eddie-brown.net blog

Anybody else having problems with MSN Live/Messenger at the moment?

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Quoting from today’s Times

Before the Freedom of Information Act came into power in 2005, relevant files were released under the 30-year rule as a complete body.

Now, however, the releases are done piecemeal, meaning that secret material relating to controversial issues from three decades ago may escape public attention permanently.

Hmmm, so according to that we can see the uncontroversial stuff immediately, (assuming it wont cost too much - and we know to ask for it), but the other stuff can be kept secret forever. Where as we used to at least see it after 30 years. oops.

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I was going to mention ages ago how I had tired of having a contract phone. Especially an orange contract phone. This Was going to lead me to get a pay as you go phone, and save some dosh….

Well, oops, there has been a change of plan. Orange however I have got shot of (and the attitude of some of their staff stank) and I am now on a Virgin contract, with another new Nokia 6230i (the best - Nokia - phone i could get for free apparently) so i am again committed to ?30 per month. But for the first 10 Carphone Warehouse are giving me ?15 back each month (well, in 3 cheques after 4/8/12 months, or something like that) and I get more minutes than I used to. And its only 12 months. And all this because you can get a flowery Pay-As-You go on Virgin

So maybe in 12 months, i will do something else….

In the meantime, it appears I get 300 texts included each month. WTF do I do with them? I wonder how to hook up one of my old phones to receive them and turn the kettle on for me…..

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I am at work today.

I imagine this is the first time I find myself at work between Christmas and New Year since 1997, and its different now, as that was just a part time job….

But on the upside it is my choice to be here, most people are not, and this means I do not “lose” 3 days of my precious holiday, I have managed to carry forward almost a week to next year, so this is better as I am taking my days more when I want to.

Vicki is off for a week in January in the run up to the Comus Dinner. This means that I will now have at least 2 days off that week, and so we can spend some time in London, being tourists, yet again. And hopefully I’ll have the Wednesday working at home so that I can be there when the shiny new fridge and freezer that we ordered last night turns up (could have had it sooner, but that was the first date I *knew* that at least one of us, if not me too, would be in.

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I’ve had asthma since I was about 8. Its not that big a deal, but I do carry an inhaler with me wherever I go. I don’t use it all that much, but I do have it….

Coupled with Keys, Mobile Phone, Wallet and handkerchief it makes up the constant contents of my pockets.

Yesterday I saw an Asthma Nurse, as having moved, i needed to get an inhaler prescription from my new Doctors Surgery. Strangely she seemed interested in my alcohol consumption, though i suspect that had more to do with me not being asked that during my new patient medical.

My peak flow was impressive, apparently. But my lung function results with my old company medicals were pretty good too. And I know how to use an inhaler, so we were quickly around to just producing a script for the drugs of my choice.

I was prescribed Salbutamol inhalers (Ventolin. Whatever.) and told I could get ventolin from boots. I mentioned that i have always had those, but once i had a 3M inhaler which was smaller (it was also more effective, but i know nothing of CDM) and I was then told the pharmacy within the surgery supplies this really small one. its at least a full centimetre shorter than the Ventolin ones…. so off I went.

And it is a really cute inhaler.

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Its the Zipka Plus that I would prefer. I sometimes forget which Petzl head torch I am after, but that is the one. basically so i can have a small head torch for emergency use. and for emergencies it needs to be small enough that I have it on me when i need it.

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I’ll post about work related posts later. But in the meantime….

It seems that the company I work for wants more employees “Up North”.

This is a good thing from my point of view

If any of my friends are looking for a job, I recommend at least looking at Beechwood. Not that I am, cos I am really happy where I am. But one of their adverts (well, it probably wasn’t that one) in the IET has made a lot of changes in my life in the last 6 months.

If you really want to know who I work for, then drop me a line….

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As Nia has helpfully pointed out, there are some fantastic dilemma’s whilst writing out Christmas cards. But one also needs to consider the address on the front of the envelope, a well as to whom, and from whom the card should be addressed.

So if you have moved home, then you won’t be getting a card from me, unless you tell me where you have gone to…

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Do you think he will take any notice of a pettition of ID Cards? But I suppose it is worth a punt.

I don’t even have to think about civil libertires before i think it is a stupid idea. I don’t want to purchase 1/60,000,000th of this pointless white elephant.

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