That Thorny Rose Again

I did some online shopping for Xmas for the family yesterday and today. Generally a fairly positive experience.

Which shop and Knight of the Realm turned it sour though? Surprise, surprise it was Stuart Rose's M&S. Refusing to cope with a German address to start with, goods out of stock but still put in the basket, prices increased on items already in the basket, items put on HOLD but not stating until when.

In the end Thorny, I was left with just three items out of about 12. I cleared my basket and left.

No wonder you're desperate for power as you drive the share price right down.

DW
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From God!

Just had a gradely dinner at Marina Square and have just seen a young man wearing a tee shirt. Black shirt done up to look like a beribboned gift.

The "tag" says:

To: Women
From: God

No offence!

DW


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Music and Rain

At breakfast this morning as the outside temperature had already reached the mid 20s, the background music was:

Let it snow
Let it snow
Let it snow

Did some work this morning and just as I'd finished getting ready to go out, down came an intense tropical rain shower!! :-}

DW
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BBC Reporting from India

What are these people trying to say?

Most reports from Mumbai at the moment are trying to analyse the recent terrorist outrage there. Then they talk about the relationships between India and Pakistan because of the suggestion of the links between the terrorists and Pakistan.

However, they say, "... Relationships between NUCLEAR ARMED Pakistan and India ..." Yesterday a reporter said something like, "... the twin nuclear armed countries, India and Pakistan ..."

What on earth are these people saying and suggesting? Where are the editors? Why are these fly in, fly out reporters given the freedom to say such stupid things in the name of news?

No doubt John Simpson will be waddling through the situation with his own brand of analysis soon. He is the BBC's WORLD editor, after all!!

DW


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Well done Burnley

Burnley just beat Arsenal in what sounds like a brilliant game. 2: 0 in the League Cup.

Haven't seen any of the game but should see highlights this evening.

Well done lads!

Have exchanged around two dozen text messages on the subject so far!!!

DW
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Worn out!

I have finished my very intensive course in Singapore and I am worn out! Slept well on night of arrival but badly last night.

Need an early night and a lie in to recover. Am not working tomorrow so that should help too.

DW



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Bangkok or Bust? Bust!

Because of those anti democratic "pro democrats" laying seige to Bangkok's International Airport, I have had a job postponed and am being forced to hang around in Singapore until I can go to my next job.

Let's define democracy again then!!!

DW


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US Presidency

Has it been like this before? You know I thought nothing of the coverage of the recent US Presidential election. Now, we are being "treated" to every single cabinet appointment, decision and sneeze that Obama makes. When do they think enough of this rubbish will be enough? DW Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Veggie Burger? No! Yes but no!!

I got to Singapore on time but had to endure for 12 hours the twitchiest person I have ever sat behind on a plane. Of course, he also wanted to turn his Economy Class seat into a Business Class flat bed but I told him he was crushing my knees and he relented. Anyway, got to the hotel and did some work in preparation for tomorrow then went to the local mall for a bite to eat. I only wanted a snack so I went to a world famous burger "restaurant". Do you sell veggie burgers I asked. No was the reply. I moved on. I then found the world's second most famous burger "restaurant" and they said yes, they do sell veggie burgers. So I odered one. No meat I stressed. No meat she confirmed. I got my burger, chips and sprite and sat down to tuck in. Chips just warm, sprite ok. The veggie burger comprised:

• Bread bun
• Onion slice
• Tomato slice
• Gherkin slices
• Tomato sauce

That, dear reader, is a Singaporean veggie burger. Definitely no meat!!! The weather here is perfect. 27 degrees on arrival and now, 2100 local time, it is absolutely commodiously warm. Topped up my SingTel SIM card for S$15 and was credited with S$30. Good value. More Europeans here than I am used to. DW Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Excellent use of Google Searches

I came across a podcast the other day that talked about how to use google searches for reasons other than just trying to find an article or web site or something. What some researchers have done is to follow through the number of searches over time using google on influenza … the flu!

What they found was that they could then use the search information to predict when an outbreak of flu might happen. What they also found was that the google search information was probably more immediate that the official or more formal flu data was. They found that the google data led the official data by around two weeks: critical if the flu we are talking about is Avian Flu or some other deadly strain.

What is happening? Well, the google searches came from the man in the street who had caught flu and needed some information; or from a parent or carer or even health worker who wanted to know what was happening in their area.

Either way, I think we are seeing here one way in which the social aspects of the internet can be  a force for good and for change.

There is a pdf file for you to download here: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nature07634.pdf. You can currently find the details of this research at the home page of www.google.org too.

DW

VAT and Politicians

Have you seen this week’s utter nonsense in Parliament?

The government is cutting VAT from Monday next and the opposition party among others said, no, no, no, bad idea.

Then someone leaked or accidentally announced that the government CONSIDERED raising VAT at some time in the future. The cry was, no, no, no, bad idea.

These stupid people.

DW

Recent Trips

This is really by way of an advertisement!!

I have just noticed that my mobile phone shows me that since September of this year I have spent time in

• London
• Kuala Lumpur
• Liverpool
• Halifax
• Dubai
• Bangkok
• Singapore
• Beijing

Not bad I think. More to come and I’m still trying to make up my mind as to which country I want to spend new year’s eve in … the 50th country I will have visited!

DW

The Size of the Problem: but no heads rolled

The credit crisis is going on and on. It is very clear now that the banks and finance world have been out of contol for a very long time. They have been creating and dealing in what have proven to be essentially fictitious assets.

The rest of the world is bailing out these people but I have to confess that I have yet to see too many stories of CEOs, CFOs etc being called to account. I would like corporate governance to call these INDIVIDUALS to account.

I do appreciate that the likes of Lehman Brothers collapsed but that took with it clients and their money who were probably innocent.

DW
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London Trip

I am back at home after a successful two day trip to London. This morning in particular was sunny and ideal for photography.

I took almost 100 photos and will post one or two here.

The train to and from London was much better than the last time I went. Quicker, cleaner and more modern. Not cheap though.

More tomorrow.

DW
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Thank you The Royal Mail

I got a Christmas card from the Royal Mail yesterday. Thank you RM, much appreciated. However, I don't understand it! On the front of the card it says:

We're all about this Christmas

On the one hand it's understandable but on the other it's like that phrase that the 12 year olds at the BBC use, "Here are some stories to keep you across"

Humbug!

DW
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I just love this graphic

There is a serious message behind the graphic I am sending you to here, courtesy of The Economist; but I think it is such a suave chart. I dream of being able to produce graphics like this!

http://media.economist.com/images/na/2008w47/co2.jpg

DW

Blog of the Year

Hooray! You will probably not be in the least bit surprised to hear that Duncan’s Diurnal Diatribe has been voted BLOG OF THE YEAR 2008.

I’d like to thank …

Yours in humility

DW

Nigerian Scam

You will guffaw at this, I know I did!

Talking to a couple colleagues the other day and for some reason we talked about Nigerian scams: Dear Blah, my father died and has left me $12,500,000.00 (don’t you just love the 0.00 at the end?) … give me all of your bank account details and I will transfer that money to you … you keep scads and I take the rest …

Well, here’s one that apparently has seriously caught out a few people:

Loveletter Odwomu is proudly serving Nigeria on board the International Space Station. He has been there for three weeks and has carried out many valuable experiments for Nigeria and mankind. Now, however, Loveletter’s got a problem: he needs $2,500,000.00 to get home. Loveletter paid for his fare to get him to the Station but his investments have been hit by the world wide banking crisis … please send all you can to …

DW

Tut, tut, tut The Economist

I have just read in a recent edition of The Economist that David Cameron is “likely to be the next Prime Minister” [of the UK]. Oh really?

Then, whilst talking about Tory Toffs like Cameron and George Osborne, they say that there are non Toffs high up in the ranks of the Parliamentary Tory Party. They named William Hague and Michael Gove. Is that good?

Since Hague and Gove are on my hit list of men most in need of political castration, I found myself gasping that The Economist could publish such things.

DW

Prostitution: the Home Secretary fell further down the stupid tree

The UK Government wants to protect women in prostitution who are being trafficked and controlled. That is, those poor women who are under the influence of someone odious who is taking their money, their passport perhaps …

I agree people (ie not only women) who are working as prostitutes should be able to do so under their own terms and conditions, free from financial and other control. I do NOT believe for a moment that all prostitutes are down trodden women who are desperate and under the control of a man and only a man.

So far so good: if the government can eliminate such awful nonsense then I will be as happy as anyone.

What the Home Secretary has done is to bring forward a proposal that anyone who uses the services of a prostitute who is working under the control and duress of another is guilty of a crime. Does the Home Secretary not realise the Chief Wiggins moments that are going to ensue? Imagine this:

Lady: Good evening, sir, do you want business?

Man: Yes, how much?

Lady: £50 in your car and £60 in my flat.

Man: OK, in the car. Oh!, by the way are you under the control and duress of a prostitute Baron aka a pimp or are you working of your own free will?

Lady: (Shifting nervously from foot to foot and looking furtively up and down the street) No, no, no; I am doing this because I want to, the kids need feeding ...

Man: Are you sure?

Lady: Yes, honestly, love. C’mon, let’s go. (She gets into the car as a man watching from afar with binoculars and listening with a long range directional microphone smiles contentedly to himself.)

Man: OK, good. (Drives off)

One more clunk from a hefty branch there, then, Home Secretary.

DW