tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89360267206951542632024-02-07T23:05:42.118+00:00CRAZY FITTERCrazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-77878984916767248882010-01-31T18:57:00.001+00:002010-01-31T19:27:20.685+00:00Jamaica HolidayIts nearly a year since I last posted and just as the world was breathing a big sigh of relief, here I am again.<br /><br /><br />Last May I Went with my wife (she's Jamaican) to Jamaica for a 2 week holiday and were fortunate to travel through the cockpit country to visit relatives. it was an absolutely glorious journey through jungle clad volcanic landscape, up,down,up,down etc. The roads were horrific but then the shear volume of water that falls and flows off the mountains rips up the tarmac and makes it a land fit only for landrovers. But we didn't see one!<br /><br />The last time we travelled through JA was in '78 and the differences were subtle. This time it wasn't possible to run over chickens and goats in the road (there wasn't any). Every shack that sold anything had a plaque saying Digicell Top Up and everywhere were carwashes, a bucket of water in the backyard. It was noticeable that the people who comlained most about the increasing lack of self reliance (re. grow your own food) and dependance on cash were the most right wing and pro big business. The irony was lost on them.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-75691584960447955722009-03-09T19:26:00.003+00:002009-03-09T19:48:07.167+00:00Oh BuggerI'm having a real tough time at work, trying to develop a new type of coupling, but the damn seals keep bursting. At least I'm not on my own, that's the benefit of team work..........<br /><br />Was reading a book called Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell about a couple of 19th century magicians but have finally abandoned it as a load of crap. I just don't care what happens next. I've tried to start A Thousand Splendid Suns but in spite of it seeming to be 'right up my street' I've put it to one side as can't just get interested at the moment. Also tried to give Sebastian Faulks, Birdsong, a second read but can't get going with that either. I've read the first couple of chapters of E.H.Gombrich's A Little History of the World. Its written for children but the subject matter is good and I'm learning stuff that's interesting.<br /><br />My car is on its last legs so have to find another. I keep looking at the on-line and paper versions of Autotrader and am more confused now than when I started. Some of the best websites are from the one man and his dog outfits operating from home and with no showrooms. oh well.<br />Think I'll just go and slash my wrists......<br />Only joking........Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-2670680831625295972009-03-01T17:31:00.003+00:002009-03-01T18:13:00.732+00:00Oiy! Thats Mine!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLK5sG1f0hDbvP0xbPoD8I2sFl1dxrihWSCUu0XgfjrCueTcvdjcJ8GPkgNvxocjaab4v-ffbP_aC7ukDMAWvSU57gPIiObPnb-rlo9SDT8AM8alb_WZaUPKBktk7J-Ke1dONcgHfbFxX/s1600-h/george+osbourne.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLK5sG1f0hDbvP0xbPoD8I2sFl1dxrihWSCUu0XgfjrCueTcvdjcJ8GPkgNvxocjaab4v-ffbP_aC7ukDMAWvSU57gPIiObPnb-rlo9SDT8AM8alb_WZaUPKBktk7J-Ke1dONcgHfbFxX/s320/george+osbourne.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308273787135836242" border="0" /></a>It was opening day at my new companies new production and office unit (it's not a factory!) on Friday, and George Osbourne was the guest of honour.<br /><br />My MD made a speech which stunned me speechless with the expression 'I don't know what gods plan is for this business...'. I've found out he's a very religious person as well as being very Conservative but his views don't allow for 'what Labours doing is probably gods plan'.<br /><br />When it came to the toast George and my MD found they had no champagne glasses in hand and the person stood behind me picked one up and offered it over. I realised just in time what was happening and uttered those immortal words 'Oiy that's mine'. I don't care who it is but they're not nicking my champers. They were both given fresh glasses and I like to believe I wasn't overheard. If I'm fired on Monday I'll know I didn't get away with it.<br /><br />Osbourne was in the car park at 12noon to link live with BBC's 24 news service on the question of the outrageous pension being given to the tory chief of yet another failed bank and commented about Prescott's suggestion that it be withheld with the comment that he wouldn't want to do anything illegal. He wouldn't, would he?<br /><br />We watched the interview from the entrance hall (sorry foyer) where a large TV was attached to the wall and someone noticed the window above George was open and dashed upstairs to wave from it but just at that moment someone else spoilt the fun and closed it. It was strange watching it on TV and in real life.<br /><br />The photo looks as if George is bumping fists, but he wasn't.<br /><br />I finished my other birthday book this weekend, John Grishams, The Associate. It good, but not that good, don't buy any book until you've read Stieg Larssons, The Girl Who Played With Fire.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-26977865022495703252009-02-26T20:29:00.004+00:002009-02-26T20:44:39.635+00:00Meanwhile, Back at Work.My, I did have a little go at Tenerife in my last post didn't I? There was an upside though, other than not being at work, and that was sitting by the pool reading an absolutely fabulous thriller. It was my birthday present from dear daughter called The Girl Who Played With Fire, by Stieg Larsson. Its the second in a trilogy and I just can't wait for the final one next year. A film is currently being made of it.<br /><br />Meanwhile back at work, with my colleague, we managed to complete the assembly of a new prototype coupling to be used on undersea oil wells. We also moved factories, mostly while I was in Tenerife, sometimes I get my timing spot on.<br /><br />Tomorrow is official opening day and non other than George Osbourne is coming to pump flesh and kiss any babies who might just happen to be lying around. So its clean clothes, a smile, finger food and champers for us all.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-71003346655778945452009-02-23T20:12:00.005+00:002009-02-23T20:54:54.248+00:00TenerifeI've just had a week in Tenerife and can honestly say that I'm glad to be back at work. I've discovered that there are Gods, lots of them and they are called salesmen. Timeshare salesmen, holiday club salesmen, bow down and worship for they have changed the landscape of the island.<br /><br />We were in Sunningdale Village at a place called Golf Del Sur which is close to Los Abrigos, at last a genuine name. It was a circle of apartments surrounding a swimming pool and was in turn half surrounded by similar property, while the rest of the view was abandoned building sites and tower cranes stretching down to the coast- with- no- beach. Even the pool was cold, I only went in once, then abandoned it to the kids.<br /><br />Current cost to stay in delightful places like this is about £14,000, then there are upgrades to 'gold', another £5000, and to 'diamond' another five grand, and lets not forget the annual maintenance fee of £1500. What you get is the right to holiday there for you and your children's lifetime. Poor sods, what have they ever done to deserve such a fate? <br /><br />Gazing inland up the slopes of the volcano I could see what I believed to be actual Spanish villages clinging to the slopes of rocky outcrops, but I was wrong. They were more Holiday Club 'villages'. OK, so mountain goats need holidays too.<br /><br />At the top of one 'village' was a wedding-cake/candyfloss type villa which the rep/salesbastard was proud to tell us was owned by Mr Beniton himself with his 'little red Ferrari'. And everybody smiled!!!<br /><br />I've just blown 1 week of my precious holidays on this shit so I feel very low at the moment and need a course of hypnotism to make me forget. I don't think I'll ever forget though that the food was so bad I once parted with £7.50 for a double mac at Burger King as a pleasant change.<br />crazy, crazy, crazy.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-12770563529485126822009-02-11T18:58:00.005+00:002009-02-11T19:22:57.615+00:00Birthday, Books and Bankers.What I didn't mention about my birthday in the previous post is that among my presents were two great books from my daughter; a John Grisham, The Associate, and the real winner; Stieg Larsons, The Girl Who Played With Fire. I can hardly wait to get by the pool and start reading.<br /><br />One of the days news stories is that its OK to eat as many eggs as you want unlike previous advice that 2 or 3 a week should be the limit. I must have gone through my life in a daydream because I've never heard of this limit before. Mind you, I've never been a twenty a day man!<br /><br />Another top story is about the Banker who was sacked for warning that the banks were overextending themselves and taking too much risk. The Tories manage to make so much political capital out of the financial crisis that its sometimes hard to remember that they are all a bunch of Tories that got us into this pickle and many pay £50000 a year to be members of the Leader Group which gives them access to David Cameron. What word does Banker rhyme with?<br /><br />Bugger it, I'm off on Holiday on Friday.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-10790621701649506042009-02-09T20:07:00.004+00:002009-02-09T20:26:46.777+00:00BirthdayMy brain feels fried and I can't concentrate much on the old blog with so much happening at work and so much to learn. <br /><br />I did have a birthday at weekend though and it was decided to take me to theTrafford Centre to finish off our holiday shopping and have a meal at our favouriteItalian Restuarant. I needed it as well because it just aint no joke trailing round that place, I was well knackered.<br /><br />Next stop was a family getogether, there are 3 of us with our birthdays within a couple of days of each other so we swop prezzies and have a drink every year and this time a Wii was in use and much fun was had by most. I say most because in all this running around I was the driver and never got a drink. Oh, I am in a grim mood.<br /><br />It doesn't help too much that on Friday we fly to Tenerife for a week. The problem is that we have been persuded to go with relatives who are supplying the accomodation and all we need is the airfare. Trouble is that its half-term and the airfare cost is the same as other weeks with a 4* hotel thrown in. I just love being ripped off.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-25393462314909114262009-02-02T19:08:00.003+00:002009-02-02T19:24:41.417+00:00Upsidedown FlagWork's proving to be a bit of a headache as I try to understand the new design valve and try to take over the job completely. Its whats expected-there's no hiding place.<br /><br />I had to smile at the news tonight, no not the snow, I'm referring to the Chinese Premier, old Whatshisname, over here for trade talks, and saviour of the country (this one) by doubling exports.<br />That is to say that China's economy will be salvaged by them importing from us and ours will be saved by exporting to them. Damn, I'm sure there's something wrong there somewhere.<br /><br />The really funny bit for me was the signing of the trade agreement (whatever that is) at a posh desk with the Chinese and British flags in miniature stuck in the middle. The Union Flag was upside down, a phenomena I keep seeing on our TV screens. How can they get it wrong at such an event? Now I haven't flown a flag since my boy scout days but I do remember which way up it goes and that an inverted flag is a distress signal. Oh.... I get it.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-19170882318394746122009-01-27T21:26:00.003+00:002009-01-27T21:52:48.300+00:00What a DaySince starting my new job last Thursday its been all go, go, go, never finishing on time and painfully aware that for the first time in my life I do not get paid for overtime. What a martyr.<br /><br />Today was a real classic as the huge prototype valve I am assisting to build displayed a major problem and had to be stripped down for some redesign work with the company chairman assisting. The clock is ticking for delivery to customer.<br /><br />The company is also in the process of moving to new premises so any machining that needs doing has to be done by Thursday as the machine shop moves to our splendid new site and the tarmacking is done after that so no heavy waggons for a few days. Then in the first two weeks of Feb. the rest of us move over. Then this afternoon the Chairman's Blackberry spoke. BT. won't connect the electricity supply to the new place until 6th March. How our Chairman kept his hair on I don't know.<br /><br />I was a full hour late setting off home but I had a plan. Call at the JobCentrePlus on the way and post my signing off cert. Failure. The office doesn't have a letter box so I had to stick a stamp on and post it. Then two bulbs went on my dear old Volvo as I set off again and I realised that I was right up the rear of a police car and speeding as I reached home. Wow, I got away with it but I sure as hell hope I never have another day like this for a long while.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-815417721788093562009-01-21T16:19:00.003+00:002009-01-21T16:48:06.100+00:00New JobWhat a week. Oh yeah, well done Barak and good luck but this posts about me, sorry to disappoint. This is my 3rd week of unemployment and last weeks expected 2 interviews never materialised. There's always an excuse like 'The manager has been promoted and his replacement is still getting his feet under the table'. I can never tell whether they are taking the piss because I've heard it all before. That sort of thing gets filed with the 'The cheques in the post' sort of crap.<br /><br />I did however have an interview on Monday with a company on Trafford Park which assembles wheels on train axles. It was an enormous place and expanding but ultimately in spite of an element of precision, it was all mechano set assembly. They offered me the job and I accepted (hey I need the dosh). Arrangements were made for me to go back on Thursday for a Drugs and Alcohol Test, a test I understand <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">not</span> to see if I am capable of imbibing these substances.<br /><br />Then yesterday I had an interview in Northwich for a job as Project Engineer (sounds posh) with a company with fingers in all sorts of pies. I was grilled for over 2 hours by a succession of people heading up different sections of the outfit. At times I can say I didn't know whether I wanted a shit, shave or a haircut.<br /><br />In the afternoon the agency rang to say I had been accepted and to start on Thursday (tomorrow). Wow, I got the job I wanted and now I knew the answer to the previous problem. And to hell with trains.<br /><br />So here I go again, new employer, new people, new products, new problems, new year, new President. And I may well find myself in China later in the year installing engineering products that I've made. Wow again.<br /><br />So maybe I shouldn't be too hard on agencies.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-19827080181518623052009-01-16T15:01:00.003+00:002009-01-16T15:11:05.893+00:00Walk in FridgeLaugh out loud at the Heineken advert. I did.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='445' height='362' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxRK5NrOcmQEztYUwJyVA-J7PbA5Z06COcq1cGbdUPAY47mQFU9bl67N9hP7uGmKRq6S6Pyj4Te82KV4ORhTg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-2436399586677501632009-01-11T20:49:00.005+00:002009-01-11T21:21:05.322+00:00Job Search. Week 1This is the end of my first weeks unemployment and I've spent a lot of time talking to agencies. I've updated my CV and got it online with jobsearch sites which has resulted in contact from 3 agencies from out of the area. One wanted to see a utilities bill. They can cocoa. Another seemed OK and said they'd look for me. A woman at the third agency rang me up and was all excited and wanted me to start immediately at a company in YORK. I had to explain that Manchester was nowhere near York and she seemed so crestfallen and promised to look for me in my own area. Her company was in Northampton which just goes to show that living in a place with 'north' in its name is no guarantee that a person isn't a southern lemon. I won't hold my breath with that one.<br /><br />I had an interview with a Manchester Agency on Friday which seems promising as they are organising an interview for me with a Cheshire company in an industry I know something about. I'm getting excited. Then they wanted to know of any companies I knew of which they could approach on my behalf. Hello there, but I can approach a company all by myself thank you very much.<br /><br />So in week 2 I should have 2 job interviews. As the old saying goes, 'You never know your luck in a big city'.<br /><br />I also have an interview with the Jobcentre on Monday morning with a view to having my National Insurance payments credited and to see what the jobseekers allowance is all about.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-20052940871840686622009-01-05T20:37:00.003+00:002009-01-05T21:28:49.499+00:00Highgate and BackI'm in 'Finding Work With a Vengeance' mode and have been re-registering with agencies like mad and talking with their reps. I'm amazed at the time it takes just to chat with one agency, then send them my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">cv</span> with covering note. Add a little research and the hours just fly by.<br /><br />We spent the weekend in London to collect our daughters belongings from the flat she is vacating. So as a last outing in the capital what did we choose to do? We visited <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Highgate</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Cemetery</span> of course. What else? We took the guided tour of the West <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cemetery</span> (Karl Marx is buried in the East one) and found it really <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">fascinating</span>. In the 1830's the normal way to get <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">buried</span> was to pay for a church plot but the body would be dug up after 6 months and put in a lime pit in order to make way for another body in the overcrowded churchyards..<br /><br />So an act of Parliament created 5 super graveyards round north London to ease the situation and the churches got upset at the revenue they were being deprived of so insisted the paupers were buried there as well for free, and they were. They are buried under all the walkways. Well, why not? With the advent of cremations revenue dropped off for everybody and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Highgate</span> offered a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mausoleum</span> for Urns which <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">surprisingly</span> was hardly used, the main residents being funeral directors.<br /><br />You really wanted to know all this didn't you? Do yourself a favour and take a tour if you get the chance. It was bloody cold on Sunday.<br /><br />The trip back up the motorways to Manchester was less fun than the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">cemetery</span> though. The Volvo estate I have was filled to capacity and then some. I can't remember taking all that stuff down there. If I'd braked hard the windscreen would have been bombarded with books, files, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">coat hangers</span> and all sorts of stuff but we did make it back in one piece in 4 hours including a stop for coffee. Crazy or what?Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-68029021569813293322009-01-01T22:29:00.001+00:002009-01-01T22:31:14.132+00:00HAPPY NEW YEAR<span style="font-family:arial;">I didn't get drunk once over the holiday, it wasn't the plan, thats just the way it worked out. Christmas day was good with the extended family and the remaining days have drifted by in lethargy.<br />Can someone give an award to Virgin1TV? They have just aired The Great Escape.It must be worth an award for STUPIDITY or TOTAL LACK OF IMAGINATION or something.I wonder if Richard Branson knows? This is the guy who started importing American records from a barge and went on to build a massive industry including an airline. For leisure he goes into the stratosphere in a balloon. What shall we put on our TV Station this Xmas Richard? What about The Great Escape? Oh, all right then. Not.<br />I've been updating my CV with my daughters help. I rang an agency I've worked with in the past and they said there's no need to chase them because if I put my CV online with someone like jobsite.co.uk the agencies will chase me and I'll be getting 5 job offers a day. How things seem to have changed in the last 5 years. Sounds great, roll on next week.<br />I'm sat here watching something stupid on TV and thinking about the weekend we are spending in London and I swear I've got Brain Death Syndrome creeping over me slowly and insidiously.<br /></span>Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-13913967287686037422008-12-23T22:22:00.003+00:002008-12-23T22:56:39.885+00:00Its Xmas<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Merry Xmas to you all. Have a good holiday.<br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">There I go again, talking to myself.<span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">It seems strange being on holiday and just being made redundant and wondering how long my enforced unemployment will last. Not too long, I really believe, but I will soon be finding out. Finding a job is a full time job and come January 2nd it will be all go on the job-find campaign.<br /><br />Today was another of those good and bad days. I visited my mother in a retirement home, she suffers dementia badly, and it was a miserable experience. I'm not even sure if she knew who I was and her words were mostly unidentifiable except for the occasional 'that's a nice coat', pointing at my jacket. I took her a box of chocolates and she set about eating them one at a time and playing with the foil wrappers. On her pillow was a pair of her knickers which she'd pick up, fold, unfold, hold up for viewing then put down for another chocolate. And the place reeked of urine. I can only hope I never end up like that.<br /><br />Next stop was a lot more pleasant with a visit to my niece and her family to drop off presents for the children. Joseph is the newest at less than 3 months old and I had a great hour cradling him and making what I believe are the appropriate noises. When he wasn't dozing he at least seemed interested. That's my claim anyway. Merry xmas.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div>Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-3013641621591546342008-12-19T20:39:00.004+00:002008-12-19T21:20:09.315+00:00Last Day and X-RayThat's it then, finished for xmas. In fact finished until I get a new job. What a strange day its been, my main job was to take a sledgehammer to a large packing case (large-think garden shed) to dismantle it. Then I took a jig-saw to the ply panels to make them small enough to put in the compactors. I had a walk round the factory, only cleaning jobs happening, and swapped words with some of the guys and told them I'd come round later to say goodbye.<br />I didn't get to see them again as I had to dash home to take my wife for an x-ray. She hurt her arm last night and its seized up during the course of the morning. I only got to say goodbye to the boss and a couple of fitters I work with. I hate goodbyes anyway.<br />There was no fracture to her arm, just soft tissue bruising and they want to see her in the new year for physio. Sounds good but she's still getting pain if she moves it.<br />So I'm thoroughly pissed off and sat here watching 'I've Got News for You'. Somehow its not cheering me up.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-526770203488703962008-12-18T21:22:00.004+00:002008-12-18T22:17:55.379+00:00Penultimate DayTomorrow is my last day at work and today I had a presentation by the guys and was given a bottle of Glenfiddich malt whiskey (wonderful stuff). One of the contractors (the ex-marine) didn't seem to realise that a sort of thanks had to be given in return so I struggled to get it out while he prattled to one of the others. I brought in some boxes of mince pies and other tarts which were consumed throughout the day.<br /><br />None of us did much today. Mostly preparing the factory for shutdown and no lines ran. What a drag. I did bring a load of my tools home to save time tomorrow.<br /><br />The German engineers found a major problem with some of the computer hardware they are installing so the project will not get completed until next year after it is replaced.<br /><br />A manager from one of the companies which does contract work for us came in and was shocked that I was being made redundant. He said he talks regularly to companies who complain about a shortage of engineers and took my details to pass on when he gets the chance. Maybe my xmas holiday will turn out to be shorter than I anticipate.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-17601207351536836072008-12-15T18:54:00.004+00:002008-12-15T19:22:07.325+00:00Nearly Xmas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaRl23SWqN3WbA0FHxIDgMs4vNUskjgaV2gGqs6fXRcME0_lI8IX_tYq4KyI__Ph9HT4UlSFfs7ceHBHSDD56SDxeZJ-OGod7YmTl3DlTIEqYG91oYenYegXZVneQ75qZwhUQDPLMnGRg/s1600-h/elephant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaRl23SWqN3WbA0FHxIDgMs4vNUskjgaV2gGqs6fXRcME0_lI8IX_tYq4KyI__Ph9HT4UlSFfs7ceHBHSDD56SDxeZJ-OGod7YmTl3DlTIEqYG91oYenYegXZVneQ75qZwhUQDPLMnGRg/s320/elephant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280092404640631090" border="0" /></a>Hope you like the elephant. Congrats to whoever did it but I still don't know who you are.<br /><br />What a miserable place work is. Night shift has been called off and only a fraction of the normal production was produced today.(Grief, what poor English but you know what I mean).<br /><br />I hardly did anything and can't really phone up the people I want to arrange job interviews with until I know when I'll finish. A German engineer arrives tomorrow to start up the line we have been upgrading so maybe if all goes well I will finish on Wednesday. The boss finishes on Wednesday so that's also a good clue. I also managed to get my hair cut on the way home tonight so I almost look human again, fit for a job interview anyway.<br /><br />Our contract welder(ex Royal Marine) seems to relish playing Dueling Banjo's on his phone when in my presence. He'd made the comment that it wouldn't be played down Moss Side, to much hilarity from the others. I'm obviously missing something here because I saw the film Deliverance and enjoyed the tune, still do, and if I wanted to be stupid I'd be making comments about white rustic inbreds. Crazy or what?Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-48074379728309013312008-12-12T19:06:00.003+00:002008-12-12T19:29:44.804+00:00Last Full WeekThis was probably the last full week at my current company after nearly 6 years. I would guess that next week I will finish on Wednesday after spending Monday and Tuesday just tidying up and odd jobbing as the project nears completion. The main load will be on the electricians to finish the wiring. (There's a joke there somewhere).<br />The original planned 14 redundancies turned to 16 as the order book continues to collapse and I'm one of them. Of the 16 just one guy decided to appeal and the union shop steward went in to argue his case with management. He won the case and management therefore fired the next guy on their list. It was the shop steward. You just couldn't make this up could you.<br />I've applied for 3 jobs and registered with 3 agencies and they are all optimistic that that my skills are just what people want out there and promise me a job very quickly. We'll see.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-64256933203211312652008-12-08T21:19:00.004+00:002008-12-08T21:33:19.340+00:00Just another day at the office<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijCB9EwNLK4nbdAFR91di0eHEVBFPSwplU-MwsOHldUFZsONbEJMeB5hrCC7y7d5HTgrXBGahGfPVcVfU-EuNnvsxi72C8yAa9tUc3KNeP15gqlrYCRQlSOmRzGDsuRZirf4qS99MzP_V/s1600-h/vitruvian_octo.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijCB9EwNLK4nbdAFR91di0eHEVBFPSwplU-MwsOHldUFZsONbEJMeB5hrCC7y7d5HTgrXBGahGfPVcVfU-EuNnvsxi72C8yAa9tUc3KNeP15gqlrYCRQlSOmRzGDsuRZirf4qS99MzP_V/s320/vitruvian_octo.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277532085435886194" border="0" /></a>Couldn't resist publishing this picture. I copied it from <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/12/somebody_put_this_on_a_tshirt.php">science blogs</a> which is always worth a visit and where the proper credit can be seen. The post is called 'Quick, put this on a tee shirt'<br /><br />Our German engineers arrived at work this afternoon, instead of this morning, due to a four hour delay. These Germans just can't get it right sometimes.<br /><br />The contract welder we have for the next two weeks, ex Royal Marine, revealed that he was born in Zambia of English parents and so had 2 passports. Having been born, and lived there, should have been the opportunity for an interesting conversation but as he had been warned that my wife was black and that he probably had nothing of interest to say that didn't involve the N word there was complete silence. What a shame. Wot izit wiv peepl?Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-88423680745832255082008-12-05T22:14:00.003+00:002008-12-05T22:33:23.310+00:00Fork Lift TrucksThursday morning I got into work to find that one of the large bendy fork<br />lift trucks (weighing about 10 tons) had reversed into a wall in one of the warehouses. The truck was undamaged but the wall no longer exists for a few square meters and builders came in to board the area up. The driver says he only just nudged it but knew something was wrong when a breeze block fell on the gas tank. I haven't made this up.<br />Thats the funny bit out of the way, after all I am being made redundant with a lot of others.<br />Now the bad bit.<br />Our electrician walked over to see what he had to do about making any electrical circuits safe when he was hit on the ankle by another fork lift truck. He came into work later in the day from the hospital with crutches and the news that he had a broken bone in his foot. That makes him very lucky. It will be after xmas before he's in work again. In fact I may well not see him again. TGI weekend.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-22704697062094563292008-12-03T19:12:00.006+00:002008-12-03T19:44:19.864+00:00The Cold, the Cull and the Huffington Post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_lpuFAPgq6U1g_Kql0ljInXTRUj8IK0kNhsmo1VUz3HJypiO3Xx_5SQvNrrNe7dAItAkihRwaAIth0hAtWEFAWOLYBdzxSUS7ShaJVVdN1AtNZXEhRq0i8dMQxh2uNeEmKyvRqvnzD2Z/s1600-h/snowman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_lpuFAPgq6U1g_Kql0ljInXTRUj8IK0kNhsmo1VUz3HJypiO3Xx_5SQvNrrNe7dAItAkihRwaAIth0hAtWEFAWOLYBdzxSUS7ShaJVVdN1AtNZXEhRq0i8dMQxh2uNeEmKyvRqvnzD2Z/s320/snowman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275643892948066994" border="0" /></a><br />It was freezing again this morning and it took a combination of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">de</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">icer</span> and scraper to clear the car windscreen. As usual it was the side road where I turn into work that nearly caught me out as it wasn't salted so the car did a little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">zig</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">zag</span> into the home straight.<br /><br />The cull has started at work and it looks like 16 people will be going and it includes me. I will be officially informed on Monday and it looks as if I will be expected to stay until 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span> Dec. to complete a project. Aren't I the lucky one. I did expect it though as there is no-one else in the engineering department that could go as there are only 3 shift fitters to maintain 3 shifts and there is no way I'm going to do shifts so there was always a logic about it. <br /><br />On site today was a contractor who pops in on a weekly basis to check the fume and dust extraction systems which they supplied and when I told him what has happened he immediately gave me his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">MD's</span> card and to cut a story short I have a job interview the week after next. Funny old thing, life, isn't it?<br /><br />We have on site a contract electrician for another day and a contract welder to help me out until <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">xmas</span> and they were talking in our works kitchen and playing on their mobile mini <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">pc</span> cum phone <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">thingamajigs</span> everyone seems to have and I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">suggested</span> a look at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">huffingtonpost</span>.com the great American liberal blog. A quick scan took place then a frown followed by the word 'Obama' and they glanced at each other and went back to what they where doing. Wot <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">iz</span> it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">wiv</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">peepl</span>?Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-53640804868369183682008-12-02T19:19:00.000+00:002008-12-02T19:20:26.737+00:00Its Cold<p class="MsoNormal">Bloody hell it was cold.<span style=""> </span>I don’t think I got warm on Monday at all and Tuesday was only marginally better.<span style=""> On </span>Monday I never took my jacket off all day and arriving at work I found a number of cold related problems: the workshop heater had stopped working, one of the compressors wouldn’t work, fortunately another would, and a couple of machines refused to start. Bugger.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A welding contractor has started in order to further a job, which needs completing for xmas. He’s an ex Royal Marine who smashed his knee falling 30ft with a full backpack and has a plastic cartilage and false kneecap. No limp in sight. He’s very quick and the standard of his work is excellent and he’s done some globetrotting as a welder. After the lemons I tested before I went off sick he’s a breath of fresh air. Even if ccccccold air!</p>Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-23579383249293527312008-11-30T15:14:00.004+00:002008-11-30T16:19:02.431+00:00Party Time and the Pledge of Allegiance<span style="font-weight: bold;">Works Party.</span><br /><br />Saturday night was party night at Cranage Hall, the annual xmas binge courtesy of the Company, bless their little cotton socks. It was the first one I've been to and I was asked during a moment of weakness having just returned to work after 11 weeks off. What I didn't realize at the time, though it probably wouldn't have made any difference, was that most of the staff were doing there own thing this year and had booked somewhere in the Warrington area (I think) because it was nearer to home.<br />Anyway the food was quite decent and hot and there was 32 of us between 3 tables and then there was 31 of us as Murphy keeled over and hit the deck. Que first aiders and a ring of the curious and eventually the music was transferred to another hall while the ambulance arrived, put him on a stretcher and took him for a night in the hospital.<br />Things quickly got back to normal and opinion was that it was an alcohol related problem. He must have started early and was just 'wasted'. I hope that's all it turns out to be, will know on Monday I would think.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pledge of Allegiance.</span><br /><br />George Docherty the pastor who claims credit for the addition of 'under god' being added to the American Pledge of Allegiance, '...one nation under god' has died. The folks at AOL have decided to conduct a poll asking whether it should stay or go and so far the seculists are loosing by about 2 to 1. Nothing is ever that straight forward though and the guys at <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/11/pledge_poll.php">Pharynula</a> are having fun multiple voting by removing the AOL cookies to give themselves access again. Both sides are doing this as they are good at the spying game and the comments are great on the Pharygula site. Vote now and vote often folks. Go check it out.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8936026720695154263.post-26511139618467974912008-11-26T20:10:00.006+00:002008-11-26T21:35:00.936+00:00Toucan, Redundancy, Religion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj2yOyiEVjvZ7JO_az2tW19FOYtXINU-9dDTczhTHRJPy7oKS_x-RBftsqshx8oT2gEL3d_6W6MiBj5xrGjFK5bkFiHQEOwtV4KQl8MDcvzmN6jZWkHHCSQrGxviuWoRazzU8BPoqX7qh/s1600-h/pelican.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj2yOyiEVjvZ7JO_az2tW19FOYtXINU-9dDTczhTHRJPy7oKS_x-RBftsqshx8oT2gEL3d_6W6MiBj5xrGjFK5bkFiHQEOwtV4KQl8MDcvzmN6jZWkHHCSQrGxviuWoRazzU8BPoqX7qh/s320/pelican.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273061548951311906" border="0" /></a>This piece of hand art is probably my favourite of the eighteen I have and I've put it here as prelude to a miserable blog.<br /><br />The vote at work was 34 in favour of a 4 day week and 39 in favour of redundancies to maintain a 5 day week for the remainder. I'm lost for words.<br /><br />Another bit of misery concerns christian sectarianism in Oklahoma and is described fully on Prof Myers website <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/11/little_axe_oklahoma.php">here</a>. It never ceases to amaze me at the way religion can bring out the shear nastiness in people. Crazy people.Crazy Fitterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05673434620757587787noreply@blogger.com2