For the love of…

What’s all this sudden panic and worry about oil and the cost thereof? For crying-out-loud, Peak oil has been and gone. Why the hell aren’t we — in this Great Southern Land of high temperatures and lots of sun– putting stacks of money into solar and alternative fuel research.

All this will do is expend millions on what’s a band-aid solution at best, and a total waste of money at worst. Why not stick some serious money into something we can supply in abundance: sunshine? If they spent all the money they’re going to spend on searching for gas and petroleum into a solar panel for every rooftop in the country, we won’t need anywhere near as much fuel as we’re consuming now and into the future.

Amazing.

This is our former government at work; like kids who have had their toys taken away, they’re kicking-up a stink.

I didn’t think Kevin Rudd’s statement “…infantile bickering, point-scoring and mindlessly partisan politics…” – uttered during the apology to the stolen generation – was a call-to-arms; it sounded more like an honest appraisal of the behaviour of politicians on both sides of the fence during the last 10 years of parliamentary rule.

The opposition seem intent on dragging the parliament into disarray; all they’re doing is showing what childish morons they actually are.

Well, the Libs are in full-swing today.

What was it Kevin said yesterday in his speech? Oh yes:

“…infantile bickering, point-scoring and mindlessly partisan politics…”

And as for Tony GodBotherer Abbot’s comment:

“…Opposition Indigenous affairs spokesman Tony Abbott defended Dr Nelson’s speech and called some of those who turned their backs “radicalised activists”.

“I suppose for people who have just come straight up from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy who are radicalised activists, I suppose a certain amount of hostility is to be expected,” he said…”

And which people would these be, Tony? Oh, sorry, you said: “…I suppose for people who have just come straight up from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy who are radicalised activists, I suppose a certain amount of hostility is to be expected…”

There goes your credibility, Right Down The Toilet, you racist pig.

I see in my mind’s eye, a cartoon of three people walking down a path called “Reconciliation”. The larger, adult is Kevin Rudd, the smaller two, both drawn as children having temper tantrums and resisting with every fibre of their being, are Tony Abbott and Brendan Nelson. Oh, there in the distance is an even smaller figure, dressed only in a soiled nappy; Wilson Tuckey is his name, and he’s running for dear life back to the womb of his conservative leader, John Howard.

I might not be able to draw, but I can certainly paint a picture.

Now I can breathe.

I arranged for an advance on my pay so I could pay the rent at the old place, seeing as my now ex-friends have refused to pay it.

So I’ve got some breathing space again.

Live and learn, really. Live and learn.

I’m glad to have them out of my life to be honest; these were the two most negative impossibly difficult to deal with people I’ve ever come across in a very long time. They complained constantly and they were *always* right, regardless of the subject.

On this latter point, I give you two examples (paraphrased from memory). Example one is concerning my perfectly functional wireless network:

Them: We can’t get the computer onto the wireless network. It’s your network.

Me: I can connect fine to the network. Here, look at my computer. See? It connects fine.

Them: It must be the network. Our Vista PC says to restart the modem.

Me: There’s nothing wrong with the modem. I’ve just proved it. See? My computer connects fine. It’s Vista being difficult.

Him (bolshy tone): If it was Vista there’d be more complaints about it. And what’s this I hear about you selling all your things?

See, I’m expected to justify my functional network as compared to a crappy Vista PC, AND my decision to sell all my possessions. Let’s move on, however to partway through another conversation that turned rapidly sour:

Me: You know, the captain of SeaShepherd* has commented that a vegetarian driving a Hum-Vee creates less greenhouse gas than a meat eater on a bicycle.

Them: We disagree. He’s wrong about that.

Me: hang on, this is a dedicated, long-term fighter for the environment.

Them: We disagree. He’s wrong.

Me: How do you know.

Them: We’ve done our research

And that’s their position. Immovable, unchanging, insurmountable, non-negotiable. Just like the discussion about the rent. Even if I were guilty about everything and anything, I still didn’t leave them in the lurch on rent-day, and refuse to pay said rent.

As I say, better off without these sorts of people in my life. I really am. I look forward to the day when I get the keys to the old place back and can finally say a hearty sayanora sweetie to these idiots.

———–

*Captain Paul Watson, co-creator of Greenpeace, creator of SeaShepherd, environmental activist extraordinaire.

Interesting vid (first seen on Fake Steve Jobs)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SdevjDLkO4&rel=1&border=1]

One of the additional things I’d point out is the savage abuse of the English Language that’s suddenly appeared over the last year.

Learnings is not a word, no matter which fucking context you put it in. Idiots! This is equivalent to phonetic spelling for acronyms such as MC.

Slightly ironic number for the post however

A message I just sent around work:

Greetings fellow level-2′ers,

I am writing today to decry the sad and sorry state of the kitchen with regard to the following ongoing issues:

• dirty dishes
• dirty dishes being left to pile up in both sinks (especially the one with the hot and cold running water)
• dirty cutlery
• dirty benches

You’ll note — perhaps with interest — that the operative word here is “dirty“.

Now, as far as I’m aware, the only people who get to leave dishes unwashed in kitchens are:

1. Royalty
2. Children
3. Those lacking appropriate motor-skills to manipulate dishes and washcloths.

Furthermore, there are several prominently positioned “kitchen etiquette” posters which actually ask nicely that people clean the hell up after themselves.

Howsabout it people? None of you are royalty (otherwise you wouldn’t be working), there aren’t any children on this level at this point, and you’ve all got the motor skills to operate computers and telephones, so you should all be able to clean up your dirty dishes.

Frankly, after 10 years working in IT and related environments with levels of cleanliness of varying degrees, I feel it’s a bit much to expect someone else to clean up after yourself. What’s next, the toilet?

Yours in extreme boredom,

your friendly neighbourhood writer.

Wonder if it’ll work?

Spam at work is boring and clogs your in-box. Especially in this workplace.

Course, most of the spam here is internal, sent by moronic idiots people clicking “Reply All” rather than just “Reply”.

I’ve sent a few mail responses (to all just to make the point) since I started here, highlighting – if sarcastically – this habit. For example, in response to an enthusiastic announcement to all-and-sundry that a particular application had been completed, I responded-to-all thus:

Waytogo! I’m so impressed I’ll let everyone know!

Yesterday, one of the big bosses wrote a message asking that people don’t click what I am now calling The SPAM button.

However, it has been ignored by all.

Today, I got bored with clicking delete repeatedly (I’m getting RSI of the forefinger as a result of this), and as tempting as it is to write a message to all dripping sarcasm and pointing-out my current forefinger injury, it seemed far easier (and very Lisa 4.0) to create a catch-all mail rule, which I am calling Team [MYCOMPANY] SPAM.

And it works… oh it works… and in the last 30 seconds it’s grabbed 5 incoming messages.

Finally, something that MS Outlook can actually do without crapping-out.

Watch from 00:34 – 01:00 for what I’m feeling at the moment with this sodding application that I’m attempting to document.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RedJLaNx31s&rel=1]

They do things different in Europe.

Read the original, if boring “Aussie Princess” wank-fest article here.

Thanks to RobotAlice for this one.

I used to work for a company I nicknamed “Senseless”.

They have the following tagged onto the bottom of every single email they send out:

Sensless. Australia’s leading information resource.

Making complex lives simpler by helping you find, buy and sell.

www.Sensless.com.au – www.yellow.com.au – www.whitepages.com.au – www.citysearch.com.au
- www.about.Sensless.com.au
www.whereis.com.au – www.gostay.com.au – www.justlisted.com.au – www.tradingpost.com.au
- www.linkme.com.au
www.carshowroom.com.au – www.telstra.com.au – www.smallbusiness.Sensless.com.au
- www.universalpublishers.com.au

Sensless cares for the environment – think before you print.

This email and any attachments are intended only for the use of the
recipient and may be confidential and/or legally privileged.
Sensless Pty Ltd disclaims liability for any errors, omissions,
viruses, loss and/or damage arising from using, opening or
transmitting this email.
If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, interfere
with, disclose, copy or retain this email and you should notify the
sender immediately by return email or by contacting Sensless Pty Ltd
by telephone on [+61 3 8888 8888]

Liike *anyone* reads this crap these days? It’s so Web 0.1!

This statement though makes me larf:

Senseless cares about the environment

No they don’t. Otherwise they wouldn’t be printing massive phone books that no-one actually uses and sticking all the crap on the end of email that ends up making a 1 page email conversation 3 and a half if it was ever printed.

Morons.