Is it any good well, as entertainment value, I suppose it is.

Baku Cristall Hall under construction January 2012 (cropped)

Should The UK pull out, yes I do believe we should then perhaps we can watch it as farcical entertainment without handing out over £100,000 of license payers money, for a competition that is so politically motivated, and has nothing to do with the best wrote/performed song of the competition.

The U.K and U.S of A are at the cutting edge of music. so why do we insist on putting our talented artists in to a competition that no longer plays by the rules, or should that be have never played by the rules for many years now.

Last year was no different when bloc voting handed the prize to the Russian entry. It really is time we woke up, this competition is all about scoring political points with each others neighbors.
I know we go through automatically because of the money we pay up front, and so what, it is the least that can be done for countries that are paying the bill, and put up with blatant block voting.

The last Eurovision saw Sir Terry Wogan expressing his doubt that he would want to cover the event again, saying that it was “no longer a music contest”.

My feelings have nothing to do with whether our song performs badly or not after all we always do badly and its not all down to the song. We have preformed some really good songs. It is probably the way these block voting countries see our world image which countries we side with it has been this way for years and will remain so. The last UK’s entry performed by Andy Abraham finished in joint last place which did not come as any surprise to me. and it won’t if thats where we end up this time 2012.

This year it is the turn of Engelbert Humperdinck waving the flag for the UK (Good luck to him).

It appears that Armenian Public Television has officially informed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) of their withdrawal from the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. the reason announced by Armenian Public Television accused Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev of making hostile remarks in recent days.

This just proves my point, to me. If some countries are not block voting they’re trying to score political points at the cost of another country. For goodness sake this is supposed to be a music competition not a political war field. Can we not leave our predjust on the doorstep and enjoy what used to be, many years ago a remarkable selection of talented artists from around the world… I guess not…

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For some weeks she had been aware of various feelings. One such feeling had given her a strange sensation. This particular feeling was like none she had sensed before, and she was afraid it was coming to hurt her. How she knew this only made her want to curl up into a little ball and hide. This strange enclosure she found herself in was her home. How had she arrived here? she was unsure, what she did know it was her home and she was afraid of losing it.

Over time the strange sensation went away and was replaced by yet more feelings. One feeling had made her feel unusual, she became aware of a floating sensation yet, instinctively she knew these new feelings meant her no harm. Not knowing how she knew this was of no consequence, only that she did. She settled back into her home warm, content and safe, for now.

She had by now lost all sense of time, and once again she began to feel threatened had that strange sensation returned? Had it brought her to awareness once again? she was unsure. Had she been dicovered? although still threatened there was a sense of calmness in her panic.

Many weeks as you the reader understands time past. Disturbed by unsure memories of a strange sensation forced from a cacoon of safety. Unsure feelings began to rise from deep within. Earlier memories came flooding back being afraid, wanting to hide, something beyond control was at work, home was no-longer a place of saftey, there really was no were to hide, all that could be done was wait.

Where had these powerful memories come from?, what was that sound?. Either way something was coming.

Time and time again anxious at what may becoming, no-longer safe in what had become home, what was happening?, what was there to be afraid of?

Trying to focus on the strange rumbling sound, the more the source remained hidden. This was of no comfort what was happening? It was close now, getting ever nearer, with no-where to hide all that could be done had been done it was only a matter of time.

The sounds, panic, fear was this all real? was this the end, with nowhere to hide it was coming and there was no going back. Home had now become a prison. Was there to be no understanding were had this oppression of fear, anxiety come from. What had been done to suffer this kind of punishment.

Afraid as he was with what ever time was left to him he needed to be honest with himself.

Focusing back to the first time he became aware of these strange feelings and becoming aware of a presence. Unsure he pressed on. More memories, he could now feel the panic, the need to hide. His own awareness now over-shadowed the fear, it was as if these memories as strange as it seemed to him, may have once been his own. Yet more memories came to him, with guilty leading them, he now understood the panic, the need to hide, the waiting.

Not wishing her harm he had been happy to stay hidden, content in the knowledge they were one, but things changed she had, had a sensing of things to come. Keeping it close to her she tried to hide it. She had failed she knew the other had sensed it to. They were talking about her and it had made him fearful. The noises had been soft, filled with affection. It could not end like this, he would not let it end like this.

He now understood the strange feelings he had been sensing, she’d every right to be afraid. Not his memories, they had been her memories the strange sensations, the need to hide, feeling afraid.

He was sensing her panic. He had not wished her harm. She was right he had heard the noises also, and new they weren’t for him. However, this time there was no fear, the nosises had been soft, understanding, filled with affection, for him.

The year 1964 the day Wednesday, early morning the coming attraction was a birth not just any birth, this was the birth
time of a unique baby boy. A baby that would in time to come doubt why he had ever been conceived. This doubt unknown to him at this time, would grow with him over his young life, but for now all that mattered was his birth. His arrival here on earth.

In a heart beat, before the first breath was taken, he remembered killing his sister… then it was gone… He had become the stronger and survived.

Yet another weird thought.

Image: Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unemployment, what does it say about you? Is it a means to an end? a better future for self/family? are you disabled and would love to work? a necessary evil? something to be afraid of? or maybe to be avoided at all costs? Which ever floats your boat it will say something about you…

I was chatting to a friend about the Governments latest drive to get more individuals off of Unemployment and Sickness Benefit. He was saying that a lot of people are unemployed simply because there is no jobs to get. He went on to say that

“back in the good old days there were plenty of jobs to go round”.

Myself, I am from the back-end of those so called good old days. I’ve been in work since I left school. The first Job I had was as a Window Cleaner, why because jobs at the time were hard to find not exactly what I had envisaged for myself, but I needed to start somewhere. So I did and now some years later I ended up in Warehouse Management a far cry from window cleaning. Hopefully I have made my point unlike my mate who I am not to sure knows exactly what he is talking about.

You need to know why I told him this before you judge me. My friend, we’ll call him Dave so he becomes a person rather than a thing, has not held a job for more than 29+ years although he trained and qualified as an Arc Welder, since then his main cry has been

“I have been for many interviews but the job was not the right kind of work for me.”

So he has spent the last 29+ years going between Sickness and Unemployment Benefit.

When they send for him to undergo a Health Medical the doctor finds nothing wrong with him and takes him off of sickness benefit, he then waddles along to Social Security and registers as unemployed accepting unemployment benefit for six months. When the six months run out and before they force him into a job he waddles back to see his doctor where by clever deception he ends up back claiming sickness benefit, although after 29+ years they know him well and so the circle starts again. So you see that last question is very relevant I know by experience one or two members of my own family and others who go out of their way to avoid working for a living. They would rather sponge off of the Taxpayer than do an honest days work and add a little respect/self-esteem to their lives. To these people I would say enjoy it while you can your days are numbered, no matter which Government is in power.

Thats my little rant out of the way lets get back to the Government and Unemployment. I do not believe there will ever be a scenario where there will be no unemployment, and thats not because of the individuals who do not want to work and its not because of the particular party in Government, at the time.

If you really think about it… how many people would you say there are up and down the country working for The Department Of Unemployment my guess would be more than a few thousand if not a few hundred thousand. Well what would happen to these individual if all the unemployed workers on their books were in full time employment my guess would be the staff of these various departments would then become the unemployed paying themselves unemployment benefit while they train for some other form of work.

So to me it seems like it has gone full circle and is starting again with workers who probably think even today they will never be out of work. Unfortunately at this moment in time we have Big Ears and his lap dog Noddy in power so we may get by without having to receiving food parcels from Eastern World Countries as recession gets worse.

What would that do to the male ego? I wonder. I got to thinking about the saying “behind every successful man is a wise woman” I figure this statement made forty plus years ago was true then and it is as important now, if not more so, as it was then, no matter which way round you look at it.

Whether you are married, living with someone, or in business etc. if you expect it to work you should first realize the need to support each other. If it is all one sided sooner or later the partnership will drift apart… but this was not quite what I had in mind.

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I was thinking more in line with genetics/heredity. I was listening to a news item when the presenter got to talking about the up and coming American President and how he has got a good woman behind him.

This was followed up with a news item about an attack on a 65 years old woman pensioner, she was beaten up badly and robbed of a few pounds, another item was the rape of a young girl. The robbery was committed by a young lad under 15 years of age (no name) the rape of the young girl was said to have been committed by a 32 year old male, another news item was about a 70 year old female pensioner being beaten, raped and left for dead. Nothing unusual about that you might say, sadly that kind of thing seems to be in the news on a regular basis these days. My point is more and more crime is being perpetrated against women. …back to my thoughts…

I am sure most all of us are aware of body building and how this sport is dominated by men more than women well, just supposing it did become the norm, for women to body-build I mean. Now lets go one step further supposing more and more of these particular men and women got married, live together, what ever… had children and so on….

We as human being have survived over the centuries by evolving and adapting to our environment, are you ahead of me I wonder.
Now just supposing these super fit men and women handing down their DNA made for strong healthier babies. At the moment the boffins agree that there are more female babies being born than there are male, add to the equation that in the not to distant future as far as needing a man to help produce children goes, you will not, need a man to help produce a baby I mean.

You need to stretch your imagination here lets say in the not to distant future the need for a women to bear the child was no longer necessary… why? because in time scientists had found away for it to be done out-side of the body in an artificial womb.

Now lets add the equation up, more female babies being born, carrying DNA from their body-building parents may have a knock on effect making for stronger, sleeker female babies being born. they in turn would more than not, as they got older, carry on in the same vein as their parents.

What you may have is super fit females. No-longer needed to lend their body to bearing children they now have a need for more in life, like taking on jobs that have been male dominated for years, being sick and tired of being mugged, raped, looked upon as being second class citizens in the eyes of some cultures… I’m on your side girls.

Those males among us who enjoy this kind of crime, they know who they are, need to think long and hard because fella’s it won’t be long before you become the hunted.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I thought you may like to know how our latest battle with Royal Mail is going… Yes… You guessed it they lost/miss placed yet another parcel of mine ten weeks ago. This one makes it five. The saga of this lost parcel has been going on now for almost ten weeks and we are still waiting to be compensated.

Their policy states lost mail can only be reported as lost, if I believe them yet again, after 15 days has expired, that’s working days of course. After you report it lost they state that within thirty days or less compensation is completed.

I’m here to tell you should you ever have a letter or parcel of your own go missing, don’t believe them.

Try phoning them if email has not got their attention, I hear you saying. Tried that. After listening to an automated voice for seven minutes, then going through various listing, when I did hear the listing I wanted… Yes… you guessed it correctly you are told to go to their website and send an email with your details of the lost item. Full circle me thinks… Yes… However, the matter of my lost parcel won’t end here why, because I can be a bit of a nasty pasty if I need to be, and yes, I am on the warpath, yet again with our so called Royal Mail.

Have you ever wondered what happens to lost mail here in the UK, I ask because we have had four parcel go astray.

When you pay to use their mail service you expect to get satisfaction seeing your parcel/letter get to the person it was intended for within their stated delivery times.

Don’t get me wrong I realise there is a possibility, for what ever reason, they misplace the odd parcel/letter. However, it comes as a bite to hard to swallow when the same family (us) have complained four times that mail the mail service had been trusted with had not reached its destination, or in the words of our Post Office staff “your mail as been lost”.

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I have received other none computer part parcels without any hassle so what is so special about the four lost parcels, my guess, they have all contained valuable computer parts. No wonder I have now become suspicious. This post has been prompted by the loss of yet another parcel…YES… you guessed right this latest missing parcel also contained computer hardware.

I ask you what kind of comment is that to give to a customer… It’s been lost. Is there some kind of rift in time, and space where on closer inspection we find our mail falling through a Black Hole never to be seen again. How about a ghostly mail-weiler that follows postmen/women waiting for its chance to chew on our letters rather than biting the postman/women leg. No, I don’t believe that one either.

I have received other none computer part parcels without any hassle, so what is so special about the four lost parcels, my guess, they have all contained valuable computer parts. No wonder I have now become suspicious. This post has been prompted by the loss of yet another parcel…YES… you guessed right this latest missing parcel also contained computer hardware.

So what other excuse is there. I don’t think it takes a genius to work out what may be happening. I think somewhere in the system there are sticky fingers attached to some individual/individual’s, and these particular individual’s have been handling parcels, and letter for some time to the extent that they can tell from the way a parcel is wrapped what its contents have a strong possibility of being. I think that’s the time your/mine/our parcel is in danger of being lost.

Sadly if this is the reason for the lost mail the small minority of individuals who do this are throwing bad light on the vast majority of honest hard working people.

Now its time for some statistics. I watched a recent news report on the missing mail, and the statement from our wonderful mail service said they do a wonderful job so much so that out of the 21 Billion of posted parcels/mail the 0.58% of mail that goes missing in a year is not a bad result.

It may be a result for them, try telling that to the 0.58% of people that get themselves stressed because once again their parcel has gone missing, and claiming against the mail services for the loss of their mail. Time for another statistic a 0.58% loss of 21 Billion works out at 121,800 000. letters, and parcels that may or may not go missing every year. How safe is your mail…?… I wonder.
]]> http://geordstoree.com/2012/03/25/lost-mail/feed/ 0 http://geordstoree.com/2012/03/10/mass-effect-3/ http://geordstoree.com/2012/03/10/mass-effect-3/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:32:18 +0000 Soler http://geordstoree.com/?p=895 Mass Effect 3 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

In the opening scene you are asked to appear before the committee from then on be prepared for full scale war. The only way to described the start is bloody brilliant. Absolute hell brakes out while you speak to the committee. Good Luck you are going to need it, from here on in… Enjoy …

If you have previous saves from both Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 you are given the option of importing them into Mass Effect 3. Importing your previous saved games will help influence how the final chapter is experienced.

There are 3 pre-set campaign modes: Action Mode, Story Mode, and RPG Mode. In Action Mode, conversations have automatic replies and combat difficulty is ranked as normal. With the Story Mode,

interaction with others have manual replies with difficulty level minimal. In RPG Mode, this is the particular mode I prefer, interaction has manual replies and combat difficulty mode is normal. If you want to experience a typical Mass Effect experience then this last mode is the one to play. Overall, the RPG elements in the game are much improved over those in Mass Effect 2. There is also a more detailed leveling up system and increased weapon customization. Oops lets not forget about romance that fits in nicely with the warfare.

Taking cover has been improved upon. There is no need to hit cover before jumping over now all you need to do is hit the space bar twice as you approach and Shepard will gracefully hop over. Moving around the world you find yourself in offers more options, one is the use of climbable ladders move toward a ladder and Shepard will oblige by climbing it, you have a combat roll and a refined sprint capability.

All in all this in one game you can really get your teeth into. Don’t take my word for it, I guess I’m biased, play it for yourself and see. Whether you want hard core action, or play more to-ward the story mode with a decreased difficulty level or like me enjoy playing from the RPG mode… try it and see … If you have often thought about playing and just never got round to it this is your last chance. This is the final chapter in the Mass Effect trilogy of video games, completing the story of Commander Shepard.

Game Bug

I have come across what I think is a bug. If you are experiencing sound problems after the Bio Logo runs, by problem I mean no sound at all. Here’s how I solved it.

In the search programs bar on the desktop, after clicking start, search for the Mass Effect3 EXE. Right click the file and pick pin to Main Menu click and play… enjoy … Don’t pin it to the task bar for some reason if you do the program will run without sound after the BioWare Logo loads.

Note:

My only criticism is to EA themselves and the problems they selfishly created for those of us who ordered special edition copies from Game, not to mention Game themselves, when they refused to a supply and return deal that other software companies agreed-to which they felt was needed in our precarious economy at this moment in time, and maybe long in to future policies, when a lot of firms big and small are going under leaving many people out of work.