Andy Ramblings

Butt Ugly!?


Click for bigger image if you dare

Check this out!
A fireball almost destroys a truck somewhere in south Florida. Must be near the Cap or something.

Click here to download (Will open new window)

Browsing around the net as I do and found this site at Techspot . It is basically a review on 3 ergonomical rodents for those who care about how they communicate with their PC.
This one really grabbed my attention by the way in which you hold the mouse is completely different than normal. From the review above, it is also very easy to learn how to use it.
As you can see from the animation it kind of clips on to you hand, you operate it via a tracker ball.
The only downside of this mouse is that it's kind expensive  ($130)( see for US prices )

If that's too pricy you can get a good laser mouse chez logitech.

Now I don't normally talk about football, not being a real fan of the game. So why talk about George Best? Well George is pretty much an Icon in the football world but he is also a Transplant patient, and at the moment he is very ill. I do hope he gets well very soon, but being a transplant patient myself, I fear that he may not. Transplant patients in general have to have their immune system sub-dued in order to protect the transplant, It's basic human reaction to a foreign bodies, it will try and get rid of it.

The other reason why I'm talking about George, is that when ever he is ill, the argument of who should get transplants comes up. George let us not forget, was an alcoholic and this was the cause of his liver failure. He made great strides to cure his alcoholism. This is very hard thing to do, but he managed as well as he could, even in the glare of the public which was both critical of him (check here for different stories, ranging from wife beating, and other mis-demeanours). and praising him. Me personally, I think he has done a fine job, he has been very good, but if you have problems and you are constantly hounded by the Britsh tabloid press (think wolf pack praying on Bambi).

All I can really say is this. George isn't really the best example for the argument of who should and shouldn't get a transplant. He is the way he is, people are like that, we all have problems in life, and really sometimes things can get too much for us an we crack, George was more vulnerable than most of us due to his iconic status in the football world.

Get well soon George!

Ten Top Things That Sound Dirty At The Office, But Aren't:

10. I need to whip it out by 5.
9. Mind if I use your laptop?
8. Put it in my box before you leave.
7. If I have to lick one more, I'll gag!
6. I want it on my desk, NOW!
5. HMMMMMMMMMM, I think it's out of fluid.
4. My equipment is so old it takes forever to finish.
3. It's an entry level position.
2. When do you think you'll be getting off today?
1. It's not fair...I do all the work while he just sits there.

There are 2  security venerabilities discovered in Skype.

1: that will allow a arbitary code to be ecexuted on your PC (Security is a Windows only Risk)

Fix. update to the latest version of Skype.
How: On the skype main window, click on Help, then Click on Check for updates.
This will take you to Skype update page.

More info here, here and here

2: Heap overflow in networking routine, This affects all Versions of Skype on All operatings systems, More info here

Fix: As with above, download the latets update.

Alternativly, Go to the skyp download page here

Well, Here's a another pointless game. Easy to play, darn hard to win. I haven't thus far!
The idea? Get that wee red dof from the start to the finish, Simple...

As some of you know, it was my Birthday earlier this month My present was a whole new website, a whole new server with Reems of space, so much space that I'm wondering how I'll fill it!. No doubt it will fill up!

Anyway, this is also new software, not your old wordpress, your old Blogger, this is Serendipity  A fully customisable blogging software with great flexibility. So you might see things come and go or disappear only to come back a few hours later... bear with me as I settle down in my new mansion ( it is compared to my last site )

So, have a look around, the funuture still needs a bit of sorting, the paint isn't quite dry yet, and oh watch it there, the plaster is still damp, some fresco needs to go there...

Play around, enjoy... and all comments and ideas are welcome.

So far, Anne from something under the bed has been testing it (Thanks)

Again, enjoy.... I hope the that the comments remember who you are, they didn't earlier today for me that is...

In just under a year, firefox (the best browser around) has managed over 100million downloads. If you haven't got it, I suggest clicking on the firefox image on your left and get a copy.
Firefox 1.5 is well on to release candidate early next week, this is when you will be able to play with it with a minimal number of bugs.
I have been using it as my default browser for the last 2 months and I can do nothing but recommend that you get it when it comes out.

Hello World!

 Following on  from here. The London Congestion Charge is a charge, It was brought in to cut both traffic and polution in cental London. If one reads their documentation( Read here ) Nowhere does it claim that it's a TAX, it's a charge that everyone has to pay. I am sure that when UK Diplomats in the US come accross a road that has a toll charge that have to pay.
They should pay like everyone else and stop doing stupid stunts like giving the Journos a copy of their consititution which I have to add is well worthless over here in the UK, but I could be wrong, they may have let loose the idea that we all thought was a joke and that is that the UK IS the 53rd state of the US of A. Well it sure feels that way.

I however think that it is very possible that this could be an Embassy budget cutting exercise, considering that the US economy isn't as all good as that as most of it being wasted on 'other project' that we don't need to go into as they are so well known. Ok, Looking after your own isn't one of them.

So, how fast can you dart a poor sheep before it escapes?
Click image to play

 

Tonights Panorama on the bbc was very interesting. Tonights program was called Blair v Blair, this was about a hypothetical conversations Tony Blair the PM and and Cherie Blair the human rights lawyer.

In a nutshell, after 7/7(2005) (Bombings in London) Blair equates this to New Your 9/11. Sorry, Tony, London has a history of terrorist attacks and attempts of attacks, Guy Fawkes being one of the Attempters.
One of the laws that Tony's Home secertary wants to impliement is the fact that it will be illigal to Glorify a terrorist act. That's Guy Fawkes day up in smoke (bad pun) we will not be able to celebrate that anymore, which mightned be a too bad an idea. As at the moment, Guy fawkes day seems to be any day between 15th of October to 15th November or when all the shops have sold out which ever is the earliest.

Anyway, back to the panorama, Another law that the Police want Charles Clarke enact into law is the right to detain people for upto 90 days without trial, maybe without access to legal help. This look more and more like the failed policy of internment in the early 70's in Northen Ireland, it is widely accepted (well I think it is) that this did nothing to help in stopping the IRA, infact it acted as a great recruiting agent.

Here's the link to the  Blair v Blair Panorama  I don't know if you will be able to see the re-transmission of the program, there is a link on the right to watch the program. I added some comments to the, BBC's your comments  here  My comments are below, incase the BBC doesn't print them.

To those who mention that this is about violence and the incitment of violence, should already be aware that there is already a law against that. The European human rights act is very recent, mid-90's if I'm correct, you may be refering the the UN Human rights act. This program was excellent on several points.

1. It clearly shows that the world is not a safer place since the invasion of Iraq. If it was why would we need these laws.
2. I agree that this is about protecting the UK, however, having a very bad law implace for fighting a tiny minority of the general public that belive me will be used for any excuse to keep any dissenter can be made to keep quiet.
3.  Do not forget, It’s the Police who are asking for these laws... Are the Police accountable to the voters? From what I see, No they are not. Why should we that tax payers put up with a Police force that wants exta powers because they can’t get their evidence right ?

The 3 Jurers in the program witnessed this Police in-effectiveness in action, and decided that they Police had done wrong.

I would prefer to live in a country where justice is done and seen to be done by everyone and not just some sectors of the population.