Wednesday 23 August 2017

Technology - Who'd Have It ...?

So what is going on with Gmail?  Thought I'd ask this question since it keeps telling me on my smartphone that "Gmail has stopped working".  No explanation.  No reason.  Just "stopped working". Why?  Is it off sick?  Has it gone on strike?  Is it in a supervision with its manager or on holiday somewhere?  At least when someone is out of the office when one emails them, one normally gets an out-of-office message saying when the recipient is likely to be available again.  When Gmail stops, there is no such reassurance...

I am having severe doubts about the whole technologia issue lately.  Does the fact so many people are using a search engine or online/email service at the same time send the computer brain behind it into a downward spiral like a clockwork toy winding down?  Or is it all down to human error?  It is surprising how often I hear that "the computer has crashed" or "the tills have gone down".  Surely the whole point of technology is to make things (and people) more efficient?  Surely the idea is that it speeds communication up, not slows it down!

I quite often hanker for the old days when human beings were in control.  They may think they are in control in 2017, but they're definitely not.  Before I left the Day Job in the office, I can remember an afternoon when we were all sent home because the system failed.  That was fine at the time.  But then we all had to work twice as hard the next day to catch up with everything so it didn't really help at all. If a business has to come to a complete halt because the system has gone down, how is that more efficient?  At least in the not too distant past, if one person failed to show up for work because they were off sick and there were deadlines to meet, the rest of the team just got on with it.  If an office had to close for any reason out of the usual, the team would all rally round and help one another to get back on top, often generating a sense of comraderie.  All that seems to have gone now.  It is every man, woman or machine for themself and to hell with the rest.

I don't know.  Maybe I really was born in the wrong age?  If your quill stopped writing in Dickens' time, you just dipped it back in the ink.  Bliss!

Wednesday 2 August 2017

Way To Go Jodie!!!

I must tell you I was thrilled to bits when it was announced that Jodie Whittaker is going to be the new Doctor Who; especially since I was only saying two blogs ago that it is time the doctor regenerated as a female!  I don't know much about Jodie although I am obviously familiar with her presence but looking at her, I am convinced she will do this role great justice.

It is such a shame that the so-called die-hards are saying they'll be boycotting the show; especially in the 21st cntury when women have greater presence than ever before in most walks of life.  What does it matter if the Doctor is male or female as long as the show remains interesting, exciting and tells a great story?  Would Star Wars have been the same without Princess Leia?  Or the Alien films without Ripley?  Personally I can't wait to see Jodie become the new President of the World and I await her first appearance with bated breath.  Way to go, Jodie.  Way to go!

And now, as Monty Python used to say, for something completely different.  I was in the Crystal Palace Triangle the other day with my brother Paul who is visiting from Denmark.  For those not in the know, the Crystal Palace Triangle forms the heart of the Crystal Palace area and consists of a number of antique shops and the best flea-market in the South East.  This veritable Aladdin's Cave has everything you can imagine (and then some) and my brother - who is an accomplished artist and crafter - was smitten from the moment we walked in.  Steve and I have often been there and you will be surprised what we have found.  But amongst the treasures that caught my eye the other day were a number of old photograph albums - and I mean old.  They reminded me that I have some already stashed at home and today I got them out for another look and spotted something I had missed before.

One of the albums has around 24 photos in it of cricketers.  I knew they were there but upon examining them today I saw some had names written on them and I have been researching them all evening, names like J W Hearne, F E Woolley and G E C Wood.  What a discovery!  They all played for England and I think they took part in the 1925 Test Series!  Really!  Now you may not be interested in cricket but I totally love it,  In fact Steve and I were at the Beckenham Cricket Ground a couple of weeks back watching the Kent Spitfires beat Essex in the T20 Blast!  And, for the more romantic amongst you, cricket is also what brought Steve and I together.  But that's another story.  Anyway I was so excited when I realised what these old photos were that I have sent an email to the MCC Library.  They might like to see them; you never know.  So anyhow that is tonight's exciting news (exciting for me anyway).

Do have a bit going on with the Writing but I promise to update on that next time.  Right now - I'm off for some chocolate .... bye ...