Message from Sony, to little to late for this email...

Just got this by email from Sony, they mention quick actions taken but forget to mention its taken a week to let us know & that others told us 1st. Thankfully I dont purchase anything through them but is a concern as to how safe is online ordering is now?


Valued PlayStation Network/Qriocity Customer:


We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network. In response to this intrusion, we have:

1) Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services;

2) Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened; and

3) Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by re-building our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.


We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as practicable.


Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state/province, zip or postal code), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. While there is no evidence that credit card data was taken at this time, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, to be on the safe side we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.


For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security, tax identification or similar number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them, as well.


To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant to review your account statements and to monitor your credit or similar types of reports.


We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible. Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally identifiable information. Providing quality and secure entertainment services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at www.eu.playstation.com/psnoutage should you have any additional questions.


Sincerely,


Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment Teams

A Newbie to Tablet PC’s

"Before you start readng my blog, I like to say Sorry for a lengthy blog. It wasn't my intention, but when you read on you will understand why"
 
Just over a year ago I decided after having I got a Decent PC & Windows 7, I needed something more portable when I am away so not to hog other people’s PC’s to check my Social Networks & emails online as my lil’ ol’ N95 was struggling with it all. After helping others to get Netbooks, I thought a Netbook would do me nicely as they were cheap & cheerful.

Well that was the plan, but the prices of Netbooks were escalating, gone were the days of the £100 unit which was the whole ethos of the netbook. Linux faded into the background as Netbooks went to XP & now Windows 7. So I decided I cant really afford it.

But I had started seeing reports & news on mobile phones with Android & then the rumours of a Tablet version. But all I saw about them was online & very vague. So when some freinds got Android mobiles, I had to have a play & I like what I saw. But still wasn't what I wanted, I wanted something like a Netbook. So I got a download version of Android & installed it onto my PC in Virtual Box so I can try it out. It definitely suited my need, if only I could get the right Tablet.

Then before Christmas I was starting to get emails from well known Computer shops offering Android Tablets for under £100 & this got my interest. It would be perfect for my needs, a portable PC with Wi-Fi capability. So I decided it was time to research on specs, prices, reviews & good suppliers. That is where my headaches started, if you go onto a site like eBay or Amazon you will find hundreds of them out there. Different sizes, specs & types of Android from 1.6 to 2.2. And with eBay, a lot of sellers are from abroad & with Electrical Goods I prefer to buy within the UK. One thing I had noticed was the lower the price, the lower the specs were & to be honest I don't think the lower spec ones would handle the modern web & social networking.

So, 1st thing to do was to see what's the oldest version of Android I be happy with? Ideally 2.2 is the best at the time, tho 2.3 is coming out & 3 is just around the corner. But for cheapness, 2.1 would be ok for what I needed. So next was to find a cheap good model & that was another minefield. You have Apads, Epads & many other cloned look alikes to the iPad, so I went thru & researched each that looked ok & at the same time taking notes of the companies as well as the reviews of the tablets & the Company who are selling them.

That’s when one UK Company caught my eye, as I saw them mentioned with reference to reviews of their stock in Webuser , Engadget & Gadget Show websites, what they were saying was pretty good tho nothing about tablets, so I went to www.sonix7.co.uk & had a look. They had exactly what I wanted, it was an Android 2.1 7” Tablet for £140 which wasn't to bad with all it came with.  

OS: Android 2.1

Processor: 800Mhz

Built-in flash memory: 2GB,

RAM: 256MB DDR2

Micro SD card slot up to 32GB

WiFi, G-Sensor

Camera , Microphone, Built in stereo speaker

USB 2.0 port

2.5-mm stereo earphone jack

HDMI TV out

Charge socket

Display: 7" TFT LCD touch screen, resolution 800x480

Support up to 1080P

Google Android Market access, YouTube video playback

Battery: Long time standby with low power consumption up to 6 hours

Built-in 1500mAh lithium

Multi formats supported include: MPEG1, MPEG2, WMV9, MPEG4-SP, ASF, DIVX, H.263, H.264, RMVB, Mov, Mkv, TS, FLV, WMA, MP3, WAV, OOG, AAC, EAAC

Weight: 0.5kg

So with Christmas coming up & me spending time away from my PC, I ordered one. It arrived late due to the Snow but in time for Christmas. This is what I got in the box, it even came with the HDMI cable to connect to TV.


 

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From initial inspection, definitely looked good & felt sturdy, but had to charge it for 6 hrs & wait which was a pain as I was itching to play with it….

Once fully charged, I turned it on & off I went. Setting up Wi-Fi was a doddle & you have to have a Google account to access the Android Marketplace as well as other parts of the Android Software, but I had one already so was easy to log in with my account details. Setting up to how I like it was pretty simple too.




Now the downfall, for some reason after a day the Marketplace wouldn't download apps to the Tablet. I tried different ways without success. But as it was Christmas I couldn't ask the supplier about it so I reset it & tried again. Reset to factory setting was painless & Marketplace worked ok, but stopped working again a day later. I eventually worked out that if I install all wanted apps as soon as Factory reset is done, that will do me until I contact the supplier about this glitch. So with that sorted for now I used it over Christmas, a lot! It was very handy, even fitted inside my coat pocket as I went visiting family & friends. Whilst I played with it, I found it didn't like Flash or Java but neither did my N95 & on researching more I found out only Android 2.2 or later does work with Flash.

The Tablet also came with a stylus that slips into the back of it when not in use, this came in handy as the touchscreen isn't too responsive, but a cautious warning if you do use the stylus you be best to sand down the edges of the tip as mine had a sharp edge & slightly scored the glass on the 1st use of it.

All in all, minus the glitch of the App Marketplace this is a worthwhile buy. And after the Christmas season, I contacted Sonix7 about my issues to see if they knew a way to resolve it. The reply I got was a surprising one. They apologised for the issues I had, this was due to a glitch in the firmware & then offered a replacement of a newer 8” model coming out in a few weeks if I can wait. So of course I agreed & a few weeks later the replacement 8” model arrived & I did some comparisons.
 
 



Apart from the obvious difference in size & version of Android as well as the specs, the main differences I found in the hardware was the new 8” model didn't have HDMI output or a camera. This wasn't an issue for me so I was happy with what I have. Specs are as the following: 

OS: Android 2.2

Processor: 1GHZ

RAM: DDR 512MB

Hard drive: 4GB NAND FLASH

Micro SD card slot

WiFi, G-Sensor, Built in stereo speaker

Flash 10, Standard 30pin dock connector & USB adapters

3.5-mm stereo earphone jack

8" TFT LCD touch screen, resolution 800x600

Support up to 1080P, YouTube video playback

Battery: Long-time standby with low power consumption up to 6 hours

Built-in 3900mAh lithium

Multi formats supported include: MPEG1, MPEG2, WMV9, MPEG4-SP, ASF, DIVX, H.263, H.264, RMVB, Mov, Mkv, TS, FLV, WMA, MP3, WAV, OOG, AAC, EAAC

Weight: 460g

 

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 Not only was it better in processing speed, RAM, Memory & screen size as well as its now Android 2.2, I also found the touchscreen was far more responsive. Downside was that it wasn't pocket size, but it still is portable as what I required as well as cheaper than a Netbook. Setting up from start was the same as the previous model with the Wi-Fi & Google account, etc. The updated Android is a lot better, Marketplace is working ok too with no issues of troublesome downloading as I had in the previous model. So I am totally happy with this model & the service I got from Sonix7, they definitely achieved higher than expected service & I would recommend them.

Are the 2 models worth it? I say yes! Even with the firmware glitches in the 7” model, it was still a good one to work with & eventually there would be an upgrade to it to take the kinks out of the glitch in the Android Marketplace, maybe even upgrade it to Android 2.2.

Both have their uses, it all depends on what you require. 7” Model is great for it size & 8” for its power. Both are below £200 mark, a lot less than the iPad & Samsung Tab as well as many other similar ones going for the £500 mark. I have played with a Samsung Tab & the best bit about it was the touchscreen, but £500 is a lot of money. These 2 models I have discussed about are sure worth what you pay for. And as for battery life of both models, I found that not to bad. I got around 3 hrs of use on a single full charge on both models, this isn't to bad. I know of mobile phones running down quicker when using all its services. They also met my requirements to what I wanted too, so I am happy.

I hope this review of my path to getting a tablet has been of help & hope you the best to getting a tablet suitable to your needs. Tho in a few months, these models will be outdated & other better ones will be available. But the Company will hopefully be there for you to go have a look at.

Heritage Open Day @ Farnham, Surrey

If you don't know by now, every year in September we have Heritage Open Days which was started in 1994. It’s a National event & more info can be found on www.heritageopendays.org.uk
Each town have their own Heritage sites & Events & even though it’s over for this year, you can use the site next year to see what's happening.
But as I live in Farnham Surrey, I went to visit a few places there & it was a nice day for it. The last 2 times over the past few years, I visited the Castle & it’s a splendid site to visit. But I let you see for yourself from the pictures below: (click on images to enlarge)

More pictures can be found at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58169&id=658203832&l=a2b74a45eb & http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58170&id=658203832&l=420f500d33
 
Today I went to see more of the buildings around the Town, 1^st stop was 24 West Street. It was the home of Harold Falkner for most of his life. He was a very important man in Farnham’s history as an architect of a few well known buildings. More info can be found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Falkner. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take pictures due to the business that runs within it, but an author Sam Osmond who did Harold’s biography book gave me a brief tour around the building & he actually knew the man himself.
Next was the Council Chamber at the Council Offices in South Street, again no pics were taken but it is a splendid room with a high ceiling.

Just up the road & to the right along a road is The Victoria Garden opposite Sainsbury. This was Farnham’s 1^st public swimming pool, created in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The arched entrance was created by Harold Falkner. Don't know when it was closed, but in 1997 to celebrate the Centenary of the pool the Garden was created.

Next place I went to was St. Andrews Church as it was listed as open, but for some reason they weren’t.

I decided to head back home & went the scenic route. I went via Bishops Meadows, a beautiful spot to go for a walk. It was recently in the local papers as it was up for sale with the risk of redevelopment, but was stopped by the residents of Farnham with the help of Sir Ray Tindle. More about the land & its campaign on this site: www.bishopsmeadowtrust.org.uk & they are still after donations to keep the land safe. When there I saw there were event being run for kids to do.

There was many other events that had been running over the 4 days, I just went to some of the ones running on Sunday. What I liked about it was it all was free & all thanks to the volunteers who helped answering questions & doing the tours.
For more info on Farnham itself, please visit these sites:
www.farnham.gov.uk
www.farnhamsociety.org.uk
www.waverley.gov.uk

Changing times.....

March 5th, just another day. But to me it’s the day I moved into my flat 9 yrs ago in 2001 & is probably the longest I have lived in one place. So what some people might say, probably right too.

But it got me thinking of that day of when I moved into this flat with nicotine stained walls & dirt engrained in every crystal top tap & toilet, gross looking carpet & a kitchen unfit to cook in as the Council hadn't made sure the place was clean & fit to live in before we exchanged with the previous tenant. If you ever watched those daft house makeover programs, they say that the place has to be perfect to attract the next person living in it. In some way they are right as in clean & fit to live in, but to do a whole make over would be a laugh. After all one’s taste in décor don't mean its mine.

Despite all this I saw potential for more; I saw it as a home, a place to build a life with then my new wife with prospects of building a family. All it needed to be put right was for the walls to be painted, floors re-carpeted & kitchens refitted which was the 1st on my agenda with the Council & soon to find out to get them to do anything normally ends up in a battle of words in the form of letters, phone calls & lots of emails....

But within 3 weeks of moving in, my then wife walked out, claiming that she couldn't live there & never came back. And as I found out later there was another on the scene all along & that was the real reason. So our 1st anniversary I spent alone in this flat, trying to get it sorted for her to come back. All in vain as I discovered the truth a yr after she left. So now I had to deal with filing for divorce & keep the flat, dual tenancy meant I was at risk of loosing it. Thus I lived like a squatter for a while as nothing got unpacked. I was sleeping on the sofa as the bedroom was filled of boxes of her stuff & my boxes occupied the livingroom to the cats delight.

But finally with divorce finalised & Council letting me keep the flat, kitchen refitted twice & finally got the ex's stuff out of the flat another year later, I had an empty shell of flat. It was time to do something with the place for me & my pets to live in.

So the first thing was to sort out was the bedroom. And for the past 6 off yrs I have had work done by the Council with new Bathroom suitable for my disabilities, making good the Patio with help from my darling Jules, etc & me laying laminate flooring in most rooms as well as spending months at a time repainting rooms. It isn't easy painting walls as you try hold brush in one hand & support yourself on a stick with the other. Slowly I had started to make this shell of a flat a home & started to see this place as a home for life.

Hall in 2004

  then in 2009, incomplete but close.

But again things changed which changed my perception of this flat. I had spent a lot of time off work near on 5 yrs now, most of it I had used to get this flat in order. I am now healthier & not as disabled as before, and then near on 3 yrs ago I met someone. Someone who I fell in love with & over time has made me see this flat as just a place to live & no longer a home. And why is this, well she lives across the country from me & my heart is there, the rest of me wants to follow. So I guess home is truly where the heart is after all, for I feel this is no longer where I want to be now. I just see it as a roof over my head, a place I am trying to exchange for a new home.

Now don't get me wrong, this flat is looking good. A lot of work has got to make this my home, it’s just now it don't feel like it. It served me well as a home, but its time to move. This is why I am thinking of the past nine yrs in this flat, there’s been a lot going on in this place. Some good, some bad & probably make a good story, but in the end I have never regretted moving to this wonderful place & even though my heart is elsewhere, I do feel an attachment to this place. For I want to swap this place with someone in the area where my beloved lives, someone who like my place for what it is. I know if I can’t, I will have to surrender it back to the Council & go to private renting, where I won’t have as much freedom to make a home of it. But worse of all if I do surrender it; the Council will rip it all out & refit it to a blank canvas & undo all the good work I put in. A total waste of resources & finance, but that’s what they do!

 I know my time here is now limited, I am planning to move this year (hopefully during the Summer). And I know when I do finally leave; it will be with a teary eye. For it will end a chapter with fond memories & photos & to start another life changing one…..

Unfair Rental Market

Those close to me or know me well know that my partner lives on the other side of the country to me & that I have been looking to exchange my council property with another tenant where I want to live & who's looking to move where I am.

Well after some years it’s proving fruitless & with the current setup of Council housing stock, I can’t just transfer from one Council to another. That’s a whole issue in it own, something I can’t fully understand or know why it's like this.

So my other option is going into the private rental market & this is where it’s now getting messy. But first give you some background about me, I am on Incapacity Benefits & have been for almost 5 years. I have been receiving it without any problems & have full medical history as well as proof of all the benefits I have received. I have been living in my Council property for near on 9yrs, rent has been paid on time & never had problem with the rent whilst on benefits.

I have pets consisting just of cats & never once had a complaint about their treatment or condition of the property including garden from the Council or neighbours in the whole time I have lived in this property. The property is in great condition & I had pride in the property decor, just ask the Council. I keep them on their toes to keep the property in good condition when their contractors trash the place when they do work & I have to put it straight.

So as I said, I have been looking into private rental. Now 1^st hurdle is some don’t want pets, now I can understand this. Some pets aren't trained / disciplined & therefore causes damaged. So a property with laminate flooring can sort this & a reference from previous landlord too.

But the main problem seems to be the fact I am on benefits, it seems that due to the fact I am on Incapacity Benefits I am unable to get a property on the private rental market. Now is it not bad enough I am on Incapacity Benefits in the 1^st place, the fact I am not fit to work! I get ridiculed by the press, looked down on as a sponger in the general public due to those in the minority who do fiddle the system & the bad press.

Doesn’t my 5 years on these benefits actually prove I have a regular income & good rental history whist on them help me? Don’t I, being able to pay the deposit as well as the rent in advance help either? No! It doesn’t! I spoke to a estate agent about a property I am interested in today & was told “if I want a property whilst on Incapacity Benefits or any Benefits, I would have to have a financial guarantor who’s in full time employment”

Now to me this is discrimination, for am I am on Incapacity Benefits for a reason & this is a form of disability as I am unable to work at the moment. But the estate agent doesn’t see this! So right now, I don't know how I can overcome this discrimination. Other than vent it out for all of you to read, maybe someone can give me sound advice of how to stop this!

For now though, I have to wait to get fit, find a job, then find a place where I want to move as well as another job at the same time. Would it not be easier to find a place now whilst in Incapacity Benefits & when fit find a job? I have over 12 years of good payment history with Council & Housing Association as well as 5 yrs before that in private renting, which I was mostly unfit to work too during those 5 yrs. Don't any of this count anymore?

What ever happened to good references to help you get a place & why isn’t there laws to stop discrimination in the rental market? Love to hear your comments & any helpful advice.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PETS, THIS IS A TRUE STORY. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, IT IS A TRUE STORY.

The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however.. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximise space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:
(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't smoke or drink,
(7) don't want to wear your clothes,
(8) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(9) don't need a gazillion dollars for college
and
(10) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ...

2010 Time for changes.....

It is now coming to the end of the 1st month of 2010 and I am thinking this year is going to be another year of change. It’s almost hard to believe that 2 yrs ago today I went in for what felt like a week in Hell when I had my leg op.

In those 2 years, its been a heavy slow slog in rehabilitation to get my leg moving again, getting to walk on the leg & finally walk stick free, which I have achieved 99% of the time. Still have to rely on the stick when carrying what my leg can’t handle & in the past few weeks of snow, definitely not got my balance back just yet. lol

So what’s in store for me in 2010, well cycling is now my next goal to improve my health & fitness, yes I have tried it a few times last year. But my leg & mainly my knee have been giving me grief, more from lack of use in 16 yrs & now aren’t happy they have too. But now I have modified the bicycle for more comfort & better handling, I didn’t like those narrow handlebars. I am ready to go at it again when the weather finally clears those roads.

Next 2 are to move closer to Jules & this year I want it done! I am selling what I can, charity & freecycle stuff too. Decluttering, tidying up loose ends on the DIY & hoping I get a swap or else I have to go private renting. And then get a job, which is going to be the hard one I think! Been off work near on 5 yrs now & qualifications/experience is getting dated & getting closer to 40 this year which I know isn’t much of a big deal, but it seems to be when looking for work.

The other thing that’s going to change is those friendships that have been one sided for far too long time now. I have come to notice that a few so called friends locally haven’t bothered to keep in touch properly or even popped round in the past few yrs & not even seen some of them visit my place since before the op’ even though I have tried to visit them. Yet only hear from them when they need help & advice etc, to me that is far to one sided. I have seen more of my friends across the country more than I have seen any of the ones that live down the road to me and as I am going to move this year, its time to clean up loose ends all round.

So roll on 2010! Another year of change for me & another tattoo too!!!

My new reading glasses, what ya think? Haven't had to wear glasses in 10 yrs

BOOZY Santa sets a bad example to kids, experts warn today

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2775076/...

Are the experts going to over eat & drink to much, me thinks they will!

Hypocrite's! Not exactly the Xmas spirit!

WANTED!

1 JOB IN FARNHAM OR SURROUNDING AREA!

I'm on Incapacity Benefits & have been for over 4 yrs due to Health problems. 18 months ago I had an operation to fix the problem & my health have been improving in leaps & bounds!


So I am now looking for a part time job of up to 16hrs a week as part of the Pathways to Work scheme. So that I can gradually go to work as my health keeps improving & then go full time! Unfortunately the scheme has been out sourced by Job Center Plus & the companies they use have failed to help me over the last few months.


So if any Company in the Farnham can help me, please get in contact with me! I will be happy to forward my CV with further information they require.


I use & am familiar with PC's including basic knowledge on networking, website building, office packages & upgrading parts. Qualified in AutoCAD & was doing CAD work up to 4 yrs ago. I have basic knowledge in Electrics, Woodwork & Plumbing & good at DIY.


Due to my health I am looking in work where I am able to stand & sit for short periods of time. Carrying & lifting is limited at the moment, but would improve over time as health improves. I don't have a driving license, so local work would be more suitable.


Thankyou for reading & I hope I hear from some companies soon!


I have now moved to Essex & no longer looking for a job in this field as its not secure enough & I'm outdated in the software, but thanks for reading.

Lion & Lamb Entrance dilemma!

As a resident of Farnham or if you have visited, you no doubt seen the problems they are having with the wooden block pathway at the main entrance of the Lion & Lamb. See the link below to my pic I took this morning:



Anyway for a few months it was replaced with this god awful plywood & then was recently repaired & did look very good. That was until this morning!

Now I aint no expert, but even I can see where they are probably going wrong. The blocks are softwood with a treated surface on top. Now if I remember correctly, softwood swells when wet which is why we have to varnish or water protect it in some way. Now these blocks don’t look like they have been treated in any way at all.

So why don’t they use hardwood which is better suited for this or treat the blocks before laying if softwood? Yes it means it will cost more in the initial work carried out. But how much is it costing each time it gets relayed with new softwood version.

Who ends up paying the costs? Landlord of the site, who then adds the cost to the shops & the shops then add it to the cost of the goods which we pay for?

Also is a waste of a natural resource, all those trees wasted just coz they cant do it right! If wood wont work for them, why not go for the cobbles to match the rest of the site?

Where has the Lion & Lamb statue gone?

Those in Farnham or who have been there, will probably know the Lion & Lamb Yard with its shops & a Lion & Lamb statue. Well I was there today & its gone. No signs to say why, so does anyone know?

Walking stick free (well almost)

If any of you might have noticed from the status, I'm now starting to walk w/o any use of sticks. Its been 16 months since my operation & a long slow but steady slog to get there. And my partner Jules took a sneak video clip of me during our walk in Highwoods in Colchester. I was taking some pics at the time & enjoying walking w/o a stick even tho I have a folding one hanging on my side in case I need one.



So far so good I havent used it, tho I know there be times where I will as its tiring work!
As for cycling, well gotta work on that one still. I rode my bike once & knee was in pain for weeks. So think I'm gonna be working on the that for a bit before I go to far. But just like my walking, I'm getting there!

Back on the road again after 18yrs! :D

If you havent seen, go have a look at my latest pics & video.

Its of me taking my 1st go on my new bike, been 18 yrs since I was last able to ride one.

Just another step on my recovery for my leg! Cant wait to be riding it more often & build up my muscles & improve my balance even more.

Leg Update

As many already know, January 2008 I had an operation on my leg that will change my life forever. And over the past year I've been doing physio & excersises at home to rebuild my leg muscles & strength all round as well as trying to walk again.

Well after 12 months of hard work & loads of support from my darling Jules with her magic hands massaging my aches away as well as family helping out with things I couldnt do. I'm practically there! I was hoping all to be done by December 2008, but it proved to have been an more invasive operation, so for the 1st few months is was no more than dead weight i dragged around whilst on crutches.

2008 has definately been a turning point in my life, its been hard & well worth it. For now I am trying to go to the Gym to work on improving my leg strength, improving my balance. Hobling around the flat, almost walking without the stick & trying to get a bicycle for when I'm ready.

So whats next? Well I am going to look at going back to work after some retraining curtesy of the Job Center in a month or 2. My flat is on the net to try swap it with someone who wants to move to Surrey from Essex so I can live closer to my beloved (hoping it dont take to long). As well as getting the flat finished painted (doing kitchen atm) so it looks all nice for the swap! Cycle alot more often than I did 18 yrs ago! You dont appreciate things as much until you loose it, now I'm getting my legs back I sure want to make the most of it!!

So here's to 2009, where the changes keep on coming! And thankyou all for your encouragements & especially to Jules, she's had to put up with the most of it!! Love her so much!!!! xxxxx

Now theres a good excuse for all us guys to ask our girls to swallow! Good for thier health! ;)

Study: Fellatio may significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer in women

CNN.com Thursday, October 2, 2003 Posted: 9:19 AM EDT (1319 GMT)

(AP) -- Women who perform the act of fellatio and swallow semen on a regular basis, one to two times a week, may reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 40 percent, a North Carolina State University study found.
Doctors had never suspected a link between the act of fellatio and breast cancer, but new research being performed at North Carolina State University is starting to suggest that there could be an important link between the two.
In a study of over 15,000 women suspected of having performed regular fellatio and swallowed the ejaculatory fluid, over the past ten years, the researchers found that those actually having performed the act regularly, one to two times a week, had a lower occurance of breast cancer than those who had not. There was no increased risk, however, for those who did not regularly perform.
"I think it removes the last shade of doubt that fellatio is actually a healthy act," said Dr. A.J. Kramer of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who was not involved in the research. "I am surprised by these findings, but am also excited that the researchers may have discovered a relatively easy way to lower the occurance of breast cancer in women."
The University researchers stressed that, though breast cancer is relatively uncommon, any steps taken to reduce the risk would be a wise decision.
"Only with regular occurance will your chances be reduced, so I encourage all women out there to make fellatio an important part of their daily routine," said Dr. Helena Shifteer, one of the researchers at the University. "Since the emergence of the research, I try to fellate at least once every other night to reduce my chances."
The study is reported in Friday's Journal of Medical Research.
In 1991, 43,582 women died of breast cancer, as reported by the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Len Lictepeen, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, said women should not overlook or "play down" these findings.
"This will hopefully change women's practice and patterns, resulting in a severe drop in the future number of cases," Lictepeen said.
Sooner said the research shows no increase in the risk of breast cancer in those who are, for whatever reason, not able to fellate regularly.
"There's definitely fertile ground for more research. Many have stepped forward to volunteer for related research now in the planning stages," he said.
Almost every woman is, at some point, going to perform the act of fellatio, but it is the frequency at which this event occurs that makes the difference, say researchers. Also key seems to be the protein and enzyme count in the semen, but researchers are again waiting for more test data.
The reasearch consisted of two groups, 6,246 women ages 25 to 45 who had performed fellatio and swallowed on a regular basis over the past five to ten years, and 9,728 women who had not or did not swallow. The group of women who had performed and swallowed had a breast cancer rate of 1.9 percent and the group who had not had a breast cancer rate of 10.4 percent.
"The findings do suggest that there are other causes for breast cancer besides the absence of regular fellatio," Shafteer said. "It's a cause, not THE cause."

RIP Skip 27/05/94 - 03/09/08

I had to let Skip pass away due to failing health.

He will be missed badly by many as he was not only a good friend for me & my cats, but also loved by many others! I know I will miss him loads!

Farewell my old friend! Sleep peacefully now!