Highlights of the trip (so far);
So, something to eat, get dressed, and I'm (sadly) off to a funeral, to say goodbye to a very old (longstanding) friend. Baruch dayan ha'emet.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
So I'm in a wireless hinterland (Yokneam, Israel) but at least they have broadband. I have travelled for twelve hours, and slept for five, so feel moderately refreshed.
Highlights of the trip (so far);
seeing all J's children who look almost exactly like she did at school
getting a photo of a chassid davening in Budapest
surfing free wireless at Budapest airport; checking my mail and paying a supplier online with digital banking, while sitting on the floor waiting for the plane to board
Ben Gurion airport is amazing - last time I was here, it was kinda like a makeshift third-world hut, a cross between a taxi station and the shuk. Now it's all round and cool Jerusalem stone (and, sadly, multiple Nokia logos. Apparently they connect people).
I've never been on a train in Israel; it may have been the crack of dawn, but I got a wonderful view going up the coast.
So, something to eat, get dressed, and I'm (sadly) off to a funeral, to say goodbye to a very old (longstanding) friend. Baruch dayan ha'emet.
Highlights of the trip (so far);
So, something to eat, get dressed, and I'm (sadly) off to a funeral, to say goodbye to a very old (longstanding) friend. Baruch dayan ha'emet.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
many Baileysim, small prices
... not least because the Duty Free is replete with all kinds of Baileys of various sizes.
Separate note: if anyone who IMs with me remembers my AIM login name - I'm sure I know the password - could you email me? Thanks.
Separate note: if anyone who IMs with me remembers my AIM login name - I'm sure I know the password - could you email me? Thanks.
terrible hungarian advert
So, long story but I've just seen this (probably translated from Hungarian) advert - not only is it not idiomatic, which we forgive, because we get the sense, but the model's had to put on this fervently surprised face. A face that says "prices so small, I am amazed at the dealiness".
This is a country I could set up an ad agency in.
This is a country I could set up an ad agency in.
broken window
So I was just lying in bed, listening to the bird song, about 6am, slightly sleepless, when I heard this huge crash. I thought the chances of another explosion were slim, but I got the shock of my life. I gingerly crept round my house, wondering what it was, till I saw this huge hole in the spare room window, and glass all over the floor.
First thought was a brick, but then obviously random vandals/people who throw bricks through your window are unlikely to get up at 6am. Also, it's quite hard to get to the back of my house. You'd just have to be really keen, as well as an insomniac.
Slight panic, spontaneous crying, took photos for the insurance/because I can.
Looked around my spare room - there are no bricks/heavy objects, but there are a few feathers. Went downstairs, to the bottom of the window, no sign of anything.
So I feel: slightly shocked/scared/perturbed. Is there a dead/injured bird lurking in my spare room (I can't see one, but they are small). And also, a bird flew into my house once before, and how often does lightning/bird shit strike?
Too many slashes: word choice this time of the morning is tricky.
First thought was a brick, but then obviously random vandals/people who throw bricks through your window are unlikely to get up at 6am. Also, it's quite hard to get to the back of my house. You'd just have to be really keen, as well as an insomniac.
Slight panic, spontaneous crying, took photos for the insurance/because I can.
Looked around my spare room - there are no bricks/heavy objects, but there are a few feathers. Went downstairs, to the bottom of the window, no sign of anything.
So I feel: slightly shocked/scared/perturbed. Is there a dead/injured bird lurking in my spare room (I can't see one, but they are small). And also, a bird flew into my house once before, and how often does lightning/bird shit strike?
Too many slashes: word choice this time of the morning is tricky.
my silk painting poppy
So for A&M's wedding they're asking friends to decorate squares artistically (or not...) and then M is making them into a chuppah (wedding canopy) because she's good at those things. So here's my silk-painted poppy interpretation; spent the afternoon round M's dining room table doing the kind of thing I love doing, but never find time for, with G giving me a wonderful shoulder massage. Life is good.
poppies
Yesterday I was driving through Hendon - as you do - and I just stopped by this old gothic house on Parsons Street that when I lived in zone three, years ago, always felt like it was haunted. Outside, were these beautiful poppies, and because I have my shiny-new camera always in my handbag now, I can just show you what I saw.
This weekend? A curate's egg. Not much sleep, wonderful friends, lots of creativity, a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, the Da Vinic Code on the big screen (good in parts, but not that many), some packing, some late spring cleaning. What can I say? There are just some things you don't write on your weblog.
This weekend? A curate's egg. Not much sleep, wonderful friends, lots of creativity, a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, the Da Vinic Code on the big screen (good in parts, but not that many), some packing, some late spring cleaning. What can I say? There are just some things you don't write on your weblog.
Friday, May 26, 2006
cornflower blue
I'm still taking photos of flowers with my shiny-new camera. Cornflowers, by Kilburn tube.
Saw Have I Got News for You being recorded last night - excellent. Carol Vordemann in the chair (they ripped the p*** out of her about her loan ads, priceless), Dr Phil Hammond (not that famous, but very funny) and Richard E Grant (famous but weird. And says he's 57 when he appears to be 49).
Followed by an evening walk on the South Bank and pasta - London's traditional dish. I do live in a great city.
Followed by an evening walk on the South Bank and pasta - London's traditional dish. I do live in a great city.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
I don't know who Laura Brady on the Guardian is, but she wrote a ridiculous piece in yesterday's paper about flat freeholds which was riddled with inaccuracies.
First, the freeholder is not "otherwise known as a landlord or managing agent". The freeholder is the landlord, and they appoint a managing agent, who the tenants pay for.
Second, they are not "likely to charge ground rent as you do not own the plot that the property stands on" - they will charge ground rent, because it will be in your lease.
Third, "An ideal lease will extend to 99 years, although 125 and even 999-year leases are also available" - not true. An ideal lease is as long as possible, and ideally longer than the marriage value of the lease, otherwise it'll cost you a fortune to enfranchise.
Fourth, "Under normal circumstances, a freeholder is legally obliged to extend it [the lease] for a further 90 years at a "reasonable" cost to the leaseholder. However, this cost is based on the value of the property and can run into thousands of pounds." Well, kinda true, but no mention of the massive Leashold Reform Act which means landlords automatically have to enfranchise tenants if they meet minimum criteria. There's a formula and a process, so it could cost thousands, but it might cost hundreds.
Fifth, "When buying a flat, your solicitor will investigate the adequacy of the existing lease term. "You should be looking for at least double the term of your mortgage," says Nicholls. "Anything below this and you may find it hard to find a lender." Not as I understand it - I don't think lenders will want to lend on anything less than about 65 or 70 years. And no mention of the impact of a short lease on resale value.
Sixth, "share of the freehold...these properties are usually in small apartment blocks or converted houses, with a maximum of five separate flats in the building." I could be wrong, but I think I've seen share of freehold properties in mansion blocks. I don't think there's any maximum.
Seventh, "as freeholds are expensive to buy and are traded among investors, a share of it can boost the value of the property." This is patent rubbish. Since the reforms in the leasehold legislation, the bottom has totally fallen out of the freehold market, they are no longer traded, as far as I can tell, and because landlords are effectively forced to sell to tennants who want them, there's no real market value.
Eighth, "on the other side of the coin, decisions regarding the communal areas, structure of the building and even insurance are all made collectively. If personal disagreements emerge with the small group of other freeholders, the situations can become difficult." Well, all potentially true, but no mention of enfranchised tenants appointing their own, cheaper managing agent.
Ninth - and this is getting silly now - "If you buy a flat in such a small block as a leaseholder, you may be able to join forces with the other flat owners to buy the freehold from your landlord in a process called enfranchisement." It's not just about small blocks, and why only one mention of a key reform?
Tenth, in relation to commonhold, "on the downside, everyone in the building is collectively responsible for the cost and upkeep of all communal areas - even for eventualities such as replacing the roof, he adds. "They are also responsible for the insurance of the building and well as their own contents insurance." That's not a downside, it's reality. If you're in a leasehold flat, you have to pay what the Landlord's managing agent says you should pay, unless you want to fight; if you're in share-of-freehold (ie enfranchised) you have to pay, and if it's commonhold, you have to pay. Whatever your circumstances, someone, and it's generally the people who live there, has to pay for buildings insurance and general maintenance.
Now, this is not a totally researched comment, it just comes out of my head, so I can't vouch for total accuracy, but I'm da*n sure I know quite a bit more than Laura Brady.
How? I hear you ask. A combination of common sense and bitter experience. But that's another story...
First, the freeholder is not "otherwise known as a landlord or managing agent". The freeholder is the landlord, and they appoint a managing agent, who the tenants pay for.
Second, they are not "likely to charge ground rent as you do not own the plot that the property stands on" - they will charge ground rent, because it will be in your lease.
Third, "An ideal lease will extend to 99 years, although 125 and even 999-year leases are also available" - not true. An ideal lease is as long as possible, and ideally longer than the marriage value of the lease, otherwise it'll cost you a fortune to enfranchise.
Fourth, "Under normal circumstances, a freeholder is legally obliged to extend it [the lease] for a further 90 years at a "reasonable" cost to the leaseholder. However, this cost is based on the value of the property and can run into thousands of pounds." Well, kinda true, but no mention of the massive Leashold Reform Act which means landlords automatically have to enfranchise tenants if they meet minimum criteria. There's a formula and a process, so it could cost thousands, but it might cost hundreds.
Fifth, "When buying a flat, your solicitor will investigate the adequacy of the existing lease term. "You should be looking for at least double the term of your mortgage," says Nicholls. "Anything below this and you may find it hard to find a lender." Not as I understand it - I don't think lenders will want to lend on anything less than about 65 or 70 years. And no mention of the impact of a short lease on resale value.
Sixth, "share of the freehold...these properties are usually in small apartment blocks or converted houses, with a maximum of five separate flats in the building." I could be wrong, but I think I've seen share of freehold properties in mansion blocks. I don't think there's any maximum.
Seventh, "as freeholds are expensive to buy and are traded among investors, a share of it can boost the value of the property." This is patent rubbish. Since the reforms in the leasehold legislation, the bottom has totally fallen out of the freehold market, they are no longer traded, as far as I can tell, and because landlords are effectively forced to sell to tennants who want them, there's no real market value.
Eighth, "on the other side of the coin, decisions regarding the communal areas, structure of the building and even insurance are all made collectively. If personal disagreements emerge with the small group of other freeholders, the situations can become difficult." Well, all potentially true, but no mention of enfranchised tenants appointing their own, cheaper managing agent.
Ninth - and this is getting silly now - "If you buy a flat in such a small block as a leaseholder, you may be able to join forces with the other flat owners to buy the freehold from your landlord in a process called enfranchisement." It's not just about small blocks, and why only one mention of a key reform?
Tenth, in relation to commonhold, "on the downside, everyone in the building is collectively responsible for the cost and upkeep of all communal areas - even for eventualities such as replacing the roof, he adds. "They are also responsible for the insurance of the building and well as their own contents insurance." That's not a downside, it's reality. If you're in a leasehold flat, you have to pay what the Landlord's managing agent says you should pay, unless you want to fight; if you're in share-of-freehold (ie enfranchised) you have to pay, and if it's commonhold, you have to pay. Whatever your circumstances, someone, and it's generally the people who live there, has to pay for buildings insurance and general maintenance.
Now, this is not a totally researched comment, it just comes out of my head, so I can't vouch for total accuracy, but I'm da*n sure I know quite a bit more than Laura Brady.
How? I hear you ask. A combination of common sense and bitter experience. But that's another story...
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
So my boyfriend carries a pager because he does something terribly important for his employer that requires constant access (although why they can't text, I don't know). Once, his pager went off in the middle of the night and I thought it was the three minute warning. But then, I am Jewish.
But today he got this pager message that he just showed me:
"Andrew is keen to have word. Around now. But in meetings 4-6. Pat"
You can't help wondering about Andrew and Pat; they still page, which is quite 1985. But they page innacurately; D has no idea who they are. And also, their grammar and syntax is a. Little. Suspect. Too many full stops, for a start.
In fact, we've had quite a laugh at A+P's expense, and what would be most rewarding would be if the message turned into some kind of meme. Just turned up all over the internet for no reason.
And at least that way, the right person might get the message.
But today he got this pager message that he just showed me:
"Andrew is keen to have word. Around now. But in meetings 4-6. Pat"
You can't help wondering about Andrew and Pat; they still page, which is quite 1985. But they page innacurately; D has no idea who they are. And also, their grammar and syntax is a. Little. Suspect. Too many full stops, for a start.
In fact, we've had quite a laugh at A+P's expense, and what would be most rewarding would be if the message turned into some kind of meme. Just turned up all over the internet for no reason.
And at least that way, the right person might get the message.
So I've just discovered secretsnapper on Flickr, and I feel, well, dirty.
Dirty? His profile says "I take secret snaps on the London underground (ie Tube). Nothing sinister here, just photo's of people in public spaces." Nothing sinister? (Sorry, I realise I am asking rhetorical questions a lot today).
It's just that, say I scrolled through his photos and found one of me. Or my Mum. Or a friend. There's something pruriently voyeuristic about putting vaguely-sexual photos of people you don't know, online. Apart from the privacy issues. And he may feel they're not sinister, but I feel like what if some nutter's taking my photo on the train (or, more likely, my legs/ankles/behind). To use the most retro of language: he's objectifying women like page three of a newspaper. Which I don't have that much of a problem with, except these women don't have control over their image, and that I do have a problem with.
He says there's nothing sinister, but lots of the comments are, well, let's just say of a certain style. You can be sure that some (people) men are going there just to look at photos so they can. Mmm. You know. There's one photo of a girl sitting on a park bench with 2,000 hits. We all know that some men are probably doing that thing that some men do when they seek attractive photos online.
I don't want to get all frea speech (or frea image) about this, but I wonder if Flickr have a view. I know you can't have a minimum ethical standard on the internet, but I'm just, well. Wondering. Unsure.
Dirty? His profile says "I take secret snaps on the London underground (ie Tube). Nothing sinister here, just photo's of people in public spaces." Nothing sinister? (Sorry, I realise I am asking rhetorical questions a lot today).
It's just that, say I scrolled through his photos and found one of me. Or my Mum. Or a friend. There's something pruriently voyeuristic about putting vaguely-sexual photos of people you don't know, online. Apart from the privacy issues. And he may feel they're not sinister, but I feel like what if some nutter's taking my photo on the train (or, more likely, my legs/ankles/behind). To use the most retro of language: he's objectifying women like page three of a newspaper. Which I don't have that much of a problem with, except these women don't have control over their image, and that I do have a problem with.
He says there's nothing sinister, but lots of the comments are, well, let's just say of a certain style. You can be sure that some (people) men are going there just to look at photos so they can. Mmm. You know. There's one photo of a girl sitting on a park bench with 2,000 hits. We all know that some men are probably doing that thing that some men do when they seek attractive photos online.
I don't want to get all frea speech (or frea image) about this, but I wonder if Flickr have a view. I know you can't have a minimum ethical standard on the internet, but I'm just, well. Wondering. Unsure.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Remember how everyone used ODEON as a great example of how not to do a website? Lots of flash, totally inacessible, and averse to the odd bit of screen-scraping, when in desparation geeks tried to get at the data?
Well, looks like they've done a relaunch.
Well, looks like they've done a relaunch.
Look, I'm number one for Vaio TX2 wireless problem in what I think is Latvia (anyone know what the .lv suffix means?)
Question?
So I'm writing a (print) piece, and I've talked about a "siloed approach to race crime" and my editor says siloed isn't a real word, and I said the internet uses it 194,000 times, so it must be. And she says she must be cited on the internet 194,000 times, and it's miniscule, but it turns out it's only 204, and one of those is her internet-doppleganger who lives in Illinois and likes knitting.
The upshot is I have to find a new word for siloed - any suggestions?
So I'm writing a (print) piece, and I've talked about a "siloed approach to race crime" and my editor says siloed isn't a real word, and I said the internet uses it 194,000 times, so it must be. And she says she must be cited on the internet 194,000 times, and it's miniscule, but it turns out it's only 204, and one of those is her internet-doppleganger who lives in Illinois and likes knitting.
The upshot is I have to find a new word for siloed - any suggestions?
Friday, May 19, 2006
crown ducal dripware
I have often mentioned that I collect crown ducal dripware, but you may not know what that is.
So - courtesy of Sony and my new camera - here's a photo of about a third of my collection. It's beautiful, isn't it? Although apparently the orange glaze is ever so slightly radioactive.
People often come into my house and remark on their beauty, thinking it's my hobby, in that I make them. I'm just not that talented
So - courtesy of Sony and my new camera - here's a photo of about a third of my collection. It's beautiful, isn't it? Although apparently the orange glaze is ever so slightly radioactive.
People often come into my house and remark on their beauty, thinking it's my hobby, in that I make them. I'm just not that talented
Technical question - does anyone know the answer to this?
So my (wireless)mouse battery doesn't need replacing (ie it's not flickering), but I keep missing letters when I type, just randmly. Like tht. And it's a pain because I have to keep going back to fix it. Ad it's different letters. As you can see.
All advice gratefully received.
So my (wireless)mouse battery doesn't need replacing (ie it's not flickering), but I keep missing letters when I type, just randmly. Like tht. And it's a pain because I have to keep going back to fix it. Ad it's different letters. As you can see.
All advice gratefully received.
healthy lunch
Extremely healthy lunch I had at my desk yesterday (you can see my keyboard and wrist rest, so it must be my desk). Personally, I'm a great one for sweet/savoury flavours, and fruit with main courses. Edge liver, me.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Can you imagine this? You speak English as second language, and you go for a job interview as in IT assistant, and end up on BBC News24 discussing the implications of the legal battle between Apple Computer and Apple Corps. You really couldn't make it up.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Caitlin Moran in yesterday's Times about what to call her... well, you'll find out. (The last thing I want is people traipsing through here looking for something I don't have on offer.)
Monday, May 15, 2006
And people complain about the post. This letter is delivered 56 years late. And that's not a typo. I hope she didn't think she'd been stood up.
sandwaves
In just under 72 hours we:
visited Swaffham.
had a coffee in the Hoste Inn in Burnham Market (National Trust colours abound here, sign of expensive property, generally).
had fish and chips on the front at Hunstanton, while listening to the brass band, (and just before we went to the arcade).
had a great walk along the beach at Wells.
Visited the Desert Rats Memorial.
speeded past Sandringham.
visited Norfolk Lavender (and bought some Lavande Liqueur, because I like girly drinks, but D says it will taste like old ladies wee).
discovered that postmen in East Anglia use the same red rubber bands as in London, I got another three for my collection.
read books, papers, talked, slept, walked, relaxed (and largely avoided the football).
candy coloured beach huts
It's hard to believe that yesterday morning we were strolling along the beach, having just had a lazy breakfast, and on our way to see Norfolk Lavender (which is more of an olfactory experience, clearly).
on the beach at wells
When I was at school, my then-best-friend John wanted to be a photographer, and he was very into decay. We used to go round Manchester, spotting decay.
I love how you can almost see the people in the background.
I love how you can almost see the people in the background.
through a looking glass
Don't you love how old glass does strange things?
Buttlands, where the Globe is, is a georgian square with beautiful architecture, lots of wisteria, and when you're asleep, there's no police sirens, doors slamming, lorries rumbling. Silence.
Buttlands, where the Globe is, is a georgian square with beautiful architecture, lots of wisteria, and when you're asleep, there's no police sirens, doors slamming, lorries rumbling. Silence.
malibu, no baileys
Got back last night from a fabulous, restorative weekend in North Norfolk. Like, I have six live projects, and I'm just focussed, relaxed, getting thhrough it.
This is reflected in the bar window of the Globe at Wells-Next-The-Sea, which I can't recommend highly enough.
This is reflected in the bar window of the Globe at Wells-Next-The-Sea, which I can't recommend highly enough.
Friday, May 12, 2006
more linkage:
- How much is a 2p worth? Actually, 3p .. Money, money, money (Abba tune, obviously): are the stick markets about to go bust? Do I regret buying that Picasso, now? Should I get out of gold and into bonds? These are the pressing questions of the day.
- Art News Blog: Dora Maar Sells for $95.2 Million .. Shame I didn't have a spare $95.2m for Picasso's Dora Maar au chat. Oh well, maybe next time.
- Compound Interest Calculator .. Cute little online calculator from the Motley Fool that works out compound interest for you. As they great man (Albert Einstein) said, the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.
- Interactive London Underground Map .. from Diamond Geezer - great web2.0 google-map doodar. Only problem, it doesn't know from British Rail trains.
- Free UK PAYE Tax calculator 2006. Great PAYE tax calculator (you can tell I'm thinking about my tax return early, this year).
Thursday, May 11, 2006
hair colour
Watching Question Time, it's getting heated about Iraq and 7/7, but I'm mesmerised by Hazel Blears' hair.
We know the truth. No-one's hair is that colour for real. I suspect it's L'oreal Recital Preference in 6.5 Connemara.
We know the truth. No-one's hair is that colour for real. I suspect it's L'oreal Recital Preference in 6.5 Connemara.
speaccial offer big bargain
Downtown Harlesden, sunny Thursday afternoon (aka today - had to go to the bank.) Luckily, I have shoes, so don't need a speacial offer. Not that that ever stopped me before.
I have this friend, well, she's slightly less of a friend, more of an acquaintance. Maybe not even that; what do you call someone where you know their email address, and their mobile number, but you don't know where they live, or their landline, and you run into them at parties or other people's things? Acquaintance-lite? Kinda-friend?
Anyway, she's a nice woman, from what I know of her. Which is not that much. But she's interesting and sociable and that's always nice.
But everyone must know someone like this. Once I got into her email address book, I'm getting like four emails a week from her. I think I last saw her in person in November - briefly.
See, there are some people who can't read modernity. Or maybe, just see it differently. So what I see as a mail I would send to a real friend, she sees as a "send to whole address book" (STWAB). But the problem with the STWAB methodology is that I feel like the internet* version of someone working the room on me.
She - theoretically - does all the right things for acquaintance-ship or people who like networking. She sends me the odd email (ok, more than the odd one). She's friendly when I see her. I have a rough idea of what's going on in her life.
But it feels like TMI (as they say nowadays). I don't know if want to know that her brother just got back from traveling in Guatemala for a year, and she's having tea at her parents' in Richmond to welcome them back. Because I don't know her brother. Or Richmond. Or go south of the river.
See, she's not doing anything wrong. It just feels a little, well, odd. I don't think it's aspergic; I don't think it's like when you're trapped in a conversation with someone at a party and you know they want to leave it, but they can't leave and you're both stuck there for eternity discussing house insurance or something. With her, it's slightly more nuanced. She sends me things I could, if I was interested, be interested in. Or, if I had less friends, or less to do, I might thing, hey, why don't I go to Jane's party for her brother (about whom I know more than I do about her, thanks to her pen portrait). Maybe she doesn't have any social boundaries, or she doesn't have any like mine.
I think it's something about living in the post-Big Brother world. Or the search marketing world. Or modernity. If you acknowledge that there's no more privacy, and everyone basically wants to be a celebrity, then the combination of these two things means that everyone's potentially just a little bit more open and out there.
It's just that to people like me - who are closed and home, I guess I'm saying - it feels like when you go on a first date with someone and they tell you their whole life history. Except nowadays you already googled them and they are merely confirming what you know but won't admit to. So, I think there's something basically wrong - so retro, I know. let's say inappropriate - about losing the layers of relationships, discovery, the nuanced nature of communication. Maybe modernity is insufficiently nuanced?
Rant over. It's just that I got another email, saying she's in the Observer at the weekend. Nice, huh?
* completely separate conversation, but internet no longer has a capital I. It's not the Internet (new and exciting). It's the internet. Like shopping or reading or work; just something you do.
Anyway, she's a nice woman, from what I know of her. Which is not that much. But she's interesting and sociable and that's always nice.
But everyone must know someone like this. Once I got into her email address book, I'm getting like four emails a week from her. I think I last saw her in person in November - briefly.
See, there are some people who can't read modernity. Or maybe, just see it differently. So what I see as a mail I would send to a real friend, she sees as a "send to whole address book" (STWAB). But the problem with the STWAB methodology is that I feel like the internet* version of someone working the room on me.
She - theoretically - does all the right things for acquaintance-ship or people who like networking. She sends me the odd email (ok, more than the odd one). She's friendly when I see her. I have a rough idea of what's going on in her life.
But it feels like TMI (as they say nowadays). I don't know if want to know that her brother just got back from traveling in Guatemala for a year, and she's having tea at her parents' in Richmond to welcome them back. Because I don't know her brother. Or Richmond. Or go south of the river.
See, she's not doing anything wrong. It just feels a little, well, odd. I don't think it's aspergic; I don't think it's like when you're trapped in a conversation with someone at a party and you know they want to leave it, but they can't leave and you're both stuck there for eternity discussing house insurance or something. With her, it's slightly more nuanced. She sends me things I could, if I was interested, be interested in. Or, if I had less friends, or less to do, I might thing, hey, why don't I go to Jane's party for her brother (about whom I know more than I do about her, thanks to her pen portrait). Maybe she doesn't have any social boundaries, or she doesn't have any like mine.
I think it's something about living in the post-Big Brother world. Or the search marketing world. Or modernity. If you acknowledge that there's no more privacy, and everyone basically wants to be a celebrity, then the combination of these two things means that everyone's potentially just a little bit more open and out there.
It's just that to people like me - who are closed and home, I guess I'm saying - it feels like when you go on a first date with someone and they tell you their whole life history. Except nowadays you already googled them and they are merely confirming what you know but won't admit to. So, I think there's something basically wrong - so retro, I know. let's say inappropriate - about losing the layers of relationships, discovery, the nuanced nature of communication. Maybe modernity is insufficiently nuanced?
Rant over. It's just that I got another email, saying she's in the Observer at the weekend. Nice, huh?
* completely separate conversation, but internet no longer has a capital I. It's not the Internet (new and exciting). It's the internet. Like shopping or reading or work; just something you do.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
rubber band ball
You know how postmen all over London seem to drop exclusively red rubber bands in our collective path?
Well, I'm making a rubber band ball, which is remarkably therapeutic, and could be come the un-executive toy of choice.
Sorry it's such a crap picture. And it's grown since I took this.
Well, I'm making a rubber band ball, which is remarkably therapeutic, and could be come the un-executive toy of choice.
Sorry it's such a crap picture. And it's grown since I took this.
Forget consumer power - this is google power - I'm already on the front page for sony vaio tx2 problem.
Monday, May 08, 2006
linkage:
- Throw open the books so that we can see what everyone earns .. In Norway and Finland, anyone can summon up anyone else's tax return on the internet - and other fascinating facts from Polly Tonybee on equal pay.
- Glaceau Smartwater .. Apparently, Glaceau Smartwater actually makes you more intelligent. Snake oil, anyone?
- slowlondon .. because sometimes life's too fast, and we don't stop and smell the roses/enjoy ourselves. Or whatever.
- Ten Steps to Financial Freedom .. Sound financial advice from the Motley Fool.
- Miron Grindea: The Don Quixote of Kensington .. A great review in the weekend Independent of the founder of ADAM literary magazine. I saw an (old) movie of him at the booklaunch, and I feel my life is poorer for not knowing him before he died.
- Friendster lost steam. Is MySpace just a fad? .. Fascinating essay on social technologies.
Am ah bovvered?
Did I mention that I went to the WeMedia conference last week? I was - I hate to say it - a Digital Assassin. Sounds kinda silly; we were brought on to overproduced music and sat one per table so that the media folk could talk to the kids. Except Salaam Pax was on my table, and they were all pretty media-savvy. It was fun, though.
This poster is in the BBC halls, to encourage people to talk about the new media challenges blah blah blah, but the typography (up close, there's like a one mil space between the Vs, rather than the three mils everywhere else) really does make it look like Am I Bowered?
Could be a whole new catchphrase.
This poster is in the BBC halls, to encourage people to talk about the new media challenges blah blah blah, but the typography (up close, there's like a one mil space between the Vs, rather than the three mils everywhere else) really does make it look like Am I Bowered?
Could be a whole new catchphrase.
Friday, May 05, 2006
It's such a relief to know that 63 year old Patricia Rashbrook "has a biological age of 45" and that she is slim, blonde and in perfect condition.
It's the blonde that does it.
It's the blonde that does it.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
It's only fair that I give you the Sony Vaio outcome...
So it turns out that the guy who sales thought was the technical guy is acutally the most senior customer service guy (WTF) and Tuesday he called me, and arranged collection of the not-working TX2. We talked about Sony giving me a small "gift" to apologise to me.
I was ready. "Oh, I said, that's an idea. How about a
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1, with a leather case and 1GB card, with a Sony 5GB Micro Vault Pro"; this is a collection of stuff retailing at just under £500. So that's £425 ex-VAT, and less say a 20% margin, a cost to Sony of maybe a little over £300.
Matt responded that the camera was fine, and after I explained there was little point in giving me gift if I then had to spend +/- £100 to use it, he thought it was "fair" and "reasonable." But the Microvault, he can't use stock consumption internally, so it wouldn't be possible. It's how their rules work. And anyway, the camera and accessories were "reasonable." I responded that I would, of course, be reasonably happy with the camera: what would make me really happy would be the Microvault. Could he go the extra mile, for £90+VAT? No, it turns out.
So, my camera arrived today, and I'm reasonably happy, which is better than I felt when I had two Sony laptops and neither of them worked. But I think I might just buy myself a Microvault.
Waddya think?
So it turns out that the guy who sales thought was the technical guy is acutally the most senior customer service guy (WTF) and Tuesday he called me, and arranged collection of the not-working TX2. We talked about Sony giving me a small "gift" to apologise to me.
I was ready. "Oh, I said, that's an idea. How about a
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1, with a leather case and 1GB card, with a Sony 5GB Micro Vault Pro"; this is a collection of stuff retailing at just under £500. So that's £425 ex-VAT, and less say a 20% margin, a cost to Sony of maybe a little over £300.
Matt responded that the camera was fine, and after I explained there was little point in giving me gift if I then had to spend +/- £100 to use it, he thought it was "fair" and "reasonable." But the Microvault, he can't use stock consumption internally, so it wouldn't be possible. It's how their rules work. And anyway, the camera and accessories were "reasonable." I responded that I would, of course, be reasonably happy with the camera: what would make me really happy would be the Microvault. Could he go the extra mile, for £90+VAT? No, it turns out.
So, my camera arrived today, and I'm reasonably happy, which is better than I felt when I had two Sony laptops and neither of them worked. But I think I might just buy myself a Microvault.
Waddya think?
So I am top on google for weird jews with funny hats eating cheese cake - timely, given it's Shavuout (the cheesecake eating festival) in about a month.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
place mat
So I met up with A last night and we went to Hummus Bros on Wardour Street and spent about four hours eating humous (they spell it wrong, I tell you), drinking sage tea (new: fab) and having a right old girlie chat.
Humous feedback:
Humous feedback:
- Nice place; cross between Pret a Manger, Wagamama, and Tel Aviv bus station
- Branding story is very Pret: two hapless blokes just love hummus and had to bring it to the people
- Humous OK, but could do with toasted pine nuts (they say they are, but they could be more) and za'atar
- And they serve the garlic and lemon on the side, but we never got ours, so it's a little bland. But they say lots of office staff don't want garlic at lunchtime
- Great aubergine with tahina
- Extremely atttractive Israeli-style wait staff
- All in all, if I worked at Picadilly Circus I'd be there like twice a week. Minimum. I mean, it was like coming home.
I mentioned some fun and games I had with my Sony Vaio-ot, and for your delight and delectation I reproduce here my, er, feedback letter.
Adam Dorrell
Director
Sony Style
Belgium
Brussels
25th April 2006
Dear Adam,
Sony Vaio Service – TX2 and TR1MP
Thanks for your time on the phone last Tuesday. As promised, I am writing to clarify the situation.
1 Lifetime Vaio customer
I am a lifetime Vaio customer – I had two 505Xs, currently own a TR1MP, and have just bought a TX2 because the Sony TR1MP has “died”. I purchased a 505X in 1998, when that failed, your technical support advised me the only way to have business critical reliability was to purchase an additional machine, which I did in 1999.
If I plan to work for another thirty years, and update my laptop every two years at an approximate cost of £1,600, then the future lifetime value of my custom is £24,000. That’s before we even consider the other Sony products I buy.
2 TR1MP third failure
In December 2003 I purchased a TR1MP, which has now returned to Brussels on its third trip. When it last failed in October 2005, I paid £120 for a rental machine while it was repaired, but when it failed on 27th March, I felt purchasing a new machine made more financial sense.
3 Current TX2 situation
Your Wincor Nixdorf engineer came this morning and installed the 2100 wireless card your third line technical support installed.
The machine is now failing to start up – it’s booting and showing the Vaio BIOS screen, but then fails to start. It has started once out of six attempted startups. This happened immediately your engineer started it, but once he got it working he said it was OK.
As a matter of urgency, could you have an engineer attend tomorrow between 1630 and 1900 to fix this hardware problem?
4 TR1MP failure and return to base
I opened case reference 1982930 on 28th March with Chris (call 1), and you collected my machine on 30th March.
I have made four further calls:
• to Olivia (call 2) 29/3 at 1145, advising her of screen flickering problem to be checked
• to John (call 3) 7/4 0930, who advised me you are waiting for a powerboard and hardrive, and advised me the parts should be due in a week
• I called Veronica (call 4) on 11/4 at 1030, she advised me you were waiting for hardrive, powerboard, thermal sheets and stopper, and another part for the powerboard. I asked her to email me when the machine would be ready – she said it takes a day to email the repair centre and a day to hear back from them and another day for her to email me. I heard nothing.
• I called again (call 5) on18/4 at 1235 and spoke to Andrew. He told me you are waiting for a combo drive, and can not give me any idea of when the part will be available or when the machine will be back. I asked him to email me also.
I had no emails, but the machine was returned to me on Monday 24th April. Thank the service gods of Brussels. It is nearly a month since it originally failed on March 27th.
5 TX2 purchase
As I mentioned to you, I was not prepared to hire another machine, even though there is nine months to run on my TR1MP back to base warranty. In October, my case was escalated by Matt Trigwell, so it was only away for a week, but without this assistance, your call centre estimated up to three weeks, which would cost me approximately £300.
I elected to purchase a new machine, nine months earlier than my business plan had budgeted for. My criteria were weight and design (I am a marketing consultant, often working onsite). I was extremely wary of purchasing another Vaio, and had specced a Toshiba Portege. At the very last minute, on the advice of a technology journalist friend who felt I’d been “unlucky” with my TR1MP, I ordered the TX2XP/L on the business bundle with the case and – crucially – the next day onsite warranty.
I did the initial research on 28th and 29th March, but when I called to order the machine, you were moving warehouses, and Amie, your salesperson, could not guarantee any delivery date at all. Extremely frustrated, I made some calls, and on 29th March spoke to Joe and Chris, explaining that I was extremely keen to spend £1600 with you. As a result of the time I spent finding someone to sell me a machine, Amie called me back, I placed the order on March 29th, for delivery no later than 7th April. (Total calls: 4)
Amie emailed me on Tuesday 4th April, confirming delivery the next day. When I checked the UPS link at 1145, it said you had tried to deliver the machine but no-one was available – I had been home all morning, waiting. I called Amie, and she said she would call me back. I checked your delivery email, and you had the address as flat X, High Road. I called Amie again, and she said she had Flat X, YY High Road on her system. After a number of begging calls, I was left with no choice but to go to the UPS office in Kentish Town in the evening of 4th April. (Total calls: 5)
In order to spend money with you, I had to make over ten phone calls.
6 TX2 wireless problem
When I took the machine out of the box, the wireless was intermittent.
CALL ONE: On Thursday 6th April I called your technical support line and spoke to Kieran at 9.50 (call reference 1993865) (this was a 20 minute call). Kieran instructed me to change the UP settings to a fixed IP address. This temporarily fixed the problem, although as soon as I hung up, the wireless no longer worked at all. I asked Kieran to send an engineer, as I had paid for next day onsite warranty, and he told me it was a software problem.
CALL TWO: I called again at 2.15 and spoke to Darren. He told me it was a software problem, and he would send me an email with a link to reconnect the wireless dropping. I asked him to send an engineer, and he advised me it was a software problem and therefore, despite my warranty, they would not send an engineer.
CALL THREE: When I did not receive an email, I called again at 2.40, and spoke to Kieran again. As the problem is intermittent, he could ping the router, and told me it worked and that was all he could do.
CALL FOUR: On Friday 7th April, I called Nina in sales at 2.45, explained my predicament, and asked her to help me. She said that Matt Trigwell, their technical person would call me back immediately.
CALL FIVE: I called again at 3.05 and she sent a message that I will hear back from him immediately.
I never heard from Matthew Trigwell.
Over the weekend, my boyfriend spent some time researching the problem, and it transpires that there is a known problem with IntelPro wireless 2200, as demonstrated on the Intel website: http://support.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/cs-006205.htm
Here is the problem discussed at length in a discussion forum:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,12904785~days=9999
Your first line technical appeared unaware of this.
I am extremely surprised that a respected company such as Sony is marketing a machine containing a component with a known and documented problem.
CONTACT SIX: On Monday 10th April, I emailed Amie asking if she could chase this for me, and also confirm when my leather case would arrive. I never received a response to this email.
CALL SEVEN: On Tuesday 11th April, I called Nina again and spoke to her at 9.38. I asked for an engineer to come between 4 and 6pm on Wednesday. She stated that I would receive a phone call from technical support in 30 minutes.
CALL EIGHT: At 10.15 Stephan Olbertz from third line technical support called me. He was most helpful, and agreed there is a known issue with the IntelPro card. After a lengthy discussion, we agreed that the only practical solution was to change the 2200 card for the 2100 (which already works in my TR1MP), as the form factor of the machine means that we couldn’t install a newer card. While Stefan was most helpful, when I asked for his telephone number, he refused to give it, and would only communicate with me via email or via calls he initiated.
CALL NINE/TEN/ELEVEN: Wincor Nixdorf, I received a message from Shegar in technical support. I called him back twice, and eventually he told me was ordering the new wireless card, as well as a system board. He couldn’t make appointments, I have to speak to someone else.
CALL TWELVE: 3.30 called Nina, left message with Chris.
CALL THIRTEEN: 3.55 I spoke to Nina, explained that I was pursuing two problem solving routes (Wincor Nixdorf/engineer, and Sony third line support) and asked:
When my leather case would arrive
For your email address
In terms of goodwill I requested the following:
• A continental European power supply
• A US power supply
• Some kind of USB/memory stick.
CALL FOURTEEN: 4.20 from Zena at Wincor Nixdorf. Because they can’t no the next business day, I am entitled to a new laptop. I explained that this is only useful if the new laptop has the 2100 wireless card in it.
CALL FIFTEEN: 4.38 I called Nina, she is chasing her technical people.
CALL SIXTEEN: 4.54 from Zena, she is waiting to hear from Sony re a new PC. At the same time she confirmed that an engineer should be with me at 3pm tomorrow.
CALL SEVENTEEN: Wednesday 12th April, 11.55, Stephan called me, he can ship the part, it will arrive tomorrow. He suggested he could talk me through replacing it, although I expressed nervousness at taking apart such a small machine with no engineering experience.
CALL EIGHTEEN: 3.30pm, I call Zena, as the engineer had not arrived. She told me that parts had not arrived from Sony. She said she would call back in 20 minutes.
CALL NINETEEN: 4.05, I called Zena again, she is logged off. I spoke to David, who cut me off.
CALLS TWENTY/TWENTY ONE: 4.10, I called again, tried to find the David. Eventually I spoke to Iftikhar who told me that UPS had lost the parts and they are unable to do the call today.
CALL TWENTY TWO: 4.10 I called Nina and asked you to call me to get a resolution to this. I was keen to resolve this, as Passover was starting that evening.
CALL TWENTY THREE: 4.30 Zena called, confirmed parts had been lost, and that I should have heard directly from Sony about this.
CALL TWENTY FOUR: 4.45 Nina called me, and told me that you would call on Tuesday, and that in the meantime you were couriering me a wireless PCMCIA card.
CALL TWENTY FIVE: 5pm, Zena called me. I explained that I was out of the office on Thursday 13th, and as it was then Easter bank holiday, we agreed an engineer would attend at 9am on Tuesday 18th April.
CALL TWENTY SIX: 5.15pm, Brooklands courier called me – they couldn’t find the address flat XX, High Road. You had recreated the original delivery problem.
CONTACT TWENTY SEVEN: 7pm, your wireless card arrived (about ten minutes before the start of Passover.)
CALL TWENTY EIGHT: Tuesday 18th, 9.54, I called Zena when the engineer didn’t arrive. She told me that Sony took the call away from them on Thursday, and Sony should have called me. I asked her to ask Sony to call me immediately and tell me what was going on.
CALL TWENTY NINE: 10am, I left a message with Chris for Nina.
CALL THIRTY: 10.30 I called Nina again.
CALL THIRTY ONE: 3.45 you called me, and we agreed that:
• An engineer would attend on Monday 24th April (on my return to London) at 9am
• You would chase up the return of the TR1MP
• We would discuss some kind of goodwill gesture/compensation once the matters were resolved (this was your suggestion, I did not request compensation).
CALLS THIRTY TWO – FOUR: I was out of the office on 19th and 20th. When I collected my messages on Friday 21st, Stephan had left me a number of messages. However, he had not wanted to give me his phone number, so I could not call him. I had intermittent access to email.
CONTACT THIRTY FIVE: Friday 21st, 2.45, I sent you an email enquiring why I hadn’t heard anything from the engineer or about my TR1MP.
CALL THIRTY SIX: I called you at 5.30pm, chasing this. You were out of the office, but you told me Kirk had been dealing with this, and I should have heard from someone. I explained that I had to go to a funeral on Monday, and asked for an engineer on Tuesday at 9am.
CALL THIRTY SEVEN: Monday 24th - you called me before 9am and confirmed the engineer would attend Tuesday.
CONTACT THIRTY EIGHT: 9.30am Zena from Wincor Nixdorf call to confirm engineer attending on Tuesday at 9am.
CONTACT THIRTY NINE: Tuesday 25th - engineer attended, changed card. Now the machine doesn’t work.
7 Summary
I have:
• Made five calls to your 0870 service centre to locate my TR1MP, at a cost of around £7.50
• Made ten phone calls to purchase a new TX2
• Made nearly forty calls to get a TX2 that works
• Made a total of nearly fifty five calls or contacts
• Waited in five times (to collect my TR1MP, to have the TX2 delivered (failed), twice for an engineer (one failed) and once for a courier (wrong address)
• Collected my new machine at your UPS depot due to your failure to record my address accurately
• Spent two to three weeks with over £3,000 of Sony Vaio products that didn’t work
• Spent approximately three days of my time chasing this up
• Luckily, have my own in-house technical support to research the problem, otherwise it may well have remained undiagnosed
You have:
• Managed to deliver something twice to the wrong address
• Consistently not returned calls
• Frustrated me beyond all possible imagined levels of frustration
• Not delivered service worthy of your premium pricing or my additional payment for next day onsite
8 Current situation
It looks like my TR1MP works (my boyfriend has spent 4 hours updating Windows and installing Office). My TX2 doesn’t work. I have not received the goodwill items (power supplies and USB key) that I have mentioned to Nina on 11th April and you on 18th April (which would have made me feel slightly more cared for as a customer).
This letter has served as a small level of frustration management for me. However, I know that if I treated my clients as you have treated my custom, I wouldn’t have a business, and I certainly wouldn’t have the level of repeat business you have had from me thus far.
9 Proposed resolution
Please could you do the following:
1. have an engineer attend tomorrow between 1630 and 1900 to fix my laptop once and for all
2. call me tomorrow before 2pm or after 4pm to discuss resolution and goodwill.
While your products are fabulous, lightweight and sexy, I remain outrageously disappointed by your service.
Kind Regards,
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