Minute44 - Dan Schonhaar

You know what pisses me off? Microsoft adverts. Seriously they all reek of clueless grandad trying to be “cool” and, well, they’re just annoying as crap. But the series of ads for Internet Explorer 8 have really burried the needle on my bullshit-o-meter. As I may have mentioned in a previous post (I can’t remember) I’m a firm believer in educating the dullards over dumbing down the tools to suit the lowest common denominator. IE8, more specifically the adverts for IE8, as such play jump-rope with my last nerve!

continue reading 8 second industry-fucks

Why do I never learn? I should expect the Daily Fail Mail to poublish stuff that defies logic, common sense and, most of all, decency but I keep being shocked by it. Just the other day I found my ghast well and truly flabbered by Jan Moir’s well circulated gay-bashing and today they’ve done it again… this time though, it’s not the queers, it’s the darkies. Scary eh?

continue reading Any opportunity to call a foreigner a terrorist, eh?

Living in England, most people look at you like some kind of horrific leper when you say you don’t like football. I know this first hand. I don’t like football. In fact, I loathe it. It’s not like other sports that I just don’t have an interest in. I actually cannot stand football (soccer to some of you). So here are my 5 reasons why.

continue reading 5 Reasons I loathe football (soccer)

In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a global recession. People are losing their jobs left and right due to cut backs and companies folding. These are often skilled people who would be an asset to any company who could afford to have them on staff. Although it upsets me that these people are losing their jobs, what is starting to get me more and more riled up is the number of people in jobs that they don’t have the skills or competency level to do as effectively as someone else who is potentially out of work. People in office jobs that require them to use a computer every single day often have computer literacy levels FAR below what should be required.

continue reading Computer Literacy in the Workplace

Look at this shit:

continue reading The stupidest people on earth. Or the best joke ever.

The telephone has been with since the late 1800′s yet it’s surprising how many people fail in it’s use. In my job I talk to a lot of people on the phone. During this time I’ve come across various traits that people have in their telephone manner. Some are endearing but many are irritating… and some… some are so bad that they can mar the whole conversation. So sit down, take the phone off the hook (see what I did there?) and check out my list of 5 cardinal sins of telephone conversations.

continue reading 5 Epic Phone Fails

In my journey of becoming old and bitter I find myself more and more irritated with Americanisms. It seems, now, that not a day goes by where I don’t mutter “bloody Americans!” under my breath at something. Most of these, though are nothing more than manifestations of my own intolerance. I even annoy myself by how much they bother me. My top 5 annoying Americanisms, though, are ones that regularly get my back up. So here they are.

continue reading Top 5 annoying Americanisms

I like Apple. Well, let me clarify; I appreciate what apple do. They provide beautiful, well made products that, on the most part, perform at levels well above the most popular competitors. But there are two things that the company does that really grind my gears. One is the fact that they charge absolutely insane amounts for a lot of their products, (You can spec up a MacPro for over £16,000 that won’t be as fast as an £8000 PC) and the other is when they pull the kind of shit they have with the new iPod Shuffle.

continue reading New iPod Shuffle – The ridiculousest iPod ever.

On the whole I like the way you manage media on your ipod using iTunes. It’s a pretty simple drag and drop affair for music, podcasts videos and playlists… However, I find myself totally frustrated at how photos are handled! You can’t just drag a bunch of photos to your iPod… oh no… you have to go through a very unintuitive sync process. That’s not the worst part though. What I want to use the photo functionality for is to take my favourite shots from my recent outings away with me to show my friends down the pub. I don’t want to keep a full library of photos on there. Once I have some new ones, I want to take the old ones off and put the new ones on. Simple. But because of the needlessly convoluted method of syncing, the easiest way I’ve found to do this is to create a folder called ipod or something and put my latest photos in there for syncing and remove them when I’m done. This way, the next time I sync it will overwrite the photos on the ipod with the empty folder or any new images that I’ve put in there.

continue reading Photos on iPod… GRRRRRR!!!

Hi guys..

Not got loads and loads to write about this time really, other than to say I had a very lazy relaxing weekend. Quiet morning tidying the house with some music on. I also got a call from work to sort a printer out but that could be done remotely so that was easy enough. Nat came round about 1 and we went into Notts for a bit where I bought a nice new adio t-shirt. It’s black with a white adio “A” emblem on the front with skulls in it and things. It reminds me of the Deftones’ self titled album cover cos it has skulls and what appear to be roses on it.

Anyway, we got back from Notts about 4 and went to Asda to get some nibbles and a bottle of wine. When we got back to my place we watched Anchorman which never fails to make me laugh. Nat thought it was pretty funny too. After that we were pretty hungry so I drove up to Co-co sun and got some foodz. I had Singapore chow mein and it was right nice. I also had some mini spring rolls! We then watched Shaun of the dead and had the wine. (Told you it was a lazy weekend)

Sunday we did bugger all! oh, except make the obligatory trip to mcarthur glen for some unhealthy food and some coffee from GJ’s Laaaavly!

I’m proper looking forward to seeing Transformers on Saturday. Looks like I’ll be going with Nat, Brahn and Laura. Should be good. Initial reports from the US seem to indicate that the film is really good and I have been battling my will power to not watch it in low quality online. Just this minute while writing this I’ve got word that good old Double D (edd) will be back from Norwich this weekend which will mean he may come with us to see this as well. Also…. Edd has Wii!!!!

On the topic of the Transformers, one thing I am mucho-unhappy with is the new theme. It is by MuteMath and it sucks…. hard! Check it out on their MySpace. Seriously, it’s fucking dire! “Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons” should not be uttered to that beat or that tune… ever!

Anyway, enough about that, the film looks too friggin good to be ruined by a dodgy theme song.

Tata for now!

Bon Weekend!!

Friday… Went out for something to eat at Zizzi which was nice. Their olives are the best!! I had a lovely pizza with Mushrooms, olives, pepperoni, parma ham and artichokes! Yum!! By the time I’d dropped Nat off and battled through the 10mph roadworks on the A516 – A38 on-ramp it was gone 1 am by the time I got in…. good job I had no work on Saturday!

Saturday… didn’t do a lot tbh, went to McArthur Glen with the newly engaged Brahn and Lola (Congratulations again guys!!) and had some lunch and some coffee from Gloria Jeans. I was gonna go to the Green Room but a. I coulen’t be bothered and b. No one ended up going. I just cooled out at home and watched the exorcist 2… it was pretty bad.

Sunday… well me and Nat were gonna watch Anchorman round at hers but I was awoken by a text from her saying we couldn’t for whatever reason so needed to rethink the day’s plans…. Went round her house about 12:30 and then we went into Derby for some lunch at the Standing Order. After that we wandered around some shops before realising it was a beautiful day and it would be rude not to go to markeaton park. We chilled out there til nearly 7 getting a tan! Then to top it all off we went to see the long awaited Die Hard 4.0! I tell you something…. It was fucking fantastic but didn’t feel like a Die Hard Movie. Don’t get me wrong, John Mclane was very much himself with the usual no nonsense wisecracks (“Last time I saw her she was at the bottom of an elevator shaft with an SUV parked up her ass”) but the feel of the movie and the action was definately not Die Hard. Don’t let this make you think that I enjoyed it any less though because it was still a kick ass action film that ticked all the right boxes for me. Well, there’s nothing out thats worth seeing now til the 20th when not only does Transformers come out, the Simpsons movie is also released.

Speaking of Transformers, I’ve changed my text message alert tone to the sound the transformers make when they change. It’s cool in a hugely geeky way!

Now, on to something a bit more serious. I noticed a couple of people on MySpace have posted this shock-jock bulletin regarding seal clubbing and animal testing. I say “shock jock” because they are images showing the suffering of these animals. Pictures of seals with their skulls split wide open and monkeys being experemented on with their limbs restrained. To these bulletins and to the people that aproach me in the street I say the same thing. Open your eyes a little wider!

Yes, the things seen in those images are horrific, no animal should have to suffer to that degree. Seal clubbing is something I cannot agree with and to that extent the bulletin is correct. It does need to stop. But the animal testing part just gets my goat. Just think where we’d be in the field of medecine if there was no animal testing? No chemotherapy, no antibiotics, very few vaccines. We’d be pretty much fucked without it.

So next timeyou hear someone talk about putting an end to animal testing, tell them to think about the last person they knew to make it through cancer or a heart bypass or overcome a potentially life threatening disease and think if they’d still be around if there was no animal testing.

Right. I needed to go to the bank and get some lunch so I drive into town where there is a major parking shortage. But luckily I know a little car park just behind my bank; now OK I shouldn’t really park there cos it’s for the housing project thing but it is NEVER full and I’m only ever there 5 minutes. So I parked there. Went to the bank, got some subway and returned to find this old bloke pulled up behind me.

Of course he promptly gets out and the following ensues:

Him: You shouldn’t park here you know..

Me: Yeah, I know mate, sorry. It was empty and I was only 5 minutes.

Him: That’s not the point, this is out of your way to park here!

Me: No it’s not. It’s pretty convenient actually seeing as my bank is just there *points*

Him: It’s pointless talking to you people! You shouldn’t park here and thats it!!

Me (annoyed): Oh, shut up moaning you miserable old bastard. I’m not hurting anyone. There’s plenty of spaces. You’re clearly moaning for the sake of moaning!

He then got all flustered ad tried to get back in his car but ended up pressing the horn for ages. I laughed and buggered off. I just don’t get bitter old people, I guess it could be that they’ve lived for that long that they just don’t give a shit any more so bitch about everything. But it’s irritating. There was at least 4 empty parking spaces there and the total time I was there couldn’t have been longer than 10 minutes. Anyone would think that I parked a Hummer there, diagonally, for three days and reversed over his dog on the way out while calling his sister a whore.

But anyway, enough of that. Today is Kerri and Nicole’s (my sisters) birthday so I’ve gotta go and pick up their present from ikea after work. Then go home, get their cards and take it all to my mum’s. She’s taking them for a haircut and style at 4 ish so that leaves me plenty of time to go and get that done, kushty! I wonder if I’ll see any more menu board carnage again. You see, last time I was there I was waiting in line for some meat balls and gravy when the whole fucking line of big heavy menu boards detached themselves from the ceiling and landed on all the customers, including a baby in a pram! It was immense. I instantly thought “Hello Lawsuit!!” Seriously all the people who got hit better be filing claims! I know I would, I’d take them for everything I could. Furnished home and a big fat cheque methinks I say I’d want a furnished home but, to be honest, after that performance I don’t think I trust Scandinavian furnishings.

Been thinking about the weekend too, yes I know it’s only Monday but leave me be, I like to look forward to things. I may have to drive to Rock City cos I’ve not got anyone to share a cab with. I asked if Russ, Marshall and Biggs wanted to cancel their hotel room and share a cab back to mine and it looked hopeful for a bit too but then Russ said it would cause too much hassle if they wanted to leave at different times and stuff so I’m back to square one. *scratches head* Well, I’ve got this week to try and sort something out.

What I am most excited about, however, is the prospect of watching 300 on Sunday during the usual Flashmosh day after meeting. I’ve been waiting for this film for months and am proper psyched about it!! It’s just what every quiet Sunday needs… Full on, historically inaccurate, balls-to-the-wall violence!! It’s basically about a war between 300 Spartans and 1,000,000 Persians and it looks mega. It’s based on the Frank Miller comic book of the same title so it is highly stylised. Frank Miller, of course is the creator of Sin City so I am expecting great things. I loved Sin City and love the stylised way he goes about making films.

Oh, I nearly forgot, the other night I watched a really good film called Buffalo 66. It’s yet another Dennis Waterman special with Vincent Gallo writing, driecting and starring in it along side Christina Ricci. It’s basically about a guy who’s been in jail for 5 years and has just got out. He has a problem in that his parents don’t know he’s been in jail. They have been led to believe he’s happily married and in a successful career, althoguh the details of the job are sketchy. In desperation he kidnaps a young woman and forces her to pose as his wife in a totally uncomfortable meeting with his parents. What unfolds is as funny as it is bizzare and will have you crying with laughter. Go and watch it!!

Well, I look at the news and what do I see. A Sheffield Police Officer has been removed from public duty while an inquest into an incident outside the Niche Nightclub some 7 months ago.

Check out the BBC news story.

As a member on the Sheffield Forum (I did my HND at Hallam) I thought I’d better address this and put forward my opinion, which is as follows:

This is based on what I have seen from the news story, I obviously don’t know any person involved with this so only have the publicly available facts.

This girl was seen to be acting aggressively inside the club and was rightly ejected by the bouncers. An argument then started but was ended fairly quickly. The girl then went and began to vandalise the doorman’s car. She was seen doing this and was restrained, again, rightfully. Around this time the police arrive on the scene. PC Mulhall attempted to restrain her at the top of the stairs in a calm, professional manner but the suspect struggled and attempted to run. At this time PC Mulhall grabbed the suspect and they both stumbled down the stairs. The suspect then resisted some more, visibly thrashing about. at this time a few more officers come to help Mulhall restrain her.

Now, because of the officers involved, the camera’s view becomes obscured but in his statement PC Mulhall said: Ms Comer had tried to grab his genitals and knee, and that he had punched her to subdue her and then to “deaden her arm”

The suspect, Ms. Toni Comer, has said that although her memory of the incident is vague at best, she was, to the best of her knowledge in the grip of an epileptic fit at the time the incident took place.

People have been very quick to judge PC Mulhalls actions but although I suppose he could have shown more restraint and perhaps punching wasn’t the best reaction, I don’t see him as a guilty party in the least.

Consider this: The girl was, by her own admission, agressive and drunk. She admitted damaging the car and triggering the call to the police. She resisted arrest, quite violently and on more than one occasion attempted to flee.

The police officer had to assume the worst, that she may have a weapon, because this, after all, was at Niche Nightclub. Anyone familiar with Sheffield will know that Niche has had a very tarnished reputation for violence and weapons for many years and has been raided by armed police at least once.

The most important fact to consider is that she was violently attacking the man’s genitals. I defy any of you lads to maintain a completely cool head when some drunk violent girl is grabbing at your genitals with full force. In my eyes the Officer simply reacted with a reflex, instinctively striking her arm to make her let go of his testicles.

In hindsight, should he have punched her? No, probably not but let’s think about the job police have to do. They have to make split second decisions while under extreme stress. Having to do this while having your testicles squeezed and grabbed, quite painfully is going to be nigh on impossible.

I’m not saying he should be praised for his actions but to haul him over the coals for it is simply absurd!

And as if by magic, the city’s race relations officer steps in and instantly turns it into a racial matter. this is instantly going to make PC Mulhall’s case 100times harder to fight because this criminal (I’ll call her what she is) has now been pretty much turned into a martyr. The Race relations officer drew comparisons to the Rodney King case in LA in the early 90s. Rodney King for fucks sake!! Like a man lashing out because his bollocks were grabbed is in any way similar to 2 officers beating a non violent man to death with batons.

What it boils down to is the fact that police officers are ill equipped in this country to deal with criminals as they exist today. If Toni Comer was blasted with a tazer or made to look down the barrel of a glock, I don’t think she would have resisted do you?

This country is a fucking circus! We’re becoming more of a laughing stock than the USA and that says something!

Anyway, rant over. I think I will be going to Notts on Saturday for Kym’s birthday, although I will be driving. The arrival of a £146 gas bill this morning means I’ll have to take it easy on the old spending. oh well, these things happen.

I really want to go to Brum for Kirsty’s party tomorrow and I would if it was simply a house party, because they’re pretty cheap but they’re planning on going to anarchy for the all nighter which I simply can’t afford so I’ll give it a miss this week.