smudger59kes's Xanga Site

smudger59kes's Xanga Site

Just a quick morning entry, and I'm not very happy. :-(

It's happened again - since the weekend my Xanga Subscription e.mail has vanished off the face of the earth.

The thing is I haven't the time to try and work it out.

I'll leave it till the weekend to see if things catch up (but it was OK Sunday morning so I don't see whats changed)

I shall now go back to being mardy in my lads bedroom with a tin of gloss paint

Weary

Weary, bug ridden, paint splattered and it's work tomorrow

Hi guys, it is once again Sunday, and another week has vanished silently away into the annuals of history.

It has been another of those - "oh is that all!" sort of weeks. Not that much has happened here at chez Smudger. The week has been pretty much School or Work. Nothing exciting has happened at all, well nothing much anyway.

Normal household chores to do, and a certain pre-teens bedroom to paint and paper, and another cold come sinus infection, but life just plods on.

It has been a little bit of an upgrade week for the computer, software wise at least. Several of my favorite programs have issued amendments. The only one that I have had to "force open the wallet" for was for ACDsee. This is an image manipulation/album type program that I was introduced to several years ago by a Customer I fitted a line for, and I have used it ever since. To be honest it is not the easiest program to get into to start with, but once you have worked out it's little "fobbles", I find it pretty useful.

I have also upgraded Newzcrawler (what I am writing this on at the moment) and also the IE replacement Avant Browser

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New version of Google Toolbar released "The Google Toolbar increases your ability to find information from anywhere on the web and takes only seconds to install. When the Google Toolbar is installed, it automatically appears along with the Internet Explorer toolbar. This means you can quickly and easily use Google to search from any website location, without returning to the Google home page to begin another search." (Gretchen)    [via Lockergnome's Technology News]

I like the google toolbar, and have done since it was released. I know there are many other alternatives out there now, but Google was one of the first, and is still one of the best.

This carries on with my upgrades theme. Having read a few things, I also came across a notice about hacking possibilities on various versions of bulletin boards. I used to use "pre-made" boards on places like Bravenet and the like, but, unless you coughed up more money than it was worth to me, the control and adaptability of the boards were pretty much limited. Then I came across Invision Board and PHPBB Bulletin/Community Boards. I have used both in the last few years, and they have the benefit of being very adaptable and FREE. Seeing that I have had a few Meg of storage space free on my hosting package, I have installed both of them at certain points in family history ( the present incumbent can be seen at http://www.smudger59kes.co.uk/forum if you are interested). Anyway the Smudger luck struck again. I tried to install the upgrade patch to the invision board we had working and bogged it up. Tried installing (or rather reinstalling) the latest version of the phpBB board, and made a pigs ear of that. Totally uninstalled both of them (and that took a while because they had to be manually removed, entry by entry, using my FTP client), walked away from the computer to scream and curses under my breath.

Went back to it yesterday morning, and started again. Luckily for me there weren't many posting to loose, but now I have, again , a working Forum Board - for now at least -

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F1: Big chance for pretenders Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen are poised to seize the championship lead at the US GP.

[via BBC News | World | UK Edition]

 

Hurray, it's Grand Prix day, and it is the US Grand prix today. Mind you I not sure whether I will get to see it though. I have a bedroom to paint and somewhere to go tonight - and they are showing the whole race from 06.00 p.m.

 

At least, it appears, it will be a good race

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Antibiotics crisis 'looming' Thousands could die because antibiotics are becoming ineffective, a UK scientist tells the BBC.

[via BBC News | UK | UK Edition]

 

Don't you find this scary - I do. It has been commented on for some years that the over use of Anti-biotics may become a problem, but over the last few years the stories of Hospital Infections, that have become "immune" to antibiotics has grown. From what I understand, however, there is little or nothing they can use as an alternative.

 

Where do they go from here?

 

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Doctor Who to return to TV - official No longer lost in the Vortex    [via The Register]

Am I sad or what. I used to watch Doctor Who as a child, usually from behind the Sofa - LOL. I must admit, my favourite was John Pertwee, and then, probably , the last "TV" doctor Sylvester Mcoy. Part of it's attraction where the dodgy "cardboard" sets, the "desolate" planet surfaces that seemed to have been filmed in the same abandoned quarry, and then, of course where some of the equally dodgy Monsters. The Darleks and the Cybermen seemed to have had some thought put into them , even if the Daleks did threaten mankind with a sink plunger and that most deadly of weapons, the hand whisk.

I'm glad that they appear to be making the arrangements for a new series although, like most things these days, they seem to make a lot of the "who will be the doctor?" part of the story.

I don't really know who I would like to be the Doctor, but every time they changed the actor, they, generally, seemed to find someone who fitted the bill.

All I hope is that they don't spoil it by trying to be to "modern" if you know what I mean. TV series have been spoiled, not because of the stories, or the actors and actresses, but because they have over done the modern special effects, usually because, as far as I can see, they have the technology and they ARE going to use, whether the program needs it or not.

More Hero's?

Hero's of the Past

Isn't it funny how your mind wanders when you are spending a third day trying to empty, and prepare, a pre-teens bedroom (and how does one kid hide so much rubbish in one average sized room - do teens have control of "Warp" technology?)

Anyway, I had the TV on, for noise mainly. I hate the feeling of being alone in the house as Cathy and the Kids had gone out to the Supermarket. On ITV, there was a program about the Goodwood Festival.

I love things like this. The Sports vehicles of the past , some of my past, my child hood, the things that I grew up with. But as the program went on, it set me to thinking.

Barry Sheene was one of those people I grew up with. To be honest I was never, and still aren't a great motorbike person, but Barry Sheene, was different. It wasn't so much the motorbikes, but the character.

On his famous No.7 bike, he won the world championship. His many accidents, then ending up having to have his legs rebuilt with "Meccano".

It was that "larger than life" lifestyle. Every young boys dream. Now as an adult, you would sort of shrink away from that sort of life, and then be attracted in the same measure.

The reason the thought of childhood hero's ever entered my head was because of the Goodwood Festival.

Last year, although he was dying, Barry had entered, and won one of the trophy competitions they have over the weekend. This year, as a memorial to a great character, they had renamed the race he took part , the trophy he raced for in, in memory of his passing.

And what made the program for me, was the welcome return of the passionate, sometimes prophetic tones of Murray Walker.

I always loved Murray's commentaries on the Grand Prix. His passion, his insights, and probably most famously , his goof's. They added such a love for his craft, along with incite, and humanity, I do miss his voice, now that he has retired.

It was good to see, and hear, him again.

Of course, Murrays' most famous commentary partner, was another of my childhood hero's.

James Hunt lived life the hard way, and it cost him dear.

But he was the very first World Champion that I ever remember, and that's when races were real races. There was danger, anger, sometimes even hate. But the was obvious passion and belief, and James certainly had passion for everything.

I used to love listening to the Grand Prix commentaries between James and Murray. Murray would make comment in that style that was so unique, and then James would come up with some scathing, sarcastic comment, sometimes filled with venom and vitriol. If he thought someone was a fool, he made no bones about it.

Maybe it is because most of today's Sportsmen are so "santisied", so "goody goody", that James and Barry appeal, they lived life their way for most of their lives, and not without some general "entertainment" along the way. If they felt aggrieved, everyone knew about it.

But in the end his life style caught up with him. Such a shame. I know that sort of life style, like Barry's in many ways, would be looked down on with disgust these days, but to a small boy, living in a steel town, it was a million miles away from what I knew.

My last hero, is a hero of film.

Steve McQueen has always been a screen hero.

The Fire Chief from Towering Inferno, The Cincinnati Kid and the Thomas Crown Affair (much better than the Brosnon version)

One of the first Car Chase scenes that ever left an impression on a young mind was that wonderful run through the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt.

And probably the most famous "Escape" film of all. There can't be many people that haven't seen. somewhere, the motorcycle scene from the great escape.

But, I think, my most memorable McQueen film was Papillion.

This was a shocker of a film for a young man, once you realised that, although the story was fiction, the treatment meted out to French Prisoners in their remote prison was that harsh. I don't know why I like the film. Maybe it was because it was the first time I had watched such a "severe" film. There is certainly no way that it could be classed as a comedy.

But then it was the lifestyle. I suppose it always came down to the "hard living" lifestyle. All these hero's are, in image at least (bar Murray of course - who will always be a gentleman) all the things that I am not. But, of course, they belong to a different time, when sentiment was different

The Memories of an Ordinary Week

Morning All, another week has melted away into the pool of time, another week where life has just meandered on with little measure in the Smith household.

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This "story", if that's the word, has a posting on my "Opinionated Parent" blog, but it also a good example of what families have to put up with. Sundays' are Football days in our house, with Liam playing for a local Kids Team, Park Tigers u13's. This last Sunday they were to play a team at Gainsborough - Marshall Sports. Well we knew little of this team, if fact most of the parents and kids had never even heard of them before the appeared on the fixtures list. Anyway, because Cathy was at work (and Laura is NOT a Football supporter) we had arranged a lift to the match for Liam from the team manager (many thanks again Chris, much appreciated), so , at 08:50 on a Sunday morning (and this is based on the "norm" of Liam not even moving out of his warm bed until at least half past nine) off they went, into the void so to speak.

After passing a couple of hours of "Dad can I play on my bike?", "Dad can I have a biscuit?", "Dad ............", "DAD, DAD, can I ......." (Laura can be very like that sometimes), I heard a Car pull up outside. I looked through the window to see Liam getting out of the Car, and Chris with a face like thunder, boy did he look upset.

Liam came in the backdoor looking like he really shouldn't have bothered getting up at all, sad and dejected.

"Well?" , I asked

"Well what!!!!" came back the answer, in that "mardy" sarcastic voice that teenagers (and trainee teenagers) seem to use to such great effect.

"You know what - how did the game go?"

"IT DIDN'T - we played like we did last year !!!!!!", he retorted, thrusting forward the Man of the Match trophy in his right hand.

When I did get the full, un"mardy" story (and Liam is very like me in that way - if we don't do what we consider our best we are not nice people to be around for the following few hours - I think that we maybe set our standards far to high) the team had indeed gone back to the bad old days. I know this is a bit of a one sided story (but with the look on Chris's face when he pulled up I don't think it was far off) Liam said they were awful. No cohesion, no team work, no idea.

In the end they lost 5 - 1, and five goals past Liam is really a good "mardy" builder, because, even if it didn't happen that way, he will blame himself for everyone of them going in.

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No-dig tech could end traffic jams Traffic jams caused by roads being dug up to fix underground pipes could soon be a thing of the past. Engineers are turning to "no-dig" or "trenchless" technologies to inspect, fix and replace pipes without digging up the road.

It'd be lovely if it really happens, but I am just a cynic when it comes to making traffic jams disappear.[via Lockergnome's Technology News]

I like this story, could you imagine this, traffic running free whilst somewhere, out of sight out of mind, someone is repairing that broken drain without digging up the road. A pipe dream (excuse the pun) however. Even if there weren't any roadworks for this and that, we still wouldn't be going anywhere fast - just too much traffic.

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I thought that I was in SERIOUS trouble this week. I have been looking at the colour mobiles, with not a little envy, for a few months now, and at the end of last week I decided to do something about it. It was that time of year when, for the cost of a short phone call, I could upgrade my existing phone (very good and useful Nokia 3410) to something a little more colourful.

The kind lady that answered went through the descriptions of what was available , and at what price (if any). I had already discounted the Nokia 3510i, I have seen it and really didn't like it at all. After checking and discussing "what was what" with the lady, I settled for the Nokia 6100.

I have had this now for a few days, downloaded the polyphonic versions of my favourite ringtones (the themes from Blackadder and Monty Python - sad or what), and I do really like the phone. you can also buy a camera that attaches, but , at the minute at least, I personally didn't see the point.

The "Trouble" was Cathy. She does have a phone, as do the kids, but she is normally of the belief "if it does the job, why change it unless you have to", where as I'm a little more the " OHHHHHH Pretty baubles - shiny buttons" brigade.

Anyway, she has said nothing for the past two days since it arrived. But last night she had a proper look, and she quite likes it. Not that she would go rushing out and exchange her phone (even though she could upgrade if she wanted to), so , although I'm still in trouble for getting it, I'm not in as much trouble as I was.

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Lib Dems gather after poll victory The Liberal Democrats hold their annual conference after their surprise victory in the Brent East by-election. [via BBC News | UK | UK Edition]

This is another "nail" in  the Blair coffin I believe. This is, apparently, the first time there hasn't been a Labour MP in the Brent East area for many along year. This is, or was, a safe Labour seat. You mention Conservatism here and you would be lucky to escape with your ideological life. The reason for this Anti-Labour reaction. If you believe the news reports - much of it involved the rush to war in Iraq, a seeming move away from the traditional Labour beliefs, and , more telling I believe, they no longer believe what Tony Blair and his government are telling them. For a long time Labour supporter - I sadly have to agree. The Labour party of today no longer has much credibility in my eyes.

The saddest part is, there isn't actually anyone in opposition worth the vote. The Conservatives, under the "invisible" Ian Duncan Smith are still elitist and sidelined, and the Liberal Democrats are just not "big enough" to make a difference.

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Now welcome to technology corner

Virus poses as Microsoft update A Windows virus masquerading as a security update from Microsoft is spreading via e-mail, warn experts. [via BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

I don't know about you, but I have been very glad of both my virusguard, and the additional protection given by my ISP.For the last couple of days, I have been getting messages from the spam protection system on BT Openworld, saying, that this message has been deleted because the system has detected a virus in this message. The e.mails involved had the tag line "Security Patch required - act immediately" , or something like that,and the sender was supposed to be Microsoft support. It happened to at least 6 messages over the last few days, but I just thought that it was someone else sending me the message as a warning, but they hadn't realised that they had the infection - how wrong I was.

It never occurred to me - why would Microsoft be sending this sort of information directly to me, by e.mail. And then I saw the story above, and for once, I was glad that I actually have Virus guard doubled up so to speak.

I have mentioned before what I think of Virus writers, and certain words are swimming round my mind at this very moment (a lot of them begins with either a "B" or an "F", and I'm sure that many of you could add the rest as required), but what fightened me more was how easily I could have fallen for the TRAP, I would have opened a message from Microsoft without a second thought.

UK bans spam messages The UK has made spam a criminal offence to try to stop the flood of unsolicited messages. [via BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

 

Yipee - at last a government, any government, has decided to act on one of the biggest scourges spoiling peoples enjoyment of the internet, but somehow, until the US authorities get their act sorted out (and having an "your in till you opt out" system is utter rubbish), this first step may well prove to be a waste of time.

Millions 'confused' by digital TV Millions of people are not using digital TV because they find the technology too confusing, a study says. [via BBC News | Technology | UK Edition]

"Confused" by Digital TV - what a laugh. I know people who have a VCR, but can't reset the clock, or more to the point, are not interested because all they want to do is watch re-recorded videos. I know people who can set the VCR clock, set it up to record a program and that's it.

I personally think that the confusion, if that's the right way to put it, is not because people are in some way inept with technology, but because of the lack of a "standard way " of doing things, along with the addition of "features" that look good in the store, but when you get them home you never ever use, thus complicating things even further.

You can put two or three VCR's together, side by side, and apart from the manual "Play", "Stop" and the like buttons on the machine and the remote, all the other functions are achieved in a slightly different manner. And what's worse, the machine could be different versions of the same manufacturers products, and they will even be slightly different.I have no problem with changing the facias to adapt to the time they are designed for, but most people only want basic operations, and those operations to be achieved in the same was, across the board, by a by Sony or Philips, and be it a VCR , DVD or Sky plus.

People just want things that are simple and straight forward to use

 

Spirits in the mist prt2

 

Spirits in the Mist Prt2

 

Here I am again, with part two of my thoughts for the week.

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One of the main things this week, is, of course the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York two years ago. It was really one of those "where were you when ......" events. I remember first hearing the news in one of the most isolated parts of the local steel works. One of the workers there had his radio on in a cabin nearby, and came running out with a horrified look on his face. "An airliner had hit one of the towers, and now there is a second". It took several moments to realize what he had said. Then one of my colleagues, Nigel arrived. He was asked to come because he knew something of the cable layouts in this part of the site. He went on to explain what he had heard on the van radio on the way over. He had got into his van to the reports of the first strike, just to hear the horrifying reports of the second.

Of course , by the time we got home, it was all that was on the TV that evening. To be honest, I suspect, like most people here in the UK, that night was somewhat detached from reality. It was happening "over there". Somehow the USA deserved what they got for being the only real Superpower in the world.

Of course no deserves that kind of attack. And as the days wore on the effect became more apparent. People across the world where angry. The pictures of total devastation from Ground Zero where shown across the world to universal horror. To much horror in many ways. I found the continuous coverage, day after day, very disturbing (and even more so with the "Blow by Blow" coverage of Gulf War II). I know the world in not that safe a place to live, but when you received that news of this battle, that attack, a few hours after it happened, there was a safety cushion. A somewhat insulating time gap. But not now! It is in your face, and I'm not sure that I want to see it, let alone the kids.

In the two years since, we have had, or are still having, the "War on Terrorism", inclusive of the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. And for all that cost, is the world any safer?

Virus writers prey on Sept. 11 sentiment ZDNet Sep 11 2003 12:02PM ET - [via Moreover - ZDNet]

We have had stories of the "selling" of the last messages of those trapped in the Towers, and now we have those "idiots" playing on the occasion to cause more computer havoc. There really are some sick people in the world.

I know this post is a few days after the event, but we can still give a few moments thought for , not only those lost in 9/11, but those lost since, in Iraq especially, in recent months.

 

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After a couple of weeks that saw Ferrari implicated in an attempt to throw the rules in their favour by a "re-itteration" of the Tyre width rules, this weekend sees the Monza Grand Prix. For the first time in several years we have a championship race , and god is it good to see.

 

F1: Montoya sets Monza pace Juan Pablo Montoya is fastest in Friday's qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix.

[via BBC News | World | UK Edition]

 

I am looking forward to the race tomorrow. Even after the "Tyres" thing (And seemingly the major beneficiary being Bridgestone tyres and a certain Mr Schumacher snr - coincidence?), its good to see that things are as they should be, with Juan setting the early pace yesterday.

British grand prix is hit by football - [via Guardian Unlimited: Formula 1]

This really made me laugh. After the various threats from Mr Ecclestone about losing the British Grand Prix (as we have Canada for next year), the people in charge have set the Grandprix date on the same Sunday as the Euro 2004 Final. Now on the basis that there is a fair chance that the England team (assuming qualification) could be there and there abouts, which bright spark picked that weekend.

F1: China, Bahrain get green light China and Bahrain will make their F1 debuts in 2004 - and Belgium's Spa circuit is back in favour after a year's absence.  - [via BBC News | World | UK Edition]

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Blogger Pro Version to Be Discontinued I received an email last night from Ev Williams, founder of Blogger.com, one of (if not the) original blog publishing platforms, to inform users that the advanced features of the Pro version will be folded into the free version of the system, and the paid version, which I seem to recall cost $35 a year, will be discontinued. Blogger was, of course, acquired by Google earlier this year. (Meryl) - [via Lockergnome's Technology News]

This story is, of course , close to my heart. Blogger was the very first blog I ever had (and still have). I, too , received the e.mail, as I have a paid account. For those of you who use Blogger , will have seen the big changes over the last month or two, and to some extent, the timing of this announcement has come at the right time (I'm was due "to put my hand in my pocket" next month). Does it all make Blogger easy to use?. I don't really know. Is the service now more secure, being in the hands of Google. I suppose that only time will tell. All I know - of the blogs I use, Xanga and Blogger are the most straight forward to us, for me at least.

 

 

Spirits in the Mist part 1

Spirits in the mist

It's Friday, and yet another week has gone by. As I type, this may well turn out to be a bit of a fragmented entry in some ways. This first section being "written" today, Friday , and the rest in my normal "blogging slot" early Saturday Morning, when I've had a chance to sort out the main part of the entry.

But I had to put down this particular thought whilst it's construction was still rattling around in that empty space that is my brain.

Through out history there have been stories of Spirits walking the mists. But , up until now anyway, I have never really believed why people would see them. I could understand people mistaking other people, animals and the like "flittering" in and out of view because of the mist and fog around them, but not figures, elusive ghost like figures, just out of reach. Not until yesterday.

Those of you that know North Lincolnshire will know that there is a road that runs adajcent to the River Humber, passing the town of Winterton, and then taking you along the river bank, passed the Cement Works at South Ferriby, and then on up the hill to Barton-on-Humber and the Humber Bridge. Now partway down the Winterton/Cement Works stretch, just passed the Chicken Farm, the river is very close to the road.

Anyway the day starts misty and cold, very Autumnal. Headlamps are on to cope with the patches and banks of Fog as I make my way to my first job of the day at a Kwiksave store in Barton Market Place. Then I get to the section of the river closest to the road and the mobile goes. I pull over to answer, whilst at the same time looking out of the windscreen towards the river.

You could just see the surface of the water, with a bank of mist and fog floating about 18 inches above. Wisps of white clouds twisted down to touch the surface. But then I had to look twice. Legs?

Slowly you could see a ghostlike body appear, fading and gliding in and out of the fog banks. Then another, and another. I know they were only imps in the fog, pseudo people, but it was fascinating to watch. I now understand why some people believe they actually saw "people" in the mist. After a few moments of course I was left with a rather dull bank of cloud, and some where to go as the fog rolled down and covered the surface of the river completely

The worst part was, although I know it was only the mist, I was left feeling some what disturbed - Odd????