Friday, April 13, 2012
Not So Happy Graphics
The above is the Twitter profile of the man responsible for no graphics on screen at the first round of the 2012 British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend. Invisible graphics are indeed new and exciting.
Monday, October 03, 2011
More Musings
Read the post a few months ago, and then read this. Company times are tough now, we've a trail of people ringing up to whom we owe money. What's even more galling, though, is that expenses that we accrue in doing OB's and are supposed to be paid on the last working day of the month; weren't. Payday in a week - we'll see what happens then.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Rush
The Band, Rush. They played the O2 in London last night and I was there. I've been a fan since 1980 when two things happened.
Firstly Tommy Vance played two tracks from the soon to be released Rush album 'Moving Pictures'. The tracks were Red Barchetta and Limelight. It's fair to say that I was blown away by the musicianship and lyrics. I had to find out more about them. On Monday at school I spoke to Stephen Hanlon and asked if he'd listened. He had; and this is the second thing; he lent me two albums. Permanent Waves and 2112. I was hooked within moments of listening.
Last night was special as Rush played the entire Moving Pictures album live. Geddy Lee even commented that it was 30 years ago. THIRTY YEARS! Imagine if someone like the Beatles (bear with me here) were able to play something like Sergeant Pepper in 1997; or Oasis play (What's The Story) Morning Glory in 2025. This says everything about the longevity of this trio, something that none of today's bands will achieve.
Firstly Tommy Vance played two tracks from the soon to be released Rush album 'Moving Pictures'. The tracks were Red Barchetta and Limelight. It's fair to say that I was blown away by the musicianship and lyrics. I had to find out more about them. On Monday at school I spoke to Stephen Hanlon and asked if he'd listened. He had; and this is the second thing; he lent me two albums. Permanent Waves and 2112. I was hooked within moments of listening.
Last night was special as Rush played the entire Moving Pictures album live. Geddy Lee even commented that it was 30 years ago. THIRTY YEARS! Imagine if someone like the Beatles (bear with me here) were able to play something like Sergeant Pepper in 1997; or Oasis play (What's The Story) Morning Glory in 2025. This says everything about the longevity of this trio, something that none of today's bands will achieve.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
A First
Well, this was supposed to be a first, by me blogging on my BlackBerry on the train on the way home. Sadly the phone didn't allow me to access this box and type anything in. So the title is a bit misleading.
Anyway, the real reason for this post is to state that my boss is a prick. Nothing unsusual there, most people reading this think very little of their boss. The reason for this statement - his style of management.
Some background to set the scene is in order first. We get paid for a set number of hours each month - 176 for a 22 day month. Anything we work over that used to be paid as overtime, and used to come in very handy. That stopped last year, amid the economic slowdown, and now any excess hours that we accrue, we are encouraged to take in lieu. I'm currently 98 hours over (this means that I worked 274 hours in April) and May looks like being busy, too. I dropped said boss an email stating that I'd be taking 11 days off in May in order to cap my hours. In taking those 11 days off, I'll have reduced my excess to 91 at the end of May.
Instead of talking to me about it, and discussing it with me, he mentioned anonyously in a team meeting that times were tough and he was "disappointed that someone had asked for 11 days off".
Well fuck you, talk to me if you're concerned.
Anyway, the real reason for this post is to state that my boss is a prick. Nothing unsusual there, most people reading this think very little of their boss. The reason for this statement - his style of management.
Some background to set the scene is in order first. We get paid for a set number of hours each month - 176 for a 22 day month. Anything we work over that used to be paid as overtime, and used to come in very handy. That stopped last year, amid the economic slowdown, and now any excess hours that we accrue, we are encouraged to take in lieu. I'm currently 98 hours over (this means that I worked 274 hours in April) and May looks like being busy, too. I dropped said boss an email stating that I'd be taking 11 days off in May in order to cap my hours. In taking those 11 days off, I'll have reduced my excess to 91 at the end of May.
Instead of talking to me about it, and discussing it with me, he mentioned anonyously in a team meeting that times were tough and he was "disappointed that someone had asked for 11 days off".
Well fuck you, talk to me if you're concerned.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Musings
Some thoughts is the title of this blog, so here are some!
My step-daughter is pregnant and expecting in the summer. Her partner is "a prick" (her and her Mum's words) and needs to grow up. Last weekend he had arranged to see her, but instead chose to go out with his mates. The change only came a couple of hours ahead of the arranged meeting, but she suspects had been arranged a few days before.
My employer is going belly up. Losing work, putting some employees on three day weeks, and as I've discovered today; not paying pension contributions. Do I jump, or stick around hoping things will get better?
Stay tuned.
My step-daughter is pregnant and expecting in the summer. Her partner is "a prick" (her and her Mum's words) and needs to grow up. Last weekend he had arranged to see her, but instead chose to go out with his mates. The change only came a couple of hours ahead of the arranged meeting, but she suspects had been arranged a few days before.
My employer is going belly up. Losing work, putting some employees on three day weeks, and as I've discovered today; not paying pension contributions. Do I jump, or stick around hoping things will get better?
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Still Here
Only 4 months between blogs this time. I'm doing much better. Speedway in Vojens went well, although at the Italian round, the chap I stood in for had a blood pressure spike and had to be carted off in an ambulance. Fortunately it can be controlled by medication and he's in Poland for the final round.
Friday, June 05, 2009
I'm still alive...
Despite not having blogged for a couple of years, I'm still in the land of the living. Busy at work, although I've dropped a couple of series that I used to work on. British Touring Cars and Speedway Grand Prix no longer take me away for weekends. Having said that I will be in Denmark in August for the Speedway GP round at Vojens - the first choice man is at his brother's wedding. I still enjoy watching the Speedway on Sky, and all being well will be at Cardiff later this month for the British GP.
