30 November 2003
Rita's Birthday Bash
This weekend saw the gathering of our family to celebrate Rita's birthday. Trixie hosted the event and the two days went well although not everyone felt brilliant on Sunday morning! Food and drink was in abundance and a goodtime was had by all.
28 November 2003
Marion Grainger
Marion Grainger passed away at 7pm Thursday 20th November. Marion had suffered from Raynaud's disease for a long long time but during the last few months it and other problems became very serious. Marion was admitted to the RSH six weeks ago but it soon became apparent that the doctors could do very little to help.
Marion's great passion was the Medau Movement. Ginia became a student when we first moved to the village twenty years ago and was a member of her display team.
The funeral took place 10.00 Hrs Thursday 27th November at Guildford Crematorium. It was well attended and everyone was invited back to the family home for refreshments by Simon and Carol.
Crematorium
Flowers
Marion's great passion was the Medau Movement. Ginia became a student when we first moved to the village twenty years ago and was a member of her display team.
The funeral took place 10.00 Hrs Thursday 27th November at Guildford Crematorium. It was well attended and everyone was invited back to the family home for refreshments by Simon and Carol.
Crematorium
Flowers
23 November 2003
Eye Test
If you take a look at the following picture , let me assure you ... it is not animated. Your eyes are making it move. To test this, stare at one spot for a couple seconds and everything will stop moving. Or look at the black centre of each circle and it will stop moving. But move your eyes to the next black centre and the previous will move after you take your eyes away from it....
Eye Test
Eye Test
The Telegraph editorial on the Rugby Final
20 November 2003
A broadband trigger level has been set at last.
18 November 2003
Big Blue Internet is having a major moment,
It is not able to access major parts of the internet especially all the btopenworld sites and that is where my e-mail resides!
17 November 2003
Extracted from Fred Langa's newsletter:
A Programmer and an Engineer are sitting next to each other on a long flight from LA to Paris.
The Programmer leans over to the Engineer and asks if he would like to play a fun game.
The Engineer just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.
The Programmer persists and explains that the game is real easy and a lotta fun. He explains "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $5."
Again, the Engineer politely declines and tries to get to sleep. The Programmer, now somewhat exasperated, says, "OK, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50!"
This catches the Engineer's attention, and he sees no end to this torment unless he plays, so he agrees to the game. The Programmer asks the first question. "What's the exact distance from the earth to the moon?"
The Engineer doesn't say a word, but reaches into his wallet, pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to the Programmer. Now, it's the Engineer's turn. He asks the Programmer "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down on four?"
The Programmer looks over at him with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all of his references. He taps into the Airphone with his modem and searches the net and the Library of Congress.
Frustrated, he sends e-mail to his co-workers -- all to no avail. After about an hour, he wakes the Engineer and hands him $50.
The Engineer politely takes the $50 and turns away to try to get back to sleep.
The Programmer, more than a little miffed, shakes the Engineer and asks "Well, so what's the answer?"
Without a word, the Engineer reaches into his wallet, hands the Programmer $5, and turns away to get back to sleep.
The Programmer leans over to the Engineer and asks if he would like to play a fun game.
The Engineer just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.
The Programmer persists and explains that the game is real easy and a lotta fun. He explains "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $5."
Again, the Engineer politely declines and tries to get to sleep. The Programmer, now somewhat exasperated, says, "OK, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50!"
This catches the Engineer's attention, and he sees no end to this torment unless he plays, so he agrees to the game. The Programmer asks the first question. "What's the exact distance from the earth to the moon?"
The Engineer doesn't say a word, but reaches into his wallet, pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to the Programmer. Now, it's the Engineer's turn. He asks the Programmer "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down on four?"
The Programmer looks over at him with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all of his references. He taps into the Airphone with his modem and searches the net and the Library of Congress.
Frustrated, he sends e-mail to his co-workers -- all to no avail. After about an hour, he wakes the Engineer and hands him $50.
The Engineer politely takes the $50 and turns away to try to get back to sleep.
The Programmer, more than a little miffed, shakes the Engineer and asks "Well, so what's the answer?"
Without a word, the Engineer reaches into his wallet, hands the Programmer $5, and turns away to get back to sleep.
Happy Birthday Jules
After yesterday's excellent "Bit of a do" in the Fox we have to have another go tonight!
You can view the album at: Jules Bash Pictures
Double left click a tumbnail then use the arrows to navigate through the pictures. Use: view full screen at bottom right to enlarge images.
You can view the album at: Jules Bash Pictures
Double left click a tumbnail then use the arrows to navigate through the pictures. Use: view full screen at bottom right to enlarge images.
15 November 2003
Happy Wedding Aniversary
Jules & Sandra have a happy 34th wedding aniversary.
VERY SERIOUS QUESTIONS.
Would you rather die by being run over by a bus,
catching fire, drowning, or falling out of a plane? Described as a
"Playground Of The Mind". Twisted Questions asks for your input.
catching fire, drowning, or falling out of a plane? Described as a
"Playground Of The Mind". Twisted Questions asks for your input.
14 November 2003
I bet you don't know anybody who is remotely like this!
TEMPO SLOWS AT FRONT OF OPEN 60 MONOHULL FLEET...
The front runners in the Open 60 monohull fleet have had their speeds checked as the winds go light approaching the Doldrums... TEAM COWES 24 hour run reduced by 26 miles on the previous 24 hours but is minimal compared to Virbac's 24 hour run - only 235 miles in the last 24 hours compared to 323 miles on the previous day...
* TEAM COWES GAIN ON 67 MILES ON LEADER IN LAST 24 HOURS - TRICKY DOLDRUMS CROSSING AHEAD... Virbac skipper Jean-Pierre Dick said "our lead could melt like snow"... Summing up the concerns of the leaders as the chasing boats maintain higher speeds but TEAM COWES skippers not anticipating an easy crossing: "The doldrums is looming ahead of us and it is looking like the crossing is not going to be easy...even Meeno (our weather router) is sounding nervous about it."
* FORECAST...the Doldrums is a notoriously unstable area situated just north of the Equator. The north-east trades settled in the North Atlantic meet the south-east trades in the South Atlantic - the effect is a cancellation of the wind but not always. Other weather systems do influence the area adding to the complexity of sailing in this part of the ocean. TEAM COWES still furthest boat to the west is going for speed the whole time staying as close to the leaders as possible who are all east of the rhumb line...
* SIMILAR SCENARIO IN THE 60-FOOT MULTIS...as Ellen MacArthur and Alain Gautier cover 416 miles in last 24 hours compared to 310 miles of leader Groupama... Groupama's average boat speed in the last 4 hours is 12.9 knots [considered slow for these boats!] as Foncia gains the edge racing at 17.4 knots. Foncia, still in 11th place, is now south of the Cape Verde Islands having kept the group of islands to port yesterday as some boats chose to navigate through the islands. MacArthur now looking to find different tactical option ahead as way to catch up knowing that the window of opportunity begins to fade once the front runners are through the Doldrums...
Team Ellen's website
* TEAM COWES GAIN ON 67 MILES ON LEADER IN LAST 24 HOURS - TRICKY DOLDRUMS CROSSING AHEAD... Virbac skipper Jean-Pierre Dick said "our lead could melt like snow"... Summing up the concerns of the leaders as the chasing boats maintain higher speeds but TEAM COWES skippers not anticipating an easy crossing: "The doldrums is looming ahead of us and it is looking like the crossing is not going to be easy...even Meeno (our weather router) is sounding nervous about it."
* FORECAST...the Doldrums is a notoriously unstable area situated just north of the Equator. The north-east trades settled in the North Atlantic meet the south-east trades in the South Atlantic - the effect is a cancellation of the wind but not always. Other weather systems do influence the area adding to the complexity of sailing in this part of the ocean. TEAM COWES still furthest boat to the west is going for speed the whole time staying as close to the leaders as possible who are all east of the rhumb line...
* SIMILAR SCENARIO IN THE 60-FOOT MULTIS...as Ellen MacArthur and Alain Gautier cover 416 miles in last 24 hours compared to 310 miles of leader Groupama... Groupama's average boat speed in the last 4 hours is 12.9 knots [considered slow for these boats!] as Foncia gains the edge racing at 17.4 knots. Foncia, still in 11th place, is now south of the Cape Verde Islands having kept the group of islands to port yesterday as some boats chose to navigate through the islands. MacArthur now looking to find different tactical option ahead as way to catch up knowing that the window of opportunity begins to fade once the front runners are through the Doldrums...
Team Ellen's website
13 November 2003
A POEM FOR "OLDER" COMPUTER USERS
A Computer was something on TV
From a Science Fiction show of note
A Window was something you hated to clean
And Ram was the father of a goat.
Meg was the name of a girlfriend
And Gig was a job for the nights
Now they all mean different things
And that really Mega Bytes.
An Application was for employment
A Program was a TV show
A Cursor used profanity
A Keyboard was a piano.
A Memory was something that you lost with age
A CD was a bank account
And if you had a 3-inch floppy
You hoped nobody found out.
Compress was something you did to the garbage
Not something you did to a file
And if you Unzipped anything in public
You'd be in jail for a while.
Log on was adding wood to the fire
Hard drive was a long trip on the road
A Mouse pad was where a mouse lived
And a Backup happened to your commode.
Cut you did with a pocket knife
Paste you did with glue
A Web was a spider's home
And a Virus was the flu.
I guess I'll stick to my pad and paper
And the Memory in my head.
I hear nobody's been killed in a Computer crash
But when it happens they wish they were dead
The poem is via my old oppo Micheal Hegarty who also reminded me of the clock!
A google search reveals that the poem may have been around a few years in the form "A Poem for Computer Users Over 30/40/50/", who knows?
12 November 2003
The Communications Revolution
The broadband revolution continues around us in Rudgwick as does DTT (Digital Terrestial Televison) and DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) and older technology like FM radio is a bit iffey!
If you type your exchange into the link below you'll see if broadband is for you. I am not keen on the "Not Viable" label for Rudgwick.
ADSLguide: BT ADSL Demand Tracker - Exchange Data
But you can register your interest here:
Broadband in Rudgwick, West Sussex, UK, Local Internet
In the meantime I continue to use:
Big Blue Internet - Cheap Internet Access, 0808 0800 dial-up, 128k ISDN, ADSL, Flat Rate, FRIACO
What is FRIACO?
It is Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination; a complete solution for unmetered Internet access. For more info:
Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications - News
If you type your exchange into the link below you'll see if broadband is for you. I am not keen on the "Not Viable" label for Rudgwick.
ADSLguide: BT ADSL Demand Tracker - Exchange Data
But you can register your interest here:
Broadband in Rudgwick, West Sussex, UK, Local Internet
In the meantime I continue to use:
Big Blue Internet - Cheap Internet Access, 0808 0800 dial-up, 128k ISDN, ADSL, Flat Rate, FRIACO
What is FRIACO?
It is Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination; a complete solution for unmetered Internet access. For more info:
Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications - News
11 November 2003
For the Seafarers:
* ELLEN MACARTHUR & ALAIN GAUTIER tough 24 hours...after choosing not to sail between the Canary Islands yesterday morning as concerns grew about the inconsistency of the wind - Foncia left the islands to port and immediately ran out of wind. At one point yesterday afternoon the 60-foot multihull was only making 0.98 knots of speed going nowhere. MacArthur and Gautier were averaging 7 knots of boat speed in the last 24 hours compared to 20 knots average by current leader Groupama.
Team Ellen's website
Team Ellen's website
Telegraph | Connected | Perfect vision, at a blink
This article is posted especially for Ginia!
P.S. 2215 Hrs I just found out that you may have to register with the Telegraph to get access to this article. I was a founder member and I have not been inundated with lots of unsolicited e-mails but be careful to read the "check boxes" if you do register! It was the first proper on-line newspaper and still is the best.
This article is posted especially for Ginia!
P.S. 2215 Hrs I just found out that you may have to register with the Telegraph to get access to this article. I was a founder member and I have not been inundated with lots of unsolicited e-mails but be careful to read the "check boxes" if you do register! It was the first proper on-line newspaper and still is the best.
10 days weather forecast for Horsham and district:
Headache or hangover rub this on your forehead for instant relief:
Extracted from Fred Langa's newsletter:
Do you keep falling asleep in meetings and seminars? What about those long and boring conference calls? Here's a way to change all of that.
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5"x5" is a good size.
Divide the card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one inch blocks.
2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block
a. synergy
b. strategic fit
c. core competencies
d. best practice
e. bottom line
f. revisit
g. expeditious
h. to tell you the truth (or "the truth is")
i. 24/7
j. out of the loop
k. benchmark
l. value-added
m. proactive
n. win-win
o. think outside the box
p. fast track
q. result-driven
r. empower (or empowerment)
s. knowledge based
t. at the end of the day
u. touch base
v. mindset
w. client focus(ed)
x. paradigm
y. game plan
z. leverage
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout "Bullhockey!"
Testimonials from satisfied "Bullhockey Bingo" players:
-- "I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won."- Adam W., Atlanta
-- "My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically."- David T., Florida
-- "What a gas! Meetings will never be the same for me after my first win."- Dan J., New York City
-- "The atmosphere was tense in the last process meeting as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben G., Denver
-- "The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed 'Bullhockey!' for the third time in two hours."
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5"x5" is a good size.
Divide the card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one inch blocks.
2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block
a. synergy
b. strategic fit
c. core competencies
d. best practice
e. bottom line
f. revisit
g. expeditious
h. to tell you the truth (or "the truth is")
i. 24/7
j. out of the loop
k. benchmark
l. value-added
m. proactive
n. win-win
o. think outside the box
p. fast track
q. result-driven
r. empower (or empowerment)
s. knowledge based
t. at the end of the day
u. touch base
v. mindset
w. client focus(ed)
x. paradigm
y. game plan
z. leverage
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout "Bullhockey!"
Testimonials from satisfied "Bullhockey Bingo" players:
-- "I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won."- Adam W., Atlanta
-- "My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically."- David T., Florida
-- "What a gas! Meetings will never be the same for me after my first win."- Dan J., New York City
-- "The atmosphere was tense in the last process meeting as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben G., Denver
-- "The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed 'Bullhockey!' for the third time in two hours."
