2007 — Day 70 - TGIF!
I had no idea that that phrase would still apply after retirement, but why shouldn't it? Maybe it's just a working lifetime gradually uncoiling. Speaking of which, a nice exchange of emails with an ex-colleague in Phoenix today: hi, K! And if my latest navigation bar doesn't attract a satirical comment from NZ I shall be rather disappointed. (Yes, I know it's a cheap textual imitation of Mac's OS X docking bar, Ian, but I can't afford a real one.) And while on the topic of ex-colleagues, I've just been sent a personal letter from the Office of the Chief Executive, thanking me for playing a part "in the development and growth of our Company". Gosh! At least he didn't sign it in the green ink he used for my 25th anniversary letter.
Good deed for the day: spread the word about a lightweight replacement for Adobe Acrobat Reader software (on Windows, at least). After all, if it's good enough for Jack Schofield... You may remember, I was a bit irritated while putting QuarkXpress onto the system when Adobe popped up in the middle of the process demanding the latest critical security update patches (too many megabytes and two forced re-boots too many of my beloved operating system). So I took the plunge about two weeks ago, removing Acrobat, and replacing it by the Foxit reader you can download here. I got it happily working with my Firefox browser by also installing the "PDF download" extension from the Mozilla site. I also took two precautions:
- I expunged Acrobat before installing the replacement, and
- (just as important) I tried out the software on my mineshaft canary Brian just in case!
What's wrong with this picture?
Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees. Despite promising a prompt review of its approval for a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood rather than by geologic forces, more than three years later no review has ever been done and the book remains on sale at the park. Incredible! in the literal sense of the word.
It's Friday. You're dying to tell us...
Well, OK then. I just happened to skim through the new Borders again; preceded, of course, by side trips to the bank, Fopp and Forbidden Planet. And then I got home to find an email from Len offering to lend me one of the items I'd just bought. Can you guess which?
- The Armando Iannucci Shows from back in 2001
- The Addiction by Abel Ferrara
- The Funeral also by Abel Ferrara
- The Chrysalids and Survival — a double CD of BBC radio adaptations of two John Wyndham stories
I can still remember hiding in the dining room, curled up on one of the armchairs, to get the peace and quiet (away from chores, that is) to gulp down the first of these in its original book form - Lies & Alibis courtesy of Mr Postie, and featuring the totally gorgeous Rebecca Romijn (as she now styles herself)
- Comics Journal #280 with Gary Groth himself interviewing Frank Thorne, illustrator of (inter alia) Moonshine McJugs and Red Sonja
not, I admit, an intellectual stretch, but enormously entertaining nonetheless, and finally - (Gustav) Klimt by Gottfried Fliedl, in an amazingly cheap hardback Taschen 25th anniversary edition (£6.99!)