Pausing for thought

Thanks for all the messages, at this moment in time I haven't had a chance to read them all but I will eventually.  Just for the record MonkeyMagic698 does not publish his photograph because he just doesn't. sorry.

Anyway I hope all my fans are doing well, even if you are not a fan I understand.

MonkeyMagic698.

There's only 3 hours and 30 minutes of 2007 left, whatever happened in that year stays in that year. The new year promises a fresh start to one and all, except for maybe the Chinese who will have to until February 18th 2008.

It's a good time to make predictions for 2008 but here are the predictions I made from December 2006 first.

•  some people will be watching TV on their mobile phone.
• Microsoft will release another Windows operating system called Windows Vista.
• There will be at least another 2 versions of the iPod released with more memory and better support for recording.
• Internet speeds will get faster as providers promote >2 MB - 24MB
• Mobile phone 3G service becomes more common place.
• RFID is added to at least another 5 new mobile phone models from Nokia.
• Gizmo replaces Skype as the new buzz word for Voip.
• Consumers desire for gadgets becomes insatiable.
• The new 500GB hard disk hits the high street.
• Electronic data theft becomes a growing popular
• Wireless hacking becomes increasingly popular
• Mobile phones with biometric readers appear in the high-end range.
• Video piracy over the Internet grows, much to the horror of Hollywood.
• more computers clone the Mac Mini.
• Linux is pre-installed on an increasing no of computers on the high street.
• The average phone user will own 2 mobile phones.
• Several new household robot toys will make their appearance.
• Any part of the human body can be grown organically, or synthetically, but there are fearce debates about whether or not human brains should be grown inside other animals.
• Voice recognition appears late July on the top range mobiles.
• Video blogging enters the arena with some notable bloggers.
• Some companies replace their existing smart cards for employee identification and tracking with the mobile phone supported by RFID.

OK I was a bit a head of my time really considering over 50% of these things really hit the headlines in 2007.

I'm not making any predictions for this year as things are not going to be rosy for some people, they just don't realise it yet. I'm talking about the financial market, it will also be a tough year for many 1st time buyers as the housing shortage will not improve any time soon.

Hold onto your hats folks because it's going to be a rollercoaster of a year.

Best wishes for the New Year,

MonkeyMagic698

Well there's been a lot happening since last blog entry, lots of great things, love, laughter, despair, hurt, and insanity.

Right now I'm in my pyjamas since I've been to lazt to get dressed, it's the holidays after all I can do that if I like.  I want to keep this one short since I don't want to write something I later regret, and then forget to delete it.  Then at a later date someone googles for the same keywords I used and then gets offended by what I wrote.

That's all for now, this is MonkeyMagic698 wishing you Happy Holidays

Ubuntu Ubuntu Ubuntu

The new release will be out on the 17th October 2007. I haven't really looked at the new features but I'm confident someone has thought about this.

The question is ... is Ubuntu over-rated? I blogged a while ago writing that Michael Dell would be crazy not provide Ubuntu on the laptop, and now they do.  Does it live up to the expectation? Has it changed my life? Am I more attractive to the opposite sex? The answer is yes! and it's all thanks to Ubuntu.

I'm using Ubuntu right now to right this, I also use it for manipulating images, editing sound files, programming, Office software, chatting through IRC, scanning documents, talking with my friend on Skype,  and more.  If you want to try out Ubuntu sell your existing computer, and buy a Dell pre-installed with Ubuntu.  Otherwise download the Gparted .ISO and create a live CD, pop it in your machine, reboot, and partition your hard disk with a linux partition (EXT3). Then download and burn the Ubuntu Live CD, reboot your machine and install Ubuntu.

Good times!  Linux will take over the world some time around July 2010. 

Best of luck with your own exploration into Ubuntu.

MonkeyMagic698

Earlier today I was going to write something in this blog, but then I stopped myself, and I thought who would want to read what I have to say.  At that point I pressed the cancel button for the blog and instead I listened to a podcast on IT Conversations followed by reading th latest from nfh.org.uk.

My mother contacted the place that fitted my bathroom today, complaining that not all the tiles matched.  There are about 5 tiles which are blue and should be white, according to the shop this is normal it's just shading. My mum put them right about that one.   It's like the dead parrot sketch from Monty Python ... and on that note I give you the ...

Dead Parrot Sketch

The cast:

     MR. PRALINE
          John Cleese
     SHOP OWNER
          Michael Palin

---

The sketch:

     A customer enters a pet shop.

     Mr. Praline: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

     (The owner does not respond.)

     Mr. Praline: 'Ello, Miss?

     Owner: What do you mean "miss"?

     Mr. Praline: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

     Owner: We're closin' for lunch.

     Mr. Praline: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

     Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

     Mr. Praline: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!

     Owner: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.

     Mr. Praline: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

     Owner: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

     Mr. Praline: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.

     Owner: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!

     Mr. Praline: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) 'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you
     show...

     (owner hits the cage)

     Owner: There, he moved!

     Mr. Praline: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!

     Owner: I never!!

     Mr. Praline: Yes, you did!

     Owner: I never, never did anything...

     Mr. Praline: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!

     (Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)

     Mr. Praline: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.

     Owner: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!

     Mr. Praline: STUNNED?!?

     Owner: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.

     Mr. Praline: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour
     ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.

     Owner: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.

     Mr. Praline: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?

     Owner: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!

     Mr. Praline: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the
     first place was that it had been NAILED there.

     (pause)

     Owner: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and
     VOOM! Feeweeweewee!

     Mr. Praline: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!

     Owner: No no! 'E's pining!

     Mr. Praline: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e
     rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the
     bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

     (pause)

     Owner: Well, I'd better replace it, then. (he takes a quick peek behind the counter) Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh,
     we're right out of parrots.

     Mr. Praline: I see. I see, I get the picture.

     Owner: I got a slug.

     (pause)

     Mr. Praline: Pray, does it talk?

     Owner: Nnnnot really.

     Mr. Praline: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?

     Owner: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)

     Mr. Praline: Well.

     (pause)

     Owner: (quietly) D'you.... d'you want to come back to my place?

     Mr. Praline: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.