Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Codswallop!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-30777516

[Rod Paradise]

I just rang ring the income tax self assessment helpline and get this message:

The number you have dialed has changed, please dial new number.

I dial new number.

Automated voice asks why I'm calling and misunderstand my answers a dozen times, then asks for my national insurance number, which it misunderstands twice. Then it asks for my name, my date of birth, my postcode, and my wife's date of birth.

Then it puts me on hold to speak to an advisor.

After 27 minutes of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, the same robot voice says, "I'm sorry, there is no one available to take your call at the moment. Goodbye"

The phone goes dead.


There is an amazing post script to this. When I was writing about the music they played at me, I had no idea what it actually was, I just plucked Vivaldi's Four Seasons out of the air, but when I checked the spelling a YouTube link came up. I clicked the link and found that it actualy was Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

Even more amazingly, my daughter came in and I told her about it and she was able to hum Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

That Vivaldi bloke is more famous than he thought.

They've just switched phone companies, their network strategy & capacity are a right royal PITA - they really don't fit well on modern telco networks, and the new supplier haven't managed to get all the capacity in.

I'd get in trouble or I'd tell about a dashing young slim telecom engineer, who redesigned things to try and get some efficiency, and knocked of their biggest call centres at their busiest time if year (tax credits). A tale of conference calls with execs, threatening to cut them off, reports to 11 Downing St, and the genius who screwed it up getting an attaboy for fixing it....

[TightEnd]

thought you might like this one

"Seattle dog figures out buses starts riding solo to the dog park"

http://huff.to/1It7dOr 

[RED-DOG]

thought you might like this one

"Seattle dog figures out buses starts riding solo to the dog park"

http://huff.to/1It7dOr 

It's fascinating isn't it?

Try searching 'Moscow Metro dogs' on Google and YouTube.

[Karabiner]

Are you going to have a bash at the grand prix this weekend Tom?

I'm thinking of coming out of my hermit's cave for the early flight on Friday.

[RED-DOG]

Are you going to have a bash at the grand prix this weekend Tom?

I'm thinking of coming out of my hermit's cave for the early flight on Friday.

Unfortunately I have to be in Derby between 3 & 7pm Ralph.

[TightEnd]

Did you happen to catch a BBC2 programme "the secret life of dogs"?

iplayer is your friend


quite remarkable stuff about dogs being used to detect early stage cancers etc

[TightEnd]

i thought you might like this too

Suzi took her triumph on a holiday to france

Evens each of two, Suzi or the bike as the star of the photograph?

[RED-DOG]

There's more to life than dogs and motorbikes.


http://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/9-essential-rules-for-making-the-perfect-cup-of-tea#.tkp8ZJL6lX

[tikay]

i thought you might like this too

Suzi took her triumph on a holiday to france

Evens each of two, Suzi or the bike as the star of the photograph?

Oh my Lord, back up the truck, & pile the lot on Suzi. If ever there was a perfect woman, it's Suzi. I'm salivating even thinking about her astride a throbbing Triumph.

[tikay]

There's more to life than dogs and motorbikes.


http://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/9-essential-rules-for-making-the-perfect-cup-of-tea#.tkp8ZJL6lX

Jeez, here we go, back to making cups of tea. No wonder the place is dying.

Here, have a bit of this.

[bobAlike]

Made me think of this thread..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-30828694

[Rod Paradise]

Getting a bit of weather up here lately - alternating frost, rain, snow, rain, frost for days. It's given us floods, landslides crashes on icy roads the lot.

So the animals are a bit hungry - I feed the birds outside my kitchen window & like most that do I'm used to the cheeky robin who is in about your feet getting first pick, but I seem to be on the edge of 2 territories which leads to some entertaining scraps between the robins. This morning though, I'd 4 robins, all within a couple of yards of me, all feeding without trouble, I've never seen that before so I watched out of the window, they all fed for a bit, while the other birds gathered the courage to nip in for some, then suddenly, as if they'd managed enough food to think about other business I'd a cracking robin version of the bar fight in Shane, was entertaining watching.

Just back from walking the dog - apparently you're supposed to shake the snow off outside....

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Getting a bit of weather up here lately - alternating frost, rain, snow, rain, frost for days. It's given us floods, landslides crashes on icy roads the lot.

So the animals are a bit hungry - I feed the birds outside my kitchen window & like most that do I'm used to the cheeky robin who is in about your feet getting first pick, but I seem to be on the edge of 2 territories which leads to some entertaining scraps between the robins. This morning though, I'd 4 robins, all within a couple of yards of me, all feeding without trouble, I've never seen that before so I watched out of the window, they all fed for a bit, while the other birds gathered the courage to nip in for some, then suddenly, as if they'd managed enough food to think about other business I'd a cracking robin version of the bar fight in Shane, was entertaining watching.

Just back from walking the dog - apparently you're supposed to shake the snow off outside....

Click to see full-size image.

I have to say you're maturing nicely Rod. Growing into yourself, so to speak.

[RED-DOG]

Did you happen to catch a BBC2 programme "the secret life of dogs"?

iplayer is your friend


quite remarkable stuff about dogs being used to detect early stage cancers etc

 
Thanks Rich. I've seen that prog before, but then I'm totally fascinated by whole subject of scenting ability in dogs.

It's almost impossible for us to comprehend just how incredibly sensitive a dogs nose is, but if you consider that they can detect a gram of cocaine that is inside a van inside an bag inside a sealed tin of baked beans you might get some idea.

Smell is a dog's primary sense. He sets great store by it and will gladly believe the evidence of his nose over that of his eyes any day. You can't fool him by wearing a mask and a clown suit.

Used properly, smell can be a great training aid too, especially when teaching things like what he can and can't chew or which part of the garden you want him to go to the toilet in.

A great example of the importance of scent came up today. I took the rug from Poppy's bed and hung it on the line to air out. Poppy fancied a nap so she went to sleep as close as possible to its safe comforting smell.

Click to see full-size image.