Vile

“Those of a nervous disposition may wish to look away now”

Those with a dubious, vile, bodily-function-based sense of humour should instead head for this week’s Scaryduck story. I’ve just about broken a rib trying hard not to laugh out loud while at work. This is why the man won the Grauniad competition last year.

But yes, if you’re sensitive (or prone to uncontrollable giggling at certain levels of primary-school humour) don’t click that link. You’ve been encouraged warned.

Porn

Having read this story about 16 civil servants being sacked for accessing porn, I find myself wondering (yet again) what on earth makes people want to look at porn in the office? I completely fail to understand this idea, let alone wanting to do it.

I’m sorry, but if you’re going to insist on looking at porn, you do it at home. Not at work. And what on earth makes them think they won’t get caught, accessing it over a work network? Of all the ways to get yourself sacked rapidly. Maybe that’s why they do it. I just don’t understand it – would these people be so blasé about reading a porn magazine in work? Is it the porn, or the fact it’s on the computer?

I don’t know – it’s just one of those human facets that is completely beyond me.

Bah Fucking Humbug

<Victor_Meldrew>I just don’t believe it</Victor_Meldrew>

I’ve just received an email from work. Telling me about – wait for it – the fucking Christmas Do. In case it’s slipped their attention span, it’s flabbing August. There’s still four keffing months to go. (UPDATED : I’ve just counted – it’s still 17 weeks ’til Christmas) But no, it’s time to start thinking about fucking Christmas.

Of course, now that school holidays are over, it won’t be long ’til we get the Halloween shit in the shops, and it won’t be long before the first Christmas cards are on the shelves, waiting for those anally-retentive super-organised freaks who’ll have everything done by the start of September.

But Jesus H. Christ on a warped pine broomstick, I really can’t believe that they’re trying to organise Christmas Lunches already. I’m off to breathe into a brown paper bag for a few minutes…

Epic complaint

Thanks to Mr Teacher for pointing out Graham Pond’s complaint letter to the rail companies, which also included this sensational response.

Dear Mr Pond

Thank you for your email. If you are dissatisfied with London Underground’s services I suggest that you avoid using them. Perhaps you may consider also a stress management course.

Yours sincerely

Just read it – it’s superb.

Outage

Yes, d4d™ was unavailable for a few hours last night. My apologies for it, but it was a problem with 34sp themselves, rather than d4d™, or any other sites they host.

Nowt I could do, and they’ve brought everything back up as fast as they could. Fair play, these things happen.

NY-LON, Channel 4

So, the silly season of TV seems to be coming to a close (another big clue is BBC’s Casualty coming to a season finale at long last) and with the close of doors at the Big Brother House, Channel 4 has been launching some new dramas. (Although not Season Four of West Wing, for some reason known only to themselves. Luckily it’s only a month ’til the DVD release.)

One of those new dramas started last night, NY-LON, a tale of trans-atlantic love. (Be still my heaving stomach) Obviously with the way things are chez Lyle, a drama about long-distance relationships was always going to hit home to a degree, although thank Christ I don’t have to deal with trans-atlantic distances/prices. £55 train tickets are a lot easier on the wallet than flights to the US. (Stuart has my sympathies on that score) Anyway, the first episode was OK – not instantaneously gripping in the way some dramas have been (particularly Queer as Folk, West Wing, and the like) but I’ll still see how it goes over the next couple of episodes.

However, I did find that the gimmick of having a “split-screen” and flipping backwards and forwards in time was something that made it harder to concentrate on the storyline. Luckily I recorded it as well as watched, so it’ll probably bear a second viewing to pick up on bits I missed first time around. In fact, I’d possibly suggest that watching it on video/DVD would be a better bet, and would allow for the pause and rewind that perhaps this type of drama requires.

However, in general it’s so far OK as drama goes, and I’ll stick with it for the moment.

Upgrading

Well, I’ve found one of the contenders on the “next camera” list. One other one hasn’t been released yet, the Fuji S3, but Canon have just released the EOS 20d. Both are digital SLRs, which I know is going to be the next level up (and will require a shedload more technical knowledge, I suspect) and really it’s likely to be a toss-up between them, with a bit of an outside chance coming from the new Minolta Dimage Digital SLR.

Now I just need a spare £1500 or so…