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Fairweather cyclists
Those that know me will know that I am not always the most patient person when it comes to matters of the road and the thing that really gets my goat in the summer is the number of people that decide to drag their bikes out of the garage or wherever else it has been dumped for the winter and cycle to work in London.
Not only are they ridiculously slow, but most of them have absolutely no road sense and will quite happily pedal along in flip flops, weaving around on the road and coming to a sudden, unexpected halt for no reason.
One idiot this morning pulled very slowly away from traffic lights and decided to stop dead a few metres later to make a phone call. What they didn't bother to look at was the fact that I was right behind them, and behind me was a large double decker bus.
Luckily because I could see that they were a prize idiot - I managed to take evasive action. Nearly knocking down an idiot pedestrian who was clearly unable to tell that a red person means DO NOT cross the road.
These people should not be allowed on the roads during the working week. If you don't cycle to work in the wind and the rain during the winter - then you don't deserve to enjoy the sunny weather either.
Harsh, but fair on the rest of us.
Michael Jackson shocker
I have to say when I heard the news this morning when my alarm clock went off I thought it was some kind of sick joke.
There were rumours over his health all over the place - but you always assumed he would just go on forever.
His music to me was part of my childhood and while I was never a die-hard fan, I thought he did some fantastic stuff.
It is a shame his life was so full of controversy, when his credibility as an artist was all that should have mattered.
His talent will certainly live on for generations to come.
Its a cop(per) out
Probably not the most politically correct thing to say - but some pikey ruined my journey into work this morning by pinching the copper wire out of the signal box on my railway line.
Why are there such morons allowed to roam around this planet? They have no idea of the knock on effect their mindless actions cause.
Needless to say it caused absolute chaos on my line, people crammed in like sardines because a load of trains were stuck with no signals and couldn't go anywhere. The train was late and it was generally unpleasant.
I was lucky enough to be able to fight my way to a seat - but once in said seat I couldn't move and had some middle aged businessman's backside practically in my face all the way to London. Lovely.
I just hope the copper wire managed to wrap itself round the throat of the thief or at the very least trip them up as they made their way home to sell it for a pittance.
Grrrrrr
It's rolling in now!
Thanks very much to our very generous anonymous donor today - who has pledged £50 to Team CRN in the Westcoast Challenge.
As ever - very much appreciated - we wish we knew who you are!
Thanks from Team CRN
I just wanted to say thanks very much to all those generous people that have sponsored Team CRN for the Westcoast Challenge.
In particular our most recent sponsor - Johnson King - a very generous donation indeed which will be put to good use.
Training is going well I think! Sam and Doug are leagues ahead of me and I'm just going to leave them to it and meet them in the pub afterwards.
However I'm comfortably running three to five miles three times a week now which I'm happy about. When I say running - I would definitely edge more towards the jogging description.
My biggest challenge is keeping it up once the run is over next month. I'm determined to this time!
If you can spare a donation - please visit: www.justgiving.com/teamCRN
Thanks again!
Fingers crossed for Steve Jobs' return
There have been various media reports about Steve Jobs' health today - but most of them seem to point to the fact that he intends to return to Apple after a string of health problems.
According to various reports he has been through a liver transplant this year as part of his ongoing battle against pancreatic cancer.
Fair play to him for fighting through a very difficult time and good luck to him in the future. I'm sure the whole ordeal has been a complete nightmare which no amount of fame or fortune can ease.
Unfortunately for him, being a public figure means he couldn't hide his illness from prying eyes and has had to put up with the wave of speculation over his health. But I wish him well for a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back at the helm of Apple soon.
UPDATE: Jobs is back at the helm today (Tues 23 June) apparently - according to the FT Tech blog
Take That
There are many times that I am so glad I do the job I do, and last night was one of them.
I was lucky enough to be invited by Ricoh to see one of my all time favourite bands - Take That - at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry last night.
It was an absolutely amazing evening - thanks so much to Ricoh for the hospitality - but if any of you out there are Thatters, and are going to see them this summer - you are in for a real treat.
It was one of the, if not THE most amazing show I have ever seen live. I am so glad they made a comeback!
Also full credit to them all for performing outside in the heaviest downpour I have seen for a long time - it rained solidly for about an hour - everyone was soaked.
I won't ruin any of the surprises - there are many - but enjoy.
Functionality
I have become obsessed with a press release I received today - purely because it seems to have been written in a completely foreign language to me.
The headline is 'Function orientated control cabinet building' - something that really grabs your attention and reels you in.
After deciding to investigate further to find out what on earth this technology is, I had finished the press release and discovered I was none the wiser.
But I also discovered that I was just as happy not knowing what it is - than I would be knowing. In fact, more so I would say.
Thank God I don't have to write about technology for a living - that's all I have to say!
The Apprentice
I was surprisingly pleased with the outcome of last night's Apprentice.
Sralan definitely made the right choice and certainly managed to surprise a few people I think. The bookies will be pleased yet again.
Sralan also made a barbed comment about the media, and the criticism they have levelled at the candidates this year.
Fair play to him for saying that - but even he has to admit - there was plenty of material for a little jesting each week. I would say it was the most amusing bunch of candidates in the history of the programme.
As ever the series was brilliant, funny, entertaining, addictive, frustrating and downright annoying at times. I loved every minute.
My only problem now is - what on earth am I going to do at 9pm on a Wednesday? I will feel absolutely lost.
Roll on next Spring.
Courier
I love couriers in this country.
CRN is in one of the most conspicuous buildings in Broadwick Street, being a huge red brick construction on the corner - but one courier today managed to deliver a very important package to not only the wrong building, but the wrong STREET as well.
I then got a very impatient phone call from this guy who couldn't understand why I hadn't received the package and why I didn't recognise the person who had signed for it.
That could be because they work for a completely different company and have never heard of me before.
Luckily it was sorted out eventually after a few increasingly frantic phone calls.
I think he needs to learn how to read a street map - or generally I find looking at street signs tends to help.
Train barmy
I know this is a strange thing to ask - but is it normal to develop an intense dislike for a fellow train passenger that you don't even speak to?
There is this particular woman on my train that really manages to get my goat every day - for no particular reason at all apart from the fact that she is just there.
I'm sure I must annoy her as well - but there is no explanation for this irrational annoyance on my part at all. Everything she does just irritates me!
Does anyone else have this strange experience on their way to work? Or is it just me?
I think I have been commuting too long.
The Apprentice
For those of you who have not yet seen The Apprentice - look away now!
I am amazed, but not surprised at the choice of finalists - Yasmina and Kate (the blonde one). I was even more amazed last night to find myself actually rooting for spoon face Debra last night - willing her to make it to the final.
Sadly she didn't make it - I really thought she had it in the bag.
The interview process was hilarious to watch - although I did sympathise with them as they were given an exceptionally hard time by the four interviewers. Squirm vision when Yasmina didn't seem to know what turnover was.
Sunday is the day of the final - I still predict that Kate will win - but it doesn't mean I want her to.
Train rant
My wonderful train operator has installed shiny new ticket barriers at St Pancras station.
Now when people are waiting to get on their train in the evening - there is even more of a crowd as everyone fights to push their tickets through the barriers.
It also means that people coming off the trains are all squashed together with the people waiting to get on the trains in the same place, because the barriers are a little before the entrance to the platforms and there is no way of separating passengers at all.
Genius design.
Also the whole purpose of the ticket barriers I assume, was to ensure people weren't sneaking on the trains without a ticket and to save staff time by erasing the need for individual ticket checks during the journey.
Wrong!
Ticket checks are still going on both ways, but instead of being able to flow freely off the train when arriving in London - it is now a complete disorganised nightmare.
Well done again for your brilliance, East Midlands Trains.
Fight Night 2009 pics
I hope all of you that attended CRN Fight Night 2009 have recovered from the inevitable hangover. It took me until Saturday afternoon to feel human again!
The pictures are now on sale for you to relive your memories.
Visit here for more details.
Enjoy browsing!
Channel Debate Question 3
We have today launched question three of our Channel Debate.
The Question is: Do vendors, distributors and resellers share the same goals? How can they better work together?
We need as many answers as we can get for this question - so please visit the article here and leave your comments in the box below.
All views are welcome. Let us know what you think. Also please register your votes in our poll as well.
