The car service for one. My 207 has had its 40,000 service, and it flagged a couple of issues… One of them being that the rear exhaust bracket (it’s corroded) and the other being a temperature senor that was leaking.
Now I know that the car has thrown its toys out of the pram a few weeks ago, when it threw the gearbox error at me… It turns out that this sensor could have been the reason for the snatchy gear changes when the little monster was cold. So, Arbury have sorted the sensor, and all I have to do is go and collect the little monster (without getting nabbed by the sales team, who seem to be desperate for the monster!)
Ah well, time to log off and go and collect the beastie…
Back when I get chance.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
That’s what’s been happening just recently. If things can go wrong, they have done. I had the car serviced – ok – not an issue there – until I got a call from the garage to say that there was a problem, and a couple of advisories….
Now I hate it when I get that sort of call. It turned out that the problem was a blasted sensor on the cooling system that had decided to start leaking. Ok – not a major leak – but it was one of those little nasties that could develop into a major problem – and it would be just my luck for it to go when I was on the motorway.
The advisory was to say that the offside front tyre had 3.5mm left on the tread (the UK legal limit is 1.6mm) and that the back box on the exhaust pipe is showing signs of corrosion.
So, the sensor was replaced, and the car seems to be running ok. Thankfully, it looks like this sensor problem has sorted out the gearbox issue (but I still keep the little monster in full auto mode until it’s got some heat into the engine!)
The tyres can wait until I can get the tyres that I want, as I know what suits both the car and me, but the back box I’ll ask for a second opinion , as I don’t want to rush off out and spend money needlessly on the car…
Ah well, time to call it quits – I’ve got stuff to sort out before I pick the car up.
Back later…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
Now I hate it when I get that sort of call. It turned out that the problem was a blasted sensor on the cooling system that had decided to start leaking. Ok – not a major leak – but it was one of those little nasties that could develop into a major problem – and it would be just my luck for it to go when I was on the motorway.
The advisory was to say that the offside front tyre had 3.5mm left on the tread (the UK legal limit is 1.6mm) and that the back box on the exhaust pipe is showing signs of corrosion.
So, the sensor was replaced, and the car seems to be running ok. Thankfully, it looks like this sensor problem has sorted out the gearbox issue (but I still keep the little monster in full auto mode until it’s got some heat into the engine!)
The tyres can wait until I can get the tyres that I want, as I know what suits both the car and me, but the back box I’ll ask for a second opinion , as I don’t want to rush off out and spend money needlessly on the car…
Ah well, time to call it quits – I’ve got stuff to sort out before I pick the car up.
Back later…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
The rights and wrongs of digital books
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
Most people who know me, know that I am a real bookworm, and have been wrestling with the idea of getting one of the e-readers that is currently on the market. So, I was interested to read this article on the BBC website. I'll post it in full (and provide the link as normal) then put my thoughts at the end.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
********************************************
Reading on screen has to get more like reading a book, says Bill Thompson
The recent rapid growth of the market for electronic editions of contemporary fiction, with some titles selling more in digital marketplaces than they do in printed form, seems unlikely to tail off. The latter part of 2010 may mark the point from which future historians date the transition to screen-based reading for literary fiction as well as reference works.
Amazon recently announced that during September it sold more Kindle books than print books for the top ten, hundred and even thousand bestselling books on its US website, and other retailers will no doubt see the same as Christmas approaches.
Page turner
Everyone involved in the book trade, as we will probably continue to call it for some years, is trying to decide how to respond to this change and anticipate the imminent arrival of the sort of creative destruction that has swept through the music industry, but few seem to have many good ideas.
Independent publishers like Faber & Faber and Canongate, both of whom I spend time talking to about the impact of digital publishing (though not for money), are trying hard to remain relevant, and initiatives like the new electronic publishing service, Faber Factory, are a sign that they understand the changing market.
However, even they are not yet willing to accept that the price of electronic texts is too high, and that readers will not pay the same for a bunch of bits as they will for a bound book, since the market knows that it costs less to send electrons over a network than it does to buy paper, make books out of it and ship the physical objects around the world.
They also seem unprepared for the fundamental shift in the whole basis of their business that digital distribution brings about.
Something important happens when the text of a book is peeled away from the physical book, exposing the important distinction between the law as it applies to property and copyright law, and this has significant implications for how publishers make money - or even whether they will do so at all.
When you buy a book you take ownership of the wood pulp, ink and glue that makes up the object, and anyone taking it away from you without permission is stealing. But you do not own, and never have owned, the copyright.
If the author is still alive or died fewer than 70 years ago then that list of words and punctuation, in that precise order, may be protected in various ways, limiting your ability to reproduce some or all of the list.
When you buy an digital copy to read on your e-book reader, phone or laptop all you get is the copyrighted bit, and what you pay for is a licence to have a copy or copies of the text.
You don't "own" an object - all you have is an agreement, and the things you can do with it are limited both by copyright law and by the terms of the legal licence agreement you enter into when you make your purchase.
Kindle and iPad users are acutely aware of this, because the digital rights management system used to limit copying of purchased e-books makes it impossible to share one with a friend in the way that we are all accustomed to do with physical books, while the licence makes it impossible to sell our second-hand e-books to others and defray the cost of new purchases.
Lending list
Amazon recently announced that it will let Kindle owners "lend" books, but only for two weeks and only once per title. It clearly expects to get a lot of positive publicity for following the approach of other e-book readers like the Barnes and Noble "Nook", but all they have done is to highlight exactly what we are giving up as we move from buying books to licensing content for our digital devices.
Perhaps the worst thing about the new feature is that Amazon will give publishers a veto over sharing their titles. For a company with a reputation for pushing publishers into distribution deals that they find very difficult to work with, Amazon seems very wary of doing anything that might upset the rights holders.
When the new Kindle shipped with a feature that let it read texts aloud in a synthesised voice it only took a few angry huffs and puffs from the US Author's Guild before the facility was made optional, to be turned off at the behest of the publisher.
And now Amazon is careful to announce the publisher-friendly aspects of its new feature, highlighting the fact that when you pay your money for a Kindle edition you aren't buying a book, and you certainly aren't buying an e-book that is in any way equivalent to a printed codex.
I'd be happy with a system that let me transfer my purchases rather than sharing them - I don't expect my one download of a copy of the new Jonathan Frantzen to provide for the reading needs of my entire extended family at the same time, but lending my Kindle - or in this case my iPad - means lending every book (and every other app), which is not the same as just lending one book.
There is one bright spot in all this, though. Amazon's business model offers us the clearest possible demonstration that we should not allow the law to treat the products of creative expression in the same way as we do physical property.
The idea of "intellectual property" deliberately conflates the two and allows politicians to pretend that laws about physical property should extend to digital downloads. We need to challenge this unjustifiable elision if we are to think seriously about copyright and business models in the age of electronics.
Bill Thompson is an independent journalist and regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Digital Planet. He is currently working with the BBC on its archive project.
*******************************************************************************
This article has hit the main argument against e-books (for me anyway) on the head. Plus, there is the practical side - you can drop your paperback into the swimming pool / bath, curse a little bit, and then wait for it to dry out. However, if you drop your e-reader into the water... Well you can kiss good bye to a pile of money.
Add into that, you cannot sit and read during take off and landing when flying (and you have to lug the charger and all the associated bits) then you get to the stage where for someone like me it's just not worth it at the moment.
So I guess that I'll just have to remain loyal to the paperback - until these issues are resolved.
Back when I get the chance...
K.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
********************************************
Reading on screen has to get more like reading a book, says Bill Thompson
The recent rapid growth of the market for electronic editions of contemporary fiction, with some titles selling more in digital marketplaces than they do in printed form, seems unlikely to tail off. The latter part of 2010 may mark the point from which future historians date the transition to screen-based reading for literary fiction as well as reference works.
 |
| Amazon's Kindle E-reader |
Page turner
Everyone involved in the book trade, as we will probably continue to call it for some years, is trying to decide how to respond to this change and anticipate the imminent arrival of the sort of creative destruction that has swept through the music industry, but few seem to have many good ideas.
Independent publishers like Faber & Faber and Canongate, both of whom I spend time talking to about the impact of digital publishing (though not for money), are trying hard to remain relevant, and initiatives like the new electronic publishing service, Faber Factory, are a sign that they understand the changing market.
However, even they are not yet willing to accept that the price of electronic texts is too high, and that readers will not pay the same for a bunch of bits as they will for a bound book, since the market knows that it costs less to send electrons over a network than it does to buy paper, make books out of it and ship the physical objects around the world.
We should not allow the law to treat the products of creative expression in the same way as we do physical property
Bill Thompson
They also seem unprepared for the fundamental shift in the whole basis of their business that digital distribution brings about.
Something important happens when the text of a book is peeled away from the physical book, exposing the important distinction between the law as it applies to property and copyright law, and this has significant implications for how publishers make money - or even whether they will do so at all.
When you buy a book you take ownership of the wood pulp, ink and glue that makes up the object, and anyone taking it away from you without permission is stealing. But you do not own, and never have owned, the copyright.
If the author is still alive or died fewer than 70 years ago then that list of words and punctuation, in that precise order, may be protected in various ways, limiting your ability to reproduce some or all of the list.
When you buy an digital copy to read on your e-book reader, phone or laptop all you get is the copyrighted bit, and what you pay for is a licence to have a copy or copies of the text.
You don't "own" an object - all you have is an agreement, and the things you can do with it are limited both by copyright law and by the terms of the legal licence agreement you enter into when you make your purchase.
Kindle and iPad users are acutely aware of this, because the digital rights management system used to limit copying of purchased e-books makes it impossible to share one with a friend in the way that we are all accustomed to do with physical books, while the licence makes it impossible to sell our second-hand e-books to others and defray the cost of new purchases.
Lending list
 |
| Limits on lending rights could hit libraries |
Perhaps the worst thing about the new feature is that Amazon will give publishers a veto over sharing their titles. For a company with a reputation for pushing publishers into distribution deals that they find very difficult to work with, Amazon seems very wary of doing anything that might upset the rights holders.
When the new Kindle shipped with a feature that let it read texts aloud in a synthesised voice it only took a few angry huffs and puffs from the US Author's Guild before the facility was made optional, to be turned off at the behest of the publisher.
And now Amazon is careful to announce the publisher-friendly aspects of its new feature, highlighting the fact that when you pay your money for a Kindle edition you aren't buying a book, and you certainly aren't buying an e-book that is in any way equivalent to a printed codex.
I'd be happy with a system that let me transfer my purchases rather than sharing them - I don't expect my one download of a copy of the new Jonathan Frantzen to provide for the reading needs of my entire extended family at the same time, but lending my Kindle - or in this case my iPad - means lending every book (and every other app), which is not the same as just lending one book.
There is one bright spot in all this, though. Amazon's business model offers us the clearest possible demonstration that we should not allow the law to treat the products of creative expression in the same way as we do physical property.
The idea of "intellectual property" deliberately conflates the two and allows politicians to pretend that laws about physical property should extend to digital downloads. We need to challenge this unjustifiable elision if we are to think seriously about copyright and business models in the age of electronics.
Bill Thompson is an independent journalist and regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Digital Planet. He is currently working with the BBC on its archive project.
*******************************************************************************
This article has hit the main argument against e-books (for me anyway) on the head. Plus, there is the practical side - you can drop your paperback into the swimming pool / bath, curse a little bit, and then wait for it to dry out. However, if you drop your e-reader into the water... Well you can kiss good bye to a pile of money.
Add into that, you cannot sit and read during take off and landing when flying (and you have to lug the charger and all the associated bits) then you get to the stage where for someone like me it's just not worth it at the moment.
So I guess that I'll just have to remain loyal to the paperback - until these issues are resolved.
Back when I get the chance...
K.
Hitman on the Golf Course
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
Occasionally, you get a real howler of a joke, and this is one of them. I make no apologies for posting it – it’s made me giggle on a day when not much else has been able to do so.
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
************************************************************************
Two old friends were just about to tee off at the first hole of their local golf course when a guy carrying a golf bag called out to them, 'Do you mind if I join you, my partner didn't turn up.'
'Sure,' they said, 'You're welcome.' So they started playing and enjoyed the game and the company of the newcomer.
Part way around the course, one of the friends asked the newcomer, 'What do you do for a living?'
'I'm a hit man,' was the reply.
'You're joking!' was the response.
'No, I'm not,' he said, reaching into his golf bag, and pulling out a beautiful Martini sniper's rifle with a large telescopic sight... 'Here are my tools.'
'That's a beautiful telescopic sight,' said the other friend, 'Can I take a look? I think I might be able to see my house from here.' So he picked up the rifle and looked through the sight in the direction of his house.
'Yeah, I can see my house all right. This sight is fantastic. I can see right in the window.' 'Wow, I can see my wife in the bedroom... Ha Ha, I can see she's naked. WHOA! Wait a minute, that's my neighbour in there with her, he's naked too!!!
He turned to the hit man, 'How much do you charge for a hit?'
'I'll do a flat rate for you, one thousand dollars every time I pull the trigger.'
'Can you do two for me right now?'
'Sure, what do you want?'
'First, shoot my wife; she's always been mouthy, so shoot her in the mouth.'
'Then the neighbour, he's a friend of mine, so just shoot his dick off to teach him a lesson.'
The hit man took the rifle and took aim, standing perfectly still for a few minutes.
'Are you going to do it or not?' said the golfer impatiently.
'Just be patient,' said the hit man calmly, 'I think I can save you a grand here.'
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
************************************************************************
Two old friends were just about to tee off at the first hole of their local golf course when a guy carrying a golf bag called out to them, 'Do you mind if I join you, my partner didn't turn up.'
'Sure,' they said, 'You're welcome.' So they started playing and enjoyed the game and the company of the newcomer.
Part way around the course, one of the friends asked the newcomer, 'What do you do for a living?'
'I'm a hit man,' was the reply.
'You're joking!' was the response.
'No, I'm not,' he said, reaching into his golf bag, and pulling out a beautiful Martini sniper's rifle with a large telescopic sight... 'Here are my tools.'
'That's a beautiful telescopic sight,' said the other friend, 'Can I take a look? I think I might be able to see my house from here.' So he picked up the rifle and looked through the sight in the direction of his house.
'Yeah, I can see my house all right. This sight is fantastic. I can see right in the window.' 'Wow, I can see my wife in the bedroom... Ha Ha, I can see she's naked. WHOA! Wait a minute, that's my neighbour in there with her, he's naked too!!!
He turned to the hit man, 'How much do you charge for a hit?'
'I'll do a flat rate for you, one thousand dollars every time I pull the trigger.'
'Can you do two for me right now?'
'Sure, what do you want?'
'First, shoot my wife; she's always been mouthy, so shoot her in the mouth.'
'Then the neighbour, he's a friend of mine, so just shoot his dick off to teach him a lesson.'
The hit man took the rifle and took aim, standing perfectly still for a few minutes.
'Are you going to do it or not?' said the golfer impatiently.
'Just be patient,' said the hit man calmly, 'I think I can save you a grand here.'
Trying to find a horse…
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
As people may or may not know, I’ve been searching for a horse to replace my beloved Heart of Flame, and have struck out every time I thought I’d found “the one”.
Again, it looks like fate has turned away from me again, as I thought I’d found the perfect horse. He’s a Lusitano, and is as gentle as a lamb. However, when I went for a ride, it felt like he was pulling to one side. The best way to describe this, is to imagine a car with tracking problems – it pulls to one side. Well, that was how this horse felt.
So, as it stands at the moment, I am waiting for an independent report on the horse, as the last thing that I need to do is buy him, and discover that I have more vets bills than my damned insurance will cover.
Needless to say, I am on the verge of giving up, as this search has caused nothing but heartache for me, but part of me is whispering “keep the faith – you’ll find one” – especially as I have really missed being able to go for an early morning ride.
Ah well, time to call this quits – I need to get some sleep.
Back when I get the chance…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
Again, it looks like fate has turned away from me again, as I thought I’d found the perfect horse. He’s a Lusitano, and is as gentle as a lamb. However, when I went for a ride, it felt like he was pulling to one side. The best way to describe this, is to imagine a car with tracking problems – it pulls to one side. Well, that was how this horse felt.
So, as it stands at the moment, I am waiting for an independent report on the horse, as the last thing that I need to do is buy him, and discover that I have more vets bills than my damned insurance will cover.
Needless to say, I am on the verge of giving up, as this search has caused nothing but heartache for me, but part of me is whispering “keep the faith – you’ll find one” – especially as I have really missed being able to go for an early morning ride.
Ah well, time to call this quits – I need to get some sleep.
Back when I get the chance…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
The formation with feeling
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
I make no apologies for posting this - as per normal it was sent to me by my American friends.
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
*********************************************************************
Look at this carefully........... It is brilliant, and another true example of British Humor!!
The British government scrapped the Harrier fleet and on their farewell formation flypast over the Houses of Parliament they gave the government a message............
Lean back a bit from your computer monitor and squint.
Seriously......................... push your chair back a couple of feet.
My hat off to the lad that was leading this bloody gaggle..................
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
*********************************************************************
Look at this carefully........... It is brilliant, and another true example of British Humor!!
The British government scrapped the Harrier fleet and on their farewell formation flypast over the Houses of Parliament they gave the government a message............
Lean back a bit from your computer monitor and squint.
Seriously......................... push your chair back a couple of feet.
My hat off to the lad that was leading this bloody gaggle..................
Spider web fire risk prompts Mazda6 recall
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
Some things you just can’t make up – and this is one of them.
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
***************************************************************************
Japanese carmaker Mazda has announced it is recalling 65,000 cars in North and Central America because of concerns over spiders in the fuel system.
A Mazda spokesman said dealers had found 20 cases where webs of yellow sac spiders were found in a vent line.
The company said this could increase pressure in the fuel tank, leading to possible cracks and a risk of fire.
Dealers will check the cars for cracks, clean out any webs and install a spring in the line to keep out the spiders.
About 50,000 Mazda6 vehicles from the 2009-10 model years are being recalled in the United States, with another 15,000 in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes said it was not clear why the yellow sac spider liked to build nests in the Mazda6.
"Perhaps yellow sac spiders like to go zoom-zoom?" he joked, referring to Mazda's advertising slogan for the car.
The company said it did not know of any accidents or fires caused by the spider webs.
Enjoy.
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
***************************************************************************
 |
A Mazda spokesman said dealers had found 20 cases where webs of yellow sac spiders were found in a vent line.
The company said this could increase pressure in the fuel tank, leading to possible cracks and a risk of fire.
Dealers will check the cars for cracks, clean out any webs and install a spring in the line to keep out the spiders.
About 50,000 Mazda6 vehicles from the 2009-10 model years are being recalled in the United States, with another 15,000 in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes said it was not clear why the yellow sac spider liked to build nests in the Mazda6.
"Perhaps yellow sac spiders like to go zoom-zoom?" he joked, referring to Mazda's advertising slogan for the car.
The company said it did not know of any accidents or fires caused by the spider webs.
Vile hackers
Posted by
Karen
comments (0)
Not a happy person at the moment. A few months ago, a website that I use had been hacked, and card details were taken. Ok – not an issue, as the company concerned notified everyone, and I thought I was safe. Just how wrong can you damned well be.
I got a call from the bank, and as I was on a call at the time, I hit “reject” on my phone, meaning that it would go through to my voicemail. It did, and I got the message that everyone dreads…
“This is a message for Karen – you’ll hear an automated message after a few seconds of music. {Music} Please call ABC bank on {tel. number} reference code xxx”
Smeg. So I tore out of the office like the back of my trousers were on fire to call the bank. And yep. My card had been hit. The vermin had tried to use it to credit an Xbox live account, and as luck would have it, I’d already told the bank that I don’t have an Xbox, and if they saw anything like that, then it was certainly suspect.
So the bank has now cancelled my card, and I now have to wait until this time next week for a replacement to be sent. Needless to say, I am not a happy person, but in all honesty I am glad that the bank picked the issue up.
Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’ve got a home to go to.
Back when I get the chance…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
I got a call from the bank, and as I was on a call at the time, I hit “reject” on my phone, meaning that it would go through to my voicemail. It did, and I got the message that everyone dreads…
“This is a message for Karen – you’ll hear an automated message after a few seconds of music. {Music} Please call ABC bank on {tel. number} reference code xxx”
Smeg. So I tore out of the office like the back of my trousers were on fire to call the bank. And yep. My card had been hit. The vermin had tried to use it to credit an Xbox live account, and as luck would have it, I’d already told the bank that I don’t have an Xbox, and if they saw anything like that, then it was certainly suspect.
So the bank has now cancelled my card, and I now have to wait until this time next week for a replacement to be sent. Needless to say, I am not a happy person, but in all honesty I am glad that the bank picked the issue up.
Ah well, guess I should call this quits – I’ve got a home to go to.
Back when I get the chance…
Karen
Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most
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