James the Dog's blog

After having the end of tonight's Doctor Who- one of the best things I've seen on TV this year- completely and utterly ruined by a dancing Graham Norton telling me about Dorothy being up next I've fired off a complaint to the BBC. 3 years ago I said I'd never bother complaining about anything again after the response the producer of Casualty gave on an episode of Points of View, which clearly showed these people don't give a toss and complaining is as good as shouting at a brick wall. But this really does take the biscuit, doing something like this at an incredibly tense moment on your flagship show, I thought I'd tuned into Channel 5 or Sky One for a minute- they're the people who think this sort of idiocy is acceptable (and why I avoid most digital channels like the plague). What morons are working for the BBC these days to think this is acceptable? This isn't the first time they've tried this and been shouted down due to complaints (though admittedly never on flagship shows like Doctor Who and EastEnders) which makes trying it again even worse, I imagine the fallout from this is going to be huge (already looking on the BBC POV forums and other forums and there's a lot of pissed off people, apparently twitter's gone into meltdown over this as well).

Just checked my online banking to see what interest I've got on my ISA this year, which works out at a pitiful 0.1% of what I have in the account! Less than 10% of the interest I got last year, and I must have around 50% more in the account now than I did then. Only 2 years ago I was getting 5% on what I had in my account... Still, the people who own the banks get to continue as if this reccession's never happened, so everything's alright then. It makes you wonder what's the point in saving when prices everywhere are rocketing and you're getting as good as no money back at all.

One thing I spend a lot of my time doing it watching music channels. Well, at least having it on in the background anyway while I'm doing other things. One of the channels I watch the most is Magic TV, which is mostly music from the 80s and 90s (which is much better than the trash in the charts these days), and I've noticed over the past couple of weeks they keep making mistakes. For a start, I was watching last week, and the same song was played twice in the space of an hour, and yesterday during "hits of the 80s" we got both Beyonce's brand new single, and also a song by Sophie Ellis-Bextor which is just as 21st century, and today during hits of the 90s we got a very 21st Century Robbie Williams song. Have they put work experience boy in charge of programming the playlist or something?

Also, since the start of the month, they've been running every number 1 of the 80s, 90s and 00s. Quite a misleading name, as they skipped over several songs from the 80s. Admittedly, most didn't have videos to show (though they could have got Mark Goodier, who's presenting it, to have aknowleged them), but a few of them did- and I'm pretty sure the only reason they skipped over Jive Bunny is become someone who works there thinks it's crap (though that doesn't stop them playing Mr Blobby, the Tellytubbies and Bob The Builder, which are MUCH worse...). Plus between last Tuesday & Wednesday's show they skipped over several songs from 1994, which I imagine was down to work experience boy making a mistake again, as they have run those songs when they've shown it in the past.

One mistake that's consitently made which annoys me whenever they show this (and other assorted "Number 1" and "million seller" shows they run) is this:



Yes, Candle In The Wind was Number 1 during those weeks, and was the biggest selling song of that year, but not THAT VERSION of it! Considering the caption there even mentions Elton playing the song at Diana's funeral (the footage they're showing there was recorded in Sydney in 1986, for anyone who cares- probably no-one!), the fact they still keep on playing the Marilyn Monroe version of the song baffles me- you'd think someone who works there would have picked up on it by now, but they've been making this mistake for years... After all, the fact it was a song about Diana is the very reason why it sold 5 million copies.

You'd think the people who work for these channels would be clued up, but then there was the time when Top Of The Pops ran a viewers phone in competition question where all the answers were wrong...

As many I people talk to are fully aware, I am a big fan of the cartoon The Foxbusters, which is about a trio of hens defending their farm against Foxes. I couldn't help but think of the show when I saw this news report on the BBC website- spookily similar! Poor fox though :'-(

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8548564.stm?ls

Before Christmas, we had a letter from our electric company saying we needed a new meter and for us to book an appointment, so we did and they said they were coming on a Wednesday afternoon. So I rushed home from where I was that day to be home in time only... for them to never show up. We were going to ring to say something, but never got round to it. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago the man who came round to read the meter knocked on the door and mentioned that it needed changing and booked an appointment for them to come- which was today. So I did something I was meant to do today yesterday instead so I'd be in. And... yet again they didn't turn up. Not even a phone call to say they weren't coming. So that's twice they haven't turned up, twice I've changed plans so I was in. How annoying and unreliable, I think phoning up and complaining is in order.

Our new fridge is due to be delivered tomorrow. Let's hope Curry's don't screw us around the same way...

Quite a bizarre thing this morning- I got a package of DVD-Rs today from someone I used to talk to a few years ago. We've exchanged DVDs of stuff in the past, but it's a good couple of years since I last sent him anything or even heard from him, so it's quite suprising I've got some stuff from him out of the blue. What's even more bizarre is what it is- several discs of episodes of Spitting Image (in fact, it looks like he's sent me EVERY episode). I never once mentioned to him that I like Spitting Image, the main reason being that I don't. I've seen the odd episode and clip here and there, but I'm not a fan- and if I was I'd have bought the proper DVDs of it anyway. So why he's sent me all these discs of it is bizarre, as I'm never going to watch them- in fact they're likely to just end up in the bin to be honest. Sadly I don't have his contact details any more, so I can't even ask him why he's sent me all them. What a strange mystery....

I was hoping, for the first time, to be able to go to Eurofurence this year, but the more I think about it, the more I'm not sure.

For a start, the basic double hotel room+con is €240, which is around £220- only a little bit less than I'm paying for a single room and sponsor membership at Confuzzled. Last year was €170, which is a big increase, even factoring in the extra €30 they've had to put on due to some new tax law. Factoring in plane costs, travel to the hotel, and getting to and from the airport in this country and travel insurance, I've probably spent god knows how much before I've even started. Then there's the money I'll have to spend while I'm there. A recent post on UKFur says that breakfast at the hotel is £15, so I can imagine other meals are equally expensive, which prices me out of eating there- I've never spent that much on food in a day, let alone a single meal, there's no way could I afford those prices on top of what else I'd be spending. It just feels as if it's going to be working out too pricy for me.

Plus I really need to sort out issues with roommates- I couldn't even contemplate sharing with a stranger (moreso with furries), and I only know 2 people who are definatly going, and I've felt too nervous to ask either of them. And there's sorting out other arrangements, such as travel, plus I want to check out if other local hotels are cheaper, and I admit I don't really know where to start with any of it as I've never done anything like this by myself before, and I feel I need someone to talk me through it and help me out.

I do want to go, but it just feels like it's going to be expensive and a lot of hassle. I did feel as though I was missing out last year, and all the years I was unaware of the fandom, but it does feel as if EF has started to outgrow itself and got far too big. I really wish I could have been aware of the fandom and been able to go a few years ago when it was smaller (and cheaper), it feels as if it was more fun and enjoyable. I'm just wondering if it's worth going or if I should just stay at home.

Was meant to be going out today to Skegness, meeting the rest of the family but I feel too ill, so I've been left in the house on my own while everyone else have gone. I feel absolutly awful- I was up half the night coughing my lungs up, and this is probably the worst sore throat I've ever had, not to mention the rest of my body. Though admittedly I don't really know if I want to go to the seaside at the end of December anyway, though I would have enjoyed the fish & chips (though it's not like I feel like eating anything right now...). Though admittedly I am in my element with "Every Number 1 of the 90s" showing on Magic, after watching the 80s one on Sunday, then they have the 00s tomorrow! Yes, I'm sad ;-) The biggest problem with watching it is every ad break they seem to be showing a trailer for Celebrity Big Brother (urgh) and that prick Tim Westwood...

After all, the three wise men gave baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and Murr ^_^

This is the view out of my window right now. It never ever usually snows here, eeep!