Odds-n-Sods

10 June

While out shopping the other day I bought a copy of Computeractive, a mag I like but don’t buy all that often these days. Last night I managed to start reading it. Almost straight away I saw a piece that amused me. You see, I write this blog on a Word doc and currently it stands at 716,825 words over 1500+ pages, and I’ve always thought that was a big doc. However, this little piece has blown that idea wide open. A man has written in to say that in a previous issue he’d seen a letter because his spreadsheet had reached 3.4 million lines. Yet this letter by a doctor, said that he had a Word doc that stood at 60,000 pages, and he was still adding to it. Oh my, I’ve a long way to go then.

From the same mag then, a Russian has developed a face recognition software that also allows the user to search and trace the ID of face in a photo. That sounds really horrific to me. As a street photographer (when I can get that is,) there are times when it can be a touch dodgy when you press the shutter. With this package the thought of being able to trace someone can only become a problem. It’s a stalkers ideal tool and I can see why so many people will be concerned about it. Then of course there’s worry that the security services will get their hands on it. I really do hope that it isn’t released here in the Western world.        

Clive Cussler is a writer I got fed-up with. Initially I enjoyed his books but then after reading about the goodie getting beaten senseless, suddenly getting at the baddie just in time to save the world – again, or as usual. So I stopped reading his books. Now Cussler is adding a second name to his books and that puts me off him even more. However, I’m still not running out of books to read and last night I began a new Mark Billingham book. In town the other day I picked up three more books from the County Air Ambulance shop, even though I have a large to be read pile anyway. The life of a writer/reader.

Yesterday afternoon I sat down and as I did pain hit squarely in my back, and it was really bad. It would ease off a bit and then if I moved, even slightly, it came back with a vengeance. It finally eased off after I went through to bed last night and lay flat on my back and I got a good nights’ sleep. This morning it’s playing nicely thankfully; I don’t want another episode like that. However, I do fear things might get a lot worse before my op takes place. I suppose I shall just have to get on and put up with it won’t I?

We sat and tried the film Interstellar yesterday afternoon, I was enjoying it but Jan was lost quite early on. About halfway through I stopped it and will watch the rest when Jan is out tomorrow … or will I. I may decide to get on with some writing instead. There’s 24 hours to decide; of one thing I do know, the way I way I keep changing my mind I shall never hang myself. I just hope the mind shop doesn’t run of mind stock … I wonder what they do with my old minds … … …

Tomorrow morning, we have Trooping the Colour on the telly, something I always try to watch. I love the control of the soldiers on parade along with music from the massed bands. It’s a glorious pageant and I’d love to be able to get tickets to see it live, I will manage it one day. For the Royalists amongst us, it’s also a momentous day with Liz II being 90 years old. That isn’t of all that much interest to me though, but even I have to admit that she is doing very well considering her age. But there again, it shows what being privileged can do for you.

Today’s photo …

A gorilla at Bristol Zoo..

Today’s funny

Customer: Waiter, you haven't given me a teaspoon with my cup of tea.
Waiter: Sorry sir we have run out of them. But I can tell the orchestra to play something stirring.