June 24, 2003
It's about time...
... that the law enforced a ban on using a cellphone while drving. I see so many people on their phones while driving that it is obviously becoming endemic and it's time something was done to stop it.
Luckily, the government have actually listened to people on this one and have decided to enact a law banning cellphone use while driving.
This is a seriously good move IMHO. I've been a passenger in cars when the driver has picked up their cellphone and there's no way they're concentrating on their driving. I've even been in a car with someone with 2 phones and they've been talking on one (hands-free) and texting on another which, at 90MPH, is seriously scary believe me.
June 20, 2003
How far down does the rabbithole go?
Further than I first thought it appears...
Turns out that the guy who is doing the "study" into where the combined dept should be is actually the live-in lover of the woman who heads up the other part of the team, already in the south.
So, thats another reason to put it down there... He won't want to be upsetting his girlfriend now, would he?
Well well well. Another little factoid to add to the case for constructive dismissal when that no doubt comes up.
June 19, 2003
The North / South divide.
... exists. Yes, it does! Eddie Izzard said so on Mongrel Nation. So there...
Anyway. I guess I am now officially a victim of the North/South divide in this silly country. I have been given a "move south or else" dictum by the powers that be in the company I work for (you note I am careful about not saying who this is). Essentially, I have been told that the dept I run and another are being merged together and will be moved into the Southern office. So, I'd better find somewhere in the South to live or else.
Thing is, I kinda like it up here in the North West. Salaries may be lower but the standard of living is higher simply becuase there is less pollution on the whole and house prices aren't anything like as insane compared to the South East and London.
Anyway. Lots of warm words today by the guy who's doing the "study" into whether the combined function will be in the north or the south. He's assured me that, if the business case supports it, the function will stay in the North rather than moving. I'm not so sure. The way this was presented to me by the MD was it was a done deal and the dept was moving south.
So, I guess we'll see what happens. I will be away when the final decision is being made (another example of suspicious timing) so right now fully expect to return to a dept moving south.
I'm not proud. I used to stack shelves in the wines and sprits dept of ASDA and could do that again. Wouldn't exactly pay the bills though... :(
Anyone want to offer me a job?
June 18, 2003
w00t!
At last... someone has updated the Matrix Reloaded script so we can understand it's true meaning! :)
June 15, 2003
Harry Potter and the...
... Royal Mail Rotter...
Looks like some people may be disappointed next weekend when they expect their new Harry Potter book to arrive. The Royal Mail in Scotland have said it may be a health and safety issue.
Apparently the posties there have a 16Kg limit on the amount of post they can carry and the book weighs in at 1Kg on it's own!
Ah well, C has already reserved her copy at the local bookstore so she can have something to read on the plane...
June 11, 2003
Leave it alone!
A British designer wants to change the UK Union Flag. As this flag is nearly 400 years old (in 2006) it appears to have stood the test of time and should be left alone. IMHO anyway.
June 7, 2003
The Money Pit
While this is the name of a movie, it is also what our house is. No sooner do you think you've got something sorted out than something else that needs fixing pops up it's ugly little head.
I spend my weekends attempting to fix stuff while C isn't around. A couple of weeks ago it was the creaky upstairs landing floor which actually stopped squeaking for a (short) while. It is now back with a vengance and I don't know how to fix it.
I now note that the bathroom, which was expensively fixed at the beginning of last year, is leaking again from round the bath. I noticed the water spot on the ceiling this morning. So, again, the silicone is out and I'm hoping this fixes it. Otherwise all the bottom row of tiles around the bath will have to come off and it'll have to be done properly.
Now, we've profited from the property bubble which appears to still be expanding in the UK. We bought the house for around 60% less than it is now worth so we're still in profit even after all the work we've done...
- Double Glazing installed, inc new door
- Central Heating installed
- New Bathroom installed
- New Kitchen installed
... but I'm really starting to wonder if this is a war we're going to lose. The houses round here don't appear to be particularly well-made.
In fact, one of our neighbours had to have their house completely rewired. For houses which are only around 20 years old this is pretty shoddy. We don't really do class actions like our North American cousins though so we're probably going to have to suffer.
We still have quite a bit of work to do to the house. It still needs a new fireplace (the old fire (Natural Gas heater for North Americans) was ripped out by firemen when we had a fire light *under* the fire and we couldn't put it out) and we need to finish decorating the kitchen.
I am seriously starting to think that we should finish decorating the kitchen and get a reasonably cheapo fire to go in the existing (awful) fireplace then start to think about selling up and moving to Canada.
At least we'd get our full investment back and some profit if we could sell!