on for months.

As you can possibly guess, I'm a great believer in what I would call the "real reason" for Christmas.

Being with your Family, having "quality" time with the Kids. I have actually got some good time off work this year, Cathy, although working some of Christmas, still has the "best"parts of Christmas. The Kids opening their presents, meeting and greeting the ones you care for on Christmas Day.

We've already been to several Christmas Parties and a Panto. This I like. Its' family, it's fun.

I don't want to be Scrooge like, and I don't think that I am per-say. It's just the commercialisation of the Season that wears me down.

Didn't Johnny look uncomfortable?

 

Not in the picture on the left obviously (just thought you would like to see the man in action).

 

Have just been watching the BBC breakfast news, and there, live, was the the English Rugby News Conference.

 

And there, on the top table, where Martin Johnson, Clive Woodwood and Johnny Wilkinson amongst others.

 

I did feel a little sorry for him. Obviously , being the man of the moment, a lot of questions flew his way.

 

And you could tell he wasn't happy. Rugby he can handle, The Press were obviously a different problem.

 

Johnny was a man who wanted to savour the moment, and GO HOME to his family, it was very apparent that he really didn't want to be at that press conference. He was a very nervous man.

 

But, being the true professional, he also knew that the press conference and the like are all part of his job (and I suspect that he will now have to get used to it).

 

Is Johnny the "next" David Beckham?.

 

 God I hope not. I think they should leave him alone long enough to enable him to make some careful decisions - but I get the nasty feeling that the poor lad will be swamped with offers for this and that, and that he won't get much of a chance to consider very much.

 

 

England, England, England!!!!!!!!!!

England , England !!!!!!!!!

Have just been watching what was the most exciting, tense and frightening Rugby match that I have seen in a long time - AND ENGLAND WON.

Score England 20 - Australia 17

Talk about nail biting.

Level at the end of full time. Evens through extra time, and the man himself plants a drop goal in the last few seconds. What a way to finish an exciting match.

Martin Johnson carried a Captain's Game. He lead from the front. Excellent.

Delaio, Dawson, Catt and the rest. Played their hearts out. Made a few mistakes. But they came through.

And quick mention of Clive Woodwood. Without him as coach things could have been so different. He's just been interviewed on the TV. Thanking everyone and the dog for their support, tears in his eyes.

What a team.

And a mention of Australia. they played superbly. Came back time and time again. Shame for them, but.................

England, England England!!!!!!!!!!

The Great Escape prt 2

The Great Escape Part 2 …………….

Morning All. Yet another week has vanished into the Smith Family past. The weather in the last couple of days has just been plain awful.

Having just spent two nights and two days away on a training course for work, and being a “home bird” as they say, that is no mean feat, I come back to wind , rain and a missing hamster, the same flaming Hamster

The course, in actuality was a bit of a trial to begin with. Everyone in Chez Smudger has a “runny nose” at the minute, so it is, and was, not unusual for us to go to work with a snotty nose. Tuesday was especially hard work. I had to work all day, quick snack tea, and then a two and a half hour drive to get to the course – so I was absolutely shattered when I got there. Booked in, found the two lads that I know that were also on the course, and then had a good couple of hours nattering about this and that before retiring to bed, ready for the morning.

Sleep lasted barely a few hours. When I awoke, the site was quite, the sky very very dark, and my face afire, pain, pain and more pain. I really hate my Sinus’s. I banked up the pillows to try and take the pressure off my face. I sat up. I stood up. I wandered, backwards and forwards, in small tight circles – for FOUR HOURS!!!!!!. As you can guess, having arranged to meet for breakfast at 07.30, I was not in a good state, nor a good mood

Breakfast was a drink of tea, not that that stayed around for long We walked across the campus, and into the training room for the first time. How I managed to learn anything was beyond me, but I did. The day, however, seemed to go on forever. By the evening I felt a little better, but I was drained. “Early to bed, Early to rise” is a well known saying round here, but usually it doesn’t involve the rise first – aw well, never mind.

The second and final day came as a totally different scenario. Although my “Face” ached, the nose sore, but, other than that, I was OK. A big breakfast (just to make up for the previous day you understand ). What was even more surprising was the amount of knowledge I had actually retained form the previous day. The final part of the course was quite complicated, but by Midday it was “head for home” time. Another two and half hours of Motorway driving. Boy there are some really big dimwits on British Motorways. A couple of times I thought I was mush.

What I did notice though was lane three saw some pretty fast cars (doing well over the 70 miles an hour limit I hastened to add), but quite a lot of them where posh cars with “older” drivers – people who should know better. I know we all exceed the occasional speed limit once in a while, and I could even see the rationale, to some extent, if the motorway was relatively empty (not that I would particularly agree with it), to let your big posh car “go”, but the motorway, all the way home, was packed, solid with noise and metal, and how some of these loony’s missed ANYTHING is beyond me

Anyway, I got home alive. Bag out of the van, dirty clothes into the wash, wash bag emptied and put away.

Went to feed the pets and guess what? The Chinese hamster was gone – again. I couldn’t believe it. Another mouse hunt. We still haven’t found her, and that was two days ago.

Yesterday (Friday), was windy, blustery and wet. As I sat, looking out of the Front Room window, I thought – yuk. I knew, I would have to go out in it to pick up Tilly, and I wasn’t looking forward to that at all. Three O’clock came. I pulled on my coat. Turned up the collar. Took a deep breath, and stepped into the tumult.

isn’t it strange where you can find beauty. Not in the bare, lifeless trees, bent and distorted in the wind. Not in the wet, slimy grass, turned mud brown by several hundred hurrying feet.

No the beauty came in a normally boring School yard fence. The wind had pinned the blowing leaves, some still orange and red, but more turning the mustard and shades of brown of their last few days, held against the fence in a collage drawn by nature. Single leaves here, a “shaped” pile held at the bottom there. It didn’t form an image per-ce, but it just looked good. More so because, now that the wind has dropped, it will no longer be there.

Never mind, back to the real world

God Bless

Dave

The Great Escape????????

The Great Escape ...................

Hi Guys

just a quick entry this week, and with all the work I have to do today, it's probably just as well.

As some of you will know, over the last few months we have lost a few of our pets. Well we have replaced the hamsters, with 2 roboroski Dwarf hamsters, and a Chinese Dwarf Hamster, lovely little things.

Well, as you can imagine, the Kids were round them, talking to them, saying hello, you know the things that kids do.

Fast forward three days. It's 6 a.m. in the morning, and I am getting ready for work, and feeding the animals at the same time. Lucy, the Guinea Pig, is squeaking as usual - "Squeak, Squeak" (which translates into to "feed me NOW"), Mork and Mindy (the two roboroski's) can be seen "hiding" in thier bedding. "Uncle" - the Chinese, is not obviously about, but that is not un-usual, in the last few days it has become very good at getting out of the way when "Humans" are about.

As I stood at the sink, I could see something move, on the floor, out of the corner of my eye.

What was that?

My first thought was - " Oh Sod - have we got Mice?"

The Black strip down the back was a give away - as was the empty cage.

The little devil had escaped.

I looked at it, it looked at me, and then vanished, under the Washing Machine.

We blocked the Utilities room so, at least we knew where the little devil was - roughly.

Fast forward to tea time.

Imagine a sceen from the "Keystone Kops". Four, normally sensible people, chasing a small mamal.

God was it fast.

Calls of "try this", "do that". "will you stop doing that and do that".

It took two hours to catch, and then "Uncle" "gave its self up, mainly because it fancied a peanut.

What a day!!!!!!!!!

God Bless

Halloween?

Halloween's Gone, But .........

...... but it is only a few days to Guy Fawkes Night !!!!!!

 

As I sit here, looking out of the window at one of the most depressing mornings I have seen this year. The warmth of Summer has already vanished into memory, and the beautiful Red's and Gold's of Autumn are already vanishing off the trees.

The Cold of Winter is edging it's biting reminder of the forth coming season into the general atmosphere, forcing a poor Telephone engineer to pull his jacket collar a little tighter.

Talking of Telephones, my "old" trusty Transit Van has been replaced this week, by a Transit Connect. For those of you who need to know, most people can recognise a Ford Transit, staple vehicle of "White Van Man", but the Connect is it's new "baby brother" and I do mean "Baby". Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely van to drive, very comfortable, very nippy, but it's like changing your Car from the space of a Land Cruiser, and trying to fit the same amount of suitcases into your brand new Mini.

I suppose, in time , I will get used to it, but at the minute - it feels pretty weird.

We are now into, what has become the noisy interlude, between Halloween and Guy Fawkes (Bonfire) Night here in the UK.

To be honest, and I have said it before, I don't really like the "Trick or Treat" element of Halloween - to me, and there is no disrespect intended, an American type tradition, and it has only become prevalent , here in the UK (or round near chez Smudger at least) in the last ten years. It just worries me that, with some of the "strange" people that wander the streets, there are still some parents willing to let their Kids go, door-2-door, un-supervised. To be fair, this year was the quietest one for a number of years. The weather Friday night was, to be honest, awful.

One developing Halloween "tradition" at Chez Smudger is the watching to the Livingtv's  Most Haunted LIVE. As most of you already know, I really like this show, and the occasional LIVE shows are really something else.

This year the show was from Beaulieu Abbey, known for it's nearby historic Car Collection.

For once, we allowed the Kids to watch, Laura watching the TV, and Liam flitting from the TV to the WebCam images on the Computer. And what made the night was the fact that he, we, think we may well have seen something in the Parish Church. Who knows?

 Did we really see a Shadow (in a supposedly secure building) move from the Arched Doorway to the Glassed Case containing a very old Cross.?

Was this one of the Ghost's of the Monks that were known to live there?

Or was it something we "wanted" to see?

I some ways , I don't really care. I enjoyed the program, and the evening (even though I shattered at work the following day).

Now it's time to get on with the rest of my Sunday. Looking out the kitchen window (I have to trot off and make several drinks whilst typing this - always have, always will I suppose) - you can now look out of the early morning of those sad, depressing, turn of "Autumn to Winter" days that you get at this time of year. Even with the best will in the world, the Garden looks bedraggled and un-kempt. A Sad and dis-heartening site.

Never mind, "chin up" as they say.

And in the words of Bart Simpsons favourite Comic Book Hero - "UP AND AT-OM" (up and at them?)

God Bless

Dave

Morning All,

hope the week hasn't been to stressful for everyone

Here, at Chez Smith, life plods on as normal. We have actually achieved one of the goals of the summer, Liam now has his "Liverpool" bedroom (pictures later when I get time to take any), all that is needed now is a few hours to pull everything form the loft and place everything back in it's proper place - before it gets turned into a "normal teenagers" bedroom -

It has also been a very hard, if hard is quite the correct word, week at work. It's been one of those "complex" weeks, nothing went the way it should.

The main focus of my working week was a "State of the Nation" type Conference at a Hotel in Sleaford. to be honest, I should have been going to another event in Grimsby, but I am day off on that day, and EVERYONE has to go, whether you want to or not, so there I was, driving through the darkness and cold, of a quickly descending Winter, at 07:00 a.m in the morning to make the start at 09:00 (having picked some else up first!!). The only problem with these events in our area tends to be hinged on one thing - Our CST Manager. For anyone who would like to know, a CST manager is, in effect, what other Companies would call an Area / Territorial Manager, and in the scale of things you have the workers (that's ME), my Boss (he's in charge of Our Local Team, usually based on, or around a, Town /City or large district of a City, usually a team or 30 lads and lasses - give or take) and then you have the CST Manager, who , in our case, is in overall charge of all the Teams in the Lincolnshire County area. His "problem" ? - he tends to take over everything and do it his way. That , normally isn't really a problem, but when his boss is there, as one of the main speakers of the event, and then our CST Manager "butts-in" when Matthew was trying to say something.
If it had happened to me, I would have been insulted. The thing is, as well, when our CST Manager has finished, you always tend to feel "depressed". When he makes a point, it always comes over as full of "doom and gloom". The BT way of life is coming to an end - we're all "Dooomed".
To be far to him, I know what he was trying to say. Make us aware of the Competition.
Make us aware that the Telecoms world is changing, evolving
I have no problem with that.
But it's just the way it's done. I think we should be looking at this as an opportunity, a way forward, a "nettle" to be grasped. But "Doom and Gloom"?. It takes several days to become "positive" again, and I did feel for the lads and lasses yet to go

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Now we go to Smudgers' trawl of the Internet's stories

iTunes launched for Windows Apple's hit on line music service iTunes is made available to millions of PC-using fans for the first time.

[via BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

I must admit, that in actuality, this story is now at least a week old, and the reason I'm posting it now is that I feel "cheated" if thats the correct way to put it. Being a "law abiding" sort of person, and someone wishing to do things the right way, when I heard of stories by which you could download Music Files, by paying a nominal fee, and then everyone gets what they want, but that sort of system was available only on the MAC format, I mumbled something "negative" into my coffee cup, and went back to being a fed-up MP3'er. Then, last week, the above story appeared. Windows users could now have what the MAC user had been able to access for many months - HURRRRRRRAY. So I download the iTunes software, anxiously waiting for the next step.
Then?
Reboot the computer, access the program, click on the shop link, AND?
"iTunes would like to apologise, but due to the information your have supplied, this service is only available in the USA at present" - " OHHHHHH ~@@'$$%%". What have we in the UK done wrong to deserve this. The "Artist on demand" system on Music Match is restricted to the USA only, and I'm starting to think that we, over this side of the pond, don't count for anything

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'Keep cool' over computer hassles People are letting computer problems get to them, potentially damaging their health, a survey suggests.

[via BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

I know stress gets to people in different ways, but now, they have proved that your computer is harmful to your health. Talk about tell us something we already knew. How many of us have avoided low flying CRT's which have been thrown in frustration - No, to be serious, as with anything else, frustration leads to stress, and stress, over a period of time, certainly leads to illness.Apart from wrist strains, eye strain - ear ache (from the kids going "DAD DAD DAD DAD - can I have a go, it's my go")

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Burrell 'saddened' by Princes' attack Former royal butler Paul Burrell says he will not apologise for writing a book on Princess Diana, despite criticism from Princes William and Harry.

[via BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

I think this, at least in the UK, one of the saddest things that I have seem this week. Princess Diana seems to attract as many "Conspiracy" theories as does the the deaths of many other "Famous" people, but I think it is the apparent betrayal that's probably the most obvious "stab in the back". On the evening news last night, they showed an Interview with Paul Burrell, not long after Diana had been killed, saying that, in effect, any information, any conversation,and probably more pertinent, any correspondence, he had with, or from Diana, would be their secret, their private confidence. But now we see him using the "premonition" letter as a way of advertising his book - what a creep. And in all this, until now, Diana's Sons, the Princes', have kept a dignified silence. But it could only be for so long, and yesterday it came. A Statement, read on their behalf, talking of betrayal amongst other things. Their lives are always in the Public Eye, 24/7. A life they never had a chance to refuse, that is just not an option. They loose their mother in such a Public, "suspicious" way.Revelations about this and that over the intervening years, and now this?I'm not a Royalist as such (but the thought of "President Blair" gives me the shivers), but no-one deserves to grow up , suffering the loss of any parent, in this way. Why doesn't Burrell just leave it be?

Well That's all for now
God bless

Dave

Sunday 19th October 2003

It's Back - and I've been playing again

 

The playing part first. Over the last Week,as a "reward", I treated myself to a Graphics Tablet. Along that came a program called penSoft. This program is listed as a "Handwriting Recognition " program. To be honest it's hopeless -very much a creature of it's time. It's Window's 95/98 program and it shows.

So I spent a little time downloading a few trials to see what else was out there. smartWriter has lost out straight away. It appears to be something close to what I was after, but they didn't offer a trial, they made a 30 days money back offer , but at $70 dollars (all but a few cents)or approx £45 - £50 pounds in Smith money, they can keep that.

What I did find was PenOffice, My Script, PenReader and Softwriting.

Although all work on some sort of "training" basis, Pen Reader and SoftWriting went very quickly, they were, to me at least, hard to use and not very accurate, even after several tries. So that left  MyScript and PenOffice . Both of them work fairly well, with accuracy falling slightly into the MyScript court. But PenOffice has more to offer. I'll continue to try them both - for the next 12 days at least, until the trials run out.

The main question has to be - are they any quicker than typing? Sadly, at the moment NO. I am finishing this post off by typing it in - but I'll keep giving "handwriting" a try, it may just need a little more practise.

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 It's well and truly back, Living TV's (and one of my personal favourites) Most Haunted program is back for it's third series. I have made mention of my like for this program, and its cast, several times before, and this series promises to be as good, if not better than the previous two.

 

It is actually on program two, with the first program, an investigation of RAF East Kirkby, being an absolute classic. With Evie, Derek and the rest of crew (and the site owners Grand Son), they encountered things being thrown at them, strange noises and people "suffering" pain from the other world (a burning sensation on the arm and the smell of burning hair), along with Derek, the psychic, picking up the spirits' of several dead Airmen. One particular Airman asked for his wallet (though Derek) and this wallet had been found in the wreckage of an aircraft several years ago, but only a handful of people knew about it.

Spooky or what?

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Only a quick entry this week - to much to do and no time to do it.

Talk to you soon

God Bless

 

Dave

Sunday 12th October 2003

I'm I losing it again ?????

Morning Guys' hope everyone is well?

I am sat here, early on an English Sunday Morning, with the last Grand Prix of the season running on the TV in the background. It is a really good stage - Schmacher has lost a lot of track position because he collided with Sato and lost his nose cone. He pitted and then came out LAST (Hurray). Kimi R is, at present second, but he needs to win, with Schmacher in the points.

Kimi needs to win, with Schumacher out of the points - what will the rest of the race bring?

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Depending on which of my weblogs you are reading , with my blogger and Xanga logs being some of the oldest (My "That's Life" Blogger log being the very first), you may well remember that some time ago, I posted about the number of Weblogs I had running at one time.

I ranted on about how I felt I was over doing the amount of work that I had created for my self, having to run five or six logs at the same time (or was it more?). I even remember questioning my own sanity at the time.

WELL ----- GUESS WHAT?

I'm at it again, I now have THIRTEEN individual weblogs, the original 3 or 4 that I kept ( Xanga , Blogger, Big Blog Tool, Tonguewag and Blog City), but over the last 8 months or so my interest in Weblogs has grown to such a point that I have "found" a couple that I had forgotten about in the orgional rationalization (Crimson Blog,Blurty and Diaryland ) and then gained a few (to many to list), I even found what could be first ever weblog type site I ever used, a long time ago, when I first went net.The BBC's "Hitch hikers Guide to the Galaxy" forum was the first sort of "diary" that I tried to use. I was attracted to it because of the Sci-Fi referrence (Douglas Adams and his stories being one of my all time fav reads). To be fair, Although I have only ever used the site occasionally, I never really got on with the way it works. It runs its own "code" and its very difficult, concidering all the logs I use will take HTML code, to remember to change "style" to use H2G2But , for all that, that is really NOT what the site is based on. It is, I suppose, a copy of the "Guide", and index of "this and that", take a look and see what you think.

I must be Mad!!!!!!!!!!

I even concidered "installing " the b2 evolution software on my website, but that would really be too much.

But this time I am wondering whether I should do anything at all?.

It is obvious I haven't got the will power to leave alone. But the question is "Do I want to leave things alone". I do like putting my thoughts forward, on the Internet I find it so much more "straight forward" to do, than maybe even talk to someone directly. But do I need so many "opportunities"?

Maybe not!

Will I "rationalize" again?

This time I doubt it, I couldn't leave things alone last time, why would this time be any different.?

Never Mind!!! - Just to wind up

I have just realised that it has taken the best part of an hour and a half to enter this log. Not that I have been continually on the keyboard (keep taking Tea and Race breaks), it no wonder that I never get anything done other wise -
The Grand Prix has just finished. The World Champion is Micheal Schumacher. Six Times World Champion. You just really can't get your head around it - a real record. And to be fair Rubens did an excellent job to actually win the race, tears and joy all round for the Ferriari team (you should have seen the joy on Rubbio's face as he sprayed the champagne around - it is a joy to see such pleasure - nice guys' do win occasionally). Well done to them all. Whether you like them or not, they did the job, and that's what counts. It was also nice to see that Kimi and David were second and third - maybe next year will be Mclarens year.

I hope the week gives you what you wish

God Bless


Dave