(Photo taken 23-Sep-2008 at 23:19 BST: when I originally wrote this blog post)

via Les Jenkins and *** Dave

I work as a computer programmer, but haven’t been diagnosed with any mental impediment that I can remember (so amnesia could be an option ). What about you – what’s your score and occuption?

SUPPOSEDLY if you’ve seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you’ve seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, paste this as a note. Then, put x’s next to the films you’ve seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.

See my responses below.

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane

Total: 3

( ) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
( ) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Total: 2. Grand total so far: 5

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
(x) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp

Total 8. Grand total so far: 13

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch

Total 5. Grand total so far: 18

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots

Total 3. Grand total so far: 21

( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
( ) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) King Kong

Total 1. Grand total so far: 22

( ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
(x) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber

Total 5. Grand total so far: 27

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards

Total 1. Grand total so far: 28

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
(x) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask

Total 5. Grand total so far: 33

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
( ) Ocean’s Eleven
( ) Ocean’s Twelve
( ) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George

Total 4. Grand total so far: 37

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2

Total 3. Grand total so far: 40

( ) Best Bet
( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She’s All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3

Total 6. Grand total so far: 46

( ) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2

Total 6. Grand total so far: 52

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin

Total 1. Grand total so far: 53

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
( ) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
( ) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
( ) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Total 3. Grand total so far: 56

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three

Total 0. Grand total so far: 56

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(x) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard

Total 4. Grand total so far: 60

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn of the Dead
(x) Hook
( ) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
(x) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld

Total 2. Grand total so far: 62

( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness

Total 0. Grand total so far: 62

( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor

Total 3. Grand total so far: 65

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
(x) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
( ) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal

Total 5.

Grand total of 70.

B9 D+++ T+ K+ S F- I- O+ X+ E L- C Y4 R++ W+ P+ M2 N- N+

What’s yours?

“Below are a series of headers for different programs you use on your computer. For each one, say what program it is, whether it’s open source or not, and what you like about it.”

Score of: 3.5 open source programs out of 12.5 (“Compression” category counts as 2x 0.5 as I tend to use two programs)
Score of: 5.5 free programs out of 12.5 (“Compression” category counts as 2x 0.5 as I tend to use two programs)

Operating System: Windows: Not Open Source
I use Windows XP (with the “Classic 2000″ style) as it’s what I’m used to “on the desktop” and for compatibility purposes (as the majority of the customers I support in a tech support capacity and my Dad tend to run Windows XP). I do have RedHat Enterprise Linux installed on the server which hosts my blog and a few other sites (that’s only accessible via the command line/SSH though) and running RedHat Fedora Linux on my home server (mainly operating through the command line, but it does have the Gnome desktop installed which can is very very similar to Windows).

Web Browser: Firefox: Almost Open Source (Free)
Well, I say it’s Open Source, but Neil does point out the source code (which I’ve never bothered to download) doesn’t contain the trademarked name and logos. Why do I run it? Because it’s secure, a bit faster then Internet Explorer and multi-platform (I’ve got it installed on my Linux box as well). And, at least when FF crashes (which I’ve had it do on me a few times – only once a week though on average), it doesn’t take the whole machine down with it.
I also like the Plugins it supports – I find the “Web Developer” and the “AdBlock” plug ins very useful, along with the Spellbound spell checker (although IE has got IESpell) and SecurePassword Generator (ideal when trying to think of a new password for customers).

Email Client: Outlook 2000. Not Open Source (Commercial)
I’ve downloaded Thunderbird for my home machine, my work machine and my laptop – but it’s only in use on my laptop. Why? Well, I can’t use it at work as it hasn’t got a “Forward email filter/ruleset” which I need (when you handle several thousand emails a day, you need a good ruleset which can do nearly everything) and I’ve found the display of emails a bit “wrong” (the folder display seems to have too much empty space around them, the fonts used don’t “feel right”). It’s probably a case that I’m use to Outlook, but I am planning on giving TB another try once the Forward Email rule is included.

FTP: LeechFTP: Not Open Source (Free)
I find LeechFTP to be one of the best FTP programs around – but it hasn’t had any development work done on it for nearly 6 years! It’s fast, it’s easy to use, it’s got bookmarks, it doesn’t try and “take over your machine”, it’s compact/small, and it’s really easy to configure.

Instant Messaging: Trillian: Not Open Source (Commercial)
I’ve got GAIM installed, but I haven’t got round to configuring it or setting it up yet. I’ve had Trillian installed for around 3 years now as it’s a lot easier than having multiple IM clients installed, but I’ve really cut down my IM usage in the past year or so.

Media Player: VLC: Open Source (Free)
I use VideoLan (VLC) for everything – from videos, to movie clips to MP3s. I especially like the easy to use Playlist and full screen options.

Office Suite: Microsoft Office 2000: Not Open Source (Commercial)
I use OpenOffice at work, but Microsoft Office at home. Why don’t I use OO at home? Well, I installed Office when I got my PC (nearly 2 years ago) so I can import in my emails and use Outlook (Thunderbird wasn’t an option then), and I just haven’t had a need to uninstall Office. Since I don’t make much use of the office suite (apart from Outlook- see above), I’m not that bothered about it.

Image Viewer: Irfanview: Not open source (Free)
Superb little utility and copes with practically any image I through at it. Does it’s job well, and it’s free.

Photo Editor: Adobe Photoshop: Not open source (Commercial)
I got a copy of Photoshop cheap (ok, it’s an old version, but I didn’t want to pay “big bucks”), and it does what I need it to do. It’s not too complex (I only really edit simple images) and reasonably easy to use.

Anti-virus: Symantec Norton Antivirus 2003: Not open source (Commercial)
Just about the only commercial piece of software (apart from the OS) we use at work. It’s good, it does it’s job, it’s regularly updated, I’ve never had a major problem with it (although occasionally the email scanner engine fails), and it’s quite cheap. My Dad uses Grisoft AVG Free (not open source, free) and we offer ClamWin (open source, free) to our customers if they want it.

File sharing: Azureus: Open Source (Free)
It supports multiple torrents at once, has a decent display and easy to use. (for downloading either Linux ISO’s and “legal” TV programs only – such as the PGSM series which will probably never air outside Japan and of which I own DVD copies of, but without the English fansub subtitles).

Compression: WinZip: Not Open Source (Commercial) and UnxUtils Open source (Free)
Most of the time, I use the gzip/unzip/tar commands supplied in UnxUtils as it’s sometimes easier and more convenient for me – but I do use Winzip a bit as sometimes I just want to “drag and drop”.

1. Bought everyone in the pub a drink – We did have the benefit that the pub had just opened and there were just the 4 of us in there
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain – I attempted to climb Mt.Snowdon in Wales (didn’t even get a quarter of the way up) and I planned to go up Mt.Fiji in Japan: do they count?
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula.
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris – Around 3 times if I remember correctly
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise – several times, mainly “unplanned though” (i.e. I didn’t plan to stay up all night…)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars – I used to really enjoy camping out under the stars: but haven’t done it in years!
21. Changed a baby’s diaper – Possible my youngest sister’s when I was around 7 or 8 years old: but I can’t remember for sure
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne – You mean champagne is more then over rated fizzy water?
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight – When I was much younger of course…
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can – I can remember having some sort of screaming competition with my sisters when we were all much younger, I can’t remember why though
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip – Not at midnight..
38. Taken an ice cold bath – Especially when my boiler breaks down *brr*
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster – Ridden quite a few!
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking – Hey – it’s the only way I dance!
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors – Most of my fathers side of the family actually come from the area we still in in. My mother’s side I won’t stand a chance!
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer. – I’ve got 3 in my main machine (200 Gb total), 4 in my household server (650 Gb total) and 2 in my American based server – but only 1 in my laptop.
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was sh-t faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (money != satisfaction)
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan – yep, got back two weeks ago (seems ages ago already though! I actually had lunch today consisting of noodles and blackbean beef eaten with chopsticks and drinking Japanese green tea whilst watching a Japanese TV program where they were having a Westernised meal with Knife and forks!)
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records – CDs yes.
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke – Attempted to several times
72. Lounged around in bed all day – Yep, as recently as yesterday!
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud – When I was a kid
78. Played in the rain – Ditto
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it.
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better – Linux on my server and seriously considering moving to Linux on the desktop. Also got RISC OS machines as double-backup
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class – Judo when I was much yonger
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie – Closest is being on TV, radio and in the press and just missing out on being “on set” when Shadowlands (a film) was being filmed quite close to me
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music –
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read – and understood – your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over – Not yet…
134. …more than once? – More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication – Archive Magazine
141. Lost over 100 pounds – £100 cash, yes – 100lbs in weight, nope
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone’s heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours – Quite often!
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi – Up to 3 months ago, I hated fish. Now I wish there was a Sushi restuarant in Leicester – ideally a conveyor belt on. I quite like Sushi and fish in general now!
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them.
183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch – Computer programming counts doesn’t it?
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt – My parents for my teenage years
187. Skipped all your school reunions.
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language – Most Japanese people don’t speak English and I don’t speak much Japanese. Pointing at things and displays on calculators work though!
189. Been elected to public office – Does “Village Representitive” count?
190. Written your own computer language – Yep, on the RISC OS platform. Wasn’t that good though and was very slow, but still. IIRC I’ve written a primitive scripting language for a Linux/Windows environment, but very primitive
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196. Dyed your hair
197. Been a DJ
198. Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199. Written your own role playing game
200. Been arrested
]]> http://blog.rac.me.uk/2004/10/03/200-questions/feed/ 0 http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/08/18/memes-friday-five/ http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/08/18/memes-friday-five/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2003 01:02:25 +0000 Richy C. http://blog.rac.me.uk/?p=530 Ahh, I haven’t done a “Meme” for ages and since it seems nearly everybody else on my blogroll has done this weeks Friday Five, I thought I’d join in

1. How much time do you spend online each day?
Typically around 18 hours a day. Yep: that’s roughly 8 hours away from the ‘net per day (around 7 hours sleep per day). I does help that I work as a systems/servers/network administrator and search engine optimizer and hence need a lot of network access during the working day… I’m actually semi dreading my forthcoming holiday because of this: it’ll be the longest I’ve been “net-less” for over 6 years and I’m dreading the amount of email I’ll have when I return (an average of 3,000 emails per day [mostly spam] with a 7 day holiday… *gulp*).

Do you think I’ll get withdrawal symptoms?

2. What is your browser homepage set to?

It’s set to about:blank . Yep, when my web browsers start up, they show a blank page: it’s quick loading and since I normally know all the URLs I want to get to off the top of my head (and auto-complete knows the as well), it’s not much of a delay. I can usually type the complete path to my MovableType installation of this blog within 1.5seconds(!) since my fingers know it that well.

I did, at one point, have a specially made “local” HTML folder with links to all the main sites I visited – but it seemed to just slow me down more than anything else. At work, I’ve got IE’s toolbar “Links” configured so that I just need to click on one link and it’ll log me directly into most of our datacenters and billing/helpdesk systems.

Oh – I’ve also got the Google Toolbar installed so I’ve got “one click access” to Google anyway.

3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)?

Trillian (registered beta). This means it auto connections me to MSN, AOL, ICQ and Yahoo within seconds and I can easily “Away” myself from all of them with single clicks, have a single program loaded to handle all connections, have a nice “Away” handler etc etc. It hasn’t been loaded much recently though as I just haven’t been in a “chatty mood” (and when it is loaded, it’s usually got me marked as “Away” so people avoid interrupting my busy schedule).

4. Where was your first webpage located?

On my ISP’s “homepages” system for customers. I had around 5Mb webspace and a 10Mb/month bandwidth limit back in 1998 IIRC (although I was on the internet for a couple of years before then: back when USENET was usable and news, IRC and email were the only real options available on the internet – no fancy web pages for us back then!).

In May 1998, I got my own commercial web space with a web host (even though my ISP – Demon – had upgraded the “free webspace for customers” quite a bit, I was still hitting the monthly bandwidth limits quite often), in 1999 I had to upgrade to another web host as my previous one (now no longer trading) could no longer handle the amount of traffic I was generating, and last year (2002) I had to get my own dedicated server as my web host (Positive Internet) said I was consuming too much resources as a “Shared hosting” customer. I’m now in the process of moving to a third web host as my bandwidth requirements are hitting Positive’s dedicated server maximums (40Gb/month) and this new web host is a lot cheaper (around 50% cheaper and I get 700Gb/month bandwidth!). I don’t really want the hassle of maintaining dedicated servers in my spare time (I have enough of it at work), but unfortunately for such busy sites as mine, I’ve got no choice

5. How long have you had your current website?
If we are talking about “this site” (aka my blog) then it’s been in existence since November 2002

]]> http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/08/18/memes-friday-five/feed/ 0 http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/05/11/memes-saturday-scruples/ http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/05/11/memes-saturday-scruples/#comments Sun, 11 May 2003 03:19:34 +0000 Richy C. http://blog.rac.me.uk/?p=443 Since the owners of Saturday Scruples were kind enough to give me free 25 shares on Blogshares (I then gave them 25 of mine and brought some more of theirs), I thought I’d do this weeks questions to see how I like it:

You’re on (the) city council. Police want to place surveillance cameras on the downtown streets to deter crime and save money. Do you vote for it?

Yes. Whilst I do respect peoples privacy and tend to sway on the side of “keep private stuff private”, a public street isn’t a private area. Surveillance cameras have been proven to decrease camera by a degree (and no, I don’t have the facts or figures to hand) and so I’ll support a proposal like this.

You’ve sold your house. Before you move out the roof starts to leak. Do you have it fixed?

Probably. If their surveyor had picked up that the roof could be a problem or I had informed them of a potential problem with the roof, then I wouldn’t be under any legal obligation to fix it (so I believe): but if contracts have been exchanged and then it starts leaking, I would have to have it fixed or, under UK law, I could be taken to court. I guess it’ll depend how big the problem is: my parents roof has got a very slight leak (caused by installation of an additional TV cable), but just placing a wooden board underneath the leak prevented any damage (as it allowed the water just to drain off into the guttering system): but if it’s a major leak and I wasn’t in a position to repair it – then I might inform the buyers and ask if they wish to continue the purchase.

You have an Internet friendship which is pretty friendly. Your jealous mate demands you end this friendship Do you?

It depends. Define “jealous mate”. If it’s my girlfriend or someone like that, then I probably would – but if it isn’t, then I’ll have to consider the reasons they were asking. That actually reminds me that I haven’t contacted quite a few of my mates (most of whom I got to know via online) for a long while: I’ve just been too busy.

(Picture “mangled” from one found on Devon’s Disarray)

]]> http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/05/11/memes-saturday-scruples/feed/ 0 http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/01/26/friday-group-therapy-weight-and-food/ http://blog.rac.me.uk/2003/01/26/friday-group-therapy-weight-and-food/#comments Sun, 26 Jan 2003 23:59:57 +0000 Richy C. http://blog.rac.me.uk/?p=288 Common sense has prevailed! (I actually typed that before I realised that a McDonald’s spokesman said exactly the same thing). An American court has dismissed a lawsuit by a group of American teenagers who claim that McDonalds is responsible for their obesity.

Brian has decided to make the issue of “Weight and Food” the subject of this weeks Friday Group Therapy.

1. How do you feel about your weight?
   I’m quite alright with my body’s shape, size and weight – I’m an ectomorph which means I’m naturally a bit on the thin/tall side of things – in the past few years I have started to develop a bit of a “berry belly” (even though I hate beer and larger) but I suppose if I exercised a little bit more it would disappear in due course (apart from walking to and from work and up and down my stairs I get no exercise at all).

   Last time I was weighed (it was around 3 months ago when I went for my “initial checkup/welcome” at my Doctors: despite being a patient there for two years – I hadn’t needed to go an introduce myself before then), I was around 13stone in weight (that’s around 82.5Kg or 182lbs). My Body Mass Indicator (BMI) value is 23.4 (as I’m 6ft 2" tall) which is “normal weight” (18.5 to 24.9). Until a few years ago, I was constantly in the “Underweight” category as I just didn’t seem to put weight on (despite daily meals of: two bacon sandwiches before I left the house, a fry-up breakfast of two sausages, bacon, eggs, hash brown, black pudding, beans and toast at work, something “snacky” for lunch, a largish dinner and then supper). It could be because I’ve been eating more “junk food” recently…

1. Have you ever been on a diet?
   Nope. A few times I’ve thought “I must eat more healthily” (I know I’m at ‘higher than average’ risk of developing things like high blood pressure and diabetes due to family history), but I like my burgers and pizzas…. I don’t tend to like chips and fries much though and I do prefer grilled food than fried and brown bread than white so I suppose I’m not doing too badly.
2. What are your typical eating habits?
   Put food in mouth. Chew. Swallow. Repeat until food supply has been exhausted or I feel “full”.

   Oh wait – you meant more like “What do I normally eat and when?” didn’t you? Well, this week has been mainly: wake up, either have a bowl of porridge oats or (more often than not) walk to McDonalds and have a “Big Breakfast Extra Value Meal” (some processed scrambled eggs, a burger patty, two bits of toast like stuff and a hash brown – along with a coffee) with an extra McBacon Roll (to eat enroute to work) and an orange juice. A few times this week, I’ve skipped breakfast entirely as I just didn’t feel like eating.

   Once at work I normally have a coffee or a bottle of Orange Lucozade (can’t stand the normal stuff) to drink, then a hot sausage sandwich at “lunchtime”, another cup of coffee (and, maybe, a small packet of sweets such as M&Ms or fruit Polos) – then I head home. I either then pop back into McDonalds for my dinner (either a Big Mac meal or whatever offer – such as 2 hamburgers and 2 fries for £2 – they have on) or I go straight home and make myself something if I’m hungry. Notice that if. Sometimes I get home and just don’t feel like eating so I don’t. Typically, if I do eat, it’s a pizza, microwavable meal or something equally as “simple” – once a week or so I “splash out” and actually cook “proper food” (such as a turkey breast joint with veggies, potatoes and gravy). Today I’ve had 8 frankfurter sausages in a toasted sandwich (I got a sandwich toaster from my parents for Christmas and I’ve been making good use of it) and two pints of Coca Cola (I’ve been drinking it out of my metal pint tankard – hence how I know it’s been two pints). That’s it. All the talk about food is making me a little peckish and so I might have something else before bed – but quite what (and if I do actually have anything) is not decided yet. A few times, I’ve called my GESF to find out what she and her flatmate are having to eat to give me ideas!

3. What is your favourite food?
   Hmm, I’m quite partial to salads, pizzas, pancakes and steaks.
4. What is your least favourite food?
   I don’t like Tuna and I don’t particularly like most fish (although I do like crab – but that’s not really a fish is it?). I think that’s all though.
5. What is your favourite dessert?
   I quite like yoghurts and trifles, but I’m not that fussy nor do eat that many desserts/puddings/afters either.
6. What is your favourite restaurant and your favourite fast food place? Why?
   My “favourite” fast food place would probably be “Paxos” which is next to Leicester College, Abbey Campus (a.k.a. Charles Keene College). It’s run by my old ice cream man (he still drives the ice cream float around the area I used to live) and serves these really big filling burgers. I can get a ¹/₂ pounder with cheese and salad for around £2 – and they are delicious! After that, it’ll probably be McDonalds as they offer “cheap and cheerful” food – it’s not the best, but it is cheap and quick.

   Favourite restaurant? Hmm, I don’t think I’ve really got one. Anywhere that sells decent food is a good restaurant in my book – I should actually visit some of the Leicestershire restaurants I’ve listed in ChefMoz Leicester – if only to give some of them reviews!

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