Tuesday, November 29, 2005

LATE NEWSFLASH...The Pope is a Cunt

Well well well...Pope Benedict has made his first official decree to the Catholic church and guess what he has decreed...Gay men can no longer become Catholic priests, men who have 'deep rooted' homosexual feelings or support gay culture cannot be priests either...but the best bit...men who have overcome homosexuality WILL be able to become Catholic priests...

What an absolute wanker!

Neil x

Lisa...saving the world!

WORLD AIDS DAY – 1ST DECEMBER 2005
STOP AIDS – KEEP THE PROMISE


It is estimated that there are now 58,300 individuals currently living with HIV in the UK, over a third of whom (19,700) are unaware of their condition. HIV rates continue to climb. Newly diagnosed cases reported for 2004 stand at 7,275. There is a continuing epidemic among the homosexual community accounting for approximately 2,185, or 30%, of new diagnoses in 2004. The main increase, however, is among heterosexuals, the majority of whom probably acquired the virus in Africa, with 4,287 new diagnoses in 2004, accounting for 59% of all new diagnoses. Injecting drug use and mother-to-children transmission continue to remain low, accounting for about 100 cases each in 2004.

HIV diagnoses remain highest in London, with 46% of all diagnoses made in England occurring in the capital. The number of cases diagnosed in London has increased by 34% between 2000 and 2004. However it should be remembered that people often travel to London from other towns for testing and treatment because there are established specialised services in London, so these statistics do not give an accurate view of the number of people living with HIV in London. Other areas with a higher prevalence of HIV cases are Brighton and Manchester.

Despite the advancements in medical technology, HIV diagnoses have again begun to increase. These increases parallel increases in other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies across the UK. Unless safer sex messages are heeded, the UK could again see an increasing level of HIV transmission.

In 2005, over 3 million people acquired HIV, which means there are now over 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS. Despite best efforts from governments, non-profit organisations and healthcare practitioners around the world, HIV and AIDS is still having a huge impact in the world.


Over 40 million people are living with HIV
In 2004 there were:4.9 million new infections – 640,000 of them children under 153.1 million AIDS-related deaths2.2 million children under 15 living with HIV/AIDS

Ok a serious blog again this week but it is World Aids Day on Thursday 1 December and I think it has relevance in the society we live in today. Sadly people are still dying of ignorance, thinking it will never happen to them. Especially among the young, it’s the last thing on their minds when they meet someone. Wearing a condom is not a hip thing anymore and the last thing on their mind with a one-night stand apparently.

Lisa xx

Monday, November 28, 2005

jesus wept, it's my turn to blog again!

hi
now what information to impart today... I read a survey today which stated that 67 % of women would cheat on their husbands, 47% of men would cheat on their wives, 85% of gay men would cheat on their partners and 32% of lesbians would cheat on theirs...so what is it with the lesbians, why do they find true happiness when finding a matching muff partner? I can believe the gay male bit as it is a very fickle life to lead, you're okay until something better walks round the corner. What I thought was terrific was the amount of women cheating on their husbands..you go girls!...what's happened have you all discovered sex in the desperate housewives city or what...that is an incredible total and should make all the straight man feel very happy although only 47% of them would be really ecstatic!...now i would like to hear from some of you married ladeeeez and tell me why you would look outside the cookie jar when the fresh ones are inside?...

I really don't believe what some people do for sex kicks!...the latest one i have heard of is called 'peckophilia' and yes...it's where someone gets off by birds pecking them whilst they toss one of the wrist or tip the velvet!...the idea is that they put bird seed or food on their genitalia and the birds peck it off...easy as that, instant gratification!...good grief whatever next!

I discovered a long lost friend today, my mate Glen from Poland...its a long story as he was going through a personal crisis in his life, trying to bring up 2 children at the same time..he reached out for help and i chose to turn away, not the greatest decision of my life and one that i regretted ever since. He's a really talented musician and i decided to do a search on his name to see if he was okay...this led to his email addy and i took the bull by the horns and wrote an email of apology on the understanding that he need not reply...10 minutes later..whizz through the system and an email arrives...so i have made tentative steps to recover our friendship and hopefully he forgives me for not being there for him at the time....lets hope that he's back from the darkside...it feels good to apologise...sometimes!

Saturday, November 26, 2005

The Movies...


Hi Guys...

Taking it easy for a couple of days so I am wasting my time playing this amazing game that I managed to download off emule.."The Movies" does what it says on the box!...think of the Sims in movie studio land and you should get the drift. The game is just bloody marvellous with a built in 360 degree graphics machine like no other. The game starts quite simply as you build your first couple of buildings and take on some staff and movie crew etc..you get to release a film circa 1920 and watch the result with your own studio name built into it...it doesn't sound as great writing about as it does playing it, but anyway you work your way through the years and increase your studio technology whilst trying to release films and keeping your stars happy at the same time. I sat down for 10 minutes earlier on and 2 and three quarter hours later had just released my newest film, been to the film awards (where i failed to win) and fired one of my best starlets for being drunk all the time! lol...please take my word for it, its an absolute must for the xmas season! You can see a full run through and sample some of the movies that other players have made by going here.

www.themoviesgame.com

enjoy...

Neil x

Friday, November 25, 2005

Blessings!

hi all...just wanted to say a quick thank you to all the people who have contacted me or spoken to me today...i realise i have a big support network out there and if i have to go through this then i know that I have you all there with me. Of course i will give you further info as and when i can. Once again I just wanted to say a big thank you...it means a lot
Neil x

Thursday, November 24, 2005

The Consultant

WARNING...this blog contains material that might upset the more sensitive person...


Hi all...was going to save blogging till tommorow but some people were concerned how I got on today...heres the lowdown
Went to see said consultant who had a chat with me about bowel habits and related things, medical history etc...he then asked if he could take a look...I was prepared for a fingering so it was not too much of a shock, the only thing i didn't like was undressing in front of the female nurse, that felt quite unatural to me! but nevertheless i was exposed to the world...then they made me lie on the bed and he pushed my stomach around a lot like a piece of play dough..wuth a 'hmm' as he did so. Then the big moment came, he asked me to lie on my side and face a wall...i was then positioned in the breach position as i heard the 'thwack' of the powdered latex glove and a finger slowly entered the nether regions...it was a tad uncomfortable but not too bad...he withdrew and asked me approx what time i had passed blood so that was not a good sign...he then asked me if it was alright to put a telescope in so he could see better, I said it was alright as long as it wasn't the size of Jodrell Bank...he laughed, i think he liked me, brave little soldier that i am. I was not prepared fro what happened next as the telescope was inserted...and inserted...and inserted...12 inches of rigid rubber tube was probably the most uncomfortable experience I have ever had, he pushed harder and harder to try and get a bit further and this made me cry in discomfort but it was a silent tear rather than the massive sob that wanted to appear. He took a couple of bits for biopsy and withdrew slowly. After cleaning up he asked me to dress and join him at the desk. I sat down and he said.."Well I found blood and I found something else, a growth"..I paled at this but kept a sane look on my face as he spoke. Mr Eldin is extremely nice and explained what would happen next...he decided to forgoe the small invasion and has decided to go for the full Colonoscopy...

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colonoscopy/

This is now going to take place on December the 5th at the Manor Hospital (the very beautiful private hospital in Bedford)...he will probably remove the growth and use it for biopsy but will also travel round the whole bowel to investigate further. He hopes it will be benign...
to be continued...
Neil x

techno page !

Ok as a finisher to last weeks little bit about System Mechanic™ I thought I would start this week with a few words about the electricity that goes through the wires to your house that makes everything run. Then it will be off to topics new. Why I hear you shout do you want to talk about the electric supply? Well this is not going to be any form of high brow physics lesson but there is just one or two things that you need to know.

Firstly the Electric current that comes out of the sockets is very very dirty. Now by dirty I mean noisy and it’s getting nosier all the time. The reason is that every thing you and I plug in that runs off the mains puts distortion back into the national grid. Let me explain. Plug your hair dryer in switch on and the motor starts. The motor runs on the electric and as the electric passes through and is used by the motor some of the current picks up the noise and fluctuation from the motor. This is then passed back along the mains and is used by the next thing, and so on. So what I hear you shout. Well if all the other things are Fridges or Hoovers or an electric Hob then it is not that much of a problem. But what if there is a Hi Fi System working at that time or a Computer. I am sure we have all heard the pop through a radio speaker when the Fridge cuts in or seen distortion lines running diagonally across the TV screen. These are all visible and audible evidence that the mains is dirty and that the current moving around is full of spikes and distortion. Now when you put a CD in the HiFi and press play music fills the void. The music is being carried by the current to the speakers. Now in the same way that the music signal is carried along so is the rubbish in just the same way, except the rubbish stays and is added to by the motors and transformers etc. And this happens on everything, Crap in slightly more Crap out.

Now your computer is full of minute little bits of electronic stuff that require the exact voltage and clean voltage to work. The nature of modern operating systems is they need to read and process thousands of commands a second and it does not help if the is distortion an muck adding to the mix. Before you know it the code is corrupted and the poor old PC is doing the electronic equivalent of building flat pack furniture without the instructions. Soon its teddy out the cot time and everything stops. There was a report I read a few weeks ago that estimated that 75% of all computer lockups or random crashes or free zings are due to shity quality mains. So what all this is leading to is noise and surge protection. If you have not got your PC plugged into a decent surge protector from someone like Belkin or similar you’re gambling with the files, music, photo’s etc in fact anything you have stored on your PC. And I have not even mentioned what can happen to your pride and joy if the voltage fluctuates too much, as it can. Now if you can live without that stuff fair enough but most of us rely more and more on them for everyday lives. Go get one, prevention is always better that a cure in so many parts of life but particularly when computers are concerned. All good electrical stores have them in stock as well as Argos. Better still put it on your Christmas list it’s a perfect stocking filler.

Bollocks out of space you will all just have to wait until next time for the other stuff.
Matt x

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

2 People, 1 Gig, 2 Views, 1 Blog....Motorblog


Hi all...a good experiment today...both Lisa and Steve in a duel of words trying to describe the awesome spectacle of Motorhead live in concert....here is what took place

STEVES SIDE

Sunday 20th November 2005, the place, Cambridge Corn Exchange, the event, Motorhead 30th anniversary tour.
Of course we headed straight for the bar Lisa's brother paul and i had pints of grolsch while lisa was content with diet coke, then we viewed the merchandise area where we purchased T-shirts (two each) which were put on right away so we now had three shirts on, we were still in the bar when Girlschool took to the stage, when we heard a scream of LISA!!!! and lisa said "God! it's somone i know" so we talked to him for a while it turns out it was one of lisa's ex's(can't remember his name though), after this we went into the auditorium to listen to Girlschool who were on great form blasting out all the old hits from the early eighties:- race with the devil, hit 'n' run, lets go, demolition boys and emergncy were among the highlights of a well rehearsed performance.
we hit the bar again at this point and low and behold Lisa's ex popped up again who thought he knew everything about Motorhead especially when he announced that "they are a four piece now you know" i said" i don't think so, they weren't last time i saw them" to which he said" they are cos i saw it on the tele" so i just let it go with "oh! right". In Flames were next on stage but we stayed in the bar area for most of thier set as we were not familiar with thier work but the majority of the crowd seemed happy with thier performance, after finally getting served we found lisa who said that some bloke had asked her if she had been at the liecester gig a few days earlier and she had said no why? and the guy had said that he thought he had seen her their, she then said to me that she wished she had been their cos he was gorgeous!!!!, we went back in to see the last few songs of Inflames, not my cup of tea I'm afraid.
so the plan was to stay in the hall while everyone else went to the bar, good plan as we ended up near the front and waited eagerly for motorhead to arrive on stage, judging by the amount of amps and speakers that were on stage we knew we were in for some ear bashing, Then as the roadies were setting up four microphones a voice said "see i told you thy were a four piece" Lisa said "i thought we had got rid of him" anyway the house lights dimmed and the crowd started chanting "motorhead" over and over then through the dry ice came Mickey, Phil and Lemmy and the crowd roared their approval, then Lemmy announced "Evening Cambridge, We are Motorhead and we play Rock 'n' Roll" then launched into the blitzkrieg of "Dr. Rock" at this Lisa , Paul and me found ourselves in the middle of the mosh pit, a girl in front of us was on her boyfriends shoulders at this point hanging on for dear life(bless her ) they soon were barged out of the way by some bald guy in a bandanner (me), the band went staight into "stay clean" from the overkill album after which Phil asked the crowd if it was loud enough for us to which everone said no and the volume went through the roof, halfway through the gig Lemmy said in 1983 we did an album called "Another perfect day" and the crowd applauded then lemmy said "thanks, everyone thought it was crap back then and ripped into "i got mine" the obligatory drum solo turned up in the middle of "sacrifice" an awesome performance by Mickey Dee on the drums the last song before the encore was "ace of spades" we waited a few minutes and the "trio" not a fourpiece after all returned, but not as before as we were given a acouctic performance of "Whorehouse blues" from the "inferno"album and Lemmy proclaimed "this is motorhead unplugged" the guys finished us off with a blistering rendition of "Overkill" at the end of which Lemmy removed his Rickenbacher bass and pointed at us like a machine gun then punching the back of it and left it reverbbing for about five minutes, then the lights came up and we made our way out in awe.
SET LIST:-
1. Dr Rock
2.Stay Clean
3.Killed By Death
4.Going to Brazil
5.Metropolis
6.No Class
7.Killers
8.In The Name Of Tradgedy
9.Just 'cos you got the power
10.Fast and Loose
11.Iron Fist
12.I got mine
13 R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
14Sacrifice
15.Over the top
16.Love me like a reptile
17.Dancing on your grave
18.Ace of Spades
19.Whorehouse Blues
20.Overkill
I think thats all of them, it was a truly fantastic gig and from a lead singer who turns 60 this week!!
see you later ......steve..x
p.s. cheers for the lift Lisa


LISA'S SIDE

Motorhead Day!

Well Sunday morning came bright and early, a text message from Neil just wishing me a Happy Motorhead Day. And the fact he was up and working early so I should be up too – who needs enemies when you can rely on your best friend Neil to spoil your duvet day lol.

Anyway I text back a polite reply and then went back to sleep. (ha ha) Eventually I did surface and spent the day relaxing, I did not want to over do it as it was a big night.

I set off to pick up Steve, and yes I was early (don’t all gasp – I can do early sometimes!). I knocked on the door and Steve opened it and looked the part in his leather and head attire. Just then I received another text from Neil saying have a nice time and don’t run off with any hells angels – I was tempted to text back and say that I was going with one lol.

We set off for Cambridge on the way we picked up my brother Paul. He was gushing about new Green Day – Bullet in a Bible CD with a Bonus DVD including the full set from their gig at Milton Keynes Bowl earlier in the year which he went too. (just thought I would plug that for him and say Happy Birthday and hoped you liked your present the Motorhead Ticket.

Anyway we arrived and parked at Lion Yard and then came out to see the queue it was long, and it a very cold night. Paul and Steve went to get the tickets and I waited in the queue. They soon came back with the `golden tickets` and we waited in line, the people queuing were a mixture of young and old. The young not even old enough to have been around when Motorhead started 30 years ago who can believe that this was there 30th Anniversary Gig and that Lemmy was nearing 60! Lemmy and the boys got the best reviews of their career for last year's fantastic "Inferno" album. This year they were awarded a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.

While in the queue we watched the weird and the wonderful walk past and get in line, a guy was handing out leaflets we must have looked like we needed these leaflets as he duly handed them out, and we duly dropped them on the floor. As we were nearing the front of the queue a man comes from round the corner and asks if we are standing or sitting! dumb question I think as I am obviously standing frozen to the spot. After establishing that he means inside the hall we say standing, and he tells us to step forward. He then moves along the queue and a crowd of people behind start to get in line behind us. He then comes back to us and says `follow me` and its like the scene from the Pied Piper, as we all dutifully follow him round the front of the corn exchange and down an alley. At this point we wonder if we have been duped until we see the doors open ahead and realise we are getting into the gig quicker than the long queue left behind!

We are in and head straight to the bar where we need something to warm the cockles that have been frozen queuing outside. 3 drinks and short change of a tenner later and we realise we are at a gig.

We are not in there long when the first band strikes up `Girlschool` they were very good got the crowd going and told us all to log on there website http://www.girlschool.co.uk/

The next band on were In Flames a band hailing from Sweden they were loud and thrashy but very good they have an album coming out next year as they informed us at the end.

Then we waited for the main act giant Marshall stacks appeared and then a massive drum kit – Steve had warned me that these were the loudest group I would ever hear and Lemmy has been quoted as saying "Is it loud enough for ya? I don't wanna hurt your ears, I wanna destroy them completely."




We decided to get near the front, but not too near as we did not want to end up in the Mosh Pit. Having found a good spot we, (I have to just mention the couple in front of us who did nothing but grope and snog each other while we were waiting get a room and other things sprung to mind). The lights dim, and the music started. And then all hell broke loose, we were caught right in the middle of the mosh, and being bounced around. We managed to take a few steps back for fear of being trampled on, and I can`t describe how loud it was it was mind blowingly loud it just reverberated around your body, you heart was pounding, your legs were vibrating it was truly awesome. The smooching couple then became one, when he promptly put her on his shoulders. For a moment panic came as I thought I might get flattened if she fell off his shoulders but a few good shoves from people behind and they disappeared into the mosh and she was last seen flailing around all hair and sparkly jewellery. (Bless)

Lemmy just looked exactly the same as he had done over the past 30 years, although his hair is slightly darker. The set was brilliant old songs and new from their latest album Inferno. There was even an amazing acoustic version of Whorehouse Blues. Overkill went on forever and an amazing drum solo from Mikkey Dee which just went on and on. Lemmy and Phil Campbell went off stage only to reappear some time later with fags on the go!
Lemmy came out with some classic lines ` if you dance to this you will have trouble having kids later in life` and `this is for every bastard world leader and politician` and then launches into Just because you have the power doesn’t mean you got the right. By now my ears were buzzing – half empty plastic cups of some golden colour liquid were being launched around and the sweat was pouring off Steve and Paul who had bought t-shirts and then put them on so they did not lose them. Wearing 3 t-shirts and leather not a good combination.

Sadly like all good things it came to an end. One encore and a brilliant rendition on Ace of Spades and then we were heading back to the Car Park and home.

Thanks Steve and Paul for a fantastic night – and next time lets take Claire xx

If I have missed anything out Steve please leave a good comment xx

Lisa xx

Monday, November 21, 2005

thanksgiving...


as its nearly thanksgiving i thought i would just share this little story..its taken from 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' which is a terrific book and thought it was relevant to this weeks festivities, i hope you think so too...

Todd Zimmerman was not altogether happy to be working on Thanksgiving Day. As one of a skeleton staff of five manning the State of Maryland's EBT Help Desk (the state's alternative to food stamps), the morning seemed to stretch on. As lunchtime approached, it was hard not to fantasize about the feast his family was preparing, and the laughter and stories that would be told. Before his lunch break, a call came in from an elderly woman who was obviously distressed. "I was at the grocery store buying food, but my purchase didn't go through!" she said. "The clerk said the transaction was denied." Todd knew the questions to ask, and it wasn't long before he diagnosed the problem: the woman's temporary card had expired. Apparently she hadn't understood that she needed to obtain a permanent card. "Oh, but...but I hadn't collected my $10 from October either! I purposefully left it on account to put together with this $10 for a Thanksgiving dinner." "I'm sorry," Todd said sympathetically. "Do you have any food in the house?" "No...not really, I was saving up for today, you see. My family thought they were going to be able to come, and I wanted to have a nice meal for them. But something came up, and they can't make it." There was a catch in her voice. "I guess it's just as well." After she hung up, Todd couldn't get her off his mind. He realized that because of the error this woman, whom he knew only as "Mrs. B," would not only be alone, she'd also go hungry on Thanksgiving Day, all for want of $20. Determinedly, Todd called the grocery store where the woman's transaction had been denied, his own credit card at the ready. Sorry, they said, no phone orders. And they didn't deliver, and couldn't make an exception today of all days. They also had a skeleton crew and more customers than they could handle. Lunchtime came. Todd suddenly didn't care that he was eating cafeteria food. Two of his coworkers, Kim Twito and I, took lunch with him, and together we vowed to do whatever we could to solve Mrs. B's problem. Back at the help desk, we let our compatriots, Julie Simon and Mark Liessmann, in on the dilemma. Working together, we felt we could surely staff the phones while finding a Thanksgiving dinner for Mrs. B. Unfortunately, by then, virtually every grocery store in Mrs. B's county was closed or closing. None would deliver. Exhausting the Yellow Pages, one of our coworkers thought of Chesapeake Beef, a grocery store with which EBT had a high volume of business and a good relationship. Chesapeake Beef was closed for Thanksgiving. "The owners, Stas and Mary Witezak, are very nice people," I said. "They might know of a local store that's open. I bet they wouldn't mind if I called them at home, even if it is a holiday." "I'm sorry," said Mary, "I can't think of any open stores. But you know what? I have a better idea. It sounds like Mrs. B lives about 15 miles from here. We've finished our dinner, but we still have plenty left! Let us bring Thanksgiving to her. I'll put the kids to work making a special card while Stas and I get together a meal. Oh - but please let her know someone is coming. We're unexpected strangers, and we don't want to frighten her." This was easier asked than accomplished. EBT didn't have Mrs. B's phone number, which was unlisted. However, the telephone operator was willing to call Mrs. B and ask her to return a call to Todd at the Helpline. When a confused Mrs. B called back, Todd simply told her that friends were coming with a surprise. Several hours later, Stas Witezak called in. "Thanks so much for giving our family the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life," he said. "Mrs. B very much appreciated the food, but what really touched her were the cards the children made. She nearly cried when she read them. Her response was to ask if she could hug them - and they happily let her." Mrs. B called back, too. She thanked everyone involved in her Thanksgiving surprise. When our shift ended, the five of us who had reluctantly come to work that Thanksgiving bade each other farewell with a smile. Though we didn't say it, we were all recalling Mrs. B's words: "I've always been a Christian - but now I know for sure there is a God!" "Happy Thanksgiving!" said Todd as we parted ways. And in fact, it had been the happiest Thanksgiving of all.

Yes..i know its a bit slushy but the sentiment is right..and i know that in england we don't celebrate thanksgiving but we should do, we should all be thankful for something in our lives.

The next bit is really cool...a friend called Mary sent me this and its one of the most useful emails I have received...it tells the story itself...

"During a BBQ a friend stumbled and took a little fall. She assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Mary went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Mary's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital. At 6:00pm, Mary passed away.
She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Mary would be with us today.It only takes a minute to read this-A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...TOTALLY!!. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.RECOGNIZING A STROKE:Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps. Read and Learn!Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e...It is sunny out today)If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call paramedics immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage. "

there...thats my good deed for today...have a lovely week...we may have a review of Motorhead tommorow so its sex drugs and rock and roll all the way!
Neil x

Sunday, November 20, 2005

welcome!

...and a very good afternoon to all...you are probably wondering why the title is as it is today...well i am excited to announce that i now have an RSS feed subscription service on the blog which means we could be reaching millions of people all wondering what is happening at 'Piddys Place' on a daily basis. So if you have a newsreader on your pc then please subscribe to my feed...that sounds rather exotic doesn't it!

I'm glad that I made some of you laugh on Friday with my online exploits, i like the way that real life can sometimes bring out some of the funniest stories and if you go ahead and try and make one up it tends to fall flat on its face...I have pretty much shared my life for the last year and apart from the size of my bollocks there's not a lot you don't know about me...unless you know different...I have decided to do another question and answer session which will be open and honest...this will probably be of interest to our newer readers...so....if you have a burning unanswered question you wish to ask, just email me piddy77@ntlworld.com and i will publish the questions and answers soon. You can remain anonymous if you so wish...

Ooh the first birthday of the site is fast approching and i am trying to think of something special to do, but i won't let you down, i promise...so keep your eyes and ears open for a special birthday blog around christmas time.

well the weekend is almost over and i've had a lovely phrenetic day at work, crushing peoples hopes of getting something done over a weekend! I can be an evil bitch sometimes! lol
Ciao
Neil x

Saturday, November 19, 2005

through a glass darkly....


Good morning, afternoon or evening, I must confess to being a little hungover as i write this after getting through three bottles of red and a botte of cava with niel last night oh!and two big bags of nobby,s nuts. well after reading piddy,s blog last night i decided to invite him over for drinks with Claire and myself, and what a good night it was with some cool music :- Blackmore's Night, Deep Purple, Roger Waters, a track from Judas Priest and the Bis Ans Ende Der Welt soundtrack. Edward and me were just having a laugh about Claire's collection of cuddly toys and then he goes and sticks the knife in by saying "this one is fat!...........like you!!!, Kids eh!. Anyway, back to last night, the classic comment from last night was when we were talking about musical instruments, Claire said " Colin at work likes to go to the music shop and play a Lesbo Custom Guitar" to which Neil replied "I bet that takes some fingering!!" I nearly choked on me nuts at that, we finished off the evening with a few scenes from the Baz Lurman film Moulin Rouge on very loud as we have no nieghbours at the moment YES the students did not return after the holidays (good riddance to bad rubbish), Talking of bad rubbish my lexmark printer has decided not to print in colour anymore now i have done all the maintainence like cleaning the nozzles aligning the heads and tried to print umpteen test pages but not one drop of ink is being left on the page can any of you computer brainiacs out there assist me in my problem or do i need to invest in a new printer! any help would be most appreciated.
Neil got me with this yesterday:- what is the connection between winnie the pooh and Alexander the great? answers in the comment section please! it drove me mad for a few minutes well hours.
I had a special request from the blogmaster last night to revisit my life story on the blog, what do you think?, should I? or was it getting a bit stale and uninteresting?
let me know what you think and i'll get the memory working overtime again if you want!
well tomorrow is world Motorhead day and Lisa and myself will be celebrating this event in cambridge tomorrow night i can't wait! supporting them on stage will be Girlschool and swedish rockers In Flames so should be a good show and we will be deaf on monday!!!!!!!. see you later, Steve.......x
sorry it's a bit short but i have a terrible headache!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, November 18, 2005

Soliloquy...


well here we are again, another Friday comes and goes...tonight should be pub night as I lost the last one through illness...so here i am all dressed up and nowhere to go, lisa is working so its just little old me and a bottle of cava with the tv for company. God i hate it sometimes that there is no one else around...don't worry it's not going to turn into a 'lets feel sorry for neil' blog but there must be someone else in this world that thinks and acts the same way as me or am i really just too fussy. All I want is someone really good looking who thinks with his brain rather than his private parts, someone who is financially sound and is not some sort of anorak that specialises in the sexual history of steam engines etc..someone who is happy to sit and be stared at in awe, someone who can talk about any subject that you bring up without worrying that you are going to interrupt Coronation Street or the 54th place play offs for the Ben Sherman shirt lifters league etc...someone who is a good cook and appreciates you cooking them something giving you real praise instead of 'its nice'...someone who takes the time to learn the difference between shitaki and button...someone who knows something about anything would be fun...
I have tried the internet bit and all that trawls up is weirdo sex freakoids that think a nice quiet drink and frantic sex go hand in hand. Fuck it !...if i just wanted sex i would hire a male whore for an hour...no i would not stoop to that....I want someone that can speak their mind and tell you the exact truth about you, even if it does hurt. Someone who is not afraid to cry in front of you because of a film or a piece of emotional music. Fuck it ! Fuck it!
I want the world and all it can offer me but so far have found 60 year old Ben in Basingstoke who 'lodges with friends', works in the 'entertainment' industry and earns less than 5000 a year...surely to God that they don't expect me to meet them based on that Criteria...for Gods sake..I'm intelligent, witty, loving, romantic, a mummys boy! ( mum xx) , I can be the life and soul of a party...if i can be arsed! I'm straight looking and I think I can offer someone a nice steady monogamous relationship...so why isn't it happening....answers on a postcard please befor i get Old And Putrid!...and if anybody tells me its a 'fat' thing I will grab their bits and shove them through the nearest mincer...capice!

Have a good partnered weekend you bastards lol !
Neil x

Thursday, November 17, 2005

techno head..but very cool!

Hi all...neil here, just before matt starts his blog i want to put you in a very important direction...i have added a link just under the pics on the right hand side to Pete Townshends blog...YES, THE pete townshend!...its a great read...enjoy

Matts done a great job on this blog and i advise all of you to download his special programme!..here's Matt!



I have been thinking over the last few weeks that I ought to do another little spot on keeping your PC running like it was meant to. This has been highlighted to me over the last few weeks by an annoying number of little glitches that make life in front of a monitor more stressful than it should. Every one knows the feeling that all is not quite right. Slow start-ups, ages to shut down or when you shut down programs will not respond and you have to manually stop them. Programs not responding and little random freezes. All these and more happen to any PC that is on line or has software loaded or removed or indeed happen just as a matter of course after time and updates.

The problem was bad enough for me to consider backing up my important info, address book, photos, and music and doing a fresh install of my operating system. And as anyone who knows me will tell you I take my PC very seriously I surf the net through a Software Firewall, a Hardware Firewall, Updated anti virus, Ad aware SE, Microsoft anti spy ware, Pest patrol, a Surge protection system and now battery back up(Yes I have my own UPS). And it still happens. I know both Neil (Piddy) and Gina (GX) have experienced these little problems. I even had to go around to Gina’s one weekend and give her a quick tweak!!!(The PC you dirty minded lot). So just before I ripped the heart out of my life and did the deed to my PC I thought there is no harm in having a few last goes at all the little niggles going on inside my case. I spoke to my son and between us, with two computers two brains and twice the Google searching power we dedicated the last half term to the problem.

I wanted the solution to cover a number of basic problems. And preferably in one package. Defragging now if you don’t do it you’re being foolish and if you do you probably need to do it more often. The trouble is that the Defrag utility that comes with windows is crap. It only ever does half the job and sometimes does not even do that. A decent defrag tool will also run in the background allowing you to carry on with all the other important stuff.
Speeding up your Internet access. By cleaning out and optimizing settings.
Registry cleaning and optimizing is not for the inexperienced or faint hearted. It can also be a fiddle so something that does it for you would be great.
Repair windows security holes (These are the back doors that hackers like to enter by.
Stopping dangerous programs from starting, the cause of many a slow PC.
. Locking your Home page, There is nothing worse that finding Google has been replaced by Search big Tina’s tits .com. Stopping popups and those little adverts fom appearing when the kids are trying to find the home of the Telytubbies.
Make windows boot faster, and shut down correctly.
Clean up clutter. And finally do all this at regular intervals in the background so you can enjoy the web and your computer as Bill Gates intended.

Quite a tall order and one that had Oliver and I trying programs and tweaks for days. Did we need several programs or just one? because lets face it there are millions out there and some do more harm than good. Oliver pressed into service people he talks to in programming forums and gaming sites. Out of all the things people recommended and the places and programs we tried one name kept on coming up System Mechanic6 from iolo.

http://www.iolo.com/sm/6/index.cfm
Alternatively just put System Mechanic into Google. Just make sure it’s version 6 you try. This is a fantastic bit of software that has won loads of awards. And the best part is it’s free. Well free to trial in full for 30 days and after that the licence cost $49.99 that’s dollars so when you buy it “and you will” it cost just under £30 for the licence that lasts the life of the product. Go on visit the site and download the trial let the program do its thing and enjoy the results. The Defrag utility on its own is worth the price but if you work through all the utilities its just fab. You might have to run the “Total Care a number of times and the first few sweeps take time to complete. But after that you can schedule set and forget most things. The Owner iolo will send you tutorials to your Email during the trial and answer questions though a very helpful online “Help engine”. Are there down sides? well you become obsessed in checking the health of you system with the Analyze feature on the home page. And it does cost you £30 after the month, and it will because you will not be able to live without System Mechanic 6. So Ten out of Ten and I am happy again. Look at it this way it will cost you about the same as a Friday night in the pub but it will last longer.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Illicit meetings with Gina!

I apologise for becoming a little unreliable at writing my Wednesday whines, but I've made an effort this week as I wanted to share this with you. Also needed to submit something incase someone else decided to write about Christmas.

Today I had to meet a total stranger at Bedford station. Oh no, I hear you cry, Gx's back doing the internet dating thing. Wrong, this was work related, and just for the record, I only meet total strangers in pubs. Having never done this in a professional capacity before I admit to being a little nervous. The Boss decided to make a large folder displaying the chap's name, not for her to hold of course............................great plan, how could it possibly fail.

Arrived on time, passed a chap getting out of his car, no second look given, other than an admiring glance at his car, an Alfa romeo sports thing. Feeling a little braver, we wondered into the station, folder fully visible, strange glances given by passers by, but no-one came forward. Clearly the black and white office attire ensured we looked semi professional and not like two youngish girls out on the pull.

Back outside, and still no luck, only chap looking slightly lost was Mr sports car. After much, shall we, you do it, and other girlie chat, most of which I can't share with you, I decided to be brave and approach him. Yippee, success, it was our chap.

I was slightly worried, and nearly suggested an eye test, as he admitted to not seeing the large folder clearly displaying his name.
G x
Silence Is Not Golden

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

children in need...

Children in Need

Did you know

Last year BBC Children in Need raised £34.2 million thanks to your generous donations.
BBC Children in Need helps disadvantaged children in the UK to have a better life. These include children who are chronically ill or profoundly disabled, those who've been badly treated by the adults around them, children who live in poverty or inadequate housing, and some who are bullied, excluded or distressed.


Substance abuse
Fact: there are 1.3 million children in England and Wales whose parents misuse alcohol and up to 350,000 children who have a parent with a serious drug problem.
Source: Statistics on young people and drug misuse, England 2002, Statistical bulletin 2003/2004 Department of Health, July 2003.
Child prostitution
Fact: in Britain an estimated 5,000 minors are involved in prostitution.
Fact: in a survey of child prostitutes, 42 per cent said their first sexual experience was of abuse.
Bullying
Fact: bullying is the single biggest reason for children to call ChildLine - it now accounts for one in four calls.
Fact: one-third of pupils in England and Wales have been bullied in the past year.
Fact: one in 11 children missed school in the past year through fear of violence.
Source: NCH Factfile 2002 to 2003.



Sexual abuse
Fact: the single main need for social service intervention for children is cases of 'abuse and neglect', which account for 55 per cent of all children looked after.
Illness and HIV
Fact: an estimated 20,000 children in the UK are living with a diagnosed life-threatening illness at any one time
Homelessness
Fact: between a quarter and a third of all rough sleepers have been in the care system.
Fact: a third of homeless young people have attempted suicide.
Fact: 80 per cent of young homeless people have left home because of family conflict, family breakdown, evictions or abuse.
Source: Addressing the health needs of rough sleepers - Griffiths S (a paper to the Homelessness Directorate in ODPM, 2002).
Disability
Fact: an estimated 17,000 families in the UK have more than one disabled child.
Fact: parents of disabled children face three times the costs of parents of non-disabled children.
Fact: disabled children are three times more likely to be abused or neglected than non-disabled children.
Source: Facts 1 and 2 - Supporting Disabled Children and Families, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1999. Fact 3 - Maltreatment and Disabilities, Sullivan and Knutson, 2000.
Self-harm
Fact: adolescents who self-harm are most at risk of developing mental disorders and personality disturbances in later life. There's often a background of abuse and family dysfunction.
Source: about 19,000 young people are admitted to hospital each year because of incidents of self-harm.

Ok not really a blog by me this week but I just wanted to promote Children in Need this Friday a charity after my own heart

Back to me next week

Love Lisa xx

Monday, November 14, 2005

I'm pleading on my knees now folks!...

Hi
Boy oh boy...after feeling pretty ill for a week now it's really getting me down...the good news is I feel as if i have started to pick up this evening...after nearly passing out at lunchtime today...my blood sugar just went haywire and dropped to about a 3.1 level (for those who don't know it should average around 5-7)...I was hastily escorted upstairs to the flat where i took my two lumps of sugar and toast...i normally can tell what my body is doing but it seems to be all over the place at the mo..the trouble was that i was in a really interesting meeting but missed the last bit when i went grey, sweaty and shaky!, hopefully gina can fill me in on that.

Been watching some good films recently...'In her shoes', very much a chick flick but really good performances from cameron diaz, toni collette and shirley maclaine..passes two hours away quite nicely especially snuggled into a faux fur throw with a hot water bottle for good measure!...'Saw 2'...now this is just plain nasty! but deliciously entertaining, those of you who saw the first one know what you are in for...a really good horror film that leaves itself open again for another sequel (yay!)...'Howl's moving castle'...now this is a wonderful japanese cartoon by the guy who made 'spirited away'...forget the disney stuff, this is really where it's at, it's beautifully rendered and leads you into a wonderful world of 'proper' animation...show it to the kids or watch it yourselves, i really can't reccomend this enough.

Lets talk about feet...i was chatting the other night to a guy on the net and he had a thing about feet...now personally i hate feet and all things about them...i hate playing with feet or having my feet played with..but this guy really got off on asking me what i was wearing (shoe wise!), so i told him i had a pair of Joe Brown loafers on, the italian cut with thick broccaide laces (i lied!)...I won't repeat what he replied but he obviously enjoyed the image!...it wasn't long before he stopped messaging and i suppose he had 'finished' but i just thought that this was dead odd...is it me or does anybody else get sexual gratification from shoes?...is this why ladies have lots of pairs?...fantasising over each slip on pump and heel...what the hells it all about?

Just a message to the 'blog family members'..please all try your hardest to provide a blog this week...don't worry if you think it's crap because your crap is other peoples gold...is that an old saying or did i just make that up?...so hopefully tomorrow we will have a blog from Gina, Wednesday from Lisa, Thursday from Matty, Friday from me again and Saturday from Steve, lets hope for the best!...does anybody at all want a sunday slot?...hope to hear from you

Neil x

Friday, November 11, 2005

This is the state of the UK...


Well...its quarter to three on Friday morning, and do you know why i'm up at quarter to three Friday morning...let me tell you..

I have been off work since Wednesday with flu like symptons and also a possible UTI (urinary tract infection) (sorry mum that I haven't told you i'm not well if you read this before i talk to you!)...I phoned the doctor yesterday because I was in a lot of discomfort and I got the usual story of "the earliest appointment i have is Monday"...so I thought okay, i know what to do, drink lots of fluids and suffer quietly...so i did, but tonight is a different story, I can't lie down without wanting to go for a pee (and by now I am distraught because of lack of sleep) and I have a dull ache in the one big kidney that I have. I decided to phone NHS Direct, got through and listened to some elevator music while they told me all the operators were busy...a couple of minutes go by and a nice chap answers and goes through preliminary details...he then tells me a nurse will ring back within 30 minutes...2 minutes later a nurse phones back who is terrific and understanding...after having gone through medical history she is quite concerned and tells me she will pass it on to 'Beddoc' (a new idea where they have a central place manned by a local doctor 24 hours) and she wishes me well...2 minutes go by again and the doctor phones who is a young guy who sounds totally disinterested and tells me to drink lots of fluid, go to the loo when i have to and then (and this is the good bit) "pop and see your doctor tomorrow"...there we go, full circle...how fucking useful is that. It wasn't NHS Direct's fault, they were great and it was quite comforting talking to a nurse but thats where the good service stopped...If doctors won't come out to you or somehow prescribe something over the phone, then what are they there for?

So thats why I am sitting here at 2.55am with a sleepless night in store...looks like i might have to die first before someone comes out!

On a lighter note, am looking forward to next Thursday as myself, Lisa, Matt and Marie are off to the BBC (in London, no less !) to see Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones reform for a couple of TV specials. I used to love watching Alas Smith and Jones when I was younger and i hope that they don't dissapoint. Full details on next Fridays blog.

Well thats it for another week then, no pub night tonight for me, so I wish you all fun and happiness and speak to you soon.

Neil x

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Conspiracy theories?...

I have always been a bit sceptical about some of the more far fetched things I hear. I like to think I am a fairly level headed guy. And being British I am fairly reserved about my opinions. I tend not to believe the stories about Elvis still being alive for instance. And I can get quite snooty at the people who get dragged out by the media every now and then. You know them, the sad sods who think that Coronation Street is real (excuse me, but I had a friend who lived in Coronation street...blogmaster). And that the East end of London is really that polite. But we all know they are out there some where and I sure I am not alone in feeling sorry for them. After all life has dealt them a bum deal. They were at the back of the queue when the important stuff was given out like brains. Les face it most of these pore sods have what we call a learning difficulty and what the Americans call Retarded. But what about the one who are quite normal and still think little green men run the world.

You might be thinking where I am going with all this and some time when I am writing I wonder myself but bear with me because the story is about to unfold. I was sitting in a Star Bucks in the Fisherman’s Warf area of San Francisco towards the end of our holiday. And as is the custom in the US you go out for breakfast because hotels do not in general do food. Most people do call in to there local deli on there way to work or just make the effort to go out and buy food each day. In the large urbane areas like San Fran and New York where people live in flats there is a different culture to ours. People do not go to the supermarket once a week because the apartments tend not to have any storage. The kitchens are quite small and as the food is cheap and fresh people buy what there going to eat when they need it. Or eat out.

Ok so the reason for all this. As I said I was in the local Star Bucks at breakfast time with my Grande skinny Latte and a couple of fresh baked croissants. Now I can’t remember if I have mentioned this before but most of the coffee bars deli’s etc are WiFi enabled. So you get lots of people sitting with there Laptops working chatting or whatever takes there fancy. Old and young it seems to make no difference the take up of computing on the move is much greater in the USA than anywhere I have been in Europe. Anyway as I was sitting feeling all left out (I had not by this time touched a computer for almost two weeks) I glanced over the shoulder of the guy behind me. He was a normal intelligent person in smart casual clothing, about 30 and with a local accent. His Laptop was open and in between MSN chatting and mobile phone call he was writing. Its funny how someone doing something like that make you want to read it. Our man was about 400 words into an article for a blog site. And as I read my jaw fell to the floor. Now I can’t remember the exact wording but the gist is this. The Asian Tsunami that happened on Boxing Day last year was man made. And so was the big twister that was at that time making land fall in the Deep South. Not just any old man made you understand but created by the Russians to de stable the west and in particular the good old USA. I was transfixed this guy then went on to describe in detail where the technology had come from and why the good old commies were doing this. Apparently after the cold war the Russians still wanted to ………And then he saw me looking and shut his Lap top. It’s a scary world out there full of people who really should not be out alone. Mind you who was it that said “ just because I’m paranoid does not mean there not out to get me” I’m off to buy a copy of Catcher in the Rye.
Matt x

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

The REAL christmas story...


Well another week nearer to Christmas or should we rename that Winters Day making sure that we are all PC correct and not offending anyone.

So now the deluge of `Winter` adverts on the telly you cant get through a single programme without the complimentary showing of all things `Winter`. The only thing that gets me about the ads is the fact that they show something that is not real in most households up and down the breadth of England – families having a good time, exchanging gifts and then sitting down to stuff there faces and fall asleep. Most households are one parent families struggling to buy presents that are advertised on the telly’s that they have brought on tic last year and are still paying off! And its hardly happy families for most people more Divorces, Domestics and tears are heard up and down the country on that one-day then at any other time. So you would think that the adverts would be more real, but that would not sell the dream would it.

And if you are single it’s the worst time of your life (well for some) it’s a time to think about wishing you were with someone to open presents with and share the day with to make it seem a bit different from the rest of the year.

Ok `Winter` rant over J If you are feeling sorry for me don’t I happen to be someone who loves Christmas whether with Family or Friends or home alone watching the usual suspects that are shown every Christmas. But I know lots of people who find this time of the year nothing special from the young to the old.

The last couple of years have been the best Christmas`s I have had spending them with people I love very much and enjoying good food, wine and company. Lets hope this year will be no different.

Anyway lots of fun times to be had before that day draws nearer so see you all soon

Love Lisa xxxx

To: All Employees From: Management Subject: Office conduct during the Christmas season Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council). 1. Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged. 2. Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill) 3. Work requests are not to be filed under "Bah humbug." 4. Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house. 5. All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25. 6. Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines. In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Christmas!

Monday, November 07, 2005

Monday on my mind...

sorry to all who were expecting a read this evening but as with all my writing, i get inspired...then bang! nothing happens...not one bit of inspiration has hit me and so another day goes by without a blog of sorts...I hopefully will carry on with 'My Kingdom' in the not too distant future...but hey! if Kate Bush can take 12 years to produce an album, then please give me some room lol...

No news to tell really apart from councils now wanting to rename Christmas Lights as 'Winter Lights' to fit in with the policies on Equality and Diversity...now please, but i think this is going a little too far isn't it?

Neil x

Friday, November 04, 2005

It's Friday I'm in love....

hi peeps

nice blog from matt yesterday...appealed to my love of gadgets...i tell you what if they invented an automatic sock remover i would be first in the queue...i love technology, things that go whoosh beep and ping are so sexy and a must have ...i think it must be some sort of boy thing...women would come up with a practical hands on answer to a problem whereas men would cogitate and think "I wonder if we could make something that could do this"...i suppose thats why its all men in charge of the biggest technology companies in the world! tee hee...

Great albums are like buses, you wait for ages and then come along three...yes it's Neils Big Music Review time!

1. Kate Bush - Aerial....

A welcome comeback for the angel of musical darkness...it's a bit sombre at times but the second disc tone poem is just simply amazing ...you probably have heard about the washing machine song but there is more to it than that...truly, i speak no lies...Kate is on fine form and her voice has never sounded better...the production as you would expect is fantastic, after all it has taken 12 years to produce the product from scratch. I do wonder if the little minx has left it a bit too late to capture a new audience. Back to disc 2, the tone poem seems to be a paean to a typical english summer countryside scene from dawn to dusk..kate appears to turn into a bird at the end whilst mimicking the call of one of her 'furry friends'...it all sounds very odd when you write about it, but please give it a try, you really won't be disappointed.

2. Madonna - Confessions on a dancefloor

My god, when this woman does something she does it well...this album truly is amazing. Madonna has once again been reborn as the electro dance queen of the 00's. The album starts with an extra long version of the majestical abba hybrid single, then throughout the album the pulse and beats get stronger and stronger. Its a really anthemic album which should keep parties and dance floors throbbing into future months. Madonna also touches on the subject of Kabbala with her lyrics and aramaic influenced musical traits. Go and buy this ..or download it! now.

3. Cyndi Lauper - Acoustic Body

Enough to say that Cyndi's back once more, this time the album is a collaboration with different artists on new and improved versions of her back catalogue. Faves like 'Time after Time' and 'True Colours' are finally transformed into the songs that Cyndi probably wanted to release originally. Personal fave is a beautiful new version of 'She Bop' which has been taken down to an almost slow motion reply but it works terrifically. If you love Cyndi's voice you must hear this album...not bad for a 50 year old!

Well that's about it for today...i shall leave you to your listening pleasure and hopefully return on Monday with Part 3 of 'My Kingdom'...

Steve is away this weekend so will not be providing a blog but if someone else wants to have a go please email me as soon as possible..thanx

Neil x

Thursday, November 03, 2005

technophobes delight !



I now have at least seven different ways to listen to music when I wish to. But I do not listen to any more than I did when I only had a couple. In fact I probably actually listen to less now than I used to. When I say listen I mean sit down and enjoy they music, as opposed to just having it on in the background when I am doing one of the other things that I now have time for because technology has freed me up. Or has it? I now spend time thinking about if the bits inside the computer are going to be out of date. After all I have to have the latest I might get left behind. The CD is to most still the modern way to listen and store music. And it will be around for ages but its not cutting edge anymore. Actually there is a fool proof way to tell if you’re at the cutting edge. Check what your parents are using. Once the mobile phone started to be used as an every day item by the older generation you know it’s in the mainstream and due to be replaced.

Cutting edge gadgets also cost more that most are prepared to pay. DVD recorders are a good example you can how get one for under £100. It was only a couple of years ago that it was introduced to the consumer market. And have you noticed how quickly the next generation of replacement stuff come up. Once the 78 rpm disc was standardised it lasted for a decades. Then in the early fifties the microgroove was made possible by advances in plastics. And the LP was born within another ten years stereo was added and the LP was the standard across the world. Philips launched the concept of digital audio and we all laughed. How can you get so much on one small tiny shiny disc? Then DVD came along more storage same size disk. And not just DVD there is many different protocols and formats around. These are about to be replaced with the next generation of technology. Blueray. And so it goes on until our entire media collection is stored in one small box and accessed from anywhere you choose.

There is on problem with all this. I really miss walking into my local record store of a weekend and thumbing through the racks to see what is in stock. I miss album covers and gate fold sleeves. When the change came to CD it just was not the same. And now music can be down loaded the connection is getting less. Don’t get me wrong I download music and I have an MP3 player. I have about 12 gigs of music on my PC and this is where I listen now to most of my music. But because I physically do not have anything to show, no sleeve etc I treat it in a different way. And this worries me I am treating it like a disposable commodity. I have a box in the loft full of singles. These I can get out and relive my college day or any point in my past. My children are going to be able to have a good laugh when I am gone and in a way it’s quite nice to think they will have that. But what will they pass on or even have as a memory to look back on. A hard drive is no good without the bits to connect it to. At least even if my kids can’t find a record player to play my old albums they can look at the sleeve notes and the art work.

Photographs are going the same way. How many times have you been clearing out a cupboard or draw and come across photos of your parents, your childhood, children etc. In the future I the photos survive the computer being replaced or the hard drive dieing most never get printed up. Perhaps we need to rethink the reason why we keep stuff before it’s to late. History is important and I don’t mean the big stuff it’s the little things like family photos and record collections that tend to mean the most to people.
Matt x

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Wanted !

hi all...we have had a couple of hiccups this week on the old blogging front namely to myself not feeling too well and time constraints on others...so what I am looking for are 'bank bloggers', people who wouldn't mind posting a blog just now and then just so we can get something to read on the site every day if possible.

If you feel you would like to be heard then you can always email me a blog for submission at piddy77@ntlworld.com ...when it is posted you can remain anonymous if you wish, i have no problem with that.

I hope to hear from you soon so we can get this blog kickin' ass!

Neil x

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

An important message...

Hi all, as Gina has not sent a blog this week I have bought Lisas forward by a day as I felt it was quite an important message...perhaps we will hear from Gina tomorrow...


Not a light hearted blog this week but I just felt it had to be said this week is anti-bullying week and I just wanted to say a few words as even if no one leaves a comment Neil’s blog has gone over 1000 visitors so this may make a difference to one….



5 things u need2know

· Bullying thrives on silence; people who are being bullied often feel there is nothing to be gained by speaking out against someone who bullies others, therefore allowing it to continue.

· Trying to ignore bullying doesn't always work, but sometimes people get bored if you're indifferent to their teasing.

· If you try and note down instances of when you're being bullied, it can help you if you decide to talk to someone about your situation. Take down details such as when and where you were bullied, what was said or done and who was doing it.

People who get bullied often think they've done something wrong, but it's the person doing the bullying who has the problem.

If you bully others, you should talk to someone you trust to see how you can express what's going on in other ways, before things go too far and a complaint is made against you.


Imagine………
Imagine living with a bully all the time, but being too scared to leave.
Imagine being afraid to go to sleep at night, being afraid to wake in the morning
Imagine being denied food, warmth or sleep
Imagine being punched, slapped, hit, bitten, pinched and kicked.
Imagine being pushed, shoved, burnt, strangled, raped, and beaten.
Imagine having to watch everything you do or say in case it upsets the person you live with – or else you will be punished.
Imagine having to seek permission to go out, to see friends or your family or to give your child a treat.
Imagine being a prisoner in your own home - imagine being timed, when you go out to the shops, or constantly being phoned when you are out to check up on you.
Imagine that you believe what they tell you – that it’s your fault. That if only you were a better mother, father, lover, housekeeper, kept your mouth shut, could only keep the children quiet, dressed how they liked you to, kept in shape, gave up your job – some how things would be better.
Imagine that you don’t know where to get help, what to do, or how to leave.
Imagine being woken in the middle of the night to be shown that the remote control or towels are not where they should be and being told how useless you are.
Imagine that you can’t face the shame of admitting what’s really going on to family or friends.
Imagine the threats if you dare to say you will leave. How could you find the strength to leave? Will you ever be safe?
Imagine being told that you are lucky that they stay with you because no one else would have you because you are worthless and you should be grateful.
Imagine threats to find and kill you and the children wherever you go.
Imagine permanent injury and sometimes death…………………

Lisa x