Edinburgh

The day I met Tony Blair

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Well excitement for me! I ended up saying meeting Tony Blair on the steps of the Hilton Caledonian in Edinburgh yesterday!!! Yeppo, it was me! I said hello, he said hello, it was like a big party! I must admit to being in a small state of shock because in person he doesn’t look like such a pathetic wimp. It’s true, in real life he actually looks a bit like the devil and has much more stature. Gotta admit, he does look like the type of chap you could actually sit down and share a coffee with. I mean, try to imagine sitting down with the quiet man, Mr. Duncan Smith, you would want to top yourself after two minutes of shitty conversation.

War, ugh, what is it good for? Well, absolutely not the economy or world peace! The NY Times this morning points out that America does require at least another Month to get the troops to the frontline, although a bombing capaign could be launched in the first of March. The other point they make is that the US is reluctant to go it alone and may be able to use the monthly Mr. Blix reporting as a way to build a trend of total non-compliance which seems to be a good ploy. How many times does Mr. Blix have to come back to the Secruity Council saying more could be done before the world representatives are backed into a corner?

About the war protests today. Even my brother is going to London to march for the antiwar sentiment. I applaud all those people going and if you think you don’t have democracy here, remember that in New York City today, the protesters have been denied a permit to March, are only allowed on sidewalks (kerb to you limies) for a rally, and the police have encapsulated the protesters into an area that only holds 10,000 people rather than the 100,000+ coming. Makes you wonder about all the hype surrouding freedom and democracy…..Check out this article providing an American viewpoint to how important the London protest is as it could deny Tony Blair concensus in his own country…

And just to make you laugh at those twits at Salon:
“SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 14 (AP) � The Salon Media Group, the online magazine publisher, warned today that it might not survive beyond this month if it cannot raise more money to pay its rent and other bills.The company, based in San Francisco, painted a grim financial picture in a quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Things are so bad, Salon said, that it stopped paying the rent for its headquarters in December, prompting the landlord to issue a demand last month for a $200,000 payment.”

Well, Well, Well. NationStates continues to be a prime activity for me these days and my republic is a happy, joyous land of 40 million people.

This is pretty funny. I have found an English to 12 year old AOLer translator. Quite a good joke.

One last note. Why not visit the official WhiteHouse site and get a glimpse of what truly is going on at www.whitehouse.org

A Letter to Europe – Especially the UK

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Although I have been lacking in links to cool and new websites, things have taken a turn for the worse. Constantly in Edinburgh and across the company I work for, persons have been asking me if the USA represents my beliefs. Well, I guess can dispell the notions; but it becomes very iritating to be a voice-piece for the interpretation of American ideals. Ask not what you have done for your country, but ask why you have done it. I hate to use the allmighty arguement along the lines of comparison, but I do believe if more people had experiences abroad, especialy the economically underpriveldged, understanding and sympathy would be in the air.

Enough of my rant, things will get better post GW. If GW persists in power for another four years it is just a sign of popular discontent with crap econmic and social conditions. After one boom and bust cycle, my retirement might see one more. I hope to be on the good side.

Four colour world

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Mark Millar, writer of some of the best (and best selling) superhero books of the moment is certain that we’re not just living in the future, we’re living in a comic book.

…a doctor friend of mine was telling me that six Muslim extremists had been arrested in Edinburgh last week before they could scatter anthrax over our country’s major New Year’s Eve celebrations from hang-gliders. All that’s missing from these scenarios is the eleven-page brawl and the witty one-liners…

Ho Ho Ho

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Damn she was fine…..

Merry Christmas and all that jazz. Edinburgh was awash in Santa hats and expensive packages for the gift of giving. I have been busily reading away at North Koreas latest move into the nuclear arms race. Very interesting stuff and I believe they are just “messin” with the good old boys in Washington, but it paints a very frightful picture of the world. Things can change so quickly and something must be done about how agressive the US has become. Call me an ex-pat bleeding heart liberal but about 4 years back the last thing on the public radar was global war. What is a peace loving hippy like myself to do?

1988pw (pre web)

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Ian God bless you are finally safe and home in the Lakes! I will see you on the other side.

So once more I will spout useless artifacts from the web. I have found the Lord and he is resting on emulation sites. Before all this hab-dashery of the web junk there was true dial-up!!!! No, I pledge, it was devoted to useless children of an ungodly age, read fifteen, a place online where all the hearts where content!

Anyone remember Telnet and it’s god-awful approach to BBS’ing and long distance phone calls. I need more RBBS-PC in my life without the price of phone calls. Beejeebus, get me some 1200bps modems and a x286 box running a 40meg drive and I will be happy. Things are much too complicated in the internet land.

On a serious note, before Blogger, geeks had the right to customise their gear and try to get the most hits via the old fashioned telephone.

Can anyone name me one of the best online games from the 1989 days? I thought not……..Just a quick challenge – Send me five and I will send you an Edinburgh Scotland Fringe Festival T-Shirt. No cheating over the old google, as a few of us old dogs remember our day.

Jack Frost

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Edinburgh is coated with a deep white frost this morning and it feels marvelous! All the way to the office humming christmas carols and thinking about baking some cookies tonight. The office is nearly empty as all have bade farewell until January and the jovial spirit if those remaining makes it fun to be at work.

“My God, John O, you must have gone mad, far to happy for this time of year”, you say? No not really. After four years of living down south and the Northwest, this is the first time I feel as though its Christmas. People are far more festive in Scotland and to some degree it is infectous. I even have a cold, afresh with runny nose and sinus that makes my head feel like exploding. What else says cold weather and warm hot toddies, possibly some mulled wine sitting in front of an open fire?

It will all be over to quickly, and those New Year resolutions will be meaningless by Monday, 6th January, 2003, but for most people this holiday isn’t even about religion anymore. It is an opportunity to stop with busy lives and enjoy some downtime. Getting out of bed late for the next two weeks and not having to rush about will be the best thing ever. I have decided that me and Christmas Holidays are super-dooper-bestest friends. Oh and I forgot to mention, unlike you uncivlised people elsewhere, 2nd January is also a holiday! Take that London!

Proceed with caution

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Yes indeed. Do not get extremely drunk and then attempt to blog. What was i thinking. The shopping here in Edinburgh is insane! I have not seen such activity since my mom and dad used to take us into New York City! Truly amazing. Saw James Bond movie last night for the second time, and I must admit the whole thing wasn’t very impressive. Also, I couldn’t figure out why everyone thinks Halle Berry is the business. She really is just another good looking skinny girl with ample flesh in the right places!

Mia Culpa: not

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ok. so you source out resouces to make a task work. Prince2 readers will no doubt find this completely assinine.

Been out in Edinburgh tonight and have noticed hilarity ensues as always. Why is when I dress like a bum people don’t hesitate to give me money?

Change business structure, integrity and incorporate some flat out rules – you end up with Ians worst nightmare! All jokes aside, someone tried to appoint me as a primary business resource only though I have been at the company two months.

The dark overlord, supreme commanfer, number one at helm of this blog will testffy that idiotic corporate notions cannot be met. Hence my fear. I wish I was M. Frost, thus negating the need for something better than sliced bread.

PS to Ians Mother: Good job. I think he is a good ‘un. Mrs.Pattinson I am drunk

Edinburgh Blazes

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As one of the fools listening to Bill McHenry’s band last Saturday night at Henry’s Jazz Celler in Edinburgh, and although Bill McHenry deserves his title as the best sax player in New York City right now, the Edinburgh blaze was amazing. At about 10:30pm after piling out of Henry’s, you could actually see the sky alight in flames from the buildings on fire. A couple of hundred people stood outside and watched for hours and there where a lot of hugs and tears as well.

The bad news: the area has been sealed off as a possible crime scene. The Good News: An international relief fund to rebuild the eleven buildings will start next week. In addition the council has decided to retain the fronts of the buildings for rebuilding and it looks as though Old Town will rule yet again. I must say that overall it is a pretty horrific site, and today, what’s left of the buildings will be torn down. The fire trucks and police still have the area cordoned off, but shops and people are starting to open around the area again. I will truly miss the Bridge Jazz Bar, a favourite haunt for festival goers and residents alike, as it is completely destroyed.

Breakfast News

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The Klan is going to America’s Supreme Court to contest that cross burning isn’t illegal. In the spirit of free speech, this is true, it’s the ideology and hatred behind the desire to burn crosses at a political rally or on a black neighbour’s lawn that should be illegal.

Terrorists could get biological weapons from University research labs. Hell, they could get some pretty nasty stuff from most student kitchens.

Historic buildings face demolition after the fire in Edinburgh. Hopefully what goes up in their place will retain some of the character of the old town.

This entry was posted in Croydon Edinburgh Fiction Manchester on by


Seeds–

Kess had filled two small canvas bags with fine gravel and settled his rifle on them. The wind had picked up, so he clicked the scope offset up two. Squeezing the front bag shifted the target back into view. The autogunner in the far guard tower could strafe the whole assembly area, and had become the first target. There was another tower by the gate, target two, and two guards walking the perimeter. They were closer and presented easier shots.

Lensman had made position and signalled that Kess was gun free. He centred the scope dot on the autogunner�s head, exhaled slowly and began applying pressure to the trigger. Before the last of his breath had gone, he bought the trigger home. The report seemed so loud up close, but there were trees to deaden the sound, and the river would cover it as well. He brought the scope back into line and counted. On the second count, the autogunner�s head disappeared in a haze and his body slumped away.

Kess had ever seen the effect of any bullet on a human body, let alone one of his monstrous one digit shells. He put the disgust aside, fed another round into the breech and brought the second guard tower into view. He clicked the gravity adjust back up a couple and centred on this guard�s chest. Another breath out and the shot was away. He didn�t wait to see the effects of this round, shifting quickly to the nearer of the guards.

Boss Tunage- Wonderstuff- If The Beatles Had Read Hunter… The Singles, Wonderstuff- Eight Legged Groove Machine (I know I listened to this a few days ago, but I have two copies, this is the remastered one with extra tunes, Kingmaker- Sleepwalking (listed on amazon, but as unavailable. Come on, someone re release this, please. I spent six months of last year visiting record shops from Southampton to Edinburgh, via Croydon, Soho, Manchester and Cardiff trying to find a copy. In the end someone had to copy it for me. Definitely an argument in here somewhere for the music biz to set up their own cheap [pennies per song] online database of out of circulation music. Rant over.)

This entry was posted in Croydon Edinburgh Leicester List london on by

It’s nearly New Year. I’m going to be so glad to see the back of 2001. It had such promise early in the year, but that all gave way to disappointments, frustration and bad management.

I’m into the final straight of my 3 1/2 + years employment with The Gas, my absolute final day has been set as 15th February. Tthough the way things tend to work out, that’ll probably become some time in March. There are a few people I’ll miss, and one ex-manager who I’ll be glad to never see again (though someone with a mysterious resemblance to her will be popping up in The Eliza Effect- why make up idiot managers when you have such a rich source making your life hell.) It feels wierd, and a little scary, but it’s past time to move on.

List time (it is the end of the year, after all)-

Places I’ll gladly never visit again-

Southampton

Barnet

Solihull

Staines

Leicester

Places I’d happily return to under other circumstances-

Cardiff

Edinburgh

London

Undecided-

Croydon

Richmond

Kingston

Observations-

If someone wants you sacked for another person’s mistakes, you’re probably in the wrong company.

Never promise more than you can deliver, and bitch slap anyone who does it for you.

In this networked world, why did I have to drive over 10,000 miles in the last six months?

Resolution-

Happier, healthier, wiser.