friedkitten.com - insanity included.

You're in violation of rule 5647.147 paragraph 21.9 section 27-1

2008-05-09T21:54:02Z

Click Crime by Mark Rasch. Interesting article that might give us all a peek at what's heading our way. In case you don't feel like reading through it - damn you, lazy bastard :D - let me attempt to make it easy for you by giving a non technical example :

You get or find a leaflet that states : "car with keys in ignition can be found at ". If you actually go there, you are arrested for grand theft auto (not referring to the GTA4 game, lol), even though you only claim to have been there to take a peek, nothing else. Call it curiosity, call it stupidity, who knows? Maybe your intention was to actually drive off with the car. Now transpose that to the invitation to clicking an internet link that promises to lead to illegal content, and actually clicking it.

If you've even seen the movie "Minority Report" you may see where I think this is heading, and if you go a little further back, think "1984" by George Orwell.

While the article quite correctly states "as few in society are willing to be seen as coddling or protecting child pornographers", you must always remember that if you don't speak up when they take away the rights of someone else, who will speak up when they knock on your door?

I'm not defending pedophiles or condoning child abuse. However, in order to have freedom, you'll also see - to some extend - abuse of that freedom. Which would you value most : freedom and some abuse, or no freedom at all and hence no abuse. I value my freedom very highly and will gladly accept that some will abuse it. The day they take away my freedom (physical, mental, perception of it, whatever) is the day I head for my final check out.

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Preparing for takeoff

2008-05-08T08:47:18Z

I've just gotten home from the store - went food shopping - and along the way got a haircut. Not that we have drive-by-hairdressers over here, but there happens to be one on the way to the store, lol. Anyway, I usually do my own hair as it comes down to taking the trimmer and shaving most of it off, but around the ears and the back of the neck is always a bit of a struggle. So I decided to give it a shot and for the €11 that it cost me, I'm quite pleased with the result. Nicely trimmed, clean neck, everything I needed.

In a couple of minutes I'll be heading off to the kitchen to prepare food to take to work. I'll have to boil eggs, fry a chicken breast, cut tomatoes and radish, then throw it all in a large container and mix and cool it. I've got cheese, a salad mixture and various nuts to go with it, along with some mackerel. Seems like a perfectly balanced fresh meal to me.

Yesterday I went store hopping for a pair of swim shorts, and a couple of T-shirts and I've come to the conclusion that "stores only carry sizes for tiny/small/skinny people". I'm not fat, I'm just big boned.

Off to cook I go!

Updates are available

2008-05-07T08:43:11Z

Service Pack 3 for Windows XP has been (re-)released, after it was pulled last week due to some incompatibility. Download it from the usual MS update site at http://update.microsoft.com. I've installed it on one of my machines already and have found no problems so far.

While you're doing updates, consider replacing your AVG Free 7.5 with the new 8.01 version as well. Download from http://free.grisoft.com/. I could point you directly to the download link for the free version, but have decided against it. After all, the free version is only available because some people buy the full version, so it would hurt everyone in the long run if I skipped all the links to the full version, understand?

Anyway, that's it for now. I'm off to get some things taken care off before I leave for 4 more days of work and then get into a large bird in the sky that's gonna take me to Ibiza.

Note to self : do NOT use the vacuum cleaner to clean a keyboard (while in use). It results in digging in the dustbin for missing keys!

Midday update : All XP machines patched to SP3, one Ubuntu installation salvaged and upgraded to Hardy Heron (8.04) and one missing "K" key retrieved and reattached to keyboard, lol. Left to do : shopping, and encrypting the complete windows partition on a laptop.

Afternoon update : Ubuntu has been removed, the partitions merged and the complete disk is currently being encrypted using AES. The initial test was good, so I've decided to go for full disk encryption. Lets hope I don't forget my pass phrase now :)

Funny

2008-05-05T13:28:07Z

You just can't please some, can you? Don't ask questions you don't want an answer too :)

Woman: If I died, would you marry again?
Man: Definitely not!
Woman: Why not? Don't you like being married?
Man: Of course I do.
Woman: Then why wouldn't you get married again?
Man: Okay, I'll get married again.
Woman: Would you? (Looking all sad and disappointed)
Man: (sighs)
Woman: Would you sleep with her in our bed?
Man: Where else would we sleep?
Woman: Would you change all my pictures for hers?
Man: That would seem like the normal thing to do, yes.
Woman: Would she use my golf clubs?
Man: No, she's left handed.
Woman: - - - silence - - -
Man: Shit

Iron Man

2008-05-03T15:45:34Z

I'm gonna make some time to go watch Iron Man on big screen. Not because I am a fan of comic books, or movies based on comic books, but because the trailer looks promising and the Iron Man track from Black Sabbath is used in the movie. Yeah, I know, I go watch a movie because it uses a certain song - a song I've got at home and to which I could listen any time I want, go figure.

Anyway, I hope the use of the Iron Man song will introduce some youngsters to the full oeuvre of Black Sabbath, as it's definitely been an influence tons of other groups. I remember being introduced to the group by my dad - not so much as him saying : "this is cool, listen to it" because we all know how that would pan out when said to a teenager - but rather going through his record collection and hearing him play those tracks back in the days. I was hooked immediately, and own a couple of Sabbath CD's myself now.

That being said, I got an introduction to various musical styles from my parents, as they both owned a broad range of records. I recall listening to Johnny Otis, Gene Vincent and Louis Prima (all on Rock 'n Roll Club), The Beatles, James Last and many others. There was Kleinkunst, Jazz, Metal, Pop, you name it and they had it. To this day, I'm still grateful for growing up in a family that had an open mind and broad view on the world - and it's exactly as I would raise my kids if I ever have some.

Ready to party?

2008-04-30T12:13:07Z

I just called my site supervisor to verify whether he managed to change two shifts for me, giving me an extra two days of holiday, and much to my surprise, he told me he did. But let me start from the beginning :

On Tuesday, he came to me to see if I could work nights on the weekend of the 10th and 11th instead of a late shift. I explained to him that while I was not opposed to it, it would cut into my planned holiday, starting the 12th, and as I already had few days of leave, that would only complicate things further. So I proposed to him to cover those two nights for him, providing he'd find a way to cover my night shifts of the 19th and the 20th, which would give me an extra 2 days off.

He's happy, I'm happy, so that's all good I suppose. Of to Joco's now and they we're off to actually book the damn holiday, lol.

For those who have been wondering about the question "who’d be my 2 favorite “fuck” choices according to you", the answer is quite difficult. Joco suggested Cameron Diaz and Rihanna, while Nadia picked Sienna Miller and Jessica Biel. I think my top choice however would be Halle Berry, and any of the others would be a still very enjoyable second fuck.

Cameron is totally hot in reality, but really doesn't look all that good on the picture used in the Top 100. Halle looks stunning anywhere and anytime if you ask me and Jessica is the hot girl next door, but her boobs are too big. Though I must admit they fit her frame nicely and look all natural. Sienna looks like a classy lady in the photograph and Rihanna in her leather (or is it latex) suit could get even a dead man hot I guess. Rachel Stevens looks like the perfect girlfriend but Vanessa Hudgens and Holly Valance win me over with their smile and twinkle in their eyes.

All things considered, I think my top two would be Halle and Sienna.

Note : The flight and hotel have been booked, and I've left a pointer as to where we're going in this post.

Sleep keeps you going

2008-04-30T07:51:14Z

It's usually shrugged off as if it were unimportant, but not sleeping well or getting enough sleep can cause major implications in your everyday life. If you miss a day (or night rather) of sleep once, there is no real problem, as most healthy people can easily catch up within days. If you go to bed late, are drunk or have all kinds of things going through your head, you may sleep but not get the mental rest you need. Again, no real cause for anxiety, as long as it's isolated incidents and not reoccurring.

If you wake up in the morning with a headache on a regular base, wake up in the middle of the night every time you hit the bed, or fall asleep in the midst of the day, a sleep study may be necessary. While we know a lot about sleep already, there is still a lot to learn as well. We are all individuals that have our own needs when it comes to sleep. Some people do perfectly well on 5 or 6 hours of sleep, while others can sleep 9 hours and still feel tired.

One thing is clear though: sleep is necessary to revitalize the body and mind in order to keep it going during our awake time. If you're experiencing trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor or contact a sleep disorder center where you'll be monitored while sleeping. The professionals then have a detailed view of what happens in your sleep and more important, they can also pinpoint the cause that interrupts your sleeping cycles.

After conducting the sleep study, therapy can be started and this could be as simple as changing a bad habit that wrecks havoc on your sleeping pattern or developing sound sleeping practices. Remember that in order to lead a healthy life you need to recharge the batteries with sound sleep. Yes, that tiny portion of the 24 hours a day consists of counts for more than you may realize!

FHM - Top 10

2008-04-24T12:47:36Z

I was taking a look at FHM's Top Ten entries in their 100 sexiest women of 2008, and here are my first impressions (solely based on the photographs that are next to their position) :

10. Keira Knightley - hm... no.
09. Angelina Jolie - not my type really
08. Hilary Duff - no again
07. Cheryl Cole - too fake
06. Scarlett Johansson - oh my... bimbo anyone?
05. Hayden Panettiere - never heard of her before, but promising
04. Elisha Cuthbert - oh my, now we're talking the good stuff. Mentioned her before in my blog, didn't I?
03. Keeley Hazell - nice, but too busty for my taste
02. Jessica Alba - cute but doesn't have that undefined something I'm looking for
01. Megan Fox - uh? Is this number 1?!

Lol, the top ten doesn't really rock my boat, apart from Elisha I suppose. I've taken a quick stroll through the other 90 contestants and here are some ladies that sparked some interest from me :

Sienna Miller (70)
Holly Valance (62)
Vanessa Hudgens (61)
Cameron Diaz (60)
Abbey Clancy (55)
Rachel McAdams (50)
Halle Berry (46)
Rachel Stevens (29)
Jessica Biel (13)
Rihanna (11)

In case anyone finds lists like this degrading, my comments painful, offensive or blunt : too bad. Women are more than tits and ass, men are more than dumb muscle with a short fuse, yet sometimes that is exactly what both are. There's a time to be all politically correct, polite and in line and there's a time where all that is swept off the table and there's nothing but lust, screaming and fucking. This entry is neither politically correct, nor pure lust and sex.

Just for the fun of it, in the above list of 10 women out of the "100 to 90" contestants , who'd be my 2 favorite "fuck" choices according to you? (Let's pick two because I'm having a hard time deciding myself. I'd do them all, grin)

More, gimme more!

2008-04-24T11:11:35Z

A couple of phone calls later I know what my schedule for the next three days is looking like. I went from "a 9 hour day on Friday and the weekend off" to "three 8 hour days" instead. I love the way things are being communicated, that's for sure. When I compare my initial schedule for April with what it is at now, it turns out I went from 164 hours (planned) to 185.25 hours (effective). And the month ain't over yet, so who knows what will happen in that final week?

Anyway, a schedule for May should be available soon and that should bring some stability into everything once again - as far as such a thing is possible with a fucked up shift system as we have. It'll also allow me to finally communicate and plan the holiday that I wrote about a couple of posts ago.

Splut. Oops, sorry.

2008-04-23T08:41:26Z

According to a recent Australian study, males who masturbate and cum at least 5 times a week, have 33% less chance to be struck by cancer of the prostate. The same study claims that having sex with a partner doesn't have the same effect though, as it increases the chance of getting a sexually transmittable disease, which then increases the chance of cancer.

It seems to me that if you have safe sex with your partner, you get the exact same result though?! Anyway, I don't smoke, I hardly drink and now it seems I won't be suffering from prostate cancer either - then what's gonna cause my final check out? I certainly don't know...

Crash and Burn

2008-04-21T20:39:21Z

I just got home after my first shift in my new position and to answer Nadia's question : it was the hell, or at least something that closely resembles it. I'm still wondering how I managed to get anyone an ID to enter that actually worked. I'm still suffering from my headache, runny yet clogged up nose (try combining that!) which definitely doesn't help to focus on things. However, it is exactly as I imagined it would be : stressful and I often - if not most of the time - am not in control of the situation, which is essential.

At the same time, I expected all of that, and I know that as time progresses I'll grow more experienced and slowly regain control making the job much easier to manage. Anyway, I'm skipping dinner altogether - apart from a very light snack - and am heading off to bed right away. I need sleep more than anything else right now. Yes, even more than sex, lol.

The Aftermath

2008-04-18T10:39:56Z

I just finished a call with my site supervisor and the representative of the company where we are deployed about something that had occurred yesterday. When I filed a report about it, I already knew questions would be asked and investigations conducted and for very good reasons too.

Unfortunately, I was unable to help them out much apart from what I had already written down in my report, which was less detailed or complete as I'd have wanted, but I stick to facts in my reporting, not assumptions. During the phone call I was asked about time of calls placed and received and such but I admitted not being able to provide them with the solid info they needed. The good thing is that the company representative already expected that - since he knows how I work and report things - and that he and other departments were actually very glad that we intercepted the particular transport before it left the site and guided it back inside to verify.

Those of you that know where I'm stationed will have no problem thinking what kind of transport I'm writing about - others will have to trust me if I say that you don't want anything to go wrong with this kind of shipments, even if it's just incomplete or incorrect paperwork (which was the case).

All things considered, I'm not at all surprised by being called on my 1 day off, and I don't even mind. Responsibility is not something you shed off when leaving work and as my site supervisor told me when I ran into him yesterday : "when you take your job serious, it is very demanding".

Update 14h30: A second phone call has just come in and changed my schedule for next week. Instead of working a day shift on Monday and Tuesday, I'll be taking over from a team leader on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during late shift. More changes may be forthcoming, but I'll try to update as quickly as possible.

I don't fail. I learn.

2008-04-17T16:29:13Z

This may sound like a whiny post, but that's not the intention. It's just some kind of venting that ain't even necessary.

Left home at six AM, got home at 6 PM. Worked 9 hours, traveled three. Was able to get a very quick - uninterrupted - bite from 13:00 till 13:10. Had a whole three glasses of water - I drink about 2.5 to three liters of the blue gold on a regular day - and my throat hurts like crazy from dealing with everything that was coming my way today. But... I love my job and will only get better at it. I'm nearing the end of my training period (as far as I know) and the next weeks (or months) will turn out to be a challenge, stressful and tiring. However, they will not be a disaster : I've got enough experience in life and other jobs to adapt and grasp what knowledge I still lack. The need to constantly fine tune, lead and correct is not unlike my current/previous position, and I survived that too. No doubt I'll have cold feet at times, or take incorrect decisions, but neither bothers me really. It comes with the territory and those who fear failing, usually are first to fail.

I don't fear failing, as every failure is an opportunity to learn and do better. Falling down teaches you how to get up, and once you know how to get up, you start learning how to prevent falling in the first place. Life is a roller coaster. Ride it and enjoy, or get the fuck of the fast train.

Home loans ain't evil

2008-04-12T10:01:38Z

While the result of the sub prime crisis is devastating both for home owners as well as financial institutions, there is little better to increase your financial wellbeing than investing in your own property. The days that people just bought a house or condo cash in hand is long gone, and almost everyone relies on a home loan to get the purchase financed.

When it comes down to who is responsible for the current crisis, I think we all are to some extend. The sector for handing out home loans as if it were candy, even to people they very well knew wouldn't be able to repay their mortgage if the slightest would go wrong, but the people accepting the loans as well. If you disregard the small print - and I have no doubt that the conditions were in very small print somewhere in the midst of a pages long contract - or don't fully understand what you're getting into, you don't sign anything, period. People always assume a best case scenario, never a worst case. Sure enough, things sometimes do go wrong, and even in that case, you should somehow prepare for it.

Let's hope that with the current crisis affecting everyone - even those not related to real estate or finances - new regulations are put into effect. While it is a harsh lesson learned, it should open eyes for many as well: think before you leap. Know upfront what you can or can't handle financially and if you can't, don't attempt.

Getting your own property is a long term investment. You can continue to rent from others, paying quite some cash over several years and ending up with nothing to show for it. Or you can get a home loan after carefully considering the stipulations and your own abilities to meet those, and become an owner. The choice is up to you and while ownership may not be the best path to take for everyone involved, simply doing the calculations and projections together with your bank or mortgage institution will enlighten you and shed a light onto the complex systems of financing and mortgages. Don't let anyone press you into something you don't understand. Don't sign what you don't understand. Make sure you have some cash aside to cover periods when things ain't going so well.

A home loan is not necessarily the work of evil, an instrument of destruction, quite the contrary. It can allow you to expand your financial possibilities and resources, but... buyer beware.

A quick list

2008-04-10T20:33:01Z

I'm too tired to write a full blown entry, so for the time being you'll have to rely on these scraps :

- sleep (very much needed, now!)
- car maintenance on Friday (get up early - completed. 153 euro + 2 hours of my time)
- traveling companion offers (got a fellow traveler already, but thanks!)
- travel destination suggestion (from Vixen, hmm...)
- Untraceable
- add extra memory to Dell box (completed, 3GB up from 1GB)
- continue troubleshooting D's computer and hopefully fix
- finish cleaning the place
- do laundry