Shocking

Blimey – this is getting to be a really weird week. Not only did I have TWO decent train journeys with no hassles and no delays, but today I had to deal with O2‘s customer services – and even that went well.

Because I’m off to Iceland the weekend after next, I thought I’d best get the International Call Barring lifted, and also take advantage of sorting out a scheme they do for discounted calls and texts, just so I can make calls should I wish to (and for some reason I suspect I will be making at least a couple of calls…) without having to take out a bank-loan to cover the costs. Anyway, having called them, the entire thing was done and dusted in – get this – three minutes. Yes, 180 seconds, including verifying security details, checking the account, lifting the barring, signing up with the discounted programme, and all done and dusted. Colour me impressed…

Work Standardisation

*sigh* I think I’m becoming a “proper” council worker.

Ten days ago, I got given a load of stuff to do for one section of the council’s website. They’re soon to be going through some kind of assessment exercise called a CPA (don’t ask, I can’t remember) so the website needed to be up to date with the information by 1st September.

Because work’s so dull, I’ve been doing odds and sods of the work over the last ten days, and then finished it off today. All told, it’s taken far less than one working day to complete. According to Stinky® it should have taken all ten days…

Pride

You know, here’s something odd. In the five years I’ve lived in Manchester, I’ve only seen anything of the Manchester Pride festival once. Every other year I’ve been away for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Two years ago I was down at the parent’s place, and last year I was in Cornwall and Bristol. This year, I was in Middlesbrough. Next year, I won’t be around Manchester either, but that’s likely because by then I won’t be living here/there any more. Still, one year out of five isn’t too bad, is it?

Rude Girls – BBC2 last night

Unfortunately, I can’t find any valid links to the BBC2 documentary last night, “Rude Girls”. It wasn’t an easy view – based around a selection of girls who’ve formed “gangs” or “crews” (and with no interest in the origination of “crew” as an Egyptian term “Krewe” – but then, I’m a sad old bobble-hat at the best of times) and their lives. Mainly based around London, the documentary followed them in their lives over what appeared to be a six-month period. (I missed the first twenty minutes, I confess)

Obviously there was some element of “showing off” for the camera, which was always going to happen. But at the same time, some parts obviously weren’t. Personally, I found the entire thing really quite saddening, and even though several of the people in it were blatantly “chav” to the core, a lot of it was more than that, and there was a huge element of both attention-seeking behaviour, and ineloquent screams amounting to “get me out of this situation – I want out, but don’t know how to do it”. The majority of the girls shown self-harmed, although probably the saddest (to me) one was the girl who would verbally abuse the local Jewish community, and was almost encouraged by her mother to do so. You could so clearly see the generational influence. The scene where the girl screamed at one woman who’d nearly speared her with an umbrella (And, in fairness, I can empathise on that issue) and her mother tried being superior with the phrase

“Are you proud of yourself? Screaming at someone who’d just been careless wiv an umbrella? Made you feel better, did it? You shouldn’t yell at people for doing that – you should’ve taken her umbrella off her and broke it”

– nice, right ’til that final sentence. Instead of yelling abuse, you should have just nicked it and broken it. Now there’s good advice.

All in all, a very sad documentary – but definitely something that should be watched if it’s repeated.

High Street

And another bunch of rocket scientists have claimed that many Town Centres are now clones of each other. This really is no surprise – Britain’s become obsessed with branding, and with labels. As such, we now have what is effectively a branded society, one where (so the companies would have you believe)people are happy t be able to go anywhere and know what they want, and where to get it.

Macdonalds was always one of the biggest proponents of this method, meaning that in theory a Big Mac will always be made to the same formula,and taste the same whether you’re in Manchester or Market Harborough, London or Liverpool. Pub chains and fast food places ran with the theory, and then the clothing stores picked up on it too. And it’s all lead us to this point where every High Street and shopping centre look much the same. What will change it? Who knows- other than preferring to shop in the independents, rather than the chains.

Travelling

Hold on to your hats – this one’s a shocker. I travelled this morning by train from Manchester to Middlesbrough. And it was OK. Yes, it was OK. Told you it was a shocker.

I’d expected it to be a nightmare, with having to deal with people going to the Leeds festival, and Bank Holiday travel arrangements and track maintenance. But no, straight on to the train – on time. Grab a seat at a table, fire up the laptop, leave on time, the train was fairly busy, but no hassles. People on and off smoothly. At York it got busy, as it turned out that Crystal Palace were playing Middlesbrough. But still not ridiculous, or rigid. Most unnatural. And got in to Middlesbrough relaxed, unstressed, in sunshine and good health.

Most unnatural.

Geeky/Non-Geeky

About a week ago, I posted a thing about POV-ray, and was accused from a certain nameless source of being way too geeky for my own good, and that perhaps sometimes I should then explain for non-geeky readers just what it is I’m waffling on about.

As such, I’m going to experiment a bit with it, and when I do write about something techie, I’ll post two versions. Just thought I’d explain that, for anyone who wonders what the fuck I’m playing at…