I've stopped giving out support to friends more than just pointing them in the right direction.

The only thing I have ever had is people complaining at me because I've "broken their computer" when it crashes 6 months after I remove myriad spyware, adware and malware problems.

If anyone asks now I just advise them what to search for on Google.

In fact, just last night I had a number of texts from a guy asking if I could help either him install GIMP on his Mac or show him how to torrent Photoshop.

I recommended he go to the app store and search on there (I mentioned Pixelmator also). He said he doesn't want to pay for anything as he only needs a really simple tool to paste a logo over an image...

I told him that GIMP and PS were probably the most complex way he can go and search the AppStore for something free.

Two things...
1. If he couldn't work out how to install GIMP he's going to have a harder time using it.
2. Why do people think that GIMP and Photoshop are "simple" and "easy-to-use" tools?!

Not sure if it has been posted here already

How hilarious it is that all the doddering old officials doing the draw for the UEFA finals are being accompanied onto the stage by models apparently at least a foot taller than they are. It's like watching five year olds being walked to school by their mums

Horace's terrible oil leak.

The oil cooler hose has a tiny hole which can (under pressure) disgorge 4L of oil in about 15 minutes I haven't been able to find a replacement hose without having to buy the cooler as well (£120 vs £18 for the hose) and I've been through 26L of oil in 2 days!

Tomorrow we're going to bypass the oil cooler and take off the cooler hose, send it to the lovely Steve at Steve Lewis Saabs who is going to fabricate a new one using the holey one as a template, then start making them to sell since there seems to be a gap in the market.

Meanwhile, Horace's engine bay is absolutely drenched in oil, hopefully this means nothing will go rusty for a while, including the oil reservoir cap, the alarm box, the air inlet and the shock absorber casing.

Perhaps you should rename Horace to Exxon Valdez.

Jeez! One little oil spill and that's you in the doghouse FOREVER!!

So my pics went up on FB finally, and they're soo badly compressed and cropped.
Ah well. An odd choice of pics too, but hey, whatever. I thought there were much better ones than the choices they made. *shrug*

When I first moved to Germany, I had to fix a couple of computers blind. As you say, the same options are in the same place, even if they are called something else. If you can remember where it is on an English system, you can do it in any other language as well.

As a motorcyclist, all I can say is

Oh, and DON'T PUT HORRACE BACK ON THE ROAD UNTIL THE LEAK IS FIXED! Have you any idea how slippery you are making the road for other road users?

I had some idiot dump oil in a corner in front of me once. Somehow, I managed to keep control of the bike, but I did a 200M tank-slapper and had to use both sides of the road! Thank God, it was a quiet time and there was no oncoming traffic! I managed to stop and called the police and they put sand down within 10 minutes, but that was one of the most scary moments of my life!

Erica Knockalls.

Yes, I have, that's why we've spent the last two days outside in the freezing cold (and in some cases dark) getting it fixed! I'm not irresponsible, and if I could have got him home any other way then I would have done.

To be honest, it's unavoidable that cars and trucks will leak oil sometimes. Likewise, horse sh!t is just as slippery and there's no law against dumping tonnes of the stuff in the road - likewise with the mud and crap that falls off the back of farm and quarry vehicles.

For this reason, it is obvious to any sane person that motorbikes are unfit for the road. Any vehicle that is likely to murder death kill the driver when it hits a slippery patch is quite obviously beyond any reason absolutely unquestionably only fit for those insane nutters with a death wish!

It's ironic that the law in some countries requires winter tyres to be worn when there's the slightest danger of ice, but the same laws permit the use of 200+ horse power on 1mm of rubber in the same condition...

If you invented the motorcycle today, it'd never be allowed on the road.
"Right, so you balance it on two wheels, and you sit on top of the engine with the fuel tank between your legs and underneath your torso? And there are no air bags? Side impact protection? I see. Next!"

New Years Eve Flying Chinese Lanterns: pretentious littering.

Originally posted in networking .....



Going to moms 10th Dec and would like to get her a router ,now having been here in Spain for sooooo long
am I going to have problems setting one up .I think she is with Virgin media with a silly little mono box which my sister hogs all day ,I will buying mom a new lappy and I will have mine with me , Perfection would be a router with better distance so I can retire to my room when they are watching the soaps .


all sugestions gratfully received
Paul