Hats Off to Apple...

So, we chose to be really generous and give our eldest daughter an iPod for Christmas. It was an iPod Nano, and to be fair, it was a 1st Generation iPod Nano which Amy had been given a number of years ago, But, thanks to my inability to throw anything away, we had all the original packaging, so we were able to clean it up and make it look like new - like a Christmas present, in fact.
We charged it up, and on Christmas Day we gave it to ED. I loaded some songs on to it when I had a moment. On Boxing Day, ED brought the iPod to me and told me it wouldn't switch on. I thought maybe she hadn't held the button down for long enough, so I gve it a go. Unfortunately that didn't work, so I thought maybe I would reset it. I went online to look for tips, and while I was browsing around, I came across a "1st Generation iPod Nano Replacement Scheme". It turns out that some of the batteries in the 1st Gen Nanos were a bit dodgy, and as a result they had decided to replace all 1st Generation iPod Nanos. Result!

So I went to the Apple website, entered my serial number, and clicked 'Enter'. I got an instant reply; Apple were sending me some packaging I should use to return the Nano, and they would replace it. ED and I waited a day or two and the packaging arrived. We packed up the Nano and sent it off, and waited. I checked the website regularly for updates, and then I saw it - a replacement unit had been dispatched and UPS were going to deliver it last Friday. Unfortunately TW wasn't in, so UPS took it back to their depot and advised they would redeliver it on Monday.

Monday came, and I sat on UPS's website, refreshing my tracking number every five minutes. I was worried that TW had such a full day of exercise and work and dropping off the kids and picking up the kids and driving and errands and BEING OUT OF THE HOUSE that she would miss the delivery. I think I was more eager to receive the delivery than ED! Late in the afternoon, I pressed F5 for what seemed like the 1,000th time, and instead of being "Out For Delivery", the replacement iPod Nano was "Delivered and Signed For by Customer". I rang home immediately to check, and counted down the minutes until I could leave the office and get home.

Upon arriving home, I went to look at the delivery, and we had been sent a 6th Generation iPod Nano. This iteration has a touchscreen and 8gb of memory.

So because Apple had identified a potential fault in a 6 or 7 year old piece of tech we had lying unused in the bottom of a drawer somewhere, an old bit of kit with a clickwheel and 1gb of memory, they were willing to replace that with a two-year old newer bit of kit with a touchscreen and 8gb of memory. And it's got a 90-day warranty. I'm sure that by then ED will be bored of it. :-)

Great customer service - but then I think most people say that, right?

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

And So the Festivities End

Welcome to the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It's been a period of over-indulgence in several ways; we've had lots of fun, lots of presents and lots of booze.
TW spent a lot of time in hospital with her gran - she's fine, still going strong and is as stubborn as ever.
Our Christmas Eve drinks party / open house tradition was a success again. I say 'our', but really it is all down to TW. She loves it. The Day itself was a restrained affair at M&P's, and then friends came over for the evening.
I was back to work on Thursday 27th as I had drawn the short straw at work.
New Year's Eve was a second wave of over-indulgence and January 1st was a very slow day indeed - all the girls saw in the New Year though, which was a good thing (I think).
Then 2nd Jan was back to work again and for me it's been back to normal every since. TW, on the other hand, restarts her routine tomorrow - and that might be a shock to the system... :)
Me? I've already been out running twice this year, and looking forward to getting out more.
Happy New Year!

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Early Sunday Morning

So here I am again, up early and watching India vs Pakistan first ODI. We have six people asleep upstairs - five girls aged from three to seven, and TW. We're having a sleepover to help out some friends who had a party to go to. I'm glad to see the girls are actually sleeping...

Not much going on today, possibly a trip to Arundel later, as TW mentioned she wanted to visit Sparks Yard. It's always nice having a mooch around that shop :-).

We'll see...

And then tomorrow morning it'll be back to work for me, albeit from home, for the morning, and then will we see in the New Year in style? Possibly...

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New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year when thoughts turn to the coming year and how we can improve our lives in the next 52 weeks.
Serious resolutions will be made. Ho yus.

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The Wonder Stuff not Wonderful Any More...

So I went to see the Wonder Stuff on Wednesday; they were appearing on a triple bill with PWEI (Pop Will Eat Itself) and Jesus Jones in a night entitled "Sleigh the UK".

I met up with my sister at Victoria and we made our way to the Shepherd's Bush O2. We got in just as Jesus Jones were starting up, with International Bright Young Thing. They stormed through a number of songs off Liquidizer, as well as a couple from Doubt which I recognised, and of course they played Info Freako - but it wasn't the closer, surprisingly.

The songs were good, but it seemed there was something missing; I'm not sure what it was, but the music didn't seem quite rounded out. It was very enjoyable though, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle at several points during the set.

Next up were PWEI, which now only contains one original member - Graham Crabb. But he's backed up by (apparently) an ex-member of Gaye Bikers on Acid, and they certainly look like they're having fun on stage. The guitarists looked younger, but also joined in the fun. I saw PWEI last year at the Concorde II in Brighton and was initially sceptical, but they produced a full-on wall of sound and they know how to get their crowd moving. There was some serious moshpit action, which looked scary to me! But from my vantage point, they were the highlight of the night.

Lastly, The Wonder Stuff came on. Again, they only contain one original member, but I think we would all agree that Miles Hunt is the original member; he was the songwriter, the mouthpiece and the creative engine-room of the band. Miles took the stage like the all-conquering hero he is, but the band didn't seem to interact at all. It seemed like they were doing it by the numbers, and the only one enjoying themself was Miles. Things did pick up a bit when Erica left the stage so that the band could "play their boys' music", and the band romped through a few of their hits, but it was 22:45 by this time, and it was too little, too late.

The last time I saw the Wonder Stuff, Malc Treece and Martin Gilks were onstage (must have been 2005 or 2006) and the sense of communal enjoyment was palpable. It just wasn't there last Wednesday, and it probably would have been better billed as "Miles Hunt sings The Wonder Stuff". I still listen to 'Groove Machine and Hup, and I was reminded how good Never Loved Elvissounds (and my sister re-bought that for me a few years ago). I also have Escape From Rubbish Island and Suspended By Stars from their new incarnation, so I think the creative spark is there, but there was some enjoyment, some joie de vivre missing from the gig.

I'm glad I went; it was good to see Caroline and hear Jesus Jones and PWEI again, and Miles had his moments, but I shan't be attending Sleigh the UK 2013.

TTFN !! 

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Gay Marriage

I don't understand what the big deal is. If people want to get married why shouldn't they be allowed to do so?
How can the fact that two people are married have any impact on anyone outside the marriage?
Surely supporting gay marriage should be the default laissez-faire approach of the conservatives.
Why would anyone want to deny the benefits of marriage to others?
If marriage leads to stability in society, why would one want to deny that to anyone?
Just asking...

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Shopping With Hattie

This morning I have taken a day off to help out TW - she's got a Christmas Fair to organise later, and doesn't need to worry about the kids.

So I've got Hattie for the day. I asked her what she wanted to do and she said she wanted to go shopping. And she especially wanted to go to Tesco - that's apparently her favourite shop.

So we went into Worthing, moved from bank to bank, and then went to Caffè Nero, where Hattie could have a melted cheese sandwich - she'd been banging on about it all morning. She also got to run up some steps and down a slope twice. And I collected a birthday parcel from the Post Office. And that took eighty minutes. It's slow going with a youngster... :-)

.

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Apple got Served

So, I see that Apple have been told off for not complying with the judgement handed down by the UK courts. As well as publishing the required apology, they published additional detail confusing the issue and making it look like other courts disagreed with the UK judgement.
Looking at the 'apology' the last phrase is "Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad." which kind of misses the point.
Apparently Apple asked for 14 days to make the change but were denied. As someone else pointed out today, they didn't wait 14 days to publish tributes to Steve Jobs. They were obviously playing for time, looking for a way to weasel out of the judgement again.
Well, I don't think it went their way.
Apple make lovely products, they should rely on that. Going after Samsung boosted sales of the SIII - so the action Apple took was self-defeating.
I hope these companies stop their court activities soon, it's getting tedious.

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A London Weekend

We were very lucky that a friend of TW's was going away for the weekend and offered us the use of her flat. We pootled up on Thursday night after work without incident and installed ourselves in Earlsfield, SW18.
Friday we spent the day at London Zoo. It rained but the kids enjoyed it. Saturday we spent walking through London - we visited Leicester Square, Chinatown, Trafalgar Square (the NFL were in town), and we were entertained for hours by the street performers at Coventry Garden. There was a very funny guy who majicked oranges from under hats - great patter! and also a guy on a unicycle, who I think was underselling his skill, but being funny with it.
We also went to the National Gallery and the Tate Modern, and finished the day off with Pizza Express and a walk in the dark back to Waterloo along the Embankment, to see the London Eye illuminated.

Just a Distraction

I'm beginning to get a bit fed-up.

The main stories on Friday were Andrew Mitchell's resignation as Chief Whip and Gideon Osborne's train incident.

I'm reminded of small boys playing in the playground, gloating loudly at each other.

"Naa naa, na-naa naa!"

These stories are just a distraction from the news / real events going on in the world.

Can we just stop it?

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Farewell Strauss

I read with surprise the news yesterday morning, suggesting that Strauss was about to resign as captain of the England cricket team. As the morning wore on, articles and items on the Guardian website and Sky News persuaded me that it was not just an idle flight of fancy. 

And then at 12 midday the press conference took place and Strauss resigned from the captaincy and all international and domestic cricket.

It was a real shock. I can understand resigning from the captaincy and the England team entirely - although if he only resigned the captaincy in order to concentrate on his batting, that would have been okay. But a complete break with the England team makes sense - he won't be a shadow, interfering in Cook's decision-making. He's done the decent thing and given Cook a clear run, so well done to him.

I am surprised that he won't be returning to Middlesex though, I would have thought another season or two could have cushioned the blow of his England departure. But again, I suppose we are coming to the end of the season, and he wouldn't play again until March next year. 

I know Cook is the anointed one, and he's been groomed for this role, but I'm not sure. And his first experience will be against India in India - not the easiest way to bed yourself in. In fact, it may be a bit of a baptism of fire. But let's wait and see, I suppose.

Fingers crossed he makes a good fist of it. I'm looking forward to it.

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Saddened

Kevin Pietersen. I know that pretty much everything has been written already, but I wanted to say that I will miss watching him play. And it's a shame England can't accommodate him because I still think he has a contribution to make to English cricket.
Can't they just accept he's not a team-player and give him his own dressing room or something? That might seem like special treatment, but he wouldn't get to share the highs and he would have to internalise the lows.
That could be seen as a punishment rather than a privilege. And we'd still get to see him play for England.

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Running IV

Woo hoo! I managed a sub-10 minute mile this morning, I'm quite chuffed. Obviously not on a par with any serious runners, but it's good for me...
I was almost sprinting at the end - or that's what it felt like, anyway. Probably not very nice to watch, but I did it!

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Away

So, last weekend we went away.

It was only a short trip, in both time and distance, to stay with the MiL and her man. But we went on Friday and came back on Tuesday, and during that time I completely relaxed and forgot about work.

On the Saturday we went for a walk in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, and despite the distance we walked, The Brood did remarkably well. I had The Youngest on my shoulders for a while on the way home, and they whinged a bit, but they made it. Well done...

On Sunday we had friends and their parents over for lunch. The friends have recently become parents, and their daughter was a delight.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I suffered from a bit of food poisoning.  I was a bit concerned I had overdone it on the wine, but looking back now it was obviously something different. Anyway, I spent the evening in bed and missed the Olympics Closing Ceremony.

On Monday TW & I went into Oxford by ourselves; the MiL looked after The Brood. I was still weak from vomiting and lack of food, but appreciated the relative peace and quiet. I managed to rebuild my strength with a McDonalds burger and fries, which was a surprise, but it worked.

Tuesday morning TW and the MiL went into Witney with The Brood, and I creamed The Girl Who Played With Fire. I've finished it now, it's a good book, and I've started with the third in the series, I hope to finish it in the next couple of days.

Any way, it was a good rest. I've been on light duties at work this week, or at least it's felt like that. But things are good.

TTFN.

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Running III

So I continue to amaze myself. We stayed up until 23:30 last night, And I was up at 05:45 ready to go for a run. I'd had a bit of drink taken, but not overly so (and I reckon my unit intake was lower than The Wife's), but I was still surprised to be awake and ready to go.

And this time I decided to extend my run, to a whole 1.24 miles. Again, I ran the entire distance (except for a short stop while crossing the road, to let a car past). I maintained my average running speed at 10m19s per mile; a bit slow, I know, but I'm hoping this will come down as the weeks go on. 

In addition, I'm hoping to push out the distance I run, slowly so that I don't stop or have to take breaks. I may even get up to 20 or 25 minutes running - we'll have to see.

But tomorrow I'm off to the in-laws for a long weekend, so I won't get to run until Weds. Boo!

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Running II

So today I went for my third run in eight days. If I'm not careful, this could be habit-forming. Still just over 10 minutes for a mile, but at one stage today I felt like I was actually running, if that makes any sense?
Normally it's a case of putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to fall over or stop.
Today I realised I could stretch out my pace and run. I'm hoping for a bit more of that when I run again on Thursday.

Again?

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Running

First run in years. I think the last time was with Caroline while we lived in Kemptown, so pre-2003.
One mile in eleven minutes, not great. Room for improvement. And if I'm less wheezy next time, that would be good...

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Tindersticks at Somerset House

Last weekend I went to Somerset House to see Emmy the Great and Tindersticks.
Against the odds, it was sunny and a lovely evening.
I made my way into the courtyard and lots of the audience were sitting down. Then Emmy came on, they were pretty good. Played a good song called Gemini. I think it was their cover of Pixies' Where is My Mind which was used as an advert for a holiday company. The sound was really good and clear. I'd not heard them before, I was expecting something a bit more folky, but I liked what I heard and should search out some of their releases.
Then Tindersticks came on, I have two of their CDs but haven't really got to know them. Again the sound was clear and crisp. The backing band were quite funky, a good rhythm section. Stuart Staples the singer had a lovely voice, like a deep Roland Gift. A bit mannered but lovely and rich, like a good chocolate. As I didn't know the songs, I only stayed for 50 minutes as I had to get home. But it was worth it - I won the tickets in a lottery at work.
All in all a good evening.

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Timoleon Vieta Come Home - a Review

So I bought the book through the Amazon Kindle app on my phone, since it was on offer at 99p.

I enjoyed reading it, it was well-paced, but I think it was a short story padded out into a novel.

A lot of the book was taken up with a series of unrelated vignettes, linked by the dog, and not part of the story of Cockroft.

My final impression was that it was irrelevant to me, and unfulfilling. It's a shame because I wanted it to be more.

 

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Same Ol', Same Ol'...

Another night at the cricket, another crushing victory for Sussex.
What was different about tonight was that it came on the back of England winning the first ODI vs. Australia. Perfect.

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Linux Mint 13 - A New Day

So I bought a netbook a while ago and installed Linux Mint 12. I wrote about that in May, if you recall. Unfortunately once I had installed that version of Linux, it didn't always load properly, and when it did, I had intermittent issues with wireless connectivity.  So I defaulted back to Windows; because actually, what is the difference between Linux and Windows for me? Is there a benefit to running one system in preference to the other? Not really.

What do I use my netbook for? Let me list the ways...

• Watching ripped DVDs
• Reading/Updating Facebook
• Emailing (reading circulars, mostly)
• General net browsing
• Looking for updates on XDA
• Updating a couple of spreadsheets

 

So it's all about what sits on top of the OS, rather than the OS itself.

Having said that, there are some customisations which are nice / different in Mint which make it stand out from Windows, which is nice. But I could get similar desktop pictures in Windows. I do like the fact that with Linux you can experiment with the command line, if you choose not to use the GUI. So I did use the terminal facility to delete multiple installations of Linux, when I was messing things up before, which made me feel like a 'real' programmer :)

So when I heard that Linux Mint 13 had been released, I decided to give it a go. Again, I had a few issues for a couple of days, but then I remembered the Mint4Win approach I adopted last time, and used that. Again, it worked like a charm.

And the great news is that every time I've booted into Mint 13 the load has been successful, and wireless works flawlessly! Sometimes I think it knocks our laptop off the network, but we're getting a new router today, so hopefully the signal will be a lot stronger (our existing router is over five years old).

So because it is reliable, I am more likely to use Mint. What I do need to do is sit down and personalise the menu and options, using the new Cinnamon settings. I might get some time tomorrow - let's see...

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Pietersen, Retirement & ODIs

Having followed the news over the last couple of days, I'm saddened by the fact of Kevin Pietersen's retirement from international limited overs cricket.

Apparently the fella wanted to continue playing T20 for England, but the ECB advised that to be eligible for T20 he had to be available for ODIs (50 over cricket) as well.

ODIs can be a bit tiresome on occasion, but they are still a good way to pass a day. Especially with people of Pietersen's callibre playing, who can sense that the game is dying or becoming dull, and inject a bit of adrenalin into the situation. KP and his ilk can turn a game and make it exciting.

A few days ago, I believe it was Thursday, while we watched the rain at Edgbaston, I listened to Andy Flower talking about the medium- and long-term interests of the team. And I think Flowers and the ECB have got it right.

You can't make an exception for individuals. And I think there is a concern that ODI cricket is the poor relation to Test and T20 cricket. If they (the ECB) allow KP to pick and choose, they will have to let all players pick and choose. And especially with the strains that modern bowling inflicts on the body, I could see the entire first-class England bowling attack retiring with immediate effect from ODI cricket.

T20 is the glamourous form of the game; Test cricket is the strategic mind game. Fifty over cricket is a way to watch a complete game in a day, but it isn't differentiated; it needs to build its own reputation. I don't think that cricketers are crying out to play ODIs, and that needs to change. ODI cricket needs its own image, its own brand and specialists.

Until it does that, ODIs, for England at least, will always be a secondary thought. They might attract large crowds in the sub-continent, but so do T20 matches.

I'll miss KP and the anticipation of his appearance. But his performance was always hit-and-miss. He could be out for a low score or hit a quick 50. The team as a unit needs to be reliable. And with the strength and depth of the English team as it is at the moment, perhaps now is the best time for KP to retire. At the age of 31. Lucky git.

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Corfe and Camping

So we took our annual camping holiday early this year, since it's rained in August for the last three years every time we've been.
We went with new camping companions Carol & Nick, our neighbours, and their kids. And lo, the weather was good. Except when we were packing up the tent and coming home - then the rain pissed down.
We were in Swanage on the bank holiday Monday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and I've never seen it so busy. Of course we went in on the steam train, which the kids enjoyed.
We also spent a day at Bluepool, where Tilly completed the Squirrel Quest and won a bear. We passed a day at Studland Beach, although not in blazing sunshine. And in the evenings we relaxed around the fire and drank copious amounts of wine. All in all it was great, and I expect we'll go again - in fact, I'm looking forward to it!

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Daredevil (and comics in general)

I have mostly been reading Daredevil this week. After the dark and gothic environment of the Shadowland denouement to Vol. II, the new comics (Vol. III) are a breath of fresh air. The artwork is very bright and summery, people are smiling and enjoying life, and Matt Murdock wears a jumper with "I am not Daredevil" emblazoned across it.

Since deciding to give up the booze, I've caught up with Uncanny X-Force, Astonishing X-Men, and even decided to invest in Iron Man - from 500 onwards (which is the number I picked up Daredevil from, if I remember correctly?  What a coincidence...)

So I have a pile of comics on my bedside table, ready for reading. I'm looking forward to starting Supurbia, a four-part series from BOOM!, as well as catching up with Morning Glories.  I think I'm about a year behind on Incorruptible, and don't even get me started on Haunt...!

But the new system might just work, and if I can read more in a week than I buy on a Saturday, hopefully the pile next to the bed will slowly diminish (we can live in hope...). And if I can continue to read some comics on the train as well, that'll help too.

Job's a good'un!.

TTFN

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Sussex Cricket Season Opens

Last Sunday was the first of many trips this summer to the Probiz County Ground in Hove. Of course to see Sussex play cricket in a CB40 match against the Unicorns, who are (as I understand it) an ECB development side which was formed to give exposure to potential stars of the cricketing future.
As such, Sussex walloped them. 291 from 40 overs, with centuries for Joyce and Machan. When the Unicorns were 45 from 15 overs I realised the jig was up and made my excuses.
It was a good day; the sun was out, it wasn't too hot - in fact when the wind blew it was quite chilly. I had a fleece on for much of the later afternoon. I managed to read a couple of old Guardian Weekends which I've been hoarding for years, and I got to road-test my new, bigger and more powerful binoculars.
I saw a girl from work, M, and exchanged a few words with my fellow spectators. I enjoyed a couple of pork pies courtesy of the Tesco Express by Hove station, washed down with a couple of bottles of Coke - no alcohol was taken! I also enjoyed a cold homemade burger which TW had prepared the night before.
All in all it was a lovely day, a good start to the season and a taste of things to come. Apart from Machan's innings, it wasn't a compelling match, and I'm hoping for better atmospheres and more gripping cricket as the season continues. But there's no better way to spend a sunny afternoon than at the Probiz - especially with Sussex in control.

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Bank Holiday Style Pt. I

It's been a busy three days.

The list of to-dos began even before I got home. TW phoned me at work to let me know that the fuses had blown. "Darling, I wasn't doing anything. Just hammering a picture hook into the wall above the light switch." So job #1 was to rewire an old fuse.
And of course, I left the picture hook in the wall. So, as soon as I put the repaired fuse back in the box and switched the circuit back on, it blew. Dammit!
So I had to redo it. This time I took the picture hook out of the wall. A neighbour came round and reckoned I was on a hiding to nothing, but I thought it was worrth a try. The other alternative was to call an electrician *on a bank holiday* to come out and repair it. We would have had to sell the house, I reckon, to pay a bill like that.
Anyway, this time it worked, thank the lord. Old style fuses are so fiddly. So that was job #1 completed.

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Adventures in Linux / Customizing a Netbook

I may have mentioned I bought a netbook a few weeks ago. It may have slipped my mind to record the fact. But either way, I've had a new toy to play with.
The annoying thing with Windows on a netbook, though, is that it feels like only part of the display is on view.
So I asked a guy at work about Linux and he recommended Mint. I happily bumbled home and looked it up.
Mint's big selling point is it's multimedia capabilities. Aha! I thought, that'll do me.
So I downloaded the ISO onto a USB stick - several times. It appears that 1GB sticks don't hold 1GB of data, so I had to use a 16GB stick I had. Of course, Linux users being more precise, the ISO is actually 1024MB in size, and it won't fit on a USB with 997MB free. My bad.
I tested the system by booting it from the USB and I liked it, so decided to install it. And that's where I came unstuck. The system is supposed to install a dual-boot menu, so that on start-up you get the choice between using Linux or Windows. But the menu didn't kick in. So I reloaded it and tried again. Same thing.
Eventually I had to delete three installations of Linux Mint! And it still wasn't booting as expected.
Then I checked the MD5 value, to ensure the downloaded software wasn't corrupted. No problems there. So I tried again. Went through some serious problem-solving steps and ended up deleting and reinstalling the bootloader - that was a bit worrying since if the procedure had not worked, I would have borked the netbook.
But all this effort was to no avail. I just could not get the boot menu to install from the USB.
So I decided to change my line of attack. I used mint4win to install Linux inside Windows. It took some time; I had to download a virtual drive piece of software, and download a cut-down version of Mint. But it installed as smooth as butter; I then clicked on the 'upgrade to DVD Version' and voila - the full version installed. And the boot menu appeared as desired - so I now have Mint on my netbook! Hurrah.
TTFN.

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Punished by PayPal

So I received an email from PayPal the other day, advising that they were going to withhold my funds for 35 days. So when I try to withdraw funds, I won't receive them for a month.
The only reason for this that I can see is that I've been more active with my account recently - so I am being penalised for using my account in the way it was intended.

Way to go, PayPal! Thanks for your support!

TTFN.

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Commuter Etiquette

So I was on the train on the way home this evening. Admittedly it was a bit more crowded than normal, but I still tried to get a seat. And lo and behold, the crowds parted and there was indeed a seat. Except it was next to the window, and someone was sitting in the aisle seat.
So I asked the gentleman politely if I could please 'sit in there'? People were standing, and this selfish loser was hogging a double seat. We're all travelling together, we've all paid for a ticket. Why make it more uncomfortable and difficult than it needs to be?

Come on people - when commuting, let's look out for each other. Let's make life that bit easier for us all, eh?

TTFN.

Asus Padfone

Ha! Now that I've invested in a two-year contract with O2 for my HTC One X, I see that more details are forthcoming about the Asus Padfone.
For those not in the know, the Asus Padfone was announced in about March 2011, and is a large-screen mobile phone that slots into a tablet. Because of the way the Android development has progressed, they needed to wait for Ice Cream Sandwich (the current version of the Androind operating system) to be ready. Then they had to make their tweaks and changes. And then there was the disk drive shortage due to flooding in Thailand.

Plus, I've been on XDA Developers' Forum, and the devs there are finding it hard going to create workable ICS custom ROMs. So I think Asus probably had a few problems creating a usable software package - but that is just my inference and is not based on any known fact apart from time to market.

Well, I think the Asus Padfone is a damned sexy very exciting bit of kit. Imagine it; you have a phone for mobile use, which then slots into the back of a tablet, so you can play Angry Birds HD or catch up on that latest book you bought on Kindle while you're couch-surfing. Then you need to email a couple of people, so you slot the tablet into its keyboard dock and you can use it as a netbook. That's all the tech you need, right there, in a 10.1 inch foldaway package.

The one area where this package falls down is that the tablet is not a stand-alone device. The tablet is powered by the phone's operating system - so once you take out the phone, the tablet is useless, except as a display screen for another bit of kit, maybe?

But of course, cutting-edge tech like that doesn't come cheap. For the phone and the tablet which is available for pre-order in Taiwan, will cost about $850, and with the keyboard dock, that's $980. I converted that to GBP and added VAT at 20% and arrived at a figure of £740, so I can see this costing £750.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure it's worth it. If a smartphone costs between £400 - £500, that would mean paying £250 for a display and a keyboard. Hmm, I still want one though!

New HTC One X

Wow. I'm so cutting-edge. So, I took the plunge and invested in the HTC One X on Thursday. It is a pretty good phone, but there are one or two settings which are annoying. I'm sure I will overcome those though, and use this device to its full potential.

England Falter

I started today in a very optimistic fashion. Trott and Bell were at the crease and playing sensibly. Then I made the mistake of showering, and upon my return I learned that Bell was out for 13. A sad day.
Then my hopes were revived again by Prior, who managed an impressive 41 before his wicket fell. But it was okay, I told myself, Trott was still in and Broad & Swann could back up.
I guess I knew it was over when Trott fell. Broad and Swann could have made a go of it, but Swann was out sharpish. And from there it was only a matter of time.

Shame. TTFN.

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

It is NOT a Granny Tax

I know, it's crazy.

 

But let's remind ourselves of the facts here.

The state pension is £102.15 per week, which means the government, and by extension, we, are giving pensioners £400 per month or £4,800 per year. Then there is a free TV licence, worth £100, and fuel allowances, and cold payments, and other allowances.  There is also the Second State Pension, which apparently pays an extra £25 per week on average, or £1,200 per year. And then, if you are still not receiving enough money to live on, there are pension credits.

 

Pensioners have a higher threshold before they pay any tax at all - over £10,000, compared to £8,100 (approx.) for today's workers.

 

If pensioners have worked and saved they should have a private pension which will provide an additional income over and above all the income sources mentioned above.

 

None of the benefits which pensioners receive today are being taken away. So, if a pensioner is receiving any of the benefits above today, they will continue to receive those.

 

What this budget lays out is that some of these benefits will not be available to future pensioners, nor will the current allowances continue (automatically) to grow with inflation.

 

Yes, it's a tough message. For those who've worked and saved, and have an independent income, all of the above is just gravy. For those who haven't, the above is what they can expect. Anyone retiring in the future can expect less. I believe this government is moving towards a universal pension scheme, where all pensioners will get the same - more or less. By removing anomolous benefits here and there, and baking those into the basic pension, we can save on admin costs and ensure that the basic pension is more generous.

 

I repeat, no-one is losing anything they currently receive. But, things will look different in the future. As time passes, things change. That's a natural phenomenon. The Daily Mail will just have to get used to it. But then, I suppose there are *some* things that don't change :)

 

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Changes to Higher Rate Tax

Initially, I read with bemusement the news that George Osborne may reduce the rate of higher tax to 40%. I am hoping that he will do more to raise the threshold at which we start paying tax, as this will be a benefit to me. I thought that if he reduces the top rate of tax, there will be no room to increase the threshold at which we start paying tax - on the grounds that he would be reducing the tax take at both ends.
But I'm thinking that reducing the top rate of tax may increase the tax take. I know it sounds strange, but let's think about it for a moment...
If the top rate is reduced to 40%, fewer people might move abroad, and fewer people might take action to avoid paying taxes. So the %age of tax take may increase, and the overall amount taken in tax may increase. Let's see...
It won't have a big impact any way, as the number of people earning over £150k are few and far between - and I'm not one of them :(
TTFN.

Development Planning Time Again

It's that time of year at work when Management insist we produce Development Plans. This to demonstrate they have our best interests at heart. I'm lucky this year in that I've just changed roles and so my development plan is to get to know my new role. A stretch goal would be to excel in my new role.
I'm becoming more aware, however, that I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing - whatever that is. I'm not sure that I want a promotion, because I see managers having their priorities changed hourly, as information is requested for decks, or Management are planning a visit. As long as I can ensure our standard of living improves, I think I'll be happy with that for now. Which is lucky, since I should now stay in role for 18 months or so. I'm sure by the time I get to the end of that time, I'll be looking for another opportunity / promotion. Happy days.
TTFN.

Woop! Woop!

So today I accomplished two things...

I took possession of my new Motorola bluetooth keyboard, for use with my Tab. It`s a very sexy bit of kit, but the layout is slightly strange. I`ll just blame Android for that. I managed to sync it without instructions and I`m using it now, so it can`t be all bad..!

And the second thing was that I connected up my CD player to my separates - now I can play CDs downstairs! The guinea pig CD was Underworld - `Dark and Long`, so I will have to keep it classy going forward. I predict lots of Wonder Stuff and PWEI to come...

It's a grey Saturday on the South Coast.
I'm feeling pretty lacklustre myself, that's probably due to the wine I imbibed last night.
I had a good whack of sleep though! From 22:30 to 07:00 this morning, and I wasn't aware of being awake for long passages during the night. I was awake for a short time, awake enough to publish a separate blog post, but that is functional and follows a template, rather than this blog which is more reflective and subjective.

I've started a new job, back in GNS. It's good to have job security, but I think it's going to take some time to adjust. Luckily my trainer went on holiday last week so I saw an unfiltered version of the job. I need to get my groove on, though.

Off to Elly's 40th tonight, I am looking forward to a night out although I might be driving so will have to stick to the lemonade :( But that might be a good thing because tomorrow we're off to see Caroline and her new baby son, Daniel! He's a bit jaundiced but I think he's okay apart from that. Might be nice to hold a newborn and be able to hand him back :)

Black Sheep Ale

Ah, what a lovely beer. Brewed in Masham, Yorkshire, at 4.4% abv it is not too strong. But really, the thing is the flavour. It develops on your tongue and gets fuller and riper in the mouth. Absolutely lovely. Well done.

New User UI - Testing

So, testing the new Blogger UI.
It wasn't so good  last time

but they advised they've had lots of feedback and ironed out the bugs.

So if this posts successfully, I might make the switch permanently.

Deficit Reduction

I understand that deficit reduction is high on everyone's agenda. My understanding is that the deficit referred to is the annual deficit, that is - the amount we borrow annually vs. the amount we spend. So, annually, we are still borrowing more money than we spend - as a nation. So, if we are still, on an annual basis, borrowing more than we spend, then we are still adding to the overall amount that we owe. 

Even if we reduce the amount we borrow annually, this is still adding to the amount we owe overall. 

This is like me, as an individual, entering 2011 owing £5k, and promising to only add £1k to the £5k sum - rather than stop borrowing and pay back the original £5k.

What planet are we on, people? How can we, as a nation, agree to adding to our national debt? For the next three years? I am amazed and appalled. Still, until the general populace become aware that "deficit reduction" does not equate to "debt reduction", there won't be an outcry.  Clever...

TTFN.

Winter Lurgy

I have been laid low by the lurgy. Even now I don't feel great.

Hungover & Housebound

Not how I planned to start the New Year. Stuck in the house with three kids demanding to watch kids' TV, and TW playing computer games. We can't go out because it's raining and I'm still drunk - so I can't drive anywhere. And nowhere will be open anyway.

2012 Resolutions

1. Be hungover less often
2. Stop spending money unnecessarily
3. Get a new job
4. Read the comics I buy
5. Sell the comics I don't read
6. Buy flowers for TW more often

That should do it, I reckon.
TTFN.

Christmas Hangover

Well, that was a lovely Christmas. Time with family and friends, and delicious food and too much wine.

On Christmas Day TW's family came over and we had some of the most delicious food. Delicious roast potatoes, red cabbage and turkey. The cauliflower cheese didn't work as well, though... :(
We lived on fizz in the morning and moved on to wine for lunch. We'd opened our stocking presents in the morning, and then when we were sated with stuffing and cranberry, we opened our tree presents. The day was very relaxed, the kids were great, and GiL fell asleep in her dinner. A perfect day.

But it wasn't over! Then we went to our neighbours for Christmas Night. We drank more wine, I went to bed at 20:00 with our youngest, and then arose at 21:30 to carry on. We played charades, drank more wine and then retired at 01:30 (or so I am told).

Boxing Day was a very sedate affair. I didn't eat much, and had to go to bed again at 12:30 to lie down. I was not feeling very chipper. After an hour and a half I arose to catch the end of 'Elf', and felt much more human.

27th December was another spontaneously boozy day. We had guests for lunch at 12:15, and then invited some friends over at 18:30. Lots of booze was consumed and I woke up with another hangover.

I'm looking forward to getting back to work.

TTFN.

Google+ Icon

I hate the new red Google+ icon.

That is all.

Birthday Milestones

So, today I am 40 years old. That's 40, or forty years old. I was born in 1971, an entirely different century. I don't feel any different to yesterday, apart from the fact that I've got the day off and am at home looking after two of the three offspring.

What I'd really like to do is come up with some sort of plan to better myself. A plan that involves washing the car and polishing shoes and ironing shirts, rather than drinking wine. I'd like time to read books, and comics, and current newspapers, and relax over long weekend breakfasts.

Time is such a scant resource, and that's really what I crave. I don't want to have to multi-task. Time to concentrate on individual tasks or activities would be a real gift.

With three young children, that's not really possible. Or, the lifestyle we lead doesn't allow for such luxuries. TW has so many commitments she is constantly running from one appointment to another, with barely time for her feet to touch the floor. There are some weeks where TW is out four nights in a row. I do get to keep up with some great TV shows, like The Walking Dead and True Blood, but I think there's always room for something more.

I suppose that one day the girls will be older and more self-sufficient, or even (I dare to hope) away at University. Then maybe we will have time to relax over long breakfasts with newspapers and freshly-brewed coffee and warm croissants, and ponder whether we should stroll along the seafront, or go into town and maybe have another coffee there?

It sounds like a modest ambition to me...
TTFN.

Children and Teeth

My eldest lost her first milk tooth today. I say 'lost' - she swallowed it. At school. Doofus. Still, I have an inkling that the Tooth Fairy will still visit, and leave a pound under the pillow, in the expected tradition. I don't know, it's just a hunch.

Lying Children

The other day I heard my daughter lie to TW.
I was in one room, TW and The Youngest were in another.
The Youngest said "Can I go and play outside naked, Mummy?
TW replied "I don't think so, Youngest."
Youngest tried her best: "Daddy said it was okay".

She's two years old.

Dull Weekends

Hmmm. It's been a while. Sorry about that. Am having a dull weekend. Last night TW was working, and she's out again this afternoon. As a result, I'm in charge of childcare - the park beckons, on a lovely sunny day like today.

 

Hoping to watch the cricket later - England vs. West Indies in a T20 international, the second of two. England won the first one, on Friday evening, by ten wickets. Having said that, though, Sky Sports is free for the weekend, so there is Premiership rugby (only Exeter vs. Wasps, not that interesting) and NFL too - I could waste hours watching the NFL. I shall have to consider my options. Trouble is, there are other things we will need to record - the X Factor, for one. That's for TW, not for me. And I've just seen that Wolverine is on C4 too. Tarnation. I won't be able to watch that, definitely.

 

Well, the park beckons.

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

A Taster of Single Parenting

So, I am just coming to the end of my five-day stint as a single parent. TW returns tonight from her long weekend in Spain. I'm glad she felt able to go, and I think I've done okay looking after the girls.
I've dropped them off at school on time, and picked them up (more importantly). I've taken them to their swimming lessons. I did get a bit distracted this morning by a computer challenge (thanks, MiL!), so the youngest was late to the father and toddler session today, butt they've been fed, and not shouted at, and washed, so I'm just about coping. I've managed to stay on top of the washing-up, which has been okay. The washing (bedsheets and clothes), on the other hand, has been a challenge, but we haven't had a washing line to hang stuff out on, and the weather has been miserable anyway.
But I don't think I could do it full-time. The demands of three daughters on one adult, full-time, is just too much. Plus there is no reassurance, feedback that you're doing the right thing. I think that's the benefit in parenting as a couple.

I can't to get back to work tomorrow, for a rest if nothing else.

New Keyboard for My Tab

Wow. Have just purchased a keyboard for the Tab. Am using it now. It's fast, man. I could keep typing all day. But then I'd just be typing rubbish. So won't bother.

Early Morning Thoughts

So, here I am again, early morning again, all girls asleep again.

It probably won't be too long until the eldest wanders down and wants to watch Tiny Pop.

I do enjoy these moments of silence, where I can indulge myself. Shame the keys on the laptop click, and the fan makes an audible whirr. Still, this is about four years old now, will probably have to replace it soon.

I'm girding my loins for the day. TW goes off to Spain tomorrow, so I will be large and in charge of three daughters from Thursday to Monday night. Luckily, M & P have offered to host us on Sunday afternoon, for a bbq, and with a bit of Amazon on Saturday afternoon maybe, we might just make it through.

My main worry is cooking for the girls. I hope they like what I serve up. I also hope I don't drink lots of wine in order to get to sleep and then wake up grumpy and hungover for them the next day.

Still, they'll have gymnastics and swimming and grandparents and school, so it's not like I'm the sole entertainer. It'll be fine.

R.I.P. Uncle Frank

Sad to see you go. Glad you went peacefully.

Note to Self

Overdoing it at your age is neither big nor clever. Just give it up as a bad job.

The Longest Day

So,that's it then. The longest day has been and gone. From here it's just a short slide to Christmas and 2012. There's only short days and cold nights to look forward to. Time to break out the winter coats and woolly hats. Where has this year gone?

Sussex Sharks

So, today I finally had the courage of my convictions and bought a season ticket to see all one-day home games for Sussex Sharks. That means I can see all Twenty20 matches and all CB40 matches played at Hove, Arundel or Horsham. You beauty.

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Fun with Samsung Galaxy Tab

So I installed Titanium Backup on my Tab. Apparently it's called Tibu or TiBu for short. I went into my Apps Drawer afterwards and noted that the stock apps were now displaying in Cyrillic - which was a pain.

I googled this to see if it was a common issue, but answer came there none. So, I went with the tried and tested method - I switched it off and switched it back on. This is also known as recycling. It sounds really basic, I know, and I was one of those who used to disparage the "so-called Helpdesk" for going through their script - Have you tried switching it off and on again? But I now realise that processes can be abended (abnormally ended or broken) or go missing, if systems aren't recycled every once in a while.

So I switched it back on and hotfooted it to my Apps Drawer, and guess what? My stock apps were in English. QED.

TTFN.

Why is Easter?

"Easter is all about chocolate" - my five-year old daughter.

She was looking at a booklet entitled Easter Feast, and pointed out that there was no chocolate included in the feast.

"but Daddy, Easter is all about chocolate" she said.
"Not, quite, Bella", I replied.

Funny girl.

Samsung Tab - Restored

Beautiful. 90% perspiration, 10% inspiration. The answers are all on the internet. I managed to find the info I needed and restored my phone. There is one niggle, and that is that Kies won't update my phone - but I can address that later.
My faith in technology, and perseverance, is restored. Hurrah!

Galaxy Tab - Borked II

So, another evening spent hunched over a laptop, frantically searching the web for any kind of clue...

I was thinking I might install another ROM, but realised that still wouldn't solve the GAPPS issue. So I have been mostly focused on getting a non-Market APK installer on to my laptop. Isn't that crazy? A day or two ago, if you'd asked me to describe what an APK installer does, I'd look at you blankly. But now I know the basics and that's just not enough.

I have, this morning, discovered a tutorial on the PDA Developers' website describing how to load up GAPPS through ADB (the Android Developer's Bridge, I think), which I am going to investigate further at lunchtime. I expect it will involve a number of downloads from dodgy sites, so will be blocked by our work firewall. So I'll be forced to leave it. But it will be on my mind all day...

Samsung Tab - Borked

Unfortunately, over the weekend, I decided to walk before I could run. I installed the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) keyboard, and enjoyed it so much I decided to upgrade my O/S to Gingerbread.
Some of you may be aware that Gingerbread is not officially available for the Gtab at the moment, so it is quite tricky and there are a number of steps involved in getting everything running correctly. Unfortunately, I didn't follow those steps involved (at least, not all of them), and so my Gtab is now running at below full capacity.

Basically I have managed to remove the Google APKs which make the device so handy...

I have lost the Android Marketplace app, and I can't sync my contacts or email with Google either. Also, those lovely bought apps (Pocket Informant, Taskos, Poweramp, etc.) are all unreachable.

I have spent a lot of time trying to right this, but with no success so far. Keep on keepin' on.

Girls in Shade

At Tilgate Park, Sunday

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

The Alternative Vote System

If this is the best the No2AV campaign can come up with:

http://playpolitical.typepad.com/all_sorts/2011/04/rik-mayall-stars-as-alan-bstard-in-first-no2av-referendum-broadcast-.html

Then I think it'll be a 'yes' from me.

The most persuasive argument I've heard so far is that fringe parties will accumulate votes. But I have yet to see figures showing an actual incident where that would have occurred under AV. If someone can show me such figures, I'll reconsider.
My view is that the more we can express a view at the polls, the better.
If there are marginal seats under AV, it'll make the politicians work harder with the public. I know they work hard any way, but they'll have to play up their accountability to the electorate.

TTFN.

Conversation with a Four-year Old

Me: Is it bedtime yet?
4-yr Old: No. Why, don't you have your watch on?
Me: No, I don't.
4-yr Old: Then go and look at your watch. That's what I would do.

Lent 2011

This year I've given up booze. Surprisingly. And, so far, it's gone okay. Better than January, any way. My last drink was on March 9th, two and a half weeks ago. I've still got 19 days to go until April 15th, the end of Lent, but I reckon I'll make it.
It's surprising how tired I get in the evenings without a drink. Most nights I'm ready to hit the hay by 21:30, and then I'm awake by 06:00, raring to go. If I went back to my old ways, I would miss the mornings and how good I feel.
I also think I've lost weight, although I wouldn't expect to have done so, the amount of crap I've eaten. I think I've been stockpiling the calories because I know I'm not going to get them via wine. Oh well.
TTFN.

India Triumphant

Pleased to see India beat Australia in the ICC World Cup. Pleased that we won't be facing them in the final...
I took a vicarious pleasure in flitting between Cricinfo (or www.espncricinfo.com, as it is now) and the Guardian OBO and watching the score rattle up and the RRR tumble. Of course, we'll never beat Sri Lanka, but a boy can dream...

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Samsung Galaxy Tab IV

Well, a tricky couple of days with the Tab. The system was slow and I thought I'd discovered what 'bricking' a phone was like. But I managed to trace the problem to the SD card - I hope I can reformat it, because I don't want to waste sixteen pounds on a new one! Also, it means I can't load the Tab up with all the music and movies I want to load... But a friend at work has an SD card reader, so I'm hoping to use that and reformat the card so it is usable again. Will let you know.
TTFN.

Samsung Galaxy Tab III

Couldn't play media today. Had to reset the device. Not to worry. More people at work noticing and coming for a gender. Which is quite pleasing
TTFN.

Lent - a time of restraint

So, I've agreed with TW that she will give up chocolate for Lent, and I will give up wine. Lent starts today, since I got drunk last night. On a school night. Silly boy.
We'll see how that goes..
TTFN.

Samsung Galaxy Tab II

Wow, found out today that I can answer calls directly from the headphones Samsung supplied with the GT. Just by pressing the button on the wire. Means I don't have to fish 'The Beast' out of my pocket and press buttons. Trialled it at work, very impressed.

Small things for small minds. I still don't know the full functionality of the buttons on the headphones.

TTFN.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

First paid-for app downloaded? Pocket Informant of course!

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Off to Ireland...

Strange to be heading off to Heathrow instead of heading home to Worthing...

- Posted using BlogPress on the move.

Wolverine 5.1

This is a bit of an obscure topic for a post, but I thought I'd mention this before launching into an even weirder fetish of mine.

 

So, to set the scene, Marvel, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) comic producer in the world, has been banging on about relaunching several of their titles, including Wolverine and Iron Man.  Iron Man is up to issue #500, and the relaunch will be numbered #500.1 - which is nice.

 

Wolverine, on the other hand, has reached issue #5, and the relaunch is numbered #5.1.

 

A question that springs to mind immediately is - why would you need a relaunch, after five issues?  But, it's a relaunch, it's a special issue, it's going to be good, right?

 

Erm.

 

Maybe the writers and illustrators missed the point?  This is supposed to be an issue to draw people in.  This is supposed to 'sell' Wolverine to the general masses, the people who've never bothered with the big fella before.  So, let's look at the story, then; it's a surprise birthday for Wolverine, but it turns out to be a real surprise because he doesn't know today is his birthday.  So he doesn't show.  Cue a lot of small-talk from a lot of superheroes - Luke Cage, The Thing, Deadpool, the list goes on.

 

One possible seed is the appearance of The Hand, but I've just collected all of Shadowland, I've had enough of The Hand.  In my view, there was nothing gripping about this issue.

 

Maybe the artwork was exemplary?  Maybe the issue was a visual delight?  Here are two examples of the art work in this pisspoor (in my opinion) publication:

 

 

So, the artwork not impressive either.  Oh well.  That's a shame.  I've got Wolverine (Road to Hell) Prelude, #1 - #5, and #5.1.  I was thinking I could bag 'em up and sell 'em off as one interesting lot.  So, thanks for nothing, Marvel.

 

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Swimming

Ah, Sunday brings the weekly trip to the swimming pool in Worthing, the Aquarena.

Today was one of the better sessions; the youngest kept the general populace entertained by throwing herself with gusto into the pool at any and every opportunity.
Lulu went down the big slide, with me. It was the first time for both of us! Amy was trying to persuade me to take Hattie down, but I refused - she's too young.
And this afternoon has brought some entertaining Six Nations rugby, as I expected. Ireland vs. France was always going to be good. Let's see how it ends...

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Girls in a Shower Cap

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Old before their time...

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Nick Clegg and Work-life Balance

I read this article in The Telegraph at the weekend, and it's been niggling me ever since.

Basically, Clegg's office have said they won't put ordinary business on his agenda after 3pm.
To me, that seems fair enough. After all, as DPM, he must have to review shedloads of paperwork on a daily basis. Why not have a cut-off time?

But The Telegraph are able to rustle up a Labour MP willing to go on record as saying "Nick Clegg seems to be clocking off after lunch and putting his feet up". Where do they get these rent-a-quote mouthpieces from?

The problem is that The Torygraph has its knickers in a twist because although the Tories are in power, they're practicing a brand of 'Tory lite', which isn't providing enough true Conservatism to satisfy their readership.

But they should know that The Grauniad, from their point of view, are unhappy too. It's nothing but doom'n'gloom on their pages.

So the Coalition, the Con-Dems (will that stick, do we think?), soldier on, with no support from either side of the established media, but with a general "they're okay so far" from The general public. Okay, so they've stuffed up on tuition fees, but apart from that, they're pretty solid.

So to waste firepower on this sort of bureaucratic nothingness, both by The Torygraph and the Labour rent-a-quote, seems wrong-footed. If this was on the back of some pretty big policy misjudgements, that might add to the overall political 'mood music'. But to me, now, this just jars. Must try harder.
TTFN.

Pleasant Children, Please?

Is it too much to ask, that we can have pleasant children in the morning? Every morning this week there has been some sort of histrionics. When is it

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Tired

I was tired this week. Going back at work coincided with the final Ashes test, and so it's been late to bed and early to rise every day.

Staying up until 00:30 or 01:00 is no fun when I've had to drag my sorry arse out of bed at 06:30 later the same day. I think I've actually fallen asleep on the train on the way home each night this week.

This lack of sleep and need for concentration at work comes after ten days or so of free-wheeling mental non-engagement and (whisper it) lie-ins. The girls had relaxed into the holidays and were sleeping until 07:30 or so. This may have been related to the fact that we allowed them to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve...

Still, a good night's sleep last night has almost sorted me out. Adding on to that the fact that I'm not drinking in January, by middle of next week I should be raring to go!

TTFN.

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Ashes Series Victory

So I've been staying up late and getting up early this week, to catch as much cricket as possible. As a result, I'm knackered. But, needs must and tonight is the last night. Australia have only three wickets left and the whole day to bat out.
Even if they do make it, England will still win 2-1, so whatever happens I should be picking up about £12.80 from the bookie's tomorrow. Result.

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Saturday 1st January '11

We got off to a slow start yesterday, what with having got to bed at 03:30 after the night before. The girls didn't surface until 09:30, which was handy - the first bit of luck of the New Year!
I think I had breakfast at 11:55, which wasn't ideal. I was a bit fragile after the night before, but TW was really hanging.
Once we'd sorted ourselves out, we walked to the car to retrieve it, said 'good afternoon' to our NYE party hosts, and drove to Tesco to get hangover food.
TW picked up some pastries, but they didn't have the Chinese/Oriental selection she was looking for, so we discussed heading to the Tesco Extra at West Durrington. We'd also thought about buying a PS Move, as TW had very kindly bought me a PS3 for Christmas. The Tesco Extra scares me, though. It's so big, light bends around it and time slows down when you're in there. But it was surprisingly empty - I guess Worthing was nursing its communal hangover and couldn't face up to the neon intensity of consumerism.

We got the Chinese selection, we got the PS Move - at about £37, which was a good price. We also got a game called "Start the Party" or somesuch, which I think the girls will love, and we had a bash on that when we got home.

We watched Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, and then went to bed.

Yesterday was an acceptably lethargic recovery day, but we need to get active in 2011, and rather than let things drift (blown lightbulbs, holey socks, etc), we need to be on it. I'm planning to read more, drink less, and write more, so there should be more blog entries this year. Let's see how it goes...

TTFN.

Girls in a Tree

...at Swanbourne Lake

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iPhone 12 Days of Christmas App

I received an email from O2, or Apple, or both, advising that between 26th December and 6th Jan, I would be entitled to a free download each day.  I didn't have high hopes, as 'free' normally means 'of no interest', to my understanding of things.

However, I have dutifully downloaded everything on offer so far, and as a result I have the following:

a Kylie Minogue single (never to be played or mentioned again)

a Cheryl Cole single (to be played once, and then probably deleted)

a Father Ted Christmas special (probably the jewel in the crown, but the 12 days aren't up yet...)

a game - Fishing Kings (no idea why I downloaded this, it didn't work)

Life of Pi (through iBooks - this should be good).

 

So, all told, 2 out of 5 isn't bad.  But why would I download Cheryl Cole or Kylie tracks, when I have absolutely no interest in those?  It's just part of this 'eat all you can, consume all data' era we live in...  I think a New Year's resolution should be that I be more choosy in what I download, and not just take it cos it's free.  There are other resolutions too...

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Ashes 2010/11

England retain the Ashes after thrashing the Australians at home.  I don't really know how to explain it.

How can one team be all out for 98, and the other team then proceed to get 513?  The simple answer would be that England are miles better than Australia at batting, and the Australian bowling attack was toothless.  But I don't buy that.

When you consider Australia's line-up individually, they have world-class players; Ponting, Hussey, Johnson, and Siddle should be in any top ten.  And Australia should have had the home advantage.  So what happened?

I read something this morning which suggested Australia haven't been watching England play recently.  If that's the case, then Australia were woefully under-prepared.  And while I think you can compare the batting line-ups, where England prevailed was in the bowling dept.  England knew where the Australian batting weaknesses were.  A lot has been made of the fact that Ponting can be unseated early, if the bowling is on target, and I expect the England team had similar plans for the other batsmen.

Anyway, there's loads been written about it, so I'm off to read even more.  Now all we need is England to win the last Test and I can collect on my wager...

 

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Fingers in the Butter

This is what happens when you leave a baby alone with some butter...

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Worthing Snow 2010 (Slight Return)

Snow on a Saturday morning...

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Ashes 2010/11 Brief Thought I

Just watched Nick Knight try to explain how Cook has done so well. I've been saying Cook should be dropped. But his earlier movement in response to the bowler has changed the whole shooting match. Well done to the selectors for continuing to include him in the team and not bow to pressure from twats like me. Apologies to Ali !

*Full disclosure - I have a bet on England to win this Ashes series outright, and I am not a professional cricketer, therefore any of my views should be treated as the diarrhetic outpourings of an eternal optimist.

TTFN.

Ashes 2010/11 Post #1

Ah, the Ashes is back. Hurrah. Sky Sports reinstalled. Late nights and early mornings beckon, as the contest is taking place on the other side of the world, in Australia, where they do everything vice versa.

Imagine having your day during night-time, or summer during winter. Imagine celebrating Christmas D with a barbecue on the beach in glorious sunshine. Imagine having the water go around the plughole the wrong way as it drains away.

Okay - that last one not so mind-bending.

D'you know what, I can't stay up late and get up early and function normally any more. It's now almost the start of Day 3 of Test #2, and I'm seriously contemplating going to bed. I was 39 on Wednesday. And I've got the girls to look after all day tomorrow - although we are going to M&P's for Pa's birthday lunch.

Besides, England seem to do better when I'm not watching. And I've got a bet on England to win. So, I might leave them to it. But well done for keeping the English end up to this point! Betting on an England win has now shortened from 13-8 to 11-10. And if the bookies are changing their minds, England are on to a good thing.

TTFN.

Who's The Birthday Boy?

That'll be me, then...!

39 today, for the first time. I may be 39 again next year, depending on how this year goes. I received some funny cards, and a Dr Who card as well, which was 'cool'.

I was given a beard-trimming kit, which was nice, some vouchers for Uncanny Comics and Next, as well as some old school CDs (Pixies and Run DMC). Had a big fried breakfast, incl. black pudding, sausage, bacon, tomato and egg. Then spent the rest of the day traipsing around Worthing. Lovely. Might go to the 7-11 for wine in a bit.

TTFN.

Badgers! It's the End of the World!

Especially for Jazza - a badger birthday card...

Posted via email from Rob Thorley's Posterous Site

Girls in Fancy Dress

See and download the full gallery on posterous

What more to say? Apart from no youngest in this one...

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Strictly Come Dancing

It gets better week by week. But Widdy's got to go...

Girls in Hats

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Girls dressing up in the same hat.

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Peace Once More.

Next stop, Question Time...

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Winning The Lottery

What would you do if you won the Lottery?

That's a question TW often asks, and it's probably one of her family'sfavourite topics of conversation. She'd probably be a very good Lotto winner, spending lavishly but sensibly, not frittering it away.

We could always do with more cash - it would be nice not to worry about how much is left in the bank from the 5th of the month onwards - but it seems to me we're in a constant state of anticipation, waiting for The Next Big Thing.

I'm probably more guilty of this than most; I'm an unashamed neophile. I love The New. At work we are moving from Lotus Notes to Outlook, and I can't wait. A New Toy to play with! What amazing new opportunities will it provide? I'm also applying for a six month secondment as a Project Manager - that'll be another New Thing, if I'm successful. I'll be working in a New team, with New people, on New issues. How delightful! And then, after six months, I can take my Newly-learnt skills back to my old role and look at it anew - I'm trembling with anticipation!
TTFN.

Girls 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

i.e., at Brighton Sealife Centre.

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Girls in a Glade

A day out at Mills Wood...

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Brainbloodvolume

So, I bought Ned's Atomic Dustbin's third album from Amazon Marketplace, for close to £2.50, including P+P.

It's very noisy.

I've not listened to the whole thing yet, but maybe this was a purchase too far for me...

TTFN.

Sleeping Girls in Repose

A relaxed Sunday, and The Girlz are asleep on the sofa...

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Mudhoney

You probably know by now, I managed to check out Mudhoney at Concorde II in Brighton, on Tues 5th October 2010. When I checked the Concorde website and saw tickets were still available, I knew I had to go.

They rocked.

Seriously, from the first strum of the guitars, from the first beat of the drums, they were on the money. They tapped in to a visceral, raw groove which got my attention. They had a take on rock n' roll which pulled me in, even though they were playing tunes I don't think I'd heard before. Of course I recognised "Touch Me I'm Sick", and I identified "Sweet Young Thing (Ain't Sweet No More)" as the lyrics were pretty clear. The rest was a joyous rock noise which I loved.

I probably had one or two beers too many, and the McDonalds meal probably didn't help, but I was feeling a bit dicky by the end. I was glad to get home. Maybe I'm getting too old for this...

I can still track down some Mudhoney back-catalogue, though, and enjoy it in the comfortable surroundings of the dining room, or more likely my Sennheisers on the way to work (!).

TTFN.

Loss of Child Benefit

Its not such a big deal, in my view. True, it doesn't impact me - I'd have to earn a bit more than I do now - but I support TW and three children on my wage. TW has a couple of pounds coming in from her Phoenix and Micro-Scooter sales, but it's not enough to worry the taxman.

If I earned enough to pay the higher rate of income tax, we'd be rock steady. Currently we rely on the child benefit, but that's because I spend a lot on booze and TW spends a lot on food. We could trim our sails if required (and I am trying to do that...!). It'd be nice to be in the position a lot of my friends find themselves:
"Child benefit? We bank it for his future", so it's not used for its intended purpose.

One point made on the radio last night was that if a household had a higher tax rate payer and a stay-at-home Mum, they would be impacted, but the next-door DITKYs (Double Income Two Kids) both paying lower rate tax would be unaffected.
The interviewee responded that maybe the DITKYs should, as a unit, be paying some higher rate tax on their income. At the moment tax is an individual affair, and so the marker was set as it was. There will be winners and losers at the margin, as there always is with tax changes.

So let's not make it a universal benefit, let's target it at those who need it most - which is still me, for the time being. Phew!
TTFN.