I am 78% like Nick Barlow

According to the box at the side. This is according to the same site that claims everyone is roughly 80% like Rob Fenwick. A frightening thought indeed.

Where I differ from Nick, of course, is at the time of writing he is having difficulties with his webhost and I'm not. He'll be back soon.

I'm sure everyone interested already knows this, though.

Big brother is watching me!

He must be very bored.

Recent vouchers from Tesco:

• Biscuits
• Cleaning Products
• Salad
• Fresh Yoghurt
• Fresh Eggs
• Jam

What an exciting life I lead!

Photo controversy

SAGGA AGM 2002
.

Amy's comment lead me to disbelieve when this photo was taken. I thought it was on the trip to Southport during the SAGGA AGM at Bispham Hall, but on further reflection it could have been on a SAGGA summer camp some years earlier.

Can anyone help?

Tout choses sont dites deja, mais comme personne n'ecoute, il faut toujours recommencer.
-- A. Gide

PIN panic

Certain up-market tabliods have been predicting armageddon as of midnight just gone. In case you'd missed it, that was the deadline from when you could choose to sign for a transaction with a chip and pin card if you couldn't be bothered remembering your number.

However this is not as implied a sudden pulling out of the rug from under peoples feet. The swicth-off has been advertised for months by banks, on statements and in recorded messages. Every time I ring my bank to pay my credit card off, I get "remember from 14th February you will need to use your PIN to pay". Similar words are printed on every statement. And to top that it takes a special sort of personality to repeatedly say to retailers "I don't know my PIN" without ever getting round to doing somthing about it.

Anyone who has a real reason for not being able to use chip and pin (say the elderly or disabled) can opt for a chip and sig card. So in short anyone who is caught out by this is either lazy, and therefore deserving of any inconvenience they bring upon themseleves, obstinate, or entitled to an exemption.

Some time ago, I made a post about PNS Syndrome. Even this far in to chip and pin I am asked to input my "PIN number". A "PIN Number" is a "Personal Identification Number Number". Which is just plain stupid. "PIN code" is a tautology, but just about acceptable.

Update: Em has had a frustrating time with chip and pin stupidity.

MemeX7

As prompted by Will. Sorry it's work in progress

7 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I DIE

• Pay off the Mortgage
• Get married
• Visit Australia, Africa and South America.
• Attain a lower BMI
• Use Linux at home
• Take two weeks off work to do somthing other than Scouting/Politics
• Write a book

7 THINGS I CANNOT DO(assuming all the stuff I temorarily can't do is cheating)

• Lie with my eyes
• Play any wind instrument
• Put up with snotty customer service operatives
• Intentionally cause suffering
• Avoid running when agitated
• Keep a paper based appointments diary
• Buy imaginative presents

7 THINGS THAT ATTRACT ME TO LONDON

• The tube
• My friends who live there
• The science museum
• Heathrow Airport
• Er
• Um
• Having the opportunity to point out that just about very other British city is better

THINGS I OFTEN SAY

• I expressed myself quite clearly, you just didn’t pay attention.
• We need to be careful about this
• That’s like the pot calling the electric kettle black.
• I did understand the joke, I didn’t laugh because it wasn’t funny
• Ah , OK.
• That's not... quite what I meant.
• Have you brought your subs?

7 BOOKS THAT I LOVE
Like Will I don't often revisit books.

• So long and Thanks for all the Fish - Douglas Adams
• Carter Beats The Devil - Glen David Gold
• Bad Therapy - Matt Jones
• Grub on a Grant - Cas Clarke
• The Mary Whitehouse Experience Encyclopedia
• The Truth - Terry Pratchett
• The Harry Potter Series (Sorry, it's true)

7 MOVIES I WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN
Same deal as the books.

• Back to the future
• The Italian Job
• Highlander
• Office Space
• Flash Gordon (Complete with Overdubed star)
• Short Circuit 2
• Star Trek IV

7 PEOPLE I WANT TO JOIN IN TOO
I think we’ve exhausted LibDemery so:

• Amy (the SAGGA Meme queen)
• Wendy (a rival to the throne)
• Mad(who can send this off in a whole new direction)
• Andy
• Martin
• James
• Andy H

Progress

After a visit to the hospital yesterday I now have a foot I can put a sock and shoe on, even if the pins are still in place and my leg can't bear the whole of my weight. After hopping down from Hartshead reception I was surprised to be immediately called to have the cast removed. After some x-rays I have been booked to return next Thursday to have the pins removed. I may be put in a weight bearing cast next week, or may be properly back on my feet. Ah it's a relief to be able to have a proper bath, if not a shower.

Over last weekend I went for a trip out by train. I observed that many more people gave me the time of day than ususal, some offering to help. There was, however, a small miority who stared at me as if to say "what are you doing out and about cluttering my space." It wasn't as if I got in anyones way, I left the trains last to avoid the crush and always had my ticket ready. But some people seemed to take offense at the idea I could potentially get in their way and hold them up, even if I wasn't doing so.

Working with a broken leg

It's been interesting working with a broken leg. I can get about quite well on my crutches but theres loads you can't do with them that you take for granted. I do have an excuse for putting my feet up in the office.

I have a hospital appointment tomorrow morning, so may have the pins out. Or it may be a few more weeks.

I have been spending money. I get a new washing machine on monday and Dell are building me a laptop. Also investigating doing a spot of painting, just simple emulsioning of walls to start with. And to cap it all yesterday I recieved an interesting little envelope from the elecoral reform society.

Accuracy

Email sent to BBC NEWS regarding their story: Four killed in cartoon protests

I find the description of the controversial cartoons as "Satirising the Prophet Mohammed" unhelpful and inaccurate.

The cartoon at the centre, featuring a man in a turban with a bomb in it is plainly not satirising Mohammed, but those that think they should follow him through violence.

Please pick your words with more care. Also when describing said cartoon please use wording reflecting my more accurate description above.

Oh dear

Successfully gave my PC a "heart transplant" replacing the old worn out power supply with a new one. Unfortunately, it seems to be gradually wearing out all over, as the graphics card has just given up the ghost.

So I'll be offline until further notice.