Monday, December 27, 2004

Talking with no wires

Got a great Christmas present, a Handsfree Bluetooth Headset from Sony Ericsson. It's a brilliant device as it means I can have my phone in my pocket and take calls on my mobile without getting the phone out of a pocket etc. Also is safer in a high crime area as my phone is out of site! Maybe one day they will use the same technology in an everyday landline phone - would be cool.

All I gotta do now is get the headset to automatically answer calls, which is a pain as it can't recognise my voice - it records it ok but then wont work when I try to answer the phone! I guess I have one of those hard to recognise voices. Still not having voice recognition is not a problem as I can just press a button on the ear piece to answer a call.





Friday, November 19, 2004

New Mobile

I got a new mobile last weekend and it is great! The best mobile phone I have ever owned, it is the SonyEricsson K700i complete with a colour screen, mp3 ringtones, and a camera (which I will probably hardly use). mp3 ringtones are cool as it is so much better to hear decent music when the phone rings, Polyphonic tones are great too, but mp3 is even better.

I changed mobile network as well, to O2, mainly because the phones O2 sell are not network customised, and messed up, and also because the tariff is cool - £35 a month gets me 250 cross network minutes, 50 texts, £2.99 worth of international traveller service and free voicemail. Previously my mobile network was T-Mobile, and while they were very good, I decided not to stay with them, as that would have meant signing up for a 18 month contract rather than a 12 month one, and would have got a network customised phone.

I believe networks should not be able to mess up a phone as it is unfair to the user, after all who wants their network logo plastered on the front, somtimes the side and back of the phone? I don't , mind you this is not as bad as messing up the software - on my new phone, if I had gone to Vodafone, and got a Vodafone customised K700i, I would not have been able to use mp3 ringtones, as they do not allow you to use them, unless you get them from their Vodafone Live service, I believe this is because they are covering their back copyright wise. I think if a feature is on a phone you should be able to use it unrestricted, and the network operator should not be able to restrict it. If a network operator wants to customise the phone, then they should onle be able to put an operator logo on the casing, and perhaps in the menu structure a link to their WAP and or other services they offer, and any extra software needed to activate line 2, but nothing else, and not restrict some of the features.

Another bug bear of mine, is locked mobile phones, as there is no need, if you are on contract, after all you have signed up for a 12/18 month contract with the operator, which you can't get out of without paying your way out. I feel it's fair to lock a pay as you go phone, that way it has to be used on the network you bought it on, until you unlock it.

Sunday, October 17, 2004

What a Bugger

I had a very bad week with my PC. Unfortunately I have to report that it passed away after several years of use. Fortunately, thank to my parents, I now have a new EMachines PC - with a 2.8ghz processor, 512MB of DDR Ram, 128MB ATI Radeon Graphics Card, DVD +/- RW Drive, 120GB hard drive, Front Media Card Readers, 4 rear USB ports and 1 front, network card, 56k modem and sound, complete with front headphone and microphone sockets. It runs Windows XP home.

The hardest part has been getting my data from the old computer to the new computer. I went to PC World today to see if they had some sort of Hard Drive caddy, however they did not, but as I was leaving I noticed on a wall an advert for a computer fair in a hotel. Now I don't usually like going to a computer fair as I think they are very dodgy, but in this case decided to risk it. I'm glad I did as for £37 I found a hard drive caddy, that would enable me to connect it to my computer via USB 2, which means that all my personal and business data has been saved.

The problem with my old PC was that it started to freeze when I was in Linux or Windows XP, and got to the point that when I turned it on, it could not complete the boot process, it just kept rebooting itself. Thankfully I explained all of this to my parents and they agreed to loan me the money to get a new PC.

I have decided that during the warranty period I am not going to install Linux, as that might cause a problem with the warranty, but readers of this blog will be kept informed about my Linux exploits as my parents now run SuSE Linux personal 9.1 on their PC, replacing Windows 98a

Thursday, October 07, 2004

The S+ARCK has landed

Yep, I have bought myself a new S+ARCK mouse by Microsoft. Created by the world famous designer Philippe S+ARCK, it is brilliant. I don't have a mouse with loads of extra buttons, just a left and right one, plus the scroll wheel, which lights up, and is integrated in a blue light band which goes down the whole of the middle of the mouse! If you would like to find out what it looks like, visit Microsoft's Hardware site by clicking here You can even buy the mouse with an orange light rather than a blue one!

Changing the subject completely I hate British Airways as they have cancelled the flights I was traveling on with my mates to France for a 5 day trip to Disneyland Paris! - British Airways said that 0.5% of flights had to be cancelled due to staff problems (a load of bull I think) Now I gotta change airport from Gatwick to Heathrow, and from British Airways to Air France!. I don't mind apart from the fact that the inbound flight now leaves 2 hours earlier than the original flight time. The outbound flight is fine - leaves 5 minutes earlier than the original!

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

New Website Design

Well, I updated the design of my personal website about 2 months or so ago, and this last weekend, changed it again so that it fits in with the design of my blog! Now when you go to my personal website, I feel there is a more "professional" look and feel. Feel free to comment on it, via this blog, or if you want Blogroll me via the link underneath my blogroll, and add me to your blogroll!

If you like reading my blog, and want an easier way to read it, you can add it to your My Yahoo! page if you have or to your RSS news feed reader - simply use the URL of the feed http://feeds.feedburner.com/jonzosrantings

Finally I am thinking of renaming this blog to "Watch Out - Weirdo About" instead of "Jonzo's Rantings" Let me know your views, by leaving a comment!

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Easy as pie

Thunderbird - Reclaim Your Inbox

Well I downloaded Thunderbird - and it was so easy to install. All I had to do was unzip the download file into a folder of my choice, and when I clicked on the Thunderbird file expecting to run the program I was simply asked if I wished to import any data from another e-mail client, and Thunderbird loaded!

Firefox - the browser reloaded

Firefox - Rediscover the web

Wow - I just downloaded FireFox 1.0 web browser for Linux, and it was a doddle to install. I've been told that unless that unless the software was in RPM format it would be a pain to install. I would download an rpm file and get SuSE Linux to install it for me, as that is very easy. However the FireFox download was easy to install, I just had to click on the install file and up popped a Windows like install routine. Once I had told it where to install it and what to install, all I had to do was run the menu editor so I could add it to my KDE menu, and my quick launch icons on the start bar and I was away!

Congratulations to Mozilla for making an easy install process! I wish more developers of Linux packages would do the same, cause as a newbie to Penguin Power (Linux) I find it very hard to install programs as it is so complicated, and there is no guarantee that the install process will work, perhaps because files needed by that software are not installed etc. This is exactly what a Windows programmer (new to Linux) recently wrote to a Linux magazine - he said that he expected Linux software to run "out of the box" with an easy install process

Now I'm off to download Thunderbird 0.8 I hope that is as easy as FireFox!


Monday, September 20, 2004

I hate some of my work colleagues

Some of the people I work with at work I don't particularly like, because even though they are getting the same rate of pay as me, think they are above me. I sometimes work on the cigarette Kiosk at the place I work, and one of my so called colleagues I work with on this Kiosk thinks that because I work on Checkouts, I am beneath him in the hierarchy tree, even though I am not. An example of this is that a few weeks ago I was working with him on the kiosk, and one of our bosses came to us and asked for one of us to go and take another colleague off of the checkout she was working on so she could go for her break, now rather than the two of us decide jointly which one of us was going to that checkout, he basically made it plain that I was going, and there was to be no argument, even though the boss had made it quite clear that we should decide between ourselves who should go , in other words because I worked on a checkout and he was primarily working on the kiosk. I had to go, no argument.

I believe that if a boss ask his employees to decide between them who should do as asked, it should be a joint decision, not one employee making that decision without involving the other, especially when both employees are on the same "hierarchy level" .

The way I would run this kiosk is different, I would ensure that all staff who work on there as there primary job role, are made aware of the fact that they are not "better" than checkout staff and that if they are working with someone from checkouts, and a boss asks for one of them to go to checkouts, they agree together who will go! I would also ensure that all trained kiosk staff, get at least 1hr a week on the kiosk

Friday, September 03, 2004

Penguin Powered DVD

As you know, I have put SuSE Linux 9.1 on my PC. However out of the box it cannot play a DVD. The reasons for this, according to SuSE is copyright - apparently they dont want people to be able to "pirate" a DVD. I think this is totally stupid, after all a Windows PC can play a DVD, allbeit with playback software. I thought therefore, I should be able to find DVD playback software on the internet for Linux. Suprisingly I couldnt. It was only through reading an article in a Linux newsgroup that I was able to find out how to play DVD's in Linux, and this nessiciated downloading 4 software programs!!.

I think if I install an operating system, and have a DVD drive in my PC, I should be able to watch a DVD movie if I want to, and not get told that I cant because of copyright reasons, after all I am an average joe, and am not really interested in pirating a DVD.

Now I have DVD playback working in Linux, it is far better than within Windows, as there is no sound or picture jerkiness!

Friday, August 20, 2004

What a day

Some of you may know that I work for major UK supermarket chain as a checkout operatior. Man what a day I had, customer after customer, and it was tiring. I'll be glad when the holiday period is over and we get back to full staff strength!

Interesting thing at work is that it doesn't matter how many checkouts are open - people only ever want to use the first few open checkouts, as they cant be bothered to walk to the ones further down. This annoys me if I am on one of the first checkouts they come to as it means I am more busy than other checkouts. How I wish a member of staff was employed to show customers to a checkout, thus making the checkouts more efficient!

That is all I got time for - will blog again soon!

Saturday, July 31, 2004

Meet the Asshole

What an interesting day I have had! I am one of those people who is a complete asshole some of the time, and says silly things to people! However today I realised that I need to change this so that I can become a better person otherwise I am going to loose the friends I have.

I guess one of the reasons I am an asshole is that I get pissed off alot! Espcially when friends do things that I do not like, I know that I shouldnt get pissed off, but I do and that is stupid, as 99% of the time my friends have a good reason for doing something I don't like. The good thing to come out of this is the fact that I will be arranging to see a counsellor to sort myself out once and for all, as i cant expect my friends to help me fix things this time, as I need professional help!

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Penguin Power

Recently I have modified my computers setup, and now have a dual boot PC system running SuSE Linux 9.1 and Windows XP. I must say that Linux is great, and much nicer to work with than windows, for example I only have to click one icon to go on to the net, rather than in windows where it can take 2-5 clicks to get online! Using Kopete, the provided IM package is great as I can connect to AOL, ICQ, Jabber MSN and Yahoo! in an easy to use package, and not worry about will I be able to connect to x service - as it connects to all services fast, without any problems.

If you are a Windows user and you are fed up with bugs and crashes then Linux is for you. I would say that Linux can do what windows can - I can read MS Word documents in Linux, play my MP3's and even access all my Windows files as well. Best of all Linux is a free download, or cheap if you go buy it in a shop - I paid £24.99 for it, and it came with the operating system, a try before you install CD, loads of programs inlcluding Real Player, OpenOffice, Mozilla Firefox etc.

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Sheyla Bonnick and the Sounds of Boney M

Click here for Sheyla's site

What a sham. It seems everyone wants to get in on the act of forming their own Boney M group. We now have Sheyla Bonnick, who was one of the original members, who left after 6months, to be replaced by Marcia "Griffiths" according to her website.

I think it is disgusting that there are 5 Boney M versions touring the world. I think there should only be 2 formations that are allowed to tour - Boney M feat Marcia Barrett and Boney M feat Liz Mitchell as they are the only 2 members who actually performed on Boney M's recordings. At Sheyla's site have a listen to her perfoming - she has used some Boney M backing tracks, and made some of her own, but it is clearly obvious that this is not Boney M!

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Drag Queen Name....

.... whats yours? Find out at life is a drag

My drag queen name is Bitch Mama Yours could be something just funny or silly

Monday, June 28, 2004

The London Bus Page

The London Bus Page

One of my favourite website, is this website looking at what is happening on the London bus scene at the present time. It is sad that all the Routemaster buses are being withdrawn from London service and replaced with either standard double deckers or Mercedes articulated buses. Wouldnt it be nice if Ken Livingstone Mayor of London realised what a mistake he is making!

Friday, May 21, 2004

A Flame Is A Light....

.... So says Reggie Tsiboe, of Boney M. Just recently I have recieved A Flame Is A Light a very rare Boney M track, which was apparently recorded for a never to materialise album in 1984!

Now I said to myself that I needed to add to my blog more often, and it hasn't happened! Stupid really as it don't take long to write something on this page! So stay tuned for updates hopeully twice a week!

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

The Sims

Recently I have got back into playing one of the greatest PC games of all times. The Sims. Until now I never really realised how awesome the game is! Can't wait for The Sims 2! What I really love in the first version of the game, is the fact that I can have my Sim characters dancing to my favourite music! It seems weired watching computer characters dancing to Boney M, and other disco artists.

I recently went to a James Last concert and it was really brilliant. James Last is one person whose music you should listen to, as he has a great knack of arranging great songs! His version of Lady Marmalade is brilliant, and I was suprised to see one of his choir, come on stage for this number in sequined hot pants and bikini top! If you are looking for a great party CD, try his New Party Classics CD - his own arrangement of classic hits such as Downtown, Pretty Women, Hey Baby etc, or try his CD Last The Whole Night Long, featuring 50 classic tracks from the 70's and 60's such as Rivers Of Babylon, Mull of Kintyre, Black Is Black, Your The One That I Want. For more information on James Last goto www.jameslast.com

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Spam Spam and more Spam

I'm getting to the point where I am getting irritated by the amount of Spam I am recieving in my e-mail of late. It seems that I have more spam e-mail in my mailboxes than genuine e-mails! Personally I feel those that send spam should be sentenced to at least 5 years in jail, as well as being fined, and forced to e-mail an apology to all those they have spammed.

What really gets my got in spam e-mail is all the adult e-mails I get telling me that I can get better sex organs etc by taking the latest wonderdrug, or get invited to look at the most gorgeous girls etc.

As you may have noticed I have not updated my blog recently. This is due to the fact that I keep forgetting to do it! However hope that that will all change soon! and I hope to start posting at least twice a week!

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Frustation

Had a really annoying last few days - my car got its front bumper and indicator light damaged by another motorist, who didnt leave me their insurance details, meaning I have to fork out for a new front bumper etc.

What I really hate is people that are so concerned with keeping their "no claims bonus" on their car insurance that they go to the length of making sure that if they do bump into another persons car, there is no way they can be found and asked for their insurance details so that the person whoose car was damaged can be fixed, without that person having to pay a penny, or claim on their insurance and loose their "no claims bonus". I think its about time that people realised if they bump into someone elses car (when the owner is not around) then they should have the decency to leave their details so that the owner can make a claim on the other drivers insurance if needed.

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Road closed

Dont you just hate it when you are travelling somewhere and you find that a road is closed! Thats what happened to me today on my way to work, and I had to make a detour, to get to work which made me late, and consequently pissed me off!

One thing that I guess some people dont like about me is the fact that I get easily pissed off with other road users if they make a mistake on the roads etc, for example overtaking when there is no room to or coming out of a side road in front of me and causing me to slam my brakes on. The worst thing that pisses me offI think is when another road user doesnt use their indicators on a roundabout etc.

I guess thats enough of my musings for today as its late and I should be getting some sleep!

Sunday, March 21, 2004

Feeling Great!

My blog has arrived! after looking at other blogs on the net, I thought it would be a fun thing to do, so here it is!. I dont plan to make this a daily log, just add entries as and when I feel like it.

Had one of those days today when everything seemed to go just as I planned. For a while now I had been looking for some new jeans! and had been so pissed off, as I couldnt find any in my size! (which is not suprising when you consider I am only 5ft 4!) However today I found what I was looking for, so am feeling really pleased with myself, and to top it off I bought a new belt to go with the jeans!