Merry Christmas!

I had a wonderful Christmas. I hope you all did too.

I've been banned by Samizdata.Net!

So for the first time in a long while I try to post a comment to Libertarian Samizdata and get the message that I've been banned. I've no idea why; I've had no email from them. I can only presume some previous user of my IP address was a spammer. But I've been on NTL for 3 years now, with mostly the same IP address, so they're a bunch of tossers for keeping the ban so long.

A tale of two carol services

I attended two carol services this week. One at work and one at St Magnus Martyr in London with the Fishmongers.

The one at work was given by children from a local school and they sang while we had mulled wine and mince pies. The wine was dreadful. The children sang really well, and the carols were a mixture of traditional and modern 'happy-clappy' carols. The traditional carols were excellent, but the modern ones did not take my fancy at all. The music teacherdid a couple of solos and he was crap. He didn't take into account the acoustics of the building at all. And he sang in the happy-clappy manner.

The service in London was excellent: it was full blown service with choristers and traditional carols. The congregation (i.e. us) sang most of the carols but we paused a couple of times and the choristers sang. And they were excellent. Then we repaired to Fishmongers' Hall for nibbles and wine. Lovely.

Her name is Georgina

Welcome to the world, Georgina! There are such wonders in store for you.

I'm an uncle again

Isn't she gorgeous?

I flew to see her yesterday, and back today. I spent a long time simply sitting and holding her in my arms and when you're like that, you know that despite the bad weather outside, there's nothing wrong with the world.

Bill's back!

And he's written a long one.

Idiot cyclist

I saw a cyclist get bumped today. It was about 17:30 and dark, and the moron was wearing dark clothing (no high-visibility jacket or anything), had no helmet,was weaving around the traffic, and was riding far too close to the cars. He tried to undertake a car and got brushed. Fortunately it was only a little bump, but had he been run over, I'd be willing to stand up in court and say it was the cyclist's fault. Hopefully the idiot has learned his lesson.

Halloween: nobody came.

There was me all togged up with plenty of chocolate to disburse and nobody came. Not one trick-or-treater. Well, it looks like all that chocolate's for me!

New toy alert!

I've gone and got myself an Inverto PVR. I ordered it from Boots' website on Sunday. I was less than impressed when it only came today.

Eating out

Just had a gorgeous steak at The Wyvern. Lovely meat, lovely sauce. Pity they default to chips; their mashed potato is so much better.

And I've a new toy on the way.

Paging Misty

Look ye here! Very cool.

Ofcom replied

And I wasn't fobbed off. It was a well-written and thoughtful reply, with which I thoroughly disagreed.

Holiday!

Three weeks away from work! Well, it would be nice if my aged aunt weren't seriously ill. Still, I've got loads to do around the house.

Digital radio

About a week ago I purchased a cheap DAB radio. It's very good. The best feature: the alarm that operates weekdays only.

The Three Things Meme

Directly cribbed from Misty, but I don't think she'll mind.

1. Things that scare me
Bees & wasps & the like.
Creepy-crawlies.
The prospect of long-term loneliness.

2. People who make me laugh
The Two Ronnies.
Yes, Minister.
Actually, most people, really.

3. Things I hate
Bullies
Cruelty
Pettiness.

4. Things I don't understand
How to tell a joke.
Bigotry.
Women.

5. Things I'm doing right now.
Enjoying the day.
Writing this!
Waiting for the kettle to boil

6. Things I want to do before I die
See another eclipse
Learn to fly.
Travel widely.

7. Things I can do
Fix computers (a large hammer helps) & computer-type stuff.
Proofread / copyedit.
Get things done.

8. Ways to describe my personality.
Honest & loving.
Aspergers (near enough).
Different.

9. Things I can't do
Tell jokes.
Spend money recklessly.
Run - much (I'm far too unfit).

10. Things to which you should listen
Classical music.
Other people.
Nature.

11. Things you to which you should never listen
Anyone urging you to do ill.

12. Things I'd like to learn
Women.
To fly a plane.
To skydive.

13. Favourite foods
My mother's cooking
Tzatziki
Roast beef with all the trimmings.

14. Beverages I drink regularly
Coffee / Tea
Water
Wine

15. Shows I watched as a kid
Dr Who
Star Trek
Tom & Jerry.

So I complained to Ofcom

At 21:02 the other night, I happened to switch on BBC 1, only to see full frontal female nudity - actually, a man in a fatsuit, but near enough. I felt it was a little too near the watershed for that sort of thing. So I complained. It will be interesting to see the reaction.

Who burnt the toast?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5289862.stm

Bad drivers

I still haven't got my driving confidence back after I was rear-ended two years ago, and today didn't help. A nice short two and a half mile trip, and people don't bother stopping at roundabouts: two tossers shot out straight in front of me. I'm not in a hurry to kill myself but idiots like these make it just that bit more difficult.

My nephew

My nephew. Isn't he cute? He's 4.

Ants!

Anyone know the best way to rid a garden of a large infestation of ants?